Just checking in - I'm out west, BJ60 didn't make it... (1 Viewer)

[ngiri]

Drive it Bro!
Your first "Cruiser Expedition" how cool is that?

Have faith, she'll get you here.


OK, now I gotta go back to preping for Moab, I don't drive no trailer queen, ya know

 

[roscoFJ73]

You mentioned 4 alternators I find it hard to believe 4 could die in a short time. Are the ones Toyota selling authentic Denso type?. $440 seems too cheap from a dealer.

 

[peterdouglas]

Drive it Bro!
Your first "Cruiser Expedition" how cool is that?

Have faith, she'll get you here.


OK, now I gotta go back to preping for Moab, I don't drive no trailer queen, ya know

A little adventure is OK... just not too much, like being stranded in the middle of nowhere needing an impossible to find part.

You mentioned 4 alternators I find it hard to believe 4 could die in a short time. Are the ones Toyota selling authentic Denso type?. $440 seems too cheap from a dealer.

They didn't exactly die in a short period of time - they never worked from the minute they were installed! None of them were putting out a charge. They were tested at independent stores as well as by Toyota themselves and proven to be defective. Finally after the third defective alternator, they did some research. Three weeks later, they got the 4th one, and it was OK. I believe they were the authentic Denso type - I don't recall. Brand new - not rebuilt. I thought $440 CAD + taxes was quite a bit! Considering I'd just spend a few grand on other stuff in the weeks prior.

 

[MOTERRA]

just a fluke to test you ..I have had these type of problems before with parts. not toyota, usually cheap parts. they can be assembled poorly at the factory. even a whole shipment maybe of alt's could get damaged or be faulty. Most parts go in container ships then get trucked around the world so never know.
my two pennies....cheers


You should go get it and run it back.

 

[brownbear]

there's more support in BC for cruisers than anywhere else in Canada IMOP. Just go get it.

 

[ngiri]

A little adventure is OK... just not too much, like being stranded in the middle of nowhere needing an impossible to find part. ]

Memories, Peter, and cool stories.

I believe the Cruiser Assistance Club list is still around, it may not be up to date but it has been a boon to many on this list.
Sorry I can't find a link, but I can e-mail you the pdf of the last one I have (Jan 06).

Does anyone have an update to this or more info?

Thing is that even if the CAC is out of date, the folks on it are or were Cruiserheads and would gladly help you out.

Regards ,
Dave

 

[rchalmers3]

Peter D,

Y'know, there's at least 2 different ways to travel: One way is to plan and prepare until the trip itself is a non-event. The other is to just go and deal with whatever does (or dosen't) happen.

I have found it a tremendous pleasure and enriching experience to have problems out on the road. I find out who I am (Mcguyver!!!) and more importantly, I meet kind people willing to assist me.

Meeting and receiving the assistance of strangers is the most rewarding travel experience I have ever known. Having been the reciepient of help, contributing to others who are in need is now something I can give.

I look forward to your sucessfull journey, however you choose to travel,

Rick

 

[MrMoMo]

How can you NOT do it !?!?

If your alternator dies again, you can just keep driving. I drove for a few days with a non working alternator - just keep it down to essential circuits only! (day driving only using the radio your dual batteries should last quite a while!) Just charge them up at night.

You only really need the clutch for starting & stopping. In a pinch, you can roll the engine over in gear to get going, after that you can shift without the clutch at the right speeds.

Take lots of spare fluids, oil, coolant, zip ties... I'm pretty sure there is a list of "essentials" around. You'd be surprized how long you can keep something mobile for when you really need to!

It's all about the adventure like everyone is saying... then you can post up about it here and we'll all be jealous. (be sure you take pictures!)

There are plenty of folks along the way who I'm sure could lend a hand if you really get into trouble - but you won't 'cuz these cruisers are built like tanks.

Wouldn't it feel like a waste to leave/sell a perfectly good cruiser that you are just getting all the work done on, and sell it for minimal cash - when you could just keep driving it and having fun. BC is THE place to have one!

