Build Abandoned 84 FJ60 gets some love, and a 4bt!
- Thread starter Thechief86
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #102
The water pump actually is new, it's just not as shiny because the busted radiator was spewing crap all over it when I had the thing running to get it home. I'll do some more cleaning as I go, in an effort to make it as nice as I can.
Admire your determination with no garage and so few hours to devote to this madness.
- Thread starter
- #104
I actually do have a pretty decent 2 car garage, but it is full of vintage motorcycles at the moment, that also need some wrenching.
The Cruiser will survive better outside than they will, but once better weather comes around, I'll start rolling bikes outside to work on the FJ.
I figure I can at least get it running where it sits and then begin working on the interior.
- Thread starter
- #105
Made a little more progress on my engine today. Rockers in, bolted down, intake/exhaust installed and torqued. Getting very close!
I did notice that I lost one of the rocker retainer clip dealies and spring, though. Anybody know where I can buy a replacement? I looked all over for the things and couldn't find them anywhere near the car or the garage...
I did notice that I lost one of the rocker retainer clip dealies and spring, though. Anybody know where I can buy a replacement? I looked all over for the things and couldn't find them anywhere near the car or the garage...
You will need the 2f emissions manual for the vacuum lines and other stuff. You can also bypass the smog related gear.
From your pictures. It looks like the heater core(s) are disconnected. There is core in the dash and another under the passenger seat.
Several versions of FJ60 manuals can be found here.
www.cruisercult.com
From your pictures. It looks like the heater core(s) are disconnected. There is core in the dash and another under the passenger seat.
Several versions of FJ60 manuals can be found here.
Cruiser Cult
Explore the world of the Toyota Land Cruiser! Historical and technical documents, videos, parts and community.
www.cruisercult.com
- Thread starter
- #107
Great thank you!You will need the 2f emissions manual for the vacuum lines and other stuff. You can also bypass the smog related gear.
From your pictures. It looks like the heater core(s) are disconnected. There is core in the dash and another under the passenger seat.
Several versions of FJ60 manuals can be found here.
Cruiser Cult
Explore the world of the Toyota Land Cruiser! Historical and technical documents, videos, parts and community.
- Thread starter
- #108
Got the engine more or less buttoned up, just gotta figure out my heater core situation, change the oil and top off the coolant, and I should be ready to start it and go for a drive!
Can't believe I got time to work on it this weekend!
Can't believe I got time to work on it this weekend!
- Thread starter
- #110
That's already there, but I'd like to have the heat hooked up, at least in the front. I may delete the rear heat if it's an option.
Once I have the engine running, I've got interior work and tons of cleaning to do, as well as some wiring repair, so I don't really want to revisit the cooling system if it's not too much trouble to address it all now. I should be able to get a lot done this weekend.
its a cruiser thing, i've found some sort of ammunition in every single one i've owned.
- Thread starter
- #112
We have a RUNNER! I buttoned up the heater hoses and whatnot, turned the key and VROOM! It fired right up!
After topping up the coolant and changing the oil, I drove to the gas station with my kiddo, and it drives great! After a few minutes it doesn't smoke at all, idles smooth, and temp gauge stays right in the middle. Oil pressure on the mechanical gauge stays at about 60 psi going down the road, voltmeter is just over 12v. Gas gauge works. Apparently tank is huge because $65 is just over half full.
Tach does not work, but I figure that's because of the wonky distributor setup with a points distributor, Pertronix, and no ignitor, just a resistor and firing coil. Kinda odd. But it runs good!
Heater core Apparently leaks a bit, thinking I'll try some Alumaseal stop leak since it is such a minimal leak. I'll baseline it a little more as I drive it, will take it to the car wash for a spray and vacuum job here in a little bit.
So far I'm pretty happy with it.
There are some exhaust leaks and some other little niggles here and there, but I will definitely call it a viable restoration project now.
