FJ62 (1987) rebuild, and 1HZ diesel swap

[KwaTeebs]

Prop shafts off for a checkup and balancing.

We really struggled to remove the main prop shaft when we pulled the old engine and the gearbox... the shaft had no play to slide it off the bolts. Once we did eventually remove it with a crow bar there was way too much play afterwards, so sending them off for a refurb.

View attachment 2836919

 

[KwaTeebs]

I bought this small Tach converter unit. Supposedly can take any input, and translate it into a Rev counter output. It has a conversion layer that allows you to pick up low strength signals, and or change the signal to match the tach input.

It wasn't very expensive and I am hoping it will allow me to have a working tach / rev counter on my 62.

Can anyone more technically minded than me tell me where the easiest place is to pull a tach reading off the 1HZ?



The Full user manual can be found here on this URL... but below is the blurb off the website I ordered it from.
https://www.4x4direct.co.za/manuals/Rev-counter-converter-instructions.pdf

Uses almost any input signal:
COP systems - single or dual fire
1 to 10 Cylinder Distributors
2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 Pulse Alternators
All OEM tacho outputs, 5V or 12V
External pickups like crank or cam sensors
2 stroke, 4 stroke and rotary
Up to 30,000 Pulses per minute input
Switchable filter for "noisy" systems

Drives almost any pulse type electric tacho meters
Any standard Tacho on 4, 6 and 8 setting
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 OEM Tacho, 5 Volt and 12 Volt
Pulse counters, 5 Volt and 12 Volt
Many selectable in/out ratios:
1:8, 1:6, 1:4, 1:2, 2:3, 2:1, 3:8, 3:4, 3:2, 3:1, 4:3, 4:1, 5:8, 5:6, 5:4, 5:3, 5:2, 5:1, 6:1, 7:4, 7:3, 7:2, 7:1, 9:4, 9:2, 9:1, 10:3, 10:1

USE WITH LOW-VOLTAGE and DIGITAL SIGNALS (5v, 6V, 12V):
The UTC will work with trigger signals down to 4.1V, and can be used freely with digital or analog sensors at 12V or 5V. However, DIP-switch 7 must be turned on for the UTC to "see" the signal. The UTC will not trigger until about 25V with switch-7 in the off position.

USE WITH OEM TACH OUTPUTS:
The UTC will work with any OEM tach ouput, including GM HEI and Ford Duraspark-II systems. However, be aware that many OEM outputs (including HEI and DS-II) are actually internal connections to coil-negative, NOT 12V digital square waves like late-model ECU's. This means they produce very high voltages (up to 350V for some HEI's). Since turning switch-7 on disables most of the circuit protection inside the UTC, connecting to voltages above 15V can destroy the unit.
The details are

 

[roscoFJ73]

Can anyone more technically minded than me tell me where the easiest place is to pull a tach reading off the 1HZ?

Off the tach sender. But a pulse signal from an injector line is also possible, but I doubt that gadget will do it.

 

[KwaTeebs]

Off the tach sender. But a pulse signal from an injector line is also possible, but I doubt that gadget will do it.

Thanks @roscoFJ73 -- when you talk about the tach sender, are you talking about this plug with the twin cables you referenced in your pic below from one of your other posts here?

This is a nice to have, but I will definitely try get it to work.

 

[davegonz]

Some of the pumps on 1HZ's don't have the provision for adding a tach sender. I ended up using an aftermarket tach from Autometer where you clamp a pickup onto the alternator. Works well.

 

[roscoFJ73]

when you talk about the tach sender, are you talking about this plug with the twin cables

Yep, but they are only on older model pumps.

 

[roscoFJ73]

I ended up using an aftermarket tach from Autometer where you clamp a pickup onto the alternator.

Is the alternator turning at the same rpm as the engine?

 

[KwaTeebs]

Yep, but they are only on older model pumps.

thanks guys. I will be in the workshop next week. Will check out what is what and whether I have this sender or have to make another plan.

The alternator add on seems like it may be a viable solution also.

 

[davegonz]

Is the alternator turning at the same rpm as the engine?

I had to calibrate it with a laser tach.

