Builds Good Times - 1992 HZJ73 (1 Viewer)

[LDRF]

I’ve been plugging away at bodywork. It’s been quite slow, as I’m learning as I go. Shaping metal is not my forte. I’ve moved on to the left side rockers between the door and wheel well. There is not much of the liver parts of either the inner rocker, inner support bracing, outer rocker or the wheel well.

I cut the bad metal out of the fender to reveal the good stuff.

Front/bottom of the wheel well

The corner where the rockers meet the wheel well

Looking up to the rocker where the door meets the fenders. I have a bunch to clean out, when I fab the outer rocker section

The inner support is a little moth eaten.

The inner rocker where it meets the wheel well.

I’ll tackle the inner rocker, then the support, then the wheel well then the rocker. I’ll do the fender last, as I have to replace the metal all around the wheel well and a good portion of the rear lower section.

 

[LDRF]

I cut away most of the garbage to good metal.

I shaped the inner rocker, test fit it. That took me about 4 hours

And welded it in

From the wheel well looking forward.

This was my first attempt at welding for real. I probably should have chosen an easier spot to work on. The height is difficult when laying on the ground, and too low when sitting.

So, it took quite some time to weld it in. I’ve been backing the weld with aluminum to prevent blow through although I did have a few blow through mistakes. I had tonnes of pin holes that I have managed to fill. I’m going to get back at it on Sat/Sun this weekend. I get the inner finished off, the fit the inner support structure.

I can’t go much further with the welding, as it’s still too cold to do any painting. I’ll need to primer and paint the insides with weld through and rust paint. Also some rust converter/sealer. I’m hoping for temps over 10C next week so I can paint it up and weld some more. I’m planning to use KBS Rust Seal and PROXL copper weld through primer.

 

[Blue1]

Thats some good progress. It's always a bit of a blow when you cut into it and find more rust below. The shape of that panel looks good. Sheet metal is pretty cheap overall so if you have to make a bunch of scrap to get what you want it's worth it in the end. I count all my failed pieces as learning experiences. I am very far from being any kind of welder but from what i see you may need a little more heat and just weld small dots and keep sticking one to the next one. If you are having burn through issues on the existing metal you may need to cut a bit deeper in. At first I was trying to save as much original metal as I could but I was making more work by trying to weld to metal that had been really compromised by rust. Once I cut back as far as I think I need to i will do a test weld with a piece of scrap. If I cant get a good weld I cut further in. Try taking 2 pieces of fresh sheet metal and space it about a 16th inch gap and practice different heat settings and methods. Figure out what makes you happy then move on to welding the actual patch in. Again I am far from any kind of skilled welder but this was the advice a fabricator friend that I collaborate on projects with told me to try.

 

[LDRF]

It’s not pretty, but it’s as good as I’m getting it.

I’ll prime and paint it in the next week or so.

Welding is hard. It will take a LOT of practice to weld anywhere near as good as the YouTube welders! I using the stitch weld technique to manage the heat with the thin 18 gauge sheet metal. I find the hardest part is getting the next weld close enough to the last and putting the weld in the middle of the joint. Also, grinder technique is another thing I need to work on. I’m using the angle grinder and my mini belt sander. So far, so OK. Slow, but moving forward.

 

[LDRF]

I need some advice/help.

When I get board of bodywork, I work on some of the odds and ends I need to take care of. One of them is the exhaust. I've got the this left from the PO:

The bolts on the two inside studs easily came off. It could be because I soaked them in loosenut for a few weeks, or I was just lucky. I ground off the weld and was able to remove the exhaust without problem, including the gasket which had delaminated inside of the manifold. The two inside studs are in good shape, but I need to remove the third, outermost stud which was broken off and apparently neccesated the welding.

I tried some heat with MAP gas and used vise-grips on the remainder of the stud, but no luck, yet.

Questions:

1. I am afraid of breaking off the ear of the manifold by reefing on it too hard? Do I need to be? Can I break it? How much heat can I put into it? And, where? The stud? The ear? Both? Top? Bottom? All over? I'd hate to have to replace the manifold and all the additional studly problems that will bring.
2. My plan right now, is just to replace the one broken stud, and leave the two whole (and good) ones. If I wanted to remove the two others, what's the best method? Use heat and two nuts?

Thoughts? Advice? Anecdotes?

 

[Broski]

I would weld a nut to the remaining part of the stud. Then let it cool before trying to remove it.
Super heating the manifold can’t be good for it.

 

[LDRF]

Do I need to worry about snapping the ear off of the manifold? My biggest fear is breaking the ear off of the manifold.

 

[Broski]

That’s anyone guess if there’s an issue I would think the stud will snap off again.

 

[jblueridge]

Oxy acetylene heat or the heat from mig welding a nut should break the rust and free the stud.

 

[LDRF]

I had a short but satisfying day.

I picked up a bunch of paint supplies: weld thru primer, rust converter, rust paint and a rattle can of colour matched paint. I’ll test the colour on one of my old fenders to see how well it matches.

My work goal was to remove the broken stud. I bought some nuts to weld on, but thought I’d try the vise grips once more before I broke out the welder.

By the miracle of MAP gas and a few weeks of soaking it in loose-nut, it came loose!

I spent the rest of the time chasing the threads, filing off the old weld and cleaning the old gasket material from the header. I think I have it cleaned up enough and ready to go.

Tomorrow I’ll continue with the bodywork!

 

[JDM Journeys]

Woohoo! Way to stick with it and see it through! Everything always seems to get easier when winter is over. Although there wasn't anything easy about those bad boys...

 

[LDRF]

Where does one find the exhaust components in the Factory Service Manuals?

I did not find them in the Chassis and Body, or the 1HZ Engine manuals.

 

[JuanJ]

Where does one find the exhaust components in the Factory Service Manuals?

I did not find them in the Chassis and Body, or the 1HZ Engine manuals.

Hello,

Check the parts catalog drawings for a schematic and part numbers.





Juan

 

[LDRF]

Check the parts catalog drawings

I’ve got all of that: megazip, et cetera. I’m just trying to figure out if there is any exhaust details in the/a FSM.

I inserted a new stud into the header and hooked up the first section of the exhaust pipe with a new gasket and new nuts. I put copper anti-seize on them all. I torqued them down to 36 foot pounds and attached and tightened the clamp around the downpipe.

I then fired it up and checked for exhaust leaks around the header/downpipe connection and did not find any … whooooo hooooo!!!

 

[LDRF]

I’m avoiding the bodywork, so started working on the front fenders. The inners were a little rusty ….

I took the wire wheel to them to get rid of the crusty poop!

Then used the KBS Rust Seal to protect them, for hopefully, another 33 years!

I picked up a spray bomb can of colour matched paint from a local supply shop. I’ll do a test with it to see how well it matches, as it’s not a stock manufacturer colour. I want to get the new quarters prepped, primed and installed next, then back to the “custom” bodywork.

 

[LDRF]

A general question regarding the fan.

I was running my engine the other day and noticed the the fan ALWAYS runs, right from the get-go.

Is it supposed to run all the time, or is it only suppose to run when some temperature sensor says it needs cooling? Is there a temp sensor and relay that engages a fan clutch? I’ll look at the FSM and the EPC this evening, but ….

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[jblueridge]

Fan clutch, if you have one, has silicone oil and a temp sensitive bi-metallic strip or valve.
No electricity needed.
Research viscous fan clutch

 

[LDRF]

Research viscous fan clutch

Working on it. Thanks!