I have internet searched till I'm blue in the face. I recenly acquired a Costa Rica built 1975 FJ4O Resotmod. It has Power Steering, Disk Brakes all around, and will soon have air conditioning. I was told its 3F engine is vintage "1984". Most literature I read says the 3F actually started life in 1985, and really wasn't introduced in the States until 1988. I know the truck was built between March 1974 and April 1974 in Costa Rica, with a chassis number of FJ40-172587. And, I now know a variety of calendar year components were utilized to make a given year's sold vehicles in the Costa Rica assembled units. My '75 has a '66 or '67 windshield assembly. However, I can't seem to get a good, reliable track on the 3F engine and what model year vehicle it was sold in; the etched number on the engine block, near the starter, is 3F0275187. Can anyone shed light as to what year this engine was manufactured? If not, I'll just keep digging. My concern is having the right manual and the ability to acquire the correct parts. Thanks.
3F Engine in 1975 FJ40
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3FE Block Number Cross Referece to Date Of Manufacture?
Can anyone help me figure out what year Cruiser my 3FE was used in? Block # 3F 017791 (Hard to read the 3F part) I got this 3FE in a '74 Pig (FJ55) and PO could not tell me what year 3FE it was... Can you help
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I'm still churning on this issue. Now, I realize that the new carb that was installed on this 3F engine (which I'm told is from a Costa Rican 1984 FJ40) appears to have an automatic choke, but the apperatus is stubbed off and the automatic choke feature rendered inoperable. I was surprised when I first got the car that there was no choke cable running through the dash, although there is a dash hole for one. I just assumed the 3F replacement platform employed an automatic choke. And in looking closer at the installed carb, there is in fact a connection point on this replacement carb for a "manual "choke cable, which I intend to use, but I want to make certain I'm ordering the right cable. They're pricey little devils too. I did order the "Toyota 3F Engine Repair Manual Dec. 1984" but I've had no luck comparing the carb pictures depicted in the manual to the carb that's actually installed on the vehicle. Any insight would be helpful.
Pics? How do you know that you are dealing with the OEM carb and not something that’s aftermarket?
To figure out the date on your engine you can check the casting date
I think the heads had a date as well
Your engine number doesn’t seem to place it as an early 3f … more like early 89ish or late 88
I think the heads had a date as well
Your engine number doesn’t seem to place it as an early 3f … more like early 89ish or late 88
Some photos of the 40 and the engine bay would be helpful. But if yours was imported from Central America, it is most likely a Frakencruiser cobbled together with a mish mash of parts and panels from different LC years, which will make it difficult to determine future replacement parts you will need.
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This 40 is definitely a Frankencruiser, assembled, by design, with components from various model years (from mid-60's to '75). by Purdy Motors in CR and sold at the San Jose , Costa Rica Toyota as new Land Cruisers. I know for a fact that an aftermarket carb was installed during the restoration in late 2024, but I can't find a manufacturer's name on it, and I can't contract the restorer. My dash has a hole for a choke, but it was left open, and no choke cable provided, but that was fro a 1975 Costa Rica Frankencruiser that had a 2F engine originally, but when they restored, they opted to go for the extra HP of a 3F, I assume. It runs good, but I doubt if I would have recognized the differences in the newer engine. The currenlty installed carb is definitely a new after market with an automatic choke capability but that appears to be plugged, but it does have a connection point for a manual choke cable. I decided to just go down the manual choke cable path, but when I saw the price of choke cables, I almost fell off my chair. And of course, I don't want to order a cable that will not fit; I'm not certain how difficult it would be to return, plus the loss of time in getting this issue resolved. As far as the year for the 3F, I was told that it was from a 1984 FJ,40, but I a have no confidence in that claim. I'm confident it's a 3F by the stamping, but I can't figure out with any level of assurance what year, or what platform, it came out of. When the US stopped importing FJ40s from Japan, Costa Rica continued producing them via the Japan/Purdy Motors in-country assembly process. And after that, CR continued to have future "series" models sold there, but those units never saw US ports. The only numbers I've been able to uncover are: Chassis number FJ40-172587 and Engine number 3F0275187.
I will try to send some pictures in a few moments.
I will try to send some pictures in a few moments.
The 3F is NOT from a fj40… if it got pulled out of an 84 fj40… it was because it was replaced sometime in the past into the donor 84 they got it from
Did you see my post above?
Did you see my post above?
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Attempting pictures now. Can only seem to get one picture to attach at a time. Here is the first one and I'll keep working on it.
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Here is an attempt at a second picture.
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Here is 3 of 3.
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Sorry, trying to do too many things at the same time. That engine number I provided, 3F0275187, on the block down by the starter., was the only number I could find. Where on the head would there be a number?
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That’s definitely a 3F, block and valve cover, and it has has 2F manifolds and carb on it.
3F’s came in FJ62 and FJ70/73/75. Is that what you’re asking?
3F’s came in FJ62 and FJ70/73/75. Is that what you’re asking?
