The new acquisition... (3 Viewers)

[sleepycruiser]

I am just going to do the PHH and not the bypass. I have 3 feet of green stripe right now and the constant torque clamps.

I will have to search for the gasket...not sure if I have run across that yet. I am going to do green coolant since it is easier to find.

I will have to locate the block plug...I haven't seen it yet...or the PHHfor that matter, but I have watched the vids on the PHH so hopefully I can get that done. Radiator flush....I have found several threads but no simple stupid steps so to speak.

 

[stevezero]

Let me know if you decide not to use the springs and shocks. I'll gladly buy them from you

I bought em in march to put on the lx450, but never got around to doing it. I was wanting to go 2.5 on this truck, but I dont think I want to go through all the other hassle (bushings, longer shocks, etc). I think stock height springs with 285's will be fine for me for now. If i decide to go larger, I'll put these in the lx450.

I got my springs from Samir, in this thread. They shipped really fast, and were priced well. Nice to support another mudder.
UPDATE: Old Man Emu 2-3" lift and Stock height kits- 80 series LC

 

[stevezero]

The block drain plug is about the same height as the top of the tire. Drivers side. Brass headed 14mm bolt. It is to the right side of the center line of the tire near the back edge of the tire. Remove the two flaps (middle and rear), and it should be straight in front of you. I had to do a search earlier for the location, because I couldnt remember.

You may want to consider the bypass. On my other 80 series, I gave up after fighting the short hose and hard line connections, and did the bypass. I think I removed my starter to get a little better access under there. I'm sure the painful memories will return tomorrow

 

[stevezero]

No pics cause I was too busy kickin butt and takin initials (aint nobody got time fo dat)....
Had to wait on parts until about 1230, so i did some more pressure washing under the driver side to reach the PHH. Installed everything I had on hand. Installed new hood lift struts (no more 2x2 supplied by the PO). Installed the two of the three large rad hoses (waiting on one), and some other misc bits. USPS showed up with my Aisin blue fan clutch, so I swapped that in. Parts arrived, so quick trip to Napa and Rice Toyota.

No particular order after I got back from the parts run:
PHH Bypass complete. PO actually had the PHH done previously, which surprised me.
Almost all small hoses along the firewall. Napa Yellow Stripe. (Used up most of the 6ft I purchased). They have 294 ft left of it (they had to special order a 300 ft roll to the Battleground Ave store by Pisgah Church, 2.70 a ft ). Couldnt get to the two in the very back tucked way under the heater control valve. Had to substitute/modify a Carquest/Advance Auto parts B87310 hose to go from the T fitting down to the firewall. Its slightly smaller than the 5/8 hose. Everything took a touch of Dawn soap to help slide on, and was still a beeeyotch.
All those hose connections are using breeze clamps, except for one.
New 5/16 hose for the rad bypass connection.
OEM Tstat, gasket, and belts. Recycled my old AC Idler pulley from my 450 for the time being. Bearing was in poor shape on the one that was installed there previously. Old belts were relying on spray (gee, thanks PO...) to help keep them from slipping, and the AC belt was some cogged pos.
Got everything buttoned up, and found a leak at the trans cooler fitting on the radiator. It was about a 1/4 turn loose for some reason. Tightened it up, and hopefully the leak stays dry.

Let it idle in the driveway, then drove it around a bit. saw 196 on the ultragauge as the highest temp. I'll check the driveway tomorrow for leaks (pressure washed that while the truck was idling).

Who knows what tomorrow will bring. LOL

 

[sleepycruiser]

You should post all of the links to the stuff you are replacing so I can just copy you.

 

[stevezero]

Lol, it will probably end up bein everything, one piece at a time LOLOL. My immediate goal is to have something solid over the winter, so the 08 gx470 doesnt have to get road salt, or to have as a backup vehicle for my daughter if the 450 engine decides its reached its expiration date.

