Builds A New 55 Owner Intro (cgn1976 thread) (6 Viewers)

[Cgn1976]

After a night thinking about it, I decided to pull the valve cover this morining before work. I noticed it was a little out of true in relation to the side of the head on the passenger side. Sure enough it was a little off, which made it not want to sit flat. Massaged it back into line as best I could without damaging it. Also the coil braket was bumping into it, causing it to sit a littled high right there. I also knocked a little more residue off the surface from some old seals and got the gasket seated a little better in the cover before install. I got it back on and ran it for a good 1/2 hour in the driveway at idel and it's dry as a bone! Hoping this solves this one!

I also tweeked the timing a little yesterday just by ear and I got it to run better advanceing it a bit more. More power for sure. I'm still waiting for the carb insualtor plate to arrive so I can put the Aisin rebuilt by Mark on there, but as is, it's running so much better than when i got it! Feeling like I'm making a dent in this list of minor issues.

Sadly, I have come to the realization that I'm pretty sure I need a new clutch. Essentially when the cluth engages, it vibrates and shakes the whole transmission. I don't have the ability to do this one myself so I'm going to buy parts and have to find soemone locally who can do it. Gonna ask some local Toyota guys if they know of anyone they can recommend. Anyway, more forward progess than back is happening, so I'll take that as a win!

 

[scrapdaddy]

Heck yeah, that's a win! Getting a new clutch is a win in itself. It's also one of those jobs that while you're in there might resurface the flywheel, put in a new rear main seal and maybe a new slave cylinder + hoses for giggles. Things that could go out when you least expect it, just ask BobM.

 

[Cgn1976]

Heck yeah, that's a win! Getting a new clutch is a win in itself. It's also one of those jobs that while you're in there might resurface the flywheel, put in a new rear main seal and maybe a new slave cylinder + hoses for giggles. Things that could go out when you least expect it, just ask BobM.

Was think the main rear seal for sure, but probably good to do all of that!

 

[RUSH55]

2nd for the clutch slave, and master.

 

[Cgn1976]

2nd for the clutch slave, and master.

Im no expert, but the master looks pretty new and both the line and the slave look decent too. I don't have much history on this thing, so it's a guessing game for sure

 

[scrapdaddy]

You're right they look good. Easy fix later on if need be, but I'd do the rear main and throw out bearing for sure and check the flywheel for cracks, etc. Harder pulling the trans. back out later.

EDIT... forgot the roller bearing/bushing (pilot bearing) in the crank should be changed out also.

 

[abqcruiser]

After a night thinking about it, I decided to pull the valve cover this morining before work. I noticed it was a little out of true in relation to the side of the head on the passenger side. Sure enough it was a little off, which made it not want to sit flat. Massaged it back into line as best I could without damaging it. Also the coil braket was bumping into it, causing it to sit a littled high right there. I also knocked a little more residue off the surface from some old seals and got the gasket seated a little better in the cover before install. I got it back on and ran it for a good 1/2 hour in the driveway at idel and it's dry as a bone! Hoping this solves this one!

I also tweeked the timing a little yesterday just by ear and I got it to run better advanceing it a bit more. More power for sure. I'm still waiting for the carb insualtor plate to arrive so I can put the Aisin rebuilt by Mark on there, but as is, it's running so much better than when i got it! Feeling like I'm making a dent in this list of minor issues.

Sadly, I have come to the realization that I'm pretty sure I need a new clutch. Essentially when the cluth engages, it vibrates and shakes the whole transmission. I don't have the ability to do this one myself so I'm going to buy parts and have to find soemone locally who can do it. Gonna ask some local Toyota guys if they know of anyone they can recommend. Anyway, more forward progess than back is happening, so I'll take that as a win!

Check your motor and bellhousing mounts first, before thinking it's a clutch problem.

 

[RUSH55]

True

 

[Cgn1976]

Hi everyone. Got the Aisin carb on! Still need some threaded rod for a new linkage and a line for the dizzy, but it's running great so far! Gotta get a tach to dial it all the way in, but by ear, it's nice and smooth and improved from the Rochester.

Question...I've been reading old threads and think I know, but is the hose from the diaphragm on the carb to the base of it in the pic correct or should it go to the VSM? I've seen it both ways. I know the one next to the idle screw will go to the dizzy, but does the vacuum advance dizzy negate using the VSM? Do I need to do anything else to the rest of the emmissions stuff?

