Builds Just had to treat myself for Halloween... 65 SWB (1 Viewer)

[whitey45]

Dom,

I can’t believe you’ve never had the top off?? San Diego, top off, windshield down.......= a good time! I remember almost pulling the trigger on this truck, it sure found a good home! Merry Christmas!!

 

[wngrog]

Congrats!!

 

[1973Guppie]

So this turned out to be the right recipe:

View attachment 1862006

Thorough cleaning (again) and the magic was either the Toyota FIPG or I hadn’t drank enough Modelo’s.

Probably will never know.

Either way it passed the 5 minute idle test and 15 minute test drive. Might be the best Christmas present all year!

I usually use JB weld as that galley is being closed up permanently, but guessing the first time it was not clean enough? Glad you got it figured out....

 

[DomSmith]

Dom,

I can’t believe you’ve never had the top off?? San Diego, top off, windshield down.......= a good time! I remember almost pulling the trigger on this truck, it sure found a good home! Merry Christmas!!

Brian-

I’m so glad you didn’t! It made my buy that much easier as it was close to home and the guy trailered it to the house!

The top hasn’t been off mostly out of fear of the damage/condition of the seals/rubber. The 40 lives in the garage with the top off so the desire is a bit muted on this one.

One of these days.

 

[DomSmith]

Noah-

I think you’re right. The second time I sealed it up I cleaned it and went right to work on it. The THIRD time I cleaned it all up and let it dry overnight. To my surprise overnight the oil had been draining out quite a bit more so I started over again. I don’t think it was dry the second time.

Hoping it passes the freeway test.

We’ll see if there are any other little leaks once I’m sure this one is solved.

This UV stuff is great. Thanks to @cruiserbrett for the suggestion.

 

[DomSmith]

So the oil galley plug is good. However, the leak that is causing a mess beneath the truck is not resolved. Today I cleaned everything up, removed the clutch cover and started some serious investigating.

Bad news.

At first I thought it was coming from the back of the oil pan but no. There’s a leak coming from inside the bellhousing. It’s getting slung up around the inside and then drains down and drips off the cover.

So out comes the transmission to see what the culprit is. I already ordered an oil pan gasket but I’ll add a rear main seal...

Bad week to stop drinking beer.

 

[KT40]

Fortunately, once you are in there, the rear main is easy to change.

 

[1973Guppie]

So the oil galley plug is good. However, the leak that is causing a mess beneath the truck is not resolved. Today I cleaned everything up, removed the clutch cover and started some serious investigating.

Bad news.

At first I thought it was coming from the back of the oil pan but no. There’s a leak coming from inside the bellhousing. It’s getting slung up around the inside and then drains down and drips off the cover.

So out comes the transmission to see what the culprit is. I already ordered an oil pan gasket but I’ll add a rear main seal...

Bad week to stop drinking beer.

would it help for me to come over and drink beer and watch you?

Noah

 

[DomSmith]

Probably








Not

 

[1973Guppie]

I usually use JB weld as that galley is being closed up permanently, but guessing the first time it was not clean enough? Glad you got it figured out....

read this and remember this is not right, I tap the hole, and then use jb weld on the threads of an allen head rounded head bolt. Permanent fix.

 

[DomSmith]

^^Thats what I figured you meant anyway.

 

[1973Guppie]

^^Thats what I figured you meant anyway.

lol yeah, I just did not someone else to read that and just slap some jb weld in there......

 

[DomSmith]

Finally built up the courage to take this rig off the road to determine WTF is going on with the oil leak. Pretty smooth removal of the tranny/transfer and only a couple small hiccups due to the 3FE conversion:

1- Clutch fork pivot bolt had to be removed to get the pressure plate off.

2- Had to loosen the exhaust bolts at the manifold collector to move the down pipe over to get the flywheel out. Meh

UV dye all over the place in the bellhousing. Pressure plate and disc look ok so that’s good. I don’t think it’s the rear main so that’s a win as well. Not too excited to fix this though...

Waiting to hear back from my buddy who borrowed my engine hoist a few months ago. As soon as it arrives I’ll support the back of the engine and pull the bellhousing.

Then I’ll look at the plug and hopefully it’s a quick fix.

 

[DomSmith]

Engine hoist in place and removed the bellhousing without much trouble. Need to use some brake cleaner to get all the residual oil out from the inside.

Dusted off this little piggie and got to work on removing the expansion plug. Luckily I had taped new batteries inside the helmet knowing I would need them...

Long bolt tacked on...

A few washers and spacers along with the front hub socket and voila...

Removed...

Unfortunately I destroyed 2 new Toyota expansion plugs I had on the shelf trying to get one in while crumpled up under the truck. I was hoping to have it installed and drying for a test start/leak check in 24 hours. That’s not going to happen. And with Valentines Day Thursday I think this thing is dead in the water for a week or so.

Anyone have a trick on how best to get these in with out f’ing them all up? I was using a perfectly sized socket and a dead blow hammer...

 

[1973Guppie]

I don't have alot of experience in this particular area Dom but I would say you might do yourself a favor and put them in the freezer before installing. I do this with axle races and it makes it alot less work with the pounding

Noah

 

[DomSmith]

Update:

Sorry for the long delay...

Well I replaced the expansion plug and the rear main seal back in February. Also realized after taking off the flywheel that the flywheel bolts thread into open holes that I believe are oil passages. Uhhhhh. Maybe thread sealer would have been appropriate?! The F and 2F have machined threads that don’t have passages so this was an oversight on my part. Embarrassing. Pretty sure the leak was from the bolts the whole time.

Hopefully someone will read this and save themselves the headache. Good news: No leaks with thread sealer on the bolts... and a new plug and a new rear main.

But 6 months later not a drop of oil from this rig.

Still need to deal with the tranny hump and a parking brake that’s not working. I think something came loose. To much going on to deal with it for now.

Did add this...

Not that I can hand crank a 3FE but I still like it.

 

[DomSmith]

11 years of ownership today!

had to get some new tires a couple weeks ago because the original BFG KM tall skinnies failed on the sidewall.

Super bummed I couldn't get the originals again so settled for KM3’s.

11 years later I’m as happy I bought it as the day I brought it home.

Not a lot to report but planning on re-gearing sometime this year!

 

[fjwagon]

Yup, I remembered thinking how did I miss this threading initially. I had missed an entire page before I found it Anyhow, congates on the 11 years ownership.

 

[DomSmith]

Just re-read through a few pages of this thread looking for some VSS info and realized how fun the journey has been. I've enjoyed the pictures of my daughter and was reminded of how much my local friends and MUD cruiserheads have helped me along the way. I think I need to get it together and re-connect with these rigs.

I have not been working on the cruisers even with the stay at home orders but after tonight I'm a little more energized about a few projects.

1- I'm going to drain the gear oil and sort out the parking brake problem. It gets hung up in reverse so I think something isn't releasing correctly. Just been making excuses why I can't.

2- I'm going to order the Rostra cruise control I have on the 40 and add it to this rig. I will be using the much simpler push button controls and will hide them rather than the stalk style I have on the 40.

3- I'm going to see if my buddy can tackle the tranny hump while things are slow.

All in all I appreciate the MUD community, the suggestions and support of many of those I've never even met in person and look forward to getting back to tinkering...

 

[1973Guppie]

FYI, I have used those Rostra cruise controls a few times and they are really cheap and end up breaking eventually. I wish someone made a similar model but better quality components.