Look at your baselining in subsystems:
Mine had a dead/weak battery, so it needed a batt. Alt was putting out normal voltage

Fluids (just had an oil change, found the receipt in the truck, and the oil looked clean, so its staying for a while).
Trans drain and refill takes about 4-5 qts. Next time, I'll drop the pan and clean/replace the screen/filter. I'll do a trans drain/refill for the next few oil changes, and exchange almost all of the fluid. Dont do a power flush...bad stuff happens.
Knuckles and ujoints get greased. Check the knuckles with a white tie wrap to measure the amount of grease in the knuckle. I need to drop the shafts and clean/reassemble the slip yokes. Dont pump too much grease in the slip yolks, you can do damage.
Gear oil in diffs and tcase. No need for synthetic in the diffs, you can use that in the tcase. Ideally, youll extend the breathers at this time to up under the hood (i havent done that yet).

Cooling system: If youre gonna flush, you might as well do all the hoses (big and little), rad cap, tstat and gasket. Breeze clamps are a bit spendy, but are nice. Almost all of the small hose clamps are one time use deals, youll destroy them removing them. Clean the fins of the rad with a chemical cleaner. Use hose pressure, not a pressure washer for that, or youre going to have a bunch of bent fins or worse.

Still to do:
Scuff and paint rear bumper and trim pieces with Duplicolor bedliner spray. May do that tomorrow.
Remove factory roof rack, seal with bedliner spray. Its not leaking, so this is a down the road thing. Would be nice to take advantage of another good weather day for that.
Brakes: Need to take the tires off and look at the pads. No grinding while braking, no warpage in the rotors, but the pedal is soft. I need to flush and bleed. I'll inspect when doin the next step below.
Springs and shocks: Have a set of OME stock height lift springs, and tokico OEM shocks from my other truck that will go in this. rear springs are very soft, and I think the right rear shock is dead.
Tune up: Dist cap/rotor, plugs and maybe wires. These look fairly new, and the truck runs well, so thats on the backburner.
Tires: Still have to put some flavor of tires on it. Still trying to figure out what to run in 285/75/16, and have to clean off the remnants of an illfated plastidip attempt by the PO's son.
Oil pump gasket/screws, front crank seal, and belt pulleys. Have an alt belt pulley coming, and swapped in my old one off my 450. I'll prob do the ac clutch bearing at that time.
Oil level sensor/connector. PO's not too smart son or the mechanic damaged the connector(hopefully), and/or the oil level sensor. so the oil light stays on. I need to get under there and see if it can be repaired, or whats gotta happen to replace that. Oil pressure is good, and oil level is good. I'd prefer to fix it, rather than pull the bulb in the dash LOLOL, but its not a big rush.

Optional goodies/down the road stuff:
CDL/Pin 7 mod: I have an extra hazard switch, so this is going to happen soon. Since I have to pull the trim piece around the radio, I may throw in a bluetooth adapter to the pioneer head unit to get rid of the aux cable. I also need to fix the 12 volt plug, it comes out of the mount. Also need to see if they disconnected the broken power antenna when they broke the mast, and if its salvageable. If not, I need to figure out an antenna option.
HIR headlight bulbs up front. Had em in the 450 for about 10 years, worth every penny. Philips bulbs are the real deal there.
Airlift rear air bags. Have em in the 450, helps when i put 10 lbs in a 5lb bag.
Rear axle rebuild: bearings, drop the third member out, and install a spartan locker and new pinon bearing and seals. Since this wont be a daily driver, I can handle the mechanical locker clicking on turns
Front axle rebuild: Birfs arent clicking (surprisingly), so I'll run it until i see the soup, or feel enough play to warrant a teardown. Would entertain a front locker at that point, but havent looked at the options. Thats a ways down the road.

 

[sleepycruiser]

I am draining and filling diffs within the next week. I will probably add a breather later on...looks easy enough.

I need to figure out the radiator hoses and all that when I do the PHH. I just am new to working under the hood on any vehicle....just something I have never been exposed to.. so I am trying to take baby steps...although I am impatient.

