Builds Fugly's Yota (4 Viewers)

[FuglyYota]

Making lots of small progress, lot of tigheting up things, fixing little leaks, sorting out stuff as it gets put back together. Finally welded up the rear axle perches, got brake lines sorted out, and starting to tie wiring up. Two problems right now;

1) Oil filter adapter leaks. Not horrible, but going to need to pull it out and see WTF. It’s a trans dapt canister to spin on adapter, so not surprised. If I cant make it work, will have to look in to another type.

2) Bigger problem Is there a fair amount of noise coming from the top end. Sounds like lifter or rocker arm noise on driver side. I’ve adjusted the valves twice and don’t think thats it. Exhaust and collector gasket are tight. Got a stethoscope and it’s definitely coming from the valve train under the intake or valve cover area. Dad stopped by and we’ve pretty much concluded that we have one or two lifters not completely pumping up.

So off the intake will come and a new set of lifters will be here Monday. It’s entirely possible that a small bit of junk or metal from the machine process didn’t get cleaned out completely and plugged a lifter. I’ll pull and check them and see if there’s any signs of which one. Hopefully thats the issue and all the pushrods are straight, and really hope the cam isn’t hurt. I haven’t revved it past 3000-3500 Hope to have it done over Thanksgiving and maybe get to drive it around.

After engine is sorted, need to finish up body wiring for lights, turn signals, etc. Also need to mount shocks all around, then I’ll put insurance back on it and start driving it on nice days over the winter and put some miles n it to make sure it’s reliable before taking it out on its first outing.

 

[FuglyYota]

So besides the engine, here’s my other dilemma. Trying to figure out if my trans/tease mounting is adequate as is or if I need more support (gut says yes) and how to do it.

SBC to an SM465 to a NP203 range box with a one off billet aluminum adapter to a 19 spline split case. The stock GM adapter from the trans to the 203 has mounting provisions, and that’s what I used. So in a stock application, the NP203 or a 205 would hang behind that mount, I think. In my case, the 203 and split case are back there. I also believe that in a stock split case setup, the trans tailpiece or adapter had the mount, but my adapter takes the place of that. I can’t see any place to easily make another mount on the split case without doing a horse collar like the FJ40 AA mount kit. So is this mounting enough? Seems like the split case was designed to “hang” off the back of a mounted transmission, but is the added weight/leverage of the range box going to crate issues?

Other question is: I used a RuffStuff crossmember kit with bushings at the frame ends. The crossmember is then solid mounted to the 203. So in theory I have some vibration isolation to the frame, but the bushings are poly and pretty stiff. Am I asking for it with this kind of mounting?

Truck will get street and off road driven. Yes, it needs skidplates. Yes, I’m going to just run it for now to get everything sorted and probably do some mild wheeling as it Is. But long term, do I need to figure on more support?

Pics:

 

[FuglyYota]

Can’t believe I haven’t touched this thread in almost 5 years. I’ve put updates in my local club boards, but as I do work I want to consolidate it in one place as per the original intention of the build thread. In the next few days I’ll try to get back to current.

I think I dropped off here after the original 327 failed. Long story short, it made terrible lifter noise after initial startup and break in. After pulling the filter and cutting it open to find a lot of metal, we pulled the motor pad tore it down. Found that it ate the #1 intake lobe on the cam, after maybe 30 minutes total of run time it was round. Bearings were toast, it would need full tear down and re-sealing. I can’t say for sure why, I suspect I had the valve last too tight, but others said it’s just the flat tappet lifters these days that suck. It had all the right break in oil and additives, didn’t make any difference.

Either way I was spent. Lot of time and money into that motor. Now I was dead in the water again and not in the mood for another trip back to the machine shop to clean it out the block as I had no real way to do it at home. I decided to find a running motor locally to put in and sell what I had, was all good parts and nothing was badly ruined, just needed new bearings and seals and a full cleanup/teardown/reassembly. But all I wanted was a runner. So in the spirit of roadkill, it was “don’t get it right, just get it running”.

 

[FuglyYota]

Through winter of 2020-2021 we looked for a motor and I put what I had up for sale. Looked at a few 190-200 hp TBI ‘80’s engines but nothing came to pass. Then out of nowhere found a guy with a running 2500 Chevy work truck, 2000 model year 2wd with a Vortec 350. Dad and I went to see it in South Philly, right near Crescent Iron works and across from a junkyard. It ran great but was so rusty that when you started it, fuel sprayed everywhere from the rotted hard lines.

We pulled it into the wrecking yard across the street and over the two coldest days in January of 2021 we pulled the motor. No kidding it was single digits and dad and I both had 10 layers each. Took me Saturday to rip out everything we were and weren’t keeping, then Sunday we got the engine hoist and yanked the motor into the bed of my F150. When we were done, the excavator with the claw picked up what was left of the truck and put it in the crush pile.

