Build Roma's 78 fj40 gets a refurb

[roma042987]

Finally got this thing stabbed this morning after struggling with it for at least 2.5hrs. I had two ratchet straps and alignment dowels in the bell housing to assist but, it still didn't want to go. I think having an extra set of hands would have definitely sped things up a bit. The ps reservoir will have to be relocated and the steering/vacuum pump is hitting the steering box. On the plus side, I have all sorts of space on the exhaust side for a turbo.

 

[roma042987]

I made it back home from my work trip so messed with the 40 a bit this evening. Since this engine was 24 volt I wanted to replace the oil pressure sender. These are a bit different from the bell shaped LC senders. With where it's located on the engine I needed to get a similar 12v unit. I found this 4 runner sender to be close to the Dyna unit. I won't know if it works for sure with the 40 gauge until I start it.

My buddy got the plate cut for the turbo manifold. No luck finding a t25 adapter so looks like I might hit him up for the turbo adapter as well.

 

[roma042987]

After a bit of research I also made the decision to remove the ACSD from the injection pump. A diesel injection shop down the street had the plate and o-rings for $12. I had contacted JHilux to order some from AU but he informed me they should be available pretty much everywhere so was pretty lucky he didn't just take my money. The guy down the street told me there is another plate on the pump that uses that same o-ring so he gave me the second o-ring to keep as a spare.

 

[roma042987]

Removing the ACSD also eliminated a couple of coolant hoses. I had a spare block drain without the barb but, the nipple on the water pump is an odd size so I'll have to track one of those down. Definitely gave me some much needed real estate in that area of the engine compartment and the less hoses the better in my opinion.

 

[roma042987]

When I installed the 15bf a couple of weeks ago the ps / vacuum pump ended up in the way of the steering box.

I loosened up the box and got the engine installed, I was thinking I would use a half inch or so spacer between the box and the frame and would be good to go.

Well yesterday I went to remove the box and noticed that spacing the box more than a 1/4 inch or so pushes it into the Ford shock tower so spacing out isn't really an option. I could space out the shock tower....at that point I decided to walk away and reassess the situation. I did remove the shock tower as well as dropped the box out of the way to see exactly how much room I'd have to work with.

Clearance to the frame with the box removed is not bad at all.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Can you rotate the vac housing 180 and add different fittings?

 

[roma042987]

While 15b engine conversions are far from uncommon in other parts of the world, they don't seem to be common in the states and the documentation is not very abundant. I did as much research as I could find before starting this swap but, learned quite a bit along the way so figured I'd document it here.

First off, this swap should be a bit more straight forward in an original BJ4x with the retention of the original cast iron bell housing (which does limit your choice of flywheel to the 260mm variation).

For my 40 there are few nuances. This was originally an FJ and when I converted it to a BJ, I opted to move the drivetrain about 3'' forward to optimize the positioning of the h55 trans and to keep from modifying the driveshafts. I also converted it to 60 series power steering and again, opted to remove the stock 40 shock tower and install a Ford shock tower. That was my first power steering conversion, since then I have learned to clearance the original shock tower which positions the steering box about 2'' further forward from where mine is currently mounted.

This photo shows my desert 40 which I converted to 60 steering a few months back.

I bring up these two modifications I made because they both caused the interference with the 15bf pump. If I had placed the BJ engine in the same orientation as an original BJ OR if I had positioned the 60 steering box a bit further forward, I wouldn't have this dilemma.
To make matters worse I galvanized my frame so modifying it at this point comes with its own issues.

I have another 40 I'm building up in another thread and on that 40 the B engine mounts are in the stock location on the 40 frame so, referencing those photos I decided to look back see what my clearance looked like on the 3bii engine I used for mockup. Since that engine has the same vacuum pump integrated into the crank case.

Can you rotate the vac housing 180 and add different fittings?

I don't believe so CD, I do recall someone else maybe trying that in a different thread, perhaps @Owyhee Jackass

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

any other way to get vacuum so you can “block this one” off?

 

[roma042987]

Looking at my 3bii something else dawned on me, the power steering pump on a 3bii is like on earlier 3b's and completely independent of the vacuum pump system of the 3bii.

The p/s portion of the p/s / vacuum pump assembly on the 15bf is what is causing my interference issues.
I came home today and grabbed my 3b pump and bracket and what do you know it fits on the 15bf, it also appears that the 3bii pulley for the belt will bolt onto 15bf dampener as well as the ps belt tensioner.

Further inspection reveals that using the 3bii lower alternator bracket (which the 15bf block has provisions for) would allow use of the 3bii alternator and furthermore, the 3bii ac compressor bracketry. The current 15bf ac compressor bracket is relatively low on the block and could have potential interference with the axle housing under suspension compression.

So, I have an option, install all the 3bii components like the vacuum pump, p/s pump, tensioners and ac and alternator brackets on the 15bf or reposition my 60 steering box and make a new steering column. I want to weigh my options before I make a decision, but I suppose it's at least nice to have options. One consideration factor is the 3b p/s pump has the reservoir mounted on the pump itself while utilizing the 15bf pump will requiring remote mounting the reservoir and fabbing up a bracket. Also, the 3b pump will require a longer high-pressure hose to run across the engine compartment since it mounts on the passenger side of the engine.

