Builds Salt wagon My first fj40 (build)

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@Roastchestnuts Cadillac Ranch was wet when my son and I were there a few years back. Hope all is well with the engine, saw the head was no good. Bummer.

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No worrys on the head. I think the valve guides were too far warn, the cheep headgasket I used decided to give up, and at the same time I found a machined head for 200$. So I just decided to throw a new machined head and oem gasket on. Been working great.
 
You chasing Edward Teach's ghost up 12 on the North end?

Bilstein's for the win!
Haha you never know. Ideally I want to be able do drive it off the island if I need to.
 
Bumper Looks a lot better painted satin Nickel rust oleum color. Nothing to report on. if it warms up I may start my drivers rocker project! waiting on a few parts to finish the winch as well!


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Looks great.
What cables are you using for the winch to dash controls? I have the same winch and want to replace one of the cables.
Dorman makes genaric cables that I bought last week to use. They should be in monday. The winter storm we had delayed a lot a packages because of wind. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O02KBS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Temporarily I am just going to install them in the dash where there are holes for switches that are no longer there. 3 total. I have all the other switches that are correct. Not really sure what those switches were originally. The one hole cut above the key hole was for a dome light that was installed and since removed after I pulled the top. I think one might have been a map light switch and one might have been a fan for the interior. Ill post a dash picture here for context when I get tinkering today.

i want to find some kind of under the dash switch bezel to work. I know the fj40 early heater control bezel might work.
 
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Got up for some sunrise action before work this morning. decided to drive the saltwagon to work too. I have been driving the isuzu pup in the mornings because its been cold and the heater works haha.

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Trying to get some long exposure car light trails the other day on the north end of the island. vehicles are coming and going to catch the ferry. They turned out kinda cool. figured i would post them since I drove up the saltwagon to get the shots.

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Dorman makes genaric cables that I bought last week to use. They should be in monday. The winter storm we had delayed a lot a packages because of wind. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O02KBS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Temporarily I am just going to install them in the dash where there are holes for switches that are no longer there. 3 total. I have all the other switches that are correct. Not really sure what those switches were originally. The one hole cut above the key hole was for a dome light that was installed and since removed after I pulled the top. I think one might have been a map light switch and one might have been a fan for the interior. Ill post a dash picture here for context when I get tinkering today.

i want to find some kind of under the dash switch bezel to work. I know the fj40 early heater control bezel might work.
Awesome let us know how they work out for you.
Great pics btw!
 
My cheep timing light from amazon bit the dust a few months ago. so I purchased a new one from amazon that you can change timing degrees on it. I really needed to adjust timing after adjusting the valves back in early feb. The light It works pretty good. After adjusting the timing and doing a lean drop carb adjustment it seems to be running smoother. I had noticed that the 2f was running really rich before witch is why I decided to adjust everything. now that I have my timing light can see my degrees of timing I know that it was at almost 15 degrees instead of the stock 7. I dialed that back to about 12 degrees and leandrop adjusted the carb and it seems to be perfectly happy even running steady at 20lbs of vacuum. I need to romp it on the beach to see if it pings any though still. (was not before so It should not now) I did drive it 60mph to the north end of the island to see if it pinged and didn't notice any. with the lean drop and timing adjustment it seems really happy.

Out of curiosity what degrees of timing does every one else use? I know factory its 7 on the bb
 
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My cheep timing light from amazon bit the dust a few months ago. so I purchased a new one from amazon that you can change timing degrees on it. I really needed to adjust timing after adjusting the valves back in early feb. The light It works pretty good. After adjusting the timing and doing a lean drop carb adjustment it seems to be running smoother. I had noticed that the 2f was running really rich before I decided to adjust everything. and now that I have my timing light can see my degrees of timing I know that it was at almost 15 degrees instead of the stock 7. I dialed that back to about 12 degrees and leandrop adjusted the carb and it seems to be perfectly happy even running steady at 20lbs of vacuum. I need to romp it on the beach to see if it pings any though still. (was not before so It should not now) I did drive it 60mph to the north end of the island to see if it pinged and didn't notice any. with the lean drop and timing adjustment it seems really happy.

Out of curiosity what degrees of timing does every one else use? I know factory its 7 on the bb
I’m running 11 I believe.
 
Static is at 7*. 88-octane at 7K-feet alt. Depending on temp. outside, the idle-rpm is all over the place (fast when cold, slow when hot). Generally, about 15-in. of Hg at 600 rpm idle.

The engine runs lean when it is cold (torque loss with throttle). It runs rich when hot (needs throttle to be open when hot-starting). Based on this observation alone and not any formula or advice...
There is not necessarily a need for more advance when it is running and hot, the fuel is well vaporized and the engine pulls good vacuum, runs great. However, bumping up spark timing when cold could address some of the lean, slow-burning (low vaporization) and low-vacuum issues. So, if there was a timing change I'd probably just upgrade my ported vacuum advance to having thermostatic control (advance only when cold) by hooking it up to the valve on the thermostat (or new OEM equivalent). That, or with the water-controlled thermostatic control, perhaps hooking it up to manifold vacuum instead of ported vacuum, so it is always about 14 degrees of vacuum advance when cold (regardless of throttle position, especially with the throttle angle being much steeper at this altitude), except when manifold vacuum is really low, like when cranking the starter.
 
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My 40 with the tired F and sniper is at 15 and happy and vacuum advance hooked up/working.

My 60 with 2F likes 12 with vac advance hooked up/working. Maybe difference is the gearing between the two?
 
