new 70 series owner with questions (1 Viewer)

[Honger]

Just bought a 89 BJ 74. She runs and drives fairly well, but I have some things to do to make her right. I have some questions that perhaps need more threads, but If anyone is willing to answer here then that's great.
1. I need a heater core anyone know a good source in the US for a 70 series heater core?
2. Need a new radiator. I see many on Ebay, but not sure if they actually fit even though they say they do. Price range I'm seeing is $125-250. Any advice?
3. I don't have air conditioning and I want it. I'm not sure if the factory "air box" has enough room to add a evaporator core in on top of the heater core. I don't see the room for a aftermarket underdash unit as the shifters will hit it. Theres room on top of the dash, but not sure of the depth. Any advice on this?
4. I am considering a "fuel heater" or relocated heater core/bus heater and then having the place of the current heater core open for a evaporater core and AC. Any advice on this?
5. Anyone have a source for a 3b diesel AC compressor bracket and whatever different "waterneck" may be required? Currently I have a idler pully and no compressor.
6. The rear door sags from the weight of the tire over the years and is hard to shut tight. Is there a way to re-align/adjust the hinges?
7. Any good part source for "dash parts" such as vent louvers etc. alot of my dash pieces are cracked up?
8. I do not have locking hubs, or auto-locking hubs they are solid and the axle is turning with the wheels all the time. Is it relatively simple to install locking hubs such as Aisin or warn?

I'm in the US so I can't just go to a wrecking yard and find another 70 series study, to canablize or get parts from. I can only search online and try to find something that works.
Any advice appreciated.

For items 1, 3, 5, and 7 it may also be worth talking with @joekatana. That's where I managed to find my heater assembly.

And welcome!

Let me help you with number 8....don't bother. Welcome btw!

I buy a lot of parts through Partsouq.com. Another good resource is ToyoDIY.com. Same MO; put your vin number in and you can pull up parts diagrams.

Curious why you say this? Why not bother with installing selectable hubs? I've been planning to do it. Convince me it's pointless so I can save the money... =)

Possibly. You won’t know a thing until you remove the head.

None of this is rocket science. These are 30+ year old engines.

You are throwing the bathtub out with the bath water without actually knowing what you are dealing with or even if things are as bad as you think they might be.

Take one step at a time dude.

Onur's on the mark here. Heartbreaking to have this happen immediately after purchase. But get some pics posted up, find the 3B engine manuals available here on the forum, and engage the cruiserhead braintrust. You can work through this and be posting lovely sunrise photos like @FJBen before you know it.

Rob,
Welcome to the forum and I’m sorry you are having such a bad first experience with your truck. Where in NC are you located? I’m in Greensboro and know a little bit about these trucks, especially the imports from Spain. I’ve got some rear door hinges and dash parts. Can you post a few pictures? An engine picture of two might help give us an idea what you are working with. I would have the radiator recored. It will be better than a Chinese built radiator and cheaper than a Toyota radiator. In my experience, most of the Spanish trucks I’ve seen were running straight water in the cooling system with NO coolant. They don’t need anti freeze in Spain and they don’t run it. The problem with straight water is the rusting and gunking that happens inside the engine, radiator and heater core. Your heater core is probably plugged up with rust and silt, may be the same problem with the radiator. You may be able to have the radiator hot tanked and cleaned up. I have a lot more questions than answers right now. I’d be very interested in seeing some pictures of the engine and engine bay. Can you post some? I’ve seen lot of thrown together Spanish trucks and want to see what you have. It will make assisting you easier.
Chris

Perfect example of the braintrust around here. Find your local folks like Chris and move forward.

And oh yeah... we need pics!!!

 

[WarDamnEagle]

For items 1, 3, 5, and 7 it may also be worth talking with @joekatana. That's where I managed to find my heater assembly.

And welcome!



Curious why you say this? Why not bother with installing selectable hubs? I've been planning to do it. Convince me it's pointless so I can save the money... =)



Onur's on the mark here. Heartbreaking to have this happen immediately after purchase. But get some pics posted up, find the 3B engine manuals available here on the forum, and engage the cruiserhead braintrust. You can work through this and be posting lovely sunrise photos like @FJBen before you know it.



Perfect example of the braintrust around here. Find your local folks like Chris and move forward.

And oh yeah... we need pics!!!

What are you gaining with selectable hubs? 1/4 mpg and muddy feet?

 

[SNLC]

What are you gaining with selectable hubs? 1/4 mpg and muddy feet?

