Fj62 Side Pate Gasket - what I learned (1 Viewer)

[EscapeWagon62]

I put off doing my side plate gasket as long as I could knowing that it’s a bear of a repair. Reminded me of another complicated repair I did which took 15 operations before you get to the $7 part (inner axle seal )

Since I was pulling the belts this weekend I decided to dive in. After a few missteps and wondering why Dr. Toyota was being such a cruel overlord I finally got it done. Below is what ended up working vs my first attempts with all belts off the vehicle:
0. Pull your A/c belt if still installed.
1. Put the engine at top dead center compression (rotor pointing toward #5 cylinder). This helps greatly for when you pull the dizzy.
2. Remove any vacuum hoses crossing directly above side plate gasket
3. Pull spark plug wire, Remove the distributor cap via three screws, and distributor by removing one screw holding the electrical connection and one bolt used for setting timing. If you are at top dead center it’ll rotate right out in a clockwise movement. Cover the hole with a sock.
4. Pull the oil filter, put tin foil over the oil catcher
5. Unbolt the hard coolant lines that run along the valve cover. Three connector bolts.
6. Remove the bolt holding the hard fuel line at the back of the engine just under the engine hook at the #6 cylinder
7. Remove the two bolts that hold the engine hook at number #6 cylinder
8. Remove the hard fuel line attachment which is under the hard coolant lines at the number #1 cylinder
9. Unbolt the side plate by removing 10 bolts and 2 nuts. You will likely need a putty knife, screwdriver, anything else you can get to pry the cover off without bending it. My top side came off reasonably easily, I had to go under the truck to pry off the bottom gently with a long screw driver.
10. Once loose, move the entire panel down and left so that the left end is heading down the tunnel near the starter. Tilt the right side up and thread it behind the hard coolant lines....up and out.
11. Chisel off remaining gasket or use a wire wheel, clean and paint.
12. Use a small amount of gasket sealer to set the gasket to the side panel. BE SURE TO NOTE THAT THERE IS A TOP SIDE AND BOTTOM SIDE OF THE PANEL AND GASKET. YOU CAN TELL BY THE BOLT PATTERN.
13. Reinsert panel in the reverse order. You may have to warp it a bit in order to clear the A/C bracket when reinstalling.
14. Reinstall the bolts and two nuts that hold the side plate on. Just snug up the bolts (inch lbs not foot lbs of tourque) cork expands when the oil penetrates it and if you over tighten it could crack.
IF YOU ARE LUCKY AT THIS POINT AND CAN GET ALL THE BOLTS THREADED IN, BE HAPPY!
I WAS NOT SO LUCKY AND COULDNT TIGHTEN THE TOP RIGHT BOLT DUE TO LIMITED CLEARANCE BEHIND THE A/C BRACKET. TRIED FOR AN HOUR.

Unlucky person instructions for A/C bracket.
1. Remove two top bolts on the bracket.
2. Remove one bolt on the bottom left hand side of the bracket
3. Remove the 4 bolts on the air conditioner compressor ((NO NEED TO UNHOOK ANY A/C LINES!)
4. With the A/C compressor rotated toward the front right fender you now have access to the 4th bolt holding the bracket on.
5. You might as well pull out the bracket (which has a tensioner pulley attached to it) and clean it up.

Reverse order everything above and be proud that your rig is minus one leak.

If I ever need to do it again it’ll take about 1/4th of the time. How much time....I’m not telling. Took me forever. Hope the photos and bullets above help the next person.

Photos
Before with dizzy pulled
Hard coolant line bolt
Rear hook attachment
Rear fuel hard line
Front hard fuel line

 

[EscapeWagon62]

More photos...the 5th photo shows the gap you will slide the side plate through

 

[EscapeWagon62]

This shows how to slide the side plate in, you are aiming to get the far end into the transmission tunnel near the starter. This gives you enough room to slide the forward part around the A/c bracket to set the side plate in the proper position for bolting
The 3rd phot shows the bolt that resides directly underneath the A/C compressor
The last three show the A/C bracket configuration and bolts.

 

[SteveH]

Excellent writeup with great details. A booger of a job and one a shop would love to charge you $1200 to do.

I documented it (as you have) and had it published in Toyota Trails. If you didn't see the story, it's here: Toyota Trails - January/February 2018 Issue

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Excellent writeup with great details. A booger of a job and one a shop would love to charge you $1200 to do.

I documented it (as you have) and had it published in Toyota Trails. If you didn't see the story, it's here: Toyota Trails - January/February 2018 Issue

Thanks @SteveH
It’s a booger for sure and I had not seen your write up. In my adventure I was able to get the plate out but couldn’t for the life of me remember the route I used to do it. Ended up building a template of the plate and tried multiple paths until I finally figured out the hard coolant line/fuel line fix.
My saddest moment was getting it back on without removing the A/C bracket but not being able to tighten the top right bold.
Glad I did it as I learned a ton about my engine compartment. That being said the operation brought me to the point of insanity a couple of times

 

[3_puppies]

is your oil galley plug been done already? if not it would have been a good time to do it also.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

is your oil galley plug been done already? if not it would have been a good time to do it also.

It was done by the previous owner. Checked while I was in there but thanks.

 

[SteveH]

On my FJ62, I didn't have to pull the A/C bracket, but putting that top bolt/nut back in was done entirely with mirrors and by feel.

You do learn a few things about your truck when doing this, and one of them is this: 'If I ever pull the engine, I'm going to replace every dang gasket on the engine while it's out'

If you look at heavy duty diesel engines (straight sixes in semi tractors) they often have two separate side covers - what a great idea!

 

[3_puppies]

You do learn a few things about your truck when doing this, and one of them is this: 'If I ever pull the engine, I'm going to replace every dang gasket on the engine while it's out'

If you look at heavy duty diesel engines (straight sixes in semi tractors) they often have two separate side covers - what a great idea!

I went thru an 88 a few weeks ago and changed every coolant hose and the crank seal and did the oil galley repair, 8 hours later, I was done.

Cummins in the late 90's early 2000's had 3 heads also.

 

[Hammer45]

reviewing all this for upcoming head gasket repair. "8 hours later." woulda taken me 8 weeks.....