STLCA 60 Series Club Thread (1 Viewer)

[Elbert]

I've run into some o ring issues on the heater core and the fit of the heater pipes to the new heater core seems incredible tight....to the point I'm not sure its going to work. Ive post up pics and more details over on the main forum, see link above, if may help someone. If things "blow-up" I may just carry the old heater core to the radiator shop and see if they can re-core it or repair it. Just not a fan of re-using the old o rings. Waiting to see what happens now. I know from reading others comments over time, some people had the heater pipes soldered to the heater core.

 

[Elbert]

the heater core project has turned into a major pain in the @$$. Finally was able to get OEM heater core o rings, and I'm going to take the OEM heater core down to the local radiator shop to see if its fixable. Appears on face value the aftermarket heater cores plain suck. The Vista-Pro version I have seems to have little quality control in teh area of pipe angle and inside diameter of the pipes, both key elements on a heater core of this type. I've ordered a spectra brand heater core and we'll see what happens with it, I have a spectra brand 4 core aftermarket radiator in my truck and its been great, so maybe the heater core will be ok. In the mean time...I'm just going to see about getting the OEM heater core fixed. Anyone seen a FJ60 getting parted out locally? I'm willing to tear into the dash to get a spare (OEM heater core and the stupid clasps) that hold the heater pipe to the heater core.

 

[Elbert]

Oh well....as I continue my quest for setting the record for a heater core swap in the entire universe with respect to time. I've made a few choices and I'm putting up notes to help others. For one there are details over in the thread I mentioned above where I posted in the main forum, (see pics and notes there). For one the vista pro aftermarket heater core I have is a no-go, on two fronts (a) the diameter of the heater core tubes are too small and the heater pipes will not mate with it (b) the angle of one of the tubes on the heater core is not at the correct "angle" and looks to be mission impossible to fix either one. I've not really concentrated on that ....since I had other options to run down.

My path forward. I took the OEM heater core and I'm having the local radiator shop re-core it, once that occurs it should be good and I plan to run that and hopefully never have to screw with this again. One of my clasps on the heater core tubes is corroded to some degree, I ordered two used ones from specter. Waiting on heater core and clasps to come in by mail/ups. I obtained two new o rings from Toyota.

I also ordered an aftermarket heater core from Specter (only place I came across that had one). When I get that I'll test fit it with the heater pipes ...if I still have not started the re-build and I'll post up if I see obvious problems. I don't know what brand of aftermarket heater core, Specter sells, I asked and did not get an answer.

For fun I'm replacing the heater control valve and the misc hoses that feed and connect to it and the ones that run to the engine, along with the thermostat and new coolant.

I may try and buy some things for spare parts later on (used) ...we'll see how motivated I get on that. I did buy a new evap core (denso ) and the expansion valve (denso), which for now I'm not replacing and I'll keep those for spares until or if I need to swap them. AC system is R-12 still and last call before the heater core biz, ac worked fine. I guess I'll find out if my decision is right on not messing with the evap core when I get things back together.

Most of, if not all the heater core stuff will be used, whatever you can find, unless someone decides to support more in the aftermarket world, given the low production runs of the LC's I suspect support will be zero.

So for now I'm waiting on parts as mentioned. I hope I can remember where most of the dash parts go/went, since I did a major tear down and it started some time ago. Technically you don't have to pull the dash down all the way like I did, but I wanted to make sure I did not break anything and I had previously removed some of the parts and stopped in the past.

If I come across any updates or points of info I'll post up here or I'll post over in the thread on the main board. One thing is clear..you do not have to remove the evap core or discharge the freon to get the heater core assembly out. Overall the job is not that bad, just consumes a lot of time, and if you did this a lot, the process would got a lot smoother. Of course I'm not done yet, and I have a stack of parts that came out of the dash , which right now still looks "wiped out".... so I guess we'll see. Don't start this with the idea it will be a short easy fix though...

One other option or maybe the only option to deal with a heater fit issue or lack of o rings, would be to solder the heater core to the heater pipes. My local radiator shop said it would be a non-issue for them to do that....but I'm going to try to stay with the OEM setup.

