Builds My '78 FJ40 "44" (2 Viewers)

[Solace in Solitude]

Well, Sgt Gunner and I are back from our maiden cruise in 44 - we had a wonderful time and drove just over 700 miles.

Tech things first... I had two minor issues with 44 - and would appreciate your thoughts:

1. Acceleration really bogs down on tough climbs - heading into Austin, NV, on US 50, from the east, the grade is fairly severe (we encountered many other more severe grades off road), 44 bogged down to 35 mph (never lower) and the vacuum gauge dropped to 1.

I assume the deceleration on the climbs were the result of the low compression numbers I reported earlier, in this thread. Am I correct that there is a direct correlation between deceleration and low vacuum? Stupid question? Perhaps... it seems obvious that when the engine isn't producing much power, it also isn't producing much vacuum, but I could be wrong.

2. 44 quit running, at 55 mph, just as we crested a grade, coming south out of Tonopah, NV- I coasted off the pavement, over the shoulder and up a hill (to ensure it would be safe to work on 44). I suspected 'fuel starvation' and pulled the air cleaner so I could check the (Aisin carb Jim C just rebuilt) sight glass. The glass showed no fuel and there was a ring of engine oil around the mouth of the carb.

I'm sure the engine oil was from the air cleaner - it always has a couple of tablespoons of oil in the air cleaner, from blow-by. I choked the carb and turned the key and the GR Starter got it started on the third try. I shut it down and restarted on the first try - no choke.

It was hot in Tonopah (about 100*) and the wind was BLOWING - I have a bastardized carb cooling fan, on a manual timer, so I turned it on for an hour and continued driving with the fan running and made the final 3.5 hour drive home, with no further problems.

I'm sure 44 died because the fuel boiled out of the carb - even though the engine never overheats (about half-way on the gauge), it is VERY hot under the hood.

Does anyone see this issue as something other than what I've diagnosed?

Thanks to all who respond!

Now... the non-tech report: 44 performed awesomely - I'm VERY pleased!

Out of the 700 miles, approximately 200 were off-highway (very little 'no-road' travel - maybe 4 miles) - the off-highway driving consisted of gravel roads, dirt lanes (some 4Hi and some 4Lo) and fording about 2 dozen streams (none deeper than 18").

We saw a lot of beautiful landscapes (especially in the Toiyabe Mountain Range (both east and west side of the Arc Dome Wilderness)) several ghost towns, a few old mines, a couple of current mines, two abandoned ranches and a lot of abandoned buildings.

My two 20L jerry cans came in very handy twice - without them, I would have run out of gas before I could get to the next gas station... or, I would have had to stay on-road and have missed a lot of great country. I can't wait to get my aux tank installed this winter!

I averaged 12+ mpg (on and off road) - that's considerably better than the 7 mpg I was getting before Jim C rebuilt my carb.

Here are three pics:

the first is where we camped the first night - we slept in 44 on the side of a mountain, after a 4Lo climb (needed 4Lo for one berm - maybe this was my first indication that 44 bogs down on a climb...).

The second is where we climbed from the 'T' intersection, in the middle of the top-half of the pic:

The third is where we tent camped the last two nights - on the San Juan Creek, in the Toiyabe Range - Gunner walked into the pic.

 

[kling-on]

Great story and awesome pics ... Sorry no real answer for your questions

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Great story and awesome pics ... Sorry no real answer for your questions

Thanks! All in all, a great trip!

I got my answers in another thread.

 

[DSRTRDR]

PM Beno. Based in GA and EXCELLENT customer service!

considering the OP is in Nevada, beno will recommend he use Cdan due to faster shipping from New Mexico - beno does this every time I need something for my 40 in Arizona

 

[Solace in Solitude]

considering the OP is in Nevada, beno will recommend he use Cdan due to faster shipping from New Mexico - beno does this every time I need something for my 40 in Arizona

I've bought from both, but generally use CDan, when he's available.

 

[DSRTRDR]

 

[john657]

Danny,
I also have a JAN 1978 Dune Beige FJ40. What's your VIN? Just curious to see how close both of ours were to rolling off the assembly line.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Danny,
I also have a JAN 1978 Dune Beige FJ40. What's your VIN? Just curious to see how close both of ours were to rolling off the assembly line.

40 01/78
VIN FJ40268219
Engine 2F 238306


Are they twins???

