Builds Let's Baseline my new to me 1993 Land Cruiser

[baldilocks]

The caked on grime is an excellent paint preservative and antitrust coating.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Toyrad arrived today plus two fusible links and a gasket for a water pump. Thanks online parts shopping. The radiator arrived in pristine shape. The 90+ item order from UAE is arriving tomorrow.

After a very careful cleaning and about a 1/2 a tank of gas I can detect no leaks from my old radiator. So my leaking radiator may have been a leaking cap? Whatever. I’m sticking that new one in for piece of mind.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

The caked on grime is an excellent paint preservative and antitrust coating.

Yep, I learned all about it with my ‘87 mini truck and ‘89 4Runner. TERP-Toyota engineered rust protection. But jokes aside I’m not sure what to use for chassis paint once I finish this messy business.

 

[baldilocks]

Degreasing mine 5 years ago uncovered beautiful frame rails. Rear of the mud flaps the outside of my frame does have chips in the paint but I didn’t bother coating it because I just beat on my 80 anyway.

POR 15 or this other product I have used on some other areas of my rig called Chassis Saver. These products both have poor resistance to UV rays but this should not be a problem on the chassis. They cure quite hard.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Degreasing Continues…

Ok I’ve learned a lot about degreasing engines over the past week or so. There are many truths, but this one stands above all else. You cannot simply hope to spray on degreaser let it sit and hose it off. You will need to scrape off all the dirt. Even spraying with degreaser and agitating with a stiff brush won’t get the thicker stuff off. Then and only then can you hope to spray on degreaser, agitate, then hose off.

So this was today’s approach. I found a plastic putty knife, and a soft bondo filler spreader, which I cut in half. With these two tools I scraped the frame rails, engine mounts, bump stops, and anything flat enough to accumulate greasy dirt. Even after two rounds of spraying engine degreaser and even pressure washing it, the grease was dry underneath when I was scraping.

So just to really dive into some philosophy here there are no short cuts. You will have to cram your arms into the under carriage, do some akward yoga on your garage creeper and scrape the dirt off.

Once I scraped off the thickest stuff i sprayed citrus degreaser (2:1 citrasolve) on one area and used my quiver of brushes to agitate and listen the last layers of grease. If the dirt started to absorb the degreaser I’d spray a small amount on.

Then after I hit several areas with the citrasolve and brush treatment I broke out the extra weak electric pressure washer and hoses off the muck. I modified the PW to make it shorter by removing the wand and putting on a 22mm to 1/4” quick disconnect fitting. This lost 20” of length and made things a lot easier for close quarters.

I’ll eventually post some before and after pics, but since I’m still working on getting what must be pounds of crap off the engine and chassis you’ll have to be patient. So you will have to suffice with a photo of all the essential gear you will need to do this job.View attachment 2803145
Starting at upper left and working clockwise:

• Garage creeper
• PPE including plastic rain gear, eye protection (highest quality goggles are recommended) and a respirator
• Degreasers and high quality spray bottles: find your flavor, I like simple green, super clean and citrasolve…
• Brushes and scrapers, you will need a variety’s. Bottle brushes, toilet brushes, “tooth brushes” brass detailing brushes, and grout cleaning brushes are all useful.
• Pressure washer with shortest possible wand with narrow nozzles (the one pictured is ok, but even shorter would be better)
• Pistol style hose nozzle
• Good lighting that is also waterproof.

More later…

Not pictured in post #299’s photo, but still essential are the following:

• Eye washing station. You need something to get the solvent and/or greasy dirt out of you eye. Ideally you will have an easy to reach eye wash bottle or two to hose out your eye quickly before you tear off rain gear, nitrile gloves, and xtratuffs to get into the sink to rinse your eye.
• A shower—because you are gonna be gross.
• Some sort of step six beverage, even if you at at step six yet, because this might take awhile.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

This arrived today from Amazon warehouse deals…unfortunately somebody scavenged parts off of it and returned it and Amazon sold it to me. Actually I think it has all the parts but the ha dole spins up and down and doesn’t seem to engage the internal adjustment spring. Too bad because it seems a tad nicer yah k my 1/2” and 3/8” HF wrenches…but it’s all similar class stuff.

 

[baldilocks]

Still shopping at commizon ?

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Still shopping at commizon ?

I heard if you buy enough cheap stuff, they’ll shoot you into space!

But yes…I drank the kool aid of convince, which today ended in hassle.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Update: Waiting on some parts from Wit’s End, and apparently I’m shopping for a 100-300lb 3/4” torque wrench at HF, snd a 3/4” breaker bar.

The real hold up to beginning this project continues to be working around my elderly fathers health and decline. I’m a lucky guy because he lives here in Bellingham and I can visit him and wrangle the folks proving care for him, but sadly things are quickly changing for him and require a lot of attention, so the Cruiser patiently waits.

The great news is that I’ll really enjoy working on a clean rig and working through all the family issues swirling in my orbit with shiny parts.

