OP appears to be long gone; has not been on the forum since March 2020, nearly a year ago. Funny the thread is still being discussed, lol.
lj78 13bt Failed swap, need advice
- Thread starter pradoblivious
- Start date
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OP appears to be long gone; has not been on the forum since March 2020, nearly a year ago. Funny the thread is still being discussed, lol.
Dilspec
SILVER Star
I noticed that after I posted lol. Oh well
I hear you, I usually drive around like a grandpa, but try to get on it at least one a trip to keep it cleaned out. I know with my fuel slightly turned up and more boost, I can get into to 1200's pushing hard up a hill. I haven't tested on a huge hill yet. Intercooling is in the future, and a better turbo would help it breath better....
it's still a tractor....just a little faster tractor.
The vdj and Lj78 has a total difference of about 4 inch , 2inch per side ... 1vd engine and a regular average gm v8-350 is about 3 inch wider on a 1vd engine . But its ok . I dont think anyone will use a diesel in the usa if so many 3uz or 3fz are in the junk yards for cheaper swaps . Unless they will just go for a new Ls swaps . Anyways , it was just an idea of mine . Before the vdj was in production , i wanted a Lj78 in v8 . But that cost so much in the philippines to do a swap like that . And when philippines started selling vdj.76 wagon brand new imported from dubai , i already was using a 2017 lc200 with 1vd engine . For the cost of lc200 in compare to a vdj76 , i think the lc200 has more value ...at 2017- Lc200 was us$87000 and vdj76 was at us$83000 ... anyways that was just me thinking ... thanks ....
He hasnt logged in since March 2020. He might have got fed up and sold it.
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LJ78 has 4.88 gears, with 4.11s that a BJ74 typically has, the A440 is too tall geared when you beyond stock tires.... in between those ratios lies a good balance.
There are options for solving all of these problems.
I would leave the 13BT in place, it's a great engine, suits the LJ78 platform for HP and torque and so on.
And, after reading your post - it sounds like the 13BT should have been re-gasketed at the very least before installation. It sounds like you had a failing head gasket or something very similar - which is super common on JDMs due to the sketchy and inadequate use of coolant in Japan to prevent internal corrosion at bay. Sorry to hear about your woes and all, that sucks.
~john
- Thread starter
- #47
Sorry all, this truck has been breaking my heart so regularly I find it hard to get on ih8mud and read about all the awesome s*** everyone else is doing much less dredge through all my own bs...anyway, I Ultimiately decided, based on your advice to rebuild the 13-bt. So made a spreadsheet of rebuild shops in the dallas-fort worth area and called them one by one. Based on their ability steadily answer the phone, the presence of a central-american mechanic on staff who was familiar with toyota diesels, and a short tour of the shop, I decided on engine-rebuilders llc.
They had a two-month waiting list, and initially gave me the utterly bogus estimate of 3 weeks, which was fine, I knew they were going to have WAY more trouble locating and getting the rebuild kit than they thought. I dropped the truck off June 1, and just got it back Oct 27
.
They had a two-month waiting list, and initially gave me the utterly bogus estimate of 3 weeks, which was fine, I knew they were going to have WAY more trouble locating and getting the rebuild kit than they thought. I dropped the truck off June 1, and just got it back Oct 27
.
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- Thread starter
- #48
The biggest problem they ran into was finding cam-bearings. Evidently the part they kept ordering had the wrong OD, but they eventually got the right one from specter. They also had trouble sourcing valve guides, and eventually wound up getting a too-large set of them and machining them down. I drove the truck home yesterday, and it felt great, but by the time I got it home it was leaking oil and idling a little ragged, so it'll probably go back to them today or tomorrow. The work _looks_ super clean, and it sure ran nice on the way home.
I had the same issue with the CAM bearings. I ended up with a set that was for a 14BT and it fit perfect. My guess off the top of my head is that yours is a later block? It's possible this is also the changeover to the L.A.S.R.E program.
I'm not really surprised by an oil leak. As long as it's not spewing out I'm guessing maybe just needs tightened to spec or possibly a gasket or something got nicked.
By ragged do you mean low? They are supposed to idle around 650 according to the manual and specs, but I find it usually settles at 600 and sounds a little lumpy. Moving it to 650~700 makes it much smoother.
- Thread starter
- #50
I think mine is off an 83 bj74? Not sure.
The oil looks like it's coming off this housing below the filter. I thought it might be my aftermarket oil-pressure sensor but that's dry.
By ragged I guess I just mean it's not a steady rhythm. rum rum rum-de bum, instead of rum rum rum. I can't actually check the idle-speed because they also forgot to wire up my tach
The oil looks like it's coming off this housing below the filter. I thought it might be my aftermarket oil-pressure sensor but that's dry.
By ragged I guess I just mean it's not a steady rhythm. rum rum rum-de bum, instead of rum rum rum. I can't actually check the idle-speed because they also forgot to wire up my tach
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So strange shops that don't create and complete punch lists prior to delivery.
That looks like the gasket they used is cracked and weeping oil. Possible also that the surface isn’t flat and not sealing well, or bolt is loose.
Easy to check bolt tightness but get the right torque spec before slamming it down.
I’m guessing when you raise the idle a little or give it some throttle it smooths out? I bet your idle is too low.
Is the hand throttle hooked up on this? I constantly have to fiddle with mine when it’s cold out.
Great to hear its back up and running! Hopefully the current problems can be solved easily. Engine swaps are definitely not for the faint of heart, I'm still chasing annoying problems with mine and getting mighty tired of it!
The actual speed is not important. I always set them to what feels smooth. I think a fast idle is better than a slow one. I would be doing an oil pressure test and compression test soon
Good to see you're getting somewhere pradooblivious. After all the work done with the swap, the 13bt rebuild is a good decision.
Did you find out what caused the loss of compression in one cylinder?
Did you find out what caused the loss of compression in one cylinder?
- Thread starter
- #57
They crushed a copper washer (sounds like somebody didn't get the torque right heh)
I'm probably just being overly-sensitive. It's fine at higher RPM (though it feels to me like they already set the idle a little higher than it was pre-rebuild)
The hand throttle is hooked up and working yep. When they get the tach up and working again I'll see where I am
- Thread starter
- #58
We're super happy it's back up and running too. Really looking forward to getting started on a _really long list_ of projects for it. Several of the mechanics offered to buy it by the way heh. I broke out our log books for them and showed some pictures. We have a picture in the first log book of you making that river crossing, and that caused a lot of excitement.
- Thread starter
- #59
great ideas both. I'll get it over to tandem and get op and compression tests as soon as it's back in my hands. They have some kind of special oil in it right now "for hardening", and it needs to go back to the rebuild shop at 800km to get that pulled out.
- Thread starter
- #60
There was no smoking gun, sounds like it wasn't a heat-event or anything sudden like that. The head and tops of the cylinder walls were apparently pretty worn and lipped. The rings and cam bearings were also evidently in pretty bad shape. Sounds like it was a well used motor.