JJWA40, you are correct. The cooling fan was disconnected when I got Uglina, and I never hooked it up. That might help with the hot starting/running situation.
Build Uglina is Back Thread ('78 Mustard FJ40)
- Thread starter TEQ
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #582
Please give us driving impressions after you have had sufficient time to experience. My 43K original mile 82 starts and runs almost perfect so I don’t want to jinx myself but I’m curious.
- Thread starter
- #584
You know I will. The rig has been at the shop since September and I'm quite frustrated by how long the shop's taking. I'm going to hold off commenting on the shop until the work is done (which should be real soon now); he has a chance to redeem himself through the quality of his work.
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- Thread starter
- #585
Minerva is "done" (well, projects like this are never "done", but it's home and I'm driving the snot out of it as I knock off punch list items).
- Thread starter
- #587
She's back!
I'm going to avoid commenting on the shop that did the work until I'm 100% confident in the results. However, I can say that after a 15 minute freeway drive from the shop to my place of work the key stuff feels great. Here's a summary of what has been done since Uglina went under the knife starting last August.
I realized I haven't posted the story yet, so here's the deal:
After driving her last spring I found drivability to be a real problem. The biggest issue was the carb. Whether it is the higher altitude of Salt Lake City vs. Seattle, or the additional miles and patina since I sold her in 2013, she just wasn't running well. It all came to a head when she simply died on I-80 outside of Park City and I had to get a tow truck. In addition the steering had gotten much sloppier over the years. The CCOT "mini truck" power-steering setup that was installed in the early 1990s was poorly fabricated from the get-go and just tired. Finally, smell of hydrocarbons (which is normally something I love) had either increased or I have just grown up. Either way, I felt I needed to clean this up if I was going to be driving it a lot. It was important that my wife would not be disgusted riding in or driving the rig
.
I debated how far to go, recognizing that I don't have the facility to do any real work myself here in Utah (until our home here is completed). I talked to multiple shops and got lots of options and rough estimates. These included building/buying a 'built' 2F, going the V8 route, going with a Cummins R2.8 crate motor, and just extending the life of the original 2F with either a Holly or FiTech EFI unit. In the end, I decided my tenet would be
"Stay mostly stock, but make it reliable; bet on the 2F having many miles left in her. Avoid going down the cosmetic rabbit hole; prepare to drive her into the ground for a few years so an full frame-off restoration makes sense."
This led to the EFI solution and it was a toss up between the Holly Sniper or the FiTech. The shop I choose had experience with Holly so that sealed the deal.
I also decided the only way to fix the CCOT hacked-up-power-steering system was to rip it out and do it right. Right or wrong, I decided the "right" way to go was to do the FJ60 route after seeing several rigs with that conversion.
Finally, because I plan on actually adventuring out into the Utah wilderness now, I wanted SOME recovery options, so I decided to add a winch.
I'm going to avoid commenting on the shop that did the work until I'm 100% confident in the results. However, I can say that after a 15 minute freeway drive from the shop to my place of work the key stuff feels great. Here's a summary of what has been done since Uglina went under the knife starting last August.
I realized I haven't posted the story yet, so here's the deal:
After driving her last spring I found drivability to be a real problem. The biggest issue was the carb. Whether it is the higher altitude of Salt Lake City vs. Seattle, or the additional miles and patina since I sold her in 2013, she just wasn't running well. It all came to a head when she simply died on I-80 outside of Park City and I had to get a tow truck. In addition the steering had gotten much sloppier over the years. The CCOT "mini truck" power-steering setup that was installed in the early 1990s was poorly fabricated from the get-go and just tired. Finally, smell of hydrocarbons (which is normally something I love) had either increased or I have just grown up. Either way, I felt I needed to clean this up if I was going to be driving it a lot. It was important that my wife would not be disgusted riding in or driving the rig
.I debated how far to go, recognizing that I don't have the facility to do any real work myself here in Utah (until our home here is completed). I talked to multiple shops and got lots of options and rough estimates. These included building/buying a 'built' 2F, going the V8 route, going with a Cummins R2.8 crate motor, and just extending the life of the original 2F with either a Holly or FiTech EFI unit. In the end, I decided my tenet would be
"Stay mostly stock, but make it reliable; bet on the 2F having many miles left in her. Avoid going down the cosmetic rabbit hole; prepare to drive her into the ground for a few years so an full frame-off restoration makes sense."
This led to the EFI solution and it was a toss up between the Holly Sniper or the FiTech. The shop I choose had experience with Holly so that sealed the deal.
