Build Jackie: 1996 FZJ80 Survivor. A rolling resurrection

[chbrow10]

So a while ago my ABS light came on and the code says it was the ABS pump motor. This is after the lift and the P315 tires so I decide to do the ABS & LSPV delete (the LSPV was leaking anyway). I did a few leak checks and all was good. Even after bleeding, the pedal was still on the soft side. I could lock up the tires on dry pavement, so I decided it was good enough. I did this in preparation for an upcoming Colorado trip, where I knew good braking would be a necessity. The trip went fine (posts below) but the pedal still was soft and seemed softer upon my return. I'll bleed the brakes again this weekend and maybe the master cylinder, and I'll see what happens. I'm a little concerned its the master cylinder or booster.

 

[chbrow10]

We spent 4 days in the San Juan mountains, staying in Ouray and 1 night camping in Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. I drove Jackie out there and my son drove his Sequoia. My other son and his Fiancé flew in from Austin. It took 2 days to drive out there and 2 days to drive back. All in all, the over 3400 miles of driving.

We did all the popular passes in the San Juans and Medano Pass road in the Great Sand Dunes National park/preserve.

 

[chbrow10]

Great Sand Dunes National Park is the coolest thing, in the most unexpected of places. In the middle of the Rockies is this huge set of sand dunes. The wind blew them there across the San Luis Valley over thousands of years. You can't drive on them, but Medano Pass Road gets you very close, and the road is very sandy in spots. We camped at the highest camping spot on the preserve side (# 5.8), so we could have a campfire legally. No fires on the National Forest side of the pass. The site was about 9700 feet above sea level. I think that was the highest we've ever tent camped.

 

[chbrow10]

The only mechanical issues we had was that the Sequoia had a #2 coil pack fail, and for some weird reason my lug nuts got loose on the drive back. So lessoned learned, recheck those every few days when wheeling, and definitely before we drive home.

 

[chbrow10]

Brakes still aren't right. First start of the day, the brake pedal goes right to the floor. After its been running a bit, they are better. Almost normal.

 

[ppc]

Brakes still aren't right. First start of the day, the brake pedal goes right to the floor. After its been running a bit, they are better. Almost normal.

After the pedal goes to the floor on the first start, can you pump the brakes again to get a hard pedal?
If that is the case then I suspect that you have loose front wheel bearings that allows runout of the rotors pushing the pads away from the rotor.

 

[chbrow10]

No, I cannot. With the engine off, it continues to go to the floor slowly. When I start the car and drive it around, the pedal is much better, almost normal.

 

[ppc]

No, I cannot. With the engine off, it continues to go to the floor slowly. When I start the car and drive it around, the pedal is much better, almost normal.

I'm confused with your response. You stated the pedal immediately "goes right to the floor" on first start. What happens when you press the brake before starting. Does is go to the floor immediately or builds some resistance and then slowly goes to the floor. In either case running or not what happens when you pump the brake pedal once, twice or more. How are you even able to shift in gear without the brakes applied? The shift lockout would still work to allow movement of the shifter but without brakes you going to crash into something.

A pedal that slowly goes to the floor points to defective seals in the master cylinder or a leak in the system. If you are not seeing the fluid level drop in the reservoir over time then there is no leak just bad seals.

A brake booster that loses vacuum may take several seconds running to generate enough vacuum. Try starting the motor and wait 30 seconds for vacuum before touching the brakes. If that helps then you may need a new check valve and vacuum hose.

 

[chbrow10]

I'm confused with your response. You stated the pedal immediately "goes right to the floor" on first start. What happens when you press the brake before starting. Does is go to the floor immediately or builds some resistance and then slowly goes to the floor. In either case running or not what happens when you pump the brake pedal once, twice or more. How are you even able to shift in gear without the brakes applied? The shift lockout would still work to allow movement of the shifter but without brakes you going to crash into something.

A pedal that slowly goes to the floor points to defective seals in the master cylinder or a leak in the system. If you are not seeing the fluid level drop in the reservoir over time then there is no leak just bad seals.

A brake booster that loses vacuum may take several seconds running to generate enough vacuum. Try starting the motor and wait 30 seconds for vacuum before touching the brakes. If that helps then you may need a new check valve and vacuum hose.

Here is what happens.

Car off: pedal is very hard and not moving much

Immediately after engine start when the car has been sitting for a day+: pressing the brake prior to start, then starting the car, pedal goes to the very bottom of its travel, not all the way to the floor but it seems like 80% of the way. Releasing the pedal then pressing again the pedal offers some resistance but if you press firmly it will travel all the way to the same position.