So now I had a 46k mile Vortec truck motor that I threw on carb intake, the Holley Sniper efi, headers, MSD ignition, and a manual transmission flywheel. In the end I wound up with arguably a better motor than I had with the 327. Roller cam, better heads, low miles. Could be a 4 bolt main, but I’ve not had the oil pan off to check. Don’t care. Even with the stock cam, it pulls hard, idles down low to crawl around, and sounds great when you let it eat. I also sold all of the 327 parts to a drag racer and restoration guy in Atco NJ, full disclosure on the motor and what happened to it. He had the means to clean and rebuild it, and was putting it into a Chevy II to replace a tired 283.

By summer it was running anroud the neibhorhood and by fall it was sorted out enough to run 15 miles to the Pine Barrens and hit a few fire roads with my oldest daughter.

 

[clrussell]

Fantasticly done.

 

[FuglyYota]

First real wheeling trip was going to be AOAA in the Summer of ‘22. Before that, I needed a little reinforcement for the roll cage, so out came the painters tape and we mocked up some new tube. I have 2 daughters and their friends plus club members kids who would be passages, and a rear seat out of a YJ that I got for free man, many years ago. That went into the mix along with a pair of new SXS harnesses. Tacked it all up in the rig, then pulled for final welding and paint. The rear seat frame bolts into the 1/4” wall 3x3 angle that ties the rear tubes together and is removable if needed. I also built a lockable drawer below the rear seat frame from HD cabinet sliders and treated plywood to hold spares and tools.

 

[FuglyYota]

More pics

 

[FuglyYota]

The truck overall did well at its first full AOAA outing. Ran mostly mild trails and didn’t push it too much, as I was feeling out how it would drive and work. I also was rusty after not wheeling in any serious way since I left CA in 2015. The one thing I didn’t prep for is how hot it was that few days in July. I think it was in the low 90’s and on any slow section the engine temp climbed well past 200. The smallish mechanical flex fan just wasn’t able to keep up in that heat. After shutting it down to cool a few times, we pulled another roadkill and just took the hood off. Who knew you could fit a hood behind the front seat if you don’t care about your paint job That solved the problem for the trip but something would need to be done for the future.

 

[FuglyYota]

So after the initial trip out and shakedown, we needed to solve the overheating problem. The little mechanical fan just couldn’t keep up with the V8, especially with full length fenderwell headers radiating into the engine bay. IAT was way too hot as well, it would be 85 out and the intake temps were in the 120’s while crawling or in traffic. No bueno.

Off came the front clip, and after modifying the core support and other things on went a big a$$ pusher fan. I wired it with relays and a temp sensor in the intake manifold right next to the sniper coolant sensor. It comes on at 185 and goes off at 175. Yes, I could have controlled it thru the sniper, but I believe in redundancy and simplicity, and I had the spare port in the manifold anyway. If the relay fails on the trail, I plug it into the sniper and program it with the handheld, or wire it constant on.

Either way, it’s worked great for 3 years now. The mech fan does most of the work, and when the electric fan does come on, it’s got more than enough airflow to cool things down and turn off. Even on hot days on uphill crawl trails, it’s stays below 195-200. Win.

 

[Mike Shull]

Are you writing about work that you have done in the past or are these recent updates? My IAT is about 20-30 degrees above ambient temperature but it will climb to 120-130 when I am crawling and mine seems fine, though it is a different engine. I don’t have a lot of off road miles on this setup so I am still learning.

I’m curious with how your hydraulic assist turned out. Have you tested that yet?

 

[FuglyYota]

Are you writing about work that you have done in the past or are these recent updates? My IAT is about 20-30 degrees above ambient temperature but it will climb to 120-130 when I am crawling and mine seems fine, though it is a different engine. I don’t have a lot of off road miles on this setup so I am still learning.

I’m curious with how your hydraulic assist turned out. Have you tested that yet?

I’m still catching up. Those latest pics and update were winter 2022-2023. More to follow, want to get to current this week-ish.

My IATs are pro elbow about 20 above with the fans, and yes worse when crawling but the fans do help. I currently have an open element air cleaner over the sniper just pulling engine bay air. On the bench in the garage is a late 70’s corvette dual snorkel cleaner that one day I’ll make into some kind of fresh air intake, either cowl induction or another way to get outside air.
Hydro assist is on and bled as of this evening. I had brackets tacked together, ram hooked up and cycled with wheels in the air and Dad steering it and me watching yesterday to make sure it all cleared. Ram is pushing and pulling with the steering, and system is mostly bled. Drill and tap seems to be working thus far, I ran the engine with the lines unhooked from the ram to bleed air out and it ran the ram disconnected from everything to check assist direction.

I welded everything out and painted last night, and assembled tonite but it’s too late to fire it and test how it does with wheels on the ground. That’s one night this week after work before it gets dark. Once everything works I’ll need to check alignment too, I’m sure it’s off as the tire rod needed to come out to get brackets welded and such.

