THANK YOU, BRANDON! I really wanted to hear it's possible. With someone who is very careful, like myself, are the odds good that it'll work out for me?

Also, remember that fiasco with the timing cover a few pages back? HOLY CRAP, ...I think you said "it looks cracked!"... Well, I'm not sure that it is..... I guess I would have to remove it and have it tested for that, right? Is it really worth it? I mean..... 58$ or so for the cover from engnbldr........ Would you just start with a KNOWN new Cover?

 

man sorry to hear about the leak mark, more sorry I have no advice to give ya.

 

Thanks, Jason....

I wish I had someone to help me at times, but I suppose I should just be grateful that it's not really a 2 man job, lol. I'll get it done, one way or the other. I just can't drive around like this for long, as it's really starting to leak more and more. It has almost tripled in the amount it's losing in the last 4 days. TOTALLY thought it was a front oil pan nut.... but doesn't look like that's an issue at all. I swear, man,.....even though I've faced FARRRRRRRRR more challenging things in life, and even with this Truck.... that is the MOST TICKED I was in an instant in a long time! lol. Right now, I'm thinking, "oh well"... Guess the years have taught me a bit of patience and resolve to NEVER LET AN INANIMATE OBJECT BEAT ME!!!!! , hahaha.

Time to start tearing crap off again, ....WEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

man I understand completely I hate thinking [ok that job was a pain but its fixed, oops no its not] happens to me all the time.

 

Sorry to hear about the leak, I would try to change the cover with out pulling the head and see what happens.

 

Yeah, I wrote Ted at Engnbldr... GOTTA LOVE THAT GUY! ...and he said, "Mark, it's not a problem to do that, just don't forget that hidden bolt... we sell lots of covers to guys that forget that".... hahaha. Yeah, SERIOUSLY, ...... I think since the motor is fairly fresh, I should be ok, ya know? Just have to be careful taking it off AND on.....then not to forget the sealant in the corners-head side of the cover.

Wanna fly out and help me, Rob? hahaha. We can do my Remflex Exhaust Gasket, new studs and whatever else is needed there, too! C'MONNNNNN, you know you wanna go to disneyland! hahahaha. Jk, but WOW, would that be nice! lol.

Thanks for the encouragement, buddy.... appreciate it. Talk to you tomorrow, k?

PS> ME >> << My Machinist!

 

O man Chef you are just having a hell of a time here...

I think I'd order a new cover and be done with it...$50.00 is still $50.00 but it's not that much knowing that the cover is good. You're paying for more piece of mind more than that of a cover.

Swappin out the cover should not be too terrible, fun No but doable. If all goes well you should have it done it a weekend, if that.

Too bad were not closer I'd be there tearing in to it with ya, right after I did my H/G.

 

Wish I could come help you Mark, wish I could.

 

Just don't put it on in the dark like I did and pinch the headgasket between the head and the cover it will never be the same after that and next to impossible to seal the resulting oil leak.

x2 on the top hidden bolt. and the new cover.

I don't think it was me that mentioned that the cover looked cracked.

 

Mark

Have you thought about using something like "permatex - the right stuff"
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...uestid=3052430

I was told it was designed to expand and fill in cracks, for a better seal. Back when I had a Triumph TR6, we used it in place of gaskets, well everyone knows how British cars leak oil.

How do you know when to add oil to a British car, when it stops leaking.

good luck
Coop

 

Lumpy, Rob, B, Coops.... thanks, guys, I am always grateful for advice. I figure, by the time I'm done tearing it down in my spare time, as well as doing the exhaust studs and gasket,...the engnbldr stuff should be here and I'LL BE REH-TO-GOOOOOOO!LOL.

***FJ80 QUESTION***

1. I spoke to Cruiser Outfitters, Kurt was a VERY nice guy, great customer service, at least at first contact. Actually told me to hold off until I was CERTAIN, .....since he had first gen runners out front, and he just didn't see that kit, 5 down in the link i posted, working with my truck.

2. He said the 2 outter TREnds on each side....sure, they COULD work, but he didn't see them being the same size, etc... 4Runner pitch I think he said was 19mm and TLC FJ80 pitch was 23MM on the outters.

I think I need a bit more info before I 'Pull the trigger', lol. Only because, the guy sounded pretty sure he knew what we were talking about doing, ....and even said he wanted to see it done, etc., pics, etc..... but that there just seem to be limits to the amount of steering parts that I can use....and in fact, said "You'll end up, with that kit, only able to use half of it, not have ALL of what you need....and stuff left over. BE SURE!" lol. He didn't shout.... I exclaim because I appreciated his honesty, especially after all I've dealt with in the "SUREEEEEEEEE, that'll work,...whats your card number??? ", when dealing with other shops or stores! lol.

ANY MORE INFO on the FJ80 MOD would be AWESOME! Thanks in advance, and thanks for doing all that finger-work, so far, Rob, Brandon!

Mark

 

PM axleike he did this on his IFS

 

I PM'd him, B, thanks.

WELL, GUYS,..... I really could use some input on the BEST WAY to do this Timing cover job..... I don't want to pull the head, obviously, but I know one or the other has to move... Head or the Oil Pan.

