Builds Let's Baseline my new to me 1993 Land Cruiser (4 Viewers)

[Fj80oregon]

I had a revelation today about the noise I thought was a failing u-joint. It has been continuing to make noise when in reverse, but not in Drive. I’m told this can happen and ujoints make noise in R when they are failing. Well, I was in reverse today and I heard the squeaking and then put it in N and let it continue to travel backwards and the noise instantly vanished. So being new to all this, could this still be my driveshaft squeaking? or am I missing something obvious?

Wouldn’t the drive shaft continue to turn in neutral? After I inspected the ujoints I couldn’t find any play when I was greasing them, but the grease that came out of them was pretty brown and nasty, so I know they are kind of abused.

I unsuccessfully tried to loosen the front driveshaft to check for play, but even with my long handled wrench’s I was not strong enough. Hey I’m not afraid to admit it...mostly.

Use some free all or some type of penetration oil for the next week spray them daily and they come right out. Also putting it up on stands and in neutral so you can rotate the shaft makes life easier.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

I got a pineapple in the mail from @FMC80 today. Did you all know he’s one helluva nice guy? No? Well now you do.

seriously, nice guy to send some extra bits that will be useful to me in my continuing baseline Extravaganza!

Thank you Pell! If I could bring you a six pack and a chocolate Haupia pie from that place on the way to the north shore I’d do it!

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Use some free all or some type of penetration oil for the next week spray them daily and they come right out. Also putting it up on stands and in neutral so you can rotate the shaft makes life easier.

I think this is the way. Thanks for the tip!

 

[FMC80]

I got a pineapple in the mail from @FMC80 today. Did you all know he’s one helluva nice guy? No? Well now you do. View attachment 2679756
seriously, nice guy to send some extra bits that will be useful to me in my continuing baseline Extravaganza!

Thank you Pell! If I could bring you a six pack and a chocolate Haupia pie from that place on the way to the north shore I’d do it!

Don’t be telling people I’m nice!! They might expect me to be.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Well here comes fall. After a long summer of many things not Land Cruiser related the time and space to attend to the rig are approaching. Mrs. PNWTreeOctopus and I have been hatching plans for a Utah trip this spring. Our youngest seems less likely to fling himself off of high places and into the void so Utah seems a more reasonable/ less stressful place now. That being said the Land Cruiser in my driveway needs some attention before I ask difficult things of it. What things are in the works you ask? Well I'm going to try and get after the remaining baseline issues that are bugging me and a few that outright need attention.

So here is the next phase of the project:

Oil Leaks:
Oil Pump Cover o-ring
Distributor o-ring
PS pump o-ring
PS Resivor replacement (crimp at cap is failing)
Low Oil sensor o-ring

Cooling System
New Radiator
New Asin Water pump
*I have new hoses and a t-stat from two years ago. I won't put new hoses on, but I may change the t-stat and o-ring to have a reliable spare. I'm also considering adding an aux temp gauge and replacing the oil in the fan clutch. Im reluctant to mess with my system since it hasn't had any cooling issues this far. These changes are for increased reliability in remote places.
Replacing a few of the smaller cooling lines under the intake manifold

Water leaks
New Windshield (current one is not original but looking terrible)
Toyota Windshield gasket (im outsourcing this one to a glass shop here in Bellingham that is willing to work with my parts)
Resealing plastic under door cards.

Rear Axle
New Bearings
New seals

Driveline
Replacing U-joints (spider kit) and cleaning disassembling the drive shafts.

Engine
New plugs, wires, rotor and dizzy cap
PCV Valve
Fuel Filter

Little Stuff
replacing door light switches in 2nd row. Both are semi functional.

This parts list for these items and the necessary gaskets, hoses and other associated items is already 75 items long and has taken way longer to compile than I was thinking. That being said I'm getting ready to make my parts orders and get things moving before it rains for 4 months straight and I have to cram this all into the garage rather than the driveway.

Here's a couple of photos because I'm longing for a journey out of town and into the dusty places nobody likes to go...So hopefully more baselining post are on their way.

 

[FMC80]

Greg,
Love this epic baselining journey you’re on. It’s going to feel really good when you’re finished with phase 1, baselining. Though, nothing is ever truly done with these rigs and that’s part of the allure.

I have some extra parts why don’t you send me a text and I can see what I have that you may need. I ended up with ransoms bits or extras.

Pell

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Ok, so I'm taking action around here. Had the front and rear wheels off for some brake inspection fun. I've had some interesting issues with my newish brake setup and im still not happy with how things are going.