You get your PSC kit yet?

 

[Mike Shull]

I’m still catching up. Those latest pics and update were winter 2022-2023. More to follow, want to get to current this week-ish.

My IATs are pro elbow about 20 above with the fans, and yes worse when crawling but the fans do help. I currently have an open element air cleaner over the sniper just pulling engine bay air. On the bench in the garage is a late 70’s corvette dual snorkel cleaner that one day I’ll make into some kind of fresh air intake, either cowl induction or another way to get outside air.
Hydro assist is on and bled as of this evening. I had brackets tacked together, ram hooked up and cycled with wheels in the air and Dad steering it and me watching yesterday to make sure it all cleared. Ram is pushing and pulling with the steering, and system is mostly bled. Drill and tap seems to be working thus far, I ran the engine with the lines unhooked from the ram to bleed air out and it ran the ram disconnected from everything to check assist direction.

I welded everything out and painted last night, and assembled tonite but it’s too late to fire it and test how it does with wheels on the ground. That’s one night this week after work before it gets dark. Once everything works I’ll need to check alignment too, I’m sure it’s off as the tire rod needed to come out to get brackets welded and such.

You get your PSC kit yet?

This sounds like excellent progress! I have most of my PSC pieces and the rest should be here tomorrow. I have a 4-day weekend coming up and my plan is to just focus on installing the assist. I’m hoping to finish early and relax on the back patio, or maybe take it for a spin to the mountains, but it never quite goes that way. Ha.

 

[FuglyYota]

This sounds like excellent progress! I have most of my PSC pieces and the rest should be here tomorrow. I have a 4-day weekend coming up and my plan is to just focus on installing the assist. I’m hoping to finish early and relax on the back patio, or maybe take it for a spin to the mountains, but it never quite goes that way. Ha.

Steering update - it works. Put it on the ground, steers with 2 fingers on the wheel lock to lock at idle. Hot rodded p-pump seems to have plenty of pressure and flow at idle. Before I couldn’t make the new to me 37x13.50x17 E rated STT Pros on heavy steel beadlocks move with just the redhead box and upgraded pump. It just howled the pump and wheel wouldn’t turn. Now it turns them
Fairly easily. World of difference.

Need to adjust the ram to synch with center of the box, align everything, and set the steering stops properly. But so far it’s doing exactly what I hoped and remember from my last rig that had assist. Will see how it drives this weekend.

 

[FuglyYota]

Pics. Only thing I don’t like is that the ram is about even with the bottom of the axle housing, but with my leaf setup and everything so low, there were no other packaging options. If my tie rod was on top of the steering arm, I’d have less than 2” of up travel before the tie rod hits the frame. I’m thinking of running a 1/4” flat plate skid out from the bottom of the axle tube to protect the bottom of the ram, then bringing a 45 degree section up an inch or two so it would contact a rock before the ram. Kinda like people do to hold and protect a double ended ram with full hydro.

 

[FuglyYota]

Back to the past. Summer 2024 - got 35’s. Wheeled AOAA. Did great but tires rubbed a little on front fenders. Cut mor. Wheeled Fall Crawl in Gore. Better, less rubbing. Steering was the biggest issue but we know how that ends.

 

[FuglyYota]

Winter 2024-2025. Drove the rig to where dad “works” (VAC Motorsports - hot rod BMW stuff - look them up) for Xmas party. Attempted burnout in the parking lot at shop owners direction. Fail. Rear pinion fully left the chat. Moved it into the backyard with the forklift and came back with trailer after Xmas. Found a pair of rear 3rds plus a full rear axle in case shafts were toast, and bought a spartan locker to replace the lock rite. Installed it.

 

[ferg]

Your mechanical flex fan has an easy fix. Get a fan shroud. It will duct the air from in front of the rad to the fan. BTDT.

 

[FuglyYota]

While messing with the axle, wasn’t looking but found a set of 37’s on steel beadlocks. Couldn’t pass them up. They’re almost certainly FJ cruiser steel wheels with 37x13.50x17 STT pros, maybe 65% tread. Sold my 35’s. Scuffed and painted the wheels. Killer. But now I can’t steer and need hydro assist, so did that. We’re now up to date

 

[FuglyYota]

Your mechanical flex fan has an easy fix. Get a fan shroud. It will duct the air from in front of the rad to the fan. BTDT.

I could have, but with where the engine was and where the front dress sits, it was going to be a PIA to make a custom one and I had the electric fan. Was kinda the easy button and seems to work.

 

[FuglyYota]

I wanted more random storage instead of just throwing soft bags in the rear seat area. A few weeks back, a neibhor put out some small metal toolboxes. I snagged them without exactly knowing what to with them. One was a craftsman with killer patina. I clear coated it and made some mounts, now I have a little more storage. I have an ammo can center console and a general “well used” theme for the whole rig, so these match up with that.