BJ40 resto - "let it begin (again?!?)" (2 Viewers)

[M1A1cruiser]

Well, I guess it's been my usual way of working off and on with this thing for the better part of a year between updates.

Sometimes it just feels like so many 'one-step-forward, two-steps-back' kind of days and weeks that it never seems like it's getting there, or "almost done" (are they ever really DONE?!?!). But when I look back at last posts, vs. where I am now, it's clear that progress has been made.

I don't know how to do the "to make a long story short" thing very well, but I'll give it a try. Words first, then pictures.

• Drive-line installed:
  • B engine
    • Cleaned up, but not rebuilt
    • I rebuilt (new unions, crimps, and hoses) all the oil soft-lines manually - this is simple but rewarding work to do myself
    • Chased some oil leaks - where I basically hadn't torqued everything.. haha: put it on finger tight and forgot it!
    • new radiator
    • plumbed (including getting the "windows" for the firewall welded in) for a heater as the S. Amer BJ40 didn't come with) a heater
    • PO had acquired fan, core and housing, etc. but I had to attach it all.
  • H55F (because I like it, not because I need it). Also not rebuilt, but opened, inspected, cleaned up.
  • Split case (this I rebuilt... becuase I am familiar enough with it to enjoy the work...haha)
  • Woods' custom double cardan drive lines
  • Rebuilt (but not locked or ratio-changed) diffs,
  • Rebuilt all four corner's brakes (front discs pictured before...).
  • New clutch, T/O, lines, slave and master (bled and op-checked, but not on the road just yet... eeep)
• Body
  • Sand-blasted, primed (3x coats of epoxy), and painted (3x coats of 857, 2x coats of clear)
  • All new body mounts and hardware.
  • Emblem fun (sometimes it's nice to put on the bling... but I gotta say, drilling freshly painted metal is tense!!)
  • Started reupholstery (gonna have to find door cards to match the "coral" seats - I think I'll try vinyl paint, and then maybe see if there are any vendors out there - I've seen a couple but lost the POC's now)
  • Oh crap!! did I ever mention that the kick-vents were welded shut and bondo'd over?!?!. So I have to procure new/used cowl pieces (the "wings" or whatever that front bit is called...), cut out the old vent area and weld the new back in.
  • So yeah. You'll see spots where my body work is crap. I got impatient - my son is going on 15, I'm separated now so using the garage is... shall we say... tense - and so it's not the time/effort I put into the hood before paint. Will I regret this someday? I doubt it. But I'm aware of the imperfections of the almost-completely new tub. I should'a just bought a full 3/4 tub and saved myself the time (and probably some money when all the materials add up...
  • Anyway....
• Chassis
  • Wiring harness rejoined to vehicle (still have some mods here as I found a sedimenter (again, I wanted it, didn't "need" it) and so need to wire in the 'filter' light on the dash)
    • lights/markers/turns/ignition/glow all check out OK
  • All new brake hard lines
  • Exhaust - reused what pipes were good, rebuilt others. new muffler.
  • New tie-rod ends
  • Rebuilt center arm and steering column.

I'm probably forgetting stuff.

Bottom line is. It starts, idles, shifts, turns the tires, and stops (at least enough braking to the rears to stall the engine while on stands...), and might even steer.

And if I can offer any advice - even though it's all been said in these forums before, and by those more qualified than I - I'm here to help.

Thanks to all the support and partners and vendors who have gotten me this far. More to follow as we get the front clip and roof back on!!

Pics coming.

 

[M1A1cruiser]

 

[M1A1cruiser]

 

[M1A1cruiser]

As I look at the pictures, it's a damn shame that there isn't a way to photograph the absolute joy of having brakes successfully bled. I mean a picture of a wheel cylinder, or caliper just doesn't do it justice after having cracked bleeders, tightened unions, chased air bubbles, and finally achieved that beautiful solid jet of brake fluid!! HAHA

A shade-tree mechanic's joys. I'm sure people who do it for a living - or at least more often than I do - are rolling their eyes, but when it all comes together (and it could be turning the key and having it turnover, or bleeding the brakes, or using a turn signal) after seeing a classic truck in 12,000 pieces... it's gratifying.

