Green FJ55 build (1 Viewer)

[Guster]

Looks much better with 33x10.5s. Did not really take, or cannot find, any good photos of the engine compartment before disassembly. I'll be posting some more pics of areas I need help with, hoping others with a 78 or similar year will be able to provide examples of what things are supposed to look like.

 

[Guster]

Could someone post a pic of how their coolant overflow/wiper fluid reservoir mounts? It's this area on a 78, the front, passenger side. I'm assuming there is a bracket that needs to go in that spot, hoping to see what that bracket looks like.

 

[Guster]

Never mind on that question, I keep forgetting I swapped the front clip from a 77 that was in better shape. Went and looked at the 78 clip and the holes are there for the reservoir. Thought I had caught all the differences but missed this section.

 

[Guster]

I want to avoid the wall of shame so I'm hoping to get some opinions on the safety of this "fix". I sent my steering gearbox off for a rebuild and when I went to put the pitman nut on it would not thread on correctly. Ordered a new nut and it had the same issue. I'm pretty sure I boogered up the threads when trying to get the pitman arm off before sending to get rebuilt. To fix the problem I took a cutoff wheel and removed the messed up threads. Then I used the crankshaft nut to tighten down the pitman arm so where it's at is probably as far as it's going to get. I need to order another pitman nut but I'm wondering if you all think there is enough thread left to safely run this way?

 

[Ol Yeller]

My rule of thumb is at least two full threads showing past a nut...don’t know if you have that?

 

[Guster]

Thanks for the feedback. Ordering a new nut but I don't think it will go down that far. I should have waited and thought about this a little longer as I probably could have repaired the threads with a die. Oh well, too late for that now.

 

[J Mack]

I'm wondering if you all think there is enough thread left to safely run this way?

“Safely run this way” is a relative term when giving advice based on a picture on a web forum, but yes I would run that. I also would use something like “Dykem Cross Check Torque Seal Marker” or any type of paint pen to mark across the arm/nut/threaded shaft to give me a quick reference if the nut starts backing off.

 

[Guster]

Great idea, thanks.

 

[J Mack]

Great idea, thanks.

You’re welcome, look for a “Nicholson 4 Piece Thread Repair File Set” and grab one when it’s convenient. The perfect tool for boogered threads like you described, they work on most size and pitch threads, cheap and don’t take up much room in the tool box. Mine have saved my butt more than once.

https://www.amazon.com/Nicholson-Thread-Repair-Single-Square/dp/B001T4KRHC

 

[scrapdaddy]

I would add a few sizes of triangle files, they work for me, not that I've ever screwed up threads!

 

[Gordobe]

Many you don't needs this any more but here it is any way. From a May 1977

 

[Guster]

Thanks for the pic. I'll have to make a bracket to mount the 78 reservoir combo.

 

[Guster]

Updates every two, or more years, I guess. Been slowly putting this pig back together and finally have her running but having issues with the brakes. I have a dumb brake booster question I'm hoping someone can answer. The brake booster is the original booster and I rebuilt the master cylinder. Bench bled the master after it was installed. While bleeding the brakes the brake pedal was not going all the way down to the floor. At one point, while pressing hard on the brake pedal, there was a clunk noise and then the pedal released to the floor. Since that time the pedal will stick a bit about half way down and then release. I figured I messed up and did something wrong with the master cylinder rebuild. After removing the master cylinder the brake pedal stroke is still not smooth. Can anyone confirm that the brake pedal stroke should be smooth with just the booster installed? Basically no change in how the pedal feels going down to the floor. I'm assuming yes but wanted to check before ordering a new booster from CityRacer.

Some progress pics:

 

[PabloCruise]

Updates every two, or more years, I guess. Been slowly putting this pig back together and finally have her running but having issues with the brakes. I have a dumb brake booster question I'm hoping someone can answer. The brake booster is the original booster and I rebuilt the master cylinder. Bench bled the master after it was installed. While bleeding the brakes the brake pedal was not going all the way down to the floor. At one point, while pressing hard on the brake pedal, there was a clunk noise and then the pedal released to the floor. Since that time the pedal will stick a bit about half way down and then release. I figured I messed up and did something wrong with the master cylinder rebuild. After removing the master cylinder the brake pedal stroke is still not smooth. Can anyone confirm that the brake pedal stroke should be smooth with just the booster installed? Basically no change in how the pedal feels going down to the floor. I'm assuming yes but wanted to check before ordering a new booster from CityRacer.

Some progress pics:

View attachment 2359338

View attachment 2359341

Keep at it man!

Not sure if this helps: here are the pics from when I rebuilt my MC: Builds - POTM - March, 2014 - Javelina By Pablo Cruise

Is there a limiter bolt that screws into the side of the master to keep the front and back circuits organized? Maybe double check that you got everything back where it is supposed to go.

Let me know if you need me to dig into my '78 manual for diagrams.

Obviously, do not drive her if the MC is not right...

 

[Guster]

Not sure if this helps: here are the pics from when I rebuilt my MC: Builds - POTM - March, 2014 - Javelina By Pablo Cruise

Thanks! I'm going to take the master cylinder apart again to confirm it's rebuilt correctly. After removing from the pig the master feels ok but the booster does not so I'm leaning towards a bad booster.

 

[RUSH55]

Got caught up on your build thread - looks like some great work you’ve done saving the former green pig from Weed.
Has your son still been involved in the build? My math skills indicate to me he’d be 23 - 24 by now depending on his bday.

 

[Guster]

Has your son still been involved in the build? My math skills indicate to me he’d be 23 - 24 by now depending on his bday.

Crap, I was hoping nobody would notice, lol. He'll be 23 later this year, just graduated college and lives a few hours away. I made the classic blunder of ripping this thing apart and wildly underestimating how much work and time it would take to fix everything. Still quite a bit of work left but definitely feels more like this project will get finished and at that point I'll hand it over to him.

 

[Guster]

Finally "finished" and handed over the keys. Had to finish painting with rattle cans. Looks decent enough from far away or in the shadows but up close you can see sanding scratches and the finish is not consistent.

 

[RUSH55]

Nice job @Guster ! We gonna be seeing some more pics of this thing out in its element now?

 

[Guster]

We gonna be seeing some more pics of this thing out in its element now?

Hopefully, I think he already has a camping trip planned.