Buck's Dirty Bird Build Thread

[blbuck12]

Hey Mud,

Joined mud a month or so ago and figured I might as well catalog my build like all the cool kids around here. The plan is to make my FJ60 into a daily driver with ample ability to tackle some Pac NW fire roads and get to the prime camping and hiking locations. This is my first foray into Toyotas/cruisers and have found a massive amount of helpful information on this site.

Work began on the DB (dirty bird) right away and plan to keep going as long as time/funds are still available. Starting with my big to-do list; some I have already completed and those I plan on doing. Will add pictures and links to everything I can as I go and of some of the work I've already done.


Step 1: Get it running
-Clean gas tank and line w/ KBS sealer, replace pick up (DONE)
-Clean and adjust carb (DONE)
-Change oil and filters (DONE, will change again after 200 miles or now more...)
-New plugs (DONE)
-Check vacuum lines (DONE)
-Got it running, driving and idling

Step 2: Make road worthy/DD ready 90%
-get 2ndaries working (DONE)
-Continue to tune carb (DONE)
-new thermostat, she's running a little hot (DONE)
-Set timing (DONE)
-Check gear/tranny/transfer case levels
-Check tie rod ends/steering coupler/clean up slop in steering
-Clean/check brakes
-Attach battery tie down (DONE)
-Replace/Fix horn (Done)
-Clean upholstery (DONE)
-New wipers (DONE)
-Costco floor mats (DONE)
-Replace steering damper (Done)
-replace shocks (DONE)
-LED dome/cargo lights (DONE)
-Properly inflate tires (DONE)
-BFG All Terrains (DONE)
-DESMOG! (DONE)
-New Muffler, Thrush (DONE)

Step 3: Repairs and "Necessary" Upgrades
-Roof rack (Done, was the first thing I bought because priorities, Smitty Bilt craigslist special)
-Lube/Replace window felt
-Paint seat brackets (done on Drivers side)
-Install new seats (BMW 3 series)
-Install new spring bushings (sitting in a box, waiting for them to install themselves)
-Build sleeping platform (Built)
-Fix/remove pillar spot light (broke it, so removed it)
-Build wind screen for roof rack
-Add winch to Front bumper
-Remove and clean all carpets/ or replace entirely (Have carpet, just need to install)
-stereo and speaker (DONE)
-New rear hatch pistons (DONE)
-lift kit (Craigs list OME special)
-Rust repair (and more)
-re-paint (maybe gray or factory color)
-Sound deadening (done through doors and cargo area,
-Install headers (have, just need to install)
-Install new CAT (need to order)
-Repair Dash (complete but not successful, bunch of new cracks)
-Fix AC (fixed, but now it leaks...)
-Tint windows (done DIY, 35% ceramic)




-Buck

 

[blbuck12]

Thanks, added it to the list!

 

[SteveH]

Nice truck and nice plan to get it into shape. Welcome!

 

[RodrigzCrzr]

Welcome!!!
Good looking Rig

 

[blbuck12]

Over the past few weeks I've managed to slowly check a bunch of items off my list including new rear gate struts, new tires, desmogging, recurving the dizzy, new wipers, fixing the exhaust and a handle of smaller items.

About a week before xmas the smog/water/crank pulley (new) started squealing like a stuck pig in a horror movie above 2k rpm. Some adjustment to the tension and a health dousing of WD40 helped but it kept coming back. This prompted me to desmog the dirty bird in order to eliminate a possible cause and I wanted to desmog it anyways. Between xmas and new years I had the week off work and tore the bird apart, fabricated a tensioner, some exhaust, and put the her back together.

The previous owner apparently decided at one point to sawzall the exhaust and smog pipe off and then poorly weld it back together...

I should have taken a few pictures of the repair but I'm not that good at remembering...

Here is the tensioner I made to replace the smog pump. The pulley is cut off of a tensioner from an old ford 4 cylinder, then welded a small small pipe on one end and a nut into the other.

Also did the $17 recurve to the dizzy with the MSD 8464 spring set.

I must say i can't believe how much better the truck runs after the DESMOG. I thought it ran pretty good before, but was I apparently still missing out. It run smoother and has a very noticeable increase in power. Still needs to tune the carb and likely mess with timing a bit more but I am crazy happy with the results.