Stronger hubs.

Cheers

 

[FJBen]

More wear on front end parts and seals. Probabaly not enough to worry about. Mpg slightly lower.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Stronger hubs.

Cheers

Is that true? I would have thought the opposite given much fewer parts. The front hubs on my 75 look pretty beefy.

More wear on front end parts and seals. Probabaly not enough to worry about. Mpg slightly lower.

No worse than the rear parts and seals; right?

You never see selectable hubs over here.

 

[roscoFJ73]

Not sure what all will bolt right up to the tranny

It will take any B engine from the toyota parts bin. There is a 14B and 15B which are 3.9 lt and 4.1 ,lt resepectively from their truck and bus range.
But for the time being , I would use the resorces on Mud and get the 3B fixed if possible

 

[FJBen]

No worse than the rear parts and seals; right?

You never see selectable hubs over here.

correct, other than there are more parts In The front end. It’s not that it wears more than the back, it just wears more and is “turning” more things than if it had hubs unlocked.

 

[robmobile73]

For items 1, 3, 5, and 7 it may also be worth talking with @joekatana. That's where I managed to find my heater assembly.

And welcome!



Curious why you say this? Why not bother with installing selectable hubs? I've been planning to do it. Convince me it's pointless so I can save the money... =)



Onur's on the mark here. Heartbreaking to have this happen immediately after purchase. But get some pics posted up, find the 3B engine manuals available here on the forum, and engage the cruiserhead braintrust. You can work through this and be posting lovely sunrise photos like @FJBen before you know it.



Perfect example of the braintrust around here. Find your local folks like Chris and move forward.

And oh yeah... we need pics!!!

It will take any B engine from the toyota parts bin. There is a 14B and 15B which are 3.9 lt and 4.1 ,lt resepectively from their truck and bus range.
But for the time being , I would use the resorces on Mud and get the 3B fixed if possible

I'm in a holding pattern on the LC due to holiday event priorities. When you buy a new 4wd you think about all the things you want to do to "make it right/make it yours" until you start to find out what actually needs. Locking hubs is not something it "needs". Fuel mileage difference maybe 3-5% so not a big deal. Wear on the front end and transfer case is worth considering, but no serious need. I would like to get rid of some of the gear noise/whine on the road. I have substantially more gear noise than I had on my 72' FJ40 with locking hubs. It is always noticeable to me in any older 4wd when someone forgets to take it out of 4wd and starts to ride down the highway. ..........Or maybe when I get a bigger set of mud tires to replace the stock size all terrains I have now I won't notice the gear noise anymore.??

I will do my best to fix the 3B. I'm waiting to pull the head to see the damage. I'm just hoping my block, bore, pistons are OK. I'll search the forum for the manuals............Has anyone else ever had the experience where the water leaks out but the guage still doesn't read hot? I'm guessing when the water is no longer in contact with the sensor it just doesn't read correctly. I need something better/more reliable to read temperature. Oil temperature guage maybe?

Thankyou all for your advice/replies.

 

[Honger]

You never see selectable hubs over here.

Because these trucks, over there, are work trucks built to low specs.

 

[SNLC]

Is that true? I would have thought the opposite given much fewer parts. The front hubs on my 75 look pretty beefy.



No worse than the rear parts and seals; right?

You never see selectable hubs over here.

Take the hubs apart, they are not beefy at all.

Cheers

 

[Honger]

Take the hubs apart, they are not beefy at all.

Cheers

Our hub ends are just flanges... toothed hole to fit over the birfield splines and 6 holes to bolt to the studs on the hub body.

The selectable hubs would be weaker than a simple flange, I’d think...

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Because these trucks, over there, are work trucks built to low specs.

Not to mince words but i’m not sure I would say low specs. I think they are built to be incredibly reliable with little to anything in addition to the basics.

 

[Honger]

Not to mince words but i’m not sure I would say low specs. I think they are built to be incredibly reliable with little to anything in addition to the basics.

Agreed...
Anyway, I'm still convinced the reduction in running wear on the birfields and other seals is worth it. The front axle is more involved to rebuild.

But I've hijacked a thread now... sorry!

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Agreed...
Anyway, I'm still convinced the reduction in running wear on the birfields and other seals is worth it. The front axle is more involved to rebuild.

But I've hijacked a thread now... sorry!

Just a reference point, my ‘97 80 series has 280k miles. It’s full time 4wd and the front end seals and bearings have been replaced once. And that was proactive at around 120k and not because they needed it.

