Mark's FJ62 build (1 Viewer)

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Update from last Sunday.. Got everything put back together
Wiring – I went ahead and ran the wires that will be need for the Dakota Digital Gauges.. They should be here in the next couple of weeks..

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Installed the dashtopper to cover up the cracks in the original dash.. it really turned out great…

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Finished the air box.. I am attempting to keep the heat away from the air intake..

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Then I finished everything else… everything is back together except the AC… I should have most of that done this weekend..
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After I got everything back together I took it on it’s first drove with the new power plant. I drive it to get some gas… 7 miles round trip.. it ran great.. very smooth.. great power… I got it up to around 90 for a short burst.. very stable… Oil pressure was good, water temp was prefect, the fans operated correctly.

I do have a couple of issues.. one is I have knock in the engine.. it is very light.. and some people can’t hear it.. but I can… The other is I believe I have a injector or two that is bad.. the engine had sit for a long time. The knock sounds like a really light rod bearing problem, or maybe a wrist pin.. The funny thing is after I got back from my 7 mile trip I could not hear the knock for a while.. Then the injector issue flared up.. sounds like the engine is loading up with fuel.. as soon as that started I could lightly hear the knock.. I am wondering if I am dropping raw fuel on top of a piston and that is causing the knock. I am working with the place I got the engine, they say they will do whatever we need to do.. They gave me another set of injectors that I will change out this weekend to see if it helps…

Still have a few other items to finish before I declare it is finished..
1. Get the tailpipes installed.. I built the exhaust back to the mufflers, but I think I will take it to the muffler shop to get the tailpipes done.
2. Get the AC lines completed and evac and charge the AC.
3. Get the front driveshaft modified
4. Get the injector issue fixed
5. Get the engine knock issue fixed
 
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Update.. Been real busy at work and haven’t worked a great deal on the Land Cruiser. I did get my AC lines built.. Thanks Mike (TIG) and Kyle (crimp).. I have them installed and I am hoping to get it charged this evening. The AC was not working when I purchased the truck, so there may be some other issues, we will see.
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I also built a Toyota to GM cruise control convertor. Not so much Toyota to GM, but more normally closed switch to normally open switch convertor. I built the same thing for my 69 K10 project, except I didn’t use a printed circuit board. It really only takes 2 relays to do this, but I added a third for a input into my new Dakota Digital Gauge set I hope to install in the next week or two.
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Got the tailpipes done at a local muffler shop in Checotah Oklahoma.. They did a great job.
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Found an hairline crack in the oil pan.. not sure how it got there, but it was there, no damage to the pan that I could see other than the crack.. I contacted my engine guy and he gave me a different pan to replace this one with.. I replaced it Sunday morning and all is good again. The original pan had some crud in the bottom of it, but no bearing material that I could see..
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I have addressed a few of the items on my list from the last update…

1. Get the tailpipes installed.. I built the exhaust back to the mufflers, but I think I will take it to the muffler shop to get the tailpipes done.
DONE
2. Get the AC lines completed and evac and charge the AC.
Almost Done
3. Get the front driveshaft modified..
Taking it to the shop this week
4. Get the injector issue fixed
I think it is getting much better.. I have another set of injectors to install, but I think I will see if these continue to improve.
5. Get the engine knock issue fixed
This one is difficult.. It is not a knock like a main or rod, it could be piston slap.. or maybe it is nothing at all.. I swear I can hear something sometimes, but others do not hear it.. There are times I don’t hear it as well.. I have done a lot of reading on the L33 engine, and this noise appears to be common on some L33 and 5.3 in general.. As noted above I did not find bearing material in the oil pan I replaced. I still have a few weeks of warranty left, so I will continue to drive it and see if it gets worse.

I drove the Land Cruiser from Eufaula to Edmond (150 miles) yesterday afternoon.. Air Temp was around 96F. The oil pressure was solid at 50#@2400rpm, 35#@idle. Water temp never got over 205F and ran most of the time around 197F to 200F, I have a 195F Thermostat I believe. Transmission felt great, engine felt great. I set the Cruise to 77mph for most of the trip and it worked prefect. There were a few times I got into the gas pedal a little, and it has no problem moving.. The drivetrain is very smooth and noise free at speed. I got about 16mpg the best I can tell. Overall I am very happy with the swap.

