TWT -- The Wrenching Thread (11 Viewers)

[Malleus]

I need a recommendation for a radiator shop in Charlotte to flush Charlie's '95 80 radiator.

We have the head refit completed and it works perfectly. Now a problem I suspect was the root cause of the headgasket failure - overheating - is rearing its ugly head. The A/C is stuck ON, a completely separate problem, but when I drive it for a couple of miles at 45 mph, it reaches 208°F, and that was yesterday, when it wasn't hot.

I replaced the thermostat, because it wasn't fully opening, and that helped, but his '95 is still running 15+° hotter than my '95, and both engines are set up similarly; except his is now way cleaner, inside and out.

I think the water pump is working as it should, because a cold shower on the radiator cools the engine a couple of degrees, but not as much as I expected. I also installed a block drain with a petcock when we did the head work, and hose on that valve, with the open end above the engine, sprayed water when the engine was running.

The fan clutch is not working, on his or mine, so I initially crossed that off the fault list. I am replacing the fluid in it as soon as USPS deigns to grace the porch with my oil. We'll see if that helps at all. I'm skeptical, because, as I said, mine definitely isn't working and it's running as cool as I could want.

So that leaves the radiator, which I figured I would clean out while I had the fan off. My favorite shop, just off Mint Street is long gone, and I haven't had the need to look for one in years.

 

[roadstr6]

I need a recommendation for a radiator shop in Charlotte to flush Charlie's '95 80 radiator.

We have the head refit completed and it works perfectly. Now a problem I suspect was the root cause of the headgasket failure - overheating - is rearing its ugly head. The A/C is stuck ON, a completely separate problem, but when I drive it for a couple of miles at 45 mph, it reaches 208°F, and that was yesterday, when it wasn't hot.

I replaced the thermostat, because it wasn't fully opening, and that helped, but his '95 is still running 15+° hotter than my '95, and both engines are set up similarly; except his is now way cleaner, inside and out.

I think the water pump is working as it should, because a cold shower on the radiator cools the engine a couple of degrees, but not as much as I expected. I also installed a block drain with a petcock when we did the head work, and hose on that valve, with the open end above the engine, sprayed water when the engine was running.

The fan clutch is not working, on his or mine, so I initially crossed that off the fault list. I am replacing the fluid in it as soon as USPS deigns to grace the porch with my oil. We'll see if that helps at all. I'm skeptical, because, as I said, mine definitely isn't working and it's running as cool as I could want.

So that leaves the radiator, which I figured I would clean out while I had the fan off. My favorite shop, just off Mint Street is long gone, and I haven't had the need to look for one in years.

Try this place. I’ve had good luck with them:

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

^this. They do it all; radiators, a/c components and fuel tanks

 

[Pick]

My youngest son leaves for college next week; we're empty-nesters after that. He needed tires, brakes and a few other routine maintenance items before he leaves. I've had so much fun working with him over the past few weeks to get it ready for the trip. I wish he had a 4runner instead but he loves the TJ. More opportunity to spend time together working on it, I guess

A small spacer lift to accommodate the tires. I didn't realize the 265/70/R17 would be so much bigger than the 31x10.5x15; certainly seemed a lot more than .63". Also used some wheel adaptors to fit the JK wheels (5x5) on the TJ hubs (5x4.5)

 

[FJ Noob]

Finished up the little details and adjustments to complete my lift installation and did a successful first lift. The ceilings are only 10’ so I went with a “low profile lift”. I have enough room to lift the 80 series to the max height of the safety catches and still have 6-8” between the roof and the ceiling lights. Full lift gives about 50ish inches from the floor to the bottom of the frame rails…not enough to walk under, but no more hunching over or sitting on the floor to work on brakes/axles etc.

I’ll need to re-plumb the shop air next. It’s currently just plumbed with pvc pipe and there are about 10 leaking quick connects. That was fine for the PO that was just using low pressure air to blow metal shavings off work surfaces, but not good for my intended use.

