Builds Mama's 1997 fzj80 Build

[gnarlytoes]

Looks fantastic!! As much as it was leaking I figured that valve cover gasket would come out in pieces. Did you happen to check the Dizzy and timing cover seal? They are notorious for leaking as well..

Once I get the valve cover fixed, I'm going to degrease and pressure wash the engine. Then I will be able to find any more leaks if they exist. Right now there is so much oil from the leaking valve cover gasket that finding something else is going to be next to impossible.

 

[gnarlytoes]

I'm impatient. After a couple hours baking in the sun, the paint is dry enough to touch. Maybe if I'm really careful I can put it on without messing it up.

 

[dominicandan1]

Pretty!

 

[gnarlytoes]

Since the FedEx guy has apparently decided to make me his last stop today and I'm waiting on plugs and wires...

Let's pull the front bumper off and paint it.

A little sanding and some primer.

 

[dominicandan1]

What color?

 

[gnarlytoes]

Wet sanded, primed, and wet sanded again. Will prime and paint in the morning.

Chupacabra watching in the background.

 

[gnarlytoes]

What color?

Not red. Black.

 

[gnarlytoes]

New valve cover gasket, spark plug tube seals, spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap, rotor, and air intake tube.

I drove it this morning running some errands around town and it runs great. I parked it in a fresh spot to see if she still marks her territory.

 

[dominicandan1]

Wow! Looks awesome! Like how you incorporated the red wires. What does mama think?

 

[gnarlytoes]

More progress today. Mama's Cruiser got a new windshield and new rear brakes. I figured out why the parking brake did not work. The cable was not connected to the lever inside the right drum.

Last night made five 12 hour nights at work in a row, so I'm going to take a knap now. I will do the front brakes when I regain consciousness.

 

[gnarlytoes]

New front rotors, pads, and wheel bearings today.

 

[gnarlytoes]

Today she got a new bug deflector and new springs. OME 2861 and 2862. The new springs brought it up about 1.25" higher than the 19 year old original springs. The rear is now almost 1" higher than the front. I will let her drive it a few days to settle them in and then measure again before ordering trim packers to level it out.

 

[gnarlytoes]

I haven't updated this in a while. Haven't done a whole lot to it.

The CEL came on a while back and it was the rear O2 sensor. I went ahead and replaced both with new Denso sensors.

A few weeks ago it started losing coolant slowly and I could smell antifreeze. I couldn't find any leak, so I thought (hoped) maybe the radiator cap was bad. I put a new one on it. It then promptly blew one of the metal lines going to the rear heat. It must have had a pin hole and just barely leaking when pressurized. It was right above the catalytic converter heat shield. It never left a puddle, so all I can figure is it only leaked under pressure and evaporated off the shield. I bypassed the rear heat. Then it blew two more hoses and the water pump seal all within a week.

I was afraid it was the head gasket, so I got my friend who is a real mechanic to check it out. Compression and pressure tests all good. Apparently the new radiator cap was defective and holding way too much pressure.

I went ahead and flushed the system and replaced all coolant and heater hoses with new, new water pump, new thermostat, and of course I returned the radiator cap and exchanged it. Problem solved, but rear heat is still bypassed.

We took it on a road trip to the gulf coast and just got back this afternoon. 1600+ miles without a single issue and got 15 mpg.

 

[gnarlytoes]

I got new wheels and 35s for my 92, so I put my 33's on Mama's 80.

 

[gnarlytoes]

Two inches of sleet followed by three inches of snow doesn't stop an 80. This pic was just after it changed from sleet to snow.