The first thing has been an intermittent scraping noise (which turned out to be a rock in the dust shield. solved).

The second issue has been an intermittent squeaking noise. I was concerned that my NAPA calipers were already sticking and I had worn down to the little squeal tab (but upon inspecting the brakes all the pads have a lot of life left on them and none look immediately worn down. So my best guess is that the backs of the pads need some anti squeal paste on them. No too big a deal, but kind of a PITA. I'll plan on doing that today before the rain starts for 4 months tomorrow.

The last issue is the most troubling. When I'm slowing down my brakes have started to develop a pulse, which as me worried that my rotors have become warped. This is odd since I haven't put too many miles on the cruiser. That being said most of last winter's miles were up and down the Mt. Baker highway to take the family skiing, so it was salty nasty mucky wet milage. This pulsing was the genesis of the sticking caliper theory.

The post script to the last issue is that overall my brakes are pretty sluggish. I will bleed them again during my next round of baselining and see if I can get the LSPV adjusted properly, and bleed it properly, which I think I failed to do.

The rotors are newish (probably under 7k) and the calipers, despite being remained from NAPA, are also new and I replaced the soft lines with extended ones. I didn't replace my Master or Booster.

I had another discovery, the presence of gear oil in the driver's side rotor (identified by smell). Specifically located around the parking brake components and back side of the rotor mounting face. As stated in my previous post, I'm planning on a rear axle/ hub service so if the seals are done they will get replaced, but I also suspect the rear breather cap is jammed or gummed. I'm planning on extending that breather line as well as the front line to the engine compartment after baselining so either way those things will be fresh for another 235k miles.

Summary is: had a squeaky rock in the dust shield (Rear Passenger), have presence of gear oil in the Driver's parking brake drum/ back of rotor, a pulse at stopping and intermittent brake squealing. Overall brake system works pretty well, but is soft. I haven't driven an 80 on stock wheels, or one that was blead properly, so its hard to compare, but I think (hope?)it could be improved.


Some photos of dirty brakes and a little rock.

the offending rock:

Oily mess around the back of the driver's rotor. Parking brake components were relatively clean, but still had a bit of gear oil on them.

 

[FMC80]

Is the road to/from Mt Baker switchbacks or straight shot? Assumedly, your theory centers on if you were demanding a lot from your braking system/rotors, and the rotors became so hot they warped. Did you mention if these are NAPA as well? Not sure how they compare in terms of thickness to other manufactures but it stands to reason they could be more prone to warping due to material thickness. Or another theory is you made some missteps when you bedded in your brakes but I would think the issue would’ve presented sooner than 7K miles later. It’ll be interesting what you find once you get a caliper on the rotors to measure it.

 

[BILT4ME]

Is the road to/from Mt Baker switchbacks or straight shot? Assumedly, your theory centers on if you were demanding a lot from your braking system/rotors, and the rotors became so hot they warped. Did you mention if these are NAPA as well? Not sure how they compare in terms of thickness to other manufactures but it stands to reason they could be more prone to warping due to material thickness. Or another theory is you made some missteps when you bedded in your brakes but I would think the issue would’ve presented sooner than 7K miles later. It’ll be interesting what you find once you get a caliper on the rotors to measure it.

If it is rotor warp, sometimes you can re-bed your brakes, get them good and hot and it will solve the pulsating.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

@FMC80 everything is Toyota minus the calipers. I’m in doubt that I did the bed in process properly….mostly because I don’t what that process is. I was suspicious about the road not because of its steepest but because I drive it often and expose the underside to the de-icing salt. I think the pulsing started a long time ago but it was subtle and I thought I was being hyper sensitive about it all.

@BILT4ME I guess it’s time to get a micrometer and a dial caliper. HF here I come.

I’ll do my Homework today on the bedding in process and see how much I remember about my own steps. I’ll also post up the measurements once I get those measuring tools.

Thanks fellas.

 

[BILT4ME]

@FMC80 everything is Toyota minus the calipers. I’m in doubt that I did the bed in process properly….mostly because I don’t what that process is. I was suspicious about the road not because of its steepest but because I drive it often and expose the underside to the de-icing salt. I think the pulsing started a long time ago but it was subtle and I thought I was being hyper sensitive about it all.

@BILT4ME I guess it’s time to get a micrometer and a dial caliper. HF here I come.

I’ll do my Homework today on the bedding in process and see how much I remember about my own steps. I’ll also post up the measurements once I get those measuring tools.

Thanks fellas.

See the following for how the bed the brakes:

Rear brake squeal with new brakes.

