First car, lx450! (1 Viewer)

[banjo1981]

Just looking at the engine pics, the “melting” look is just the half moon sealant at the front. Looks like the PCV valve or hose is leaking a bit on top of the valve cover. Pretty clean and original otherwise. These guys who have commented above have given great advice, and have lots of knowledge/experience. Good group here in the 80 series tech section.

 

[tug123]

Hey OP. A lot for guys seems to worship OEM parts from Mr T..which is great for “all original” but, not on the wallet. Seeing as it’s you first vehicle, here is some advice:

In my experience Rockauto.com is an excellent supplier for parts. You just have to know what you are looking at.

Asien and Denzo are OEM manufacturers for Mr. T. So things like cooling parts and ignition parts are good to go.

When it comes to aftermarket stuff, don’t go too cheap or too expensive. Middle ground parts for Toyotas have served me well over the years. I have had very few failures.

Gates is a good aftermarket brand that comes to mind.

Of course there are parts only available from. Mr. T and some are not available at all. You can try your luck at the u-pull or whatever local wrecking yard. Seems like members on here do part swaps as well..

Oh and buy a new fusible link and put it in the glove box.

Much appreciated - definitely seems like some people lean towards OEM (partsouq, dealers) and some lean towards aftermarket (rocketauto), have definitely gotten many opinions either way. A friend of mine told me the same exact thing for rocketauto, glad to hear he was right ha.

Will definitely see as I go what actually needs to be replaced if i go OEM or not, but it's great to know. Had to look up the fusible link but found some other posts here that explained it well (and why you want a spare) so will get me an extra.

 

[tug123]

Just looking at the engine pics, the “melting” look is just the half moon sealant at the front. Looks like the PCV valve or hose is leaking a bit on top of the valve cover. Pretty clean and original otherwise. These guys who have commented above have given great advice, and have lots of knowledge/experience. Good group here in the 80 series tech section.

View attachment 3635961

I'm pretty amazed by the wealth of knowledge here for sure. Half moon sealant meaning just a little bit of excess sealant from the valve cover installation, not the actual valve cover? Love to hear good things about condition of the engine. PCV valve hose is definitely leaking yep, and I think it's actually ending up under the engine (which is where I find a wet spot on the ground all the time). Was told by the first mechanic there is also a heater control valve thats been leaking down intake on the head, but I don't think they mean that PCV valve?

Was also doing some research on leak down tests, realized you can kind of figure out where the leak is coming from and diagnose from there. Wish the mechanic who did the first leak down did that.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

I'm pretty amazed by the wealth of knowledge here for sure. Half moon sealant meaning just a little bit of excess sealant from the valve cover installation, not the actual valve cover? Love to hear good things about condition of the engine. PCV valve hose is definitely leaking yep, and I think it's actually ending up under the engine (which is where I find a wet spot on the ground all the time). Was told by the first mechanic there is also a heater control valve thats been leaking down intake on the head, but I don't think they mean that PCV valve?

Was also doing some research on leak down tests, realized you can kind of figure out where the leak is coming from and diagnose from there. Wish the mechanic who did the first leak down did that.

The half moon seals are cleaned up and
re-rtv‘ed when the valve cover seal AND spark plug well seals are replaced.

It must be done that way or the engine will leak and suck air (vacuum leak).

 

[banjo1981]

I'm pretty amazed by the wealth of knowledge here for sure. Half moon sealant meaning just a little bit of excess sealant from the valve cover installation, not the actual valve cover? Love to hear good things about condition of the engine. PCV valve hose is definitely leaking yep, and I think it's actually ending up under the engine (which is where I find a wet spot on the ground all the time). Was told by the first mechanic there is also a heater control valve thats been leaking down intake on the head, but I don't think they mean that PCV valve?

Was also doing some research on leak down tests, realized you can kind of figure out where the leak is coming from and diagnose from there. Wish the mechanic who did the first leak down did that.

Replace that heater control valve or it will drip down and short your #6 injector.

Other oil leaks would probably be the culprit rather than the PCV hose or PCV valve. Most likely front crank seal, oil pump cover seal, distributor o-ring, lower oil pan seal or power steering hoses or pump. long list I know, but those are the main ones on this age of truck.

