BJ42 Cruiser- Pro's and Con's (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Apr 6, 2003
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Location
Tomball, TX
I'm toying with the idea of buying a "fully restored" '81 BJ42 and am wondering what the pro's and con's are of owning a diesel this old and this rare. Are the parts impossible to find if something goes wrong? How is the performance of that diesel being a 4-banger? I'm familiar with diesels and have owned a Cummins TD and loved it, but don't know jack about the ones in Toyota's. What is a BJ42 in very good "restored" condition worth?
 
first, you do know Canadian spec BJ42's are 24V (if you looking in north america).

question 1, your vacuum pump dies, how do you replace it?

question 2, your edic dies, what do you do?

question 3, your clutch goes out in North Platte Nebraska, what do you do?

question 4, or like me (24V BJ74) my starter dies 4 miles from my house in Tucson and it's my daily driver- what, do you do?

a BJ42 is a 1981+ FJ40 except the electrical/engine parts. It had better be a quality original tub or quality rebuilt steel because you knock off 1/3 of top value with aluminum or fiberglass. Ever own a diesel? Ever work on a diesel (because 99 44/100% of US dealers do know jack nor know parts)?

If you have a network of parts supply or have cash and know (Marv Specter not really the one to call first) who to call then do it. As with any cruiser purchase over $5,000, look at it in person with a impartial friend (but cruiserhead) if you can.
 
rick_d,

Thanks for the reply. To answer some of your questions:
I've owned a Cummins Turbo Diesel but never had to work on it. Ran perfectly without an ounce of trouble so I'm not well versed in Diesel repair.

As far as parts go, that is why I posted the questions I did. I don't have the slightest idea where people get parts for BJ42's. As far as your question regarding what I would do when my "edic" dies, I'm really not sure as I don't even know what that is!!

The vehicle has a voltage reducer to get it to 12V from 24V. Don't know if this is worth anything or not.

The body is all steel, not any fiberglass or aluminum.

It is painfully obvious that I'm not experienced with BJ42 or Diesel repair subject matter, but can definitely learn. I'm pretty mechanically inlined and have done a ton of work on my '78 FJ40. I'm basically trying to get some information regarding parts availability, cost to maintain Toyota Diesel vs. gas, and opinions from experienced Cruiserheads on taking on a BJ42. I've only owned my 40 for about a year, but am hooked on them and intrigued by this Diesel.

Thanks
 
Thanks Ferg :D Ill take a look at those sites.
 
I currently own 2 BJ60's which are essentially the same as the BJ42 are far as the engine is concerned. The major difference being mine are 12volt as opposed to 24volt on the BJ42.
Fuel economy is double a 2F powered 'Cruiser making long distance drives affordable.
Performance is NOT up to a Cummins diesel but then these are 1/2 the size and are not turbocharged either.
While I respect rick_d's comments I have yet to have my EDIC or vaccum pump fail in over 14 years of owning my '82. If this is not going to be a daily driver then you can always order parts from Australia or from your local Toyota dealer (if you don't mind waiting). I'm often told that our deisel parts come though LA on the way here anyway!
I have a spare clutch (had the old one rebuilt) that I carry on long trips just in case (primarily because I had to drive from Mazatlan to Vancouver, Canada in 3rd and 4th when we returned from Mexico a couple of years back and I'm not sure what it might have done to my current clutch).
I KNOW they are very uncommon stateside but at a recent 'Cruiser meet here there was one 2F engine and the rest (about 10-15) were all diesel's ("B"'s, "3B"'s, "2H"'s, "13B-T"'s [imported from Japan] and a few others whose designation I can't remember)!
When we came back from Mexico and I needed a part the entire service department in dealers in Arizona and California emptied each time I pulled into a dealer to see if they had stock (it was a part common to FJ's and BJ's).
Both of my BJ60's are near 400,000kM and depending on how it is looked after you can easily exceed 500,000kM before a rebuild .
I'll be rebuilding a 3B to put in the FJ55 if I can find all the wiring harnesses and relays I need (we have a 2F in there right now).
 
