Builds New Alaskan FJ40 intro thread (9 Viewers)

[Aussie Alaskan]

That thin stuff that's rusted is the worst. It's nearly impossible to weld. If you can, it helps to put some copper pipe behind it while you're welding.

Good advice. I made it work for now, but if I ever have to do this repair again I'll explore better ways to weld the thin plate. The P.O. simply wrapped the area in even thinner plate metal and applied a ton of caulking and bondo to seal it all in.

 

[Aussie Alaskan]

I tried to use that 22ga stuff 1st and gave up. I kept blowing holes thru it and found it to be too weak. I even tried loading my welder with 025 wire and it wouldn't push it thru the whip. I remade the hump mounting flange and a portion of the side out of 16ga.

I blew quite a few holes as well, but kept at it and never held the trigger down for more than a split second. Any longer and it would blow thru easily.

 

[Aussie Alaskan]

I didn’t see if you mentioned what size wire you are running, but In my experience running .024 wire makes a big difference in thin sheet welding capability. As @pb4ugo mentuined It is a little more finicky but my Miller 170 pushes it just fine.

All that said I don’t think I have ever gone to 22ga but if I was id want every advantage I could get.

My wire was .030". Not ideal, but it was what I had. I made it work. It just wasn't pretty, but after grinding, filler and paint, It'll look fine.

 

[Aussie Alaskan]

I’ve been driving my 40 for 30 years … quite a many were in VT at 0 and -15 as well as a few -20’s

It had started …things that WILL help

Dual batteries
60 series type starter
In-line water heater aka block warmer
Good ground to block
To name a few

I used to run 20w50 in vt

I had since moved back to ny been running 15w40 … last few years I started running 15 in summer and 10w30 or 40 in winter depending on sale lol

Less struggle to get started with the lower weight

What oil are you using?

I've installed a 250w block heater and a 250w oil pan heater as well as a trickle charger. All pretty standard winterization steps for cars up here. I've got a gear reduction starter, not sure if that's what FJ60s use or not. Only one battery and a ground straight from the battery terminal to the block.
My oil is 10w30. I used that because it's what was generally recommended on this forum, but AK is a cold place after all.
It starts after a several seconds of cranking at 5-10 above, but below zero it really doesn't want to fire. It also hesitates off idle when it's near zero, but runs fine when started in the warm garage. To me it's a fuel/carburetor issue, but I'm open to any and all ideas. My carb is a cheap Taiwanese knock-off of the original Aisan carb and idles and runs fine.

 

[JohnnyC]

Yes the 60 starter is the reduction type

Where do u have timing set … dead on stock? You could bump that up some

I run a weber that usually tends to need more… like between 12-14

I had heard of the aftermarket china carbs needing a bit more as well

Other than that you seem to be on the right track … you will need to find that sweet spot to get it started in cold

Years of running mine taught me …
Turn on key (electric fuel pump)
Press peddle to floor (cold … warm tap)
Release peddle
Crank to start

Works every time

If it gets two pumps it will not easily start too much gas

what’s your timing at?

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

Also make sure your heat riser is working properly. I drove a '68 40 for many years in Fairbanks, it had headers at the time and in those colder temps it would run like what you describe, until I put a coolant heat riser on the manifold.

 

[Aussie Alaskan]

Yes the 60 starter is the reduction type

Where do u have timing set … dead on stock? You could bump that up some

I run a weber that usually tends to need more… like between 12-14

I had heard of the aftermarket china carbs needing a bit more as well

Other than that you seem to be on the right track … you will need to find that sweet spot to get it started in cold

Years of running mine taught me …
Turn on key (electric fuel pump)
Press peddle to floor (cold … warm tap)
Release peddle
Crank to start

Works every time

If it gets two pumps it will not easily start too much gas

what’s your timing at?

