Finally Bought my first CRUISER!

[dkyuss]

WARNING!
Brutalization and scary images ahead, you have been warned.












This is what you get for buying a 1000 dollar diesel cruiser (my thoughts at the time was the roof rack was worth it! LOL)! If I knew then what I do now!

I WILL COME BACK TO THIS SOON! Forgive me please cruiser gods!






But for now, it is all about water/air/exhaust tight! Dont really care how it looks, just has to work! For now.


Take some bags and spritz some water in them (helps the foam to cure in the air tight bags).

And insert expanding sealant/foam

Trim the outside, and I will fiberglass enough to make it air tight. The bags make this simple to remove as it has not adhered to anything but the bag. May have to cut the foam a few times to clear but should be easy to remove when I want to.



Like I said, I will come back to this, but other than exhaust fumes, this is nothing but cosmetic stuff. To be fixed proper at a more convenient time....

 

[dkyuss]

She aint pretty, but MUCH better than before. Add some (lots) filler, and grind for too long, primer and this is probably good enough for now. Almost no exhaust smell now. The important part! This should only have to last for a year or two....

She was my daily driver for the last week. Its a long 20 km hill ride to work (about 600m elevation) so it has given me a chance to put on some kms and identify any oddities that may present themselves.... And so far nothing major to report. My seat has a 'squeak' to it so may need to add a washer, or rubber to tighten up this annoyance. Steering has a mild 'knock' to it at times. Think it may be ujoints on the steering column? or a bearing somewhere in there.... Another thing to tinker with. Also some minimal vibration showing up at highway speeds, around 100kms. I did not push it much faster than that but seems most noticeable upon deceleration? I will want to figure this out as well.

But,
Got out for another good burn in the back country! Gaining some confidence in the old Beast!

 

[dkyuss]

So the steering clunk (manual steering.... Maybe time for an upgrade?) doesn't appear to be from the ujoints as I suspected...... Maybe the box itself? No grease nipples?? I removed a cover close to the gearbox to find grease everywhere, but felt around and didnt feel any nipples.

Firewall side,

sounds like this..... Hard to hear over some of the road noise, but here it is..... Im thinking the gearbox itself? What ya think?

 

[Cruising Canuck]

Those tre's look a bit old. They are adjustable, i have tightened in on them in the past.
The sound "looks" like lash in the steering box.
I am not a mechanic and have no experience with manual steering boxes, or powered ones.

My cruiser is making the exact same noise, but i am farely confident it is the universal.

Also, that fender rot looks awfully familiar, i bought a california body for $1000. Worth every penny. Just the replacement metal will run you half of that.
Food for thought

 

[cruisermatt]

Also, that fender rot looks awfully familiar, i bought a california body for $1000. Worth every penny. Just the replacement metal will run you half of that. Food for thought

I agree, for what you bought the truck for I would be packing the holes too! I would just start saving for a rust-free tub. Granted getting one for $1000 isn't going to be common any more, still think it's worth it time-wise.

 

[dkyuss]

There is a lot of cancer hiding on the body.... so either it will become a bush truck that stays mechanically sound only, or one day I will find a shell to transplant. Likely never gonna be a show room truck, but thats not what I bought it for.

 

[hj 60]

Nice you got it driving after so long working on it
It looks like the steering box is leaking? a lot of oil there?
watch out with old tie rods

The steeringbox kit is about 70 dollar but seems to be a nightmare to remove and open it (all rusted solid) Yours looks like mine with power steering, sure it is not closed off and removed?


there are two kits for hydrolic models:
Steering Ball joints Power steering pump - rebuilt kit 4x4 Parts Toyota Landcruiser (series 60) HJ60 3.9D diesel 1980->1990

And one seal for auto, and manual?, but this seems an ideal item to rob off a wreck and go powersteerring (also pulley and belt)

Steering Ball joints Steering box - oil seal 4x4 Parts Toyota Landcruiser (series 60) BJ60 3.4D diesel 1980->1987

 

[dkyuss]

TRE's are like new, all though lightly mud covered and weathered for a year.
Finally Bought my first CRUISER! See post #28

Not too concerned about steering as it would appear to be non critical for the moment. Though I am not convinced everything is 'proper' yet. See details and more pics in this thread. Manual steering clunk?

I am 98% sure gearbox is manual, old school style. Though I will check to see if I can top up with gearoil or confirm there is any there.

The Beast is my daily driver this week as I gain more confidence, become more familiar with her kwirks. Hope to get out camping with her Thursday night.... Just in time for the Perseid meteor shower.
Perseid outburst expected in 2016 | EarthSky.org.

Other than a puff of smoke on cold startup all is running like a champ. I am wondering if my turbo is weeping some oil? I will pull apart some time today to inspect.

 

[dkyuss]

Loading the beast for camping

Quick update. Did my first oil change yesterday after the rebuild (about 500kms). Looks pretty damn clean for diesel oil. Little bit of very fine metal mud on my neodymium drain plug magnet, but I think this is to be expected. Coolant still looks new. All gear oil levels checked! rear diff was about a cup low and I believe it is a slow pinion seal leak. Signs of more work in my future.