We all await your Trans-Canada travel write up thread (with lots of pictures)!!

GO FOR IT!!

 

[ivanhoe]

hi peter,
just to make you feel at ease, north bay ontario is a cruiser pit stopif in need! like everyone else, drive it back to BC or i'm coming to barrie to take it home, lol!

 

[peterdouglas]

Awesome! Thanks for the support guys. I could really use the Cruiser here in BC - not just for the utility of it (cargo space, etc), but for the enjoyment I get driving it. I'm not the world's best mechanic by far, although I do work well under pressure (sometimes) And every time I see a Land Cruiser driving around, it makes me wish I had mine again. (and yes, there are quite a few around here - even saw one my first day here)!

Like I said before, a bit of adventure is fun, but not too much! For sure I'll take pictures along the way. I'm flying out on May 6, and will drive the Cruiser all around Barrie for a couple of weeks. Need to help my parents with some things around the house, etc. Then on May 22, if the Cruiser is running well, I will drive it to Montreal (otherwise I take my mother's Corolla or dad's Taurus or the bus)! And then, finally, I come back a few days later and will load up the BJ60 and head out around the last few days of May or first few days of June. I'll have to get in touch with those of you along the way in case I need help!

Just talking with my parents, and it looks like I'm going to haul back a bunch of stuff after all and it will be all tightly and carefully packed (if, I mean, since I'm taking the Cruiser). So, a border crossing may not be a good idea. I might have to drive through Northern Ontario after all, instead of the Michigan to Manitoba route. Since there will be lots of gear shifting through the mountains, I should probably change the clutch slave cylinder before leaving.

 

[Crash_AB]

Cruising Canada

Keeping the cruiser is a no-brainer. It will be awesome in kelowna, and the hill up to big white will be a peice of cake, no matter how big the dump. And a Bj60 is WAY cooler than the granny-driver. If worst comes to worst, you sell that pig to pay for cruiser repairs...

I would say definitely go for it. Stay in Canada the whole way - I've done a few trips out to montreal, and North of Superior in the afternoon light is worth any aggravation it may cause by tackling those hills in 2nd or 3rd. Absolutely wonderful driving. I've done the interstate route south and I vowed to never do it again - it's brutal, too fast in the fast bits and too slow in the cities / construction zones. Go for the calmer, more interesting drive. There's still plenty of traffic should you run into trouble - and IF you do run into a problem, people will be much more willing to pull off and help on the side of that road than the interstate...

North of Superior, across the prairies, and into the rockies is an incredible drive - I've done it many times, in some terrifying weather, in everything from a 68 fleetwood to a Hyundai Accent {shudder} Its simply amazing, and you wont find a more Canadian / inspiring experience. You wont regret it.

Count on another garage here in Calgary if you need, I'll even do up some alberta beef.

If, however you don't want the hassle of the 60 any more, I will be happy to take it of your hands for you... and drive it back here.


Cheers,
Crash

 

[mac]

Amen to that. I love North Superior. I did that route in a worn out, 81 BJ60 hauling a 6x12 enclosed cargo trailer fully loaded. Use your gears, go slow, enjoy the scenery, change your slave cylinder. Not nescessarily in that order.

I found the Prairies much harder on my truck than the Rockies or North Superior. It's a long, long pull with no opportunity to build momentum.

 

[peterdouglas]

Keeping the cruiser is a no-brainer. It will be awesome in kelowna, and the hill up to big white will be a peice of cake, no matter how big the dump. And a Bj60 is WAY cooler than the granny-driver. If worst comes to worst, you sell that pig to pay for cruiser repairs...

