3FE Owners Check-In (5 Viewers)

[RKTINC]

Man your truck looks awesome! What tire size are you running? That set up looks like exactly what I want

I would have to look but they are just the OEM recommended size BFG's 15" 31x10.5x 15" They really give it an original vibe and ride great.

 

[RKTINC]

I would have to look but they are just the OEM recommended size BFG's 15" 31x10.5x 15" They really give it an original vibe and ride great.

Spector Off Road has original seat covers for your front seats if you need them. They also have many parts for 80's. The seats are really pricey but look great. They make them from rear seats that are removed from salvage units as the original material is made of "unobtainium". The window tint should go as well. That purple film is a bear to remove but so worth it for a vintage greenhouse look.
I only painted my fender flares and buffed the rest of the truck by hand. I actually purchased another truck just like it for many of the restoration parts.

 

[TWILLY]

I would have to look but they are just the OEM recommended size BFG's 15" 31x10.5x 15" They really give it an original vibe and ride great.

Original springs? Looks well sprung to be original. Sharp rig. Proper stance.

 

[RKTINC]

Original springs? Looks well sprung to be original. Sharp rig. Proper stance.

Yes, Bone stock, one-owner, California vehicle. Zero rust, just faded paint and a sun burnt interior. I found a donor truck from up north for all the interior parts except for the front seats which I got from Spector off road. Now I am turning the "donor" truck into a first car for my kid. It surprisingly has turned out to be a pretty nice truck with far less rust than I originally thought. I plan to sort it out to ensure it is safe then sell it once my kid is ready to step up to a newer car. I hope to have it done by early October for a Birthday gift for him. Can't wait to see it through I have a few surprises for him to install. I hope he likes it.

 

[yotaholic]

Pulled apart passenger window regulator cleaned the runs, speakers are shot, and front calipers and drum rebuild.

I dig the 3fe. It’s got a cool factor the 1fzfe doesn’t have. Old stove bolt with some headers and a manual is all I would want. Not Chevy swap.

In the early 90s when these came out they may have been slower than the 4.3l v6 Blazer my parents had but that truck had a cracked the block before 200k.

 

[yotaholic]

Oh yeah and to follow suit:

270k, 10-12 mpg
Desmoged
Slow windows
FZJ wheels, 1.5 spacers
No timing marks on flywheel )
Cleaned injectors and new TPS was my biggest gain.

 

[91FJ80Super44]

Oh yeah and to follow suit:

270k, 10-12 mpg
Desmoged
Slow windows
FZJ wheels, 1.5 spacers
No timing marks on flywheel )
Cleaned injectors and new TPS was my biggest gain.

There should be marks on the flywheel...I mean at least mine has them

 

[Rush]

New to me 245k miles '91 (06 of '90) FJ80.

Found mayo in the oil pan.

HG thread here: 3FE Head Gasket

 

[rex in bama]

Spector Off Road has original seat covers for your front seats if you need them. They also have many parts for 80's. The seats are really pricey but look great. They make them from rear seats that are removed from salvage units as the original material is made of "unobtainium". The window tint should go as well. That purple film is a bear to remove but so worth it for a vintage greenhouse look.
I only painted my fender flares and buffed the rest of the truck by hand. I actually purchased another truck just like it for many of the restoration parts.

A $20 fabric steamer does the trick on removing the old tint - pulls right off with most to all of the glue, if done patiently. Was a 2-3 hour job for me, including using goof off for some residual glue. Like you, I dig the original tint free look.

 

[RKTINC]

A $20 fabric steamer does the trick on removing the old tint - pulls right off with most to all of the glue, if done patiently. Was a 2-3 hour job for me, including using goof off for some residual glue. Like you, I dig the original tint free look.

View attachment 2086376

Fantastic! Rear glass was the worst. Great looking rig. I just bought 6 of those A1 Yakima mounts. I found 1.1/8" conduit for crossbars.

 

[TWILLY]

A $20 fabric steamer does the trick on removing the old tint - pulls right off with most to all of the glue, if done patiently. Was a 2-3 hour job for me, including using goof off for some residual glue. Like you, I dig the original tint free look.

View attachment 2086376

Sharp rig. Clean. Dig it.

 

[jcarter]

Re-checking in. I was browsing around and realized 20 years ago this month I bought my '92 for my wife who HAD TO HAVE an SUV. Preference back then was the Eddie Bauer Explorer - not in my driveway. I remember the most beautiful words she ever said to me, "Is a Land Cruiser a good car?" Of course my response was, "Yes, but we can't afford it". She had found a 7 year old Land Cruiser for around $15,000. She drove it for a while, then my son, then me. It became my toy. Next, lovely wife said you have to pick a car. Had a 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix too, picked the Land Cruiser for the utility.

Currently redoing the entire brake system. Did the easy work myself, bringing it in the shop (lift) to finish the hard lines.

Just an old bastard reminiscing!

Joe

PS Bought a 1987 4RUNNER (top comes off) about 6 months ago as my 1/2 daily driver along with the Land Cruiser.

 

[TWILLY]

Spector Off Road has original seat covers for your front seats if you need them. They also have many parts for 80's. The seats are really pricey but look great. They make them from rear seats that are removed from salvage units as the original material is made of "unobtainium". The window tint should go as well. That purple film is a bear to remove but so worth it for a vintage greenhouse look.
I only painted my fender flares and buffed the rest of the truck by hand. I actually purchased another truck just like it for many of the restoration parts.

Good tip! I thought I was going to have to eventually replace my seats, but I can just re-do the bottom cushions and fabric, retain the stock look which I much prefer - huge revelation. Thanks.

