Hi, I'm new, and very tempted to buy a '91 FJ80 (3FE) that's for sale locally. I took it to the Toyota dealer and got one of the more experienced mechanics to take a look at it. There's some good and some bad. But one thing no one could figure out is this: some previous owner swapped in a H42 manual transmission and transfer case. The 2nd gear synchros are in bad shape, so I want to check the trans fluid to get a better idea of what shape it's in. But how?? There is a weird hose with banjo bolts connecting the H42 to the transfer case, see pic. Any ideas what is going on there, what's that hose for? How to check the fluids?
Anyway, I want to use the truck for light adventure (day hikes, mountain biking, xc skiing) and for trips to the local home depot as I do some work on my house. I'm comfortable doing basic maintenance tasks and simple repairs, but don't have the expertise or tools for more complex jobs like head gasket replacements and transmission rebuilds. Any words of warning, or encouragement, are welcome -- am I taking on more than I can handle with a modified truck like this?
Anyway, I want to use the truck for light adventure (day hikes, mountain biking, xc skiing) and for trips to the local home depot as I do some work on my house. I'm comfortable doing basic maintenance tasks and simple repairs, but don't have the expertise or tools for more complex jobs like head gasket replacements and transmission rebuilds. Any words of warning, or encouragement, are welcome -- am I taking on more than I can handle with a modified truck like this?