I must apologize to the OP as well. Hope the 3B isn’t too far gone when you tear into it.

 

[coldtaco]

If you end up needing a radiator I have a good used one. Just message me if interested.

 

[jblueridge]

My old MGB did the same with a freeze plug... no warning from temp gauge.

If investigation shows motor is blown, check MUD Classifieds. Some dude was selling engines up around Washington DC not long ago.

 

[FJBen]

I'm in a holding pattern on the LC due to holiday event priorities. When you buy a new 4wd you think about all the things you want to do to "make it right/make it yours" until you start to find out what actually needs. Locking hubs is not something it "needs". Fuel mileage difference maybe 3-5% so not a big deal. Wear on the front end and transfer case is worth considering, but no serious need. I would like to get rid of some of the gear noise/whine on the road. I have substantially more gear noise than I had on my 72' FJ40 with locking hubs. It is always noticeable to me in any older 4wd when someone forgets to take it out of 4wd and starts to ride down the highway. ..........Or maybe when I get a bigger set of mud tires to replace the stock size all terrains I have now I won't notice the gear noise anymore.??

I will do my best to fix the 3B. I'm waiting to pull the head to see the damage. I'm just hoping my block, bore, pistons are OK. I'll search the forum for the manuals............Has anyone else ever had the experience where the water leaks out but the guage still doesn't read hot? I'm guessing when the water is no longer in contact with the sensor it just doesn't read correctly. I need something better/more reliable to read temperature. Oil temperature guage maybe?

Thankyou all for your advice/replies.

the louder than a 72fj40 gear noise would be a red flag for me. My gear noise is very quiet in my BJ74. I had a 67 FJ40 with sm420/3 speed case andthe whine was really loud. I was surprised at how quiet my BJ74 is, even with 490,000kms.

when I switched from 235/85r16 all terrains to 255/85r16 Yokohama mud terrains road noise changed a little, but not much.
Any external gauges you add will be an upgrade to the vague factory gauges.

 

[chrisspaulding]

the louder than a 72fj40 gear noise would be a red flag for me. My gear noise is very quiet in my BJ74. I had a 67 FJ40 with sm420/3 speed case andthe whine was really loud. I was surprised at how quiet my BJ74 is, even with 490,000kms.

I agree about the gear noise. Have you checked the oil level in the transmission, transfer case and differentials?

 

[robmobile73]

the louder than a 72fj40 gear noise would be a red flag for me. My gear noise is very quiet in my BJ74. I had a 67 FJ40 with sm420/3 speed case andthe whine was really loud. I was surprised at how quiet my BJ74 is, even with 490,000kms.

when I switched from 235/85r16 all terrains to 255/85r16 Yokohama mud terrains road noise changed a little, but not much.
Any external gauges you add will be an upgrade to the vague factory gauges.

Rob,
Welcome to the forum and I’m sorry you are having such a bad first experience with your truck. Where in NC are you located? I’m in Greensboro and know a little bit about these trucks, especially the imports from Spain. I’ve got some rear door hinges and dash parts. Can you post a few pictures? An engine picture of two might help give us an idea what you are working with. I would have the radiator recored. It will be better than a Chinese built radiator and cheaper than a Toyota radiator. In my experience, most of the Spanish trucks I’ve seen were running straight water in the cooling system with NO coolant. They don’t need anti freeze in Spain and they don’t run it. The problem with straight water is the rusting and gunking that happens inside the engine, radiator and heater core. Your heater core is probably plugged up with rust and silt, may be the same problem with the radiator. You may be able to have the radiator hot tanked and cleaned up. I have a lot more questions than answers right now. I’d be very interested in seeing some pictures of the engine and engine bay. Can you post some? I’ve seen lot of thrown together Spanish trucks and want to see what you have. It will make assisting you easier.
Chris
[/QUOTE]
Chris-Thankyou for your reply. I'm in a holding pattern on the TLC right now due to holiday obligations. I completely see evidence of everything you say about Spanish trucks. I still have to check with a local shop on Recoring. I've bought cheap radiators before off of Ebay without any issues before, but I'd rather have the original brass/copper(??) recored if it's somewhat comparable in price. I don't want to hot tank/acid tank radiators /heater cores as old as in this truck it's better just to buy new or recore.

 

[robmobile73]

Chris,ttps://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/3b-overheat-damage-results-and-question.1184774/#post-12817444