My New 1990 HDJ81, Diesel (1 Viewer)

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meafordmike

meafordmike

Joined
Mar 22, 2011
Threads
18
Messages
141
Location
Lincoln, New Brunswick, Canada
Well today I picked up a new to me 1990 HDJ81 Land Cruiser,:D I got it for a good price and it is in good shape.
I have had a very long day so I will give better details soon
The Good::D
4.2 L Diesel
Factory front; rear lockers & center lock
Parts of the Factory Winch
Never offroaded
Built in fridge
NO Rust
The kids like it Becuase it's only lapbelts in rear.
Cost

The Bad:
No records of service
Automatic
Winch cable and remote missing.
290000km
May need some work to safety.
Electrical gremlins/ no hazards lights/ domes lights work sometimes?
Right hand drive/ for insurance reasons.
Wife worried becuase it's only lapbelts in rear.

My short term plan:
Grease it all up
Change the fluids
Air filters
Grease all doors and locks/ I think an old couple owned it and didn't do anything to it, rear tailgate/ tire mount and things are very stiff.
Get it safety and start driving/ wheeling it.

Long term:
Get the service up to date: Big end bearings
Brakes / axle seals
Timing belt/ idler bearing
U-Bolts
Tie Rod ends
Transfer case???
Start Modding it
Here are a few Pictures from the dealer’s lot: I will take some soon.






 
You should add a high flow turbo to your list, before you change the exhaust or add an intercooler. I do one specific to yours and it will help greatly the low end with automatic. I had your exact vehicle (I imported from japan myself in 2005 just before the Australian law changed). What a great 4wd!

Definately change the big end bearings. Cheap job and after you get the sump off (the hard part due to chemical gasket goo) its fairly quick and painless.

Also add to the list a shift kit for the auto (if it is auto). When I did mine I used an exchange stage 2 valve body from wholesale automatics at ~ $850. But more recently I needed the same kit in my 100 series with the 5spd auto and found a kit for only $120 that I did myself entirely. And the result continues to be excellent and better than I had hoped.

The electric locker actuators would benefit from a dissasembly, clean and grease.

The front wheel bearings get loose, so check them.

Great truck!
 
IT monitors your exhaust temp. install it prior to the turbo and then keep it below 1200F Nice rig! So the dealer let you take it with out a safety? Are you in BC? They are supposed to safety it and do everything prior to you taking it.

I put shoulder belts in one side of the back of my 61. Kid rides in the front when its just us two.
 
how muh is a good price??? 5-6 grand?
 
cruisedeisel said:
how muh is a good price??? 5-6 grand?
Click to expand...

Yes!

chet said:
IT monitors your exhaust temp. install it prior to the turbo and then keep it below 1200F Nice rig! So the dealer let you take it with out a safety? Are you in BC? They are supposed to safety it and do everything prior to you taking it.

I put shoulder belts in one side of the back of my 61. Kid rides in the front when its just us two.
Click to expand...


Yes they sold it: AS IS.
I had a Cruiser Diesel guy ( Wayne)come with me to check it out.
I have a 10 permit and than must get it safetied, I think it may need a little work.
My son is already for the next offroad aventure so he can ride up front.
 
I fixed some problems today. Checked all diffs and Transfer case, front diff was down a lot (I think I have an axle seal gone) But the transfer case was good and I figured it was leaking also, but not much if it is.
New air filter and greased everything. All my lights work except the flashers (hazards), when I press the button I here a weird sound in the dash driver side (it's RHD) and if I press the Hazards, then I lose my blinkers (signal lights).
I will check top left corner of engine compartment (as I look at it) for wire wear.
I have a new problem today, I think I may have fried my alternator, I washed the Cruiser and engine bay, and now I have all my dash lights on and it appears to not be charging, any ideas??
How do you get at the alternator?
I checked and it appears that my Tacoma/ FJC rims with off-road tires will fit fine, but I think I will get an alignment before I mount them, as I am wearing the inside of the tires out bad. The cruiser wanders all over the road. I love all the work I just got myself into.
 
I am having alternator problems today also.
I blew my alternator yesterday by getting it wet, all dash light came on and it was not charging. Today at work it needed a boost to get started. So once I got home I started looking for a replacement, I live in a small town and there is not much around here for Auto parts stores. I finally found an old 1991 Tercel Alt (unknown amps 55-70) at a junk yard. I installed the new alt and now the truck charges and runs fine, but..... I still have all the dash lights on, no radio or dome lights. Tomorrow I will check the connector on the alt to see if it's secure (the tercel plug was a little longer, causing binding with the air intake hose).
Any other ideas?
I did drop off my old alt at an Alternator guy to get rebuilt if possible, I will need the extra amps when on trips: ARB fridge/ CB/ radio/ GPS and what not.

Oh and I changed the belts while in there:
Belt # Alt belts (carquest) 7395 for x2
Water pump belt # (carquest#) 7495 for 1.
 
meafordmike said:
Yes!




Yes they sold it: AS IS.
I had a Cruiser Diesel guy ( Wayne)come with me to check it out.
I have a 10 permit and than must get it safetied, I think it may need a little work.
My son is already for the next offroad aventure so he can ride up front.
Click to expand...
I am SERIOUSLY jealous of you guys. We live in a terrorist state within a state here east of Ontario, where this magnificent vehicle is outlawed. When I think it's just 50-60km away, I'm really chafing at the bit...

