- Thread starter
- #41
Wow, yeah, those are cheap! Thanks for the lead! And special thanks to Trollhole!
Builds New here, no idea where to start.
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- #42
You should never post to a forum when you're drunk or angry. I'm not drunk (yet), but I'm really mad, and hate this red rusty pile o crap taking up space in my driveway. All I want the damn thing to do is run long enough that I can get the ugly old oil warmed up enough to change it. The thing only ran for about 30 seconds before it died. Kills me because the it idled happily for 5 minutes while I was looking it over before buying it a few days ago.
I dicked around with it, probably flooded it, and then the starter got weak. I thought I drained the battery, hooked up the charger, had a few more tries and fried something, because now I don't get the ammeter (maybe the only gauge that ever worked) or horn. Checked the fuses, and one is blown. I don't have a fuse box cover so I don't know which is which. I swap fuses between the burned one and its neighbor, and I get power back. Fire it up, runs for a couple seconds before dying, and again something is fried. Except this time, the fuse is still intact. It's pouring rain, I'm cold and wet, there's no room in the garage, and I'm out of time before an upcoming trip to sort this out. I give up. So mad.
Electrical issues are the bane of my automotive and motorcycling existence. Simple electrical issues are the reason I've traded in an old car, got rid of a couple motorcycles, and might sell a couple more cars from my collection (I'm looking at you, Land Cruiser!). Sick of it. What I want to do is rewire the whole thing in marine-grade wire with bomb-proof crimped and soldered terminals and minimal splices. Maybe weatherpack connectors. Put in a modern fuse box. I want to get rid of the emissions crap, and run a more modern electronic ignition without points. LED lights everywhere and a good alternator. I want this thing to be solid.
So mad. I'm going to walk away from this for a while. I'll attack it after the trip. Maybe eventually get the oil changed. Geez.
I dicked around with it, probably flooded it, and then the starter got weak. I thought I drained the battery, hooked up the charger, had a few more tries and fried something, because now I don't get the ammeter (maybe the only gauge that ever worked) or horn. Checked the fuses, and one is blown. I don't have a fuse box cover so I don't know which is which. I swap fuses between the burned one and its neighbor, and I get power back. Fire it up, runs for a couple seconds before dying, and again something is fried. Except this time, the fuse is still intact. It's pouring rain, I'm cold and wet, there's no room in the garage, and I'm out of time before an upcoming trip to sort this out. I give up. So mad.
Electrical issues are the bane of my automotive and motorcycling existence. Simple electrical issues are the reason I've traded in an old car, got rid of a couple motorcycles, and might sell a couple more cars from my collection (I'm looking at you, Land Cruiser!). Sick of it. What I want to do is rewire the whole thing in marine-grade wire with bomb-proof crimped and soldered terminals and minimal splices. Maybe weatherpack connectors. Put in a modern fuse box. I want to get rid of the emissions crap, and run a more modern electronic ignition without points. LED lights everywhere and a good alternator. I want this thing to be solid.
So mad. I'm going to walk away from this for a while. I'll attack it after the trip. Maybe eventually get the oil changed. Geez.
Start with checking all the grounds. Engine to frame/battery is one that is easely overlooked.
Check the wire diagram for the minimum wires needed to run the engine an bypass them, using fuses.
Check the wire diagram for the minimum wires needed to run the engine an bypass them, using fuses.
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- #44
You're right, I overlooked the other grounds. How could I miss the fundamentals after that recent good advice? I'll take another crack at it after my trip to the Northridge, CA. Maybe I should stop by the Icon shop and see what they're building as inspiration...
DTSkyCop
SILVER Star
Out of curiosity... What did you do for fuel in this vehicle to get it running? If it has been sitting for a while, you could be working on a NO FUEL situation and the cause of why it is dying out on you... You should definitely at minimum replace your fuel filter and REBUILD your carburetor. Judging by the engine compartment and rust, you might want to check the tank and see the condition of the inside etc.
I am not a professional mechanic but play one on my 40 and know how sensitive these carbs can be if "dirty" or just sit around for a while. You could try carb cleaner to assist in running but the idle circuit is difficult to clean with carb cleaner. That also is a band-aide to what really needs to be done... A carb rebuild!! I know you want to get it running to change the oil, but maybe start there and let all the oil settled back down into the pan anyways and you should just DRAIN and replace since it has been sitting for a while any way...
For your first cycle with NEW oil, you could just do a shorter interval oil change if you like once you get it running. But, most on here will SUGGEST replacing ALL fluids to start with before you get it up and running. These engines are bullet proof but poor oil quality even for a brief period can set bad things into motion internally!!!
Just my two cents..... Be patient, it sounds like you are on the right track... But possibly your issue is a fuel issue and NOT an ELECTRICAL one!!!
