My Blue Beast, which is no longer blue (1 Viewer)

[tlaporte]

Got the truck back from the shop this weekend. With some parts from Mark's Off-Road I had the local mechanic take care of the work, since he's got the tools and the time.

I was hoping that when I brought it home I'd be able to mount up my latest eBay find, Euro-spec mirrors from Germany:

But when I went to mount them up, I couldn't find any mounting holes on the doors where they should have been!

I did some Mud searching, and it sounded like it wasn't uncommon for folks to fill those holes with body filler if they changed their mirrors, which mine had been before I got the truck.

So I started in on some archaeology, looking through paint jobs, trying to find the mounting holes:

I see: Army Green → Primer → Blue Beast Blue → Primer → OEM Army Green → Primer → Bare Metal

What I don't see are mounting holes! I thought all of the late models doors had mounting holes for the mirrors??

 

[whitey45]

That is odd? Pull the door panel, there should be threaded nut inserts? If you don’t use the mirrors, I might be interested!

 

[tlaporte]

Sadly there appear to be no nut inserts!

Now I’m puzzled by something: the paint archaeology comports with my knowledge of the truck’s paint history, but my memory is now telling me that @65swb45 replaced the doors after my accident, and that these aren’t the original doors to the truck. Curiouser and curiouser!

 

[tlaporte]

In other small activity, I got this off eBay in Australia.

Spent a little bit time cleaning it up to get this.

 

[65swb45]

View attachment 1833799 In other small activity, I got this off eBay in Australia.


View attachment 1833798
Spent a little bit time cleaning it up to get this.

And I had one right here in Burbank!

 

[tlaporte]

I assumed it was a non-USA part, so I never thought to look nearby.

 

[whitey45]

I have a few!!!

 

[tlaporte]

I just noticed I started this thread two years ago. Slowest “build” thread EVAR!

I had some expiring eBay Bucks so I made a small purchase to maybe silence one or two of the rattles. Thank you, @Racer65 !

Only 273 (±?) rattles remaining.

 

[tlaporte]

Went out this afternoon to move the truck—my wife’s been out of town for a week so I haven’t had to move it in and out of the driveway, but I’ve had it on a trickle charger as I usually do.

Put the key in, no glow light, no dash clock, no starter click. Huh?!? Was my trickle charger busted??? Checked the battery: 12.9V.

A little bit of panic inside because I can’t get the minivan out of the garage if I can’t move the truck, my wife comes home tonight, and the kids have a big orchestra concert tomorrow and I need the minivan to drive them.

Think. Stay calm. Try the key again and notice one more thing that I failed to notice the first time: the click of the main Glow Plug Relay.

No electrics except for those connected directly to the positive terminal of the battery. That means fusible link problem, right?

Since I’ve been preparing to replace my fusible link setup, I’ve read the EWD a hundred times. The other day I tried to see if the new (70-series) fusible link would thread right on to the positive terminal (it didn’t).

So I knew I had just been disturbing the positive terminal connections the other day.

I undid the terminals, brass brushed all connectors and then tightened everything up.

Fired right up on the first turn after that.

I’m so thankful to all of the resources online that people have put up, and all of the advice and support that people on this site provide on a daily basis. One thing I’ve always said about my truck is that I feel like I can understand everything about it. I don’t have even a smidgen of the experience or knowledge that so many on this site have, but being able to confidently make a diagnosis and solve the problem today was so rewarding. And I have so many forum members to thank for building up that confidence.

 

[tlaporte]

More starting woes, but this time not self-inflicted (as far as I know).

Been having some issues getting the truck started in the morning. Had a chance last weekend to start troubleshooting. I wasn't sure I was getting the right click sound from my Fuel Control Relay, so I was wondering if the EDIC was not functioning correctly.

Had my neighbor come over to help me start while I filmed:



EDIC is working just fine. You can see (or, really, hear) from the video how the engine is starting up. As I thought about it more, it wasn't starting at all in the AM, and it has been cold for SoCal in the last month. That made me suspicious of the glow system.

The relays both checked out fine, and I was getting voltage when they came on. I had to end my troubleshooting prematurely, and finally got back to it tonight. Starting working my way from the relays to the glow plugs, checking voltage. I'm always suspicious of my multimeter and my multimeter skills, so I tread lightly when I get "bad" information. Like, for instance, when I tested voltage at Glow Plug #6 and got 0.0V.

"Hmmmm, I thought. I must be doing this test wrong."

Tested voltage at Glow Plug #1: 0.0V.

Worked my way back toward the battery and tested at the Glow Plug Current Sensor and also tested to 0.0V.

I started to brush the sensor's end and the bolt that it was attached to in order to make sure I was getting clean contact. That was when I discovered this:

Completely broken off.

The replacement part was an eye-popping $115 and change, shipped from the UAE. Hopefully it will get here in the 7-10 days that the shipping forecast suggested.

Question for the electrical gurus @bj40green, @RAGINGMATT, and @Coolerman: can I jumper from the SENSOR, GLOW PLUG CURRENT to the PLATE, CURRENT SENSOR for the time being while I wait for the replacement part? If so, what gauge wire is likely needed? I assume heavier due to the current running through this circuit to the glow plugs.

