FJ80 only drives with center diff locked

[Mark W]

It’s a little past my skill level so I have it in a local shop. Talked to him the other day, ring and pinion ordered. Will let you guys know. I’m hoping we don’t get that fixed only to get it working and find out a birfields bad. This is a super crappy truck honestly I probably shouldn’t be trying to fix it up.

Coincidently, I bought a super clean 97 (non locked) today with a bad fuel pump. Hopefully that’s all it is but judging by the condition I’m very optimistic!

I have seen a few '80s where the birfield wears out and the cage fails, letting the balls come out. In the '80 there is enough room in the knuckle for the birfield balls to sit beneath the bell and not bind. You can still drive and steer but the axle just spins under power.

I would never jump right to assuming the ring and pinion are bad before inspecting birfields anyway. But you have to remove them to get the diff out, so you will discover any flaws on the way in.

Mark...

 

[Mark W]

Are you sure it is the fuel pump I have never seen one die, but if you need one, I have a good one

They do. All fuel pumps dies eventually. The ones in the '80s are on different. In fact, if you have not replaced the pump, considering the age of all '80s now, a spare a very good idea to have in the rig if you do long distance road or trail travel.

Mark...

 

[dr335i]

So the whole assembly with the pump and sending unit gas tank inspection cover is all gone ? take a picture of what you have, it is under the rear seat

Ok so under the rear seat there’s the first cover with three screws holding it on. That’s there. Everything underneath that is missing.

And yeah I’m not 100% convinced it’s the ring and pinion either. The guy who runs this shop has done a lot for me and never done me wrong so I’ll give him a chance. He’s not gonna make me spend money on his misdiagnosis so that’s good at least.

But to be fair this thing is a complete turd. 10 owners, and probably the better part of 350k miles from what I can figure out. The front diff has a bead of poorly run silicon around the cover so someone was in there messing around at some point.

Good news is the 97 seems great just from cosmetics. Maybe between the two of them I’ll make a decent 80

 

[shocktower]

Ok so under the rear seat there’s the first cover with three screws holding it on. That’s there. Everything underneath that is missing.View attachment 2004980

And yeah I’m not 100% convinced it’s the ring and pinion either. The guy who runs this shop has done a lot for me and never done me wrong so I’ll give him a chance. He’s not gonna make me spend money on his misdiagnosis so that’s good at least.

But to be fair this thing is a complete turd. 10 owners, and probably the better part of 350k miles from what I can figure out. The front diff has a bead of poorly run silicon around the cover so someone was in there messing around at some point.

Good news is the 97 seems great just from cosmetics. Maybe between the two of them I’ll make a decent 80

Well you need a sending unit cover plate fuel pump and the float, I can check if I can get one, those usually don't have them missing I will let you know tomorrow

 

[shocktower]

How are you driving this without that stuff ??

 

[dr335i]

Well you need a sending unit cover plate fuel pump and the float, I can check if I can get one, those usually don't have them missing I will let you know tomorrow

Thanks! Just let me know when you can. I’m thinking that at some point when they were diagnosing it they just took the whole thing out and sat it on a bench somewhere and forgot about it

How are you driving this without that stuff ??

I’m not! This thread is about a 1992 FJ80 that I bought a few months ago. Yesterday I bought a non running 1997 and mentioned it in this thread!

 

[shocktower]

Thanks! Just let me know when you can. I’m thinking that at some point when they were diagnosing it they just took the whole thing out and sat it on a bench somewhere and forgot about it



I’m not! This thread is about a 1992 FJ80 that I bought a few months ago. Yesterday I bought a non running 1997 and mentioned it in this thread!

Ok gotcha so when do we start the intervention since you obviously, are having signs of hoarding

 

[dr335i]

Ok gotcha so when do we start the intervention since you obviously, are having signs of hoarding

You don’t even know the half of it. The 92 is just so incredibly rough and has such a bad history. I didn’t know ANYTHING about 80’s except that I wanted one when I saw it. Figured at $1000 I had to be safe. Wrong. Now it actually runs well and once I figure this front end thing out it’ll probably drive well, but at the end of the day it’s still a super plain 3ge truck with 10 reported owners on the carfax

My buddy called me yesterday and said he could get me the 97 if I wanted it. Super cheap. I went to look at it. 1 owner, Alabama it’s whole life, white/tan, super clean really. How could I pass it up? (No, doesn’t have lockers)

 

[shocktower]

You don’t even know the half of it. The 92 is just so incredibly rough and has such a bad history. I didn’t know ANYTHING about 80’s except that I wanted one when I saw it. Figured at $1000 I had to be safe. Wrong. Now it actually runs well and once I figure this front end thing out it’ll probably drive well, but at the end of the day it’s still a super plain 3ge truck with 10 reported owners on the carfax

My buddy called me yesterday and said he could get me the 97 if I wanted it. Super cheap. I went to look at it. 1 owner, Alabama it’s whole life, white/tan, super clean really. How could I pass it up? (No, doesn’t have lockers)

Nice, they are great vehicles, I have had mine for 10 years, I even went to the dark side and did a Cummins 6bt swap in it I want another one, but just don't have the funds, I found a 97 super clean with a blown head gasket just could not afford it . My avatar is a picture of my cummins that site under my hood

 

[jfz80]

I have the fuel pump/bracket/sending unit/top plate combo from a 95 1fz if you can determine if they are the same. Tank never changed so it ahould bolt up. More unsure about pigtails and vent lines.

 

[dr335i]

I have the fuel pump/bracket/sending unit/top plate combo from a 95 1fz if you can determine if they are the same. Tank never changed so it ahould bolt up. More unsure about pigtails and vent lines.

I believe they should. The part number is 23206-66010 which shows to interchange all FZJ80/LX450 models