Builds First Land Cruiser - Locked 1994 FZJ80 (1 Viewer)

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Actually I don’t recall removing the spacer on the last one I did I seal puller or a small self taping screw can be put on each side in the metal frame and back and forth on the seal and it will come out. The spacer should come off pretty easy it’s just sandwiched in there locates with light fit on the inner locating nose.

We did not remove the seal housing.

Thanks for the conformation, I guess I was just being too cautious with it. The good people of mud come through again.
 
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I'm always impressed by you guys that take on the big challenge. How do you find the time?

I would also love the answer to this secret time question. Maybe my boss will let me take a year long paid vacation so I can do a full frame off rebuild

No secret here, I just have special permission from the boss (wifey) to spend full weekends until early Dec to get it done (temp operation permit from DMV). This is not normal, repeat this is not normal and I will no doubt pay for this later with honey-do’s and watching the kids while she does numerous “girls night outs”...
 
No secret here, I just have special permission from the boss (wifey) to spend full weekends until early Dec to get it done (temp operation permit from DMV). This is not normal, repeat this is not normal and I will no doubt pay for this later with honey-do’s and watching the kids while she does numerous “girls night outs”...

What's a "temp operation permit?"
 
What's a "temp operation permit?"

I have a 60-day temporary operators permit from the DMV that expires in early December. Need to get the truck smogged by then so I can finalize the title transfer and get license plates.
 
I have a 60-day temporary operators permit from the DMV that expires in early December. Need to get the truck smogged by then so I can finalize the title transfer and get license plates.

You cannot rebuild a vehicle in CA without a permit!?
 
Got another late start today, air quality is super poor today from the Camp fire up in Butte Co. First thing I did today was slap my gear pulled on the crank spacer:

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Couple turns and off it popped, something crusty was in between the crank and the spacer. After cleaning the interface was a slip fit...

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New rear main seal installed and ready to go.

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Next I tried to install the single-piece trans oil cooler lines into the truck. After wrestling with them for awhile I learned that unfortunately it’s not possible to install them with the engine in place. No wonder the ‘95-97 have two-piece cooler lines... Ended the day with a few cus words and then starting the prep to pull the engine.

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Today I pulled the engine out and began prep for mating it with the transmission.
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Then I did a quick inspection and noticed it needs some heater hoses and some repairs on the wire harness by the EGR.

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And looked closely and noticed a bad injector seal and broken knock sensor. At this point I decided not to rush the reinstall...

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Last half of the day I spent with a bottle or super clean and the pressure washer. The firewall, inside of the frame rails and the top of the axle are clean enough now to eat off of.

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Quick clean up on the back and lower side of the engine.

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And ended the day mating the engine and trans together. It slipped together pretty easily, maybe resisted a little the last 5-6mm so I used the bolts to draw the two together. The odd part was that once I got it together with about a 2-3mm gap between the two I heard a single clunk sound. I finished tighten up the bolts with out any resistance.

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Not thinking to much about the clunk sound I went and got the FSM to check the bell housing torque specs. That’s when I remembered you have to check the position of the torque converter before installing the trans. I know I remembered to push in hard and turn the torque converter when I slid it in after installing the new input shaft seal but I didn’t measure for the 15.7mm inset. Do you think I need to pull it all apart and check this measurement? What happens if it’s not installed correctly?

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This weekend I stripped the intake and pulled the injectors so I can send them to get cleaned. I also changed the plugs to some new OEM ones since I had found crap AC Delco plugs in it, all looked good except cylinder 2 is a bit cruddy...

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Next I performed a heater core flush, first I flushed it with water then let. some 50/50 CLR sit in it for about 10min then another clean water flush. Since all the hoses and tubes leak I plan to bypass the rear heater core with the R-angle gates hose and some new OEM hoses that get here this week.

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Since it looked like the PO was running green coolant I decided to flush the block as well. My mud inspired flush kit worked great to get all the nasty dark coolant out.