I know there are people who are purist and would never degrade a Toyota with a GM engine, I get that, (I heard the same thing when I built the 69 K10 and the 5.3)but for those of us who are not purist, the 5.3 is a great power plant for this vehicle.

I am working on a spreadsheet with the cost for this swap and will post it soon; in addition I am working on a wiring schematic for the swap. Someone might find it useful in the future.
 
You, sir, have some mad skills! This is reflective from the lack of posts suggesting other (mine is better) options on how to do this build. Please follow through on the spread sheet and the wiring diagrams. I am especially interested with the cruise control, how the control panel is layer out. Who programmed your ECU? Did you have clearance problems with the oil pan and differential? Where did you source the transfer case rebuild kit? Thanks for all of the pics too! Oh, and are you having any cooling issues with the stock radiator?

Bruce Uchida
 
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You, sir, have some mad skills! This is reflective from the lack of posts suggesting other (mine is better) options on how to do this build. Please follow through on the spread sheet and the wiring diagrams. I am especially interested with the cruise control, how the control panel is layer out. Who programmed your ECU? Did you have clearance problems with the oil pan and differential? Where did you source the transfer case rebuild kit? Thanks for all of the pics too! Oh, and are you having any cooling issues with the stock radiator?

Bruce Uchida

Bruce.. Thanks for the comments.. Still working on both the documents. Let me know if you have any specific questions around the cruise control. The PCM was programmed by Brendan at LT1Swap http://lt1swap.com/programming.htm . As far as I can tell I have no problems with oil pan clearances. However, if I hit a big bump at speed, I do have a little concern. No problems with the cooling so far..
 
I am working on finishing up my LS swap. I still have a few items left to complete. I have put over 600 miles on the vehicle with very few issues. However, I do have two transmission (4l60e) related issues I am hoping some of you can help me with. I am not sure the issues are related so I will describe them separately. I don’t know much about this transmission, I purchased off of craigslist from a guy that claimed he only pulled it out to replace it with a 4l80e. I don’t have much in it, and when I pulled the pan everything looked pretty good, so I changed the filter, installed new seals, and bolted it to the L33. Other than the two problems I am about to describe the transmission has been great. Shifts nice and on time doing normal driving and shifts firm and at the right rpm when you get into it.

First problem is around the TCC. It almost seems like it is operating backwards. When I am on the highway at 73 mph (cruise on), the engine is turning ~2390 rpm.. when I hit a hill or add a little load to the engine, the RPM drops to ~2260 and stays in that area until the load drops. I have a Scan Gauge 2 that shows load.. at 70 load (I assume %) is where the trigger point seems to be. To me it appears that the TCC is working backwards. When I am at light loads the TCC is NOT engaged, and when I add load it is. Anyone have any ideas? Have you seen this before? I have not be able to find this problem in any of my research. The one thing I have seen is that engine misfire can cause the TCC lockup to not work. I wonder if there is any chance if that I am have engine misfire at light loads and not at heavier loads. Seems farfetched to me…

Second problem is around shift points when transmission has been on the highway for a couple of hours. I believe it is heat related. I can drive a couple of hours in the cool part of the morning and not see the problem. However in the heat of the day (95F +) it shows up. While I am traveling on the highway the transmission shows no problems other than problem one above. However, once I come down to a stop or really slow speeds the problem appears. The transmission will not shift from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd with running the rpms up to ~3500 rpm (Don’t know about 3rd to 4th). There does not appear to be any slippage. The truck will push you back in your seat. And when it shifts it shifts like it would at WOT, firm. After driving in the city for a little while the problem disappears. I can also let it set for a little bit and we are back to normal. Thoughts?

I could swap the transmission out if I need to.. but 99% of the time everything seems to be right.

Thanks for your help.
 
Wish you were a neighbor so i could supply beer/pizza and hang out whenever you're performing these modifications. Would really love the opportunity to learn how to personally improve and update these vehicles.