 

[davegonz]

This is the kit: 2-5/8 - https://www.autometer.com/2-5-8-tach-5-000-rpm-diesel.html

 

[KwaTeebs]

TBH I cannot spot a tach sender on my IP (especially without removing the pump). But I have carried on and am making progress.

I have plumbed up new fuel lines (1hz fuel input is on the opposite side) -hard lines from the left to right, and new softlines to the chassis pipes.

I had to do it again, because the pipe shop sold me a copper pipe, which I have been informed thickens the fuel, and can cause blockages and other problems, so I replaced this with a steel fuel pipe. Learned to use a pipe bender.

Also managed to sneak in a manual fuel cutoff in there.

Lots of other pipes done.
- New Diff breather on the front
- Vacuum lines to brake and clutch boosters
- and some general plumbing

I also moved my vehicle to a new home workshop. A bit easier to access, and this is Ken who is helping with finishing up some of the more complex stuff like the electrics which I have no idea about.

 

[KwaTeebs]

The front and rear prop shafts have been refurbished by Propshaft City in Alrode, and I installed them this week.

Which raised an issue with the gearbox. We checked the gears moved after the unit was serviced, but in transporting it on its side, it seems we have got the gearbox stuck in gear. Once the propshaft was on, we tried to move the vehicle and realised the issue.

This seems to be a common problem after moving the H55F, so I am working on this tomorrow to try and get it unstuck. Hoping to be able to fix this without having to remove the gearbox entirely. Lets see. Something to do with a slider on the reverse gear that jams things in there.

h55f stuck in gear

Gday guys! I have a 1989 troopy and have just installed a 2nd hand gearbox from a very reliable source. Installing when fine, but when i put the gear shift lever in, it seems as though the lever is in nuetral and will not move into any gears, just left and right... Meanwhile after starting...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[KwaTeebs]

Ok - so the gearbox is finally sorted. It is exactly what they said on this post. h55f stuck in gear - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/h55f-stuck-in-gear.234282/. Moving this H55 gearbox anyway that is on its side or on its nose, can jam the gearbox in gear if the reverse slider shifts out of place.

The good news is you do not have to remove the gearbox to sort it out. I placed a jack under the transmission cross-member and removed the bolts and lowered it while still on the engine. I dropped it around 8cm and that was enough to access all the bolts and take the top off the gearbox to resolve the issue (once you removed the second access panel by the shifters. (I did in fact remove the bolts before I dropped the cross member, but this was a bad idea... using bent wrenches and adaptors to get in there. Rather just lower it first then do it.

You do have to twist the top of box 90 degrees clockwise to slide it out that access hatch. Some folks went under the vehicle and removed the reverse gear sender and poked a screw driver in there to release the lever, which avoids the top removal, but by that stage I had already opened the access panel so this was my path.

We shifted it back into neutral and put the lid back on with some silicon gasket, and we have gears again. I was quite stressed about this one, so this is a big relief!


Where the green arrow is, it was shifted that direction into gear, and the pink bit had slid behind it and was restricting it from reaching neutral. Long process for a quick fix.

 

[KwaTeebs]

And then after removing and re-installing the propshaft too many times IMO, I found one of the main propshaft bolts/stud (where it connects to the transmission) with the mushroom head that are not meant to move, is rotating freely and it is sticking out by about 0.5mm and wont tighten properly.

Now we try find a replacement and do it again

I reckon it would put un-necessary strain on the other 3 bolts. That is not something that I want to fail.

 

[KwaTeebs]

Fun lesson in the sensitivity of fuel lines to tiny air leaks...

I ran new softlines from the chassis up, with hardlines across to a new racor filter (with view port and water separator), and final softlines to the Injector Pump.

We tried and tried and couldn't get the fuel filter to prime. So after hours of swapping input lines to the tank (we were worried we had fitted them incorrectly after the fuel tank refurb), replacing old lines, bloody knuckles and getting diesel in the face... it turns out I never put plumbers tape on the inline fuel cutoff I installed. The air leak on the thread was enough to stop the primer pump from building pressure.

Fixed now... at least I know what to look for. Otherwise all plumbing is in... fuel lines, vacuum lines, powersteering lines (luckily I keep the original fittings from the 3F power steering pump, because I needed the threaded connector, and I got a supplier to crimp on the high pressure hose connection)

Some of these bitty things took some real time to source the parts and connectors and get it right, but finally there.