The only issue now is that I can't get it to idle below 1,000rpms without turning the timing down around 2-3*, but then it can't make it above 2k rpms while driving. I have the idle screwed all the way out and I can physically push the linkage lower (lowering the rpms) but it will then return to idling about at 1,000rpms. Not sure the current timing as I tuned it by driving feel.

 

[HemiAlex]

Order a trollhole carb, bump the timing to 9* and move on from fighting that old carb for now. Send it to JimC and keep it as a back up after a rebuild.

Depending on who has been in the factory carb in the past, chances are something has been fiddlef*cked with to the point that it needs attention.

 

[blbuck12]

Order a trollhole carb,... Send it to JimC and keep it as a back up after a rebuild.

Yeah... that's not really my style. I have a hard time justifying paying for all of that when there's a good chance I can figure things out with the knowledge on this forum and time under the hood. I mean hell, I've gotten this far.

 

[HemiAlex]

Well, I had some strange issues that I ended up narrowing down to a "fixed" carb. Things missing on the body, screws stripped etc.

$280 for the Trollhole and a $100 rebuild on the Aisin down the line for backup. I'm not saying you can't rebuild it and make it run great, I'm just saying that you may have to fight through what others have tried to "fix" over the years. Plus, it helped get rid of some more vacuum lines.

For me, it was a no brainer. I couldn't have the truck down for a week to mess with the carb or a month to wait for JimC to rebuild it.

 

[blbuck12]

Though I don't like to have the 60 out of commission, it isn't my only transportation option. So I have time to mess with it and learn.

 

[blbuck12]

Yesterday the Dirty Bird decided to burn up it's starter and strand me twice.

The past few days I noticed the starter wasn't turning the engine over quite as fast as it used to. Well yesterday after hitting the road for a day of skiing, the solenoid did not disengage and left the gear on the flywheel. The starter was not powered, but it was spinning with the running engine. Ended up making it about 4 miles before the starter/solenoid shorted and killed all power to the cruiser and I pulled over on the freeway (6:15am). After a few whacks with a wrench gear disengaged and electrical power returned, but the starter was clearly ed. Luckily I stopped on a downhill and was able to push-start the cruiser in 2nd, and make it out to my folks.

You can see in the images below where the smoke was pouring out of the starter. It had a pretty hard meltdown...

Well, this is how the day started and after a trip to the local O'Reillys I had a rebuilt starter back in and the cruiser was back to normal. Decided to do an oil change and check the transmission fluid level. After changing and topping off the fluids I set off to do a little off road testing, and things got interesting again...

Drove for about an hour on a local forest service road that was decently covered in ice, water and plenty of potholes. Everything was fine and dandy until the last mile.

Not sure if I knocked something off, got something wet or what, but the cruiser would not longer take any throttle. It would idle just fine, but any throttle input would pretty much kill the engine. If i pumped the accelerator it would build rpm's fine, but I could only do it out of gear. Any attempt to move the cruiser would result in it sputtering and acting as if it had no fuel. Checked the site glass and it was at an appropriate level, pulled a plug and it looked good, removed the top of the carb and checked the jets and they were all clean, no crap/debris in the carb pre-screen, all vacuum hoses were still attached in the proper locations (recently performed a desmog). Had been running perfectly fine since the desmog and everything seemed to be in order (minus the starter incident).

After completing the above checks I removed the choke break linkage and found it could drive with full choke and managed to limp it home. It acted like there is a massive vacuum leak but I could not find anything. With full choke, it preferred accelerating verses cruising, and anything over 2,000 rpm it either had no power or sputtered (no backfiring). Max of about 40 mph in 4th, accelerating in 1-3rd was pretty jerky. Managed 50mph on a big down hill on the highway home. When I got home, it still idled perfect without the choke as if nothing was wrong, but any throttle input seemed like it cut fuel delivery to the engine.

