Anyone want to help turn wrenches on an FJ43 at Fort Bragg autoshop? (1 Viewer)

[CruiserShel]

I'm not an ONSC member, but I'm temporarily (a couple months) stationed at Fort Bragg and recently bought an FJ43. Turns out the previous owner had straight water instead of antifreeze/coolant in the motor. The recent cold weather brought that to light. It popped a couple of freeze plugs out of the side of the block. Of course I didn't realize this until after I started it up and ran it for a bit and then heard the water pump belt start squealing when it clogged with ice and slush.

There is now water in the oil, so I'm sure the head gasket is blown, if not a cracked head or, hopefully not, cracked block. Best case scenario is that a freezeplug in the head popped, but that's a longshot. I guess I should start sourcing gaskets for it.

I was thinking of taking it to the on-post do it yourself auto crafts shop on Fort Bragg since I don't have a place to work or tools here. Anyone interested in helping turn wrenches?

I also put a call in to Canuck's Cruisers in nearby Raeford, any thoughts on the shop? Any other suggestions. If I do end up having head problems, any thoughts on machine shops in the Fayetteville area?

 

[jfz80]

The canuck is not in state currently i believe so not an option for you, sorry.

Hate to hear of your predicament and hoping for the best for you and the 43

He could recomend a machine shop local to you likely. @krzyabncanuck whatchu got for this guy?

Also @beno on this forum is a wealth of info. He is for hire for consultation and parts sourcing and a wealth of knowledge with abilities to source your non domestic cruiser parts. Contact info is as follows.

Contact

 

[CruiserShel]

The canuck is not in state currently i believe so not an option for you, sorry.

Hate to hear of your predicament and hoping for the best for you and the 43

He could recomend a machine shop local to you likely. @krzyabncanuck whatchu got for this guy?

Also @beno on this forum is a wealth of info. He is for hire for consultation and parts sourcing and a wealth of knowledge with abilities to source your non domestic cruiser parts. Contact info is as follows.

Contact

Thanks for the quick reply. Too bad about @krzyabncanuck being gone. I haven't been in the autocraft shop here at Bragg, but I think I could do the work with what they have there, the problem just becomes timing because I would only have the weekends to work on it. If I can get it tore down and have new parts ready that would be ideal, but I don't exactly know what I'm going to have to fix until I get in there and assess the damage. I'm really hoping it is just a headgasket or even just a freezeplug in the head that caused water to get in to the oil. It's a 2F motor.

When I picked it up last week I checked all fluids to be sure they were in there and changed the oil. I considered flushing all fluids but didn't do it. Had I trusted my gut instinct I wouldn't be in this mess. Lesson learned.

 

[krzyabncanuck]

Yes the Canuck is out of state right now.


For machine shop I highly recommend Donnie down at Motor parts and machine. Good people. Shop is old and full of crap but they know their stuff.

 

[JohnVee]

@mwalls54 used to be in FVL so maybe he has some recommendations.

@aae42 I think is still there.

EDIT: Take anything Darin (krzyabncanuck) recommends as your first call.

 

[CruiserShel]

Yes the Canuck is out of state right now.


For machine shop I highly recommend Donnie down at Motor parts and machine. Good people. Shop is old and full of crap but they know their stuff.

I will give the machine shop a call to figure out turn around time and price on the head work. If I take it off I think I might as well have it decked and do a valve job, too.

Well @krzyabncanuck, with you being out of town, who do you recommend in the case that I decide this is too much to take on with my limited time available to work on it? Any other mechanics in the Bragg/Fayetteville area (or close enough that I could have it towed there) that you would trust to assess and repair the damage competently and fairly?

 

[jdayment]

I used the machine shop Darin recommended on a 2F on my old 40 they replaced one valve and milled the head for right around $100 fairly quick turn around. I never used the auto shop on post when I was there but have heard that it was pretty decent and there is usually people willing to help out with whatever your working on Im sure with a 43 you will get a lot of people interested in helping.

 

[Rice]

I hate to rain on the parade but there is very little chance that block is not cracked. Freeze plugs are not freeze plugs ..... they are holes placed in the block in order to remove casting sand during manufacturing. If you managed to push two of them out then total stress on the block was significant. Water in the oil is a fairly strong indicator it's done for.

 

[tgadd]

Time to put a V8 in it.

 

[krzyabncanuck]

I do not recommend any of the local shops there myself but I do know someone from mud had taken their engine or maybe their entire truck to someone there that works on foreign cars and they were happy with the results.

 

[RedHeadedStepChild]

@NCFJ can set you up with a nice vortec swap

 

[CruiserShel]

I very much want to stay with the 2F, but the more I think on it I'm sure the block is cracked. This is gonna be bad...

I just bought it, and last week I thought, "I should flush all the fluids," but then decided to do it later. Who puts water in without antifreeze? So frustrated.

I guess I should start looking for a 2F that I can rebuild and put in it.

 

[krzyabncanuck]

I have a rebuilt head on the shelf if you need a good one.

 

[aae42]

yea... sadly besides @krzyabncanuck i can't really recommend anyone around here..

i had my HG job done by the shop right by my work, kenny's auto spec on cedar creek, but i think he did it as a favor for me, he'd rather not touch the foreign stuff, and old foreign stuff? yea i doubt it... he seems trustworthy though, and prices are reasonable

 

[CruiserShel]

I have a rebuilt head on the shelf if you need a good one.

I might need that head...

I talked to the machine shop you recommended today. Based on the conversation I had with them, there may be hope that all is not lost. I will hold on to that little bit of hope, but I've already accepted the fact that the block may be cracked and I may be putting a new motor in my new Cruiser.

I will pull the head Thursday night or Friday morning and take it to the machine shop. They will know same day if it's cracked or not. He gave me some tips on how to assess the block. If things go well then I will have them do a valve job and I have a gasket set on order already. Maybe I could get it put back together by the following weekend.

But for now, pencil me in for that head. If anyone has a line on a good 2F block in the area, let me know. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

 

[krzyabncanuck]

If you need it, it is yours.

 

[Rice]

I might need that head...

I talked to the machine shop you recommended today. Based on the conversation I had with them, there may be hope that all is not lost. I will hold on to that little bit of hope, but I've already accepted the fact that the block may be cracked and I may be putting a new motor in my new Cruiser.

I will pull the head Thursday night or Friday morning and take it to the machine shop. They will know same day if it's cracked or not. He gave me some tips on how to assess the block. If things go well then I will have them do a valve job and I have a gasket set on order already. Maybe I could get it put back together by the following weekend.

But for now, pencil me in for that head. If anyone has a line on a good 2F block in the area, let me know. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

Followup on this? What have you learned?

 

[CruiserShel]

So when I tore it down I found two freeze plugs in the head had popped, which was a good sign because that is one possible explanation for water in the oil pan.

I got the new head from krzyabncanuck and a new set of gaskets from Toyota. I put it back together and filled it up with water to see if any water was finding its way to the oil pan (before I put actual oil and coolant in it). During that test I discovered that the thermostat housing (water outlet) was cracked. I ordered a new one and just got it, so I plan to put it on and try again tomorrow.

The good news is, during my test, no water found its way to the oil pan. Of course that was with a cold block and non-pressurized cooling system. The only real way to tell is after the engine runs and is warmed up.

I'll let you know tomorrow!

 

[David70FJ40]

Hoping for good news!

 

[NCFJ]

May the Land Cruiser Gods be with you