What did you do with your truck this week?

[BMThiker]

The GOOD: Fixed Bertha's heat problem...wrong hose connected to the heater core = no hot air. We had a couple extra coolant ports on the top end of the engine, so it was a guessing game really. We guessed wrong the first time, but now it gets warm and toasty.

The BAD: I thought I'd do a simple oil change on my rig. That went south when the drain plug stripped the bung. Tried one of those repair plugs and it didn't go so smoothly and tapped in slightly crooked. Got a very slow leak that I could probably fix with JB Weld but I don't like the way repair plug hangs down so far now. So it looks like I'll be replacing a oil pan soon.

The UGLY: We bought a tachometer from Summit a while back that we've been meaning to install in Bertha (since the SB350 went in). Spent a hour or so fabricating a spot for it to fit in the old ashtray compartment, got it wired up to the fuse block and the ECU. Turns out the ECU and Tach don't speak the same language. The tach is looking for an analog signal (from ignition coil) and the ECU is providing a millimeter signal. We can buy a adapter box for around $75-90, or I could sell this tach ($40) and just buy a ScanGuage which would provide much more data than just a tach.

 

[BELMONT148]

That sucks.

You can't just hook the tach up to the ignition coil?

Jeremy

 

[BMThiker]

From what Brian and Michael (ACC) said, no. Michael is going through the same deal with his Ford 5.0L powered BMW 3series.

 

[dohcdelsol93]

i installed my door stops.


the breathers on my valve covers were so old the sponge material was gone.

I removed them and since i'm cheap i pulled them apart, put new sponge material inside (left over lawn mower air filters) and then resealed them.

no more dumping oil on my exhaust manifolds at hwy rpms now. I looked like a freight train going down 385 the other night. It's amazing how just a little bit of oil can smoke that much.

 

[BELMONT148]

From what Brian and Michael (ACC) said, no. Michael is going through the same deal with his Ford 5.0L powered BMW 3series.

Damn Fords, shoulda got a Chevy.

Jeremy

 

[dohcdelsol93]

should have gone with a diesel!!!

 

[BMThiker]

Damn Fords, shoulda got a Chevy.

Jeremy

Bertha's 5.7L engine is Chevy (came out of a '98 1.5ton Silverado).

 

[BELMONT148]

Huh, that's odd then. You should be able to find the right wire coming out of the harness to hook any tach up. Might want to check some of the LT1 or Vortec aftermarket websites for a small harness that you can use to get a direct ignition signal wire for the tach. However 98' is a little new for my expertise.

 

[Southeast Overland]

Trans problems are popping up in the FJ. A new trans might be in store down the road. I wonder if an Atlas or Lefty should be dropped in while the trans is out???

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

Trans problems are popping up in the FJ. A new trans might be in store down the road. I wonder if an Atlas or Lefty should be dropped in while the trans is out???

how many miles do you have on it? Can't believe you are having problems on such a new Yota

 

[BMThiker]

Steve, Manual or AT?

Throwout bearing on manual 6spd is apparently an issue:
http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/foru...106475-throwout-bearing-trouble-6-speeds.html

 

[BELMONT148]

All the tranny problems that I have had on trucks have started out major and ended up being minir. I was told by the Jeep place that my GC would need a new $1500 unit, turned it was a valve that needed replacement for $75. Would go in reverse or shift out of first.

Chevy HD truck was told it needed a new unit. Turned out a bolt fell out and $25 later it was as good as new. All domestic trucks had 100k miles at the time and are still on the road with over 180k.

If your FJ needs a new auto tranny, then I am trading my Taco in.

 

[Southeast Overland]

Almost 90k miles. AT. It's a known issue (shuddering) over on the Blue Forum.

 

[Trollhole]

Praying for you Steve.


I abused my 80 this weeked. Loaded her down with 1600lbs and hauled it home.

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

Praying for you Steve.


I abused my 80 this weeked. Loaded her down with 1600lbs and hauled it home.

was your steering feeling a little light with those racks cantilevered out like that

 

[BELMONT148]

Couldn't be any lighter than the day he threw a set of 40 axles on a hitch/haul and drove 4 hours back to Greenville.

Jeremy

 

[Trollhole]

was your steering feeling a little light with those racks cantilevered out like that

Yes it was.

Couldn't be any lighter than the day he threw a set of 40 axles on a hitch/haul and drove 4 hours back to Greenville.

Jeremy

This load trumped that one by a mile. Though it was a lot to put on the hitch and haul. My max load with that thing was about 600lbs of brick. The guy at the yard thought I was crazy and it wouldn't hold. I proved him wrong.

 

[GXO]

You can tow anything if you go slow enough

 

[6894kevin]

Finally dropped my 80 off for the front end service!

 

[Southeast Overland]

Dreamed of an Atlas for the FJC...