Did I miss something? Did you blow a head gasket?!

 

No you didn't miss anything. I think I have a valve seal going bad. So in the process of fixing it I will be changing all of those parts plus a mild port n polish on the heads and intake.

 

That's a lot better than waiting for it to blow. I

 

Well it is a bad day at the PHAT farm. it is definitely Phils House of Abused Toyotas today. The 87 just spun a bearing and is screeching like a howler monkey. Most likely to be parted out......


Before I tore into my truck I needed to do a coolant change and thermostat change on the land cruiser so the wife can have some heat while driving. When I took off the 4 bolts that hold the upper cover on, 2 of them snapped..... a continuation of my bad day but not horrible yet......


Just then one of my friends ( a mechanic ) showed up to help me with my truck. I was starting to drill out the broken bolts. He grabbed some torks bit from my bench and an extension. he started to hammer the torks bit into the drilled bolts. he was trying to make a poor mans easy out. in the process of hammering the bit into the broken bolt, the bottom housing that holds the thermostat and bolts to the block snapped off....... both mounting ears... GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


So after regrouping and trying to figure out what to do. Many calls to machine shops and welders later, no one in the area can weld aluminum. I knew there was an 85 cruiser in a scrap yard 30 minutes away. it had the same block as my cruiser just with a carbed intake instead of efi.. worth a shot. I went there and got the part, cost 5 dollars and brought it back. everything looked like it would line up and work, might have to swap some sensors, no big deal. Feeling great, UNTIL I went to bolt it up to the block. There is a threaded sensor housing a little lower on the 85 housing that hits the water pump on the 91..... So I just wasted about 30 dollars in fuel, parts and 2 hours of time for nothing......


More calls to try and find welders etc.... nothing.


Soooo as I sit here typing this up, the lower housing is smothered in jb weld trying to dry. And praying it holds. This will only be a temporary fix, until I find a replacement housing for it. Looks like there is one in Indy, about 3 hours away.


All of this means that I will not tear into my truck until I get the family vehicle back on the road.

 

Omg man super bummer! I feel your pain. Whats your plan of action? Gonna try and order that housing from somewhere? Perhaps the "yota yard" in....Colorado I believe...u can order their parts online and they ship....maybe a diff. Local yard near you has one....but I know here in the midwest these yards are hard to find...let alone one with a cruiser! Then the 85....man I rly liked that truck. Would be nice if you could save it....maybe convince her into a used motor!lol

Thats terrible news man im sorry....good thing u didnt tear into your rig yet! Good luck bro!

-RONI-

 

http://www.yotayard.com/home.htm

-RONI-

 

yota yard cant match the part I need for the cruiser. thanks for the link. I find a yard in Indy that is open tomorrow. im going to try for it. if its not there or the wrong one, im only out gas money and some time. Otherwise I have to wait til Monday to order one online anyway. then wait for the shipping.... probably til Thursday or Friday. I don't want to wait that long since it is the family hauler... I will if I have to, but if I can get it done in one day instead of 4 I will do it.


ya the 87 really is a bummer. the thing is just starting to die. the frame has been repaired once and is showing signs or weakening. unfortunately is has been neglected. maybe I will take a video of how awful it sounds and post it. it is really bad

 

Good luck finding your parts buddy. JB weld has helped me out in bad situations. It might hold for awhile!!

 

the jb weld is holding good for now. of course that is without the heat of the motor and no pressure of holding up the housing at 70 mph. I might put this housing on as a band aid and search for another housing. what to do, what to do

 

This housing is for the landcruiser correct?

 

yup. got one laying around? the motor was made in 88-92. the 93-97 land cruiser motors are different. making my search even harder.

 

I ordered a new thermostat housing from Cruiser Parts. I have dealt with them before and they are awesome. top and bottom housings shipped to my door with a 2 day rush for a few pennies less than 100 dollars. not too bad. better than the 4 day wait and the 190 dollars plus tax price tag at the stealership.

 

NICE!! Waiting for the mail to arrive!!!

 

not soon enough.....

 

Hopefully you get a gasket too

 

for the future, jims yota yard is the better one in denver.

http://www.jimsgotparts.com/Yoda_Jims/Home.html

 

why did you cut the box like this

 

the picture didn't show. what are you asking?

 

Why did you cut the back of your box off then weld it back on

 

its called a bed bob. I cut 12 inches out of the bed. the main reason I performed this was to cut the rust out of my bed so it didn't totally consume the bed. I had a huge rust hole behind the rear driver tire and another one over top the gas filler hose. I was afraid that if I didn't cut it out I would lose the bed very soon. SO I spent about 50 dollars in consumables (cutting wheels, welding wire, paint etc) and a long weekend of work rather than spending 500-750 dollars in the near future on a new bed


many other people cut the bed down to help with approach and departure angles when climbing hills off road. it does help, as I have found out, but that was not my reason for doing it.