Builds Let's Baseline my new to me 1993 Land Cruiser
- Thread starter PNWTreeOctopus
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PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,662
Great question. Shop advised I change the old between 500-1000 miles. keeping the rpm’s low and avoiding prolonged high loads on the engine. Should be easy to accomplish here in the Midwest…
Fj80oregon
GOLD Star
Nice! That’s a great price for a HG job the cheapest I have heard of a shop doing!!
PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,664
I was surprised. They seem to really like their machinist. There are “lots of machine shops in the twin cities, but few who do excellent work”. They seem picky, which I appreciate.
Hopefully, things still seem great with the work done in a few months.
PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,665
So if you haven't made a spreadsheet to track your Cruiser costs and are thinking about compiling all your recipts for work done...you know because yo are curious...I wouldn't recommend it. It's a bit of a shock to see all the costs (certainly not all, I didn't include all the $3 seals and zero consumables like fluids and wipers) added up over a 5 year period. I can now attest that buying a mildly neglected cruiser and giving it lots of love in parts and maintence is not going to save you any money. Buy an expensive cruiser from an airplane mechanic that wants to get into sailboats or something.
Not saying it hasnt been a lot of fun, but it apparently has been a lot more expensive than I was pretending it was.
Not saying it hasnt been a lot of fun, but it apparently has been a lot more expensive than I was pretending it was.
I have one for my lightningSo if you haven't made a spreadsheet to track your Cruiser costs and are thinking about compiling all your recipts for work done...you know because yo are curious...I wouldn't recommend it. It's a bit of a shock to see all the costs (certainly not all, I didn't include all the $3 seals and zero consumables like fluids and wipers) added up over a 5 year period. I can now attest that buying a mildly neglected cruiser and giving it lots of love in parts and maintence is not going to save you any money. Buy an expensive cruiser from an airplane mechanic that wants to get into sailboats or something.
Not saying it hasnt been a lot of fun, but it apparently has been a lot more expensive than I was pretending it was.
70k over 10 years for an 11,000 truck at the time or purchase. Lol
I actually enjoy keeping a spreadsheet of the resto-furb costs. At any given moment I know how much a truck owes me which is handy for the semi-frequent unsolicited requests I get to sell a truck. 2 years back I sold one in a car park in Texas. Fedexed the paperwork and flew home the next day.So if you haven't made a spreadsheet to track your Cruiser costs and are thinking about compiling all your recipts for work done...you know because yo are curious...I wouldn't recommend it. It's a bit of a shock to see all the costs (certainly not all, I didn't include all the $3 seals and zero consumables like fluids and wipers) added up over a 5 year period. I can now attest that buying a mildly neglected cruiser and giving it lots of love in parts and maintence is not going to save you any money. Buy an expensive cruiser from an airplane mechanic that wants to get into sailboats or something.
Not saying it hasnt been a lot of fun, but it apparently has been a lot more expensive than I was pretending it was.
PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,668
Ok, well now I have a goal to shoot for! Thanks for the inspiration!
I like this. My truck owes me a bit right now, but I'm going to try and get some of that back in this next year doing some more adventuring.I actually enjoy keeping a spreadsheet of the resto-furb costs. At any given moment I know how much a truck owes me which is handy for the semi-frequent unsolicited requests I get to sell a truck. 2 years back I sold one in a car park in Texas. Fedexed the paperwork and flew home the next day.
I'm mildly bored with the pace of my project and whirl like to kick it into high gear, but my family demands have pushed it down the importance list. But I am eager to press on.
Family is priory and your choice is solid. Did you buy a tractor or a snow blower yet?Ok, well now I have a goal to shoot for! Thanks for the inspiration!
I like this. My truck owes me a bit right now, but I'm going to try and get some of that back in this next year doing some more adventuring.
I'm mildly bored with the pace of my project and whirl like to kick it into high gear, but my family demands have pushed it down the importance list. But I am eager to press on.
PNWTreeOctopus
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- Thread starter
- #1,670
Progress and Setbacks
Nothing like doing an electrical repair and then having it fail upon install just an inch or so upstream.
