Builds '97 FZJ-80 Build - Mouse (1 Viewer)

[Fourt7]

Tinkered around with the cruiser tonight. I successfully got the radiator out. Can anyone tell me why the AT fluid routes through the bottom of the radiator then heads to its own cooler?

I was also able to closely inspect the power steering pump and lines. Someone has been in there before and didn't bother to bolt the lines back to the frame so the lines have been flapping around in there.

On closer inspection I noted the large line that runs from the reservoir to the pump is cracked and has oil all over it. I think that's where the leak is from. I'm debating pulling the pump and rebuilding it. Should I? Once I added oil it quieted right down and functions fine.

I've realized that taking it slow and doing it right is the key. This is going to take time.

 

[scottryana]

The trans lines into the radiator seem to act as much like a fluid warmer as an actual cooler. I think it really just keeps transmission temps consistent for consistent shifts.

 

[Fourt7]

The trans lines into the radiator seem to act as much like a fluid warmer as an actual cooler. I think it really just keeps transmission temps consistent for consistent shifts.

Okay. I just wanted to confirm. When I saw the way it was plumed I thought maybe someone had reassembled it incorrectly.

 

[Fourt7]

Still waiting on word about the head. Once I get the word that the head is good (or not) it will still have to be rebuilt / milled. The guy said a couple of the exhaust valves are also "burnt". I'm still not sure that I complete understand that.

In the mean time I've been searching far and wide for used or rebuilt engines. I found one company in Texas that wants $2200 for a rebuilt long block (head and block together, nothing else). That price seems pretty fair. What do you think?

 

[Fourt7]

I need to make a list of what I need to do while the cruiser is apart. Here is the list:
inspect / check the alternator
inspect / check ohms on alternator, coil, wires, plugs, distributor
Replace the PHH and other heater hoses
Replace PS hoses
Inspect / check starter motor
Replace vacuum hoses
Retape / protect the wiring harness from the EGR
Clean the intake manifold
Clean / inspect EGR to clear codes
Replace fuel filter
Clean block in preparation for head
Flush / clean the radiator & over flow tank
Fix clip on #6 fuel injector
Clean electrical parts
Replace the electrical component on the block below the intake manifold (I broke it when removing it).
Bolt the PS lines back into place
Raise the diff breathers higher
and much much more!

 

[Fourt7]

Pulled the PS pump on Friday. I was sure it was the low whine I hear when it's idling. When I pulled it off and started to pull it apart it felt really solid and was easy to turn. I decided to review the limited service records I have from the PO. As it turns out the PS pump was replaced 60k ago. So I think it's probably good. Whoever did it just used make your own gasket to install it. I've cleaned it off and plan to order the gasket from CDan.

In the mean time I found plastic plugs for it and painted them and installed them.

 

[Bleu62]

Hey, I've been watching your thread for a while. Sorry to hear about your recent problems but I'm planning on doing the same thing soon to mine for pms. I hope I'm not hijacking your thread but I was wondering if you could tell me things you needed to do this on your own and maybe things you wish you had to make it go smoothly.

 

[ralphy1997]

You can get a used long block from cruiser parts.net. I think the price is around $1400.

 

[Fourt7]

Bleu62 Sorry its taken me a bit to reply. I've got a couple pieces of advice that would be helpful. First of all do a search under head gasket for the three brothers out of Utah that did their three cruisers over a couple weekends. I read their post and found it really helpful. They had lots of good tips. Some I followed, some I didn't and wish I had.

Here's a couple things off the top of my head (no pun intended):

1. Park it where you have lots of space to work. My wife was totally willing to let me have the garage for the head gasket replacement but I didnt want to leave her van out in the cold snow. I parked the cruiser as absolutely close to the wall in the garage as I could to take up as little room as I could. Man that has been a HUGE PITA! I wish I had taken up the whole garage.
2. Have a dedicated table to lay everything out on and leave it there until you reassemble it. I have parts tucked away everywhere and its a mess!
3. Label everything. I put things in little sandwich bags and wrote on the bag what they were for.
4. Drain the coolant early on. I waited until it was absolutely necessary. That made for a mess.
5. Pull the radiator. I thought could get away with out doing it. I havent screwed it up or anything, but I couldnt believe how much easier it was to work on it with it out.
6. Follow the FSM. When it says to remove the battery box, etc. Just do it. I've been trying to short cut this thing through out it and once I just did what it said it was much easier.
7. The easiest way to get to some of the intake bolts / nuts is to have about 30 inches of extensions. No joke. Buy them.
8. Take your time. I rushed into it to try and turn it around in a week. No dice! Just go slow and enjoy the process.
9. I didnt pull the exhaust manifold or the lower half of the intake manifold. They are unbolted but sitting next to where the head was. I was hoping that would save me a couple steps. I think it did.

If I think of more Ill post them.