Its good to hear I am right on the money with the timing. there is no doubt that this 2f is a little more worn out than i'd like. maybe in the future I'll get a 3fe and swap that in. but for the time being this 2f is running fine. Even smoother after getting everything dialed in last week. I did get some more things done. I finally hooked my parking break back up. What a pain in the ass that was. the little pin that the cable hooks into under the dash fell out. I decided to take the whole lever assembly apart. But getting the cable back in and the pin attached was a nightmare. I got it done though. I did not get any pictures of this. But here is a picture of my 2f instead!
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Regretabbly I also replaced my hood latches. The original ones were starting to wear through the metal of itself and not latching well. additionlly the patina was great but.. there was no more paint left on them so it was just rusting. I could have cleared it or kept fluid filming but I already had replacments. I painted the replacements a pewter color to match my turn signals. it turned out well I think.

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Checked the surf this morning and it was pretty clean out there wish I didnt have to work.
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I also took the top off for the first time in 2025 and drove with the windshield down. No pictures but It always reminds me why I love the fj40 and put up with its quirks.
 
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My 40 with the tired F and sniper is at 15 and happy and vacuum advance hooked up/working.

My 60 with 2F likes 12 with vac advance hooked up/working. Maybe difference is the gearing between the two?
I go back and fourth with the sniper..... just alot of dough. are you still liking it? Id have to do some gas pedal modifications. I still have my fj80 gas pedal (long story short I swapped them out so I could have the throttle up knob so I still have a fj80 pedal.) The big thing I worry about are the return line to the tank as Id have to cut a hole.
 
I used the Tanks Inc pump and it has a return line port.

I do like the Sniper but am conflicted, was just talking with @jhynesrockmtn about all this. My 60 with the knockoff Aisin starts and runs awesome but it does suffer when I get into higher altitudes which was a big reason for going Sniper on the 40. I know different jetting could compensate that, which I may start playing with.

I’ve been tinkering with really cold (sub 25 degree) starts the last couple weeks and it’s a lot better. The Sniper is awesome for hot restarts and cold starts the rest of the year when it’s above 40.

Overall I am happy I did it. Would I do it again? I’d probably try a well sorted mechanical secondary Aisin for awhile first. The Aisin I had on this 40 had a ton of issues and I didn’t want to pay for another and was pulled in by the dazzle of efi.

The Sniper is not like a modern car efi, it’s just a really smartish carb. The quirks of it are waiting the 5 seconds every time you start it for the fuel prime and the iac can’t really compensate for really cold temps without needing to use your foot to bump idle up. Also, below 160 degrees coolant temp, the Sniper doesn’t really compensate for anything so a lot of people experience lean spikes and stalling. I’ve learned how to drive it below 160 where I’m not really having these issues. There’s also the ever present thought “I’m screwed if this pump quits” or something, where the stock carb and mechanical pump likely wouldn’t just crap out all at once. Less of a problem if you aren’t too far from home, huge problem way up a FS road in 18” of snow. But in reality, anything can break and leave you stranded.
 
I used the Tanks Inc pump and it has a return line port.

I do like the Sniper but am conflicted, was just talking with @jhynesrockmtn about all this. My 60 with the knockoff Aisin starts and runs awesome but it does suffer when I get into higher altitudes which was a big reason for going Sniper on the 40. I know different jetting could compensate that, which I may start playing with.

I’ve been tinkering with really cold (sub 25 degree) starts the last couple weeks and it’s a lot better. The Sniper is awesome for hot restarts and cold starts the rest of the year when it’s above 40.

Overall I am happy I did it. Would I do it again? I’d probably try a well sorted mechanical secondary Aisin for awhile first. The Aisin I had on this 40 had a ton of issues and I didn’t want to pay for another and was pulled in by the dazzle of efi.

The Sniper is not like a modern car efi, it’s just a really smartish carb. The quirks of it are waiting the 5 seconds every time you start it for the fuel prime and the iac can’t really compensate for really cold temps without needing to use your foot to bump idle up. Also, below 160 degrees coolant temp, the Sniper doesn’t really compensate for anything so a lot of people experience lean spikes and stalling. I’ve learned how to drive it below 160 where I’m not really having these issues. There’s also the ever present thought “I’m screwed if this pump quits” or something, where the stock carb and mechanical pump likely wouldn’t just crap out all at once. Less of a problem if you aren’t too far from home, huge problem way up a FS road in 18” of snow. But in reality, anything can break and leave you stranded.
Yeah thats a good way to think about it. "smartish carb". I think I also just get pulled in by the dazzle of efi sometimes. waiting 5 seconds makes it seem like a glow plug haha. I have a cheep chineesium carb that has been doing fine. I dont know any different but maybe a oem aisin carb would run better but If I am going to spend the money on a new oem carb I might as well get the sniper. Even though the fuji carb from city racer seems like a good deal for what it is. Yeah I have thought about the fuel pump too. I have a brand new mechanical pump that can be rebuilt that I got from city racer I like the idea of that. But also for that matter you can carry a spare fuel pump in the storage under the drivers seat.


I would never have to worry about cold like you have though but it gets hot here

I think where I would really like the sniper on a fj40 would be with a SBC conversion. I think that would be really epic. Id like to drive a fj40 with that setup actually. I think @ClemsonCruiser sold a really cool one on bring a trailer like this. in a cool vintage yellow. (I reference this one alot and would have done exactly what he did if I had kept the sbc)
 
I'm a Toyota purist through and through but I have to admit that old '67 with a SBC, Sniper, and 4spd was a blast to drive and the sound that V8 made was intoxicating :D
 

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