Meet Dick the Kruiser, and a few questions. (6 Viewers)

[DaKruiser]

Good day, Ih8mud!

You guys are the best you know!

My wife and I recently bought a 1975 FJ40. It had been in a warehouse since 2009 when it was shipped to Indiana from California by the previous owner. It only had five miles put on it from when it was sold in 2009.

The previous owner put a knockoff Holley 2 barrel carburetor from Amazon on it to get it running for an easier sale. It ran great for having some very old plugs, wires and this crap carburetor. It had a high idle, I thought I could dial that in, ha! Thought?!?! I now have it where it will die at random times whether I have the idle screws out running rich or turned in with a lean lower idle. Idle set screw on the linkage is out where I think it should be, I can get it to affect the idle then back off to where it doesn’t.

So, I’d love to get this to a point that we could take short local trips without fear of being stranded. I have two other carburetors that came in a box with it, I think they are Toyota originals. I guess they both have stripped screw holes on the fuel bowls. Any suggestions on a potential carburetor rebuild mechanic? I’m not sure I’m ready to tackle it. Is the Webber carb the way to go? Or just wait and bite the bullet and go with the Holley Sniper EFI?

Awesome pic stolen from @timmyisinthewell

 

[charliemeyer007]

So how how old is the gas? Have you put on a new fuel filter and added some gas dryer to the tank? Your air filter looks dirty. So where is the timing and valve lash? How about the dry and wet compression numbers. Scrape the aluminium contacts for the spark inside the cap.

 

[Jdc1]

Jim Chenoweth at TLC performance is the man to talk to about a carb rebuild.

 

[DaKruiser]

So how how old is the gas? Have you put on a new fuel filter and added some gas dryer to the tank? Your air filter looks dirty. So where is the timing and valve lash? How about the dry and wet compression numbers. Scrape the aluminium contacts for the spark inside the cap.

Gas is new, fuel filter is new, air filter has been replaced. Timing, valve lash, dry and wet compression? Good questions, I don’t have answers for you. Spark is good even with the old plugs, I have new plugs I will put in once I have the carb figured out better.

 

[cruisermatt]

Gas is new, fuel filter is new, air filter has been replaced. Timing, valve lash, dry and wet compression? Good questions, I don’t have answers for you. Spark is good even with the old plugs, I have new plugs I will put in once I have the carb figured out better.

You're working backwards. Timing, checking compression, checking idle vacuum, and valve lash should be your first steps. You need healthy vacuum for the carburetor to work properly.

 

[DaKruiser]

You're working backwards. Timing, checking compression, checking idle vacuum, and valve lash should be your first steps. You need healthy vacuum for the carburetor to work properly.

This all sounds pretty intimidating to me with the little wrenching time I have and my experience in doing this type of work along with lacking some of the tools.

Would it run well, like it did before I started messing with the carb, if those things were off? I’ve drove several hundred miles in the few weeks I’ve had it.

 

[bhsdriller]

Post some pics of your other carbs so we can get an idea of what you have to work with

 

[bhsdriller]

These are a good option if needed

Aftermarket 2F / 1.5F Carburetor for Land Cruiser FJ40 FJ60 - Made in Japan

High quality aftermarket 2F / 1.5F carburetor for desmogged applications. Same as OEM part # 21100-61012. Made by Fuji Japan. Notes: If your vehicle is 1976 or newer and your vehicle is registered in California or other areas with smog check requirements, you cannot use this carburetor. We...

www.cityracerllc.com

 

[DaKruiser]

These are a good option if needed

Aftermarket 2F / 1.5F Carburetor for Land Cruiser FJ40 FJ60 - Made in Japan

High quality aftermarket 2F / 1.5F carburetor for desmogged applications. Same as OEM part # 21100-61012. Made by Fuji Japan. Notes: If your vehicle is 1976 or newer and your vehicle is registered in California or other areas with smog check requirements, you cannot use this carburetor. We...

www.cityracerllc.com

Post some pics of your other carbs so we can get an idea of what you have to work with

I will get some pictures this evening and post them up. Thank you kindly for the link! I will definitely check it out.

 

[onemanarmy]

Me? If you want to turn the key and go, and don't have time to fiddle with carb tuning....(and after verifying good gas/plugs and good compression)

Put a simple fuel injection kit on it with a HEI dizzy and a brand name in-fuel tank pump

buy once cry once

 

[charliemeyer007]

Compression tester on Amoron is $20 or less will do both dry and wet. Timing light also like $20 Straight and slant feelers gauge set $15 Remote starter switch $20

 

[cruisermatt]

This all sounds pretty intimidating to me with the little wrenching time I have and my experience in doing this type of work along with lacking some of the tools.

Would it run well, like it did before I started messing with the carb, if those things were off? I’ve drove several hundred miles in the few weeks I’ve had it.

Break each up into bite-sized tasked and you will find they aren’t bad at all. You’ll need to learn regardless if you plan to maintain this vehicle yourself long-term.
“Running well” can be subjective (especially if you only have one frame of reference, your own vehicle), that’s why you need to make sure your baseline settings and engine health are there. The ignition timing could be 2-3 degrees retarded and the engine might have 90psi of compression and it still run smoothly but be super down on power.

Personally I would recommend an OEM carb but you need to check the basics first. Usually the carburetor is the victim, not the culprit , as Mark @65swb45 says often.

 

[65swb45]

You're working backwards. Timing, checking compression, checking idle vacuum, and valve lash should be your first steps. You need healthy vacuum for the carburetor to work properly.

This is the gospel, right here. Get a baseline. Don’t just throw parts at it.

When you have the information listed above, these guys can give you better advice.

If you have a factory carb that requires a replacement fuel bowl as part of a rebuild in my shop, I can help with that.

 

[DaKruiser]

I greatly appreciate the responses! Bit of a reality check for me, but you all are right. I will start gathering the tools I need and take it little by little and see what I really need.

I will post photos of the carbs I have this evening.

 

[msapers]

It sounds like you may have a vacuum leak. Spray carb cleaner around each vacuum connection, the intake manifold and the base of the carburetor as well as the adapter between your carb and the intake manifold with the engine running and listen for a change in idle speed. You can't tune around a vacuum leak.

 

[DaKruiser]

I obviously didn’t pay attention to what was in the box. I was way too distracted by the beauty of a 40 series!

So I have two old Holley carbs. I don’t know if they would be worth messing with. I would think the Japanese carb @bhsdriller posted would be better.

Here’s what I have.

 

[DaKruiser]

Just so everyone knows how “Dick” got his name. My wife and I were joking about this door had to stay as it is, so maybe I would make a swinging bar door with it or something rather than refinishing it. Later that evening our twin granddaughters came in and asked about our new Kruiser. My wife quickly responded with “Dick the Kruiser” due to the door.

 

[rlong]

I bet som Dick put that s***ty carb on it without tuning it up!

 

[rlong]

PS me vote is “Vacuum leak related to Dick’s crappy carb adapter for $500 Bob”

 

[JohnnyC]

Dick says “Futk it … the other two didn’t work let’s try a new Chinese clone of the crappy carb”

Pick up a good carb from cityracer or cruiser outfitters… CO will have all the other tidbits you need as well