 

[izzyandsue]

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Moonshine got a new trans and a resealed driveline over the past few weeks, finished up this afternoon. Just in time for the lookout trip.

Just need to make a new front driveshaft and I'm ready!

 

[Malleus]

Moonshine got a new trans and a resealed driveline over the past few weeks, finished up this afternoon. Just in time for the lookout trip.

Just need to make a new front driveshaft and I'm ready!

View attachment 3096994

View attachment 3096995

That thing is going to be mean in the woods!

 

[lumbee1]

3.5" Dobinson VT coils lifted the front of the Cruiser 5.5" with dual batteries, ARB, and 10K winch. I contacted Dobinson and they asked for coil specs to make sure everything was correct. Wire diameter is 16mm and free height is 605 to 610mm depending on where it's measured. Everything checks out according to them so I debating whether to cut springs or look at other options. The Cruiser drives great but offroad it feels quite tippy.

While I'm in there, I've ordered some metal spacers to drop my front swaybar another 1/2". I currently have 1 1/2" drop blocks but the swaybar is still very close to the driveshaft.

In addition, I hope to get my 70 series bump stops for the rear. They are taller and more flexible than the stumpy 80 series bump stops. I'll be able to use the new bump stops without a giant spacer.

 

[JohnVee]

3.5" Dobinson VT coils lifted the front of the Cruiser 5.5" with dual batteries, ARB, and 10K winch. I contacted Dobinson and they asked for coil specs to make sure everything was correct. Wire diameter is 16mm and free height is 605 to 610mm depending on where it's measured. Everything checks out according to them so I debating whether to cut springs or look at other options. The Cruiser drives great but offroad it feels quite tippy.

While I'm in there, I've ordered some metal spacers to drop my front swaybar another 1/2". I currently have 1 1/2" drop blocks but the swaybar is still very close to the driveshaft.

In addition, I hope to get my 70 series bump stops for the rear. They are taller and more flexible than the stumpy 80 series bump stops. I'll be able to use the new bump stops without a giant spacer.
View attachment 3100852

@Catskills Is this the lift you have, and that we saw in action on that 81?

 

[Catskills]

@Catskills Is this the lift you have, and that we saw in action on that 81?

Yes. I'm replacing it and selling it before I *probably* sell my 80. The truck sits so high and driving it can be scary.

I couldn't believe how much body roll that 81 had on the trails. Definitely not an asset when it's a rock on one side and a tree on the other.

 

[lumbee1]

Yes. I'm replacing it and selling it before I *probably* sell my 80. The truck sits so high and driving it can be scary.

I couldn't believe how much body roll that 81 had on the trails. Definitely not an asset when it's a rock on one side and a tree on the other.

Without the Delta panhard and the Whiteline swaybar in the rear, yeah driving the Cruiser was scary. In corners at moderate speed, it would tip and steer itself.

 

[Catskills]

Without the Delta panhard and the Whiteline swaybar in the rear, yeah driving the Cruiser was scary. In corners at moderate speed, it would tip and steer itself.

@lumbee1 I have the Delta relocation bracket but not the sway bar. Did it significantly change your driveability? All I have are sliders and front bumper.

 

[lumbee1]

@lumbee1 I have the Delta relocation bracket but not the sway bar. Did it significantly change your driveability? All I have are sliders and front bumper.

Absolutely. After installing the swaybar, I noticed a difference turning around in the yard. The Delta bracket fixed the rear end steering and jiggle. The swaybar keeps it flat and stable in the corners and makes the rear less lively offroad to push the radius arm front to flex more.

 

[jynx]

I need to put a sway bar back on my 80. Just installed 37s and it is tall. Ride great but has noticeable sway with both the front and rear off of it. Would you say rear over front if I was putting one or the other back on?

 

[jfz80]

I need to put a sway bar back on my 80. Just installed 37s and it is tall. Ride great but has noticeable sway with both the front and rear off of it. Would you say rear over front if I was putting one or the other back on?