As for your problems... It's NOTHING for what you're getting. I had to pay more than 20 grand 4 1/2 years ago to get mine in the driveway, and still had to do the BEBs, plus I need a new exhaust and a paint job on the hood and upper tailgate, and i still need to have the AC fixed (not that I need it, really). How's the insurance rates in ON?
 
I have searched and read lots of posts, but: is there a how to do BEB's; where to buy BEB's; what tools I need; i.e.: gaskets; BEB; small torque wrench (27lbs then 90 degrees) any other info possible.
I am thinking of ordering parts and doing this in the next few weeks!
I will do all my own work (deal with my wife) but need some encouragement.
I will post better pictures later today.
Thanks in advance.
Mike
 
Good plan to rebuild the alt, while it's open they can increase the output.
The dash lights flickering is normally related to a loose altenator plug, try cleaning and tweaking the brass contacts carefully, otherwise go back and get the Tercel wiring loom or plan for a new one harness.

Washing should not hurt the alt, we have lots of LC's underground which are routinely washed and suffer abuse from additional drivers.

The radio/dome lights is a tough one, I piggybacked a new fused wire to the cig. lighter, runs the radio and clock keeps time. Look for previous owner installs which have screwed up the OEM system, trace back and remove.

Monitor your cruise control...if it ever kicks out or hesitates remove the ACSD ASAP, ask me how i KNOW.

Do you have a manual? If not search and you shall find a download.

BeB's search for ACL bearings, think Sheldon from BC will ship.
 
Squash said:
Good plan to rebuild the alt, while it's open they can increase the output.
The dash lights flickering is normally related to a loose altenator plug, try cleaning and tweaking the brass contacts carefully, otherwise go back and get the Tercel wiring loom or plan for a new one harness.

Washing should not hurt the alt, we have lots of LC's underground which are routinely washed and suffer abuse from additional drivers.

The radio/dome lights is a tough one, I piggybacked a new fused wire to the cig. lighter, runs the radio and clock keeps time. Look for previous owner installs which have screwed up the OEM system, trace back and remove.

Monitor your cruise control...if it ever kicks out or hesitates remove the ACSD ASAP, ask me how i KNOW.

Do you have a manual? If not search and you shall find a download.

BeB's search for ACL bearings, think Sheldon from BC will ship.
Click to expand...
My cruise control when out when my Alt fried! I looked at all the wires today, what a mess. WHat is a ACSD??
I need to download a manual ASAP.
The truck passed Safety today.
Mike
 
ACSD (Automatic Cold Sart Device), it's attached to your Injection Pump. Cheap enough to remove, about $25 in parts for a blanking plate, ft. of hose, Vitone O-ring seal, and 2 bolts. There's a decent write up on mud somewhere. Plus if you do plan on wheeling it, keep an eye out for cracks on the frame just under the steering box. The steering box and the long drop bracket for the track bar work against the frame, causing it to crack in between the two, and also around the mounting holes for the steering box. You will see rusty cracks forming when it happens.
 
meafordmike said:
The Bad:
Winch cable and remote missing.
Electrical gremlins/ no hazards lights/ domes lights work sometimes?
Wife worried becuase it's only lapbelts in rear.
Click to expand...

My 81 has some dome light/headlight washer/clock gremlins. Haven't had time to chase them down yet but I did find the previous owner had cut a lot og grounds to make his aftermarket foglights work, so I'd start looking at aftermarket wiring.

Winch remote: Go to Princess Auto and get a hydraulic handheld remote for $40. Go to MRO and get a connector to match Toyota. You are in for about $100 plus some time instead of $400 for a new factory remote.

Lapbelts in back: The bolts to hold shoulder belts are there even on the older models. Go to a wrecker and get some shoulder belts, and you can install them no problem (bring the bolt from the wrecker too).

Craig.
 
LanceCruiser said:
ACSD (Automatic Cold Sart Device), it's attached to your Injection Pump. Cheap enough to remove, about $25 in parts for a blanking plate, ft. of hose, Vitone O-ring seal, and 2 bolts. There's a decent write up on mud somewhere. Plus if you do plan on wheeling it, keep an eye out for cracks on the frame just under the steering box. The steering box and the long drop bracket for the track bar work against the frame, causing it to crack in between the two, and also around the mounting holes for the steering box. You will see rusty cracks forming when it happens.
Click to expand...
I will have to check, but I think the ACSD is already removed.
I saw that the fuse box is missing two fuses for a (Fuel heater or something like that)
 
meafordmike said:
I will have to check, but I think the ACSD is already removed.
I saw that the fuse box is missing two fuses for a (Fuel heater or something like that)
Click to expand...

The ACSD does not have anything to do with your fuse box, those fuses are only there if you have a fuel heater on your primer pump. IIRC this was part of a winter package including radiator screen and heated seats. Lance will chime in if I've forgotten something as his truck has all this.

If you want take a picture if your pump and we can tell you if the ACSD is there or not.

Cheers
 
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