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Then I repaired the wire harness that was touching the EGR tube. A little 3M electrical tape and some high heat fiberglass-aluminum tape did the trick.

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Then today I drained the tank of the 5 year old gas. There was about 9ga in it that I now have to figure out what to do with. I also pulled the pump unit and replaced the inlet filter and some fresh OEM gaskets all around (4 total).

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I like the fact that you replaced the rear main seal, but just to let you know, some of the time what people think is a leaking rear main seal, in fact turns out to be the pan arch seal/gasket leaking.

It's to bad you've already married the engine, and trans back together. If it were me, I'd spend the extra time, and money to replace that pan arch gasket now, while you still have the engine out of the truck.
 
I like the fact that you replaced the rear main seal, but just to let you know, some of the time what people think is a leaking rear main seal, in fact turns out to be the pan arch seal/gasket leaking.

It's to bad you've already married the engine, and trans back together. If it were me, I'd spend the extra time, and money to replace that pan arch gasket now, while you still have the engine out of the truck.

I’m fully versed on the classic mud debate of “is it the real main seal or is it the pan arch”. In my case, I have no know oil leaks and the trans was out of the vehicle when I got it, easy access to do some PM and change the rear main it’s a no brainer...

Now that being said there is maybe some evidence of oil seepage from the rear pan arch but it’s not a leak at this point. The task will go on the To-Do list but no way I’m going to work underneath a heavy ass engine suppprted by a rental engine hoist...
 
no way I’m going to work underneath a heavy ass engine suppprted by a rental engine hoist...
I'm sorry, i made an assumption, since you were doing all this work i though you might of had an engine stand to mount the engine on. Since you don't, and i like all my body parts just where they are i agree with you, I'd never get under, nor work on an engine while it was just hanging by an engine hoist.
 
Amazon delivered this crazy big 3/4” x 40” breaker bar and torque wrench today. Anyone guess what I got planned for the weekend?

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And another gratuitous picture of a box full of OEM baseline love for the 80 series.

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I seriously think there is something wrong with me...
 
Took the afternoon off work yesterday so I could do-work on the 80. First I repaired the starter solenoid connector by spliceing in a connector from the ‘96 wire harness. Then I installed the AT lines, a new water pump, a new thermostat, new lower rad hose and all the smog equipment.

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This morning I wire brushed and sprayed the front axle with black industrial Rutolium.

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Then installed the rear heater bypass hoses, used the Gates right angle hose and some 5/8” EPDM caps with regular Breeze stainless clamps.

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Then I repaired a bunch of wires in the engine bay, most harness just needed some new tape but I also wrapped the high temp stuff on the front locker wires and AC line.


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In the afternoon I reattached the intake, the engine wiring and dip-sticks.

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Engine prepped and ready to install.

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Then I wrestled that bad-boy into place solo. My back is going to be killing me tomorrow...

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So this just happened...early Sunday morning, spur of the moment, Craiglist run. Hope they fit without too much hassle...

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I think these wheels will look cool, just need to get it running so I can plan for the lift and 315/70 R17 KM3’s I want to put on it.

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After waisting an hour or so drooling on my new wheels I went to town wrenching on my old cruiser. First I installed the transfer case, shifters and cross member. Then I torqued the flywheel bolts and replaced the front main seal and oil pump seal.

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Then I installed a new blue hub fan clutch, OEM belts and idler bearing.

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I spent the rest of the afternoon attaching hose, wires and cables in a mad fury trying to get her started before dark. Unfortunately I wrestled with the aftermarket radiator I got with the truck for well over an hour before I gave up for the night. Darn thing just wouldn’t fit in the opening correctly, fan shroud didn’t fit right either. I think it is out of square, I might need to go out and get an OEM one now...

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Had the afternoon off work and my new OEM radiator and fan shroud arrived so in she went, no fitment issue at all and super nice quality compared to the aftermarket one I struggled with.

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All bolted up and ready to test fire.

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Fire in the hole!

 

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