FJ62 help

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blainehale

Joined
Jan 5, 2014
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15
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Hey guys and gals,

I'm new to the FJ world and I'm going through the stickies about all the recommended posts (great stuff in there!) I just bought an 88 fj62 and learning that the PO lied about a lot of stuff and had some hidden surprises that the test drive did not reveal. First up is the radiator leak. That didn't happen until a day of driving and it's very very bad.
I've gotten it completely unbolted and loose but I'm having a hell of a time getting off one of the transmission cooler lines. It's the on that hooks up closer to the driver side of the radiator and the connection sits right over the frame so you can't get to it from below. I've tried disconnecting it from the other side of the tube, closer to the transmission but that's incredibly hard to get up there and get something on it to counter the torque of my wrench, other wise it just bends the bracket holding it in place. The only way I can see doing this is pulling the fan shroud but I'm not 100% sure how.
Any recommendations here? I was thinking the 4 bolts behind the fan, but I'm not sure if that actually disconnects the fan and allows me to pull it all out.

Also, the radiator fins just crumble when I touch them, so I'm thinking I might have to go ahead and order a new radiator. I read on here that the CSF 2708 was a direct drop in and a decent radiator for the cost.

I've also read about the fan shroud mod on here, and I might consider it, if I can get the darn thing out!

I'm just trying to get it running at this point so I can get it on over to Urban Land Cruisers (I'm in Atlanta) to get all the rust holes welded up and the body painted. They'll do a frame off paint and such...seems super extensive and if I'm going to do it, I want to do it all the way.

I'll handle all the mechanical stuff like brakes, old man emu suspension, tuning etc.

I restore vintage motorcycles for fun, so this is kind of familiar territory.

Anyways, glad to be aboard here and thanks for creating such a killer resource! I'm finding out that this is the car equivalent of the ADV forums that I frequent.

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Hi, Your on the right track. Bring out fan and clutch and shroud at the same time. The transmission lines can be hard to get off but all I have worked on did come off. CSF radiators are fine I have had no trouble with them or Performance Rads. While your in there you might want to bite the bullet and replace the water pump,thermostat and belts. Also check replace the belt tension bearings, easy to do at this point. Mike
 
Since you're new to land cruisers, make sure to do research here on mud about which shop in atlanta you take your truck to. One has stellar feedback, the other, not so much.

Good luck with the truck. You're gonna love it!
 
Ditto on everything Mike said. There is not a short cut to removing the radiator. You are going to have to move the AC heat exchanger out of the way also. I have purchased two Performance Radiators and have been very pleased. They are pricey though. Nice looking truck, it is worth the effort.
 
For your radiator look at champion radiator I am very pleased with mine. Mine was shipped for a little under 300 if I remember right. I am over 2 years without an issue
 
Hey mate, welcome to mud, you have a nice looking rig, so can't be all bad, was the PO a member here on mud, might not appreciate being called a liar, things happen with our trucks at all different times, we must remember they over 20 years old and sometimes it's a coincidence :)

Enjoy the fun

Spudman
 
Thanks for the feed back guys! I guess I'll be pulling that fan off then to make this a little easier. Hopefully it's just those 4 bolts holding the assembly on.
Where abouts can I read which shops are good in Atlanta. After my talk with Urban, I was pretty darn inspired. It sounds like they do everything with incredible detail and care and really know what they're doing.
I won't get into the PO any further, it just wasn't the ideal situation. I probably could have scrutinized further but most of what's going wrong should have turned up earlier.
I'll check out those other radiators as well. I definitely would like to be in under $300 for the radiator. The less I spend in getting it stable now, the more I can put into the body work and such.
The interior of the truck is dang new perfect. The only thing I'd like to really fix in there is the driver side seat cover. That definitely needs to be replaced but no one sells the OEM cover as just a single unit. There are only kits with both seats.
 
74shovel said:
For your radiator look at champion radiator I am very pleased with mine. Mine was shipped for a little under 300 if I remember right. I am over 2 years without an issue
Click to expand...

Was this a direct drop in? They look really good and they're a bit cheaper than the others I've been looking at. I was under the impression that the mounting was a bit different on the 88. Not to mention, the radiator is listed as 81-90 and I didn't think the fj60 needed the transmission cooler part.
If it's a direct drop in, consider that one purchased! :D
 
*edit: NVM, found some stuff about shops in atlanta. I won't get into that stuff here :D
 
Well my experience was getting the rad out so I could pull the engine, but it IS possible to get the shroud out before the fan. It seemed a little bit damned either way, trying to finagle in to get the fan bolts loose or trying to manhandle the shroud out before hand. Depending on your setup, I just cut the rubber section of transmission line coming from the radiator so I wouldn't have to screw with trying to get those nuts loose.

Just a thought.
 
Body repairs get expensive fast but no surprise someone lied about condition of a land cruiser. Good luck
 
Radiator

Mudrak Custom Cruisers recommended to me to use 1(800)RAD-IATOr. This, of course, after I exhausted all my local options as non-existant or low grade. They deliver direct to the buyer or ship if you REALLY are rural. Cost me $10 bucks to have 'em hike it over an hr from them. 4 years and all good. Only a 1yr warranty but, hey, it's a radiator. I would use them again, unless I wanted a performance upgrade that I have no need for.

HTH,
C
 
I ended up getting the CSF radiator because I know it fits and I found it for $287 shipped from NewEgg. Same place I order my computer parts, weird!
Hope to get this all buttoned up this week and get it on over to ACC soon. Riding the motorcycles in these temps is getting to not be very fun.
I think the next thing is the smittybilt center console. I can't have a nice stereo in downtown atlanta without it being stolen, so I'd like the head unit all locked up in the center console. I'll find a stocker radio to put back on the dash so no one will bother with it.
 
blainehale said:
Was this a direct drop in? They look really good and they're a bit cheaper than the others I've been looking at. I was under the impression that the mounting was a bit different on the 88. Not to mention, the radiator is listed as 81-90 and I didn't think the fj60 needed the transmission cooler part. If it's a direct drop in, consider that one purchased! :D
Click to expand...
Sorry for the late reply but yes it was a direct bolt in. It has a trans cooler but I don't use it for my 60.
As for your shroud I found it easiest to unbolt the fan and the shroud and take them out together
 
74shovel said:
Sorry for the late reply but yes it was a direct bolt in. It has a trans cooler but I don't use it for my 60.
As for your shroud I found it easiest to unbolt the fan and the shroud and take them out together
Click to expand...

No worries! When you pull the fan, it's just the 4 bolts behind the fan, right? I understand there's some sort of clutch assembly back there, does that explode on me when I pull the fan or does everything just slide right out?

I really need to get a factory service manual. Speaking of which, where's the best place to order the Toyota factory manual? Haynes, from what I've learned, are only good for my vintage motorcycles. They make a killer one for my early 70s bmws!
 
They are two separate units that can be removed together or separately.

C
 
Well that was very fast shipping. Of course, the lip where the cap fits is bent, just like all the other CSF radiators I've seen on this forum. The packaging really is piss poor. Fortunately, I can probably straighten this on out with a little heat and pliers.

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