The 3fe looks good in there! you are pretty close to me actually! I am out here on Ocracoke. I might pick your brain on the 3fe swap at some point.
What have you done to your Land Cruiser this week? (39 Viewers)
- Thread starter IH8MUD
- Start date
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Filled both axles, trans & transfer case, and steering box. Installed new ignition switch and key cylinder.
The 10 year (so far) refresh-toration is finally at a point where I can drive it around the yard.
Front drive shaft not installed yet.
Open exhaust- stops right under the pedals.
I had to hold the fuse block in my hand so it wouldn't short out. (Too lazy to just mount it....)
It ran pretty good. No coolant leaks. Valve cover has some mild seepage on the left side. Brakes and transmission worked perfectly. Exhaust was not crazy loud to my surprise.
The 10 year (so far) refresh-toration is finally at a point where I can drive it around the yard.
Front drive shaft not installed yet.
Open exhaust- stops right under the pedals.
I had to hold the fuse block in my hand so it wouldn't short out. (Too lazy to just mount it....)
It ran pretty good. No coolant leaks. Valve cover has some mild seepage on the left side. Brakes and transmission worked perfectly. Exhaust was not crazy loud to my surprise.
That's great!
I like those wheels and tires! Look like pizza cutters on there, with the awesome old school wheels!!!
Mount the fuse panel and zip tie on some license plates, and she's ready to go!!!! (I've driven much worse back in high school...)
Fuse box is now mounted but my wife insists I install seat belts before I go on the road. I think I'll use these.
I have somewhat fresher versions of those x5 sets (3 for the Con-Fer bench rear seat) in mine!
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cruiserkev
3 decades in the same FJ40
28 years ago today, I bought this 1976 40 series and started this crazy land cruiser addiction. So many ups and downs in that time; epic wheeling trips, camping and playing along with breakage, engine and transmission failure, replacement of many parts and tons of maintenance. What a long and fun ride it's been. This morning we reinstalled the hard top and doors then I took my daughter out to her favorite place for lunch. Lady at the restaurant chatted us up and didn't believe me when I told her the FJ40 was 47 years old. 
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I got started on rebuilding my knuckles this week. Had to order wheel bearings, but should have parts cleaned and painted this week.
You have a thread going cruiserkev?28 years ago today, I bought this 1976 40 series and started this crazy land cruiser addiction. So many ups and downs in that time; epic wheeling trips, camping and playing along with breakage, engine and transmission failure, replacement of many parts and tons of maintenance. What a long and fun ride it's been. This morning we reinstalled the hard top and doors then I took my daughter out to her favorite place for lunch. Lady at the restaurant chatted us up and didn't believe me when I told her the FJ40 was 47 years old.
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cruiserkev
3 decades in the same FJ40
Nope, never made one. Started this journey well before most people even knew about the internet, pictures were taken with a film camera, you had to call and order parts for your cruiser by phone and one of the few things going for land cruiser people was the TLCA newsletter which was just a few pieces of paper stapled together and mailed to you back in the mid 90s. We have come a long way since then. I just randomly post my stuff on this thread as it gets done and toss in a picture or two for attention.
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That's a nice looking rig.28 years ago today, I bought this 1976 40 series and started this crazy land cruiser addiction. So many ups and downs in that time; epic wheeling trips, camping and playing along with breakage, engine and transmission failure, replacement of many parts and tons of maintenance. What a long and fun ride it's been. This morning we reinstalled the hard top and doors then I took my daughter out to her favorite place for lunch. Lady at the restaurant chatted us up and didn't believe me when I told her the FJ40 was 47 years old.
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ahhh ok. I was just curious of those rear mud flaps and if they are functionally worth it. I’m constantly fixing my tail lights from whatever gets tossed that way. Do you have a pic of them and how you installed them.
cruiserkev
3 decades in the same FJ40
Cops around here like to bust off roaders for no flaps so I made these a long time ago using mounts made for semi trucks, then shortened them to fit between the frame and fenders. Had to drill a couple holes to secure them to the frame. They are removable if needed. The flaps themselves are just basic ones from auto zone that I added stickers to. Not the best pictures, pretty dirty back there, but they work great.
