Dan's 1979 BJ40 (1 Viewer)

[Falco80]

The new bub has been keeping us busy, so nothing much has been happening on the shorty apart from putting diesel in it and driving whenever I can. I did order a compression testing kit last month and finally got around to checking the compression on the little B diesel. It's just rolled over an original 203000km's so is not high-mileage at all for this series of engine.

Results were:
#1 - 440 psi
#2 - 410 psi
#3 - 425 psi
#4 - 420 psi

I did it twice to compare but the second time round I cranked each cylinder for a longer duration and got higher readings than these on all four. I'm pretty happy with the readings I got on the first run anyway and it gives me a good idea on the condition of the engine. Anybody have any input on those numbers?

Bought a new radiator overflow cap for a HJ47 to replace the deteriorating one of mine also.

 

[DrSlug]

Where did you get the new coolant sticker from Dan? Looks great

 

[soup]

'scribed.
Really wanting, read needing, to do a 'frame-off' on mine but just dont have the time with a new family. This thread is what I need to get my a** into to gear to do a 'bit-by-bit' resto

 

[Falco80]

Where did you get the new coolant sticker from Dan? Looks great

Hey mate, sorry for the delay. I got the decal from Cruiser Corps ebay store, along with a couple of other things. Worth the $3 i reckon.

'scribed.
Really wanting, read needing, to do a 'frame-off' on mine but just dont have the time with a new family. This thread is what I need to get my a** into to gear to do a 'bit-by-bit' resto

I'm finding out that I don't have as much time as I would like available to work on the cruiser either, with a 5 month old in the house now. I think having or making time to do stuff is the main thing. Having the space is a bonus too, but just have a look at what DrSlug has done with his cruiser in a single garage, it's inspiring!

 

[Falco80]

Ah, I love these weekends without any other commitments! I got a full 1.5 days at home to hang out in the garage and use my tools.
End result was i finally got the PTO winch driveline hooked up and running.



I had to grind down the home-made Toyota PTO gearbox adapter so the Thomas Winch shaft could slide onto it...



Then I drilled through the uni where the grub screw went and fitted a HT bolt. I noticed it goes through he casting line, but hopefully it will work ok.

 

[Falco80]

I had to make up a mounting plate for the shaft plummer block bearing and even though I could slide this bearing along the shaft it worked out good where it was, as I could attach it to the LH engine mount using a piece of mild steel angle I had lying around. Welding in this position was difficult for me with my stick welder.
I'm using another HT bolt where the shear pin used to live for the moment. The shear pin I removed is a bit bent out of shape. The OEM Toyota shear pins I have sourced are far to thin for this application unfortunately.



Even though the welding looks very average, I'm certain it will hold. When I eventually do a frame-off I can clean this mounting plate up to look neater.



I had to enlarge the opening in the front frame cross-member to accommodate the first uni joint.



I was surprised how relatively straight the drive-shaft turned out being!

 

[Falco80]

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out overall.





Damn, 1st gear on the PTO is very slow. I could imagine it will be able to pull you out of just about anything. I'm looking forward to testing it out sometime.



All I need to do now is make up a shift lever for it and mount it so I can activate it from the cab. There's another weekends work for me!

 

[kling-on]

Very nice ... I love the looks of pto's

Sent from outer space via my mind

 

[lostmarbles]

Damn. Wish you lived closer. I could have helped with your homemade PTO adapter because I've got a lathe here.

At least the low gearing is such that there's not much load on that driveshaft ... even in hard-core winching (provided you're not in a ridiculous hurry).

You're coming along well Dan..

 

[Falco80]

Damn. Wish you lived closer. I could have helped with your homemade PTO adapter because I've got a lathe here.

At least the low gearing is such that there's not much load on that driveshaft ... even in hard-core winching (provided you're not in a ridiculous hurry).

You're coming along well Dan..

G'day Tom, a lathe would have been perfect to get the adapter all straight. It's a little wonky when it's spinning, so I guess I'll just keep the speed of the winch down.

How are your lockers going? Are they both still sitting on the shelf?

 

[lostmarbles]

....How are your lockers going? Are they both still sitting on the shelf?

Y--eee-ssssss.

(I'm ashamed to say...)

 

[Falco80]

Had a couple of hours to tinker on the 40 today so I fitted an OEM clutch fork boot I picked up, to replace the wrong-type boot that I butchered and fitted 3 years ago.
Old

New

I love the flat fenders on these beasts, they are very useful for holding tools.

 

[tmarx]

If and when i decide to strip it back and have it resprayed the original colour ...

Looking at those latest pics I think it is becoming time, Dan. Such a nice truck deserves to be preserved !

 

[Falco80]

Last weekend I adjusted my clutch to toyota specs, following the procedure in the FSM. I was stupid for not doing it this way long ago when I replaced the master and slave cylinders.
I think I adjusted it by feel back then, anyway it feels right now!

I've started to replace the door seals now. I have the 33 year-old barn door seals stripped off and have cleaned up the edges ready for the new seals. I bought all the seals a year or two ago and the barn door seals look good...the main one is from Rare Spares and appears to be quality. The front door seals are an unknown brand and I don't like the look of them at all, look kind of nasty and ill-fitting.
I must give credit to Tom (Lostmarbles) though for his magnificent thread here which got me motivated to start.....Tackling the doors
Hope to have the barn doors done this weekend...

I've been collecting old Landcruiser ads too, mainly off ebay, and have put them up in the garage as a bit of a shrine, haha.

Also bought one of these old school OEM key covers to protect the old keys.

 

[baas]

Very cool Dan, I've been waiting to see how your new rubbers turn out before splashing out on some. And that old skool key holder looks like another good plan.

 

[Malignum]

Good to see another BJ40 in good hands and getting quality service

They do seem to like it, dont they?!

Cheers

 

[lostmarbles]

...I've been collecting old Landcruiser ads too, mainly off ebay, and have put them up in the garage as a bit of a shrine, haha.

You're yet another cruiser fanatic whose been bitten by the collecting bug Dan.

I bet if the medical people checked our genes they'd find a common defect.

 

[allana13]

All of the Aussie 40's, BJ and FJ are full floater rear axle.

Nice Find ! ! ! Looks like there's hardly any coast cancer

My 40 "Kermit" was originally a 1979 BJ that I bought in Brisbane and shipped to South Africa
I have subsequently chucked the B diesel anchor in favour of the bulletproof (1978) 2F

Sorry mate what is the difference of the different engines and how can i find that on mine.

I have a BJ40 Diesel Where can i see the code

 

[allana13]

I reckon the more you drive the BJ .... the better Dan. (Not the other way around.)

I'm not driving mine enough. (Probably only once or twice every 2 weeks at the moment.)

BTW - I can't wait to get my lockers fitted. They've sat in my garage for about a decade now.

But I'm working on the house at the moment because otherwise a divorce would be imminent.

Keep up the good work.

Hey Tom Can you please shed some more light on Lockers. I am a newbie and know very little about them.

Thanks

 

[allana13]

I ave read the entire thread.. Awesome Dan and congrats on the new Baby Girl.

I have just bought a BJ40 here in the UK which needs a lot of work mainly to the body. So i am going to be asking help of experts here obviously in my own build thread. Its a 81 model i think but i don't know the engine code or the engine size.

Would like to see more pics

Cheers

max