New guy with -79 BJ40

[BeeJii]

Hi all!
New forum member saying hello!
I´m from Finland and have around 20 year history with all kinds and makes of cars and motorcycles.
I try to write best english i can, but i want to apologize all the misspelling i will be doing now and in future!
I got this "running project" 1979 BJ40 just over a week ago. Since then i have been busy making it work ok to be my (allmost)daily driver.
I have put in new battery and alternator, changed motor oil and filter, checked fluids, patched the fuel tank and lot´s of other small things.
I have a lot of future plans to do to BJ when i have time and money for them. Few things that i have in mind: Put in better seats (seats in the BJ arent original either) from Renault Megane that i found very cheap. Allso planning to smooth out few bumps from the fenders and tub sides that someone have messed while welding them, remove as much rust as i can without needing to lift body of the frame and maybe paint the whole car when weather gets warmer in spring?
Most of the rust is just surface rust, but there might be some hiding suprises in there that roadsalt have been eating in all these years?
Theres allso alot of service waiting to get done, since BJ had been standing without use for around 8 years before i bought it.

One thing i would like to get better opinions, since i dont have experience on these old 4x4 cars.
When i rode little bit on asphalt road with 4WD engaged(I know i´m not suppose to do that normally), i was hearing light winding kind of noise from the tranfer case, i think. This noise wasnt loud and it was comming and going when i turned the stearing wheel a little or the road was tilted differently.
There is enough oil in tranfer case, i have checked that.
Is this noise something i need to be worrying or is it normal on 4WD? When i drive 2WD i cant hear this noise at all.

 

[lostmarbles]

Welcome..

Driving in 4WD on a hard surface puts a lot of strain on the drivetrain so I doubt the noise you heard is anything to worry about.

In case you haven't noticed from my signature line, I too have a 1979 BJ40..

I look forward to following your progress..

 

[JohnnyC]

You should hear what mine sounds like

Your ok

And your truck is in good hands... Welcome to mud!

 

[78fj40mg]

Welcome to MUD!

Very nice green rig!!

 

[winnie]

great pic green truck, snow covered trees ... welcome ...

 

[BeeJii]

Thank you all the wellcomes and comments on the car and the noise on 4WD! Your comments calmes me alot with this tranfercase noise and i´ll be happily driving around with my BJ40!
There is A LOT of reading to be done for me in this forum to get really familiar with my car.
And Lostmarbles i need to check in your posts about your car, since we have same year and model altough you have 12volt system and i got 24volt. Not too exited on this 24volt system myself, since electrical parts and accessories are a lot harder to find and there allso more expensive.
I was lucky to get factory rebuilt alternator from Toyota dealer with really great price too. There didn´t seem to be too many of these 24volt alternators with vacuum pump around when i did a little internet search on it.

 

[FJ404345]

Welcome and Nice truck !

 

[vt0u812]

Welcome! Always cool to see people from all over the world join here..in one common spot...to discuss our passion. You'll find this site to be a huge resource.
I too have a 79...gas tho.
Enjoy and welcome!!

 

[JohnnyC]

With the electrical stuff ... When buying an alternator you can rebuild your old one and keep it as a spare ... There are lots of parts that are going the way of the dodo bird and one should keep spares for as much as you can

Btw the alternator is a big time score! Nice find

 

[HoJo 61]

Tervetulloo, harvemmi täällä suomalaisia näkkee.

Siistin näkösen BJ:n oot löytäny, varmaa jostai pohjosemmasta kun nuinkin hyväkuntose näköne pelleiltää.

Onko mittää maasto kyvyn parantamis sunnitelmia, lukkoja, alustaa, suojausta..?

 

[BeeJii]

Thank you all the wellcomes and comments!

When buying an alternator you can rebuild your old one and keep it as a spare ...

Unfortunately alternator was "change part" so i had to return the old one to dealer. I have rebuild many alternators before and opened this one allso, but unfortunately rotor coil was gone so i couldnt bring it back to life.
It was a big suprise to find this alternator from Toyota dealer. I asked about it all over the part stores and internet and one day a friend of mine asked if had gone to Toyota dealer to ask for it.... No i had not, but very next day i did and got lucky!