 

[tug123]

The half moon seals are cleaned up and
re-rtv‘ed when the valve cover seal AND spark plug well seals are replaced.

It must be done that way or the engine will leak and suck air (vacuum leak).

That makes a lot of sense, just watched a video on replacing valve cover and I understand it now. Seems like the spark plug gaskets can get really brittle with age, so can think about doing that in the future.

Replace that heater control valve or it will drip down and short your #6 injector.

Other oil leaks would probably be the culprit rather than the PCV hose or PCV valve. Most likely front crank seal, oil pump cover seal, distributor o-ring, lower oil pan seal or power steering hoses or pump. long list I know, but those are the main ones on this age of truck.

So I've heard from two separate mechanics cylinder 6 is misfiring - seems like that heater control valve could be causing that? I just spent six hours watching FZJ80 repair videos so I actually understand about 80% of that hahaha. Any way to figure out which one it is, or just replace all of em

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

That makes a lot of sense, just watched a video on replacing valve cover and I understand it now. Seems like the spark plug gaskets can get really brittle with age, so can think about doing that in the future.



So I've heard from two separate mechanics cylinder 6 is misfiring - seems like that heater control valve could be causing that? I just spent six hours watching FZJ80 repair videos so I actually understand about 80% of that hahaha. Any way to figure out which one it is, or just replace all of em

My #6 dead misfire was a stuck closed injector.

Get a cheap engine stethoscope from Harbor Freight and check for injector clicking. They should all sound the same and the one that sounds different (not clicking is the one that’s bad..Rockauto sells good refurbished OEM injectors..

 

[Gerry McGerry]

Awesome first car, well done!

This place has a wealth of knowledge and helpful folk, sounds like you're pretty clued on with it all already. You'll enjoy driving & working on it, of all my cars I enjoy working on my 80's the most hands down. First drive after repairing something yourself is a great feeling.

I've got two 80's I'm building to two totally different standards, one gets OEM or custom parts, the other gets good quality aftermarket. OEM is almost always better quality & perfect fit, but most aftermarket is plenty good enough to get you back on the road.

More pics and videos!!!

Will probably end up swapping the engine, getting quoted well above $10k for a 1FZ swap though so we'll see.

Well, no one else has said it yet. That sounds like budget LS territory, you know you want to...

 

[tug123]

My #6 dead misfire was a stuck closed injector.

Get a cheap engine stethoscope from Harbor Freight and check for injector clicking. They should all sound the same and the one that sounds different (not clicking is the one that’s bad..Rockauto sells good refurbished OEM injectors..

Sounds like a plan, found some goodies in FSM manual too for this. Fuel injectors are below intake manifold? Sounds like if I try it out i'll be able to understand what you're saying with the clicking pretty quickly.

Awesome first car, well done!

This place has a wealth of knowledge and helpful folk, sounds like you're pretty clued on with it all already. You'll enjoy driving & working on it, of all my cars I enjoy working on my 80's the most hands down. First drive after repairing something yourself is a great feeling.

I've got two 80's I'm building to two totally different standards, one gets OEM or custom parts, the other gets good quality aftermarket. OEM is almost always better quality & perfect fit, but most aftermarket is plenty good enough to get you back on the road.

More pics and videos!!!


Well, no one else has said it yet. That sounds like budget LS territory, you know you want to...

Thank you! Feels proper my first car doesn't really run, shouldn't be too easy. Across the board everyone seems to say how great it is to work on the 80s series, will be fun to learn off of this. Will send some better videos tomorrow. Someone suggested an LS swap, I just feel weird putting an American motor in a Toyota ha. Honestly I feel like whatever the issue is, it should be well under $10k (USD) but if it really does end up being that, LS swap is a likely candidate.

 

[Gerry McGerry]

Feels proper my first car doesn't really run, shouldn't be too easy.

So cool to hear that.

I'm sure you'll get that FZ running like new again in no time with the help of everyone on here.

What are your plans for the car? Lift & tires etc., all that fun stuff. Looks like a real tidy example.

 

[tug123]

So cool to hear that.

I'm sure you'll get that FZ running like new again in no time with the help of everyone on here.

What are your plans for the car? Lift & tires etc., all that fun stuff. Looks like a real tidy example.

Feeling a lot more confident after everyone's help here.

