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mcgarrett91

Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Threads
20
Messages
102
Location
Manassas, VA
Hello,

I just got my first FJ40 and wanted to introduce myself to the group. It's a 1980 with V8 350 conversion and 4" lift, but mostly stock otherwise. My first order of business is getting some things fixed that were flagged during the VA state inspection today. Unfortunately, the pre-purchase inspection didn't find these issues, even though they should have. Guess I'll be complaining to the inspection company tomorrow.

I'm not really a wrench-turner (yet), so I'll gladly welcome any and all mechanical guidance from the experts out there.

Michael Milner
Manassas
FJ40.jpg
 
Fail:
- Driver's seat belt frayed
- Reverse lights not working
- Parking brake light (on dash) not working
- Defroster not blowing

Recommended fixes:
- Adjustment of rear and parking brake
- Battery hold-down

My own observations:
- Dash lights very dim
- Wipers move painfully slowly
- Wiper spritzers not working
- Interior dome light not working
- Speedometer jumping around
- Too much play in steering wheel
- Front heater not blowing hot air (rear one is fine)

Again, I would have expected the pre-purchase inspection to identify all of these shortcomings. I might have still bought the vehicle, but I'd have offered less. I had planned to add the Vintage Air AC kit sometime in the future, but I wonder if I should sink $ into fixing the heat/defroster in the meantime.

Thanks in advance for any expert guidance.

Michael
 
Welcome Michael. Where are you in Manassas?
 
:Dr. Ed....paging Dr. Ed, you have a patient who needs a frontal relay insertion and possibly a harness-ectomy!

Welcome Michael! You have a few knowledgable Cruiserheads living right in your area.

Seatbelts can be addressed by contacting anyone of several Cruiser supply companies (I recommend Mark's Off Road, he is very knowledgable and a nice guy too; there are also others that advertise on IH8MUD).

You will several options to resolve the electrical issues. I'll let the resident electrical guru, Dr. Ed give you guidance on your soon to be relationship with relays and other methods for getting more juice to the lights. wiper motors, and dash lights. He's part witch doctor so he can also help to exorcise the gremlins that have taken over your blower motor.

As for the problem with too much play in the steering wheel, have you tried to stop playing with the steering wheel? :D Talk to TRFCSUX, he knows all about too much play in the steering wheel.
 
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I Just removed my parking brake light on the dash to pass inspection. Try a new inspector too. Your other issues shouldn't be too bad. Do some searches in the 40 section and you'll find fixes for the brake lights and heater blower problems.

Think the new Guy needs a Ham day with Electron Man Ed leading the way!
 
mcgarrett91 said:
Mailing address is Manassas, but actually just south of there in the county off of Davis Ford Road.
Click to expand...

Sounds like we're just a few miles from each other. I'm off Brentsville Rd. You'll have to swing by one day with your 40 when we're working on Jon's (StaleAle). If you need a hand doing a quick check on your steering and parking brake just let me know. Ed is the electronic wizard, he can find things pretty quick and make them seem so simple.
By the way that is a sweet looking 40

Tom
 
Thornton said:
Sounds like we're just a few miles from each other. I'm off Brentsville Rd. You'll have to swing by one day with your 40 when we're working on Jon's (StaleAle). If you need a hand doing a quick check on your steering and parking brake just let me know. Ed is the electronic wizard, he can find things pretty quick and make them seem so simple.
By the way that is a sweet looking 40

Tom
Click to expand...
I'm ordering the new seat belts today, which seems like an easy fix. I have two weeks to get it reinspected at no charge if I've resolved the other issues. If I can get assistance from you or any other club members, that would be great. The other option is to have the repair shop try to fix it, though that's probably a blasphemous thought on these forums.

Michael
 
And thanks to everyone for the compliments on the Cruiser.

Michael
 
mcgarrett91 said:
Fail:
- Driver's seat belt frayed
- Reverse lights not working
- Parking brake light (on dash) not working
- Defroster not blowing

Recommended fixes:
- Adjustment of rear and parking brake
- Battery hold-down

My own observations:
- Dash lights very dim
- Wipers move painfully slowly
- Wiper spritzers not working
- Interior dome light not working
- Speedometer jumping around
- Too much play in steering wheel
- Front heater not blowing hot air (rear one is fine)

Again, I would have expected the pre-purchase inspection to identify all of these shortcomings. I might have still bought the vehicle, but I'd have offered less. I had planned to add the Vintage Air AC kit sometime in the future, but I wonder if I should sink $ into fixing the heat/defroster in the meantime.