I spoke to Tod at Engnbldr, ....he was VERY helpful and informative. I just wonder if any of you have dropped the pan just an inch, brought it back up and not had some oil leaking issues thereafter from the pan. I can't see, with just an inch clearance, how to get it all cleaned up, reapply sealant on the front portion of the pan that bolts to the timing cover(maybe a lil sealant everywhere, as I will have to seal the bolts and nuts, too, all over again). Tod also said I could lift the engine up and slide the pan out, but doesn't recommend dropping the diff...

PLEASE, guys, ....help me decide the best way to do this. If I need to pull the pan, fine, I'll do it. I just can't remember who did that most successfully, for one...and second, how to get the pan out clean it all up, etc. I also wonder, does the whole steering aparatus have to come off, brace and all? Is there a best way to do that?(I.e., leave it mounted to the brace, etc.)??? As I got under there, I realize how much is involved with this.....which is fine, I'm not whining. Just wanna do it in the best order/method, ya know?

THANKS, for any input,

Mark!

 

you don't have to fully drop the pan either. All I did was loosen it up and put it back in. Can't remember of-hand if it leaked afterwards though.

Is your truck an auto or manual trans I forget. If auto then forget lifting the engine it won't work.

 

It's an SR5, B... Manual. Ok.... so, I'm starting to wonder if it would be better to just lift the motor(not JUST, I know, lol.... it aint a 'JUST' type thing,haha) and re-seal the pan. I think the pan IS leaking, A TINY bit, ..but surely, after breaking the seal, I'm risking some more than 'TINY' leaks, yeah?

Also curious about the wrap around water pipe that goes into the timing cover on both sides....... I guess I can figure that one out and get it ready right b4 sealing it back together, ....but seems like it's quite risky, regarding the pan AND THOSE, all having to go on quick as I get the timing cover back on. Seems like it might be best to get the timing cover bolted in some(with some goop on the wrap around pipes, and dab the corners of the head/timing cover points, THEN bolt up the pan, last, with fresh sealant on it, etc.

I'll be doing the exhaust studs and remflex gasket, too.... so I will not do this by tomorrow night. Just can't work through the whole day. However, they're talking about eating out for the next couple days and letting me just work straight through. So, I'll be posting quickly here, looking for answers, etc.

PS>Maybe pull the exhaust, first, before lifting the motor, if I go that route, to give me a lil more ability to get it "HIGHER"???

 

Pics of today's progress, later tonight.... Thanks for your encouragement, guys!

Brandon, ...I'm thinking I can just remove the bolts that mount the mounts to frame, lift the motor and do the whole pan over again, ya know? Is there something I'm missing?(something that HAS to be removed, etc., in order to jack up the motor?....certain wiring, grounding, etc?) Thanks,

Mark

 

yeah your still gonna have to remove the steering stabilizer and possibly lower the front diff. not remove it though like an auto trans does. I dropped my pan out and didn't lift the motor, but I did have to undo the 3 diff bolts and lower the diff where the cv's were on the lower control arms. And it was still tight. I didn't put it back in that way since after I dropped the pan well, the motor came out. Twice. lol.

That water pipe you can leave there, the timing cover gasket is also the gasket for that pipe. If I am thinking of the right pipe.

 

Hey B,

Thanks. Yeah, what I meant about the Water Pump out pipe(yeah, it's part of the cover)....Can I slide out the cover and back on without removing the steering pump brace? I don't think the brace bolts through the cover, just onto the block in front on an open space. I would REALLY like to leave the steering attached to the head.... if possible It's not that bad once I get the dizzy out, true.... but MAN, they just don't seem to line up very easily when slapping that part back together.... PLUS....they can strip when you're having trouble, GRRR! LOL.

Here's where I got in an hour.......


Seems to be steaming right along here..... IN THIS "FANTASTICALACIOUS FUN TIME" OF EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO BE DOING,....still......to this day since April 2010~! hahaha. I mean, it's not as if I work slow, right guys? Has this friggen thing been a nightmare for me, over and over?....or am I just crazy?

Oh well, it's all good.... I got to meet MANY good people, and I'm still learning.... And........What's the first thing we should learn, boys and girls? "IF YOU CAN FIX IT YOURSELF, AND YOU'RE NOT A LAZY KNOB...... FIX IT YOURSELF!" lol. Lesson for the day, DONE! woot! Seriously, though....DON'T BE SCARED TO TRY, if it's not your only vehicle and you're wanting to learn,....FOR GOSH SAKES, LEARN! I could have built 3 FREAKIN TRUCKS BY NOW! lol. If you've been screwed over by MULTIPLE Auto mechanics and machinists, like me..... LEARN, or shut up! Fair enough? lol.

 

PS> ..... Just making sure... when removing the nuts from the header....(Ok, that sounded REALLY WRONG!...... let's start over...)... When removing the nuts from the exhaust manifold, loosen the bolts from the center out... reverse for installation. NO? Wanted to see if I remembered before cracking the book, hahaha.

 

I wanna say that steering bracket has to come off at least the one for the idler/tensioner, but can'[t say for sure, when I did mine, it still had manual steering.

I know what you mean by machinists screwing you up. That's why I had to rebuild mine twice. Costing me basically $350 more than it needed to. 2nd new crank, another head gasket set, new rods and bearings. I got lucky I was able to reuse the new rings and that the engine siezed before I had major bearing material in the rest of the motor.