Builds Skreddy Bought an 87 FJ60
- Thread starter Skreddy
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Skreddy
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- #122
Finished up the Y and finish welded the rest of the exhaust up today. I haven’t welded a ton of stainless but it usually looks better than most of this! I was having a hell of a time getting consistent welds. Finally figured out my hose had a hole and the power cable inside was mostly severed and also blocking flow. Did a band aid fix and it got better but still not great. I’ll wire brush it up and it’ll be fine. Happy it’s done. LOTS of welding, refitting, remove, weld, refit, repeat. Everything fits and I know a couple things I’d do different next time…..
Apologies for being late the to the party… one can also source merge collectors/y pipes from Burns Stainless. This might help some folks in the future when taking on this kind of project. Your final result looks great!
www.burnsstainless.com
No affiliation, just a happy customer.
www.burnsstainless.com
No affiliation, just a happy customer.
Skreddy
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- Thread starter
- #125
It’s aliveeeeee!!!! Got it started and ran it 15 minutes or so with the valve cover off. Everything seems good, I’ll put the cover and air cleaner on tomorrow and drive it then change the oil, retorque the head and adjust the valves.
Forgot the 3FE exhaust manifold flanges are thicker then the 2F so had to make some spacer washers. Also bought a plug to put in the EGR port on the exhaust manifold but that thing was not coming out, so capped it instead.
Forgot the 3FE exhaust manifold flanges are thicker then the 2F so had to make some spacer washers. Also bought a plug to put in the EGR port on the exhaust manifold but that thing was not coming out, so capped it instead.
Skreddy
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- Thread starter
- #127
Buttoned it up and put about 20 miles on it and back in for an oil change to get any remaining coolant out. I’ll retorque the head and adjust the valves again tomorrow or Tuesday after some more miles.
Exhaust was initially a little louder than I wanted but not bad. It’s actually quieted down after some miles and is as quiet as I was hoping for.
There is a noticeable power improvement. Not like I’m going to go win some races, but it gets up to speed quicker and I’m not having to downshift as often. Can go up a big hill by my house in 5th and maintain speed/rpm without needing to downshift into 4th. I also have about 15 degrees advance timing where before I had no advance or it’d ping badly.
Now the potential why….
The exhaust flapper in the stock manifold moved freely, however the thermal spring did nothing. Hit it with my torch and the spring moved a little then nothing. So it appears that flapper was stuck closed at all times, severely restricting the exhaust. I’m guessing this played a part in the pinging and sluggishness. I need to measure the old head but I’m also curious if it’s been milled before I got it or if when I had it done they took out too much and really bumped compression up.
Pic of flapper because, why not.
Exhaust was initially a little louder than I wanted but not bad. It’s actually quieted down after some miles and is as quiet as I was hoping for.
There is a noticeable power improvement. Not like I’m going to go win some races, but it gets up to speed quicker and I’m not having to downshift as often. Can go up a big hill by my house in 5th and maintain speed/rpm without needing to downshift into 4th. I also have about 15 degrees advance timing where before I had no advance or it’d ping badly.
Now the potential why….
The exhaust flapper in the stock manifold moved freely, however the thermal spring did nothing. Hit it with my torch and the spring moved a little then nothing. So it appears that flapper was stuck closed at all times, severely restricting the exhaust. I’m guessing this played a part in the pinging and sluggishness. I need to measure the old head but I’m also curious if it’s been milled before I got it or if when I had it done they took out too much and really bumped compression up.
Pic of flapper because, why not.
I just went through the warranty process for my Mishimoto on my 83 FJ 60 with them ( only 3 years old). Was pleasantly surprised with how easy and quick it was, send in a few pics of leak, copy of receipt and one week later new radiator was shipped. So hopefully yours goes as quick and easy as mine.
Skreddy
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- Thread starter
- #132
Today I retorqued the exhaust/intake and the head and adjusted the valves. Compression is about 135 across all cylinders. Did the lean drop and it was perfect where I was and getting about 18.5 in/hg at 775 rpm.
One thing I have noticed is it definitely takes more time to warm up. It’s stuttering on acceleration until it’s fully warmed up; intake warm, not just coolant. I’m chocking this up to lows of about 0 and highs around 20 F this week when I’ve been driving it. 5 minutes of warm up idle and a couple miles driving and the stutter goes away.