Installed the replacement radiator. Rebuilt the alternator. Continued to renew the wiring. Trying to renew the door hinges.
I was using mobil one in the late 80's on my outboard. I bought that boat from a person who swore by it in maybe 1987 and he ad been using it since new. This was in the Seattle area.- in my more then exhausting fact-finding mission research on this topic whole i learned more than a few very relevant facts
- that are intriguing as hell , and ones that were also absolutely mis-represented by that particular Fully Synthetic motor oils brand companies official web sites , and also HUMAN voice live TECH. phone support calls i made to them too ...!
- it was in no uncertain terms a eye-opening learning experience i am glad i found myself knee deep into , all for one single reason to begin , and find out what is the best Fully Synthetic Motor Oil for my 5/89 FJ62 with its super low mileage original 3F-E , that also met the krystal klear summer Viscosity Chart in my factory owners manual and FSM too of the REQUIRED 20W50 ....
- i did a back peddle in time to the 1962 FJ40 Siamese F Engine and moved forward year by year from there , F1.5 , 2F , 3F carb ( first introduced in 1984 ) and finally my 3F-E
- the fundamental areas of focus such as the SOLID Lifters , Cam Lobes , Solid Push Rods , Adjustable Rocker Arms to Valve tappets clearances etc, are same in kind , ...
- i do not know the whole Leaded Gas era Valve Seats topic , because that is the one topic here i did have going on ?
- i found more than a few 20W50 fully Synthetic Motor Oils commonly available at my local NAPA store , NONE of any kind or band at auto zone or advance , NOR could they special order a 20W50 of any kind at all ?
- one younger dude at advance , maybe early 20's ish told me he had never seen or heard on 20W50 motor oil before
- as wet my Carhart shorts laughing as that was , it also made me think WHY ?
- well i guess it's been a HUGE time window since a certain % of vehicles on american roads and there owner operators actually shopped for it and purchased it at a level that demanded auto parts stores justified carrying and stocking it at some level ?
- i learned that California , Arizona , and parts of URBAN Colorado around Denver , Colorado Springs , and one other high population density of registered vehicles still require yearly SMOG inspections , and that includes the good working order of all original factory Emissions parts such as the Catalytic Converters topic being present and doing its Job to a standard of air quality too ....
- this is where the ZINC and Phosphates / ZDDP additives are GOOD for older Land Cruisers as its commonly discussed here , BUT a 1/75 - 1990 and there Cats , they are required to still run NO F'ing WAY !
- as far as the ZINC RICH ZDDP Fully Synthetic motor oils out there , Amsoil , Royal Purple etc one HUGE RED flag became very real and apparent , NONE are actually API Certified in any way , they state on the back of the bottles that they meet all that API stuff , currently we are at the SP rating in 2023 , well if you SELF- CERTIFY your own brand or motor oil that you conjure up and brew ? then i guess you can claim anything you like on your own bottle too !
- the ONLY single Fully Synthetic 20w50 motor oil i could find that was 100% API SP Rated and Certified by the American Petroleum Institute was also the ONLY one that was NOT a intended to be ZINC and Phosphate rich ZDDP formula ...
- both Amsoil and Royal Purple TECH. Line customer service Reps , told me flat out 100% they were just that ?
Amsoil dude also made a point more then once that his bottles lacked the twin Circles DONUT official API logo and specs it meets like the SP grade etc , because all the brands that do have that official independent entity certification LOGO own a share or stake of ownership at one level or another of the American Petroleum Institute ?
- i called them and FAQ checked that claim , it's 100% Bull SH#T false in every way .....
- so my final conclusion is as follows :
- if you DO NOT have Cats still in place on a 1/75 - 1990 , or like in the GOOD SOLID point by @fj40fillet talks about , never had them to begin with , 1962 - 12/74 .....