Timing is set at stock settings, but I recently tuned the carb mixture and idle screws and brought the idle down so I should probably re-set the timing again. I was planning to set it at 10 or just visible in the window and see how that worked.
Mine has a new OEM mech fuel pump.
I have been doing 2-4 pumps to start it because of other advice and the FSM recommendation of 2 pumps to the gas pedal. I'll try it with a single pump to see how that goes. When it won't start easily (or at all) in the cold it does smell flooded.
Thanks for the advice!!!

 

[Aussie Alaskan]

Also make sure your heat riser is working properly. I drove a '68 40 for many years in Fairbanks, it had headers at the time and in those colder temps it would run like what you describe, until I put a coolant heat riser on the manifold.

I have the factory exhaust manifold on mine. The P.O. welded the top portion of the exhaust manifold shut. No heat riser. The manifolds are bolted straight to each other with a couple washers for spacing and mostly air in-between.

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

In my opinion, you'll need that operational if you want to run in these colder temps. From my experience, it makes a significant difference.

 

[Alaskan Redneck]

I lived near Fairbanks for the last 5 years until this past summer when I moved to Southwest AK. I had a 77 FJ40 that wasn't running and couldn't find a shop willing to look at it, much less work on it. When I listed it for sale on Facebook Marketplace I talked with several guys who were enthusiasts that did their own wrenching. One guy said he'd help me with it, but by then I was moving down here so I just sold it. Then a week later bought a 75 FJ40 in Wasilla that was in good running condition. (see my other post) I'm just now starting to work on it. I lived out in the bush but flew into Fairbanks pretty often. I only saw a couple out on the roads. There was one in the Midas parking lot pretty often on Airport Way. Not sure if an employee has one or what. As for cranking at those temps, I think the block heater should do it, if not add an inline water heater to the bottom line from the radiator. Where I lived, we plugged in every vehicle when it was below zero. I did a complete restoration on a 80 Jeep CJ7 that I got for cheap because he cranked it at -50 and spun the bearings in it. $2700 to rebuild it. He had no heat on it at the time. So don't do that.

 

[sggoat]

Pictures of my new sill:

2"x2" steel square tubing 1/8" thick with original sill end horns welded to it. Turned out pretty good after alot of careful measurements. Not sure how the sill plate will fit over it and it may need some adjustment, but I'll see how it goes when the new sill finally makes it up to Alaska.

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I did exactly the same thing with my 77--you did a better job than i did!!

 

[Aussie Alaskan]

I did exactly the same thing with my 77--you did a better job than i did!!

How did you bolt it on? Once I weld the sill plate in place there will be no way to undo my bolts. I'm still not sure how to make the bolts accessible in the future. Unless I drill holes in the sill plate much like I've drilled the holes in the new 2"x2" sill. But then those holes will be wide open to the elements and all sorts of junk will fall into the sill.

 

[Aussie Alaskan]

I lived near Fairbanks for the last 5 years until this past summer when I moved to Southwest AK. I had a 77 FJ40 that wasn't running and couldn't find a shop willing to look at it, much less work on it. When I listed it for sale on Facebook Marketplace I talked with several guys who were enthusiasts that did their own wrenching. One guy said he'd help me with it, but by then I was moving down here so I just sold it. Then a week later bought a 75 FJ40 in Wasilla that was in good running condition. (see my other post) I'm just now starting to work on it. I lived out in the bush but flew into Fairbanks pretty often. I only saw a couple out on the roads. There was one in the Midas parking lot pretty often on Airport Way. Not sure if an employee has one or what. As for cranking at those temps, I think the block heater should do it, if not add an inline water heater to the bottom line from the radiator. Where I lived, we plugged in every vehicle when it was below zero. I did a complete restoration on a 80 Jeep CJ7 that I got for cheap because he cranked it at -50 and spun the bearings in it. $2700 to rebuild it. He had no heat on it at the time. So don't do that.

My FJ40 cranks with no issues. It's the starting that's my current issue. Seems that it doesn't want to fire up below 0. Even with all of my heaters plugged in. But I'm still working on the vehicle and honestly haven't run it much at all. Still figuring stuff out. Thanks for the reference by the way. Guys who knows these older rigs are fewer and farther between every year.

