FJ 60 clutch questions... (1 Viewer)

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Took my 60 to a local mechanic for some smog tuning. After a 'paperless' smog test, he says he needs the tech manuals for the truck. Would I buy and deliver them?

You buy them I responded, you're the mechanic. A couple days later he calls back and 'confirms' what I told him I suspected - the the leaking PS pump has caused a failure of the air pump. Quotes me $1200 to replace and repair WITH REBUILT PARTS.

I told him no thanks, give me the bill for the work done, and I will pick up the truck. So I go down there today to pick up the truck and the clutch is so screwed up that I can't even get the truck into gear once started. I was working perfectly when I brought it to him a couple days before. Manager says. "I have no idea what he did, and he's not here."

Being a (relatively) sane adult, I got the anger management in gear, and asked them to have my truck ready to run in the AM, and I would pick it up. I am given over to black thoughts about this shop, but want to ask the question -

Can the clutch simply and suddenly be totally out of adjustment, or fail to enage properly without any warning while sitting in the yard at this shop? I feel that these guys are seriously screwing with me, but don't want to go off half cocked.

Mike S
 
Mike said:

Can the clutch simply and suddenly be totally out of adjustment, or fail to enage properly without any warning while sitting in the yard at this shop? I feel that these guys are seriously screwing with me, but don't want to go off half cocked.



Yes it could. First, this is a mechanical system, with peices that wear, and anything can break.

Now, with that said, I find it hard to think that the clutch its self is bad. The means for acctuatuion could be suspect, ie, the hydraulic system. Your master or slave could be leaking, and it is entirely possible that one or both have decided to lay down on you. Typically, these items do not just stop working, but, give you some indication thru a leak someplace, that something is wrong. I have come out to the 'Cruiser, and the '96 Dodge, and hit the clutch pedal,
only to not have any resistance, and could not get the tranny in gear however, and not found a leak anywhere.

When you are around the truck again, look at the fluid level in the clutch master cylinder. If that is really low, as in NONE, start your investigation. Look on the inside of the drivers area, on the bulkhead, where the linkage that connects the pedal to the clutch master cylinder. See if it is wet around there. If so, you could have a leaky master.
Also look at the slave cylinder, down on the bellhousing. See if fluid is leaking out of the slave.


Hope this helps!

-Steve
 
The clutch is self-adjusting on a late model fj60. Get a used air pump and rebuild the power steering pump (if possible) with new o-rings and seal. Talk to the mechanic without tearing his head off to find out when he touched.
 
[quote author=Mike S link=board=1;threadid=6185;start=msg49708#msg49708 date=1065827421]
Took my 60 to a local mechanic for some smog tuning. After a 'paperless' smog test, he says he needs the tech manuals for the truck. Would I buy and deliver them?

You buy them I responded, you're the mechanic. A couple days later he calls back and 'confirms' what I told him I suspected - the the leaking PS pump has caused a failure of the air pump. Quotes me $1200 to replace and repair WITH REBUILT PARTS.

I told him no thanks, give me the bill for the work done, and I will pick up the truck. [/quote]




So is this a local cruiser shop, or a general repair outfit?

A repair facility, that is not 'Cruiser or Toyota specific, could hardley spend the monies, or have the space to house ALL the manuals for every vehicle that may come by. I guess not being privy to the conversation between the wrench and you, leaves pleanty of unanswered questions. If he told you that he could diagnose the issue, and then asked for the books, I guess you could say you have a point, but I do not own a truck, that I do not have books for. But that is just me. I feel that I should have the manuals for my trucks, especially if I plan on keeping them, considering that it is few and far between that you meet someone that knows anything about Land Cruisers, mini's, series Rovers, Unimogs, Honda bikes, or John Deere tractors!

Have a good one!

-Steve
 
Thank you all for your comments and advice.

[quote author=cruiserman link=board=1;threadid=6185;start=msg49715#msg49715 date=1065830524]
The clutch is self-adjusting on a late model fj60.[/quote]

Cruiserman - self adjusting means that it compensates for wear? Is there a manual adjustment that can be made - a take up mechanism?

I will go down tommorrow and check for leaks, fluid level, etc. Though I am concerned when I take the vehicle into the shop running fine, and they offer it back with a problem. I had a complete bumper to bumper diagnostic run on this crusier before I bought it a month ago, and they gave it a thimbs up. The only problem has been the PS pump and the Smog pump.