The canister is still there as is the VSM and there's a line from the VSM to the intake from the PO. Should I remove and cap this line to the intake and unplug the vsm or run things through it? Sorry, I know there is all sorts of desmog info on here but I couldn't make sense of it becuase there are multiple different years and setups. I need just a little help! Thx in "vacuum" advance ; )

 

[Cgn1976]

Saw a thread on what appears to be the similar vsv and evap as mine and recommended this, so the evap system is still connected.

 

[Cgn1976]

Saw a thread on what appears to be the similar vsv and evap as mine and recommended this, so the evap system is still connected. View attachment 2457904

a few more pics of attempted set up like above. Don't have the emmissions fsm but even if I did, I couldn't make sense of what to do here. Also showing a pic where the old red and black vac lines to the vsm ran off the old carb

 

[bobm]

You're doing great . I'm not sure about the vac off carb . Plug it and see what happens!! You've got it running a lot better! Keep it up

 

[Cgn1976]

You're doing great . I'm not sure about the vac off carb . Plug it and see what happens!! You've got it running a lot better! Keep it up

Working from home these days has given me all sorts of time to sneak outside and do a little jobs here and there which has been great! Making that forward progress!

Going back to the front heater leak, I pulled it with the plan to test the core for leaks. Turns out it was just clogged to all hell with old goopy reddish brown coolant! Filled and dumped it while shaking it for about 15 minutes and eventually got it to flow clear water flushing it both directions with a hose. Reinstalled with some new hoses and ran it hard for 30 min...problem solved. Dry as a bone and hot air! Also put a coat of paint on the case while it was out. Looking good!

Got a multitester with rpm feature on it yesterday and got the carb dialed right in based on a video I saw on a 40. This thing is running smooth as silk compared to when I got it. Big shout out to Mark and Mark's OffRoad on this. What a difference!

As for the VSV and vacuum stuff, I ordered the FSM on emmissions from SOR so I can test things out. That said I found a thread in the 40 section that pretty much shows the proper hose routing (see below). I tried it and it ran like crap. Hesitates and isn't smooth. I pulled them off, capped the one to the intake, and ran one hose from the carb base to the diaphragm and it runs great. I realize this pulls the lever so it pretty much always has the throttle closed (got that from another thread, not 100% sure what's happening with the diaphragm vacuum line, but I can see it's engaged and pulled closed).

If this setup seems OK to everyone, I think my next move will be to direct the charcoal canister directly into the air cleaner assembly. I do want that system to be functional if at all possible. The bonus of this will be that I can remove the VSV all together which I think gives me enough room to put the stock air cleaner bottom assembly back in there (removed because it doesn't fit with the power steering conversion).

I checked on the motor and bell housing mounts and they are solid. The bell mounts are actually pretty new. I can really feel the clutch plate jiggling as it engages. Pretty confident that's what's happening, so that's coming soon.

Recently sold some wrx parts and am gathering a pile of cash to get some new shoes on this thing too. Have a buyer on an exhaust potentially tonight, so hopefully sooner than later on that! Love the truck, but she's begging for bigger rubber!

Anyway, I'm gonna keep posting my progress here in case some other newbie down the line decides they wanna get into one of these with limited skills like mine! Hope it will give them the confidence to give a go!

 

[Ol Yeller]

I'm gonna keep posting my progress here

Absolutely, these are the posts that make build threads awesome!

 

[Cgn1976]

Friday update - the 2 step dance continues! Since my last post got a few good things happeneing and one I fear that's not so good.

On the happy side, I got the vaccume lines and VSV stuff figured out and it's running better than ever! After getting the FSM on the emissions system I routed the hoses properly and quickly realized the VSV is not working. You need some special equipment to test it, but I can tell. It runs like crap. I also realized that the vacuum line to the diapram on the carb makes it run worse than with it not hooked up. So I disconnected the VSV, ran the fumes line from the canister into the air filter housing, and capped all the vacuum lines except for the one for the vac advance on the diz. Runs fantastic! Best since I've had it!