 

[Fourt7]

Here's the latest. I finally got tired of waiting to hear about the head and drove over to the shop. I was originally told it would take 2-3 days. I dropped it off last Tuesday and still hadn't heard anything so I went over today. When I arrived it was "oh I was going to call you". I was a little disappointed to say the least. Anyway, the head is totally trashed. The head is warped 3 times the spec limit which means it's useless. So, I paid for the service and took it with me.

With my chin up I headed down the street to a local shop that I always see cruisers being repaired at. I've been asking around and learned that the guy who runs the shop is a bit of a local cruiser legend. I thought I would stop in and see what he would recommend doing. The guy was awesome. We sat and talked for quite a while. His first recommendation was to take the head to the local engine building legend in town and to have him look at it. "Get a second opinion from a reputable source" he said. So I took his recommendation and went to find this guy. Turns out he is a bit of a legend. Been building engines since the 70's and more or less invented heat treating heads to repair them. As soon as I talked with the guy it was obvious he really knew his stuff.

We talked about my cruiser and the head. He walked with me out to my car and literally measured it right there in the parking lot of his shop. Not only did he measure it, but he showed me all the things he was doing and explained the entire thing to me. Once he showed me I could totally see what he was talking about. It wasn't obvious until he used his tools to do it, but the head is totally trashed.

I pulled out my phone and showed him pictures I had taken of the walls of my cylinders as well. He was able to explain thoroughly to me what each wear type meant. The gist was that this engine has been so incredibly overheated that the head and the pistons are warped and basically the engine is junk. I guess it still has some value. It's a good core. He said he would rebuild it for $2000. Of course I would have to pull it and then reinstall it. I would also have to find another head.

So between the mechanic and the machinist we came up with options. Here they are:

1. Find a used head, have it milled and place it on the block I have.
2. Get a head that is cast and transfer all the valves etc from my current head to that one then install it on my current block.
3. Find a good used motor.
4. Have the entire thing rebuilt.

The mechanic said he's had a really hard time finding a good reliable source for a rebuilt engine. He said he would go used before rebuilt so you know it's Toyota quality parts. I think that is a sound argument.

So any good leads on a used 1fzfe?

 

[Fourt7]

In the mean time.

 

[Fourt7]

 

[Fourt7]

Worked on the PHH today. I decided to replace all the hoses. Not sure I made it better. It may need more work.

 

[Fourt7]

So I've been searching for a used engine. Again I'm learning a lot. Called one place and found and engine for a really reasonable price $650. I was told it had 127k but a blown head gasket. I thought that seemed pretty reasonable and that I could replace the HG while it was in the garage then put it in the cruiser. Seemed simple enough.

I decided the price really seemed too good to be true so I started to really inquire about the vehicle and its history. There was a lot of "I dont know" and "I have no idea" etc. I finally suggested that I would complete the transaction if it included a picture of the door tag showing the vin number and the engine number. They agreed to give me the vin number and would "get back to me on the picture of the door tag". On a hunch I ran the VIN number through Carfax just to confirm this wasn't completely bogus. The Carfax confirmed it was a Toyota landcruiser of the said year and description, so far so good. I confirmed it had been sold to the yard late last year. Okay everything is checking out. Then I got to the end of the report, the last confirmed milage was 266,789 miles. That was a bit of shocker but immediately made more sense about the price of the engine. I called back and shared my findings with the guy I had been dealing with. He said "wow that's a lot of miles, well okay we can just delete your file and pretend we never had this conversation" with that he hung up.

Lesson learned, trust that hunch that says "if it's too good to be true, it probably is".

 

[Fourt7]

In the mean time, anyone have a good lead on reputable yards with used motors?

 

[Fourt7]

Okay I found a wrecked '96 with 228k miles on it. The owner has receipts for $2500 in repairs including a recent HG, PS pump and lines, fuel injectors, fuel filter, and all the gaskets. Pictures look legit you can see the head is sparkly clean.

The truck has been rolled so it has little exterior value. The interior looks clean. The engine bay looks pretty good as well. Guy says he can start it and let me hear it run.

Any thoughts? Any hesitations putting an engine with those kind of miles in it?

 

[Threatx3]

Fourt, I'm in St George. I know a place in Laverkin that just took a 96 engine out and I think they are sitting on it. They cannibalized the cruiser and may be interested in selling the engine. I think they said it had 170k miles on it.

 

[Threatx3]

Txt me at 4357671811 if you want details.

 

[Bleu62]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to get started as soon as the weather is bike worthy. Good luck on your engine search.

 

[Fourt7]

Finished up the PHH exchange. I didn't realize the hoses that go down behind the block were smaller. I got smaller hoses and more hose clamps. Everything buttoned up nicely.

Here's my drawing and all the needed sizes. I ended up using 5/8 tubing and 1/2 inch tubing. It worked nicely. The Napa part number is for the preformed 90 turn 1/2 hose. A must to keep it from kinking.