Biscuit is (still) Keeping The FJ40 - Customization/Improvement Thread (4 Viewers)

[65swb45]

As long as the sheet metal of your hump is in good shape, I would trim to fit rather than installing one from another year. Bolt hole alignment is often an issue when mixing years.

 

[Biscuit]

Picked up a hump off a 11/75 on craigslist for $50. Lines up perfectly.



I may forgo painting it at this point to just get the truck on the road sooner.

 

[65swb45]

Picked up a hump off a 11/75 on craigslist for $50. Lines up perfectly.

View attachment 915671

I may forgo painting it at this point to just get the truck on the road sooner.

I will buy your old one for fifty;then it will be free!

 

[Biscuit]

So close to getting the 40 started today.

New battery (warranty replacement) - check
12V to DUI ignition - check
Fuel in carb float bowl - check
Accelerator pump injecting fuel - check
Air filter not clogged - check

It will turn over, and even sputter for a second, but it will not run. I guess this is what I get for leaving it parked for more than 6 months

Time for a break during the heat of the day as there is no shade near where the truck is parked.

 

[Biscuit]

And post break it started on the fourth attempt. Just idled nicely for 20 minutes (to let my crappy temporary exhaust patch cure).

Now to locate my clutch return spring and it will be driving.

 

[Rustynutz]

Hi just read your thread. Picking up some tips. Thanks.
On the bolts you had a problem removing, next time. Try to TIGHTEN every OTHER bolt at the air pressure "top out".
Oil the gun,then remove the bolts Not tightened. Clean,oil,thread chase everything. Then reinstall 2 bolts to the left and right of a over tight bolt.
Then remove it.
The over pressure on either side of a stuck bolt will help it release.
Adversly if you loosen head bolts with an air gun and not a torque wrench [reverse of install] You stand a chance of cracking/warp the head.
The "bread trick", is that the same thing as filling the hole with axle grease and use the plastic line up tool and give it a smack with a plastic mallet?
You seemed to skip some important info on this "beer factory".
Lastly, if you used the "new Gas" before parking the 40 and did not drain the carb. Most likely the gas has damaged the carb.
Is anyone adding anything to the fuel to make up for loss of LEAD in todays fuels?
I had to put hardened valve seats in my Ol 72 FLH Harley.
Cheers

 

[Biscuit]

Tonight the 40 moved under its own power again.

 

[Biscuit]

The H42 was a great upgrade. The shift points are exactly where they should be.

Since the H42 is of the earlier variety, it has the side cover...and it is leaking. I used black RTV and the gasket, but still leaking from somewhere. Not a major leak, but definitely a leak. I'm going to tighten the bolts and hope that fixes it.

 

[65swb45]

Mike

Looking back through your thread, I don't see any pics with the backup light switch screwed into the top cover of the trans.(threaded hole on backside of cover, just above the t-case) That would cause quite a leak. Hmmm.

Best

Mark A.

 

[Biscuit]

Good observation. The reverse light switch is definitely threaded in place.

 

[Biscuit]

With the truck back on the road, it's time to start thinking about what the next step.

During a drive to the local hardware store, my the spring poking my butt reminded me what should be next: seats.

I went to a local Pick-n-Pull to see what the options were, but not surprisingly most were pretty worn out. If I am going to go through the effort to replace the seats I'd rather have something decent.

I have narrowed down to a few choices.:

1) New foam/new covers for the stock seats:
Pro:

Stock seats bolt to stock mounts
Stock seats fold forward to get stuff out of the back​

Cons:

Only adjust forward/backward on driver's side
$OR foam isn't cheap
​

2) Bestop TrailMax II Pro Seats:
Pro:

Good availability
Incremental recline​

Cons:

Bolt in adapters are only part of a CCOT package
Possibly sit too high with stock steering wheel
Don't fold forward as far as I can tell
​

2) Corbeau Moab or SportSeats:
Pro:

Good availability
Recline flat, infinitely adjustable between flat and upright
Bolt in adapters that are thin (flat stock with a slider on top)
If I decide to get fancy I can get heated or inflatable lumbar.​

Cons:

Don't fold forward as far as I can tell​

 

[Biscuit]

I washed and polished the 40 this weekend. Cleaned up really nicely. I don't think it has looked this good since I repainted it 12 years ago.





