How NOT to restore the FJ40

[FJ40Jim]

Very interesting thread for sure. Jim have you ever built one of those 305CID engines for anyone?

Not yet.

Biggest to date is 1.5mm OS, for 4.4L.

There should be plenty of meat in a 75-78 block for a .080 overbore to get the 270CID, without need of sleeves.

Problem is currently the 270 pistons w/ dome are also unavailable. But that engine is still kinda popular w/ the vintage LSR crowd, so there is some parts support.

 

[JohnnyC]

My apologize to Woody for my chat

Question to Jim

Whats the largest piston and rig set you can get from toyota? if you know

most quality stuff you get is normally from toyota ....as aftermarket stuff is gunky...same for pistons and rings?

 

[FJ40Jim]

JohnnyC, The largest O/S that was available from Toyota was 1.5mm (.061"). But it now seems that all the larger sizes, .75, 1.00, 1.50, are NLA.

Rings are no problem to have made in any size. In the past, the rings have been custom ordered from Hasting for the 1.5mm pistons, and they've arrived here in a week for ~$100.

Aftermarket quality varies widely. There's the Chicomm ITM stuff, and then theres the US made Badger pistons, and I've gotten some Toyota pistons in aftermarket boxes from (IIRC) Sealed Power.

All discontinued now.

 

[Ol'40]

Jim, wouldnt it be far easier to just grab another 2f and use and re build the block. They must be common and fairly easy to obtain over there considering the rate of v8 conversions...

Gaz...

 

[FJ40Jim]

I have 3 of the 78 vintage engines in my pile. All of them are worn and need bore. Wait, no, one of them has trenches in the cylinders, so needs sleeved & rebored. Either way, any engine of this vintage is gonna need rebuilt & bored, which normally a non-event. The only problem we're having today is finding pistons to allow for a large overbore.

If it becomes really necessary, the way going forward is to outfit every rebuild with a new or used 81-later cylinder head and corresponding flattop pistons. I'm just trying to save the customer some money (not buy a new head) and keep his truck period correct.

 

[canucksafari]

Have you tried Australia to source pistons? I know Cruiser-guy said a while ago that this outfit was good at supplying hard to find parts: http://www.gwengineparts.com.au/4wd-commercial.php

 

[duffontap]

JohnnyC, The largest O/S that was available from Toyota was 1.5mm (.061"). But it now seems that all the larger sizes, .75, 1.00, 1.50, are NLA.

Rings are no problem to have made in any size. In the past, the rings have been custom ordered from Hasting for the 1.5mm pistons, and they've arrived here in a week for ~$100.

Aftermarket quality varies widely. There's the Chicomm ITM stuff, and then theres the US made Badger pistons, and I've gotten some Toyota pistons in aftermarket boxes from (IIRC) Sealed Power.

All discontinued now.

JT Outfitters shows 1F and 2F O/S piston sets (.50-1.50mm over) all in stock. I take it they are not worth using?

http://www.jtoutfitters.com/piston-wpin-land-cruisers-overbore-p-3639.html

 

[OGBeno]

If it becomes really necessary, the way going forward is to outfit every rebuild with a new or used 81-later cylinder head and corresponding flattop pistons. I'm just trying to save the customer some money (not buy a new head) and keep his truck period correct.

I was thinking about this option as well Jim. While more costly initially, I think that parts availability will be significantly better.

Hell, I have 20 2F's sitting and staring at me. Want some?

 

[Ol'40]

Have you tried Australia to source pistons? I know Cruiser-guy said a while ago that this outfit was good at supplying hard to find parts: http://www.gwengineparts.com.au/4wd-commercial.php

Hmmm, good suggestion, I was thinking along the same lines..
Post up exactly what you need. I'd be happy to try and source them from this end..
In the meantime I'll check around for 75-80 o/s dome top pistons..

Gaz...

 

[zebrabeefj40]

If it becomes really necessary, the way going forward is to outfit every rebuild with a new or used 81-later cylinder head and corresponding flattop pistons. I'm just trying to save the customer some money (not buy a new head) and keep his truck period correct.

