291k mile, 10 yr parked, FJ62 rescue! (1 Viewer)

[js0k]

Howdy everyone, you may have (but probably haven’t) seen my FJ60, “The Dude’s”, build thread. This is something a little different. A while ago I picked up a 291k mile FJ62 that had been sitting 10+ years. I tucked it away in storage after purchase, but finally got a chance to bring it home. Let’s tear into it.

All I know about this fine automobile is that it was parked and the previous owner (who only had it for 2 of the 10+ years it had been sitting, and tried to get it running) found that the fuel pump and tank were bad and didn’t know if it had spark. Before I initially dropped it off at storage, I pulled the fuel tank. It was gross inside! Need to muriatic acid and POR15 it.

Next, while in storage, I decided to compression test it to form a game plan. I found that it had no compression in the rear 3 cylinders, and the front 3 were abysmally low. Yikes! This was my main concern. I started looking into LS swaps, shopping for rebuild kits, but I know from experience that those are a hassle. I’ll just try to get it going with what’s here.

Once home, I started soaking Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders. My initial suspicion was bad rings, but pulling the valve cover quickly changed my focus. The valve train was more caked in gunk than I had ever seen! I sent the pic to some friends and they thought I had stolen it from the internet. It was BAD. The worse part was that a lot of it wasn’t even gunk, it was rust.

Time to get to work.

 

[js0k]

I emptied a can of PB blaster at the rocker assembly and attempted to loosen them with a dead blow, but it was fruitless. I removed the rocker assembly and had to PRESS it apart. Most of the rockers wouldn’t even budge.

Once apart, I started wire wheeling on the trusty old bench grinder. Got all of the rockers and the shaft nice and clean, then WD40 and Emory cloth’d the insides of the rockers and the outside of the shaft. Blew out all of the oil holes, oiled it up and slid it back together. Like new!

Wire wheeled all pushrods and hardware, and spent a good amount of time getting all of the gunk off of the head. Wire brush, WD40, and a shop vac got it nice and clean. Put clean pushrods and hardware back, ready to reinstall rocker assy.

Now comes the fresh rocker assy. Loosened all adjusters after unseizing them, then installed and torqued to spec. Pulled spark plugs and adjusted valves to spec. The rear 3 lifters were stuck in their bores. I poured the rest of my marvel mystery oil down their respective pushrod holes, then hammered on their adjusting screws. Freed right up, got those valves adjusted.

At this point I was going to re-compression check but something bothered me. While cranking during the first compression test, the oil gauge never budged despite the dipstick being wet. I pulled the oil filter and it was dry. Drained the oil and it was new. The rest of the engine is probably as gunky as the top end, so I’m going to clean that all up and put new oil in before I crank it again.

I was about to use seafoam or some expensive additive, then @HemiAlex suggested filling the crankcase with diesel to break up deposits. Sounds good to me!

Put 2.5 gallons in and now it’s marinating. Initially poured through oil filter hole and it was clearly clogged, the diesel backed up! This should clear it up. Will see what color it is when it drains in a day or two and might do another round of it! In the mean time I’m tidying some other stuff up. Cleaned the engine bay up with some WD40, cleaned off the valve cover, and painted the fan shroud.

 

[60 mad]

Wow I’d be revisiting the ls swap idea with an engine that badly treated good luck with the build

 

[HemiAlex]

I think this will be saved. Plus, 3fe cores are cheap.

 

[red66toy]

Amazing! Nice job for saving a 3FE . Hope it all works out.

 

[Idaho Savage]

I love seeing this action. Wish I had the knowledge and dedication.

 

[batthewmrown]

Having a red hot go! Love seeing stuff like this. Great work! Keep after it!

 

[js0k]

Thanks everyone, put everything back on and wrapped it up for the weekend. After work tomorrow I’ll drain the diesel and, depending on what it looks like, will refill with diesel or go straight to the Rotella T4 oil change.

Once she’s full of Rotella I’ll pull the plugs again and compression test. The moment of truth!!

Still need to grab the fuel tank from storage, does anyone have recommendations for getting the rust out? The plan is muriatic acid, baking soda to neutralize, then a coat of POR or Red Kote. Not 100% sure yet, though.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Rock on!
Cant wait to see where this adventure takes you.
fingers crossed.

 

[js0k]

Oh yeah, I named this one a lot faster than the FJ60. Meet “Touch of Grey”. Next I need a white one to name “Sugar Magnolia.

 

[georgebj60]

There are good, used tanks available, for not a ton of money. I've heard of people trying to fix rusty tanks, only to have endless fuelling problems with debris constantly clogging up filters and such.

 

[Idaho Savage]

I'd go Stagger Lee.

 

[SteveH]

Gas tank shops can boil the tank in lye - I just had this done on a minitruck parked 10 years. He said it was among the worst he had seen. $110. Took several days and soakings.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, Wow good work. I’d also drain differentials and redo the hubs. Boil or replace the radiator and thermostat. Mike

 

[js0k]

Well mudders, the results are in!

I drained the diesel, and it was clear.

Filled it up with various leftover oils I had, some 10w30, 40, Rotella T4, and used oil I just drained from an 85 4runner. While compression testing it I loosened the oil filter and oil came out. Pressure gauge didn’t move but I know at least some oil is moving. Maybe some junk is stuck in the galley that goes to the sensor. Or the 300k mike sensor is bad.

During the compression test things were looking great at first but I’m not completely satisfied!

The first two cylinders nearly doubled from last time (70 & 75 -> 120 & 130). Cylinder 3 gained 35 psi (85 -> 120). Cylinder 4 had my hopes up- it was 0 and is now 100. 5 & 6 didn’t change any, though. Still 0.

5 & 6 had stuck lifters, I was able to free them up with a hammer and MMO but maybe it wasn’t enough? My other initial though is stuck valves. They seemed to be fine when the rocker assy was off and I was lashing valves, but I haven’t watched them while spinning the engine over.

Looks like I’ll be pulling the head!

 

[js0k]

Alright, looks like it’s game on! I pulled the valve cover and sure enough, a couple valves were being held open by stuck lifters. Poured in some MMO, hammered on the adjusting screw until lifters were down, cranked engine over, and repeat.

Emptied a whole bottle of MMO into that sucker, until one time after cranking, cylinder 5’s intake valve was still closed.. comp tested it and it didn’t free wheel! 120 psi!

Continued on cyl 6’s intake valve until it started building compression too! There’s room for improvement at 90 psi, but I think it has more in it. I’d say this experiment was a success, and I can now move on to ensuring it has proper oil pressure, fuel, and spark.

 

[Skniper]

Wow. Nice work, noble. I'd get a pro shop to handle that gas tank, or tank recall possible?

 

[stevenjj71]

Enjoying this thread - turning trash into treasure!

 

[js0k]

Wow. Nice work, noble. I'd get a pro shop to handle that gas tank, or tank recall possible?

I think the recall was for the baffle inside breaking off, right? I think this one is just rusted out because the gas sitting in it for 10yrs turned bad. I don’t have any shops like that within an hour of me so I’m just going to try to muriatic acid it. If I’m cautious enough it shouldn’t hurt! Have tank sealer on its way. I always try to see if I can pull something off before calling in reinforcements!

 

[Skniper]

Correct, but it’s a recall item, the tank can be replaced regardless of whatever else is wrong with it. That said, not sure where the recall stands anymore as far as being able to get it done by a dealer.