The Adventures of Chungus (1 Viewer)

[Roketdriver]

As a former NA Miata owner, I applaud you for using the Miata for camping or anything besides driving around at all. Miss that car.

Thank you! Taking a car that can high-center on a speedbump out into the woods was an interesting adventure. I don't see myself ever getting rid of mine. Between a lack of title and some unreported unibody damage (donuts in a wet parking lot and concrete posts don't mix) I have a feeling it'll get driven until the wheels fall off. I just hit 163,000 miles and the transmission is leaking, so assuming the gearbox doesn't explode the goal is to get it well beyond 200k. These little cars certainly aren't as beefy as a LC, but still quite durable.

Your old fan clutch looks like an Eaton clutch. I believe they were an OEM supplier for the Land Cruiser. They are good clutches, and some may argue better than an un-modified Aisin clutch - defintely hold on to it as a spare.

Interesting... I pulled it out of the trash and threw it in the junk drawer of my toolbox. Thank you for letting me know! Are these rebuildable like the Aisin units? I have no idea how old it is but there's very little resistance on it.

Continuing the adventure component of this thread, I ran up to central Wyoming Saturday morning - Sunday afternoon to scout out a unit that with my buddy who plans on hunting in the area. Got to wheel around on some BLM land, mostly gravel grinding and two-tracks.

The weather was great until we got caught in a thunderstorm which made things a tiny bit soupy. The camping wasn't the best, we forgot some key pieces of gear and wound up being slightly cold and miserable, but at least we had lots of food and beer.

But we saw LOTS of pronghorn and a few deer. Mission accomplished!

Next up on the to-do list:
- Install Wits End Tire Leveling Kit
- Gather knuckle rebuild parts
- Go camping some more

 

[Roketdriver]

This past weekend I encountered a weird electrical issue:

I ran Chungus for a few hours on some wet trails. Went through a few big puddles but nothing as serious as a stream crossing. It had also been raining most of the day. I left the trails and ran it on dry surfaces for about an hour.

I got to my destination, shut the rig off, and went about my camping activities. About 20 minutes later, the truck started itself without the key and locked the doors. My first thought was that I bumped the remote starter button, so I hit the key fob expecting it to shut off. It didn't. I put the key in and turned it to all positions, but it kept running. I disconnected the battery completely, still running. With the battery disconnected I attempted to pull the main wire from the ignition coil, but couldn't figure out how to release it and didn't want to damage anything. Finally, I stuck the key back in and was able to kill the engine by hitting the starter with the battery disconnected. Not ideal but I didn't want it to sit idling in the middle of the woods until I ran out of fuel (but I was carrying a gas can, just in case).

I reconnected the battery and started/stopped the truck once to make sure it would still run, then left the battery disconnected for the rest of the night. This self-starting issue hasn't happened since. But I did notice that there's now a very slight hesitation when I turn the key to the start position.

I've been searching around and haven't found much info on a gremlin like this, aside from replacing the contacts and plunger in the starter. But even if the starter cranked itself in the "off" position, shouldn't it have failed to start? What else should I be checking? Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

 

[retrofive]

My first guess would be the aftermarket/alarm/etc system and how its tied into the system.

 

[Heckraiser]

Ghost of Chief Arapooish messin' with ya

That is totally weird. I would freak out, then drive home and dig through the truck and remove every non-factory wire in the whole thing.

 

[Roketdriver]

The electrical gremlin has yet to return and the hesitation before cranking has disappeared.

Ordered parts from Cruiser Teq to do the knuckle rebuild, including the Koyo wheel bearings. Also ordered spare belts, fusible links, and a new radiator cap from Wits End.

Oh, did I mention that I hit a deer? Very minor damage, paid a collison shop $100 cash to straighten the bumper out. I'm looking for an excuse to put a winch bumper on but I don't think it's in the cards for this year.

 

[Roketdriver]

As I prepare for the steering knuckle rebuild, I started to fall down the "while I'm in there" hole. I've got the tie rod ends that still need to be installed, and now I'm debating if I should just upgrade the brakes to a combo of drilled/slotted rotors and 100 Series pads. If the parts are coming out, I might as well replace them with something better. Need to do more research on the brakes but that's the direction I'm leaning in.

Adventure wise - got out to a really nice spot over this past weekend. The campsite I found had some deep ruts at the beginning of the two-track, acting as a Subaru deterrent. The only other vehicles I saw back there all weekend were 4Runners and Wranglers. I was hoping to see some good wildlife but unfortunately, numerous people were exercising their second amendment rights and thus probably scared them all away.

 

[Heckraiser]

I would avoid drilled rotors as the holes will pack with mud, dirt and little rocks if you ever find yourself in a muddy situation. It's a lot of work to get them properly cleaned out.

 

[mattimooseprime]

Oh, did I mention that I hit a deer? Very minor damage, paid a collison shop $100 cash to straighten the bumper out. I'm looking for an excuse to put a winch bumper on but I don't think it's in the cards for this year.