Tervetulloo, harvemmi täällä suomalaisia näkkee.
Siistin näkösen BJ:n oot löytäny, varmaa jostai pohjosemmasta kun nuinkin hyväkuntose näköne pelleiltää.
Onko mittää maasto kyvyn parantamis sunnitelmia, lukkoja, alustaa, suojausta..?

Kiitos tervetulo toivotuksista!
BJ on peräisin puolivälistä Suomea Oulun korkeudelta ja seisonut kuuleman mukaan edelliset noin 8 vuotta.
Peltejä on kyllä hitsailtu ja hitsaaja ei ole ollut mikään paras peltiseppä kun on saanut kyljet kupruille hitsatessaan, mutta eipä se kolo komiassa haittaa! Siloittelen peltejä sitä mukaa kun aikaa ja intoa riittää. Runkoa ei ole isommin hitsailtu ja on ihan yllättävän kopsakassa kunnossa ikäisekseen. Takaovien alaosassa olevat syvennykset on hitsattu umpeen suoralla pellillä ja niihin pitäis löytää varaosaovet tai järki hintaan nuo pokatut osat.
Maastoa varten ajateltuja parannuksia ei toistaiseksi ole vakavissaan mietittynä. Vinssiin pitäis hankkia uusi vähemmän ruosteinen vaijeri ja lukkojen hankkiminen on käynyt mielessä, mutta rahan puutteessa tulee varmasti laiteltua tuota muuta puolta ensin kuntoon.

 

[DSB345]

Welcome!
I would love to visit there some day. IH8MUD is a great resource.

 

[BeeJii]

I would love to visit there some day.

Most of the year it´s either too cold or too rainy in here But if you happen to get this part of the world sometime give me a shout!

 

[HoJo 61]

Offipalstan ja SLCK:n sivut on varmaan jo kahlattu läpi osista ja infosta mutta tässä näyttäs olevan ihan OK kuntoset takaovet ja muuta.
Myydään Bj40 korin osia - Offipalsta.COM

Nuihi peltihommii, omassakin HJssa edelline tehny pellit "sinne päin", samoin maalaus. Laittelee sitte ens kesänä paremmaks niitä kun tosiaan kelit on mitä on ja lämmintä tallia ei ole. Kumma kun eivät kehtaa tehä kerralla kunnolla..

Eipä niihin lukkoihin välttämättä kannata ensimmäisenä muutenkaan sijottaa, pärjää ilmanki melko pitkälle.
Alusta ja renkaat tekkee jo ihmeitä, jos siis on tarkotus maastossa ajella.

Mutta eipä siinä, tsemiä projektii. Mukava näitä on katella/lukkee kun entisöiään eikä pureta osina myyntiin/paaliin.

 

[BeeJii]

Offipalstan ja SLCK:n sivut on varmaan jo kahlattu läpi osista ja infosta mutta tässä näyttäs olevan ihan OK kuntoset takaovet ja muuta.
Myydään Bj40 korin osia - Offipalsta.COM

Nuihi peltihommii, omassakin HJssa edelline tehny pellit "sinne päin", samoin maalaus. Laittelee sitte ens kesänä paremmaks niitä kun tosiaan kelit on mitä on ja lämmintä tallia ei ole. Kumma kun eivät kehtaa tehä kerralla kunnolla..

Tuo linkkihän oli hyvä löytö! Pittää soittaa noista ovista samantien. Kiitoksia vinkistä!
Luulen että näissä maastokamppeissa suurin osa peltihommien tekijöistä ei välitä lopputuloksen ulkonäöstä koska ajavat autoilla semmosissa paikoissa joissa kyljet on lommoilla ennemmin tai myöhemmin kuitenki?
Itellä on (ainaki tällä hetkellä) ajatus että pysyttelen sellaisilla reiteillä jossa ei tarvi pelätä hierovansa kylkiä puihin, kallioihin tms.
Kävin vilkaseen sinun Hojo threadia, hyvän näkönen peli sullakin! Pitää katella tuota threadia pidemmällekkin kun ehtii.