Thanks in advance for any expert guidance.

Michael
Click to expand...

If you don't mind me asking, who did the pre-purchase inspection?

The seat belt is an easy fix with a new or used good belt.
Reverse lights could be, switch, bulbs, grounds, or wiring, should not be too hard to fix.
Parking brake light on dash could be burned out bulb, wiring, switch, or ground also.
Defroster not blowing is probably because the vent hoses fell off the vents behind the dash. BTDT. But it sounds like your blower motor is bad, hence no front heat blowing.

Dim dash lights are from the factory stock. A few different ways to improve this.
Windshield washer motor is probably bad, they are still available via Rock Auto if not at the dealer. My wipers are not super fast either but I don't consider them slow.
Dome light is probably burned out bulb or wiring.
Lube the speedo cable will take care of bouncing needle; at least it did for me.

Play in the steering is all too common and depending on where the slop is you may be addressing a few different areas for fixing.

Nice looking 40! Take up Tom on his offer for a visit, he will be able to point out anything strange.
 
John Smith said:
If you don't mind me asking, who did the pre-purchase inspection?

The seat belt is an easy fix with a new or used good belt.
Reverse lights could be, switch, bulbs, grounds, or wiring, should not be too hard to fix.
Parking brake light on dash could be burned out bulb, wiring, switch, or ground also.
Defroster not blowing is probably because the vent hoses fell off the vents behind the dash. BTDT. But it sounds like your blower motor is bad, hence no front heat blowing.

Dim dash lights are from the factory stock. A few different ways to improve this.
Windshield washer motor is probably bad, they are still available via Rock Auto if not at the dealer. My wipers are not super fast either but I don't consider them slow.
Dome light is probably burned out bulb or wiring.
Lube the speedo cable will take care of bouncing needle; at least it did for me.

Play in the steering is all too common and depending on where the slop is you may be addressing a few different areas for fixing.

Nice looking 40! Take up Tom on his offer for a visit, he will be able to point out anything strange.
Click to expand...
New seat belts ordered today. Should be here soon.

The reverse lights aren't the bulbs, so must be something electrical. Same with the parking brake light, which works occasionally.

AiM Mobile Inspections did the pre-purchase inspection, and they'll be getting some feedback today.

Michael
 
Congrats on a nice looking first cruiser! Thats a pretty weak PPI you got there and definately deserves a complaint though.

I was not at all mechanically inclined when I bought mine but they are pretty straight forward machines and you can learn a lot and get pretty confident with them fairly quickly...

Welcome to the cruiser community.
 
John Smith said:
... Take up Tom on his offer for a visit, he will be able to point out anything strange.
Click to expand...

There's a lot of "strange" wandering around this neck of VA...perhaps even on this forum:D
 
Welcome there is a wealth of knowledge on this forum.

A couple of relays; some new wire be better then new.

Chris
 
mcgarrett91 said:
Mailing address is Manassas, but actually just south of there in the county off of Davis Ford Road.
Click to expand...

Well, howdy, neighbor! I'm around the corner of Davis Ford and Bacon Race Rd.

Hope to meet you next Wednesday (January 5th) at Kilroy's...or if not then, perhaps on January 15th at Iron Pig in Fredericksburg.
 
SAS said:
Well, howdy, neighbor! I'm around the corner of Davis Ford and Bacon Race Rd.

Hope to meet you next Wednesday (January 5th) at Kilroy's...or if not then, perhaps on January 15th at Iron Pig in Fredericksburg.
Click to expand...


Hey guys, don't forget the Holiday get together at Brione's on Saturday 1/8!
 
SAS said:
Well, howdy, neighbor! I'm around the corner of Davis Ford and Bacon Race Rd.

Hope to meet you next Wednesday (January 5th) at Kilroy's...or if not then, perhaps on January 15th at Iron Pig in Fredericksburg.
Click to expand...
I'm in Occoquan Forest, very close indeed.

Any suggestions for resolving an issue with rough idling/stalling? The vehicle came from Colorado, so I'm not sure if the altitude change has anything to do with it. Lake Ridge Auto is doing the reinspection today, but they don't have anyone who can work on an "older" vehicle.

Michael
 
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