OK, enough typing about it... back to wrenching!

 

[M1A1cruiser]

I posted this in 'Diesel' but thought I'd add it here as there are generally more eyes in this forum and probably there's some diesel (or general engine) knowledge that can address this issue for me.

03/81 BJ40. B engine. Rebuilt injectors (shop did it, not me), but not the engine. It ran when I started the "resto" (more like a salvage/resurrection of a rusted bondo-monster... but that's neither here nor there), but I didn't pay close attention to the specifics of the engine before I started tearing it apart (yes, lesson learned).

Now that it's getting back toward road-worthy, I've been running the engine more and more. A little bit of white smoke (which I understand means un-burnt fuel) quite a bit of blow-by coming out of the side cover tube (might be rings, might just be cold, might just be normal and need a catch can).

But the main problem for me at the moment, is some diesel leaking out from between the number 2 'Nozzle Holder Body' and the head.

What you're seeing there is the second from the front injector, looking from the rear of the engine toward the radiator. This is while the engine is running.
I've torqued the Nozzle Holder Body into the head at 51 ft/lb (twice).
I've replaced the Nozzle Seat (the thick, brass "washer") twice (once with the one I got from the diesel shop with the rebuild, and again with Toyota OEM)
I've replaced the Gasket (the smaller washer with the 'u' shape to it - yup, I oriented it as per FSM) also twice.

As the leak is clearly between the head and the Nozzle Holder Body, I have not torqued the Nozzle Holder Retaining Nut into the body; I suppose this may get the Nozzle deeper into the Nozzle Holder Body, and thus press down more firmly on the Gasket (again, the smaller u-shaped cross-section one) at the bottom of the housing, but I'm afraid to torque on that as I assume this was completed when the shop rebuilt the injector and if I go cranking on it, it might change a critical distance *within* the Nozzle Assembly. But I don't know.

I guess - finally getting to the point of my post/question - do I need to put thread tape around this union? There isn't such on any of the other injectors, and it doesn't call for it in the FSM. Is it possible that the nozzle is not seated far enough down into the Nozzle Body Holder to apply proper sealing against that small gasket at the bottom (if that's even the purpose of said gasket - I've also read where it's merely a bit of protection from the flame of ignition...)?

The truck idles and revs (not sure how well it pulls - yes, I don't expect much (haha!!) as I haven't had it on the road), and aside from the above mentioned issues seems to be OK. I cannot tolerate this leak as it's not insignificant. Perhaps I can ignore it long enough to get back to "road worthy" and take it to a shop for a look. But if there's a solution here on 'MUD' it'd be a happy Christmas for me!

Thanks for any guidance.
Regards,
Travis.-

And here's some just plain gratuitous photo sharing. I've started piecing the body back together for fitting before I finish paint (well... as you can see - or have seen if you've read this far into my novel-length posts - I sort of jump around). So the hood is painted, but the fenders are not. The roof cap is done but the side panels are not. It'll come together at some point! HAHA. But I'm pretty happy with the hood/fender/bib fitment (there's a TAD bit of underbite - and more on PS than DS - but nothing that I'm too worried about on this first pass). And it's just kinda cool to have the hood on at ALL!!

Again, thanks for any help on the leaky injector question and have a great Holiday, whatever you're celebrating this time of year.

 

[M1A1cruiser]

Got some body work time: sand-blasting and smoothing the old bondo-covered doors, epoxy primer, color (857 Medium Blue), clear.

Put new some sound deadener, and mechanicals in the doors and got the weatherstrip applied. Lots of good tips on 'MUD' for weatherstrip, but some of the best I read was to make sure to wipe down with acetone and go slow. I applied small (small!) beads to the door-side and the wx-strip side, smoothed it out, let both sides get tacky, applied a bit more to the wx-strip side and stuck it together. This method didn't require any clamping or weighting (a little bit of 'waiting', but didn't have to press down on it...) and in about 30 seconds I could move the weight of the door by pulling on the weatherstrip.

