SS Minnow (15 Viewers)

[FJ60Cam]

Foreshadowing...just the literary technique this yarn needed.

Good stuff.

Here’s some more...

More scope expansion...JTU wanted me to put his auxiliary tank back in. It uses a manual valve to control which tank fuel is pulled from.

I had already committed to it, when it hit me - how are we going to deal with the return fuel when it is running off the aux tank? Just let it fill the main tank back up? Where am I even going to plumb the return line? The factory tank only has a feed, filler neck & vent. No return.

Also, how is the inline pump going to like having to pull fuel through that switch valve system? Will it keep running while you switch over?

Jeebus, what have I gotten myself into?

 

[FJ60Cam]

Looking for an easy win, I move on and modify the gas pedal to accept the new Lokar cable. There is already a cable in place so I just need to pull it out and bolt the new one in. No drilling the body.

I mashed the curvy thing on the pedal arm flat and drilled a hole through it, then mounted it all up. Done.

^ you may have noticed the shiny new downpipe. The old one was roached, so JTU sent me a new one from SOR.

Here it is with the O2 bung and VHT’d...

 

[FJ60Cam]

Seeing all the shiny stuff inspired JTU to send me the SS engine hardware kits from Overland Metric.

I love that it comes bagged & tagged so there’s no confusion.

Now we can start bolting all of the goodies from the beno...

 

[FJ60Cam]

This truck did not have a radiator overflow bottle, so a new FJ60 unit & 60 bracket was mounted to the radiator support.

 

[FJ60Cam]

Thinking I could take his DUI dizzy down the street to DUI headquarters here in town for the 7-pin mod (convert vac advance to computer-controlled), I told him to buy the AFI kit without a distributor.

However, when I showed up to drop it off, I was barely allowed to enter. They spotted the Chinese HEI before I was all the way in. They didn’t even want to entertain the idea of touching it.

A few weeks later I get the call that the dizzy is ready and converted. As soon as I got home with it, I dropped it in with the engine at TDC...

 

[wngrog]

So did they make you buy a new one or did they convert the MAF one?

 

[FJ60Cam]

So did they make you buy a new one or did they convert the MAF one?

New. They wouldn’t touch it. Acted like it had cooties.

They gave me a guy’s name that could probably do it, but I’m glad we went with new. It feels like a nicer unit when you can inspect them side by side.

 

[FJ60Cam]

The original battery tray disintegrated upon removal. Fortunately, there was a stainless tray in one of the tubs of parts. Not wanting to mess up my shiny new battery pedestal by bolting the tray directly to it, I put a few strips of thick cork gasket down for a little separation. Hopefully this will keep it rust free a little longer.

 

[FJ60Cam]

As you can see above, the adapter is mounted. After the extra machining, I still had to clearance a few other spots with a Dremel to get it to fit right.

Also got the TBI-to-stock air cleaner adapter prototype...

 

[FJ60Cam]

To solve the issue of not having a return line or fitting at the tank and wondering how to operate the auxiliary tank while keeping the system happy, we decided to run an in-tank pump in the main tank, and use the inline pump that came with the AFI kit as a transfer pump.

The in-tank pump has a a supply and return fitting, which would free up the original carb feed line to be used as a place to tie in the transfer pump.

 

[FJ60Cam]

 

[FJ60Cam]

The old tank fitting was dissected so that EFI hose could be clamped on...

 

[FJ60Cam]

Since there weren’t any factory hardlines to re-use, getting fuel back & forth between the tank and the TBI was a challenge. The drivers side frame is full of steering & shift linkages and hot exhaust. There just wasn’t a good route - it needed to go over to the passenger side.

I got some long pieces of Nickle Copper brake lines from the parts store, and routed it high on the firewall.

 

[FJ60Cam]

From there it runs inside the frame to the middle crossmember similar to the stock setup...

The supply, return, and transfer fuel lines all come up through the floor, as does the power for the auxiliary pump.

 

[FJ60Cam]

I didn’t take any pictures of the aux tank itself, but I mounted the pump inside the rear frame rail.

New filler neck & vent hoses for each tank finished off the tank installs...

 

[fountainhead]

Unreal Cam.

I know you kept an accurate account of your hours...you gonna publish that figure, or does that fall under rocket scientist/client privilege?

 

[Ol Yeller]

Hate to point this out but some ‘those rubber hoses say not for EFI use...


Perhaps the wording should be high pressure use....

 

[FJ60Cam]

Hate to point this out but some ‘those rubber hoses say not for EFI use...


Perhaps the wording should be high pressure use....

Ha! You had me there for a second! Don't make me drop some science! (you're looking at the tank vent hose that came in the SOR kit)

 

[FJ60Cam]

I'll expand on the fuel hose anyway, because I spent way too much time thinking about it and searching the internet & parts stores, and in the end, stumbled upon some decent stuff.

Originally, I bought two spools of Goodyear/Continental SAE J30R9 Fuel Injection hose (100 psi rated, CARB approved, low fuel permeation, etc) in the 5/16 & 1/4 inch flavor (supply and return). My spool of 1/4" got lost by the post office, so I had to hit up the parts stores.

After Autozone and Napa tried to pass off regular fuel line as acceptable, i went to O'Reilly's, where they had the good stuff, the medicinal grade chronic - Gates Barricade. This is the higher SAE 30R1472 rated stuff - good for 225 psi, way overkill for the 12-15 psi of the TBI system, but what I'll be stocking up on for TBI & LS conversions from now on.

I also started using Oetiker clamps instead of regular hose clamps. They don't back off and lose tension, and they just look cooler.

 

[Ol Yeller]

I also started using Oetiker clamps instead of regular hose clamps. They don't back off and lose tension, and they just look cooler.

Never seen those, need a special tool?

By the way...super clean project Cam!