Yeah, I know, the BJ60 is awesome in snow! The winter of 2006-2007 in Barrie ON was my first winter with the BJ60. Just put on a set of 30" BFG All Terrain TA KO's and it was virtually unstoppable on unplowed roads and hills, even in 2wd! The only problems I had was starting in really cold weather, even with the block heater plugged in. Shouldn't be a problem in Kelowna though. I've been contemplating selling the granny Oldsmobile, but it is handy when I need to go incognito and just blend in with a respectable looking mainstream car (oh, and it's got whitewalls)! . The Jetta is pretty rough, but IS a diesel which I like, and more my style.

I would say definitely go for it. Stay in Canada the whole way - I've done a few trips out to montreal, and North of Superior in the afternoon light is worth any aggravation it may cause by tackling those hills in 2nd or 3rd.

I've done a few cross-country drives but always seemed to be in a hurry to get to the other end of the country. Maybe that's why I didn't enjoy Northern Ontario. It just seems like a never-ending road and the scenery doesn't change. At least it won't be snowy this time! I've driven across Canada in a Hyundai Pony (oh boy!), Nissan King Cab pickup, Ford Escort, Mercury Topaz, Toyota Matrix and part way in an F150. This will be my first time on diesel power.

Count on another garage here in Calgary if you need,

That's great, thanks! You guys are the best!
Hopefully I won't need to take you up on the offer of a garage, but maybe I can just pop by and say Hi.

I found the Prairies much harder on my truck than the Rockies or North Superior. It's a long, long pull with no opportunity to build momentum.

I never thought of it that way... the last time I did that drive was in a peppy 2006 Toyota Matrix and it had no problem keeping the momentum going. A BJ60 might not... The most gutless car I've done it in was a 1985 Hyundai Pony, but that was so long ago, I don't recall any significant problems, other than frying the battery-to-alternator wire in the middle of the night in rural Saskatchewan in the middle of winter!

 

[baxter650]

Drive it, but if you go through the U.S. change your money before you dip down.
Wife and i have driven back to Ont. three times now going through the U.S. twice, many places don't want to, or will not take Canadian funds.

 

[peterdouglas]

Drive it, but if you go through the U.S. change your money before you dip down.
Wife and i have driven back to Ont. three times now going through the U.S. twice, many places don't want to, or will not take Canadian funds.

I know what you mean. A few years ago, I was traveling through the US with a friend. We ran out of American money in Indiana and only had Canadian money left, and couldn't find a place that would accept it until we got to a supermarket in upstate Michigan about 1/2 hr from the CDN border.

I'd very much like to try the US route, but it looks like I'll be hauling quite a bit of cargo and don't really want to have to unpack and repack at the border. So, this time it may be the Canadian route again. Plus, someone said we have better quality diesel north of the border...

 

[baxter650]

Bring lots of music!

 

[ngiri]

Plus, someone said we have better quality diesel north of the border...

I can atest to that, my old BJ42 used to puke white smoke and run like "doodoo" till it warmed up, milage sucked too.
That was pretty much all over the western states from S Dakota to S California.
I'll be taking a couple of jugs of cetane boost on the Moab trip, way to hard on the old engine otherwise.

Dave

 

[brownbear]

I can atest to that, my old BJ42 used to puke white smoke and run like "doodoo" till it warmed up, milage sucked too.
That was pretty much all over the western states from S Dakota to S California.
I'll be taking a couple of jugs of cetane boost on the Moab trip, way to hard on the old engine otherwise.

Dave

It's probably changed a bit since then. All the manufactures have to sell Ultra low sulfer diesel engines, so the fuel has had to change on both sides. My guess is we are using the same fuel. Especially since most here from the USA have been saying that diesel is costing more than gas.

 

[MOTERRA]

I buy only the ultra low sulphur if possible here in Canada but should I use an additive aswell?

 

[brownbear]

I buy only the ultra low sulphur if possible here in Canada but should I use an additive aswell?

Only ultra low sulfer diesel(ULSD) is sold in Canada. Nothing else is available at the pump.

Lubricity additives sound like a good idea anyhow. I will continue to use them. The ULSD diesel is supposed to have better lubricity than the previous fuel 1.5 yrs ago.