One thing I have noticed is it definitely takes more time to warm up. It’s stuttering on acceleration until it’s fully warmed up; intake warm, not just coolant. I’m chocking this up to lows of about 0 and highs around 20 F this week when I’ve been driving it. 5 minutes of warm up idle and a couple miles driving and the stutter goes away.
the intake warming up was all part of the original manifold with a working flapper. directing warm exhaust up under the intake, then closing and routing the exhaust straight to the down pipe
without that function with the 3fe manifolds, you have a setup which is the same as those that run headers in colder climates
without that function with the 3fe manifolds, you have a setup which is the same as those that run headers in colder climates
Skreddy
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- Thread starter
- #134
Warmed up much faster this morning at 23 degrees than yesterday at 2. Waited a few minutes for the temp gauge to start to rise then left work, no stutter or hesitation.
This afternoon I hooked up the vacuum advance for the first time. Decided I’d check my oil pan, timing cover and side cover bolts and not a single one was even snug! Tightened all those to spec and cleaned off residual grime. Unpacked a box and found my clutch inspection cover and put that on for the first time since I’ve owned it!
Heading out tomorrow for the weekend to meet up with some other families for some mountain snow playing and go to see some elk at a feed station.
This afternoon I hooked up the vacuum advance for the first time. Decided I’d check my oil pan, timing cover and side cover bolts and not a single one was even snug! Tightened all those to spec and cleaned off residual grime. Unpacked a box and found my clutch inspection cover and put that on for the first time since I’ve owned it!
Heading out tomorrow for the weekend to meet up with some other families for some mountain snow playing and go to see some elk at a feed station.
Skreddy
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- #137
Today I did the Eastwood tank sealer kit for the gas tank. Took a big chunk of the day but it’s done. I’ll get the tank back in next week. Some nasty stuff came out of there. @helimech came by and supervised while we discussed how his Viking ancestry must’ve come from a taller part of Norway than mine.
Cleaned the outside of the tank with the best oven cleaner the dollar store carries!
Cleaned the outside of the tank with the best oven cleaner the dollar store carries!
Wow that turned out nice! Next time we will have to have a cold one and BS
Skreddy
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- #139
Since I did my head gasket I’ve heard an extra little rattle in the engine. Adjusting the valves again quieted most of it but at partial load there’s just a little tick that wasn’t there before. I pulled the pan and one rod cap to measure my journals then saw @Pitter Patter had some stock rod bearings for sale so I snatched those up and swapped out all the bearings. None look “bad”, but they don’t look great. None of the crank journals had noticeable wear/scarring. Checked all 6 with plastigage and they were all still on the tighter end of spec. I just need this thing to keep living until fall when I plan on swapping in my 2FE I’m building. If the noise is still there I’ll surmise it’s fine: been over 1000 miles with it and it hasn’t changed.
This pan has been off before I owned it and there was so much rtv on the gasket. Big globs of it were in the oil pan along with lots of sludge. Cleaned all that and hammered the flange straight and ball peened all the bolt holes back from being recessed toward the block.
All the rod side bearings had this point at the oil hole where bearing material was gone. Most of the cap sides looked really good with wear concentrated on the rod side.
This pan has been off before I owned it and there was so much rtv on the gasket. Big globs of it were in the oil pan along with lots of sludge. Cleaned all that and hammered the flange straight and ball peened all the bolt holes back from being recessed toward the block.
All the rod side bearings had this point at the oil hole where bearing material was gone. Most of the cap sides looked really good with wear concentrated on the rod side.
Skreddy
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- Thread starter
- #140
All buttoned up and putting miles on it. That tick/rattle didn’t go away so just going to live with it, though it bugs me. Decided to wash it for the first time in over a year and took off the drip edge chrome that just rattles in the wind.
Was first driving it and temps seemed really slow to come up. Then in about 2 seconds it went all the way past the overheat! I shut it off and checked it with my temp gun and all seemed good. Let it cool down, added a quart of coolant to the reservoir and drove it again. Same thing with the gauge. Popped the hood while it was idling and point temp gun right where the sending unit is and saw the wire popped off. It was bouncing against the terminal on the sender. Runs perfect temp now….
Was first driving it and temps seemed really slow to come up. Then in about 2 seconds it went all the way past the overheat! I shut it off and checked it with my temp gun and all seemed good. Let it cool down, added a quart of coolant to the reservoir and drove it again. Same thing with the gauge. Popped the hood while it was idling and point temp gun right where the sending unit is and saw the wire popped off. It was bouncing against the terminal on the sender. Runs perfect temp now….