Honestly, haven't thought about lifting/tires much quite yet, will probably be towards the end I think about that. Main two things are ARB bumper (lots of deer out here) and most importantly wanna mod out the back for a bed. Half the reason I got an 80s series was so I could go spend the weekends in the mountains haha. Interior isn't as pristine as outside, but zero underbody rust and paint is still in acceptable condition, definitely really pleased with it.

 

[banjo1981]

Interior isn't as pristine as outside, but zero underbody rust and paint is still in acceptable condition, definitely really pleased with it.

don’t look at any of the southwestern US Fzj80 paint if you consider yours “acceptable” lol. Roof, hood, tops of fenders all get super sun faded out here. Your paint looks amazing compared to my last 2. Good news it doesn’t have any rust.

 

[Brindleboxer]

Tug, all good advice listed above. There are a couple items that you have "mentioned" that have not been covered. The leaking valve could be referencing the heater control valve on the firewall above the center line. From the picture it looks as though it may be getting brown, normally dark grey/black, and this is usually an indicator to replace before it goes. Your radiator hasn't turned color so that is good. You said

even though I keep filling the tank about a quarter of the way, every time I check tank is empty. Could be related to the very strong smell of gas from the exhaust when I run it.

This could indicate anything from a bad gas line to an issue with the tank itself. When you take the gas cap off does pressure escape? If so, it could be the charcoal canister under the hood needs replacing.

I would suggest while waiting for the previously mentioned parts you check a couple items. From the picture, the brake reservoir looks dark, check the fluid (you can get test strips from the local parts store) if bad replace, it could also just be stained from years of service

I would find where the add on wires attached to the battery go and clean those up or remove if not needed.

That makes a lot of sense, just watched a video on replacing valve cover and I understand it now. Seems like the spark plug gaskets can get really brittle with age, so can think about doing that in the future.



So I've heard from two separate mechanics cylinder 6 is misfiring - seems like that heater control valve could be causing that? I just spent six hours watching FZJ80 repair videos so I actually understand about 80% of that hahaha. Any way to figure out which one it is, or just replace all of em

As stated #6 could be a stuck injector but it could also be an indicator that the wiring behind/near the EGR is in need of attention. The harness is run really close to the EGR and the factory retention tends to break and allow the harness to get closer to the EGR and after a while will melt causing issues. I had this problem on a 97 I owned and it took this boards advice and following the FSM to resolve the issue.

Lastly, I would suggest cleaning the engine off and then running it, I know it currently isn't being driven, to see if you can track the leaks down.

 

[sbman]

Hey OP. A lot for guys seems to worship OEM parts from Mr T..which is great for “all original” but, not on the wallet. Seeing as it’s you first vehicle, here is some advice:

In my experience Rockauto.com is an excellent supplier for parts. You just have to know what you are looking at.

Asien and Denzo are OEM manufacturers for Mr. T. So things like cooling parts and ignition parts are good to go.

When it comes to aftermarket stuff, don’t go too cheap or too expensive. Middle ground parts for Toyotas have served me well over the years. I have had very few failures.

Gates is a good aftermarket brand that comes to mind.

Of course there are parts only available from. Mr. T and some are not available at all. You can try your luck at the u-pull or whatever local wrecking yard. Seems like members on here do part swaps as well..

Oh and buy a new fusible link and put it in the glove box.

A lot of us have 'been there done that' on the aftermarket parts. I've had outright fake 'Denso' parts from rockauto and other sources. For example when I rebuilt my engine, I used a set of 'Denso' wires from rockauto that looked the part, had a legit looking box, but.... they literally melted in the spark plug holes and fused themselves to the spark plugs. I ended up ordering an OEM set from a local Toyota dealer that sells at reasonable prices online and they were def. not the same parts, and of course they didn't melt themselves onto the spark plugs. I did use Gates and other reputable name brands, purchased from reputable sources for hoses and such where appropriate and I've had much better results from that.

The machine shop that did the work on my cylinder head used some 'jobber' grade Chinese valves that only lasted 60K miles, even after I told them I wanted only OEM parts on it. They 'saved me money' and then refused to stand behind their work and part selections when it failed prematurely so I ended up having to have the head done again, this time at a shop that actually did what I asked.