I also finally got my front seat belt replacements in after 6 weeks. While the purists will surely grumble at my choice, but I went with some cargo van universal units I saw in one of the FJ55 seat belt threads. They are essentially the same as the stock set up bolted above the rear door, except they are retractable. What a pleasure as compared to the non-retracable stock units. I already did pillar mounted retractable units in the back, so until I decide to get some Toyota stuff in there, this will suffice and it's a huge improvement All riders and driver are happy!

Next, I finally found a trans shop in town that will work on this old beast and is doing my clutch next week. Just don't have the place or equipment, or the extra hands to do it myself. I have all the parts here (plate, disc, and both bearings and alignment tool), inlcuding a donor flywheel I currently have at a machine shop getting re-surfaced. After removing the flywheel cover, I could see oil leaking from the back seal, so I have both that and the rear main going in. Hoping this sorts that issue. I'm thinking my issue really may just be the oil in there causing the jutter, but since I'm pulling it all out, I'm gonna just get new parts in there for good measure.

And now the bad...I'm sick to my stomach but this morning I went for a little drive and on the way home on a down hill run I pushed it up to 65 for the first time. No problem, lots of power, but as I let off the gas and began to coast back to the speed limt I saw some white smoke pouring out the tail pipe! I've never seen this truck do that before. I have a sinking feeling it's the head gasket. The smoke stopped after a minute and for the next little bit of the drive it would come and go every now and then. Thining if it is blown, it's not that bad and is letting coolant through into a combustion chamber intermittantly, but I'm guessing. I'm gonna drain some oil and see if there's any coolant in there. I read a little bit about this saw that I could pressurize the coolant system and see if there are leaks and also do compression test to try and diagnose? All I know is I'm getting back in over my head here if I have to do the head gasket. I plan to do more reading to see what I should do. I'm a little weary of tackling the gasket replacement since my skills are limited. I've surprized myself on what I've acomplished so far in doing the dizzy, carb and water pump install, but I think this is quite a bit more and worry about getting everything sealed properly on re-install. Also with the head off, wouldn't it make sense to do a rebuild? How much is that gonna be? What if I can't manage the job myself and have to send this thing out? Uggh. Gonna be $$$$, if I can even find someone who will work on this thing! Every place I've talked to won't go near it. Happy F-ing Friday!!!

 

[RUSH55]

Head gasket is dead simple on an in-line six. The entire engine is probably gonna really start suffering from “dry, crunchy gasket syndrome” due to sitting idle for so long and then being suddenly being thrust into the street again. Be happy you’re catching this now and not oblivious to it until you have coolant washing through your main bearings.

 

[bobm]

Head gasket won't be bad to do! Dont assume that's what it is! Check other things 1st ! If it was running that good why do you think it needs a rebuild??

 

[J Mack]

I'd let it go for awhile and work on everything else. Check your sparkplugs, they'll tell you what's going on with that puff of smoke you seen.

 

[Cgn1976]

Head gasket is dead simple on an in-line six. The entire engine is probably gonna really start suffering from “dry, crunchy gasket syndrome” due to sitting idle for so long and then being suddenly being thrust into the street again. Be happy you’re catching this now and not oblivious to it until you have coolant washing through your main bearings.

I'd let it go for awhile and work on everything else. Check your sparkplugs, they'll tell you what's going on with that puff of smoke you seen.

Well this is why I post. I don't know anything other than what I read on the forum or see on youtube! Noob here on not just FJs, but all engine diagnosis! Haha. Figured white smoke = coolant so head gasket. As for head rebuild, read about seals inside that could be causing oil to get into places it shouldn't be, so maybe head would be off, so just do it? No idea how expensive that would be.

Didn't want to run it and cause more damage. The smoke isn't steady and it is a new thing. Could it be the charcoal canister being fed to the air cleaner? I did think that and stopped and disconnected it this morning and still got smoke afterward, but maybe that dumped stuff in that had to get burned off? This was the first run with that hooked up at all, as the VSV was clearly not working before.

It really is running great....so much better than when I got it. No power loss. Read head gasket failure would do that and it's not at all. I'll pull some plugs and post pics. They are brand new so should be easy to get a read on. I know there's a reference of plug pics on the back of my Haynes manual I can check against.

 

[Cgn1976]

Took another drive just now to drive it under warmer conditions. Clearly wet at the block and head. Had some oil there from the valve cover leaks before so didn't notice prior, or maybe didn't know what I was looking for. Seems like the gasket has to be bad right?