My new '79 FJ40 build thread (1 Viewer)

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Got my Hi-Lift mounted up. My hope was all the weight would help the Cruiser lean... no luck
 
Installed a @Barn find receiver hitch.
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Got a NOS EGR J-pipe, old pipe had a hole in it and bogger welds. But I buggered up the EGR cooler removing it due to a seized mounting bolt.

Apparently the cooler had a leak at the aft bolt port and rusted itself to the stud. Needless to say, when torqued, the bolt snapped.

It was a PITA to get the cooler out with the tight space and broken bolt in the way but the bolt remanents came out easily with vice grips once the cooler was out of the way.
Good thing I have another EGR cooler on hand.
Now to put it all back together.
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This is the broken bolt specs. Of course it’s no longer available from Toyota.
However, Ace Hardware has a M10 x 1.25 thread pitch, 100 mm length with a 1/2” spacer that will suffice until an original bolt can be sourced.
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View attachment 1666250 Also got this to replace the one that a PO removed sometime before I bought it.

Their were sun faded marks on the original console that match the mounting bracket perfectly.
I’m guessing it was originally dealer installed as the hard top has the dealer installed CB antenna mount and antenna still on it.

It’s odd that the original owner of my 40 got the AC, powersteering, top of the line CB and stripe graphics but not the optional defrost horns. It appears that many early ‘79 models, i.e. Jan and Feb as well as mid and late year 40’s got that option.

Maybe it was dealer installed by drilling the dash. Not sure. Anybody know?
My 79 also does not have the defrost horns. Believe it was originally purchased in Arizona. (CORRECTION Its California emissions model so it originally came from Cali but a some point was in sold in Az.) assumed thats why it didn't have them. Mine had the strips as well but no A/C or PS.
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Got a bit done on this lately. Added some correct color jump seat straps, an original year and part number correct AM radio,
Also added some Koito H4 headlights & moved the 8274 down a bit behind the bumper.
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How long did it take you to install the headlights? Any tips. I have a set and been putting it off....
thanks
Nice build!
Thanks @Crush 4
It took about 30 minutes once the bib was tilted forward. The long headlight plug goes to the left headlight. Run new harness along bottom tray of the bib and fold up the slack under right headlight. Plug in the new harness to the right original head light plug. Run harness up right side along inner fender. Mount the relays to the fender bracket as pictured above. Connect the + and - cables to the battery posts & zip tie the fuse holders to the large diameter factory wire loom. I did have to file the inside of terminals in order to fit over my battery clamp bolts though.
 
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There it is! Looking good in that engine bay Sam

It's getting there...
Or at least it was until the other day.

While warming up it just died.

My first thought was the spark plugs, as I never changed them out after the fixing the emissions control computer and replacing the VSVs and all vacuum tubing.
Luckily, I had Toyota plugs, cap, rotor and wires on hand. So in they went. I also cleaned the corrosion off of the terminals of the ignitor, ignition coil, starter and battery with Evapo-Rust and re-greased with dielectric gease.

I found cheap a rotor and lots of metallic gritty debris in the cap and carbon fouled plugs. I wiped up as much of the debris in the distributor that I could get to. No corrosion under the clear plastic cover.

After replacing it all, it started up fine and idled well on a couple of different starts. However, it died the next day while out on a drive. So I pulled and cleaned the plugs again roadside. Still no start. I smelled fuel from my attempts and confirmed fuel was in the carb sight glass so ignition was the only other culprit that I could think of so I disconnected the ignition coil from the distributor cap and touched it to metal while attempting to start and no spark...

Problem found, I guess, now to determine if it's the ignition relay, ignitor or ignition coil.

Luckily it was only a short tow hometo do more trouble shooting...

BTW - I checked the engine fuse and also had fuel half way up the sight glass window on the carb, while it was running. It was 1/8th up the sight glass after she stopped running each time. So I don't think it's a bad fuel pump.
Also that 2nd pic of the new plug looks oily due to coating the threads with oil on install, I couldn't find my anti-seize. They'll get replaced anyway as I am getting radio feed back with them and need the W14EX-RU, 90919-01065 plugs instead due to their internal resistors.

Do any of my thread readers have any suggestions?
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So shortly after changing the plugs, wires, cap & rotor. My 40 just stopped running and died.

Fast forward a couple of months and I finally got her running again. After ohming out the entire ignition system, it turned out that I had a bad ignitor and fusible link and ignition switch.

So I replaced the ignition switch, ignitor, coil and battery tray in the process while also making a new fusible link, battery starter cables and grounds. I bought the ignition switch from @ToyotaMatt along with a new 4AWG starter bonding strap.

After all of this "ground" work, I finally got my brake light to shut off as it's supposed to. It had been on continuously with ignition since I got it.

I also got some new keys cut and lock gaskets from @ToyotaMatt. They work great after cleaning out the locks!

Great customer service. Highly recommend him as a vendor.

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