Builds Found an Arabian FJ40 (1 Viewer)

[Honger]

@OGBeno made a very cool move on one of his projects by putting studs in with nuts on four of his oil pan bolts. I couldn't remember where I'd seen it... harassed several of the guys here before him and he immediately had the part numbers to make this happen. I think even in @Poser's tips/trips he threw out the idea of using studs.

So, studs/nuts to help with alignment of the pan while seating it.

And some @davework's Overland Metric Gold Cad new bolts for the rest of it. I'm just not a fan of stainless.

And voila!

You can see one of the studs/nuts down toward the front of the pan. There's basically a stud in all four corners. This made seating the pan much easier. I also used Poser's trick with using string to tie the gasket down and then snipped the string once seated. The studs and the string trick made this a cakewalk.

 

[Honger]

When upgrading to the gear reduction starter make sure you have the right connections from @Coolerman.

I also upgraded to 70-series axle breather kit on the front axle. Note that the it's coarse-threaded M10 on the axle housing... and the 70-series parts are fine thread. I went ahead and used a die to rethread this before putting it on the axle.

And to start buttoning things up I went ahead and bought new hoses for all the hard-to-reach places I don't want to be visiting again anytime soon.

 

[JackA]

We need to meet up when your 40 is mobile.

 

[Honger]

We need to meet up when your 40 is mobile.

I'm actually mobile now... a lot of this work happened a few months ago.
PM sent...

 

[Honger]

I had a small pinhole leak in the top of my radiator and it only really seeped when I drove in the hotter months and ran the AC. But I figured while I had the radiator out, and since I'd found a local radiator shop with a solid old chain-smoking guy who clearly knew what he was doing, I'd have it take care of.

He removed the top and went ahead and checked out the cores. He informed me that the radiator has several blocked passages and was likely working at about 80% effectiveness. When I restored the truck the radiator seemed quite new but it had clearly been running tap water. I flushed it and changed to coolant and had never really had any cooling issues. The foreman at the shop just told me to buy a new radiator during the restoration anyway, but I resisted and had them stick the original. Turns out he was right, I should have just bought new.

Anyway, figured now was as good a time as any, especially since the re-core cost was going to exceed a new radiator from Toyota.

So, new OEM radiator.

Grabbed new mounting pads as well.

The brass looks so clean under the new cap. You can see the brazing.

 

[FJBen]

I love that you can still get new radiators from Toyota for the 40 series. I wanted one for my BJ74 but it doesn't exist so I had mine recored and rebuilt with a high efficiency 3 core. It was like $700 but that was basically the cheapest option unless I wanted to go chinese ebay radiator....nope.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I had a small pinhole leak in the top of my radiator and it only really seeped when I drove in the hotter months and ran the AC. But I figured while I had the radiator out, and since I'd found a local radiator shop with a solid old chain-smoking guy who clearly knew what he was doing, I'd have it take care of.

He removed the top and went ahead and checked out the cores. He informed me that the radiator has several blocked passages and was likely working at about 80% effectiveness. When I restored the truck the radiator seemed quite new but it had clearly been running tap water. I flushed it and changed to coolant and had never really had any cooling issues. The foreman at the shop just told me to buy a new radiator during the restoration anyway, but I resisted and had them stick the original. Turns out he was right, I should have just bought new.

Anyway, figured now was as good a time as any, especially since the re-core cost was going to exceed a new radiator from Toyota.

So, new OEM radiator.

Grabbed new mounting pads as well.

The brass looks so clean under the new cap. You can see the brazing.

Nice. Bought one for my 83 FJ45 recently. Too cheap to resist.

 

[Honger]

I love that you can still get new radiators from Toyota for the 40 series. I wanted one for my BJ74 but it doesn't exist so I had mine recored and rebuilt with a high efficiency 3 core. It was like $700 but that was basically the cheapest option unless I wanted to go chinese ebay radiator....nope.

Yeah, it's flippin cool. Since it's hard to tell when they'll stop that also fueled my decision to just go for it. Glad I did it with my Troopy while I was still in the Middle East. Much cheaper over there, and readily available.

