FJ60 2f diagnosis/advice, life sucks. (1 Viewer)

[mingo]

Hi people,

I am probably going to sell my '85 FJ60 quite soon. I had the engine rebuilt last year and I think something awful has happened, I'm looking into the warranty to see if I am still covered. So, depending on how that works out I will set a price and post it soon.

Here is what happened. I was coming to a stop at an intersection when I heard a sharp "pop" from under the hood. A high pitch squeal started quiet then got louder, smoke started rolling out, until I came to a stop in a parking lot. I jumped out, checked the engine, smoke was coming from bottom front of engine the best I could tell. Oil was real low, so I dumped a couple quarts in which brought it half way up the hash marks on the stick.

I let it sit for a few minutes while I thought about suicide, then tried to start it. It gave a brief squeek then idled fine. I turned it off, let it set for a couple of hours (I needed a drink). Came back, started it up and drove it home (half a mile). It drove just fine. Late the next day, I started it again and it was idling kinda rough with some brief squawks at start-up. Diagnosis?

I already started looking for a toy pick-up, I have to divest myself of this thing. I figure I will get one kind of price if the engine is f'd up and another if it gets fixed. I would entertain ideas in that vein as well. There are several things I have replaced on it since I have had it, it was headed in the right direction. Real low rust, only surface stuff, it was originally from NM and came to Idaho via Montana. About 185k, barely 10k on rebuild.

 

[rover67]

sounds like an accessory may be locking up.... check the belt to see if it got toasted... check the accessorys to see if they are spinning freely. Don't freak out, I am sure it's fine..

 

[Mace]

AC compressor would be my guess..

start looking at belts..

 

[acer]

has it been burning oil? shouldn't but...any reason it would be that much low? dont dump the old girl yet..

 

[mingo]

The first thing I thought of was belts. The smoke smelled a bit like ribber at first, or maybe I just wanted it to.

I could see no belts missing, but I will double check...

 

[Mace]

They would not have to be missing..

Just dragging..

Examine them closely..

 

[John McVicker]

Obviously it's not good to be low on oil. But unless it got hot for an extened period of time (not too likely w/what you described) being low 1-2 even 3 qts shouldn't cause harm. At worst case you would still have 5 qts.

The odds are much in your favor that you haven't toasted the engine. Like others have said, do as much checking as you can & as soon as you hear that bad noise, jump out & quickly look under the hood. Look @ the pulleys & belts for A/C, PS, & smog pumps.

Could be the engine, but if I had the same odds that you have in your favor, I'd head for Vegas.

Hoping for the best.
John

 

[BwardeAZ]

Had something very similar happen with a smog pump. Mine did exactly what your describing and then a day or so later froze up completely and broke the belt. Mace is right Examine them closely. Smog pump = $$$$new > $$used

 

[85bummer]

belt blues

They are all right the ac and the smog pump are the most common causes of your problem. I have even seen a ps pump completely lock up a motor, once the belt was off all was well. Your best bet is to pull all the belt and then spin all the different pulleys by hand. Look for the one dragging or frozen. besides unless you are leaking coolant smoke usually doesn't mean blown motor. Relax have a beer and then start the search for the bad acessory.

 

[mingo]

This would cause smoke and rough idling?

 

[lovetoski]

This would cause smoke and rough idling?

Squeel is from the belt slipping on a wheel. The friction causes the belt to melt, and to smoke. So, yes a failing accessory will cause smoke. (Had my smog pump fail while on the freeway, and by the time I got pulled over the smoke was pouring from under the hood - all from the belt - which was still intact.)

Don't know about the rough idle.

 

[Mace]

If you leave the parking brake engaged and try to drive away.. Will you have a rough idle??

 

[mingo]

Squeel is from the belt slipping on a wheel. The friction causes the belt to melt, and to smoke. So, yes a failing accessory will cause smoke. (Had my smog pump fail while on the freeway, and by the time I got pulled over the smoke was pouring from under the hood - all from the belt - which was still intact.)

Don't know about the rough idle.

Are you sure? Because that just makes too much sense...

Thanks for the ideas guys, this just happened Sunday night and I haven't had much time to deal with it.

I may still be selling this thing simply because I do not have the time and resources to pimp it out like daddy likes. Maybe look for another 60 somehwere down the road. When i get whatever is wrong fixed and do a couple of other things I was planning (EGR replaced, and I think it's the heatriser gasket that needs to be replaced in between the intake manifolds) I will list it. I think it is worth between $3500 and $4000.

 

[fowldarr]

You better just get rid of it. Probably won't get any money for it but tell you what, I live in Idaho, and I'll be glad to haul it off for you. Seriously, my alternator seized and did the same thing. As for the idle, it could be unrelated. If you are anywhere near Pocatello let me know, I'll be happy to help you out if I can.

 

[mingo]

I'm in Coeur d'Alene.

 

[roscoFJ73]

How come the oil was so low? A rebuild shouldn't use oil and an owner should be checking it.
I bet the rebuild cost heaps and if you sell your going to lose a packet.

Ive also had a few belts smoke from seized up alternators ,compressor clutches,idlers and they can make the engine run rough because of the friction of a hot sticky belt trying to turn in a seized sheave

 

[Mace]

Brand spanking new motors tend to use more oil than a motor with 100K on it..

 

[mingo]

Ok, I think that is the smog pump low and center on the front of the engine. It is connected to the air filter anyway so that must be it, right?

Yeah, the oil thing. I wasn't super low on oil, maybe 2 1/2 qts low. My wrench and I haven't had much time to diagnose the oil loss since the engine was installed, I just kept adding oil to it through the winter. I know the rebuilders weren't well versed in 2f lore (read "galley plug" problem. You can still see the streak of oil I left on the city streets last year.) maybe they missed something else that casues an oil loss?

Another significant problem I have been having is what I think is the heatriser gasket between the manifolds. Using a dental mirror, we saw a chunk missing from it along with black scoring on the manifolds, causing a "putt, putt" sound and a loss of accel power.

Don't know if any of that is related.

 

[Mace]

Low and center. is the crank pulley.. But that is not connected to the air cleaner.

The smog pump is directly below the PS pump. to the DS of the motor..

Is it leaking oil??? Or burning oil. There is nothing overly complex about a 2F. They are not hard to rebuild..

Fix the gasket..

 

[Winston]

The heat riser is not a significant issue - mine had a big hole in it and was only detected incidentally.
Easy and relatively cheap to replace.
I'm in favor of the smog pump theory -
you can use the AC belt and run it around the water pump and alt.
Leave the PS pump and SP unbelted - see how it runs like that - it will be more difficult to steer and no AC - but could help you pinpoint if it is the SP.