And pics, 'cause we all like pics.

Plain paint:

I threw the door panel on really quick, just to see what it would look like. It's not quite as 'tan' as it looks in the photo, but it's not a great match for the Cruiser Corps 'coral' seat covers. I tracked down a couple more cans of paint that are hopefully closer to the seat cover color, but we'll see.

Little more on the add-ons bit; again, I just like to *see* that I'm getting stuff done, even if there is more "under the hood" stuff to still be done.

With the weatherstrip applied.

Lastly, this video - can't remember whose thread I found it in, but it's an Eastwood promo - is worth a few minutes if you're about to do weather stripping. I've read a bunch on here where that's a PITA for people, and while I'd not say it's easy - takes some time and attention to detail - it seems doable if you take the time.



Hope this is helpful for someone.

 

[M1A1cruiser]

My son takes the project for a first drive in about three years.

We spent the rest of the afternoon painting the rear side panels, windshield frame, and rear crossbar. I've got all the rubbers (@Racer65), thanks CityRacer) so will get the windows put back in pretty quickly (hopefully), and button up some other odds and ends. Still have jump seats to recover, obviously fenders and aprons to paint (HAHA!), but the fact that it actually drives - pretty well actually given that it was down to a frame a while ago - makes me pretty happy.

 

[M1A1cruiser]

Quite a bit of stuff is starting to happen fast, but not much of it makes for good pictures... and a post is hardly any good without pictures.

Tidying up wires inside, painting body panels (side panels, windshield frame, windshield hinges, small panels, ...), pull-stop cable rebuild - I made this last part way too hard, but... OCD, and recreating the wheel do not go well together... -, bumper gussets (WTF happened to the original ones?!?! why would someone take those off?!?

Anyway, engine starts regularly, we tool around the block, not really getting the engine warm although I've had it warm enough to know the thermostat opens, and heater core doesn't leak!! There is a slight coolant leak where the junction from the head goes to the heater valve. Not sure what to do about that - thread tape?, tighten the pipe-thread (can't remember now if it's BSPT, or NPT, or M15x?) another turn - don't want to break THAT off in the head.

I have some issues with the glow controller. It was causing (having? taking?) too much resistance to allow the glow plugs to heat up; so the engine just would not turnover. I have some various sizes/grades of NiChrome wire that I'll have to play around with to see which has *enough* resistance to light up as the glow plugs warm, but not so much as to keep juice from getting there, and thin enough to allow current through without melting itself in two. Anyway, it's bypassed for now. The glow button works fine (as does the glow function on the keyset from @ToyotaMatt), and the glow plugs get warm and the engine fires just fine. Kudos to the kid for suggesting we bypass the glow controller. A jumper wire from 12V(+) to the buss bar, turn the key, vroom... damn kid.

Also some weird issue with the rear, curved windows. I might just have the weatherstrip misaligned. I know I have the correct window on the correct side (it seems to me that they are 'sided'?). And I know I have it right side up, but there's surely a gap in the weatherstrip on one side. Took it out and will try and reinstall again in a few days. We had to move on to the windshield - got that in fairly easily. Not without some cursing, but pretty good for a couple of clowns in the garage with a length of rope.

OK, enough rambling I guess. A couple pics, and more work to come this weekend.

Shoulda let the matte-clear dry a little more before taking the 'after' picture. Oh well, you get the idea.

Also, some (but not all...) windows.

 

[M1A1cruiser]

As often happens, plenty of work gets done, and questions get asked and answered in other threads that forward my work along...but I don't often post to 'my' thread.

But as I'm facing a move and won't be doing any work while the truck is going from one garage to another, I thought it time to get some progress here, just for posterity sake. I usually like to post things that will be of help to others when/if they're doing the same mods/repairs, but this will really just be a kinda time capsule of where I'm at in the build.