 

[roma042987]

Here you can see how much the alternator would move up and also how the 3bii /3b a.c. compressor bracket would move the compressor away from the axle.

 

[roma042987]

When installing the engine I also quickly realized the 15bf power steering reservoir would have to move. If I go with this option I started looking at possible mounting locations with this area being my favorite thus far....several pickup points and a short straight feed hose once the pipe is modified.

Since the reservoir is going elsewhere or won't be used at all, I went ahead and removed the hard ps return line that snaked under the intake. I tried to pull it in one ppiece but eventually gave up and cut it in two. Cleaned up the bay just a tiny bit more with it gone.

 

[roma042987]

any other way to get vacuum so you can “block this one” off?

It's actually the p/s pump and not the vacuum portion that is causing the issue. The vacuum pump is on the back and p/s portion bolts to the front of the vacuum pump.
Perhaps this photo shows it better.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Not sure if this helps. Here's my 14B-T dilemma w/ power steering pump.

It's been too long, so not sure I remember what I did, but I did get it to fit...

Builds - Owyhee J.A. BJ75 Troopy Journal

Thanks. If that's the case, I should be good to plug the lines. Just out of curiosity, it that still available in some form/market? This engine came with an AC compressor, adding AC would be nice. It might be easier to install an aftermarket system, rather than source factory parts though...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[samc2447]

The lack of axle clearance with the 15bf AC mount would make the decision easy for me, but I guess it depends on how important AC is for you.

Since you have the 3b/3bii accessory brackets already, that seems like the easier path. The longer HP PS hose is a non issue really.

 

[roma042987]

The lack of axle clearance with the 15bf AC mount would make the decision easy for me, but I guess it depends on how important AC is for you.

Since you have the 3b/3bii accessory brackets already, that seems like the easier path. The longer HP PS hose is a non issue really.

Yeah agree the hose is a non issue. That's what I had in it before. I'm also not certain the axle clearance is a real issue since the axle moves forward under compression.

 

[roma042987]

I had the house to myself most of Saturday / night, so I stayed in the garage until 2am working on the 40. I worked on getting some peripheral items buttoned up like the fuel hoses, throttle cable, vacuum piping, and cleaning up some wiring. I hooked up the oil sender, coolant sender and the fuel solenoid on the pump. I also removed my push botton switch I had wired up for the glow plugs. I avoided the power steering pump dilemma as long as possible.

The 3b used 5/16 fuel lines for the feed and return lines off the pump while the 15bf has 3/8 feed and 1/4 return line. I considered upgrading to 3/8 feed lines but the banjo at the fuel filter is 5/16 so I opted to use these adapters to get the lines hooked up. I feel like the 5/16 hose should be sufficient.

I made a small bracket out of some flat bar I had laying around to bolt the original 3b throttle cable bracket to the 15bf valve cover.

The barb for the ACSD coolant off the water pump turned out to be 1/4 BSPT. I got the Toyota plug as well as some brass plugs just to keep on hand.

 

[roma042987]

I wasn't crazy about the proximity of the AC bracket on the 15bf to the axle housing, so I removed it. The block has a plethora of bosses for different applications. I just had to chase some of the unused holes to clean the threads out.

The 3b ac compressor bracket bolts up with the exception of one hole not being utilized due to a difference in the timing cover. I can live with 6 out of 7 pick up points being enough to secure it.

This is the one that isn't used.

The 3b bracket allows the compressor to tuck up nicely compared to the 15bf bracket.

 

[roma042987]

I put a new idler on it as well.

 

[roma042987]

So, after avoiding the unavoidable and staring at all my options I decided to move my steering box.

Can you rotate the vac housing 180 and add different fittings?

Turns out yes, I did rotate it 180 degrees which gave me plenty of clearance, but the fan blades ended up like a 1/4 -1/2'' from the suction fitting. I also installed the 3b power steering pump for a while, I stared at the different options and didn't like them for various reasons. The idea of an extra belt in general when with a little additional work, I could utilize the gear driven pump. I could also use the opportunity to do a cleaner install of the lower steering column support bearing. Many years ago, I had used a pillow block bearing and have since discovered the little flanged bearings that Kurt sells. Moving the box would also allow me to reinstall the factory shock towers perhaps and one day put some uncut fenders back on the rig. These fenders were aftermarket units and with the factory ones being available again it would be nice to source a set for this 40.

I got the frame drilled, and ordered some DOM tubing to make the sleeves.

 

[roma042987]

Another shot of the bracket I made for the throttle cable.

I also pulled the vacuum pipe and barb off the 3bii and I stalled it on the 15bf. It used all the same pick up points on the timing case cover, intake, thermostat housing, and alternator bracket. I'm not enthused about it running across the engine to the vacuum canister on the passenger side and then back to the driver side to the booster. Once I have my power steering reservoir location and battery locations finalized I'll probably move the vacuum canister to the driver side to have less clutter and a more direct path.