There is something about a nicely polished FJ40...

 

[Biscuit]

I finally pulled the trigger on a new driver seat.

I went with the Procar Rally and bought the Procar mount (from Man-A-Fre since they had one on clearance).

Old seat and new seat


View out the windshield, camera approximately at eye level


View in through the rear hatch



I the Procar seat sliders have three heights they can mount to the adapter frame. I was going to go with the lowest setting, but that was interfering with the seat slider. I chose the middle setting which is about 3/4" higher.

With my OEM seats I had the Classic Cruisers seat extension kit, the one that is just two pieces of flat stock. I removed those and returned the rear seat mounts to their original direction.

The Procar mount has the correct diameter holes for the large rear seat mount bolts. Unfortunately the mount has the same large diameter holes for the M8 bolts to mount up front. I found that by stacking to M8 split washers in the hole, the hole size was now correct. I topped that with a nice wide washer, a M8 flat washer, and an M8 spit washer.

Even with the slightly higher seat position, my legs still fit comfortably under the OEM steering wheel. In fact with the seat higher up and farther back, my legs are in a more comfortable position, especially my right ankle on the accelerator pedal.

I still need to get the SAE nuts for the seat-belt attachments before it is back on the road.

 

[Biscuit]

Took the 40 out to the Mojave this past weekend.

Just after leaving the X-15 crash memorial (Hwy 395 & Trona Road); my temporary, kludged together, and completely inadequate exhaust repair finally failed leaving a 4" gap in the exhaust just behind the header collector. I didn't have anything with me for a workable field repair. It was a loud drive home. Thankfully I had brand new earplugs.

I disconnected the wideband O2 sensor as not to burn it out as it was downstream of the gap.

The exhaust system replacement has been moved to the top of the current project list. I can probably get away with replacing from the headers back (two piece SOR headers). But I may go all out and put in a full stainless setup, I figure spend the money once.

 

[Spike Strip]

Gil's Muffler in Northridge. Great guy. 12 guage pipe. With the few miles you put on the cruiser, aluminized will last as long as you keep the truck, paticularly in S. CA.

http://www.gilsmufflers.net/

 

[JohnnyC]

i had a SS muffler (like oem) made by these guys: http://waldronexhaust.com/cart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=22_382

if they had an example cruiser they would be able to do a complete system

 

[ducktapeguy]

I just had a completely new exhaust system since my old one got crushed. Total cost about $250 for 2.5" aluminized steel at Mike's muffler in El Monte. I'm pretty happy with the work, they ran it exactly the way I asked them to, and it was done in a day.. I had them add an extra flange in front of the muffler so it's easier to take out the exhaust when I'm working on the car.

I priced out stainless mandrel bent tubing to weld up my own exhaust, and I couldn't buy even buy the materials for that cost. I decided against stainless since it's not really necessary for a CA vehicle, plus I didn't think mandrel bent tubing would really be noticeable improvement on these old engines.

 

[Biscuit]

The main reason I am thinking stainless is that there is a good chance the truck will not be staying in SoCal for the long term. Either of the places I may end up in the mid-range future are both conducive to rust.

 

[65swb45]

...which begs the question of attaching it to a _year old uncoated header.

I still have the complete 2"exhaust I took off of my 40 when I put on Mace's old exhaust 7 years ago. You can have it for free. Of course the headpipe is set up for a Tri-Y. LMK

 

[Biscuit]

Removed the intake and old headers today.

It looks like at some point in the past 10 years I had a head gasket coolant leak. It also appears that my oil pressure regulator has been leaking somewhat.

As I can't tell if the coolant leak is recent and I haven't seen a loss of coolant in the overflow or radiator, I'm inclined to leave that alone.

The oil pressure regulator on the other hand will likely be resealed while I have access to it.