Builds Mike's disaster of a landcruiser project, 1992 "big red" (3 Viewers)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

In addition to digging the 3FE story unfolding here, will add some BMW love to this thread:

- 1971 (?) 2002 - can't remember the precise year, it was a roundie and I flipped it for $$$
- 1976 2002 - flipped
- E30 M3 e30m3 - more maintenance than the 930...
- E46 325i - daily driver
- E90 325i zhp - daily driver
- E92 328ci - daily driver
- F3X 428i - daily
- E30 318i Lemons car - now NASA SpecE30
- NASA SpecE30 (almost finished)

And this, which I regret selling so badly! Ugh! 911 Turbo For Sale

Here's the 428 the day I picked it up from the dealer. Nice to see that there are other lovers of BMW out there!

IMG_1243.jpg
 
A diesel rad has has a top left inlet and a bottom right outlet. Unsure of the diameter though. My original mt radiator had ports for the at oil cooler as did my replacement.

This is on a ‘94 diesel 80.
 
I too bought my Land Cruiser with a blown head gasket and replaced with a used motor instead of rebuilding.

Oh and a few BMW's
E39 540
BMW 540 2.jpg


M Roadster
M.jpg
M-Roadster 005.jpg
Roadster 015.jpg


E46 ZHP (Bought for 15 yo daughter now she wants a Jetta)
20170609_111844.jpg
 
A diesel rad has has a top left inlet and a bottom right outlet. Unsure of the diameter though. My original mt radiator had ports for the at oil cooler as did my replacement.

This is on a ‘94 diesel 80.

You mean left = driver's side and right = passenger side, right?
 
In addition to digging the 3FE story unfolding here, will add some BMW love to this thread:

- 1971 (?) 2002 - can't remember the precise year, it was a roundie and I flipped it for $$$
- 1976 2002 - flipped
- E30 M3 e30m3 - more maintenance than the 930...
- E46 325i - daily driver
- E90 325i zhp - daily driver
- E92 328ci - daily driver
- F3X 428i - daily
- E30 318i Lemons car - now NASA SpecE30
- NASA SpecE30 (almost finished)

And this, which I regret selling so badly! Ugh! 911 Turbo For Sale

Here's the 428 the day I picked it up from the dealer. Nice to see that there are other lovers of BMW out there!

wow! Good taste, I must say, especially the E30 M3. Shame about selling the 911 but that's life, I aspire to own a 911 turbo of that generation but it may never happen.
 
Only BMW I ever owned was a 2002 E46 325xi wagon. Loved that car. Bought it cheap for my oldest daughter and she chose my old white fzj80 over it when one had to go after a couple of years.... thank god. That thing is still going strong with two (so far) of my buddy's passing it around the "circle of junk".
 
@Technician1985 , glad you found a 3fe, gotta love mud members. I was reading through your thread wanting to say hold out for a cheap used engine to buy some decision making time at least. Done that.

Great truck, good luck.
 
Seeing all of these BMWs makes me queasy...

Just buy a CSF radiator for your 3FE. They are just fine. My last one lasted 8 years. Just put a new one in about 4-5 months or so ago.

You can use the diesel Mr. T radiator from what @beno said. I don't know exactly what you have to do but there is some modifications necessary. Hopefully Onur will chime in with what you need to do exactly.
 
Seeing all of these BMWs makes me queasy...

Just buy a CSF radiator for your 3FE. They are just fine. My last one lasted 8 years. Just put a new one in about 4-5 months or so ago.

You can use the diesel Mr. T radiator from what @beno said. I don't know exactly what you have to do but there is some modifications necessary. Hopefully Onur will chime in with what you need to do exactly.

He wasn't exactly forthcoming when I asked him for more information about the diesel rad! As far as the radiator, the OEM diesel one costs less than the CSF so I think I'm going to just order one and see what happens. It appears to have the two eyelets to mount the middle, and I can only hope/assume that it has threaded holes to mount the tabs for the bottom. I am set on using an external trans cooler either way because I want to prolong the life of the transmission as much as possible by keeping it cool, so at this point I don't care if the radiator has a trans cooler.