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

See the following for how the bed the brakes:

Rear brake squeal with new brakes.

forum.ih8mud.com

Ahh! Very helpful. I don’t believe I ever did this.

So you are saying that I might be able to “re-bed” the brakes at this point? Is this typically done when replacing the rotor or pads or both? I’ll give it a shot.

Another question is if I was trying to diagnose a “sticky” caliper I would be looking for:
-uneven braking (pulling)
-uneven wear on pads (driver vs passenger)

What else? Will inspecting my pistons reveal clues? Is it worth pulling them again and trying to see if I can move pistons or not?

 

[BILT4ME]

. dubble bubble

 

[BILT4ME]

Ahh! Very helpful. I don’t believe I ever did this.

So you are saying that I might be able to “re-bed” the brakes at this point? Is this typically done when replacing the rotor or pads or both? I’ll give it a shot.

Another question is if I was trying to diagnose a “sticky” caliper I would be looking for:
-uneven braking (pulling)
-uneven wear on pads (driver vs passenger)

What else? Will inspecting my pistons reveal clues? Is it worth pulling them again and trying to see if I can move pistons or not?

If you have an infra red (IR) heat gun to check temps, check your rotor temps, hub temps after driving. A sticky caliper will show up as one rotor hotter than the others. The rear calipers only have pistons on one side, so a sticky caliper will wear only one pad heavily. It may be the inside pad where you cannot see it looking through the wheel.

The front calipers have 4 pistons and one piston can stick. Could be inside, outside, but you will also get uneven wear.

Yes, you need to re-bed the brakes. That can frequently "fix" rotor wobble. Sometimes if you've been on the highway where it's dry, the brakes are hot, then you drop off road and into a puddle, the fast temperature shock can warp a rotor. Doing the bedding process re-tempers the rotors and helps force them back again.

You may also have loose wheel bearings that can cause pulsations in braking.

If your truck pulls to the left when braking it can be:
1) Left front caliper sticking
2) Right front caliper not working
3) left rear caliper sticking
4) right rear caliper not working
5) LF wheel bearing loose causing bind with the rotor and caliper
6) low tire pressure on LF.


So, just because it is doing something does NOT mean it MUST be that corner.

 

[FMC80]

Ahh! Very helpful. I don’t believe I ever did this.

So you are saying that I might be able to “re-bed” the brakes at this point? Is this typically done when replacing the rotor or pads or both? I’ll give it a shot.

Another question is if I was trying to diagnose a “sticky” caliper I would be looking for:
-uneven braking (pulling)
-uneven wear on pads (driver vs passenger)

What else? Will inspecting my pistons reveal clues? Is it worth pulling them again and trying to see if I can move pistons or not?

I just bedded my brakes last night using a similar procedure as BILT4ME referenced. My understanding is to turn rotors with each brake pad replacement and bed the brakes each time they’re changed.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Very very helpful. Thanks!

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Small update here for both of you waiting to see if I actually get parts ordered and more baselining done. I have a pair of orders out, from a couple of Toyota parts vendors. I have 93 items coming from the infamous Partsouq, and a couple from Toyota parts deal. I'm hoping that beyond hope the order of parts from UAE all make it, and the OEM radiator from Toyota parts deal arrives unscathed.

As far as the Brake issues, I haven't put the wheels back on. There has been so much non cruiser stuff occurring that I've really only gotten to cleaning up the Engine compartment (topside only) and trying to visually assess the brakes has been all I can do.

Kids returning to school for the first time in...well a really long time, and a father with Alzheimer's make for good reasons to wrench on the truck, but the provide little time for it. But thats ok, I'm a grown up--comes with the job.

Because I know you like photos: Heres my clean-er engine compartment. I just learned that the engine sticker was only available on the early variants of the 1FZ-FE. Those OBDII dudes with their airbags and scanguages and turbos don't have this rad sticker. Oh and I can confirm that it started right up. I used full strength Simple green misted very very liberally and then agitating with various nylon brushes. It worked pretty well.

 

[baldilocks]

Looks like you used the same rubber plug I did when I deleted the PAIR system. LOL

Now you can get the 95-97 coolant return pipe and have room to install a food warmer tray/basket above the exhaust manifolds. I think that moving the O2 sensors to the manifolds is also a good thing to do keeping them higher and dryer.

93 items on order? Sounds like you’ll be busy for a long time. Glad to read that your family takes priority. I have to keep myself in check on that front and that takes a conscience effort.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Thankfully it’s not 93 projects. It’s like 87…

 

[florida95fzj]

@PNWTreeOctopus Inspiring thread. It's an excellent read.