Re: EDIC
E-lectronic D-iesel I-njection C-ontrol
Sounds high tech and scary, but it is just a three position stepper motor that controls the injection pump. If it fails you can jury rig a mechanical linkage that will serve quite well.
Parts can be a challenge here in the States (I live in Northern NY, and am converting my FJ60 to BJ power), but not insurmountable.
Lots of new and used parts available in Canada, reasonably priced rebuild kits available from Oz, and , as the 3B was used in Toyota fork trucks, many parts available through Toyota Industrial here.
Cheers,
moT
 
question 3, your clutch goes out in North Platte Nebraska, what do you do?

Same thing you do anywhere else in the world, fix it. Why did you pick north platte?

easy on the nebraska stuff, LOL
 
[quote author=cruiser_guy link=board=1;threadid=7520;start=msg62903#msg62903 date=1068784461]

I'll be rebuilding a 3B to put in the FJ55 if I can find all the wiring harnesses and relays I need (we have a 2F in there right now).
[/quote]

I've been wanting to hear about putting a diesel in a gasser. Keeps us posted how that goes. Couldn't you just make your own wiring harness ect?
 
Axlechassis,
I could make my own harness when I dump the deisel in but as it will be my daughters truck I'd like for it to work relatively easily (not fighter aircraft style with toggles everywhere), much like she's used to with the BJ60. Besides the factory wiring gives many advantages such as auto shutdown on low oil pressure, timing of the glow plugs, all the lights and gages (fuel filter etc. etc.).
Yes, these can be added if I do my own harness but it becomes a MUCH bigger job (just ask moT1, he's going through it right now).
 
Since I have worked with 1HZ, 1HD-T, and now have a 13B-T and have ordered more offline parts than 90%+ of the US cruiser population I can speak from massive experience. I also ran a cruiser parts business (out of a barn) and last years gross sales were $37,000 I have a little up on many. My parts literature collection is also larger than Specter's (lacking only the 80 series books yet I have the fiche- this being world spec)

the north platte crack is because I broke down there in my FJ60 and really had to work on getting back on the road. I luckily avoided one option which was renting a car to drive to Denver to pick a part up Sunday- IF a friend could even buy it Saturday at 4:00PM.

SINCE BJ42's are 24V, YOU WILL NOT GET ELECTRICAL PARTS OUT OF AUSTRALIA- 12v country. BJ60's are 12v, BJ70's are 12v (1985) or 24v (1986/7). BJ75 mine trucks are 12v and 3BII is different engine- yet may allow some crossover.

ONLY the headlights are 12v in BJ42 per Candian spec , one on high side battery, one on low and run via relays and even running without a bulb can kill both batteries. The voltage IS a big deal. Most bulbs, hooking up a radio, finding a wiper motor when yours craps, etc.

3B parts are not common in the US, and certainly not an EDIC, Vacuum pump, or clutch kit cannot be had overnight. This brings us to vacuum pumps which are tied to the alternator (again, a 24v system). There are some tricks to keep things running, but learn them before a long journey.

know which items are irreplacable like the BJ42 vaccum reservoir, and that 3B fan clutches are not same as 2F/2H/HZ...

Back to buying a BJ42. You will have to develop contacts with at least some:
- ENS Toyota-Lexus (a toyota dealer who can get the pieces at a higher than US side of border expense) ENS has an industrial shop serving the mine industry and continues to service 3B engines on a regular basis unlike many other dealers.
-a discount Canadian Toyota dealer (best I have seen is 20% off of a higher list)
(ENS may be this, may not). Many BC cruiserheads do not use ENS, I have because of an inside line I have developed.
note: every Canadian factory cruiser part except two I know of are 20-50% higher than the US i.e. H55 tranny @ most US dealer $2,100 list, @ ENS $4,110 CDN ($3,164.70 US)
-Greg/Sheldon at GScruiserparts, they may have some items.
-X Greg Riemer WAS the person to go to for 3B spares and 24V, but sadly his stockpile burned to the ground 2 weeks ago
-Some discount US dealer who has had recent success with offline orders, my parts guy (22 vet w/ Toyota parts) has been stymied over the last 9 months on many orders EVEN IF CANADIAN SPEC. If you are in a cold climate and need a glow plug relay your calling ENS and paying now 77 cents on $ (vs 65 a little time ago). Australia is 70 on $
-of course, Marv Specter (SOR)- because he may have it, but it could be at a premium.
-A friend or two on diesel list who has something like a spare good 24V starter to mail overnight (thanks Greg C!) Get their phone numbers as email does not always work on the side of the road in Why, Arizona or Emblem, Wyo (see, I used my home state and ex).
-If you are going to consider an overhaul, see Geoff Walsh in AU (I will not be getting rebuilt 13B-T injectors via them because of poor exchange rate and high cost $169 AU each).
-An australian Toyota dealer just in case some part fits 12/24 easy- they don't care and will ship anywhere in the world
- a Japanese contact can help for rarer spares. Japan is 24v country and had a good number of 3B's in use
-an inexpensive but good diesel shop that can OH injectors and if need be an injection pump in under a week (or Berima Diesel in AU..). The pump you may want to contact Saskatoon...$1,000 CDN these days.

