Build The Escape Wagon Restoration

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Well, day one of the build is behind my son and I
we used @Skniper thread and he was spot on in his instructions (post #15 is the step by step checklist I used). What a great thread he posted up.
Quick FJ62 auto trans removal question (edit: removal steps/list)
The transmission came out and we’ve disassembled the transfer case. Quite a bit of dark residue all over which I assume was caused by it being filled with ATF vs gear oil by the PO .... AND the fact that my seal between the transmission and transfer was leaking ATF in there even after I had replaced it with gear oil.
The gears are fine and I have a rebuild kit from Valley hybrids for the rest.

The cleanup was a step I hadn’t anticipated and I’ll bring some brushes and some additional scotchbrite pads to get it reasonably clean.

Day 2 will be xfer rebuild snd more depending on progress.

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Skniper said:
Don't forget to drain the engine oil before you remove the pan!! I started removing pan bolts last night and....**slaps forehead** :idea: ....whoa, this thing has two gallons of oil in it. :hillbilly:
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reminder.
I was about to do the exact same thing. Drained the transfer and transmission, forgot the oil pan.
 
Manual tranny filling tip. Once you have the H55F and t-case installed make sure drain plug is in and before shift lever is installed just pour the oil into the H55F through the shift lever hole. With the fill plug on the side of the transmission out you will easily see when the tranny is filled.
 
Godwin said:
Manual tranny filling tip. Once you have the H55F and t-case installed make sure drain plug is in and before shift lever is installed just pour the oil into the H55F through the shift lever hole. With the fill plug on the side of the transmission out you will easily see when the tranny is filled.
Click to expand...
Solid advice!
 
Day 2 - THERE IS A REQUEST FOR ADVICE IN THIS NOTE. !!EDIT SOLVED!
Solid progress. We had to back track a couple of times rebuilding the transfer case. Once when we didn‘t have the 2WD/Neautral/4wheel low arm located in the right. Once , after the rear of the case was installed and we noticed we had one extra bolt. We determined it was inside the case and behind the gears.....wooops. We got that handled quickly.

After removing the flywheel, spacers etc we found that the small oil leak is NOT the main seal but a hex bolt at the 11/00 position above the rear main seal. I know at @Skniper ran into the same thing. Has anyone addressed this issue? Is the bolt resuable and therefore fixable by unscrewing, putting sealant on and reinstalling?
EDIT - turns out to be an oil galley and should be easy to pull, seal and reinstall
Id love to know by tomorrow as we are doing bell housing and clutch.



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OK
Day 3 was clutch, wiring harness and transmission stab
I had my son work on the harness/connectors while I did the bell housing flywheel.
We used a ton of professional help and professional tools/jacks when stsbbi g the transmission. With the right tools it can go in without pulling the top plate off the H55 (cleared by milimeters)

I’ll do a photo pictorial of our harness tomorrow

welder comes Monday to secure the crossmember.

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The only real issue today was when I realized that I received the wrong transfer case shift linkage.
The one they sent is for a completely different setup.
I set the transfer to 2H and will await a new linkage
Bummer.
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EscapeWagon62 said:
The only real issue today was when I realized that I received the wrong transfer case shift linkage.
The one they sent is for a completely different setup.
I set the transfer to 2H and will await a new linkage
Bummer.
View attachment 2522885
Click to expand...
On the 4 speed manual transmission the shifer bolts to the boos on the side of the transmission not ti the transfer case
 
tmxmotorsports said:
On the 4 speed manual transmission the shifer bolts to the boos on the side of the transmission not ti the transfer case
Click to expand...
I see where its supposed to go on the transmission but it appears to have an additional arm that changes the transfer case front flange whereas I have a vacuum activated unit And the place where I’d bolt it appears to off by 90 degrees.
I looked at a diagram where this unit seems to fit but it doesn't appear to work in my setup,
Am I just tired?

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What you have pictured there is the older style t-case shifter for the manual shifted FJ60 transfer case...it's a multi-planar busy piece of linkage.

For the FJ62 vacuum actuated t-case, you will reuse your 62 t-case shifter, but the shift rod/link has to be shortened a few inches, basically cut and welded shorter. Take the shifter pivot rod mount off the auto trans and mount it to the H55F.
 
Skniper said:
What you have pictured there is the older style t-case shifter for the manual shifted FJ60 transfer case...it's a multi-planar busy piece of linkage.

For the FJ62 vacuum actuated t-case, you will reuse your 62 t-case shifter, but the shift rod/link has to be shortened a few inches, basically cut and welded shorter. Take the shifter pivot rod mount off the auto trans and mount it to the H55F.
Click to expand...
Thank you @Skniper
 
One last item and lesson learned.
When I routed the hard clutch line , I removed the soft clutch line and planned on reinstalling during final assembly.
DUMB MOVE. It‘s not possible to re-torque the soft line to the hard line from below. There just isn‘t enough room to manipulate.

The proper way is to attach the soft line to the hard line from above, then attach the soft line to the clutch slave...then install clutch slave on he bell housing.

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Really enjoying going through this thread. New FJ60 owner here too that likes to do most of the wrenching myself. Where did you source the inner fender splash guards?
 
Thanks @t6dpilot
For the life of me I cant remember.
Either I’m hiding my receipts from my wife or myself....not in my file.
My best recollection is Cool Cruisers of Texas
 
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