 

[lostmarbles]

....
And Lostmarbles i need to check in your posts about your car, since we have same year and model altough you have 12volt system and i got 24volt. Not too exited on this 24volt system myself, since electrical parts and accessories are a lot harder to find and there allso more expensive.
I was lucky to get factory rebuilt alternator from Toyota dealer with really great price too. There didn´t seem to be too many of these 24volt alternators with vacuum pump around when i did a little internet search on it.

You've certainly done well with getting a new alternator complete with vacuum pump from Toyota. Was it externally-regulated just like your old one and did it require any modifications to the mounts, or was it just "plug in and play"?

Alternator, Voltage regulator, Starter motor, Glow controller, EDIC relay (and various other relays like your indicator relay) are all I can think of that could pose a problem for you in sourcing 24V replacements. But then some of these aren't that easy to source now for 12V models either without resorting to "innovation".

But the main thing is ..... These vehicles are so robust that when components like these fail, it is usually a result of owner-error (such as failing to identify and fix a potential problem before it results major damage or endlessly cranking an engine that is reluctant to start rather than fixing the reluctant-to-start issue)..

(BTW - All the above-mentioned components on my BJ40 are original and all are still working perfectly.)

 

[BeeJii]

You've certainly done well with getting a new alternator complete with vacuum pump from Toyota. Was it externally-regulated just like your old one and did it require any modifications to the mounts, or was it just "plug in and play"?

Alternator, Voltage regulator, Starter motor, Glow controller, EDIC relay (and various other relays like your indicator relay) are all I can think of that could pose a problem for you in sourcing 24V replacements. But then some of these aren't that easy to source now for 12V models either without resorting to "innovation".

But the main thing is ..... These vehicles are so robust that when components like these fail, it is usually a result of owner-error (such as failing to identify and fix a potential problem before it results major damage or endlessly cranking an engine that is reluctant to start rather than fixing the reluctant-to-start issue)..

(BTW - All the above-mentioned components on my BJ40 are original and all are still working perfectly.)

Actually vacuum pump didn´t come with the rebuilt alternator and had to be taken from the old one, but that wasn´t a problem. Alternator itself is factory rebuilt from original so it was just bolt on and plug in. Allso found voltage regulator from part store listing and ordered that allso, just to make sure i have fully working system.
Turn signal relay i managed to find from England through ebay and waiting to receive the package any day. It is 24v three leg relay with electronic internals, so it´s not original but should fit?
Old electrics are good stuff in the way that many times they are repairable if replacement parts aren´t available.
This EDIC is all new stuff for me and i have been crossing my fingers hoping it wouldn´t give me any suprices in future. Old diesels are new for me allso, but what ive heard, they should be working until the end of the world if you just service them regulary?

 

[BeeJii]

All the above-mentioned components on my BJ40 are original and all are still working perfectly.

Lostmarbles do you know how much has your BJ40 been driven?
ine has 77000km on the dial and it has been turned over at least two times, maybe more? I have service documents with kilometer readings through -80´s all the way to -91. After that theres 13 years in blank in documents, but after 2004(if i remember correct?) there is somekind of documents from kilometers until the year it was left undriven if the seller words are to be trusted?

 

[lostmarbles]

Lostmarbles do you know how much has your BJ40 been driven?
ine has 77000km on the dial and it has been turned over at least two times, maybe more? I have service documents with kilometer readings through -80´s all the way to -91. After that theres 13 years in blank in documents, but after 2004(if i remember correct?) there is somekind of documents from kilometers until the year it was left undriven if the seller words are to be trusted?

I'm lucky in that I'm owned mine for the last 34 years so I know that my mileage of 263,109 kms is accurate. (So mine is on its "third time around the clock", as they say.)

It has never had any significant engine or drivetrain work and still doesn't need any to be done. (A new clutch plate is about the biggest job it's ever had and I did that with just around 40,000kms on the clock because the gearbox front oil seal gave out then and leaked oil onto it.)

 

[BeeJii]

Got better rear doors for my BJ that has those recesses in them too. Previous owner had done reardoor rust repair the easy way and just used straight sheetmetal on them. Theres my "new" drivers seat waiting to get installed too. Passenger seat is allready in.
Do any of you guys have picture of the sparetire rack locking hook? Mine is missing and i need to fabricate one. I would like to make it look as close the original as i can, but i dont have a reference to go with.