I also decided the only way to fix the CCOT hacked-up-power-steering system was to rip it out and do it right. Right or wrong, I decided the "right" way to go was to do the FJ60 route after seeing several rigs with that conversion.
Finally, because I plan on actually adventuring out into the Utah wilderness now, I wanted SOME recovery options, so I decided to add a winch.
- Holly Sniper 2300 EFI - Replaces carb; self contained and looks almost-factory once installed.
- Mosley motor in tank fuel pump weld in ring
- TRE in-tank fuel pump
- Red Horse black anodized A/N fittings
- Reed Horse -6 black braided high pressure fuel line
- Mosley motor aluminum factory air cleaner adapter
- Red Line Cruisers throttle cable bracket
- Steering box rebuild seal kit form Cruiser Outfitters
- Steering pump rebuild seal kit for Cruiser Outfitters
- Air pump delete idler pulley from Spector Offroad
- EGR block off plates-made in house
- Ssteering shaft- made in house with Borgison 36 spline joint at box keyed joint from fj40 at top end
- Column bearing kit from cruiser outfitters
- Fittings for box made at House of Hose
- All steering joints are 555 from Cruiser Outfitters
- Steering tubes are OEM fj40/fj60 mix
- HFS front bumper from cool cruisers of Texas - warn 8274 ready
- Toyota battery
- Tesco tape for under hood wire protection
- Exhaust Generic Master muffler - quiet/stock series muffler
- OEM Toyota ignition switch from cruiser outfitters
- Warn 8274 winch
- Adjusted shifter to not be so far forward (I had previously adjusted it too far after installing the center console ages ago).
- Ripped out stereo amp under seat, new Continental head-unit with bluetooth and built in amp.
- Toe kick seals
- R&R headlight switch
- LED knob/dash lights
- Thread starter
- #589
I'll take and post more pics for sure. But scroll up and you'll see what it basically looks like with the EFI in there.
Gorgeous rig sir, yes under the hood pics please
I am considering the Sniper on the ‘76
I am considering the Sniper on the ‘76
- Thread starter
- #592
Yesterday afternoon I had one of the most fun "shakedown drives" ever.
I wanted to exercise the rig at altitude, ensure it worked well in traffic, and see if I could get off road a little. I succeeded on all fronts.
She drove great. I have a minor punch list of things to fix, but so far I'm very pleased with the investments I've made upgrading both the steering and engine. The Sniper 2300 EFI is still in learning mode and I'm not sure it's quite right yet (a little rich), but I had no issues driving up to Alta. Once up there I saw the sheriff and asked if he knew of a trail I could go on to quickly shake her down off road and take some pics. He said "follow me!". Yes!
Here's some pics for y'all to enjoy and comment on.
I wanted to exercise the rig at altitude, ensure it worked well in traffic, and see if I could get off road a little. I succeeded on all fronts.
She drove great. I have a minor punch list of things to fix, but so far I'm very pleased with the investments I've made upgrading both the steering and engine. The Sniper 2300 EFI is still in learning mode and I'm not sure it's quite right yet (a little rich), but I had no issues driving up to Alta. Once up there I saw the sheriff and asked if he knew of a trail I could go on to quickly shake her down off road and take some pics. He said "follow me!". Yes!
Here's some pics for y'all to enjoy and comment on.
Tell me more about the FJ60 PS conversion. I have factory PS and it is very sloppy. Trying to figure out the issue.
This has always been a great looking truck (even sans the M1s in the back). Toe-kick seals still available from Toyota?
- Thread starter
- #595
I'm no expert. And I didn't do the work, so I can only speak in generalities. Perhaps someone can point to a thread with more details?
Thanks! I had those toe-kick seals in the boxes of extra parts that I sold the rig with, and came back to me when I bought it back. So I do not know.
- Thread starter
- #596
She's back (again). For the past two weeks the shop has been tackling a healthy punch list:
I picked her up yesterday and drove hard. Hard enough to cause one of the speakers to break from it's (lame) mounting. Tee-hee.
Found a few more issues that I'll really need to address before I can declare this phase complete, but none are major (fuel gauge stopped working, heater fan inop). I'm loving driving her around (and looking back after parking).
Next up is some heavy duty work on the paint. I want to preserve the current patina as much as possible so I'm going to do a polish and protect with ceramic.
- Fixed Fuel smell. Install an active vent/charcoal system.
- Running rich; Smells rich. AFRs low.
