TWT -- The Wrenching Thread (19 Viewers)

[Comet]

Eventually put all this in one spot but for now it’s here. Front mud flaps made fir an earlier cruiser. Boom!! Always liked OEM where possible so the front bumper donated to me by @Axe55 (I think) a few years back was massaged yesterday to loose a little gurth. Planning on the harbor freight winch plate and integration into the stockish bumper soon enough along with recovery points poking through the front eventually.

 

[jfz80]

I find it’s always easier to drills holes in someone else’s rig

 

[Fort Knox]

Ok, so this certainly doesn't qualify as "wrenching", but I'm pretty happy with the results, so I thought I would post it.

The headlights on my Tundra were starting to show signs of clouding/age, so I decided to buy a lens restoration kit to see if I could freshen them up a bit. They obviously weren't horrible to start with, but I didn't want to wait until they were. Here's what I started with:

This was after giving them a wash/rinse/dry. I taped off the surrounding pieces to try to avoid sanding on the paint at all.

Step one was to spray on the kit's "Surface Activator" and let it sit for 30 seconds, then rinse and begin wet sanding. You start with 400-grit to get most of the surface layer of oxidation off by wet sanding all surfaces of the headlight as evenly as you can, rinsing often. Then you switch to 1,000-grit for a few minutes each side, and finally 2,000-grit. Apparently the goal is to get a pretty uniform haze. At this point, I was really hoping the kit was going to work, or else I had just ruined my headlights.

After you finish sanding, the next step is to polish the lenses using the "Clarifying Compound" for a few minutes on each side and then thoroughly rinsing and drying the headlight. This next picture is after the polishing, but before one more application of the "Surface Activator".

After polishing, you rinse the whole lens thoroughly and dry it before spraying it with the "Surface Activator" one more time, letting it sit for 30 seconds, and then one last rinse and a thorough drying. The last step is to carefully apply a single thick layer of the "UV Block / Clear Coat" using the supplied applicator cloth. Then you let the UV Block / Clear Coat cure for 4-6 hours and you get this.....

I've gotta say.....for a $22 Sylvania kit off of Amazon (comes with everything you need except a spray bottle for the wet sanding and paper towels to dry the lens), I'm super happy with the results!! Hopefully it lasts a while.

 

[Hokie LX]

Nice work! It’s always so satisfying cleaning up the lenses.

I’d highly recommend getting some laminX or similar uv protecting vinyl to put over them to keep them nice otherwise they’ll fade again quicker this time. I’ve had them on my 100 for 4-5 years now and haven’t had to redo them whereas I was having to do it every 1-2 years prior.

 

[lumbee1]

I finally started on my headgasket replacement.

This is so much easier than standing on a ladder.

Supercharger and exhaust has been removed. I started working on the intake side but had to put things on hold due to an infected toe.

 

[NCFJ]

A little non cruiser wrenching. Setting up the center chunk in the Mercedes to check out the upper frame member location. Trunk is cut out to the frame rails. I'll be adding a frame rail just behind the chunk to replace the one I removed. Also adding what amounts to half a C notch above where I cut out for the upper links.

 

[NCFJ]

I'll just leave this here

 

[jfz80]

I'll just leave this here

Honestly Stan…..I’d just prefer you leave that at my place instead.

 

[NCFJ]

I am looking forward to getting this running. I imagine this truck is going to be a hand full. Just a thing of beauty sitting there.
I'm using the same front drive assembly on the Mercedes, sans the blower. Not interested in a hole in the hood.

 

[roadstr6]

I spent springtime driving the '82 FJ40 named "Dusty" as much as I could, running errands and such. The truck make its first club event at Carolina Relic Run in April and it has been an absolute pleasure driving it and enjoying it these last few months. However, Dusty had a bit of trouble back in mid-May on a trip to the hardware store. Truck ran great on the way to Lowes. I came out of the store, fired it up...no issues... and drove out of the parking lot onto the main road. All of a sudden I heard a terrible clackety rattling sound that became worse with acceleration. I could tell the truck was down on power. Oil pressure and temp gauges were steady as always. I limped it very gingerly the six miles home and parked it, where it has sat for almost three months untouched while life has kept me busy with more pressing issues. I finally got a chance to take a look at the truck today. Compression test yields the following results:

1. 150
2. 150
3. 140
4. 80
5. 80
6. 155

I can hear air escaping when I put the compression tester on cylinder 4 and again on 5 when I spin it over. Valve lash is perfect on every valve. No bent pushrods (all seem to spin true in situ (I'll pull them out and check on a flat surface later). No oil loss. Dipstick is full. No leaks (at least no new ones). Coolant is full and clean. Valve cover looks fresh and clean inside. No coolant mix or goop on the head. I'm thinking the head gasket blew between cylinders 4 and 5 with no creep into oil or coolant passages whatsoever. My gut tells me that this should not be. If the break were between cylinders 3 and 4, I could understand that, but 4 and 5? Seems weird. However, it does appear that 4 and 5 are swapping compression back and forth. Maybe the head is cracked? Who knows? Regardless, it looks like the head will have to come off for closer inspection. As sad as that makes me, at least all the manifold hardware is brand new, and the engine compartment is clean enough to eat off of. Shouldn't be too terrible pulling the head. Stay tuned.