 

[65swb45]

Tom

Logic says, whatever gauge wire Toyota used to wire the circuit into the fuse panel should be sufficient to use to make a jumper wire.

It’s not like you’re wiring off road lights that are going to require a continuous high-draw. The glow plug circuit is only on for a minute.

It looks like it is the plate on yours that broke. When mine broke on my HJ, I just made a new one from some aluminum flat stock, and used some heat shrink tubing between the glow plugs to insulate the exposed surfaces.

 

[tlaporte]

Either I created a short or I’m going to have to rethink this strategy.

At least I got to use the great ratcheting crimp tool I got from @Coolerman to make my little hack.

 

[bj40green]

That "sensor" is a very low ohm resistor. I don't know the value but you need the OEM sensor for correct functioning of the pre-heat and after-glow circuits especially in cold weather conditions.

Rudi

 

[tlaporte]

Wow, time keeps flying, and little keeps happening on my truck, other than my daily in and out of the driveway.

I think I got all of the glow stuff squared away once I replaced the Glow Plug Current Sensor with a brand new one. There is one other part that was a little rough, but serviceable. I've ordered a new one from a vendor in Australia.

I've been slowly accumulating some tools this summer. I bought an Ingersoll Rand air compressor from Craigslist and ended up needing to get a 240V circuit put into the garage. That's working nicely. I also picked up a parts washer locally from @Dazed (thank you very much!).

Today's excitement was a USPS arrival via Deutsche Post:

Yes, that's a NOS kick vent panel, A-pillar and rocker panel courtesy of @dieselbj42 in Germany. These will eventually replace the side damaged in the accident. And, oh, BTW did I mention that I also got a driver's side set that I haven't taken out of the box, yet?

These parts are listed as being for LHD trucks (for the A-pillars and rocker panels), but in the dark of night I've not been able to determine what the differences are between LHD and RHD versions, so I'm hoping that they are minor and workable on my truck.

It amazes me the things that can still be found out there for our Landcruisers.

 

[tlaporte]

More NOS goodness.

If I play my cards right, have patience, and spend gobs of money, I might eventually have an entire NOS Troopy.

 

[tlaporte]

Trying to sort out a headlights issue.

I bought the relay kit the @Onur posted awhile ago. In putting it in I’ve had trouble getting things working.

The relay kit itself works perfectly: I can ground it and apply 12V straight from the battery and the headlights come on just fine.

I was having some wiring troubles at the RH headlight connector where I’m plugging in the relay kit (old, fraying wires) so I had @ToyotaMatt make me up a new connector and pigtail.

Right now my problem is that the headlights won’t come on with the headlight switch. I’m only measuring about 2.0-2.5 volts at the R-Y or R-G wires when I turn on the headlight switch and high beams. I also see that the high beam indicator light does not come on when I turn on the high beams

Since all of my taillights and license plate lights are working, I measured voltage there and it was 12.25V.

Looking at the wiring diagram, I do see that the headlights and the high beam indicator are both downstream of the dimmer switch. Is it possible that something is wrong at that point and there is a point of resistance that is causing the voltage drop?

 

[tlaporte]

Geez, I just looked at the diagram and realized I haven’t checked the HEAD 15A fuse. It’s raining right now, so I’ll have to check that later tonight.

 

[tlaporte]

The lockdowns here in CA, and the kids all having to start the school year at home had me a bit blue lately, and a looming 50th birthday is probably in the back of my head, too.

Mud has always been a great escape for me, even if I’ve mostly been an armchair mechanic. I finally resolved to get out of the chair and go out to the garage tonight to do something on my truck. I’ve really enjoyed @wngrog ’s Preserving Patina Thread (and all of his many build threads), so I wanted to do something small and manageable for the evening. My truck is not original paint (it has at least two rattle can jobs on top of the original Army green), but I do have a Desert Tan FST ambulance door. I recently sent the hinges off to @SMG, so the amby doors are off the truck and I had most of what I needed in the garage to make this a good job.

First things first, what I started with:

After stage one, cleaning with CLR and rinsed with water:

For stage two (rust conversion) I used Naval Jelly:

And since I had no Fluid Film (or BLO, for that matter) my stage three process used 3-in-1 oil!

It turned out well, as far as I can see. I took the compressor out to blow it as dry as I could, especially on the inside. I suspect a spray applicator and Fluid Film inside would be the optimal solution.

 

[tlaporte]

Happy Birthday to me.

New mirrors and arms from my wife and kids, via @Racer65

 

[tlaporte]

And on my birthday, the second best present I got was the few hours to crawl under the truck and get dirty. Nothing mechanical, just cleaning. Honest to goodness there’s still lots of Australian dirt left on this truck, despite it being here in the States for over ten years.

Given how dirty and rusty it is in some areas, the condition of the frame underneath it all is remarkable in places.

And for those who were wondering, the best gift of the day was the love of my family (and the homemade Superman Ice Cream from my daughter!!!!!!). Folks like @dogfishlake and others who live in Michigan don’t know how good they have it, with easy access to Superman Ice Cream.