The cruise control and stereo upgrades are great interior additions. Your skills in dashboard wiring are very impressive. Really enjoy your thread with pictures showing the improvements you make for reference. Goes without saying "A picture says a thousand words".

Regarding a couple of the updates/ issue's you noted earlier ....

1. Exhaust - how did you route the passenger side exhaust pipe over to have both mufflers on the drivers side ?
3. Front driveshaft - curious how much clearance between the pan and driveshaft and any pics available ?. (I have similar concerns when i hit a big bump on the road)
4. Injector issue - which injectors are you using (OEM, other ...) and source ?. I recently failed emissions and suspect injectors as it's running rich.
5. Engine knock - I have the same knock from my 5.3L motor and goes away when driven about 10 minutes. Seems to return when the engine cools down. Checked the pan and did not find any materials in it. Switched to using Mobil1 but the knock is still there.

I don't use my 62 frequently enough (weekend use mostly) in the manner you described to provide feedback regarding the transmission issues listed.


Keep up the great work
 
Wish you were a neighbor so i could supply beer/pizza and hang out whenever you're performing these modifications. Would really love the opportunity to learn how to personally improve and update these vehicles.

The cruise control and stereo upgrades are great interior additions. Your skills in dashboard wiring are very impressive. Really enjoy your thread with pictures showing the improvements you make for reference. Goes without saying "A picture says a thousand words".

Regarding a couple of the updates/ issue's you noted earlier ....

1. Exhaust - how did you route the passenger side exhaust pipe over to have both mufflers on the drivers side ?
3. Front driveshaft - curious how much clearance between the pan and driveshaft and any pics available ?. (I have similar concerns when i hit a big bump on the road)
4. Injector issue - which injectors are you using (OEM, other ...) and source ?. I recently failed emissions and suspect injectors as it's running rich.
5. Engine knock - I have the same knock from my 5.3L motor and goes away when driven about 10 minutes. Seems to return when the engine cools down. Checked the pan and did not find any materials in it. Switched to using Mobil1 but the knock is still there.

I don't use my 62 frequently enough (weekend use mostly) in the manner you described to provide feedback regarding the transmission issues listed.


Keep up the great work

I also welcome beer and Pizza.. Thank you for the positive comments.. I have attempted to answer your questions below..

1. I routed the exhaust near the passenger side frame and then across to the drivers side in front of the transmission cross member. I think I have a picture some where here in the build.

2.???

3. I haven't got the driveshaft back from the shop yet.. It will be a tight fit at the TC end, but that is the end that moves the least. I think I will be fine. I will provide pictures as soon as I get it installed.

4. OEM Injectors.. They seem to be working better now that I have put 600 or so miles on them.

5. I don't even hear mine that much any more.. it is so very light when it happens that you can't hear it with the hood closed.. I have driven the LC pretty hard so I am not really worried about it any more.

Our 62 is a weekend only vehicle as well.. I have made a couple of long trips in it to make sure everything is good...

I have an idea on the transmission, but want to research it more before I do anything..


Enjoy your 62...
 
Update time.. I have been driving the LC quite a bit. I would guess I have driven it about 800 miles or so.. I am really surprised by how smooth and powerful the setup is. Although I still believe I have a problem with the transmission, I am overall very pleased with the results.



Dakota Digital Gauge installation.

I purchased a set of 47-53 Chevy pickup gauges to adapt to the Land Cruiser dash. I love the gauges they are the same as what I installed in my 1969 Chevy K10 built.

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index....t_id=723/category_id=421/mode=prod/prd723.htm

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Update Continued

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I really like the way this came out.. I think I will still do a little tweaking on getting the gauges centered up, and may make a new set of mounts that are heavier. However, I am not sure I can recommend this upgrade. I had to cut a support piece out of the dash that sits behind the gauges. The best I can tell is that this support piece ties the bottom parts of the dash together were the steering wheel sits. I have plans to build a new support piece to replace what I cut, but right now I don’t see any problems without it. Not sure how many people will be willing to take this step.. For me it wasn’t a big deal, I had already spent the money and was too far into the process to stop.


Bumpers..