 

[suzuguru]

I tried to use that 22ga stuff 1st and gave up. I kept blowing holes thru it and found it to be too weak. I even tried loading my welder with 025 wire and it wouldn't push it thru the whip. I remade the hump mounting flange and a portion of the side out of 16ga.

Did you turn the little wheel inside the welder around? (the one that guides the wire into the stinger lead) Most of those wheels on the wire welders have 2 grooves. One for larger wire, and one for smaller wire. You also might have to tighten the pressure that pushes down on it a little.

 

[sggoat]

My wire was .030". Not ideal, but it was what I had. I made it work. It just wasn't pretty, but after grinding, filler and paint, It'll look fine.

If you are using a MIG-- use the hard wire .023" (stainless if possible)--no flux core--use 75/25 argon/co2 gas--works way better--unless you are an accomplished welder--I am not, but this comb works good for me--I am not a fan of having to sand/grind off all the splatter the flux-core stuff produces--.30 is way too large to weld the thin sheet metal of a 40-needs too much heat and too much feed-I replaced both front fenders/hood/rocker pnls/rear clips using this--seems to have turned out well--you have done a great job here--well done!--I would offer that the Rustic green is a good color--I would keep it--please keep the updates coming

 

[AKPoser]

My FJ40 cranks with no issues. It's the starting that's my current issue. Seems that it doesn't want to fire up below 0. Even with all of my heaters plugged in. But I'm still working on the vehicle and honestly haven't run it much at all. Still figuring stuff out. Thanks for the reference by the way. Guys who knows these older rigs are fewer and farther between every year.

Hey Aussie, could it be a fuel problem? Are you getting fuel to the carb? Bad fuel? Seems like most of my vehicles and toys that have ever had issue in the cold here (especially plugged in) ended up being a fuel problem (ice). Maybe try some heet to liven things up.

 

[pb4ugo]

Did you turn the little wheel inside the welder around? (the one that guides the wire into the stinger lead) Most of those wheels on the wire welders have 2 grooves. One for larger wire, and one for smaller wire. You also might have to tighten the pressure that pushes down on it a little.

My welder is a Miller 250 which is a fairly large unit. Miller set it up to run 030 and 035 with the corresponding drive drive wheels and liner and only uses the large diameter wire spools. When I started the Hump project I made the panels with 22 ga sheetmetal. I knew I needed to try and run 023-025 from experimenting with 030, so I purchase 023 drive wheels and tips. I found the wire would birdnest between the drive wheels and where the wire enters the whip. I think there was too much resistance in the whip to push the 025 wire, because the liner is for 030/035 wire. I tried to straighten the whip as much as possible, but still had the same problems. I had no interest in changing the liner, so I remade the panels in 16ga which was more work but, in the end it made for a better repair. IMO 22ga is just too thin. I cut all the rusted out and but welded my panels. I'm not a body guy.

 

[middlecalf]

I'm not a body guy.

You are now !

 

[h82crash]

My welder is a Miller 250 which is a fairly large unit. Miller set it up to run 030 and 035 with the corresponding drive drive wheels and liner and only uses the large diameter wire spools. When I started the Hump project I made the panels with 22 ga sheetmetal. I knew I needed to try and run 023-025 from experimenting with 030, so I purchase 023 drive wheels and tips. I found the wire would birdnest between the drive wheels and where the wire enters the whip. I think there was too much resistance in the whip to push the 025 wire, because the liner is for 030/035 wire. I tried to straighten the whip as much as possible, but still had the same problems. I had no interest in changing the liner, so I remade the panels in 16ga which was more work but, in the end it made for a better repair. IMO 22ga is just too thin. I cut all the rusted out and but welded my panels. I'm not a body guy.View attachment 3227393

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I agree, I used 18 ga. for most of my repairs, matches the original material. I used 16 ga. for the tub corners at the sill horns just for good measure.

 

[pb4ugo]

I used 16ga cause it was handy at a big box store .