While I have been focusing on this, Ken has been working on the electrics for the Starter, Glow plugs, Injector pump and a few other items. Getting closer to a start

brake and clutch vacuum lines

The guilty party on the airleak. Nice idea

 

[PBcuiser]

Hows the progress?? starting to wrap my head around doing this swap in my 62 and this is a huge help.
Cheers!

 

[KwaTeebs]

Hows the progress?? starting to wrap my head around doing this swap in my 62 and this is a huge help.
Cheers!

Making progress. The truck is running and the engine purrs. I just need to sort out a custom radiator shroud and a few small electrical items before I can take Nelly off on her first trip. Will send updates soon. TBH I would think twice about the swap unless you have a donor vehicle (e.g. a Rollover 80 series 1hz where you can salvage everything out of the engine bay). I remember reading this advice on Mud as I started the process and I didn't quite understand what they meant then, but now I do.

There are so many bits and pieces that you have to make work, and replace that it may just make more sense to refurb your existing petrol engine. It will certainly be more economical to do that. There were many perfectly good parts that just don't translate onto the new engine that I had to replace. Plus, so many items on the 3F are on the opposite side of the engine bay on the 1HZ, so there was a fair bit of swapping things over.

But that said, this process for me has been more about the learning curve, and picking up a new skill. I now know everything in that engine bay, and what it does and how its plumbed, plus most items are either refurbished or replaced so it should be mechanically sound (although the electrics wiring is a bit of a mess). So its the journey that has been really great, and the learning how to wrench since this it the first time I have worked on a car. So that's how I justify it to myself... is that the extra cost is just paying school fees to learn to be a bush mechanic and hopefully be able to deal with issues myself if I encounter them on the road. And this vehicle I have been building so I can take it to some real wilderness areas, and this beast will definitely be the right one to get me there and back. So it really depends on your motivation. This engine is all about low end torque and its not built for speed. Happy to answer more questions you may have if you do decide to go through with a swap.

 

[PBcuiser]

Making progress. The truck is running and the engine purrs. I just need to sort out a custom radiator shroud and a few small electrical items before I can take Nelly off on her first trip. Will send updates soon. TBH I would think twice about the swap unless you have a donor vehicle (e.g. a Rollover 80 series 1hz where you can salvage everything out of the engine bay). I remember reading this advice on Mud as I started the process and I didn't quite understand what they meant then, but now I do.

There are so many bits and pieces that you have to make work, and replace that it may just make more sense to refurb your existing petrol engine. It will certainly be more economical to do that. There were many perfectly good parts that just don't translate onto the new engine that I had to replace. Plus, so many items on the 3F are on the opposite side of the engine bay on the 1HZ, so there was a fair bit of swapping things over.

But that said, this process for me has been more about the learning curve, and picking up a new skill. I now know everything in that engine bay, and what it does and how its plumbed, plus most items are either refurbished or replaced so it should be mechanically sound (although the electrics wiring is a bit of a mess). So its the journey that has been really great, and the learning how to wrench since this it the first time I have worked on a car. So that's how I justify it to myself... is that the extra cost is just paying school fees to learn to be a bush mechanic and hopefully be able to deal with issues myself if I encounter them on the road. And this vehicle I have been building so I can take it to some real wilderness areas, and this beast will definitely be the right one to get me there and back. So it really depends on your motivation. This engine is all about low end torque and its not built for speed. Happy to answer more questions you may have if you do decide to go through with a swap.

Yep having a complete donor makes a lot of sense but I already got an engine for what I hope is a deal (depending on what internals look like after I open it up hahaha)

I dont have any illusions about the ease or cost of something like this, more about learning and the journey same as you. Dumping money into these rigs isnt always a rational decision

 

[KwaTeebs]

formatting bombed so deleting and will repost

 

[KwaTeebs]

OK - so I have been quiet for a while. The summer holidays and real world responsibilities rudely interrupting my build LOL. But there has been progress, so I will do it in sequence, but most of this happened end of December and January.

We started her up!!!!!!!

Here is a video of the first turn. It was pretty exciting after working on it for a year to see this moment come.


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