- TPS never shows more than ~60%. According to docs WOT requires above 90%
- Fixed Charging system
- Turning on headlights causes head unit to power cycle
- Parking brake light flakey
- Steering wheel is not straight
- Tick at idle. Exhaust manifold not tight.
- Cig lighter socket inop.
- Right front caliper smoking when hot. Sticking. Replaced.
- Add Rear hitch receiver
- Add a 12v, switched cig socket behind dash. Plug usb-c adapter that's in car in, and fish wire through little hole by phone mount. "
- Install Warn 8274 winch
- Radiator pin-holes. Replaced radiator.
I picked her up yesterday and drove hard. Hard enough to cause one of the speakers to break from it's (lame) mounting. Tee-hee.
Found a few more issues that I'll really need to address before I can declare this phase complete, but none are major (fuel gauge stopped working, heater fan inop). I'm loving driving her around (and looking back after parking).
Next up is some heavy duty work on the paint. I want to preserve the current patina as much as possible so I'm going to do a polish and protect with ceramic.
- Thread starter
- #597
I was able to pick Uglina up a the shop Monday afternoon.
Since the last report here's what we've done:
On Tuesday I went for a drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon because it was snowing. I've actually never driven this rig in the snow and was a little nervous about the tires since they've been on her since 2007. They were fine. I know technically they are too old, but they show no signs of rot and only have about 6,000 miles on them. Plus, I understand you can't actually buy 33x9.5x15 BFG ATs anymore and I love the tall/skinny look! The weather provided for some pretty good photos; too bad I didn't have a 'real' camera.
The shop damaged the left front fender previously and had it repainted. The paint does not match. They've agreed to fix it correctly and I'm going to have the rust on the passenger door fixed and it repainted because it just needs to be done. I will drop her back off at the shop Friday...
Pretty safe to say Uglina likes Utah. And I like having her back. I'm excited about being able to wrench on her myself in a few months when the house is done and we're out of the apartment.
New list of to-dos:
Since the last report here's what we've done:
- Polished paint and professionally ceramic paint treatment to bring out the shine and prevent further oxidation/patina (by Dusty @ Envision Detail in Salt Lake city; class-act and very good).
- Remounted speakers
- Attempted to fix PS belt squeal (not fixed)
- Really fixed fuel smell? - Changed out check valve, re-did fuel hoses (all vent lines with new clamps), fixed cracked plug on fuel tank line, removed the VSV valve from between canister and manifold, swapped vacuum line from charcoal canister from throttle body to correct port on intake housing.
- Fixed leak in EGR block off plate - billet EGR block off plate.
- Replaced ammeter - now working correctly.
- Found and reattached cap for transfer case knob.
- Replaced screw in bezel.
- New wipers.
On Tuesday I went for a drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon because it was snowing. I've actually never driven this rig in the snow and was a little nervous about the tires since they've been on her since 2007. They were fine. I know technically they are too old, but they show no signs of rot and only have about 6,000 miles on them. Plus, I understand you can't actually buy 33x9.5x15 BFG ATs anymore and I love the tall/skinny look! The weather provided for some pretty good photos; too bad I didn't have a 'real' camera.
The shop damaged the left front fender previously and had it repainted. The paint does not match. They've agreed to fix it correctly and I'm going to have the rust on the passenger door fixed and it repainted because it just needs to be done. I will drop her back off at the shop Friday...
Pretty safe to say Uglina likes Utah. And I like having her back. I'm excited about being able to wrench on her myself in a few months when the house is done and we're out of the apartment.
New list of to-dos:
- Driver's side defrost vent always blows cold. Passenger blows hot when DEF is on. How could that be?
- I've not played out winch and re-wound it yet (you are supposed to this according to the manual).
- Re-do door seals (I put gaskets in in 2006-7 and didn't do a great job and a few are loose).
- I think one of the speakers' cones is bad as I get distortion sometimes.
- Figure out a different mount for the Holly Sniper LCD; that's where my phone goes.
- Fix Alternator/AC belt whine
- Thread starter
- #598
One last shot:
You've got an almost perfect DD FJ40.
I'd like to see/hear more about that active charcoal vent setup.
Have you done the Koito headlight upgrade?
I'd like to see/hear more about that active charcoal vent setup.
Have you done the Koito headlight upgrade?
- Thread starter
- #600
I don't fully understand the charcoal vent setup myself, so I can't really help there yet. That's one of the most frustrating things about having to use a checkbook wrench!
On the headlights. I was just starting to research that because the current light output is very lame (nee dangerous).