Could the HAC, fuel cut solenoid or a VCV have failed and caused these sort of issues? I hit plenty of pot holes along the road and a little water did splash into the engine bay but did not soak anything as far as I can tell. I won't be able to work on it again until this weekend, and would appreciate any ideas fellow mudders have before I try and tackle it. Thanks

 

[Landpimp]

It's the ICS, it lost it'd ground in the emmison computer , ground to carb and should be good to go

 

[gregnash]

Was think that ^^^ (ICS) or possibly the fuel pump was dying on you. I would think that if the ICS was going he would not be able to drive without the choke pulled as it only handles idle, but if I am interpreting what @Landpimp is saying, then basically it is not disengaging like it should.

 

[blbuck12]

Thanks for the suggestion @Landpimp , after reading about the ICS it sounds like to me it could be the culprit. Maybe the bumps finally broke the solder points on the 'computer'. @gregnash I was thinking fuel pump as well, it's a new pump though and the site glass stays at a good level. That said, i'll have a second person with me next time I'm working on it so i'll give it another check.

I'll test then ground the ICS. If that doesn't work I'll start spraying carb cleaner to try to find a vacuum leak.

To confirm: If I ground the ICS, then the computer and fuel cut solenoid (with 1 vacuum line and 1 wire) can be removed

@HemiAlex If this keeps up I may go for the TrollHole after all...

 

[GLTHFJ60]

 

[60 toy ota]

all the problems ive heard of and experienced with the ics are at the idle/lower rpms...i ditched that carb a while back so I could easily be wrong but my first guess would be a vacuum leak

 

[HemiAlex]

Thanks for the suggestion @Landpimp , after reading about the ICS it sounds like to me it could be the culprit. Maybe the bumps finally broke the solder points on the 'computer'. @gregnash I was thinking fuel pump as well, it's a new pump though and the site glass stays at a good level. That said, i'll have a second person with me next time I'm working on it so i'll give it another check.

I'll test then ground the ICS. If that doesn't work I'll start spraying carb cleaner to try to find a vacuum leak.

To confirm: If I ground the ICS, then the computer and fuel cut solenoid (with 1 vacuum line and 1 wire) can be removed

@HemiAlex If this keeps up I may go for the TrollHole after all...

If you need help setting it up, or have any questions I can get you lined out. I'm very happy with mine.

Those little intermittent gremlins are an absolute pain. Once I throw the new fuel pump on and some new rubber hoses, I'm going to forget about my fuel system for a while and just keep changing the fuel filter on a more regular schedule.

 

[blbuck12]

I replaced the manifold gasket, carb gasket and the vacuum lines when I desmogged. Maybe one of the manifold bolts backed out a little and is allowing an intake leak. I kind of hope it's not a vacuum line because I spent sooo much time routing and double checking, but would definitely be the simplest fix.

I will ground the ICS either way so I can remove the computer and fuel cut switch, the less stuff = less stuff to fail.

If I can't track any vacuum leak down or ICS issue, I'll replace the fuel pump. It is a new pump, only 500 miles on it, but it did make a clicking noise the first hundred or so miles then quieted.

 

[HemiAlex]

Make sure your intake manifold isn't cracked. That was causing an intermittent leak on mine. Someone planed my exhaust manifold and didn't install the intake properly and cracked an ear. It was poorly repaired by jb weld.

I had it welded up when I had my head redone and it stoped my hunting idle.

 

[blbuck12]

Well, when I replaced the intake/exhaust gasket I wondered why the PO had used a bunch of RTV in there. Quickly discovered today that the intake manifold is leaking pretty heavily on the from and rear connections.

Didn't even make it to testing the ICS, found a can of starting fluid and thought I would try that first since I had it in my hands already. Well, one shot of the starting fluid and I found the leak... Great that I found it, not great that it's the manifold leaking...

Working on it right now and have the intake pulled off, and trying to figure out how I want to proceed. I'm thinking I'll shim the intake maifold with some half washers so the bolts put more pressure on the intake rather than exhaust. And maybe a little RTV for good measure.

 

[Spike Strip]

Fixing a leaky (warped) manifold is a right-of-passage on a 2F.

Do it right the first time and it will last the next life of the truck.

Find a machine shop that has experience with these, get is surfaced and spot-faced (if they'll do that), and use an OE gasket and new fasteners and a Stainless plate between the two manifolds.

Good Luck.