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Thanks for yoru patience. I'm getting there. When interrogating my CR intermediary to find out source information for components/parts for my newly restored '75, in broken English he just said the 3F engine is just like the 2F and everything is pretty much interchangable. When he said he thought it came from a 1984 FJ40, I knew it wasn't right and I was going to have problems. So, my 3F appears to have come out of a 60 or 70 series, specific year unknown. He was insistent in saying it came out of 1984 FJ40 which continued to be assembled and sold there in CR. All I'm trying to determine right now is what choke cable I can order, and going forward, it would be good to know who made the carb, or anything news worthy to be able to maintain this rig for years to come. It seems to run great, other than some cold starting issues. I am assuming my approach of using a manual choke is ok.? I just don't want to order one that won't fit. Someone told me the little cable end ball connector, or whatever they're called, are not alll the same. Replacmenent cables seem to run from $60 to around $200. My only real issues after that are pretty much nitnoids that I can chase to ground over time. My biggest regret with this vehicle is they bouught and installed a new instrument head, which I wanted, but they should have switched to MPH instead of staying with Kilometers. All four gauges seem to have problems or don't work at all, and the speedometer needle chatters incessantly. I'm halfway thnking of just ordering an all new cluster, but till I come to that decision completely, I'm going to see if I can get the current bugs resolved individually.
People say lots of things to sell a car
Did you read where I said it was late 88 most likely early 89? Making it an 89 model year engine
Trying to be patient lol
The stamping are embossed not stamped like that of the engine number … they are cast into the head and block drivers side on 2F engines… afaik same on the 3F
I think you may be overcomplicating this when it comes to installing a manual choke cable. If its a ‘75 dash, you should have a dash hole and then a fire wall hole right behind it for a choke cable (pictures of your dash would help). You could probably find a usable used one for fairly inexpensive, don’t buy a new OEM one since you made need to modify the choke cable wire length to fit your Frankencruiser.
From the photos you posted, It looks like you have a pretty standard Chinese carb copy you can get off Amazon for $60-80. I know this because it look just like mine I got off Amazon that I’m running on my ‘75 fj40 (plugged fuel return port, limited vacuum ports, no Aisan stamping and shiny new hardware and springs).
So you can just get a rough measurement from your engine Bay firewall to where it naturally would curve around to the little choke cable sleeve and then the short distance to the choke control mechanism and figure out a way to secure it. Should be very easy to do, I just had to do the very same thing, and then you will have a manual choke option. If you do a rough measurement that way and you buy a used choke cable, you can give at least a rough length of what you are looking for to the seller. But if I had to guess, it looks like you need a choke cable from a ‘75-78 fj40. You could at least start there. What a ‘75 dash should resemble:
Lastly, you should probably stop reaching out to the Costa Rican restore shop and or seller. They definitely don’t know what they are talking about, and most likely have lied about half the info they have given you just to sell you the truck. And, if I was to guess based off the vast majority of people who purchase “restored” Central America 40’s…they happily ripped you off on the price and put in a bunch of aftermarket junk (passed off as OEM) like the gauge cluster. Which is also probably another Chinese copy they can get off Amazon for $40 which obviously doesn’t work since your dash gauges don’t work. You really need those to work, it’s super important to know your oil pressure, fuel and coolant temps, so I would suggest you look for a decent used gauge cluster, so you can trouble shoot those. You may have some problems though, especially if they used a 3f wire harness or hacked up your original to make the Frankencruiser run properly. It could get frustrating and expensive if you are paying a shop to do all this.
How deep financially are you into this “restored” CR fj40? If you are already in deep, you need to make a decision for what’s better for you to cut losses, or might as well bite the bullet and correct all the CR nonsense they did to it if you plan on keeping for the long term. Just my 2 cents.
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Yes, I did see that and have already updated my records accordingly. I really appreicate that insight. Just out of curiosity, how did you discern it to be an '89 model? Is there a cross reference table to that serial number that I should have encountered in my feeble internet research efforts?
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I will look for that information on the head.
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I a enclosing a picture of my dash. Given that this IS a Frankencruiser, it actually has a very sparse,probably pre-1970 dash, so I've been told. I only wished my dash looked like yours. I didn't buy from someone. We (3 friends) had two restored from scratch. Unfortunately, my in-country person did an abysmal job of making sure things were done right, and commensurate with what a US buyer would be looking for. Anyway, it's been a disaster for sue. It's analogous to thinking you can remotely manage a rental property; it doesn't work! It doesn't work because you don't have eyes-on and ability to walk around and see what's really happening. I would never allowed for a Kilometers based panel be used given the platforms were destined for the States. Language difficulties and differences in "what's important" get swept to the wayside in these remote arrangements. Anyway, I've got more money in this thing than I'll ever get out. I'm pretty happy with most of the restoration and paint, minus one glaring unforgivable aspect which I won't go into here, so I think I'll just hang on to it and tinker my way through the myri
ad little issues, maybe until the market improves, and then sell it. Or, just keep it. Attached is a picture of the dash.