Engine help near Annapolis- Repost from main 40 forum page-

[vt78cruiser]

I will try to keep this as short as possible. After four years of a frame off restoration, I was oh so close to finishing when I took her on the inaugrual drive around the neighborhood. All of the sudden !BOOM!, I have to push her home.

Back in the driveway I pull the oil pan, black, gasoline smelling oil pouring out. Inside the pan were three push rods, two lifters and two pieces of the cam shaft. Looking up in the engine I spy the bearing cap that came off piston #1 and must have jammed up into the cam, splitting her into three pieces.

Good news, only need to replace the cam, and piston #1 (hopefully). Bad news, I'm outta time, money, patience, my wife's patience, time and money.

Since I rebuilt the engine I know that I am at fault and probably didn't tighten down the bearing cap to the right torque (even though I swear that I did). Who know's what else I didn't do right.

Does anyone know a competent shop in the Annapolis, MD area that I could tow this thing to and have them do the engine work on? Do any of you mudders live close enough and have enough experience/time on your hands to do the work for a nominal fee?

I am at my wit's end with my 2nd true love (in case my wife is reading) and really just want to be driving her around again. Any suggestions?

I'll try and post some pics of the carnage because I know that it will make you guys smile at my misery.

 

[Thornton]

I may have a line on a 2f that was pulled out of a pig to do a diesel conversion. Would you be interested in that ?

Tom

 

[laxman33]

You might want to try this guy. He is familiar with FJ 40 work.

Lisbon Performance
Lisbon, Maryland 21765
(410)4890315

( West of Columbia )

 

[kulangot]

Put a used motor in it. Don't haul it to a professional garage. Any Toyota Land Cruiser (TLC) means Ton of Loot and Cash if you pay anyone to work on it. This is a DIY hobby if you want to stick with it. With only a few exceptions, most of us who stick around for a long time, do as much of our work as possible.

Sorry about the bad luck on the rebuild. s*** happens.

Get a good used motor, but test it first.

If you hustle, you can put in a motor over a weekend.

I find it faster to pull the whole motor and trans/transfer but you need a hell of an engine crane - most of the crappy ones won't handle this.

 

[vt78cruiser]

I have the parts for the 2f to be rebuilt. I just don't have the time to do it anymore. This is actually the third engine I've put in it. The first the dizzy wasn't all the way seated and it siezed up, the second was free and leaked like a seive, and this one, the third I just rebuilt.

It's a lack of time and confidence, not a lack of a place to do it.

 

[kulangot]

experience is a nice way of saying "learns from mistakes"

Get out there and try it again!!! It's not rocket science. You just had some bad luck. If you start with an engine that you can see running, it will be easier to pull it off.

If you need help, post up for it here, you'll get plenty of free good advice!

 

[vt78cruiser]

I have the 2f that blew out a bearing. Could I use the camshaft from that? What about pistons? Is it possible to donate a piston from one or another? What kind of honing would I have to do?

 

[kulangot]

You might be able to use them as donors, a couple of considerations:

-make sure they are the same type of part and the same size. Pistons come in oversize versions to match over sized bores to compensate for wear when the engine is machined during a rebuild. Low mileage and or gently used stock parts could make great donors.

-make sure they are not excessively worn. You local library has textbooks that describe what to look for. A machinist will have to check the big end and the little end of the rods.

-look for damage via the mangaflux process.

-Take out the parts, take them to the machine shop and have them inspect them.

-I would not recommend just honing one cylinder and I would not recommend just putting in rings with out honing. Pull all the pistons. Check all the bores. Hone and put in new rings if the bores are not worn in a barrel shape and or they don't have a clear wear ridge. Again, a good machine shop is what you need to walk you through all of this.

-All of this also points to having the head gone through as well...a slippery slope.

Try to find a good used motor...then if you can't resort to this.

Run a vacuum test, compression test and preferably a leak down test.

Good used motors are out there.

Get in touch with Gary Shumaker, he might have one.

 

[vt78cruiser]

How would I get in touch with him? I assume he's here on Mud, what's his site name?

 

[Blue77FJ40]

Gary Schmuck's online name is shmukster

 

[kulangot]

I would also check out the motor that Tom "Thornton" posted. He's as solid of a guy as they come.

Good luck with your project!