Started on the rear bumper.. Plans are to build a new bumper with pull points, swing arm(s), and trailer hitch receiver. First step was to remove the old bumper.. wow what a job.. Had to cut the heads off of the bolts to get it off… After I got the old bumper off I found my old friend… rust… So there will be some rust repair or new support piece before the new bumper goes back on..

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Update Continued

One big surprise was finding two keys in magnetic boxes tucked up inside the bumper area. Looked like that had been there a very long time.

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Unfortunately the keys did not fit, so I can only assume that the ignition switch, door latch, rear hatch latch, and glove box latch were all replaced at one time…

Next step on the bumper is to create the templates for the pieces need to build the bumper. I am using a 3d drawing program and cardboard to create these.. I guess old school and new school methods..


Transmission issues

So I do believe I have a transmission issue. Two things that stand out are.. the TCC lookup isn’t working correctly, and the transmission will overheat if driven to long.. (~ hour depending on how you drive it). From the research I have been doing I believe I have some worn bores in the valve body that is causing this issue. As I have mentioned before, the transmission does not slip and shifts out very well. The only issues are the two I have mentioned above. Earlier I mentioned an issue with the transmission not wanting to shift to the next gear after I had drove it for a couple of hours, I believe the transmission was going into limp mode when it got too hot.

I have another 4L60E that I was planning on rebuilding if this one didn’t work, I have thought about using the valve body off of it, but I am afraid it could have the same issue. From what I could tell from my research this is a common issue on high mileage 4L60E’s.


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Still waiting on the front driveshaft to get back from the driveshaft shop..
 
I promised I would post what it cost... I think I have everything here.. there are a couple of purchases that will be used on the next build.. Wire, wiring connectors, etc..

I still do not have the driveshaft modification cost yet, and the transmission may require additional cost before we are done.


Place Cost Description
OREILLY's $92.24 Plug wires, grease
OREILLY's $17.31 Injector cleaner
OREILLY's $28.12 AC Filter/Dryer
NAPA $17.00 AC Fitting
OREILLY's $12.08 AC oil rings
OREILLY's $64.82 Freon and oil
OREILLY's $6.59 power steering return hose
OREILLY's $38.48 Hose clamps and heater hose fittings
OREILLY's $64.91 Gear oil
OREILLY's $157.28 Air Filter
OREILLY's $91.22 Oil, transmission fluid, filters
SUMMITT $297.75 Fuel, transmission, power steering lines and fittings
OREILLY's $50.58 Wiring for fans , etc.
Autozone $15.18 seal
RADIOSHACK $36.80 Cruise Control parts
JTRPUBLISH $53.00 Radiator hose adapters
MOUSER Electronics $109.50 Wiring connectors, relays
SUMMITT $357.43 Exhaust pipes, gaskets, flanges, hangers, mufflers, fittings
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS $6.47 18mm plug for Oil Level sender
OREILLY's $25.23 Brass fittings
SPEEDWAY MOTORS $44.80 Fuel Filter and fittings
STONERENTE $54.92 Aluminum stock for cross member spacers
Autozone $5.08 White grease
Autozone $106.07 Transmission mount, bolts, etc.
OREILLY's $103.02 Hoses and belts
CRUISER OUTFITTERS $255.00 Transfer case rebuild kit
Advanced Adapters $385.84 Motor Mounts and headers
OREILLY's $12.84 Injector O-rings
OREILLY's $8.79 paint
OREILLY's $8.99 Carb Cleaner
OREILLY's $9.00 Electrical Tape
OREILLY's $19.15 Cleaning supplies
Advanced Adapters $792.51 Transmission to TC adapter
L33 Engine $1,200.00 L33 5.3L 106000 miles and accessories, fuse box, fans, pcm, and wiring
4l60e used craigslist $250.00 Transmission
LT1SWAP $75.00 PCM flash
Muffler Shop $200.00 Tail pipes
Total $5,073.00
Sold Engine and Trans -$1,000.00
Total After sell of engine and trans $4,073.00
 
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I did not surf back through the entire thread...but are you running a good aftermarket aux. transmission cooler?
 

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