 

[pkniland]

I spent springtime driving the '82 FJ40 named "Dusty" as much as I could, running errands and such. The truck make its first club event at Carolina Relic Run in April and it has been an absolute pleasure driving it and enjoying it these last few months. However, Dusty had a bit of trouble back in mid-May on a trip to the hardware store. Truck ran great on the way to Lowes. I came out of the store, fired it up...no issues... and drove out of the parking lot onto the main road. All of a sudden I heard a terrible clackety rattling sound that became worse with acceleration. I could tell the truck was down on power. Oil pressure and temp gauges were steady as always. I limped it very gingerly the six miles home and parked it, where it has sat for almost three months untouched while life has kept me busy with more pressing issues. I finally got a chance to take a look at the truck today. Compression test yields the following results:

1. 150
2. 150
3. 140
4. 80
5. 80
6. 155

I can hear air escaping when I put the compression tester on cylinder 4 and again on 5 when I spin it over. Valve lash is perfect on every valve. No bent pushrods (all seem to spin true in situ (I'll pull them out and check on a flat surface later). No oil loss. Dipstick is full. No leaks (at least no new ones). Coolant is full and clean. Valve cover looks fresh and clean inside. No coolant mix or goop on the head. I'm thinking the head gasket blew between cylinders 4 and 5 with no creep into oil or coolant passages whatsoever. My gut tells me that this should not be. If the break were between cylinders 3 and 4, I could understand that, but 4 and 5? Seems weird. However, it does appear that 4 and 5 are swapping compression back and forth. Maybe the head is cracked? Who knows? Regardless, it looks like the head will have to come off for closer inspection. As sad as that makes me, at least all the manifold hardware is brand new, and the engine compartment is clean enough to eat off of. Shouldn't be too terrible pulling the head. Stay tuned.

If you need help, I know a guy named Dave....oh wait.

 

[thecapedcapper]

Before and after pics only but had to replace my driver's side rear window. Came out one day and it was smashed but the door was locked and it hadn't been pushed in, think it was an accident from grass cutting or someone turning around in my dead end street.

@jfz80 Thanks again for the window glass!

 

[NCFJ]

Upper and forward cross members in place, still a good bit of welding and bracing left to do but it is where it lives. There are two more braces that attach to the lower arms forward to a point under the car. This is an issue with no easy solution. Cant wait to figure out sheet metal.......................

 

[40LandCruising]

So I recently bought my old 80 back off my buddy Jacob, and the brakes are in shambles. They were never good when I had it before, but he deleted the ABS and LSPV and he claimed it helped but they suck now. Gonna bleed the brakes tomorrow and see how that goes, but I'm shopping for master cylinders to be prepared for a trip to Harlan in a few weeks.

Anyone know if there is any difference in the ABS vs non ABS master cylinders for an 80 of the same year range? Besides the angle the brake line ports come out of the cylinder?

 

[Comet]

Following to see the collective response to @40LandCruising

 

[40LandCruising]

Following to see the collective response to @40LandCruising

Just did some more Looking at the listed specs on Rock Auto, and the bore size is the same for both, 1".

Only difference internally I see is it lists the non-ABS Push Rod: Length / Depth (IN) :.715"

And lists it as .692"

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I don't recall the difference between the two, but my brain tickle says that a non-abs 80 Mc is the way to go for 60 upgrades.

Stands to reason if the bore/stoke size is the same, and you're not running abs, just use the non abs model on your 80.

 

[40LandCruising]

I don't recall the difference between the two, but my brain tickle says that a non-abs 80 Mc is the way to go for 60 upgrades.

Stands to reason if the bore/stoke size is the same, and you're not running abs, just use the non abs model on your 80.

That was my thought process, but since I have the one rock auto thing that I'm sure is right... saying the pushrod length is slightly different, I figure I'll just run the ABS one since that's what it seems everyone continues to do after deleting ABS.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

That was my thought process, but since I have the one rock auto thing that I'm sure is right... saying the pushrod length is slightly different, I figure I'll just run the ABS one since that's what it seems everyone continues to do after deleting ABS.

Makes sense.

FYI, the push rod is easy to modify. It usually just pops out of the booster, and you can glue more metal on the end, or cut metal off, to make it right.

Pedal end of The booster doesn't pop out but you can cut it down and/or put an extension on it.

If you can swap a motor, you can swap a Mc, lol.

 

[40LandCruising]

Makes sense.

FYI, the push rod is easy to modify. It usually just pops out of the booster, and you can glue more metal on the end, or cut metal off, to make it right.

Pedal end of The booster doesn't pop out but you can cut it down and/or put an extension on it.

If you can swap a motor, you can swap a Mc, lol.

Is it surprising I've swapped a lot more motors, even into things they don't belong in, than I've swapped master cylinders lol.

Now that I've done some more research I'm wondering if the adjustment at the booster is the issue. Which I guess I should describe.

So I used my buddies motive power bleeder today to bleed the brakes on the 80. Had to use the extremely clunky universal adapter, ditched the chains and J hooks and ended up using zip ties cranked to max tension but it did work. And of course had to remove all the bleeder screws and unclog them.

So bleeding does seem to have helped, feels about how they did when I owned it before. It does stop, but the pedal has to squish all the way to the bottom before it does anything. If you try and pump the pedal do it gets harder it won't even think about stopping until you continue to hold your foot on the pedal you just pumped until it sinks down to the bottom of the stroke then it stops like it usually does.

I'm pretty dang confident there is no air in the system at this point, so I'm left thinking it's gotta be the master.