I'll buy rebuilt replacement parts and have a go at it myself.
 
"I had a complete bumper to bumper diagnostic run on this cruiser before I bought it a month ago, and they gave it a thimbs up. The only problem has been the PS pump and the Smog pump."


Which again, are mechanical items that can and could fail at any time; no one can possibly predict the condition of a used piece of equipment. Sounds to me that you are going to go down the same road as the rest of us. Replacing worn components on a used vehicle, and creating new entries in the logbook for maintenance records, and learning your trucks history, as you live it.

Many people have asked me for an opinion on a Land Cruiser that they are looking to purchase. I always preface and finish the conversation reiterating the fact that this is a used vehicle, and that no matter what I, or anyone else tells you, this could die on you tomorrow. Just because someone knows Land Cruiser's, does not make them super human, or able to tell you that your truck will run for x days trouble free. I would like to meet this person.

A friend traded in a FJ-60 that he purchased from the Toyota dealership in Aberdeen, SD from the second owner. This person did not ever take the truck off road, and the engine did not see RPM's over 3K. The dealership sold the truck to another person. They had it for a week, and the crank broke. The engine did not even have 200K on it. You cannot ever tell when something is going to lay down on you. You can only do your best to prevent catastrophic failure with recommended preventative maintenance, and realize that nothing is going to last forever, and sock monies away accordingly!!

-Steve
 
[quote author=Mike S link=board=1;threadid=6185;start=msg49729#msg49729 date=1065834998]
Is there a manual adjustment that can be made - a take up mechanism?


I'll buy rebuilt replacement parts and have a go at it myself.


[/quote]


Yes to #1.

The master has and adjustment on the rod that connects it to the pedal. However, this is primarily for instillation of a new unit. This should not be an issue, since it was working properly just a few days ago.

There is adjustment on the slave actuator, between the clutch fork, and the slave. Again, this should not just fall out of adjustment, and probably is not the source of the trouble.

Now, I do not want to talk out of line, but if this guy or shop was less than reputable, they could adjust your clutch so that it did not work properly with one or both of these, and create the idea that your clutch is bad, and needs to be replaced. But I am not accusing anyone of anything, and not trying to fuel your contempt for this shop, just making you aware that this could be the situation. I have had people bring me vehicles that this has been done to.


#2


I think that you have the right idea with this one. One of the best investments you could make if you are serious about this, is purchase, either from a dealer, or from someone out here, the Toyota 2F engine manual, chassis and body manual, and the emissions manual, for your Land Cruiser.


Hope this helps!

-Steve
 
No slave adjustment on late model fj60s. There is on early fj60s.
 
Thank you, gentlemen. I have not bought a used car or truck in about 20 years, and have, I suppose, forgotten the aggravation of owning someone else's problems.

I am buying the manual set, and will crawl under there tomorrow and find out for myself why this clutch has suddenly started to mafunction. However, if the clutch was bad, it would GO INTO GEAR, but would slip. The problem is that it WON'T GO INTO GEAR, once started and the clutch is depressed, so it is either a hyrdaulic problem, ot the mechnical linkage has a problem.

If this problem was created by the shop, shame on them. If not, well, I didn't get on anybody's case yet. They HAVE been jerking me around on costs and possible repairs, and I do not like it. If worse comes to worse, I'll tow the truck to a mechanic I trust.

Thanks again,

Mike S
 
There are a couple of possibilities, but I would be very suspicious of a sudden failure of anything while sitting at the mechanics (possible but unlikely).
When you say it won't go into gear, was it hard to shift before you brought it in? Will it shift up and down, ie: 1st and 2nd only but not reverse 3rd of 4th? If so I'd look at the nylon ring under the shifter. They tend to get hard and brittle and when they fall apart shifting can become difficult. It happened to me in Mazatlan, Mexico a couple of years ago. Everyone I asked along the way home wanted to rebuild the tranny so I waited till I got home and repaired it for $20 and 2 hours work (start to finish without pulling the tranny) myself! Still working fine to this day 30,000 miles later!
A clutch CAN be adjusted so as NOT to release as well as to slip all the time so it COULD be sabotage but it would be pretty poor P.R.
 
Well, the master cylinder is toast. Time to replace Master and Slave.
 

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