 

[Elbert]

got the basics back together this afternoon and evening. OEM Re-cored heater core installed, new heater control valve and some misc other things. I'll re-do the plumbing under the hood later on. So far this evening no leaks under the hood or at the heater core. I'm going to drive it around tomorrow pending the weather to see about getting the air out of the system and see what it does on the road. If no leaks and no issues I'll start on getting the dash back together which is really going to be painful but I guess someone has to do it.

as I mentioned in my post on the main forum....Rule #1, aftermarket heater cores suck!.

 

[Elbert]

I've made some progress in the great heater core swap project, the dash is about 1/2 back together along with heater core assembly. Trying to recall / research where some of the brackets of the dash go back together. Got the seats back in, got some vinyl mat material on the floor to replace the carpet the was removed a few years ago. Heater core is plumbed and no leaks and heat works. Cleaning up some of the duct work as i go back together but I think what will really not do much given the old school a/c system and where is pics up air from. on the short list after the dash gets back in. (1) get the BMW electric front seats working (2) clean up and re-work the wiring on the dual battery setup, for the radios and for the seats and for the aftermarket gauges (3) install 4 hold down type brackets for the rear deck to tie stuff down or use a cargo net or whatever (4) plumb and setup air compressor and tank and setup ARB controls plumbing for front and rear axle. And then another painful one...get the transfer case rebult / re-sealed its a leaking. Looks like I need to re-work the front axle...birfileds....as I seem to have stuff leaking to some degree.

 

[Elbert]

 

[Elbert]

dash back in....still some fine tuning to do and round up some misc screws I need/lost/can't find. So far no extra parts that I know about. Have to trouble shoot the a/c , because I wiped out the wiring mods I made and one of those dealt with the a/c. Drove it around for a while today....all things good so far.

What...was this only a 3 year project!...

I grant myself 3 gold stars for effort...and take away 2.5 for being a lazy ##&^@%@ all this time.

I'll come back later and link the two threads I posted in the main forum. Might help anyone else who does this on a 60 or similar vehicle. Not crazy hard, but time consuming and the worse part overall now...there are no aftermarket heater cores that I found that bolt in. I had my OEM heater core (re-cored). I'm betting you may find that you will have to solder the replacement heater core if you have to run an after-market version. (solder it to the two pipes that run through the firewall).

Hope this may help others, more details in the other two threads I posted on main forum.

FJ60 Dash Pics / Diagrams

Well, I've gotten distracted with my my dash job and it started some time ago. I've basically pulled the dash all the way apart and installed a re-cored heater core. That started in time a while back and now I've gotten the heater core installed and plumbed. I'm in process of re-installing the...

forum.ih8mud.com

heater core swap ? / FJ60 1986 version

well I've gotten myself a little motivated and I'm about to attack this pain in the @$$ project. One question has come to mind and I've pondered this thing recently, or should I say two questions. (1) are those clasps that hold the heater pipes to the heater core easy to break, and if they do...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Elbert]

I've got dual transfer case shifters from valley hybrids, I got my friend to setup some different shifter arms to making shifting eaiser..etc. What I'm looking for now, are some options for a rubber boot for the transfercase shifters, anyone know of a dual boot setup, or even two single boots? What I have now is just simple rubber boot at the bottom of the shifter and which attaches to the floorboard which came from valley hybrids as I recall. I'm looking for something better to (a) reduce heat intake (b) to reduce road noise. Wondering what others have done, if anything? My OEM toyota single shifter rubber boot is history and I don't think it fit the dual shifters...they have been installed for a while , so I'm not sure if my memory is good on that or not, but anyway the OEM rubber boot is gone. Looking to see what options might be out there, or if others have come up with good solution to deal with heat and noise with dual shifter setup.

 

[DSLTOY]

Sent you a link JB Custom Fabrication Twin-Stick Transfer Case shifter boot that I am using on 40.

 

[Elbert]

Sent you a link JB Custom Fabrication Twin-Stick Transfer Case shifter boot that I am using on 40.

got it....ordered one. I'll see about dealing with that soon. thanks

 

[Elbert]

can someone take a good picture of their fuse panel door (showing the fuse labels). My fuse panel door is MIA, as I recall the label for the fuses was on the door. Post up a good pic where the labels are legible... FJ60, mine is 86 version if that matters...I assume all the gas version 60's are the same.... Not sure if mine got damaged or lost, anyway...its not around now.
Thanks.

 

[Elbert]

can someone take a good picture of their fuse panel door (showing the fuse labels). My fuse panel door is MIA, as I recall the label for the fuses was on the door. Post up a good pic where the labels are legible... FJ60, mine is 86 version if that matters...I assume all the gas version 60's are the same.... Not sure if mine got damaged or lost, anyway...its not around now.
Thanks.