- i would personally absolutely only use the same exact Valvoline Full Synthetic 20w50 Advanced i am NOW changing out on GHOST , then ADD my own preferred Zinc type ZDDP additive to it..
this way you achieve the best possible full synthetic 20w50 correct Summer Blend that meets all the Viscosity Chart spec,s , that is also API Certified too , combined with your Zinc ZDDP additive , you have a product keeping your Vintage Land Cruiser internal Engine Moving parts protected to a level that is basically a clever Preservation step , will freeze lifters and cam lobes , valve tappet normal wear and tear at its current state of being for the foreseeable future , if you use it for the foreseeable future ...
- the unique comment came up here above and requires Technical proven Science based answer to the best of my ability and current knowledge of the HOW and WHY i will touch on here ..
- once again @fj40fillet asks a interesting question that's answer is fairy short and simple here to dip into ....
- his quote : " have to wonder when our service manuals were written synthetic oils didn't exist... "
- YES , that is correct , MOBIL 1 came on the scene via PEP BOYS in the very early 1990's , they first initially offered only : 10w30 , 10w40 , and 20w50 ..........5w30 was also added to the line up soon there after
- the use of regular conventional motor oil versus a API certified FULL Synthetic , such as my example product i personally do use , Valvoline ADVANCE that also comes in 10w30 , & 5w30 also ...fyi
- has and is scientifically proven to reduce the normal average driving conditions wear and tear factor to all 4-stroke internal combustion engine moving parts ...... that key point might be a good topic for a stand alone TECH Thread for sure !
- all 4 above were and are still API certified from day 1 , and DO NOT have the zinc rich formula topic involved ....
since then 20w50 has been phased out approx. 5-8 years ago now , i recall clearly that day i went to my local NAPA and was told that fact , because i had always used that in summer driving season , and switched to 10w40 at Fall Maintenance . the mid atlantic climate here , supports those 2 different viscosities as the optimum choice / motor oil lubrication protection level . This tech above and how it applies to my climate zone does absolutely apply to all 1962 - 1990 Land Cruiser Gasoline F series engines ....
FAQ check your various model years glove box owners manuals please , this is good long-term internal Engine moving parts preservation related in a simple yes or no , black and white approach ...
THIS IS THE WAY ...
GHOST is the only Current F - Series we have on the road right now , the 1983 FJ43L-KC is in it's state of freeze framed time since just before we opened the online store 34 1/2 years ago , inside my dads climate controlled 2 car gaage that i was actually able to achieve that same way i store the all the Top Secret Area 62 NOS in the 3 out buildings ...
- the wife's 2002 Pre-Runner 3.4L 5VZ-FE and SUPER HILUX's YAMAHA 2UZ-FE both call for 5W30 on the oil caps and the glove box owners manuals....
- many many years ago , by mistake in-fact , i thought that once the last Solid Lifters TOYOTA engine left the building
3F-E in 1990 ... ?
- TOYOTA had dropped the whole topic of Viscosity variations in summer / winter months , and at that same moment in time the now 1991 22RE was the 10w30 highest viscosity range .....
- i was wrong , and reason that was by 1993 it had become somewhat rare to even see a 93-97 80 series on Dealership new car LOT ....
- this is the 1994 Land Cruiser 1FZ-FE factory owners manual below :
Put the new wheel cylinders and shoes on, bled it and finally got all five new tires on, and down off the jackstands. Next week it goes over to Javier’s for wheel bearings. I’ll post more photos when it’s back, cleaned up, and the new hubcaps are on.
Green Bean
SILVER Star
My wife had some idle time in Salt Lake this morning, so I suggested she visit the Heritage Museum. Sine I couldn't be there, she ably served served as my surrogate. A tee shirt and a matchbox will have to do until I can get out there. 
samatulich
SILVER Star
Polished, waxed and went for a drive up Thompson Pass.
Not mine, but nice fj40 spotted by a buddy at the Texas A&M Rec Center. Haven’t seen another FJ40 on campus other than my own. Anyone know this guy in College Station, TX?
