What have you done to your Land Cruiser this week? (51 Viewers)

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Yesterday, flushed the system, primarily the engine block and installed a new radiator. There was some fairly nasty stuff that came out of the block drain when i removed it completely! Had it on a good angle and burped for about 30 min with heat on. Let the engine cool with the burp kit (funnel) in place for a couple of hours and it absorbed 90% of whet was left in the funnel. No more over heating !!! Oh, and I also changed out the temp sending unit.
***FYI...... make sure the big funnel cover is NOT on tight when the engine heats up and burps!!! Makes a damn big mess and will scare the F out of you when you're standing right in front of it!! You can see the lid swelling in the green picture. Happened a second later :/

PXL_20250202_162700190.jpg


PXL_20250202_214729080.jpg
 
Buffchief said:
Yesterday, flushed the system, primarily the engine block and installed a new radiator. There was some fairly nasty stuff that came out of the block drain when i removed it completely! Had it on a good angle and burped for about 30 min with heat on. Let the engine cool with the burp kit (funnel) in place for a couple of hours and it absorbed 90% of whet was left in the funnel. No more over heating !!! Oh, and I also changed out the temp sending unit.
***FYI...... make sure the big funnel cover is NOT on tight when the engine heats up and burps!!! Makes a damn big mess and will scare the F out of you when you're standing right in front of it!! You can see the lid swelling in the green picture. Happened a second later :/

View attachment 3830794

View attachment 3830795
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Is your overflow tank full or empty? In my experience, the cooling system will find its natural level, usually near the bottom of the filler neck. If your overflow is full, when the coolant pressurizes and pushes past the cap it will overflow your overflow bottle. Just something to be aware of.
 
Skreddy said:
Is your overflow tank full or empty? In my experience, the cooling system will find its natural level, usually near the bottom of the filler neck. If your overflow is full, when the coolant pressurizes and pushes past the cap it will overflow your overflow bottle. Just something to be aware of.
Click to expand...
It was about half full. It wasn't overly hot but with the cap on tight the air bubble coming up created just enough pressure to pop it off. I think maybe the adapted for the funnel stops any over flow from happening
 
Bella1992 said:
Went to enjoy some trails… Some bolts holding my brake caliper bracket worked their way out… (disc brake conversion on front axle).

Nothing like removing a hub out on the Dusty trail to make a Sunday complete!
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I raise hell about bird poop on my hood.....you have a whole hub with studs down ON the hood ! lmao I guess the new wears off after a while.
 
Bella1992 said:
Went to enjoy some trails… Some bolts holding my brake caliper bracket worked their way out… (disc brake conversion on front axle).

Nothing like removing a hub out on the Dusty trail to make a Sunday complete!
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You get extra points for using the OEM jack for that trail side repair!
 
MatthewMcD said:
You get extra points for using the OEM jack for that trail side repair!
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Those old hydraulic jacks are great, I carry a piece of 2x6 and use LCP's adapter for the top. The wood gives me a stable base and Phil's bracket helps eliminate the concern that something will slip while it's up.

sites.google.com

LCP - Jack Adapters

Check out the 3rd generation jack adapters we are currently selling with the zinc finish for long-lasting durability!
sites.google.com sites.google.com
 
82Blu said:
One of my biggest fears:

I’ve always had a fear of a sudden and catastrophic blow out of a front tire at full-beans, hiway speed… especially in my FJ40. Well, it happened today. Thank God nobody was around me.



Doing about 60-65 in the right lane, BAM! Instantly I’m in the left shoulder heading for a very muddy bog of a median. There was nothing I could do to keep it on the shoulder and soon it was tall dead grass welcoming me down the embankment, across the center bog, then, on the up hill side of the bog I was steering into the slide (later I could see 4 tracks-not 2). Gravity, steering and braking finally complied, whipping me back toward the center of the median (aka bog) but thankfully under control and slowing.



It came to a rest with the front right wheel in the boggiest part of the bog and all other wheels uphill of that. Let’s try reverse. 2h-nope, 4h nope… 2L nope… but wait? Nope? Ahhh, not thinking straight-“hubs dummy”. Locked them in and even with only 3 “good” tires my FJ40 was ready and hungry to go anywhere I pointed it! So compliant even with the carcass of the blown tire slapping lazily as I chose the least worst exit from the bog/median, which happened to be straight up the embankment at the end of the guard rail. So, rear tires full of mud from spinning, front left blown and front right wet, it still let me know straight up that grassy embankment was the best option. It was saying, “we got this!” I was so excited about how it launched us up the embankment, during that small break in traffic, that I was equally surprised when once perpendicular on the interstate, I found I was quickly out of gears in low range trying to sprint/limp across 70 mph traffic!