After the car has been drive a while, the pedal seems to firm up more. But even then, at a stop light, I can still press the pedal firmly and the pedal will travel 80% of the way to the bottom. Occasionally I hear a noise from the booster/master cylinder area when this happens.

ABS and LSPV have been deleted. Fluid level indicates that the system is not leaking. Running P315 tires (34.6") and can get the brakes will lock up on dry pavement every time.

PO replaced the master with a reman unit. I suspect the master is leaking past the seals. A new Aisin/Advics BMT-046 Brake Master Cylinder is $80. I'm about to load the parts cannon.

 

[ppc]

PO replaced the master with a reman unit. I suspect the master is leaking past the seals. A new Aisin/Advics BMT-046 Brake Master Cylinder is $80. I'm about to load the parts cannon

The slowly dropping pedal with no leak most likely points to leaking seals. Do you know what brand the PO installed? I would get the new. raisin but never get a cheap remanufactured from your FLAPS.

It also sounds like your booster is starting to fail. Did the PO also have that replaced? The distance the brake pedal travel points to misadjustment of the clevis rod during the previous replacement.

 

[chbrow10]

The slowly dropping pedal with no leak most likely points to leaking seals. Do you know what brand the PO installed? I would get the new. raisin but never get a cheap remanufactured from your FLAPS.

It also sounds like your booster is starting to fail. Did the PO also have that replaced? The distance the brake pedal travel points to misadjustment of the clevis rod during the previous replacement.

What makes you think the booster is failing? The noise?

 

[ppc]

Yes

 

[chbrow10]

Now that I put about 26k on the car, and knowing the compression issue with #5, I wanted to do a compression check.

Now granted, here is the latest oil analysis. No coolant contamination. No abnormal wear.

Recall from earlier, that when I bought the car: here are the numbers:


#1: 185
#2: 190
#3: 200
#4: 190
#5: 130
#6: 195

Minimum is 128. As of today, they are


#1: 180
#2: 185
#3: 180
#4: 180
#5: 85
#6: 185


yikes. Talk about living on borrowed time.

 

[BILT4ME]

Now that I put about 26k on the car, and knowing the compression issue with #5, I wanted to do a compression check.

Now granted, here is the latest oil analysis. No coolant contamination. No abnormal wear.



View attachment 4014156



Recall from earlier, that when I bought the car: here are the numbers:


#1: 185
#2: 190
#3: 200
#4: 190
#5: 130
#6: 195

Minimum is 128. As of today, they are


#1: 180
#2: 185
#3: 180
#4: 180
#5: 85
#6: 185


yikes. Talk about living on borrowed time.

That's why this is just one diagnostic tool.
A HG failure does not require coolant contamination. Yes, it is most common, but not 100%.

Also, temp of the engine can affect the test results. If it was not as warm when you started, it can lower the numbers compared to th last time.

You'll notice the numbers are all lower by at least 5 points. That could be "operator error".

The first time I ran compression tests on mine, I about freaked because all my numbers were too low. I did all the tests with a cold engine.

Was this engine changed it late 2023, early 2024?

 

[chbrow10]

That's why this is just one diagnostic tool.
A HG failure does not require coolant contamination. Yes, it is most common, but not 100%.

Also, temp of the engine can affect the test results. If it was not as warm when you started, it can lower the numbers compared to th last time.

You'll notice the numbers are all lower by at least 5 points. That could be "operator error".

The first time I ran compression tests on mine, I about freaked because all my numbers were too low. I did all the tests with a cold engine.

Was this engine changed it late 2023, early 2024?

Both compression checks were done with the engine so hot I couldn’t touch the plugs when they came out. Compression increases when oil Is added to #5.

Jasper engine went in about 1998.

 

[BILT4ME]

Both compression checks were done with the engine so hot I couldn’t touch the plugs when they came out. Compression increases when oil Is added to #5.

Jasper engine went in about 1998.

What changed at the end of 2023?
You had high iron, copper, lead, etc then those dropped dramatically.
New oil brand, type, viscosity?

Adding oil and that changes the compression numbers indicates rings going bad.

 

[chbrow10]

What changed? I did a number of B12 treatments, long road trips, high detergent oil changes, etc. I think it was the road trips mainly. Got the engine good and hot for a long time.

Concur on the rings. That was my first suspicion.

 

[chbrow10]

Just did a leakdown test on #5. The exhaust valve(s) is leaking. Not what I was expecting.

 

[chbrow10]

And so it begins.