I try and park by friends….

 

[FMC80]

Looks like you’re in that cruisers bubble. It’s forgivable.

Today I had a ricey ford truck with fake chrome covered side view mirrors and fake chrome side fender vents park way up my cruisers bubble. Not forgivable.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Looks like you’re in that cruisers bubble. It’s forgivable.

Today I had a ricey ford truck with fake chrome covered side view mirrors and fake chrome side fender vents park way up my cruisers bubble. Not forgivable.

Yea, I was a tad close….but I think what really happened was this:

1. I parked next to this cruiser and went into the thrift store to search for Halloween costume parts for my kids

2. While I was in the store the other cruiser started crushing on mine…let’s be honest it’s a nice looking cruiser-not his particularly original or special, but nice looking.

3. The other cruiser tried to get a little closer…ya know

I have certainly heard other folks on the forum say these cruiser projects take on a life of there own, so it’s possible my cruise was initiating….

Or maybe I’ve been spending too much time around people with Alzheimer’s.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Also spotted in the parking lot….

 

[xetura]

Did you ever figure out the low idle once your rig was warm? I have a 93 and have the same issue.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Did you ever figure out the low idle once your rig was warm? I have a 93 and have the same issue.

It's a great question. I started with the leaky exhaust and looked for leaks above the o2 sensors found leaks everywhere. I replaced the muffler, and every gasket below the Manifold to down pipe union, as well as deleting the PAIR system and relocating the o2 sensors, but the low idle still is an issue.

I suspect that I have a number of vacuum leaks. My current plan is to replace every vacuum line on the truck (many are original) and then see how things are doing. I haven't done a test for vacuum leaks, so I don't know for sure, but I would be shocked if there are not any. Will this solve my low idle? I don't know, but It will solve old cracked hoses and rule out vacuum leaks. The vacuum hoses are pretty cheap. I'm trying to do my homework for the "while you are in there" things, but no doubt i'm missing a few things. Good Luck figuring out your issue, the good news is that the parts for all this are fairly reasonable!

 

[xetura]

It's a great question. I started with the leaky exhaust and looked for leaks above the o2 sensors found leaks everywhere. I replaced the muffler, and every gasket below the Manifold to down pipe union, as well as deleting the PAIR system and relocating the o2 sensors, but the low idle still is an issue.

I suspect that I have a number of vacuum leaks. My current plan is to replace every vacuum line on the truck (many are original) and then see how things are doing. I haven't done a test for vacuum leaks, so I don't know for sure, but I would be shocked if there are not any. Will this solve my low idle? I don't know, but It will solve old cracked hoses and rule out vacuum leaks. The vacuum hoses are pretty cheap. I'm trying to do my homework for the "while you are in there" things, but no doubt i'm missing a few things. Good Luck figuring out your issue, the good news is that the parts for all this are fairly reasonable!

Thanks! My plan is to replace the vacuum lines as well as a first step. I've read about quite a few people that have plugged lines coming from the EGR system, so I'll probably be taking off the intake manifold off as well and replacing it with a nice clean one I bought a while back, as well as replacing the injectors with new ones that have been sitting on my shelf for a while lol. Then 'while i'm in there', replace the FPR, fuel filter and test the solenoid under the manifold with the spider web of vacuum hoses. Love the project. I'll let you know if I'm able to fix the issue.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Thanks! My plan is to replace the vacuum lines as well as a first step. I've read about quite a few people that have plugged lines coming from the EGR system, so I'll probably be taking off the intake manifold off as well and replacing it with a nice clean one I bought a while back, as well as replacing the injectors with new ones that have been sitting on my shelf for a while lol. Then 'while i'm in there', replace the FPR, fuel filter and test the solenoid under the manifold with the spider web of vacuum hoses. Love the project. I'll let you know if I'm able to fix the issue.

Do let me know, it looks like you're much farther along on the research than I am!

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Parts are all here….

I just need to build time to start these next projects. I couldn’t get one of Otrams crank holders, he was sold out. We’ll see how this one from flea bay works.

I’m convinced again how useful it would be to increase my metal working skills. I’ve never run a welder, but I’ve done a bit of blacksmiting.

I was cleaning up my dad’s garage and I found these. I have no idea when he purchased them, or if he’s the guy who borrowed your pliers and didn’t ever return them…

I’m looking forward to busting my knuckles on my cruiser soon…I can see the light at the end of the family drama tunnel!

 

[FMC80]

I’m excited for you. Btw, you wrote “blacksmiting” which in todays society someone “woke” will cancel you.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

Yikes. Admittedly I’m less than awesome at spelling….but I’m glad you’ve got my back. Hopefully the moderators don’t need to get involved.

 

[FMC80]

Of course homie. I got you . I’m not a grammar nazi, I promise.

I like that vintage snap-on dude. Those fetch big bucks. Who doesn’t love snap-on? I don’t love their prices but I’ve used their tools since I was a young dude in the military and they hold up to our shenanigans; they’re great tools