Sadly, this wire broke where it leaves the bundle of wires below the intake manifold. It is difficult to access this portion of the engine harness easily. The repair is easy. It’s just a matter of u wrapping the main harness enough to expose the wire and crimp on a new connection, but it will be a challenge to work in there.
Nothing like doing an electrical repair and then having it fail upon install just an inch or so upstream.
Sadly, this wire broke where it leaves the bundle of wires below the intake manifold. It is difficult to access this portion of the engine harness easily. The repair is easy. It’s just a matter of u wrapping the main harness enough to expose the wire and crimp on a new connection, but it will be a challenge to work in there.
PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,671
Hahah! Nope. Not yet?
PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,672
Electrical Connector Day
I fixed my twice broken knock sensor today. It required an extension of 18ga wire to bring it back to useable length. That went great.
I also made a fun mistake. Nearly all the old original connectors on the engine are brittle and failing. So I replaced the ECT sender pigtail, but I used a knock sensor pigtail and guess what? its not the same connector. Despite being a one wire connector, it is different. Makes sense so that you cannot confuse the connectors, but it was a frustrating discovery after I had finished tidying up the wiring harness and re wrapping it all up.
The good news is that I have a pigtail on the way and I will replace the rear most knock sensor pig tail. Removing the driver side wheel makes a huge difference and the harness reaches just to the frame. It was actually fairly easy to work in there from the wheel well. MUCH easier than when I replaced the NSS harness connector a few years back. That was way more stressful. I was happy to see it was looking great.
I will press on with this and fix my little mistake then I can get on with "breaking in" the engine post HG.
I fixed my twice broken knock sensor today. It required an extension of 18ga wire to bring it back to useable length. That went great.
I also made a fun mistake. Nearly all the old original connectors on the engine are brittle and failing. So I replaced the ECT sender pigtail, but I used a knock sensor pigtail and guess what? its not the same connector. Despite being a one wire connector, it is different. Makes sense so that you cannot confuse the connectors, but it was a frustrating discovery after I had finished tidying up the wiring harness and re wrapping it all up.
The good news is that I have a pigtail on the way and I will replace the rear most knock sensor pig tail. Removing the driver side wheel makes a huge difference and the harness reaches just to the frame. It was actually fairly easy to work in there from the wheel well. MUCH easier than when I replaced the NSS harness connector a few years back. That was way more stressful. I was happy to see it was looking great.
I will press on with this and fix my little mistake then I can get on with "breaking in" the engine post HG.
PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,673
Broken connector carnage?
PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,674
Finished up Connector carnage...
I finished this round of pigtail swapping. I did struggle to get the water temp guage sender connector to fit, and for a brief time I was worried I had purchased the wrong connector type. But as it turns out when that connector in the previous photos disintegrated A bunch of it broke off in the temperature sensor. SO I pulled it, tried to stem the dribbling coolant, and used a tiny hose pick to fish out the old connector pieces. Since it was very crumbly, it was easy to gently scrape out bits of the old connector.
Sadly I lost my A/C Cutoff plug in the effort to replace all these failing connectors. The wires were very frayed (I bet it was not functioning anyway) and when I bumped it it just fell off sort of pathetically. After lots of sleuthing, including some excellent posts from @Malleus, who has been hunting for this plug with no success, I have just decided to cap each wire with some heat shrink tubing and the cap is on the sensor so I won't lose it ( or break it). From what I understand the plug may be available form some auto electric suppliers (Ballenger etc), but the terminals are not a standard size. Additionally it seems that it has not been successful for folks to locate an aftermarket sender since it is a specific cut off at 230 F...(or something like that). So getting a junk yard plug would be the way to go. I'm going to drop this way down the priority list for now, and get my new Koso slim gauge working for my break in. here's a photo off my sad little connector, since you all like to see LC suffering.
On the plus side I was really happy to have the truck start up all the electrical work. It idles more smoothy, and seems a bit quieter after the HG work. I'm really hopeful. I have a short list of things to try and finish up while the weather is nice. Im a little disappointed I couldn't pull together a LC trip this summer. maybe next spring.