Nice. Bought one for my 83 FJ45 recently. Too cheap to resist.

Crazy cheap all things considered. I should of done it during the Resto overseas. =)

 

[Honger]

Taking some cues from @wngrog I decided to powder coat some parts while I had things blown apart. These parts were all painted and in reasonably good shape actually. But I'd found a local powdercoater I wanted to try out and I figured since I'd dinged the parts up a bit in disassembly twice in the last two years, it was a chance to further clean things up. I also had the time to wait on outsourcing this... I was doing this work in fits and starts squeezed in around a crazy summer construction season for several airport clients.

The work turned out beautiful.

Re-assembly commenced.

 

[65swb45]

Inspection cover for a three speed?

 

[Honger]

Inspection cover for a three speed?

That inspection cover gives access to the belts on the flywheel... I've honestly been puzzled as to it's actual usefulness.

I do have a 3-speed... stock on the floor setup for this truck. But I don't think this helps with that at all.

 

[wngrog]

That inspection cover gives access to the belts on the flywheel... I've honestly been puzzled as to it's actual usefulness.

I do have a 3-speed... stock on the floor setup for this truck. But I don't think this helps with that at all.

Yeah. Held on with screws.

Looks beautiful

 

[Honger]

I've been running some Hella H4's since before I tore the truck down for a restoration. They weren't bad, but after putting the Koito H4's in my Troopy I knew I wanted to get a set in the 40. I had an extra set on the shelf I bought while in the Middle East just waiting for this.

Just love that logo.

And installed in the freshly cleaned and waxed bezel.

Working up close with the bezel like this revealed that I am picking up some nice rock chips here in AZ.

With the beautiful powder coat job on the front grill I couldn't bring myself to put the same emblem back on... it needed a new one.

 

[wngrog]

Oh yeah

 

[Honger]

Set the valves, put in fresh oil, added/burped the coolant. I had to fuss with the distributor a bit... re-seating it and rotating it until I found the sweet spot again. She runs great now! Actually better than before I tore into this project.

Got her off the dollies, bezel back on, and did a quick detailing.

 

[Honger]

The truck ran soooo much better after doing all the work. It was inexplicable. Prior to tearing things down I was having issues with it running rough after driving it for more than 10-15 minutes. I'd actually tuned it a few months prior, adjusting idle and choke to improve things a bit.

Thinking through the things I'd changed; plugs, plug wires, fuel supply line, fuel filter, gaskets, coolant, radiator, etc., I was at a loss to explain why it would run so much better. The plugs and plug wires weren't that bad off... they are just cheap and quick and were about 5 years old. I thought maybe the fuel filter. So I cut my old one open.

I obviously found the problem. That is peeled paint that I have figured out came from overspray to the inside of the filler tube. Clearly when my filler tube was painted they didn't mask the ends and I can see remnant of black paint that over sprayed into the filler. It had all migrated to my fuel filter.

I actually need to adjust the idle down now.

 

[softdrinkviking]

oh damn! good thing you swapped that little guy out. reminds me i should add that to my list.

 

[Honger]

My daughter sits in the middle, gives me little cuddles, and loves to shift the gears... precious 40 moments here.

 

[Honger]

So before I dove in on the last project I had been using zip ties to route my vacuum advance line along the same path as the fuel line. When I made the new fuel supply line I just replicated that but wasn't too pleased with the aesthetic or function.

On my Troopy I still have the OEM metal clips intended for this purpose.

But those are NLA. On a whim I ordered up several of the still-available plastic vacuum hose clamps.

And they plastic is flexible enough to stretch around the slightly-larger fuel line and do a much better job of routing the vacuum line.

 

[Honger]

Been driving the 40 quite a bit... several times a week and always to church on Sundays (the kids love riding in the back and inviting their friends for a ride).

Did a car show here in NW Phoenix a few weeks ago. I know I got several votes, but didn't place. All good, loads of fun to hang out with other gear heads.

Also, I've got some parts on the shelf for a fun project although I'm not sure when I'm going to get around to it...