 

[stevezero]

You're ahead of most people, who don't know how to open the hood, much less do anything once they get it open. tip for the different and tcase. open the fill plugs first. there are a bunch of threads where people open the drain plugs, and then can't get the fill plugs open.

YouTube has a lot of videos of people doing stuff on their 80 series, watch em and learn

 

[sleepycruiser]

Do you know the hex size of the diff plugs? I got them in and my largest hex is still too small.

 

[stevezero]

If its the stock plugs, I think a 15/16 standard socket "fits", which puts it between 20 and 24mm (I think its 24mm)

 

[sleepycruiser]

What about the hex size on the newer hex bolts?

Like these:
OEM Magnetic Differential Plug Kit

 

[stevezero]

Today about whipped my butt (ok, it did whip my butt)..

Installed the OME stock height kit and Tokico OEM shocks that I had on hand. I found even more mud packed into various places that it shouldnt be. Didnt want to stop and pressure wash, I'll get around to that some other time. Every stupid nut and bolt took pb blaster and heat to break loose. Fortunately nothing broke broke.

While the wheels were off, I scruffed up the coves (had to use acetone to remove some sort of plastidip chunks on each one), and sprayed with duplicolor's Graphite metallic wheel paint. I did 4 out of the 5... couldnt put in the effort to do the passenger rear (like i said, today kicked my butt). I may take one more day off tomorrow(have to burn off some vaca time), and possibly spray the entire wheel that graphite color.

Also masked off, scuffed with a scotchbrite pad, and sprayed the rear bumper with duplicolor bedliner spray. I'll let that cure overnight, and button up the bumper.

Before and after heights (no pics yet) from center of hub to bottom of the flare.. Used the A springs on the driver side, and the B springs on the passenger sides.

Drivers front 20 inches before, 21 after. Passenger front 19 1/4 before, 21 1/2 after

Drivers rear 20 1/2 before, 21 1/4 after. Passenger rear 20 1/2 before, 22 after.

Test drive yielded a nice ride, actually softer than I was anticipating. Guessin that's the Tokico's getting themselves situated. The ride improved after about 5 miles or so. I'll prob either need to swap the springs side to side, or just add some trim packers. Or I could install my aux battery in the passenger side, and put all the heavy stuff on the passenger side to squat it down.


Looking at the rear, when its time to do the rear brakes, I'm gonna do the full meal deal. calipers, rotors, bearings, etc. New bushings all the way around (rubber is showing its age) Maybe the spartan locker ; But thats down the road a bit.

 

[sleepycruiser]

I have those same shocks heading my way. Glad to hear you like them.

 

[stevezero]

Little more progress made yesterday. Sprayed the mudflaps and black trim with duplicolor bedliner. let it cure, and reassembled them on the truck. Fixed the shaky mirror on the passenger side, and went ahead and added it to the insurance policy.

 

[stevezero]

Quick update. Swapped the rear springs around on the rear, and painted the wheels duplicator graphite.

 

[stevezero]

Think mother nature is trying to tell me something???

 

[fj40z]

80 looks great Steve! I'm just about to do the graphite wheels on mine as well.

 

[weejub]

Steve - so cool - great stuff! this is like a play book on what to do with an old 80

Wondering - is this the same truck that the previous owner simply hasn't removed from Clist?

1997 Toyota Landcruiser

 

[stevezero]

Thanks. Yeah, thats the listing. The guy sent me an email afterwards, saying it was sold . I think he was thinking I was craigslist, or maybe someone else.

If I ever encounter his son again, I will beat him to within an inch of his life for what he put this poor truck thru. I will need to pull the wheels off and pressure wash inside and behind the wheelwells. There is still mud packed in the bumpstops.

Its nice working on something because you want to, not because you have to. LOL

 

[CharlestonG8R]

Steve - so cool - great stuff! this is like a play book on what to do with an old 80

Wondering - is this the same truck that the previous owner simply hasn't removed from Clist?

1997 Toyota Landcruiser

WOW!!!!! $3K (or whatever the best offer was) and all you had to do was clean out the mud???? Someone scored big. I am envious!