The only thing I keep thinking about, though, is that if an OEM diesel radiator is a direct fit, then an aftermarket diesel aluminum automatic radiator should be as well. Nobody can confirm this apparently and besides beno's recent post I can't find any info on the internet regarding radiator compatibility. The aftermarket alu radiators are cheap and appear to be robust so I'm tempted to go that route, however based on what I've read the OEM Toyota stuff is the best. If it were a BMW I would not be buying an OEM radiator!
 
@Technician1985 , glad you found a 3fe, gotta love mud members. I was reading through your thread wanting to say hold out for a cheap used engine to buy some decision making time at least. Done that.

Great truck, good luck.

Thanks, I'll need some luck. My girlfriend just caught a glimpse of the to-do list and she was VERY impressed ;)
 
He wasn't exactly forthcoming when I asked him for more information about the diesel rad! As far as the radiator, the OEM diesel one costs less than the CSF so I think I'm going to just order one and see what happens. It appears to have the two eyelets to mount the middle, and I can only hope/assume that it has threaded holes to mount the tabs for the bottom. I am set on using an external trans cooler either way because I want to prolong the life of the transmission as much as possible by keeping it cool, so at this point I don't care if the radiator has a trans cooler.

The only thing I keep thinking about, though, is that if an OEM diesel radiator is a direct fit, then an aftermarket diesel aluminum automatic radiator should be as well. Nobody can confirm this apparently and besides beno's recent post I can't find any info on the internet regarding radiator compatibility. The aftermarket alu radiators are cheap and appear to be robust so I'm tempted to go that route, however based on what I've read the OEM Toyota stuff is the best. If it were a BMW I would not be buying an OEM radiator!

You are not going to find the information mainly because I correlated it and came up with it.
 
Worked on it some more today.

I've disconnected most of the stuff attached to the motor and have the front end taken apart. At this point I'm trying to decide whether I should pull the engine and trans out together or not.

The FSM says to, but it might be safer not to if possible, although my lift is rated to handle the weight. Interestingly the FSM doesn't suggest pulling the motor in order to remove the trans.

According to my searches it sounds like I can maybe get the top bellhousing bolts from the interior, or maybe with a bunch of extensions and swivels, or maybe with removing the crossmember and tilting the trans down. Open to suggestions.

Tomorrow I will disconnect the exhaust and fuel lines then decide how I'm pulling it out.
 
^ Have to say I'm surprised how may people here have good taste in cars! ;)

Speaking of the E39 M5, I drove one back from CA to WA once (my friend bought it and we drove down to pick it up). Amazing cars for sure. They really like to go on the highway.
 
In other news I ordered an engine leveler, just gonna give it to the guy I'm borrowing the lift from (my boss in fact) when I'm done as a thank you. Once that old lump is out I can begin the engine bay and undercarriage cleaning process.
 
Oh it's happening, alright



Narly. But I'm not cleaning anything until the old engine is out.
https://flic.kr/p/23CjmXw


Now that I have a good assortment of extensions, I can keep going on stuff I didn't have the technology to tackle before. Breaking those exhaust stud nuts was something else, let me tell you. Even after soaking them with Kroil it took all the strength I could muster to break them with the 17.5" SK 1/2 drive. My brushless cordless impact wasn't even close to strong enough to break them and it can break lug nuts. I busted a knuckle on the crossmember but I got it done.

I am going to attempt to use said extensions and wobble extensions to get the upper bellhousing bolts, through the floorboard shifter holes - after I take the shifters out. I don't know if it will work or not though.
https://flic.kr/p/23CjmBw




Next weekend I will remove the old motor. Everything but the bellhousing bolts and motor mounts is disconnected. Then I will see about borrowing a pressure washer and proceed with the undercarriage cleaning and inspection. There is a ton of s*** under there that will need work I'm sure. We'll see.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom