Whelp, that didn't last long. Here we are testing out the serviceability of the vacuum pump oil line alternative, a bit sooner than anticipated...
The DIY AN hose started leaking at one end. I redid the end with a fresh fitting and it still leaked. I decided to find a pre-made hose that was 'close enough' in length instead of fiddling with it more. Finding a replacement was quick and easy. Huzzah! Mission accomplished.
We'll see if it's any better. It looks better anyway.
I probably did something wrong, but the DIY AN hoses do not inspire confidence.
Finally got my KC Daylighters installed. I've been holding off on buying these for years!
Not fancy LED's, but plenty bright for my purpose. Which is looking cool.
I designed some simple brackets and Send Cut Sended 'em. They mount to existing holes on one of the PTO brackets.
As my cruiser is 24v, the lights only worked for an instant out of the box and then POP! KC is currently in the process of correcting some voltage requirements on their website...
They were quick to respond, however, and they did have a solution for me. Hella makes some 24v H3 equivalent bulbs, so all I had to do was swap those in and voila!
Wiring was a breeze. KC certainly has improved their wiring harness in the last two decades (!?!!?) since I installed them on my 4Runner. I did change a few things though. I got rid of the switch fuse and wired the switch into the 'power box' in engine bay. I also replaced the switch with a Carling Cortura II. With a little trimming, it fits perfectly in a factory extra switch spot.
After we got back from the road trip up North, I decided to go back to OEM body mounts. The polyurethane mounts were ok for around town and off road driving, but the noise from 10 hours on the highway takes its toll. Brand new squishy goodness! The difference is noise and comfort is substantial.
The other complaint was diesel stink. With the windows up, there seemed to be no issue, but with the windows down, it seemed like fumes were getting sucked forward. I replaced the last two remaining window/door seals that weren't new, the two tailgate seals. The back now closes with a solid thud and no more rattles, but I was still getting some stink... hmm...
The stink seemed to be getting worse which made no sense seeing how I had replaced all of the door and window seals along with the D piller vent flaps. The cruiser had been parked for a few days and I happen to walk by and smell diesel. Huh.
I took a peek underneath and the three vent hoses looked like they had been weeping at both ends, and one was forming a drip. !?!?!
After wiping one down I found that it was loose on the barb and rock hard. I also began to question as to why it was a clear hose...
I didn't install the 40 gallon tank myself as I couldn't have it shipped to California. I looked up the instructions and found a few videos and, sure enough, it came with clear hose for the vent lines. Less than a year after installation before failure.
After some cussing and cutting, I got the hoses off. Not flexible AT ALL. Hose was hard and sort of melted around the barbs; even broke one of the barbs off.
The real kicker here is that the hoses were PVC. Soft PVC does not play well with diesel. Or gasoline for that matter. And it came with the FUEL TANK?! REALLY!?
Off I went to the auto parts and hardware stores to get some fuel rated hose, replacement fittings and thread sealent. Hopefully these do the trick.
Total was $511.27 including shipping, duties and taxes. I ordered from Nengun. I only got the mounts and sleeves. I did not get new nuts, bolts and washers; I reused the ones that came with the polyurethane kit as they were only a few years old.
From what I've read, however, the body mount sizes varied quite a bit over the years and markets. I found the part numbers for mine using Megazip's diagrams for my specific year and market.