I’ve not spent much time with the front off but if I was going to pick one to reinstall it would be the rear.

 

[Malleus]

Just a couple of musings on recent work:

Charlie and I just completed a very long head gasket and "while you're in there" replacement. We replaced the entire cooling system, the A/C compressor and clutch (the dryer was replaced last year). the front crank seal and harmonic balancer, rebuilt the power steering pump, alternator and starter, disassembled the engine wiring harness, cleaned it and replaced defective connectors, cleaned the intake and exhaust manifolds, inside and out, and painted them, replaced the front shocks and swaybar bushings and generally cleaned everything up. I have numerous photos, if anyone's interested.

And, yes, you can fit a 6'-1" male child in the engine bay, with the engine, as long as the head's off. My large self fit too. Thanks for asking.

Two primary concerns occurred:

1. The harmonic balancer seemed to be wobbling, maybe about 1/32" out of plane. I had no idea whether it was the OEM or not, so I replaced it. The TOYOTA replacement wobbled just as much. Not happy about that at all.

2. The general engine operating temperature is easily 10°F higher than mine (6 months older, 100k miles less; I'm at 230k, Charlie has about 310k). It doesn't overheat, but it is hotter. Has anyone else who has replaced a head gasket and had the head (valves and seats) reconditioned, seen a measurable temperature rise after the job was completed?

So, after a 180 mile thorough test, Charlie takes it to Boone, for the last year of his 4 year vacation. I get a call the next day: he says there's fuel pouring out of the #5 injector. I just completed a replacement of the O-ring on the top of the #5 injector, knock on wood, it's OK. The O-ring was cut in a straight line about 30° around the OD. Best I can figure, the bottom of the fuel rail isn't deburred, and I pushed it in too far and rotated it, when I installed it. The FSM says to coat the O-ring with gasoline and turn it when you install it, so that it is obviously freely rotating. Pro tip: don't push the injector all the way in while rotating it; half way in is good enough.

Also, the harmonic balancer is dead straight now. Maybe the rubber settles in storage and just has to rotate until it finds its center? I'm not an engineer or anything, but maybe that's what happened.

FWIW, everyone told me the VHT exhaust paint was garbage, but I used it anyway. I'm not stubborn, I just didn't have any photos of the job. That s*** sucks ass. I have photos if anyone is interested. I will definitely use CeraKote for mine. Charlie's non-high temp aluminum parts (valve cover, intake, coolant necks, etc.) were sprayed with clear and that looks OK, just DO NOT follow the application instructions. The exhaust headers are another story entirely. If you want to have your entire engine bay covered in colored dust, which you cannot remove, use this paint. I picked white, to match the body color, so it's not a complete disaster, it's just nasty.

 

[roadstr6]

Harmonic balancer is weird. Glad it's straight now though. I had an injector to die on my truck about a week after the head job. All injectors were sent off for cleaning and flow testing before I installed them. I ended up replacing the one bad one with new. I used the VHT black header paint on my manifolds and spit-shined my heat shields. It looked tits for about three months until I dunked the truck in a 4 foot deep mud hole. Now everything looks like it did before I started the job. Can't speak to engine temperature other than to say that power = heat. With the recent head work, Charley's truck is now 10 degrees faster than yours!

 

[Malleus]

The VHT exhaust header paint (white) and clearcoat started to "powder" as soon as the engine got above 150°F. The very small area immediately next to the head still looks white, but the rest is dull gray (the color of cast iron, oddly enough), after I used a plastic bristle brush and running water to remove it. The brush was mainly to save my hands; that stuff just wiped off. Some paint!

I think the heat is due to the AT clutches slipping and heating the AT fluid. After I rebuild Henry's A343F in the LX470 (it's down to one gear), I'm going to do the same to Charlie's (probably in the spring, since it's not an immediate concern). It revs too high when shifting up to drive, but only by a hundred rpms or so. That's the last work I'm doing before he gets his graduation present. We'll see then whether the temperature comes down.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I tried to tell ya, lol.