Cheap Thrills, my '64 FJ40.

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Based on your story, I'd say save your time on the head. Drop the pan. I've a hunch it's a bearing.

FWIW, a MUDer just got me a screaming deal on shipping a complete engine. South Dakota to LA via Yellow Freight: $200. Maybe they're feeling the pinch from Fastenal.:meh:
 
65swb45 said:
Based on your story, I'd say save your time on the head. Drop the pan. I've a hunch it's a bearing.

FWIW, a MUDer just got me a screaming deal on shipping a complete engine. South Dakota to LA via Yellow Freight: $200. Maybe they're feeling the pinch from Fastenal.:meh:
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Are seized bearings common?

$200 is a great deal on shipping. All the quotes I found were North of $700.

Edit: I have a hard time believing a bearing could lock the engine up like this. How would it rust up enough to lock up solid? When I drained the oil, there wasn't any water in it.
 
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I went through a similar issue on my 1962 Fj40 years ago. I ended up pulling all the spark plugs and oil pan and used like 4 cans of wd40 in the spark plug ports and then from the bottom with the oil pan removed I could easily get to all piston rods, pistons and crank shaft. I repeated that for 3 days. Everyday I would work the flywheel from underneath with large channel locks until it finally all broke free.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747
 
you'd be fine with a SBC, as long as you don't go nuts with power levels.

neat rig, I love the corrugated side 'cruisers. With that said, Toyota bought the rights to produce that motor from GM - which opens a world of interchange and availability. I've always thought a 292 would be an excellent motor for the '40... keep in mind that a V8 is wider (or a V6) then a straight 6 - so it's a lot easier to shoehorn the straight motor in then a wide motor.
 
SuperBuickGuy said:
you'd be fine with a SBC, as long as you don't go nuts with power levels.

neat rig, I love the corrugated side 'cruisers. With that said, Toyota bought the rights to produce that motor from GM - which opens a world of interchange and availability. I've always thought a 292 would be an excellent motor for the '40... keep in mind that a V8 is wider (or a V6) then a straight 6 - so it's a lot easier to shoehorn the straight motor in then a wide motor.
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Thanks.
I've heard that before, If I could find a good one I'd love to run it. I wonder if the manifolds and what not would fit.

I'm not at all picky about what engine is in this. I just want to be able to afford to repair and drive it, and have it be safe and reliable when I'm done. If I can repair this engine , or buy a usable F replacement for less than swapping something else I'll do it. I've got 2 other rigs, this is just going to be a sentimental fun car for me. I've lost the desire to ride my motorcycle on the road, so I'm selling the road bike and replacing it with this. Drive it in the woods and driving around town, to my college classes and what not.

If I ended up swapping a different motor in, I'd probably do something like a 4.3 V6 instead of a v8. My cousin has a Chevy 1/2ton with a 4.3 vortec and it's pretty powerful. It will keep up with my dodge with a 4bbl 360 V8 in it, and beat me on MPG 18 to 12.
 
the biggest issues with the 4.3 is cost and the fuel system. There are a precious few carb'd 4.3s. Because of the scarcity, you may find it is cheaper to simply go with a 350.

And something to keep in mind, I've seen as much break because the vehicle is underpowered as I do overpowered. When you don't have enough power, you have to take a run at whatever the obstacle is - that's where breakage happens. Overpower - there are hamfisted driver, but having sufficient power and a brain - you'll get further with less work.

And again, a stock 350 has sufficient power, but not generally enough power to willy-nilly blow things up.... or at least, no more then when the stock motor can do. Your quest reminds me of one of my '40s - it was a 59, but same (mostly), and there was a hill above Reno that you could go climb - the start was a ditch you had to walk through then give it the beans. I never made it up because I simply couldn't get the wheel speed to go up - then I got to back down the hill...
 
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RustyRanger said:
Are seized bearings common?

$200 is a great deal on shipping. All the quotes I found were North of $700.

Edit: I have a hard time believing a bearing could lock the engine up like this. How would it rust up enough to lock up solid? When I drained the oil, there wasn't any water in it.
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You said your dad had to tow it home. It didn't rust up while he was driving it. But it could have locked up. That's all I'm saying.
 
65swb45 said:
You said your dad had to tow it home. It didn't rust up while he was driving it. But it could have locked up. That's all I'm saying.
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You mean a something like a bearing locked up while he was towing it home? Possible I guess. I'll pull the pan and take a look while I'm at it.