 

[john657]

Almost! Your VIN is the closest to my VIN that I have found yet on any forum or in person in 15 years! My VIN is FJ40267938. Don't have the original engine in it anymore as the bottom end bearings went bad about 8 years ago and I replaced the motor with a 1987 FJ60 2F with 80,000 miles on it. Still have the original engine sitting in my carport waiting to be called up for a rebuild and put into use in some future Cruiser or perhaps back into my '78 someday.

You have a super clean rig there. I just did a frame off resto on mine. You can see it in the Bookcliff Cruisers Clubhouse section. It's Fergytoy's 1978 frame off resto..

I bought mine from the original owner in 2000-2001. He had bought it new in San Diego, CA in March 1978 while he was stationed there in the Marines. It was all original when I bought it with the exception of an aftermarket radio, 31" tires and aftermarket wheels.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Thanks!

I'll take a look at your restore.

Have you looked at Poser's 2F Serial Number Info for a closer VIN? https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/2f-serial-number-info.82256/

 

[john657]

Just looked at it. Added my Cruiser to it. Saw several on there within a couple hundred VIN's of mine. Pretty cool. Thanks!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Just looked at it. Added my Cruiser to it. Saw several on there within a couple hundred VIN's of mine. Pretty cool. Thanks!

Welcome John!

I looked at your restore - I can't believe what a great job you did in only a few months - can't wait to see finished pics!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Well... as suggestion by several MUDders, after my maiden tripI re-timed 44 to 10*BTDC, re-adjusted the valves (per FSM), cleaned and re-gapped the plugs and validated that the vacuum advance was still working on my dissy.

The result was thick, sooty, black smoke that burned my eyes.

I removed the choke cable from the carb linkage and tried to set idle-mix down to the point of killing the engine - it never came close.

I called JimC and he suggested the secondary spring might be bent - it wasn't, but I discovered that the choke breaker was stuck. I have to assume I caused this while adjusting the valves. I worked it a couple of times and saw an exhaust improvement right away. Also, when I tried the lean-drop, this time, the engine died.

Then I went back and repeated everything (re-time, re-adjust valves, except I installed new Denso (W14EXR-U) plugs (gapped at .032, per JimC). I set the idle-mix, by lean-drop, to 3.5-turns-backed-out and felt it was too rich, so I set it to the 1.5 turns-backed-out that the FSM recommends.

The truck is now running VERY well!

So, now I need to get back to the remainder of the changes that were suggested - e.g. when I checked my new oem fuel pump, I found it had been assembled, with a cross-threaded 90* elbow (on output port) - beno replaced it - I need to install it and check the pressure on it. I need to install the heat shield sleeves on my fuel lines and I also want to install a second fuel filter.

After those changes, I will make a second trip and see how 44 performs on a steep highway grade.

In the meantime, I had a cold to defeat and took 44 to have the windows tinted with tint that eliminates 99% of the heat of the sun. I know some won't like this, but I do...

 

[ginmtb]

Looks great!

 

[john657]

I like it!!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Thanks guys!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

A few things done this week -

• Installed the replacement for the defective oem fuel pump and ensured it's working fine;
• Replaced all soft fuels lines;
• Installed two inline glass (replaceable filter) fuel filters;
• Installed heat shield sleeves on fuel supply lines;
• Rewired the oil pressure and coolant temperature sensors, replacing frayed connections and installed heat shield sleeves, to protect the wires.
• Removed the Air Injection components and hoses, plugging the head (air rail holes) with JimC's plugs, replacing the air pump with JimC's idler pulley and removing the gas filter and plugging the intake manifold port.
• Stealing the idea from other MUDders, installed a hand throttle (the only picture I took). My gas pedal is not hand-throttle-ready, so I went thru the firewall, on the passenger side, and over the valve cover to the bellcrank (on the carb linkage). Here's the throttle I chose.

Next up...

• Finish wiring (7-pin to 4-pin) '44' so I can tow it with my Tundra
• Install hood lock and ignition interrupt
• Install ignition switch relay for a couple of circuits I want to ignition-switch-enable

I should get these knocked out before Tuesday... then Gunner and I are going camping & fishing at Echo Canyon State Park, for a few days.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Installed hood lock with ignition interrupt -> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00375R0N0/?tag=ihco-20

Works really well - turn and remove the key and push in the button on the lock and the hood can't be opened.