 

[rex in bama]

Sorry for what may be a basic question, but can anyone tell me that the sensor (or ground) is in this picture (in the black square)? Any issues with temporarily removing it? Thanks

 

[TWILLY]

That is awesome your LC has been in your family since new, and funny that you and I are the same age. Your folks must have been pretty cool to have purchased a '92 FJ80 off the lot new. That thing is an heirloom! Come to think of it, my dad bought a first gen '91 isuzu trooper new. It had a 5 speed manual and a general motors 2.8 v6. That thing was also slow. I just looked it up, and it was a GM LL2 - it put out 125HP (1k lbs lighter vehicle though). Sheesh. Once again, more perspective on the 3FE in its time period.

You are right about the 37 gallon tank from Long Range Automotive. It is just listed for the 93-97. I was getting it mixed up with a replacement tank that Man-a-fre sells, or at least did sell up until recently. I appreciate the example of the trip you took thanks to your 24 gallon sub tank. I grew up in NM, so I am familiar with the distances and towns you are talking about. That is an impressive run in an FJ80. That really sounds like it would be a seriously worthwhile upgrade, and one that I could more reasonably afford (as opposed to a professional engine swap). The range issue and power are two things I would like to tackle. In reality though, I am just going to live with the power. Solving the range issue would be fantastic though.

I appreciate your input, you talked me off the 3FE cliff. Going into the purchase of my rig, I was attracted to the lower prices that the FJ80s were commanding. At the time I knew I wasn't buying this rig for quick blasts down the highway, I was buying it as a classic adventure rig with an awesome pedigree. Sometimes I loose sight of that. I think I might be starting an aux tank fund too. That might lead to a rear bumper though for the spare...this dang hobby.....Ih8cash.

Cruiser Brothers now has a 35 gallon replacement tank for the 3FE - this looks like a nice option for adding 10 gallons of capacity between the axles.

 

[Rush]

Sorry for what may be a basic question, but can anyone tell me that the sensor (or ground) is in this picture (in the black square)? Any issues with temporarily removing it? Thanks

View attachment 2092386

Looks like a local ground to the intake manifold.

A few photos from my disassembly:
3FE Head Gasket

3FE Head Gasket

3FE Head Gasket

 

[rex in bama]

Looks like a local ground to the intake manifold.

A few photos from my disassembly:
3FE Head Gasket

3FE Head Gasket

3FE Head Gasket

Many thanks!

 

[Bezelgear]

programmers/chips/tuners?

I'm looking for testimonials about programmers/chips, and real gains. I'm not doing too bad on fuel with my 33x12.50's I'm getting nearly 12mpg on average, and haven't even deleted smog yet, but with climbing gas prices I'd welcome any contribution to better gas mileage, and performance that is cost effective. Also, I'm running a k&n air filter.

I know I'm not the record holder, but my 92 fj80 3fe has 289k on it. I'm hoping to get at least another 100k before the rebuikd, and things are looking good. Is it cheating since I have CNG?

I know it's an old post, but did you ever find any info on these performance chips?

 

[kw90surf]

New owner as of this summer, checking in! (first LC). Wanted an early 3FE 80 specifically, I just like their style more. Bought as a grad
present for myself after finishing college.

Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Vehicle: 1991 FJ80 with ~250k miles and a full service history, bought from a fellow Mud member in Montana, road-tripped 3800 miles home. Excellent bones, needs some paint and cosmetics.

Has OME 861/862, Tokico shocks, NLA Cruisin' Offroad bumper, Lightforce 240 Blitz spotties, Prinsu rack, 33x10.50R15 BFG KO2s, and some other goodies. More to come.


Oil galley plug let go at one time, was fixed, still needs to be tapped properly.

Intermittent EFI relay issue

Clunk

3-2 downshift flare

Sketchy starter contacts

Stumbles on startup

Adjusted kickdown cable. Wow.

Working "D" light!

Excellent hand brake

On the trip home I averaged mpgs in the high 16s, with my highest being 18.5 MPG. That was on 31s. Now with the 33s, mostly in town, averaging 11-13. I don't care, I've been DDing it anyway.

Awesome truck. Had it out on the trails for the first time this weekend and the 3FE was perfectly suited, smooth delivery of torque right off idle with no rough edges. Nice and predictable/controllable. On the road yeah it's slow but really, not any slower than my Volvo 740 or Hilux Surf. On the highway with the 33s it could probably benefit from some gears but I'll see what a timing advance will do once my ignition parts show up.

3FE POWAAA!

 

[TomOsborne]

Good stuff.

So, I got my license in 1990. Two years later came our spanking new 80 series, which I later purchased in 2004 or so to keep it in the family. I remember distinctly how slow it was even as a new truck, and even by those days' standards.

It was many things awesome, but also damn slow.

It is astounding how much power the 3FE picks up at lower elevation. Sometimes, when driving out of Flagstaff--all ways downhill--I wonder if the acceleration owes more to oxygen than gravity.

As to fuel capacity, I added a 24 gallon Long Range Automotive tank. It works great. I once drive from Flagstaff to Aspen to the top of Pearl Pass and then back down valley past Glenwood Springs to some small town whose name I've forgotten all on one tank. It was like 670 miles. I still had a sliver in reserve.

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall that the 37 gallon replacement tank is configured for the 93-97 80 series but not our trucks. But, if it does fit, it would be a great option, especially in that, unlike the aux tank, it puts the weight between the axles. If there's one reservation I have about the aux tank, it's the placement of that weight aft of the rear axle.

Ive thought about the elevation issue quite a bit. Im basically at <100' all the time on the Gulf Coast. I think it runs much "faster" (lol) than people give it credit for. But many of these folks are out west. I dont even have hills. So you can always move to FLA!