I think I'd be talking to custom piston manufacturers at this point to get a cost comparison. New custom pistons vs. a new head that will need to get rebuilt too. Plus the later heads seem to be more prone to cracking. Since the GMC 270 pistons are close a piston manufacturer could also turn them down and regrind the barrel to fit a 2F. I think there are a few options yet to keep the older Cruisers on the road.


Nick

 

[Spike Strip]

I think the JT Outfitters pistons are flat-top. At least the ones in the pix. Trouble with JTO is you're never sure what you're getting and talking to one of the Bozos on the phone is useless...

 

[duffontap]

I think the JT Outfitters pistons are flat-top. At least the ones in the pix. Trouble with JTO is you're never sure what you're getting and talking to one of the Bozos on the phone is useless...

Ah, I see. Thanks!

Learning lots from this thread but it's a painful process. I can't believe I live in a world where my DD's engine may no longer be rebuildable. I'm in the process of swapping in my backup 2F right now. It better last.

 

[Spike Strip]

Even though pages say unavailable, sometimes O'reilly has 'em in the regional warehouse, so might be worth a try:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...=Search_03384_1276398_2976&pt=03384&ppt=C0365

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...=Search_03384_1276398_2976&pt=03384&ppt=C0365

 

[tyama]

If it becomes really necessary, the way going forward is to outfit every rebuild with a new or used 81-later cylinder head and corresponding flattop pistons. I'm just trying to save the customer some money (not buy a new head) and keep his truck period correct.

aren't the newer head and pistons what most people swap to when doing a rebuild or 1F swap to get the most out of their engines? I thought it was the way to go if you wanted to get more out of a 2F.

Great thread. Thanks for all the insight into what to look for when tearing down a motor.
ty

 

[FJ40Jim]

Even though pages say unavailable, sometimes O'reilly has 'em in the regional warehouse, so might be worth a try:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...=Search_03384_1276398_2976&pt=03384&ppt=C0365

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...=Search_03384_1276398_2976&pt=03384&ppt=C0365

I tried calling the local Oreilly store. They had none in their system. He said he could call Sealed power to see if they would be making more, but I had already heard from my machine shop that there will be no more.

 

[FJ40Jim]

aren't the newer head and pistons what most people swap to when doing a rebuild or 1F swap to get the most out of their engines? I thought it was the way to go if you wanted to get more out of a 2F.

The newer head is better from a performance standpoint. But I am seeing an alarming trend of cracked heads in the 81-newer trucks. It's as if the casting has an expiration date of 20 years. So if I was gonna put one on a customer truck, I would really want to use a brand new casting from Toyota for $900.

 

[OGBeno]

The newer head is better from a performance standpoint. But I am seeing an alarming trend of cracked heads in the 81-newer trucks. It's as if the casting has an expiration date of 20 years. So if I was gonna put one on a customer truck, I would really want to use a brand new casting from Toyota for $900.

If they were still available...

IMHO, the 3F-E is going to be the petrol engine of choice going forward.

And you can mate it to the H55F as a direct bolt in.

 

[Genesis4X4]

If they were still available...

IMHO, the 3F-E is going to be the petrol engine of choice going forward.

And you can mate it to the H55F as a direct bolt in.

Really? A direct bolt-in to which truck? Bolting a 3F-E into a 40 is not an afternoon project. Throwing in a H55F adds other significant hurdles. Dont get me wrong, I like the set-up you describe, but a 8/80-87 2F loves the 75-80 40 series in a way that the 3F-E cant replicate.

 

[OGBeno]

Really? A direct bolt-in to which truck? Bolting a 3F-E into a 40 is not an afternoon project. Throwing in a H55F adds other significant hurdles. Dont get me wrong, I like the set-up you describe, but a 8/80-87 2F loves the 75-80 40 series in a way that the 3F-E cant replicate.

I meant bolting in an H55F to a 3F-E.

Jim can take care of everything else.

 

[FJ40Jim]

The 61040 us-spec 2F head may be discontinued, but the 61050/60/70 head are still available, just not through conventional channels.