I am not a professional mechanic but play one on my 40 and know how sensitive these carbs can be if "dirty" or just sit around for a while. You could try carb cleaner to assist in running but the idle circuit is difficult to clean with carb cleaner. That also is a band-aide to what really needs to be done... A carb rebuild!! I know you want to get it running to change the oil, but maybe start there and let all the oil settled back down into the pan anyways and you should just DRAIN and replace since it has been sitting for a while any way...
For your first cycle with NEW oil, you could just do a shorter interval oil change if you like once you get it running. But, most on here will SUGGEST replacing ALL fluids to start with before you get it up and running. These engines are bullet proof but poor oil quality even for a brief period can set bad things into motion internally!!!
Just my two cents..... Be patient, it sounds like you are on the right track... But possibly your issue is a fuel issue and NOT an ELECTRICAL one!!!
Bwahahahahaha your hooked
Welcome
& don't even think of keeping track of how much you will spend it will do your head in
But your going to turn heads & have a blast when your done
Welcome & don't even think of keeping track of how much you will spend it will do your head inBut your going to turn heads & have a blast when your done
- Thread starter
- #47
I am still away on my trip, but I'm thinking about what I need on hand for the rest of my project (after I get the beast running again).
I need to replace the windshield. I'll get glass locally. I will need new seals and weatherstripping. I don't mind paying extra for original Toyota equipment. Do you all have a source that you like to buy from?
I need to replace the windshield. I'll get glass locally. I will need new seals and weatherstripping. I don't mind paying extra for original Toyota equipment. Do you all have a source that you like to buy from?
Downey
SILVER Star
I'm a bit worried about you having very filthy fuel, possibly already clogged up the carburetor. One of the photos of your aux. tank shows no filler tube hooked up to the tank, and no plug over the tank filler hole. I imagine Northwest rain/snow/mud just pouring into that tank. Hopefully you have a switching valve that has kept aux. tank gunk from getting to the engine?????
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- #50
Good eye, Downey. Crazy story. While towing the rig to my house, rear passenger tire blew out, and the shredded tire took out the filler neck. I took those pictures right after getting home. Then capped off the remaining filler neck with a sheet of plastic and a hose clamp. Just one more thing I have to address later. I think I mentioned this earlier in the thread, I want to relocate the filler neck out of the wheel well so this doesn't happen again.
- Thread starter
- #51
Oh, yes, there is a switching valve. For some reason, the original fuel tank is not hooked up. It might be leaking or some other problem. I know the floor under the tank is rusted through. Seller gave me a good spare tank along with floorpan sheet metal under the tank. Yet another thing I have to address.
But it's all good, I was looking for a long-term, slow-burn project to keep me occupied. Otherwise, I tend to collect vehicles when I run out of things to do and get bored…
But it's all good, I was looking for a long-term, slow-burn project to keep me occupied. Otherwise, I tend to collect vehicles when I run out of things to do and get bored…
I am like you when it comes to electrical. I hate it, I know nothin about it and it makes me go mad.
- Thread starter
- #53
Okay, back home from my trip. Spent a lot of time imagining and visualizing myself repairing the rig. I spent part of the day today sanding down all of the grounds' contact points, but still had no spark. Tightened up the connections on the spark plug leads, still no joy. So I opened up the distributor, and found the wire from the condenser(?) had a cracked terminal and there was moisture in there from when I degreased the engine. Made the repair to the wire, filed the points for good measure (looked a little pitted), and crossed my fingers. Fired right up, and it felt great!
I celebrated by driving up and down the driveway. Learned a couple things. First, unless there's something wrong with my example, these Land Cruisers drive like agricultural implements. Which is fine by me. Secondly, the wheels are dragging on something. My guess is brakes. I know what I'll be dealing with next...
Oh, I almost forgot. Before leaving on my trip, I put about an ounce of Kreen in each of the cylinders to soak the pistons, cranked it over a few turns without running, and put almost a full quart of it in the oil. Also put a half quart in the gas tank. Kreen is made by Kano labs, maker of Kroil. This stuff is probably similar to Marvel Mystery Oil. Anyway, after getting back from the trip, and getting the engine running, I ran it for about a half hour (going up and down the driveway, as mentioned above). There was some smoke on startup, then it mostly cleared. Then I changed the oil and filter. If there was any carbon and sludge in that engine, it's probably all gone now. I should probably check my plugs.
I celebrated by driving up and down the driveway. Learned a couple things. First, unless there's something wrong with my example, these Land Cruisers drive like agricultural implements. Which is fine by me. Secondly, the wheels are dragging on something. My guess is brakes. I know what I'll be dealing with next...
Oh, I almost forgot. Before leaving on my trip, I put about an ounce of Kreen in each of the cylinders to soak the pistons, cranked it over a few turns without running, and put almost a full quart of it in the oil. Also put a half quart in the gas tank. Kreen is made by Kano labs, maker of Kroil. This stuff is probably similar to Marvel Mystery Oil. Anyway, after getting back from the trip, and getting the engine running, I ran it for about a half hour (going up and down the driveway, as mentioned above). There was some smoke on startup, then it mostly cleared. Then I changed the oil and filter. If there was any carbon and sludge in that engine, it's probably all gone now. I should probably check my plugs.