Even better, the truck turns over, but won't start - eventually a thief would probably drain the battery, but they can't start it and can't open the hood to hot wire it. They could still crawl under the truck to try to hot wire it, but I have a few additional safeguards that would prevent even that.

I solo hike (with Gunner) and park in VERY remote areas, way off the beaten path - I like to feel like 44 will be there when we return from our hike.

44's theft prevention methods may not be perfect, but I]ve done the best I can to deter theft.

Someone could try to drag it out, but that would prove very difficult as well.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Yesterday, I drove 44 to Sportsman's Warehouse (4 miles) to buy a scope for my AR and, halfway home, it started running very rough and would die if I didn't step on the clutch. It ran fine, with the clutch depressed, but each time I let the clutch out (under load) it ran rough, no power under load and got worse until it died. Each time I tried to get further down the road (to a spot with a shoulder) it started ok, but repeated the errant behavior under load and died.

I was able to climb up onto the sidewalk and out of traffic. I popped the hood and checked my two glass fuel filters, I could see a few very tiny particles of rust(?) in both of them.

I pulled the air cleaner and couldn't see anything amiss in the carb, so I did an "Okie Rebuild" on my carb, replaced the air cleaner and drove home with no problems.

Today, I replaced both filters and ran fuel thru the lines and into a bottle. I can still see a few tiny particles in my first fuel filter, not in my second.

Looks like I'll be pulling my main tank, for cleaning and re-sealing shortly - I now have my aux tank from Georg (Odie delivered it this afternoon), so I'll rehab both tanks at the same time.

Today, I finished desmogging 44, filled my tank and drove to meet Odie (and pick up my aux tank) - no sputtering, no dying - 44 ran great!

I mentioned, in my last post, that I installed a Hood Lock with Ignition Interrupt - here are some pictures of the hood lock.

The 'lock' itself is installed to the left of the emergency brake (right of the steering column) - it's the bright, shiny lock.

The new cable comes thru the firewall below the clutch master and over the carb cooling fan.

The Ignition Interrupt is the black, rectangular component that is screwed to the silver brackets on the fender well.

The cable feeds and controls the bolting action of the bolt in the silver bracket - the 40 hood is not conducive to installing this hood lock in the customary (instructions) manner - but the 40 hood lip is as strong as the striker plate that was included - I saw no need to install the striker plateand put screw holes in the hood lip. The result is VERY secure - you can't lift the hood at all, while it is locked.

Likewise, you can't start the engine, with the hood locked - very nice product!!

I am VERY pleased with this theft deterrent!!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

FYI - I will post this fuel filter, with replaceable element warning in another thread as well.

I mentioned 44's loss of power, under load, in the post above.

I thought it was fuel starvation due to gas contamination getting past my two glass fuel filters.

I replaced the filter elements and thought it was fixed - I planned to clean my main tank later.

But, yesterday, while embarking on a three day trip, I got about 20 miles up I15 (out of Vegas) and it happened again - this time in heavy 18-wheeler traffic, in a 75mph speed zone.

I flicked my hazards on, exited the freeway and coasted up a berm, about 50' from the pavement.

I checked the filters and couldn't see any contamination. The sight glass showed fuel at the line.

I called FJ40Jim and he suggested I try to recreate the issue, throw it in neutral and turn the key off. Then pull off the road, remove the air cleaner and check the sight glass.

It was easy to repeat, I only got a couple miles further up the freeway.

The sight glass showed NO FUEL in the carb.

So, knowing the fuel pump is good, so we agreed I would replace the filter elements and see what happened.

I removed the filter closest to the carb and discovered that, although there was no fuel leak, the filter would not seal completely - it was allowing the fuel pump to suck air, under load.

I left that filter off, ran a new soft hose to the fuel pump and have more power than I've ever had!!

I drove almost 300 miles today, thru various mountain ranges, in several wilderness areas and got 12.1 mpg.

Had to use my two 5-gal jerry cans of gas and still almost ran out before I found a gas station!!

Can't wait to get my aux tank installed this winter!!

All is good!! Gunner and I are sleeping in 44 tonight, at 7000', with wild horses all around us and loving it!!

Gonna get cold tonight!!

Sleeping here - I think 44 is somewhere in the pic but can't see it on this phone.

Rainbow Canyon NV

G and Me