I asked him about what happened for it to get parked a while ago. Story he told me was-It got parked on the farm for the winter, then would not restart easily the next spring. He had more important things to do than messing with a stubborn old car, like dealing with a baby and work, so there it sat for a few years. Then it got towed back home, and there it sat for 20 years. He says nothing was very wrong with it and he swears he didn't blow it up.


:shrug: It's going to be interesting when I start tearing it down.
 
I bought a low mile 80K 2F out of a 85 FJ-60 from a MUDDER in Portland for $600. Had it shipped for $200. In the process of lining things up to install in my 64 FJ-40, along with my new front axle from Mark. PO had installed a 4-speed.

Mike
 
IMO, you should just pull the engine. Pop the pan, pop the head. If everything looks good, regasket and seal EVERYTHING. While the timing cover is off, make sure you don't have a fiber cam gear.

If you only go part way, the one gasket/seal you didn't change will bite you in the a$s. (E.g. Rear main seal, front trans seal)

And if the motor's bad, you're a big step closer to just changing it. It's a win-win in my book.

Mark
 
engines do not like sitting 20 years. Unless the valve tension was released (thereby keeping moisture out), odds are pretty good that the rings are rusted to the walls. Even if you manage to get it released - it'll burn oil or completely destroy the rings and render the block junk.

the lowest - cost method is to pull the head and look down the bores.
 
SuperBuickGuy said:
engines do not like sitting 20 years. Unless the valve tension was released (thereby keeping moisture out), odds are pretty good that the rings are rusted to the walls. Even if you manage to get it released - it'll burn oil or completely destroy the rings and render the block junk.

the lowest - cost method is to pull the head and look down the bores.
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That's the plan, We'll see what it looks like tomorrow. I have all of ancillary parts off the engine, so I might be able to pull it. Gotta go buy a engine stand first.

What is the best way to hook a engine crane on these, lifting straps under the oil pan?
 
There should be some lifting locations bolted to the upper part of the motor, usually on the head. I don't have specific locations for you, but do a google search using the words "pictures of lifting locations for a Toyota F motor". What I got when I used those words had a set of pictures as the first item in the list. The very last picture was of two metal brackets laying on a knitted afgan. Something like these brackets should be bolted to your motor at each end of the head, and one on each side of the head. Often the bracket will have a large hole in the upper end, and a chain will easily got through it.

Use almost the shortest chain that will go between these two brackets. The chain, when fastened to these two brackets and with the engine hoist hooked in between them, should look like a house roof with about a 4-12 pitch.

Don
 
Start's off Ok.


Uhoh.


Welcome to my hell.




Really sucks, the other bores are in incredibly good shape for the mileage, small ridge at the top. I'm curious if I can save that last cylinder.

I've been having a good time tearing this down, so simple to work on. Those are some weird shaped combustion chambers. Practically a OHV head on a Flathead engine.
 
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Had to use the engine crane to get that head off. It reminds me of old tractors engines, need more strength? Just add more iron.


A few questions, what are the rubber caps on the valve springs for? Also, is the copper tube that feeds the rocker's special or could I just make a new one, as this one got all dinged up.
 
the look of a well maintained motor that burned Arco gas, I've honestly wondered how their fuel could be so much worse then anything else as the feed stock in Washington is all pretty much the same (Alaska crude)...

you may be able to hone the bore smooth enough to run, but odds are pretty good it'd burn oil.
 
Does anyone know what the plastic caps on the valve springs are for? I've looked at specter, I can't find any listing of them.

Are they aftermarket? 2 are crumbling and split so I'm not sure I should leave the other in there.
 
Once you get it cleaned up you can see how deep the pitting is.
Looks like years of condensation ended up in the most downhill #6 cylinder.
I had one that was similar, one cylinder pitted and was able to hone it off.

The way I look at it, whether the motor is useable or not it needs to come out.
If you hone that last cylinder and get it turning, you can be sure that the rings are all packed in place with the same rusty gritty crud.
I'd want to know what the bottom end looked like before dumping $$ into it.
Engine out & pan off, it is really not that difficult to take out the pistons & connecting rods.
With any luck you will be able to stop there and put it back together with a new set of rings and a valve job.
 
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