I got a pic from someone on the main board, I'll repost here, as it might help someone.

 

[Elbert]

I decided to remove the emission computer that is in the drivers side kick-panel area of the footwell. There are two other devices located in the same area. One says "relay cleaner" which I presume must stay wired up in the truck and the other is the round shaped

 

[Elbert]

can someone who is knowledable on these two parts let me know what they do....in pics 1 and 2 above. 1986 FJ60 USA model? I'm looking for things that can be removed and potentially I use their power feeds. I'm assuming there is no issue with the emissions computer coming out (which I've already done). I'm purely guessing but I assume these two other parts need to stay in. Let me know if you can share what both of these items do....thanks. I unbolted everything , but only removed the emissions computer. Dash is back in and functional, next project is to see whats going on with the A/C.

 

[Elbert]

I got a pic from someone on the main board, I'll repost here, as it might help someone.

I'm re-posting a pic shared with me from the main board, in case you are like me and the fuse panel went MIA. I think I may have broken it or damaged and anyway I can't find it now, so the pic was very helpful. FYI

 

[Elbert]

Later on I've got some cleaning up of wiring under the hood, but thats downstream once I get everything funcontional and I'm sure of whats what and some things may need to be improved on. Drove the 60 for an hour or two this afternoon, so everything is functional for the most part. I need to obtain the small rubber things that go around the base of the windshield wiper studs (the part that sticks up from the cowl)....when the guy swapped my windshield he took off the wipers and those small rubber pieces seemed to be well worn out and essentially came apart. not sure what their function is, potentially to reduce water inflow to the cowl area from around the windshield washer stud. Never noticed these things before...but they are history now and I guess I need to install new ones before I put the wipers back on. Not sure what that are suppose to look like, but something on the order of 2 or 3inch square piece of thin rubber material.....one for each wiper stud. Or thats my best guess having never seen one new or really know what they look like. the other part is I'm not sure how they go on, surely the cowl does not need to come apart..

 

[Elbert]

anyone know of a rocker switch that is a plug and play install in the FJ 60 blank openings on the dash?

 

[Elbert]

Well I 'll document this for any of the other 60's guys who may install BMW power seats. One ...the torfab brackets work great (you can make your own I'm sure. 2nd on the seats I used....the passenger seat works fine with grounding the two primary negatives and feeding the two primary pos feeds. I'm speaking to the main functions on the seat as far as movement, I've not had time yet to check or see what other functions do or do not work. The seat is heated and is electric, I've not wanted to screw around much with the wiring as the seats do have air bags and one screwup on the wiring and you can activate the air bag which would be a bad day. I've terminated the other wires.

The important note is the driver side BMW power seat. The driver side seat connects just like the passenger side, but the driver side has a "computer" built into the seat wiring (computer/black box/ whatever..). Anyway this computer shuts the power off to the controls if they are not moved within 15 seconds of the power being enabled to the seat. So as you may imagine you can have the power on all the time to the seats which I have, or you might have a relay setup and only power the seats with ign on. Anyway if you don't move the seat within 15 seconds ... computer shuts you down.

Known solution for now, install appropriate rated inline toggle or rocker switch to control power feed to seat. Yeah you could approach the wiring in different ways to control the power, but it would appear that you will have to come up with a solution to cycle the power on and off remote.

I would also suggest if you get these seats, get the seat pigtail harness too, so you can somewhat easily make your own extension of that and come up with a reasonable solution.

inline toogle or rocker switch function. turn power off, then turn power back on, move driver side power seat controls within 15 seconds and it works.

 

[Elbert]

sources for the little knobs on the temp and function levers on the ac control head? Anyone find any replacements or substutions for the small black knobs that goes on the end of the lever for fan control, hot/cold, and function levers on the ac control head? 1986 FJ60...I assume that these are shared across numerous year models? I need a couple.


Also any part numbers or sources for the springs that are part of the parking brake assembly there on the rear axle . I'll have to take a picture tomorrow...I think one of mine is gone and I guess the other is still there ...I need to check. Source/ PN ? I was skimming around the web and so far came up with zero.

 

[Elbert]

I believe the correct PN for the above mentioned spring is 90506-20033....Spring, Tension FYI