We made it out, and my sister and brother in-law were mere minutes away and came to assist me in my roadside rescue (thankfully not recovery). That’s another equally long story for another day!



Moral of the story: 1.) yes a sudden catastrophic blow out of a front tire WILL take a quick hard turn in the direction of the blowout. It does not necessarily mean that 100% you will flip. It can be recovered and yes, spare underwear may be a good addition to your toolkit. 2.) don’t drive around on ancient tires… this was 100% preventable and my fault.

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I'm glad you're ok and your rig also came out unscathed.

I'm in no way trying to criticize your incident... the fact you survived unscathed indicates you did alright.

Counter instinctual response, the recommend way to remain in control is to accelerate after loosing a tire on a steering axle. Once things stabilize, then gradually slow down and pull over. This is likely harder to do in a short wheelbase vehicle, but basic principles of physics prove that if you brake and eliminate forces going forward, the only forces left are going sideways. If you increase forward forces you'll be better able to maintain control.

This is what we were taught while learning to drive an 18 wheeler. To help convince us of it they had videos of 18 wheelers that they caused blowouts on the steering axle at highway speed using blasting caps triggered by a remote denotator.

I've also experienced the same thing while driving down a snow covered road in a blinding snow storm. I was driving down the highway following where the plow trail, and to maintain control if I hit the 2-3' deep snow I had to accelerate while trying to steer back towards the shallower snow. If I let off the throttle or wasn't on it enough, the 40 would spin out and I'd no longer have any control of where it was going.
 
Bella1992 said:
Went to enjoy some trails… Some bolts holding my brake caliper bracket worked their way out… (disc brake conversion on front axle).

Nothing like removing a hub out on the Dusty trail to make a Sunday complete!
View attachment 3830803
Click to expand...
IS that the Atlas tool roll?
 
Bella1992 said:
Went to enjoy some trails… Some bolts holding my brake caliper bracket worked their way out… (disc brake conversion on front axle).

Nothing like removing a hub out on the Dusty trail to make a Sunday complete!
View attachment 3830803
Click to expand...

You friggin rock. All the tools, parts up on the hood….. I picture the Jeep guy in his capri shorts, crocs, sipping a kombucha pacing a circle trying to get cell service. Oh, and there’s a broken Leatherman discarded nearby.

There’s a badass meme in that picture you posted 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺
 
Buffchief said:
Yesterday, flushed the system, primarily the engine block and installed a new radiator. There was some fairly nasty stuff that came out of the block drain when i removed it completely! Had it on a good angle and burped for about 30 min with heat on. Let the engine cool with the burp kit (funnel) in place for a couple of hours and it absorbed 90% of whet was left in the funnel. No more over heating !!! Oh, and I also changed out the temp sending unit.
***FYI...... make sure the big funnel cover is NOT on tight when the engine heats up and burps!!! Makes a damn big mess and will scare the F out of you when you're standing right in front of it!! You can see the lid swelling in the green picture. Happened a second later :/
Click to expand...
Man I wish they still made the mud terrains with the white letters.
 
fireflyr said:
You friggin rock. All the tools, parts up on the hood….. I picture the Jeep guy in his capri shorts, crocs, sipping a kombucha pacing a circle trying to get cell service. Oh, and there’s a broken Leatherman discarded nearby.

There’s a badass meme in that picture you posted 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺
Click to expand...
Yea, @Bella1992 doesnt mess around, I see a ball joint separator and a monster breaker bar. Not your average trailside tool kit.
 
Pax seat in. I had modified the slider tracks on the driver’s seat a long time ago. I drilled a second set of holes 2” back from the original bolt holes. It allows my huge 5’10” frame to sit without my knees in the steering wheel. I also drilled a couple holes in the inside rail for the adjuster.
IMG_6716.jpeg
IMG_6718.jpeg
IMG_6695.jpeg
 
I just noticed that I missed posting my 1967 FJ40 on page 1967. You 1969 owners best get with it!

IMG_6719.jpeg


Also forgot my festive Mexican blanket I got pre-tariff down San Diego way. Thirty dollars (what’s that in Pesos?). I guess that’d be $37.50 now
 
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