If you're ever in the portland OR area I was thinking about selling the homemade "dollar store knock off" winch bumper I picked up when I bought my roof rack. it's dirt cheap and I decided against using it when I get my rig put back together. It would look good painted up but i'm really starting to feel the delta VS bumper lol.

 

[Roketdriver]

I would avoid drilled rotors as the holes will pack with mud, dirt and little rocks if you ever find yourself in a muddy situation. It's a lot of work to get them properly cleaned out.

Great advice, thank you! I'll avoid drilled rotors. Is there a preferred forum vendor for brake parts? I see that I can get pads from a few of them but I'm struggling with the rotors.

If you're ever in the portland OR area I was thinking about selling the homemade "dollar store knock off" winch bumper I picked up when I bought my roof rack. it's dirt cheap and I decided against using it when I get my rig put back together. It would look good painted up but i'm really starting to feel the delta VS bumper lol.

I'd really like to get a winch-compatible bumper at some point but I don't think it's in the cards for this year.

Over the weekend I did some more camping. I ran Transfer Trail to Grizzly Jeep Road, taking me from Glenwood Springs back east to the Gypsum area. Great drive, great views, and a few dicey climbs that consisted of loose dirt, tree roots, and small shelves.

 

[Roketdriver]

Brake parts are ordered! Going with EBC rotors and OEM 100 series pads.


Anyway, it finally happened. I joined the official "I hate mud" club. I got good and stuck yesterday while attempting to take a scenic route on the way home from another camping trip.

After trying to reverse out of the position I was in, I only dug into the mud further. Using the recovery boards was an exercise in frustration. Digging out didn't seem like a viable option. So I filled up my backpack with food and water and started the 4 mile hike back to the nearest town. A group of quads came along, and with some coordination and geometry work we were able to swing my rear end around and get me out. It took 2 quads with winches and a side by side with a snatch strap. I'm just glad there were other people running the trail that day who were willing to help pull me out. I had enough food and water to get me by for a few days but if I was in a really remote location, I would have been SOL.

One of the spectators took a video, still waiting to receive that from them.

In the process the rear bumper got a bit jacked up, but the worst part was the exhaust. It's bent to the point that the middle muffler is now rubbing on the driveshaft. Going to call an exhaust shop tomorrow to get that straitened out, and possibly have some custom work done to help clearance and prevent this from happening again.

Lesson learned. Let this be a cautionary tale to my fellow amateur drivers out there - know your limits and f**k mud. I won't trifle with the soupy stuff again until I can winch myself out.

 

[Roketdriver]

As if getting stuck wasn't a nightmare in itself, what came after has been even worse.

I picked up some used exhaust parts with the correct brackets still attached and brought them to an exhaust shop to have them installed. I was extremely clear that I wanted to keep it factory. I stood under the rig with the shop owner and pointed out how I wanted it done. The work I received was so poor that I'm embarrassed that it's happened to my LX. It was bad. So I took it back and brought them the right hardware. Instead of getting it fixed correctly, the shop owner argued with me that I still hadn't brought them everything they needed. So I gave up on them, reamed them with a Google review, and moved on with my life.

Or so I thought.

Last week I posted about an ABS light, a burning smell, and smoke. Well, I figured out what had happened.

The bolts that the exhaust shop had used to connect the muffler section to the tailpipe portion had worked themselves loose, resulting in hot exhaust dumping into the floor of the LX. The burning smell was the body sealant and carpet, which is now discolored under the seat.

Better yet, Chungus has been puking gas at the fill station.

So I took it to the Lexus dealer yesterday to get it looked at. So far the diagnosis has been the filler hoses were clearly damaged by heat, all it took was a screwdriver poke to put a hole in it. There's signs of melting. They haven't fully investigated the ABS light, but the codes indicated both rear sensors. I suspect the wiring harness got torched as well. Ultimately - the exhaust shop damaged my vehicle, created a huge safety hazard, and I am not okay with this. I asked the dealer to hang on to any parts removed until I get a chance to take photos.

The plan from here is to get everything in writing and present the exhaust shop owner with two options - pay my tab at the Lexus dealer, or get sued and then pay my tab at the Lexus dealer.

Ugh.

 

[Roketdriver]

Well the Lexus dealer wouldn't explicitly state in the paperwork that the exhaust shop is at fault so that's probably a wash.

They did determine that the ABS light was unrelated - turns out the ECU went bad.

Except after putting in a brand new one from the Toyota dealer, ABS won't engage. I'm still getting the ABS light, even after disconnecting the battery for a minute.

So I'm at a loss. Do I take it back to the dealer for more diagnostic work?

 

[Roketdriver]

Not much to report on the ABS light. Still need to get it back to the dealer.

Took it camping two weeks ago to help my buddy bag an elk.

New starter went in. I was told my old one was unobtanium but I'm having trouble telling the old and new one apart. The old starter will get rebuilt and kept as a spare.