I finished this round of pigtail swapping. I did struggle to get the water temp guage sender connector to fit, and for a brief time I was worried I had purchased the wrong connector type. But as it turns out when that connector in the previous photos disintegrated A bunch of it broke off in the temperature sensor. SO I pulled it, tried to stem the dribbling coolant, and used a tiny hose pick to fish out the old connector pieces. Since it was very crumbly, it was easy to gently scrape out bits of the old connector.
Sadly I lost my A/C Cutoff plug in the effort to replace all these failing connectors. The wires were very frayed (I bet it was not functioning anyway) and when I bumped it it just fell off sort of pathetically. After lots of sleuthing, including some excellent posts from @Malleus, who has been hunting for this plug with no success, I have just decided to cap each wire with some heat shrink tubing and the cap is on the sensor so I won't lose it ( or break it). From what I understand the plug may be available form some auto electric suppliers (Ballenger etc), but the terminals are not a standard size. Additionally it seems that it has not been successful for folks to locate an aftermarket sender since it is a specific cut off at 230 F...(or something like that). So getting a junk yard plug would be the way to go. I'm going to drop this way down the priority list for now, and get my new Koso slim gauge working for my break in. here's a photo off my sad little connector, since you all like to see LC suffering.
On the plus side I was really happy to have the truck start up all the electrical work. It idles more smoothy, and seems a bit quieter after the HG work. I'm really hopeful. I have a short list of things to try and finish up while the weather is nice. Im a little disappointed I couldn't pull together a LC trip this summer. maybe next spring.
Fj80oregon
GOLD Star
Good work on pushing along! Keep
It up, it’s very rewarding after a good fight with the old cruiser.
It up, it’s very rewarding after a good fight with the old cruiser.
PNWTreeOctopus
SILVER Star
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- #1,676
Koso Slim Gauge is Installed
(mostly). Took a short drive today and fired up the cruiser. I have the Koso aux water temp gauge installed with some poster putty until I have it where I like it. Then I will use some 3M double sided foam tape which should last a long time. The steering wheel tilt arm obscures it if it's any further left. It's fairly bright, but not terrible. I have it wired with a fuse tap for now, but I will change that once I decide on an under hood aux. circuit/ fuse block. It doesn't make a lot of sense to run wires all the way to the back QPM for things up front. I'm still on the fence about how many accessories I want to wire up there and this which fuse block and relay system to use. So this approach is not super elegant, but it should work just fine for now, and allow me to keep a close eye on my temps as I navigate these next 500-1,000 miles of post HG break in.
It was really nice to drive the cruiser again, even if it was just to run an errand.
Next up:
should be done by 2030.
(mostly). Took a short drive today and fired up the cruiser. I have the Koso aux water temp gauge installed with some poster putty until I have it where I like it. Then I will use some 3M double sided foam tape which should last a long time. The steering wheel tilt arm obscures it if it's any further left. It's fairly bright, but not terrible. I have it wired with a fuse tap for now, but I will change that once I decide on an under hood aux. circuit/ fuse block. It doesn't make a lot of sense to run wires all the way to the back QPM for things up front. I'm still on the fence about how many accessories I want to wire up there and this which fuse block and relay system to use. So this approach is not super elegant, but it should work just fine for now, and allow me to keep a close eye on my temps as I navigate these next 500-1,000 miles of post HG break in.
It was really nice to drive the cruiser again, even if it was just to run an errand.
Next up:
- Finishing up the Locker control wiring runs, and compressor switch
- Changing the battery terminal clamps to mil spec and changing out the main power and ground cables
- deciding on dual or single battery system
- finalizing my power supply and fault protection for main QPM power
- Installing the QPM (again)
- Mounting reverse light pods
- Running wiring for the Rally 4000 lights
should be done by 2030.
Eastern OR next spring? I'd meet ya there.
PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,678
Love this idea. Spring is a great time to be there.
Excellent! Let's make it happen.
PNWTreeOctopus
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- #1,680
If I’m still “retired” then it could be a possibility. There are a number of spots in the trout creek mountains that I’d like to fish. There’s also a pass in the Pueblo mountains I’d like to try and cruiser over. And rocks. Lots of shiny rocks to pick up. And hot springs. And not many people. But not much gas. it’s a fun place.