After topping up the coolant and changing the oil, I drove to the gas station with my kiddo, and it drives great! After a few minutes it doesn't smoke at all, idles smooth, and temp gauge stays right in the middle. Oil pressure on the mechanical gauge stays at about 60 psi going down the road, voltmeter is just over 12v. Gas gauge works. Apparently tank is huge because $65 is just over half full.
Tach does not work, but I figure that's because of the wonky distributor setup with a points distributor, Pertronix, and no ignitor, just a resistor and firing coil. Kinda odd. But it runs good!
Heater core Apparently leaks a bit, thinking I'll try some Alumaseal stop leak since it is such a minimal leak. I'll baseline it a little more as I drive it, will take it to the car wash for a spray and vacuum job here in a little bit.
So far I'm pretty happy with it.
There are some exhaust leaks and some other little niggles here and there, but I will definitely call it a viable restoration project now.
I’m going to come out and say it: you are better off running a bypass mode on the heater core until you can have it repaired or replace it. Don’t put any stuff like alumaseal into your cooling system. It may be a quick temporary fix but it usually causes more headaches.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #114
I'll look into replacing it then. The car runs good, and the leak is literally just barely a drip. It doesn't even leak with the lever pulled to cold, which tells me at least the valve on the firewall is working pretty well
Awesome! Glad to see you finally driving this thing! Gas tank is 21 gallons…. So yeah, it’s insane to fill it up right now. It would be a real shocker to fill a 38 gallon long range tank. At least you could look at it like a hedge against the inflation, you know, buying a months worth of fuel in one stop. 
~23.8 gallonsAwesome! Glad to see you finally driving this thing! Gas tank is 21 gallons…. So yeah, it’s insane to fill it up right now. It would be a real shocker to fill a 38 gallon long range tank. At least you could look at it like a hedge against the inflation, you know, buying a months worth of fuel in one stop.
- Thread starter
- #118
Last night after doing some other stuff I needed to take care of, I decided to go for a little longer drive in the Cruiser.
First thing I learned is that my headlights work, but are very dim. Second thing I learned is that the blower for the HVAC does indeed work.
Next thing I learned is that the leaky heater core steams up the windshield pretty bad haha. I'll bypass that for now and work on getting it out for repair once I'm confident everything else will work out. The rear core doesn't seem to be leaking.
Also figured out that my vacuum hose going to the brake booster is cracked and leaking, as the power brakes are hard to push down enough to stop efficiently.
I drove around of the back roads around my house for about 30 minutes, and even shifted into 4lo, which works like butter.
Once I decided to loop back to my house, my faint exhaust leak that I was hoping would seal up with some heat blew all the way out (#2 runner on the header not sealing to the head?). It is loud and sounds terrible. I guess I'll be replacing that gasket as soon as I can get one. Looks like it will be Tuesday or Wednesday.
Anybody got some pointers on getting the header to seal better?
First thing I learned is that my headlights work, but are very dim. Second thing I learned is that the blower for the HVAC does indeed work.
Next thing I learned is that the leaky heater core steams up the windshield pretty bad haha. I'll bypass that for now and work on getting it out for repair once I'm confident everything else will work out. The rear core doesn't seem to be leaking.
Also figured out that my vacuum hose going to the brake booster is cracked and leaking, as the power brakes are hard to push down enough to stop efficiently.
I drove around of the back roads around my house for about 30 minutes, and even shifted into 4lo, which works like butter.
Once I decided to loop back to my house, my faint exhaust leak that I was hoping would seal up with some heat blew all the way out (#2 runner on the header not sealing to the head?). It is loud and sounds terrible. I guess I'll be replacing that gasket as soon as I can get one. Looks like it will be Tuesday or Wednesday.
Anybody got some pointers on getting the header to seal better?
it looks like a downey/marks offroad header....those were the best there was. the only thing normally needed is an oem or felpro gasket.
Awesome! Good work.
Remflex gaskets are ~ 1/8 thicker than OEM and do wonders at sealing up the intake/exhaust.
Remflex gaskets are ~ 1/8 thicker than OEM and do wonders at sealing up the intake/exhaust.