- Thread starter
- #54
Oh, I forgot to add, the reason the electrics were completely dead was because of loose leads on the battery posts. Fixing that got the starter to turn over, and the engine would occasionally briefly catch, but not run consistently. I tracked it down to a lack of spark, which led to the troubleshooting listed in the previous post.
- Thread starter
- #55
In another flurry of activity I replaced the calipers which were dragging. Calipers were cruddy, pistons grabby, and pads were down to metal. But surprisingly, the rotors aren't scored. I'm shocked how cheap reman calipers are; $35 apiece. Pads are $14 total for both brakes. Hilarious! Now the rig rolls nicely. Next up are lights. Electrical crap and trickery. Ugh.
if you're having ignition issues, get a pertronix kit (from any number of vendors) and an upgraded coil, you can then bypass the ballast resistor.
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- #57
Ignition issue is resolved, but I like the idea of no points. Pertronix will be a future project, thanks for the suggestion.
I spent the day cleaning electrical contacts, applying DeOxit, and wiring in those cheap Indonesian aftermarket taillights. They're pretty awful. The plugs are incorrect, the lenses broke on disassembly (had to glue them back together), the shields between the bulbs are flimsy translucent plastic and bleed too much light (I masked them with foil tape), and the housings don't fit perfectly. But in the end, for $40, I have fresh and functional taillights.
Amazingly, every little light and electrical thing seems to work. So glad to put this behind me. I've discovered I need fresh wiper blades. And the washer nozzle is clogged. Had a lot of fun driving the '40 around the neighborhood for the first time. I was grinning, if not laughing, most of the way. These things are crazy! Here's a picture of the taillights, I had the hazards on so I could show off the blinker function. This rig is ugly, but good.
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- #58
Put on wipers, cleaned out the clogged sprayer nozzle, and I now have fully functional wipers with spray! I got the 13" Bosch blades that came with the adapter for our wiper arms. Cut a 1/4" off the tip with a pair of tin snips, and they fit the windshield perfectly. I mean, right out the top edge without hitting the weatherstrip. Kind of hard to see, but look at the sweep. I like these kind of projects that can be eaten in small bites. Next up is fixing the broken/stubby tailpipe, so I can drive this thing to the auto glass place without asphyxiating myself!
- Thread starter
- #59
Plugging along, I extended the tailpipe farther back. It was busted off shortly after the muffler. Hope this makes a difference. About $20 worth of cheap crimp-bend pipe and clamps. Someday, I'll have a fresh 2.5" exhaust system welded up with mandrel bends. But this will do for now.
In other news, world news, in fact, the POTUS and I have something in common. While he is meeting with the King of Jordan today, I received my new OEM door handle from Jordan as well. Took a chance on a foreign eBay seller with minimal feedback, and got it for a little over $50 shipped. Took a few weeks to get here, and it is beautiful. Big deal to me, because the driver outside door handle is broken, and for as long as I've had this rig, I've had to climb in through the passenger side, which is a huge pain when you're hopping in and out fixing things and whatnot.
In other news, world news, in fact, the POTUS and I have something in common. While he is meeting with the King of Jordan today, I received my new OEM door handle from Jordan as well. Took a chance on a foreign eBay seller with minimal feedback, and got it for a little over $50 shipped. Took a few weeks to get here, and it is beautiful. Big deal to me, because the driver outside door handle is broken, and for as long as I've had this rig, I've had to climb in through the passenger side, which is a huge pain when you're hopping in and out fixing things and whatnot.
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- #60
After fixing the exhaust, I went for a short drive and filled up the gas (I recently fixed the busted filler to auxiliary tank). What a fun heap! I can't keep my hands off this thing. Very satisfying to work on it, too, everything is exposed and accessible.
So I went ahead and swapped out the lap belts for these 3-point seat belts. When I get the bodywork and upholstery done some day, I'll add better restraints to the jump seats as well. My punch list for this project, short of major bodywork and upholstery, is getting short. I still need to do the outside door handle, change the fan belt, fix the winch, replace the headlight bezel with the correct white one, fix the speedometer, and get fresh matching tires. I'll prolly hold out on tires until the bodywork and paint gets done.
So I went ahead and swapped out the lap belts for these 3-point seat belts. When I get the bodywork and upholstery done some day, I'll add better restraints to the jump seats as well. My punch list for this project, short of major bodywork and upholstery, is getting short. I still need to do the outside door handle, change the fan belt, fix the winch, replace the headlight bezel with the correct white one, fix the speedometer, and get fresh matching tires. I'll prolly hold out on tires until the bodywork and paint gets done.