 

[dkyuss]

While shes still a little rough on the inside (no radio, door panel or rear inserts in place , Just window arms and door pulls!), mechanically she ran like a top. A little gutless on the hills at highway speeds but just as expected, loaded down with several hundred kgs of gear and 3 bodies.
Plugged in a decent computer speaker setup with sub so we had music for the 2 hr trip. 100kms highway, 50kms dusty back roads. Definately need to get my door panels installed so all looks a little less getto. But it works!!!

Ended up driving both days in early evening, 30+C and all was running pretty cool (except us, AC would be nice). Coolant maybe hit 95C once on a highway hill climb but likes to hover around 88-90C. EGT hit 650C once or twice before I backed off, these were on long hill climbs at highway speeds again. Intercooler would help, as well as bigger exhaust! On the list.


Interesting, I tried starting it this morning with no glow.
It took about 5,6 cranks (vs usual 2) and fired up with no puff of smoke and almost smooth idle right off the bat? Normally I have been glowing about 15-18 sec first start of the day (not needed otherwise) and she runs rough for 10 seconds before starting to smooth out. Choke is pulled to get 1000-1200 RPM. Maybe I have a bad glow plug causing uneven firing action on start? I will have to dig into this to ease my mind. Also possible my rings are now better seated after the good long haul. Time will tell.

Anyways, here's some pics!

Almost loaded,

Should have taken some shots on the way, as it is beautiful all the way in..... next time,

All set up,

 

[Wilzu]

Hello. I have allmost same looking Cruiser with 4,0L Diesel engine. And i have allmost same problems than you. Here in Finland old cars have very bad rust problems

 

[TLC Norway]

Looks like a good time... When I see photos like that, I too just wanna go out there. Thanks for sharing!

About the glow plugs. To check them, remove the wire and the bus bar that connects them.
Ohm from the plugs to the block.
If there is no continuity, the plug is worn out. Easypeasy.

 

[gregnash]

Looks good and like how you handled the rust. I have a few spots that I have a feeling I am going to have to fibre over and fill until I can completely replace the affected areas (e.g. get my hands on my own welder or replace the doorskins completely). Looks like everything is running smooth for you and jealous of the diesel.

 

[dkyuss]

It has been some time since I logged in here. Hope all are doing well, ready for some summer fun!

After insurance ran out last summer, The beast was parked for the winter. On starting her once the weather got cool, I would get some white smoke come out the exhaust, along with a rough idle....... after glo makes this smoke go away. So I got me some low compression.

Compression testing the cylinders I got 410, 240, 280, 415.

Sometimes I have to learn my lessons the hard way.

Pulled the head off this weekend and head looks good. Unfortunately some ugly vertical scoring in cylinders.

A lesson I will never forget! Even though my manuals make no mention at all of ring gap (never mind I found the missing page!), it is now obvious that of course I needed to gap my rings! Not sure why the manuals do not mention this? And me being a newbie at all of this didn't think twice. Factory fresh rings were installed and broken, in.


ROUND 2 ......... FIGHT!!!!!!

 

[dkyuss]

Very productive last two days. Borrowed a crane and engine stand, pulled the engine Sunday morning and finished the tear down the day after. So much easier with the engine out of the truck! Cant believe I crawled around and attempted to do this with engine in place last time.

I will mic the bores but if I remember correctly my cylinders were close to their outer limit and I will likely need to resleave and make this engine near new again.

Well I must say this is sooooo much easier the second time. Not only is everything familiar, bolts are anti-siezed and the engine is on a rotisserie stand!

 

[roma042987]

just found this thread. Some impressive work there! Why do you think the rings scarred the cylinders? If the bore wasn't altered and the correct bore rings were used it shouldn't have been an issue. I think checking the gap is a good idea with a build of course but if it's excessive you would need to probably bore the cylinders and go up a size unless file fit rings are available.

 

[roma042987]

looking at the photo of the cylinder wall it almost looks like maybe the piston to cylinder wall clearance was a bit tight?

 

[dkyuss]

looking at the photo of the cylinder wall it almost looks like maybe the piston to cylinder wall clearance was a bit tight?

I had measured when I installed rings and thought all was fine at the time. The factory STN rings were installed with no filing (dumbass newbie), I am assuming this is my problem....... But I am off to measure cylinders/bores/gaps tonight!

 

[hj 60]

how are the 2 other pistons? re-sleave but let a shop do it: dry ice trouble I think.

 

[dkyuss]

how are the 2 other pistons? re-sleave but let a shop do it: dry ice trouble I think.

They all look very similar, slightly more scoring on the 2 and 3 cylinders.

just found this thread. Some impressive work there! Why do you think the rings scarred the cylinders? If the bore wasn't altered and the correct bore rings were used it shouldn't have been an issue. I think checking the gap is a good idea with a build of course but if it's excessive you would need to probably bore the cylinders and go up a size unless file fit rings are available.

I think you are right! doesn't look like rings were tight at all! If anything too loose as the old girl is a bit worn out.
cyl 2 was 25 thou gap, spec is like 15 to 23 thousandths of an inch

Heres another shot of the bore, cyl # 3.

Soaking in diesel

Wear on piston skirt

I think I may have me some ol piston slap due to too large of oil clearance.
Pistons are all undersized and cylinders oversize. Bores are listed in the thrust direction (90º measures much closer to spec). All cylinders have at least 1 thou taper

Options from here?
My preference to save $$$ would be to replace cyl liners, bore and hone to suit my undersized pistons, reuse existing pistons and rings.
I may have to consult with a rebuild shop for some input....