and learn a bypass trick for the EDIC and maybe a source for a spare (thank god HZ/HD series went to fuel cut solenoid)
buy a factory manual AND a fiche for FJ/BJ40's 1981+ and a BJ70 fiche or get a european CD system for parts and learn differences between B engine, 3B 3 bearing cam (BJ42) and 5 bearing cam (BJ70) and 3BII (BJ75) engines. Your spares can differ.
 
Ya, what he said.

Nice diatribe rick_d

gb
 
and as a note on the Ens toyota/industrial and the mine use of 3B's

They are starting to decomision these trucks at a fast rate. Instead of getting new parts they are starting to use other trucks as parts truck and some mines have created huge underground cruiser morgues. I have friends at ens and at alot of the mines and they tell me it is sad the number of parts that get destroyed or buried.

another rumor floating around the shop this week at ens is that they are bringing in a reproduction Land Cruiser from brazil to test in the mines because parts are becoming harder to get and increasing in $$$$$$$ from Japan.

This isn't going to be an overnight thing, but it is happening.
 
The con is they are underpowered unless turboed, but that is talking from an Aussie owned truck point of view, 12v and parts are readily available. From what I have read in the previous post parts maybe a concern in the states........Dazz
 
I say buy it but only if you have back up transport.They are becoming hard to get in Australia as well .Most of them have been loved to death or butchered with V8 conversions.There is several for sale in my area with half baked conversions that will probably end up being stripped for parts.The positive side is once they are set up right they require very little to keep running.Many of these achieve in excess of 350k miles.
 
I know of one mine with 2 supervisors BJ42s still in operation. It also has $100K in BJ42/75 spares on the shelf, not to be buried.

Greg- I avoided the 60 for that reason.

Bandierante's (the Only brazilian rip off) are out of production and the Unimog conversion was still too tall after shrinking it with 17" rims (13' max hieght of tunnels). Plus, the 14B (last Bandy engine) is not parts supported in NA either by Toyota (Torrence/Canada) or independants. A friend has 3 of them (in Vega$).

My contact Brian D, the shop manager is just waiting for the Toyota de Canada commitment to the next five year run of LC's (they have little say in which model is brought in). It must be diesel, 1HZ has strongest support (being used 1995+ for mines) and has crossover the 1PZ (which to my knowledge are all dead and buried). 1KZ is too light duty and the mines are very happy so far with HZ.
 
I have a long wheelbase samurai that I have a Toyota 2L in. Because that motor was imported (limited) into the US from 1984 to 1987 I can get parts for it. It isnt easy, but it can be done. I also have a 1987 HJ60 that I'm putting a 1994 1HZ in. That motor came in those cool mine truck in Canada so parts are available there. I like in the Seattle area so a run up north isnt a big deal.

I plan on buying a BJ-74 too, so I have a pretty good idea of dealing with the rareness factor of these rigs.

Personally, I think that what you are getting has personality, heart, character and Diesel coolness. I wouldnt let certain aspects of it's rareness stop me from getting it!



TB
 
Guys,

Thanks for the input. I've decided not to pursue the BJ42, and instead I'm going to continue to put the $$ into the '78 FJ40 I've already got. I appreciate everyone's opinions as it helped me arrive at a conclusion. :D
 

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