Help! Engine rebuild on 1 week old 89' fj62 (1 Viewer)

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Jan 12, 2014
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Purchased my 5th Fj62 locally here in southern Ca. Drove it around town and it shifted great no oil leaks and seemed to just have an exhaust leak. After the leak was fixed I heard some slight tapping in the engine head and figured bad valve or timing. My mechanic said if it was a piston sound would go away in reverse?not sure about that one :bang:Well after 2 compression checks piston #5 is shot. So Im in a 1 owner cruiser with 262k inside is original and mint like so damn clean perfect original dash .... straight body limited rust just a little on door and back windows other than that its the cleanest one I have had. I paid $7500 for it and in about $8500 after taxes, smog, leak ect..... Need help....... do I sell as is or do a full rebuild. Im close to a great shop called Topline here in Huntington Beach. Rebuild will put me back $5000 :(.... Its so clean though I think I could still get all my money out after its done...... or Ill just keep it since its so pretty..... help me out guys!!!! pics coming soon
 
fastest and least expensive route will be to swap out the engine for a good used one.

You could also source a 2F engine/bottom end and put a 2FE together.
 
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My mechanic said if it was a piston sound would go away in reverse?

I’m close to a great shop

These statements don’t belong together
 
A compression test can't identify a bad piston.
I bet it's just a warped/bad exhaust valve on #5. Very common on high mileage cruisers. Not too expensive to fix.

What I'd do is:
Get the valves adjusted. Either do it yourself or have someone who's done it before do it .
Then check compression again.
If it's still zero, have the head removed and the #5 valve examined. If it leaks,the that's the problem.
If not - then and only then an engine tear down should be contemplated.
 
My first response was just answering ignoring all the things missing from the diagnosis. This time I'll chime in and say that unless the mechanic did a leak down test or looked at the piston and cylinder walls with a borescope I don't know why he says piston is bad. Could be a burned valve issue, could be rings, could be blown head gasket, cracked head....all sorts of things.
 
I had a warped #5 exhaust valve. Zero compression and lots of misfire noises. It also caused my throw out bearing to rattle badly in certain situations

Find a new mechanic. Pull the head and get it checked out. It is likely not as bad as it seems.
 
First I would drive far far away from that shop, piston noise goes away in reverse? REALLY?!!
Get a leak down test or do it yourself if you have a compressor, it will tell you were your leak is.
 
You can buy a leak down tester from HF for cheap, or even just get a spark plug hole hose, attach a spray gun regulator, air fitting and screw it in the hole, hook up your compressor and dial up the pressure till you can tell where the air is coming from. It's either going to come out the exhaust, the intake, or the crank case and that'll tell you what's bad.
 
Wow guys!!! Thanks much! I was actually having the valves adjusted and the mechanic did a compression test and said it was and he knows it’s #5 piston that’s all he said..... I was in there for the valve adjustment when he “diagnosed” it. I’m taking it to a reputable Land Cruiser mechanic here in Huntington Beach tomorrow. Thanks for the encouragement I really hope it’s not a full rebuild and something more minor. You can really hear the tapping sound from the head and and it increases with speed as you accelerate it’s pretty loud and has a pretty rough idle almost like it’s going to die which I’m assuming is because of the lack of compression in the engine? I’m no mechanic and just have done minor stuff on my cruisers like brakes and such so forgive me if the whole thing is confusing. I’m not going back to the mechanic that diagnosed it...
 
Maybe your mechanic meant it had a compression problem on the #5 cylinder and he just speaks Engrish so it came out as #5 piston by accident. .
 
Maybe your mechanic meant it had a compression problem on the #5 cylinder and he just speaks Engrish so it came out as #5 piston by accident. .


🤣🤣🤣🤣 I hope he kept saying it’s the piston I know it’s #5 and the engine is shot.... i’m like if the engine is shot why have I been driving around town.... I really hope it’s something else. I’ll get another compression check and go from there!
 
Maybe it dropped a valved and its been banging into the top of the piston....but even then the piston might be fine. It would certainly be down on power and their would be a clatter. Eager to hear how this one comes out.
 
Just left top line they are reputable and always have a line of fj’s Outfront they are going to start diagnostics on it on Monday I’m super eager to figure this out as well. They made me feel more hopeful said it sounded like the valves were still out of timing and made me feel more hopeful


QUOTE="Seth S, post: 12911972, member: 61344"]
Maybe it dropped a valved and its been banging into the top of the piston....but even then the piston might be fine. It would certainly be down on power and their would be a clatter. Eager to hear how this one comes out.
[/QUOTE]
 
I absolutely agree with what everyone else has advised!
Do your own leakdown test. Even if you don't have an air compressor, got out and buy a cheapy, you only need a small home handyman type, plus a leakdown test kit (cheap as chips too) then you have it forever, and a shop will probably charge you nearly the same $
It's very easy to do, just ask questions here if you need help, then you'll at least know if it's a valve, piston/rings, or head gasket.

Oops, you've just dropped it at Topline, never mind ^^^😄
 
No I still have it! I’m gonna do the leak test this weekend.... it’s not going to the shop til Monday! Thanks!


I absolutely agree with what everyone else has advised!
Do your own leakdown test. Even if you don't have an air compressor, got out and buy a cheapy, you only need a small home handyman type, plus a leakdown test kit (cheap as chips too) then you have it forever, and a shop will probably charge you nearly the same $
It's very easy to do, just ask questions here if you need help, then you'll at least know if it's a valve, piston/rings, or head gasket.

Oops, you've just dropped it at Topline, never mind ^^^😄
 
Oh, cool...I read it as you'd just dropped it off and they couldn't get to it until Monday 😀
Keep us all posted, don't be afraid to ask questions, I'm sure everyone is more than happy to help...and keen to see what the actual fault is. Oh, and keep the pics coming, I reckon she looks like a keeper!
 
OK guys the ol fj has been gone through and it is confirmed that the engine needs a rebuild... pretty much have two options part it out and sell as is.... just paid $7500 for it two weeks ago... Hit up the guy I bought it from and he claims he didn’t know anything was wrong with the engine except the exhaust leak that was masking the tapping sound I was hearing in the engine after the leak was repaired. So I’m in about 8500 with everything I’ve done so far smog and registration and taxes etc. or I can get the engine rebuilt takes 3 to 4 weeks would be here in Huntington Beach at topline ... They seem very reputable and under good FJ 62 Mechanics section here...I really like the owner Mario. They send out the engine have it rebuilt and then put it all back together hoses etc. they’re going to try to keep it under $6500... I could also shop around. Only thing holding me back is it has 262,000 miles and some rust... very minimal and gutters and paint are a 8 out of 10... inside is mint ...original dash doesn’t even have a crack everything is perfect inside. Body is pretty straight could probably get the rust repaired for $1500.... I honestly don’t know what to do I’ve always wanted a red one this is my fifth one and I I felt like it was “the one” I wanted to keep and drive Since my kid is taking over my daily driver. HELP!!!!!!! I need your guys input! I feel like if I did rebuild it I’d be in $14,500 and could probably get my money out still cruisers get top dollar here! Sold my last rust bucket for $11,500 and the one before that for $13,000 all same year and 208k-255k miles?
 

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