 

[Roketdriver]

After another week at the Lexus dealer, they determined that the ABS light was due to a section of the wiring harness was melted. Is this a common issue or is something more sinister at play?

Very cheap fix though. About $90 for the new harness and they waived the labor fee. Tested the brakes on some icy snow and all seems well again.

 

[Roketdriver]

Well the garbage work from the first exhaust shop failed as expected. Some of the welds broke, requiring me to tie it to the frame with baling wire.

So I took it to a new exhaust shop that was highly recommended by a local auto enthusiast group. While they weren't able to "make it OEM" like I had wanted, they did do an acceptable job of fabbing up a solution that included a 18" Magnaflow muffler and a resonator delete. It's not original Toyota quality but I figure if I get 2-3 years out of this fix it'll have been worth it. When I wear this one out I'll go with the OTRAMM stainless system and be done with it.

Plus it subjectively sounds neat and I gained a little bit of throttle response. I also appreciate that it doesn't hang as low as the stock muffler.

A quick cold start video for anyone curious about the sound:


The next challenge I want to tackle is deciding on which front bumper I want to run. I've been experiencing a lot of analysis paralysis as I flimflam between the ARB and Ironman. Been searching and reading through as many threads as I can. I now live in an area infested with deer and other wildlife, so a full coverage Aussie style bumper is a must. Whichever one I go with, I'll be mounting the "standard duty" Warn VR Evo 12k winch.

The tried and true ARB seems like the logical choice because I can pick one up locally, but i think the winch I have picked out will require spacers to fit.

The Ironman design is appealing and I think it should fit the Evo 12k, but I have no idea what shipping/logistics will look like. I've also heard that the approach angle on the Ironman isn't as good as the ARB.

If anyone has insights that could help sway me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Roketdriver]

Did an oil change last weekend and discovered that my power steering is leaking. The pump and one of the lines appears to be soaked. Done with one thing and on to the next I suppose.

The exhaust work is holding up and I'm not sick of the sound yet.

Last night I finally had the chance to get out of the house for a night and freeze my butt off in a hammock somewhere off the beaten path.

This morning I did a bit of hiking. Lugging around my heaviest camera through shin-deep snow, I was hoping to find some interesting animals. But all I saw was three chickadees and a squirrel. Not the most exciting wildlife but at least the sunrise was pretty.

Got back to the rig and just wheeled around for a bit. I had the sense to stay out of the deep snow and stuck to the dirt.

 

[Roketdriver]

Started gathering recovery gear for the 2021 wheeling season. I wound up going with the ARB bumper but the retailer I ordered it from said it won't arrive until May. I'm hoping I get it sooner than that.

 

[Roketdriver]

No updates on the wrenching end of things aside from some new lights, but I did just get back from a weeklong trip around Utah. Due to the five photo limit this will be broken into multiple posts.

I took off on a Friday night and headed for some BLM land directly across the border from Colorado. I took 285 then over to 50 before heading north to get on 70 and head straight West. I got really lucky, as 50 was due to close for construction that weekend. I made it through without delays but don't plan on heading in that direction again anytime soon. I rolled into UT past dark and put my new traffic-blinders to good use. It's amazing what some cheapo LED's can do to supplement the high beams.

This was the view that greeted me the following morning.

After wheeling around the BLM land on the border I went a bit west and took a detour to explore a stretch of the Green River. From there, I headed south along 24.

If anyone is thinking of exploring this part of the country, I highly recommend taking 24 over to 12, then following 12 all the way to Escalante. It is a gorgeous drive.

Along the way I stopped to see the Goosenecks - some interesting formations along a canyon.

(To be continued)

 

[Roketdriver]

After following 12 for some time, I arrived at my next campsite, located on more BLM land along the Cottonwood Canyon Road.

The following morning, in a moment of pure ADHD, I completely forgot that my plan was to visit Bryce Canyon. Instead I stayed on Cottonwood Canyon Road all the way to its end at 89. More great views and an easy gravel grind.

From here the next destination was Zion National park. Spectacular. My expectations were exceeded as I followed the ribbon of tarmac through the valley, stopping along the way to do some short hikes. I can see why this area is such a popular tourist destination. Being a Sunday, it was packed.

The original plan after Zion was to backtrack a bit and camp east of the park. Instead, I continued west to my next destination: Toquerville Falls.

(To be continued)

 

[Roketdriver]

The road to Toquerville Falls was another great drive, with a couple rock-step sections to challenge the LX. Chrungus breezed right over them.

This popular 4x4 destination had a number of folks hanging out by the water when I arrived. I drank a beer, pitched my hammock, and took a nap. By the time I was up and moving again, the crowd had left and I had the falls to myself.

It wasn't the warmest day of the trip, but I still decided to go for a swim and dunked myself under the falls. Nice, cold, and refreshing.

I woke myself up at 1AM to attempt some astrophotography, but it was far too cloudy for that to work. I slept a few more hours then hit the trail.

Next stop: Sand Hollow State Park.

(To be continued)