Wow. Since the last couple of updates where the body was off, a first drive and some engine diagnosis, I guess a lot has happened:

- top, sides, windshield are on
- wiper motor and all the attendant bits
- all the windows are in (new gaskets all over - that string method and a helper are primo!!)
- bumper reinforcement and 8274 mount plate, courtesy of @powthief19 has been installed (will all need to come off again for paint/powder coat, but again wanted to get as many parts and pieces attached to the truck before the move so I'll suffer the additional dis-assembly later)
- rebuilt 8274 courtesy of @Fourrunner mounted and powered. We wound on new cable after these pictures
- put on some emblems. I always like doing this. Even though (AGAIN - haha) they'll have to come off to paint the fenders/aprons, it's fun for me to have them on. And yes, I know I put the "wrong" apron emblems on. I just sorta like the earlier ones better.
- reupholstered the jump seats and installed
- radiator overflow bottle and BJ40 correct windshield washer fluid bottle courtesy of @ToyotaMatt
- felt fortunate to find those BJ40 intake hoses for sale from @mattressking
- plenty of odds and ends from @Racer65
- got the engine kill cable (no EDIC on this ol' B engine) upgraded and routed.
- spare tire carrier latch repaired as stock (bolts holding latch to arm) to correct where some PO had (badly) welded it all together (still needs paint)
- rear drum brakes adjusted and readjusted and readjusted; I was dragging one of them during one drive and the drum was SMOKING after just a couple miles!! It's probably a little loose now - as the e-brake doesn't seem to engage very tightly - but at least I'm not burning up brake pads!!


Still to do:
- still chasing low compression in cyl 3 and 4. Could be that the injectors are not seated properly, or it could be that the engine needs a rebuild. There's a lot of blow-by out the side cover too so could be rings. I'm gonna have to work that on the other end.
- Alternator - following up some possibilities with @crawlin cruiser - as mine just isn't outputting anything despite new brushes and wiring. No time to rebuild now.
- ambulance doors still need some love (I'm actually terrified that maybe I've misaligned and mis-welded one of the rear quarters because my PS door gap is terrible and the PS ambulance door is pretty wonked too) but all that will have to wait
- transmission hump. And interested thing here for anyone still reading. I don't find that the H55F *needs* the hump with the rise built into it. I have one, and I might mod the body floor to accept it, but while I'm using a stock cross-member, stock engine, bell-housing, etc. and it seems to me that the lower/flatter trans service cover will fit just fine over the top of the H55. Weird?!? Maybe it would be better to have the extra clearance above the trans/txfr but I don't find that it's *necessary* to close up the floor board


And a few pics because nobody really likes all the words!! HAHA

Don't judge my body work too harshly. Some of these panels were done in "get it assembled" mode and know that I can take it apart, sand/smooth/prime/paint/seal again later... I've told myself and told myself that I'm not building a show car, but at some point the poor smoothing of weld joints is gonna bother me and I'm gonna have to make it mo' better.

We did put the cable on later, and moved around the fog lights for a maybe-better look/fit, but this is the only pic I have at hand. Yeah, gotta get the mount to match the bumper; it's in primer atm - again get it partially done so I can move it mostly in one piece.

Just a little look at the overflow bottle and those intake ducts that I was so exited about.

Alright, enough "look at me, look at me" for today (or this month, or this six months).

I appreciate this forum and all the amazing people who have gotten me this far.

P.S. might look for this guy to hit the classifieds soon if the separation doesn't go my way. HAHAHA (but not haha). Disregard anything that I have said is less-than-perfect and prepare to get those big checks written.

More as it happens, or is warranted.
Thanks 'MUD'!!

 

[powthief19]

As often happens, plenty of work gets done, and questions get asked and answered in other threads that forward my work along...but I don't often post to 'my' thread.