 

[tug123]

don’t look at any of the southwestern US Fzj80 paint if you consider yours “acceptable” lol. Roof, hood, tops of fenders all get super sun faded out here. Your paint looks amazing compared to my last 2. Good news it doesn’t have any rust.

It's worse on the front but yeah point taken haha - i'd hate it if it was in perfect condition, would be too anxiety inducing.

Tug, all good advice listed above. There are a couple items that you have "mentioned" that have not been covered. The leaking valve could be referencing the heater control valve on the firewall above the center line. From the picture it looks as though it may be getting brown, normally dark grey/black, and this is usually an indicator to replace before it goes. Your radiator hasn't turned color so that is good. You said

Thank you for circling back on them, there's another four or five great things in here I need to do now hah. Yeah think that heater control valve will be one of the first things I end up replacing, will order a replacement this week.

This could indicate anything from a bad gas line to an issue with the tank itself. When you take the gas cap off does pressure escape? If so, it could be the charcoal canister under the hood needs replacing.

Absolutely, every time I take of the gas cap lots of pressure. I checked it after about 30m of filling, minor pressure, so I'd guess after a few hours is when the real pressure starts. I will say, I'm not sure if my fuel gauge is broken or it's because my battery is dead, but I think part of it is it just always says empty. I'll double check it when I run it today. No OEM for charcoal canister, right? Think I found a few solid threads on people replacing that here.

Will also get the test strips for brake fluid, that's a great idea. The extra wires are for one of those things that lets you charge the battery from an outlet, but I couldn't revive it. Will just swap the battery after I clean the engine bay and take out that extra connector.

As stated #6 could be a stuck injector but it could also be an indicator that the wiring behind/near the EGR is in need of attention. The harness is run really close to the EGR and the factory retention tends to break and allow the harness to get closer to the EGR and after a while will melt causing issues. I had this problem on a 97 I owned and it took this boards advice and following the FSM to resolve the issue.

Interesting great to know, I'll look around for those threads and see if I can diagnose if it's EGR or the injector (or neither). Seems like a good bit of people do the EGR delete when they run into issues with em, worth it to keep it around and just fix it?

 

[Brindleboxer]

You could go EGR delete, plenty of threads documenting the process. Not sure where in WY you are but IIRC the state in general doesn't have emissions requirements/enforcement but I haven't been there for years.

I know you said you ordered a paper copy of the FSM but follow what @BILT4ME said and download the free electronic version does come in handy and you can print off pages and mark the hell out of them or write notes and tips if you want.

 

[lexustruck]

No OEM for charcoal canister, right?

Autozone VC120 - needs some modification for it to fit IIRC, punch VC120 into the search bar and you’ll find more

 

[tug123]

You could go EGR delete, plenty of threads documenting the process. Not sure where in WY you are but IIRC the state in general doesn't have emissions requirements/enforcement but I haven't been there for years.

I know you said you ordered a paper copy of the FSM but follow what @BILT4ME said and download the free electronic version does come in handy and you can print off pages and mark the hell out of them or write notes and tips if you want.

Yeah no emissions checks whatsoever here, unlikely the ever change but may not be bad to keep it around just in case (or I move). Was hoping the index on the paper copy was better (it's not, its pretty rough), I honestly just search the PDF but printing it out is a great idea i'm sure i'll forget pretty quickly.

Autozone VC120 - needs some modification for it to fit IIRC, punch VC120 into the search bar and you’ll find more

Perfect thanks, a lot better than the $300 alleged OEM part.

 

[SoCal80series]

Yeah no emissions checks whatsoever here, unlikely the ever change but may not be bad to keep it around just in case (or I move). Was hoping the index on the paper copy was better (it's not, its pretty rough), I honestly just search the PDF but printing it out is a great idea i'm sure i'll forget pretty quickly.


Perfect thanks, a lot better than the $300 alleged OEM part.

The OEM charcoal canister has been NLA for years now.

 

[tug123]

Ok got the video of the startup, screeching happens way more in reverse. Smoke smells like gas (not oil). Fuel gauge works with battery, but I just opened the gas cap (filled it a few hours ago) and took about 5 seconds for the pressure to fully release.

Also added some extra pictures of the underbody, main thing is on the third picture the U-ish shaped bar (think it's a bar not a hose), not sure what it's called, that seems to be where the leaks end up. Right underneath that there's always some fluid that smells like oil.