But as I'm facing a move and won't be doing any work while the truck is going from one garage to another, I thought it time to get some progress here, just for posterity sake. I usually like to post things that will be of help to others when/if they're doing the same mods/repairs, but this will really just be a kinda time capsule of where I'm at in the build.

Wow. Since the last couple of updates where the body was off, a first drive and some engine diagnosis, I guess a lot has happened:

- top, sides, windshield are on
- wiper motor and all the attendant bits
- all the windows are in (new gaskets all over - that string method and a helper are primo!!)
- bumper reinforcement and 8274 mount plate, courtesy of @powthief19 has been installed (will all need to come off again for paint/powder coat, but again wanted to get as many parts and pieces attached to the truck before the move so I'll suffer the additional dis-assembly later)
- rebuilt 8274 courtesy of @Fourrunner mounted and powered. We wound on new cable after these pictures
- put on some emblems. I always like doing this. Even though (AGAIN - haha) they'll have to come off to paint the fenders/aprons, it's fun for me to have them on. And yes, I know I put the "wrong" apron emblems on. I just sorta like the earlier ones better.
- reupholstered the jump seats and installed
- radiator overflow bottle and BJ40 correct windshield washer fluid bottle courtesy of @ToyotaMatt
- felt fortunate to find those BJ40 intake hoses for sale from @mattressking
- plenty of odds and ends from @Racer65
- got the engine kill cable (no EDIC on this ol' B engine) upgraded and routed.
- spare tire carrier latch repaired as stock (bolts holding latch to arm) to correct where some PO had (badly) welded it all together (still needs paint)
- rear drum brakes adjusted and readjusted and readjusted; I was dragging one of them during one drive and the drum was SMOKING after just a couple miles!! It's probably a little loose now - as the e-brake doesn't seem to engage very tightly - but at least I'm not burning up brake pads!!


Still to do:
- still chasing low compression in cyl 3 and 4. Could be that the injectors are not seated properly, or it could be that the engine needs a rebuild. There's a lot of blow-by out the side cover too so could be rings. I'm gonna have to work that on the other end.
- Alternator - following up some possibilities with @crawlin cruiser - as mine just isn't outputting anything despite new brushes and wiring. No time to rebuild now.
- ambulance doors still need some love (I'm actually terrified that maybe I've misaligned and mis-welded one of the rear quarters because my PS door gap is terrible and the PS ambulance door is pretty wonked too) but all that will have to wait
- transmission hump. And interested thing here for anyone still reading. I don't find that the H55F *needs* the hump with the rise built into it. I have one, and I might mod the body floor to accept it, but while I'm using a stock cross-member, stock engine, bell-housing, etc. and it seems to me that the lower/flatter trans service cover will fit just fine over the top of the H55. Weird?!? Maybe it would be better to have the extra clearance above the trans/txfr but I don't find that it's *necessary* to close up the floor board


And a few pics because nobody really likes all the words!! HAHA

View attachment 3029289

Don't judge my body work too harshly. Some of these panels were done in "get it assembled" mode and know that I can take it apart, sand/smooth/prime/paint/seal again later... I've told myself and told myself that I'm not building a show car, but at some point the poor smoothing of weld joints is gonna bother me and I'm gonna have to make it mo' better.



View attachment 3029291

We did put the cable on later, and moved around the fog lights for a maybe-better look/fit, but this is the only pic I have at hand. Yeah, gotta get the mount to match the bumper; it's in primer atm - again get it partially done so I can move it mostly in one piece.


View attachment 3029292

Just a little look at the overflow bottle and those intake ducts that I was so exited about.

Alright, enough "look at me, look at me" for today (or this month, or this six months).

I appreciate this forum and all the amazing people who have gotten me this far.

P.S. might look for this guy to hit the classifieds soon if the separation doesn't go my way. HAHAHA (but not haha). Disregard anything that I have said is less-than-perfect and prepare to get those big checks written.

More as it happens, or is warranted.
Thanks 'MUD'!!

stoked to have a hand in such a great looking cruiser! thanks for the business!