Errols FJ40 Build Thread

[Gmfan]

Build looks great mate. Loving all the custom bits like seat base frame, fuel tank etc. Also liking how you've sourced parts from other models like the leone rear calipers. I can't even find the rear rotor size for leone's in the dba catalogue. How did you find they had a combination caliper? Just scouring the wreckers or found it online?
Also was wondering about your power steering pump. Looks like a TRW gen 2 pump? How have you wired it up? Been doing some research on using an electric pump from an astra/zafira on a car of mine.

[feistl]

Hey mate,

Well funnily enough, the calipers are actually from the FRONT of the Subaru Leone. The rotor size wasn't actually the same, so this is what was needed to be done to fit them...

Machine the inner section of a FJ40 FRONT disk rotor out by about 3-4mm.
Machine the outer section of the rear hub by about 5-7mm (To give enough clearance for the rotor to fit).
File out some material from the caliper so it could fit the larger rotor
File down part of the disk pad where it wasn't touching the rotor (Otherwise as the pads wear it would eventually both pads touching each other and no pressure on the rotor)
File down a small layer off the entire pad (The thickness of the new rotor and new pads didnt fit inside the caliper, had to take off ~2mm per pad)
Create custom lines which fit the caliper and join to the lines on the diff.

So if it was so much effort to make it work, why did i choose them?

Well essentially after spending hours searching around this was the only type of caliper that was readily available that had the mechanical handbrake built in. I had seen 2 posts in the internet suggesting the conversion had been done before, but no real information on how to do it. There was a Subaru Leone at Jollys in Ringwood which i was able to get the calipers from (About $70 including the handbrake cable IIRC) so it wasn't an expensive investment.

I literally looked through 2000+ cars at Jollys/Pickapart/Imlachs for appropriate seats, handbrake, calipers, oil cooler, seat belts, power steering pump and power steering box. Honestly i must have spent 20+ hours just walking around checking every single car for the appropriate parts.

The power steering pump is from a TS Astra (2004 from memory). The pumps are $49 (No warranty) or $69 (With warranty) from Jollys. They are a bit of a pain to remove, but can be done in 20 minutes or so.

We've basically just wired it up with 12v to the 3 wires plus a ground. I know you can adjust the pressure at varying speed (One of the wires) but havnt figured this out yet. I was hoping to do it with a PWM controller, but it doesn't seem to work. Not sure if its a voltage thing...? I couldnt find any information on wiring them up other than give 12v to all 3 wires.

We used a high tech clamp meter to measure current, and found with no steering input it used around 4-6amp. Moving the steering wheel while the car was moving is around 20-30amp, moving the steering wheel while stationary was 30-40amp and if you went to full hard lock it would jump to around 60amp. Remember, this is with big heavy 4WD tyres and a steering box rather than a rack, so i would assume it would work better (Less current) with a "normal car".

Another thing to consider is you need special fluid from holden, which is around $40 per 500ml IIRC. I needed 2 bottles with the massive cooler, but with a standard cooler you could probably get away with one.

As for my thoughts about the how well it works...

Well there is only 2 main problems ive found.
Firstly, it seems to take 6-10 seconds to build up RPM/Pressure before it starts working properly. So when you very first turn the pump on, there is a period with no power steering. Now for the most part this isnt an issue, but when we are 4WD occasionally we "park" on a steep slope and shut the engine off to leave it in gear (Dont fully trust the handbrake on a 35+ degree slope). So when we jump back in to start driving there is a brief period of no power steering, with a mechanical pump this wouldn't be an issue.

Secondly, it is a bit noisy. Nothing majorly loud, but if you have a quiet engine you may be able to hear the pump (depending on sound insulation and stuff).

Also, we wired it up using a relay driven by the alternator feed. That why the pump wont come on until the engine is running/alternator producing power. In theory you may be able to use the alternator feed directly to the pump but most alternators only send 2w on this signal line so it may not be enough. We didnt want to risk blowing up a 120amp alternator so we just used a relay.

Overall i am happy with the pump, and considering the price and availability i would recommend them. Just remember to grab the cage/mount/bracket from the astra as otherwise there is no easy way to mount them.

I see you are in Frankston, if your ever in the Rowville are feel free to come past and have a go and see for yourself.

Oh and i cant remember what size the hose line fitting is, but i do remember getting one from Speedpro (www.speedproshop.com.au) in Dandenong for about $13. Just take the pump with you and they should find the right part, otherwise i am happy to look through the receipts and get the exact part number. I made the line out of telfon braided hose, it was a bit expensive here but i couldnt be bothered waiting for the bits from the US. Id say factor in $70-100 for the fittings/hose to run from the pump to the rack of choice.

Cheers,

[feistl]

Also should add i dropped the FJ off to get the engine/lpg tuned this morning. Hopefully there is some improvement on LPG as its currently pretty pathetic, i needed to shift down to 3rd (3000rpm) going up a slight hill at 60kph this morning.

I'm also still having issues with the brake bias, no sure if the adjustment valve isn't working or if i have bigger issues. Anyway will have a look at it over the weekend.

[feistl]

Better watch out LS boys (especially the VF GTS), i reckon id have ya in a drag race...



No wonder i was having trouble on LPG in a higher gear, with a peak power rating of 47.8rwkw and around 30rwkw at 2500rpm it really did struggle going up hill.

The improve is pretty damn massive... Up to 73.4rwkw (A gain of 65% just with a tune). That obviously still a low number (especially considering the weight) but it does get up an go. Easily enough power to keep up with traffic.

Still need to fix the brake bias, but should be good for a trip this weekend.

The tuner said it had no timing and was running as lean as ****, but he fixed it up nicely. (Smithys LPG in Bayswater)

Only charged $385 which i think is good for LPG and Petrol dyno tune.

Im very happy

[feistl]

Update:



Yeah, not the way i wanted to end the weekend...

Well to start with the FJ was driving really well, engine was staying nice and cool, power was good, steering was nice etc. We loaded it up on Sunday morning and headed out to Yarra Glen/Toolangi to put it through its paces. It was very impressive, the lockers worked amazingly and had no issues climbing the very slippery tracks. The power steering pump handled the high load nicely and there was hardly any rattles in the car (Compared to previously when it was worse than a tool shed in a hurricane).

However at about 2pm in the arvo (just as we started to head out of the Forrest) there was an electrical fault in the engine bay. The cheap Chinese thermofan had failed after less than 20 hours of use. The bearings had failed and the fan effectively seized. This caused heaps of load across the wiring which melted and shorted out. The fuse did blow before it started a fire, but still left us stuck. Unfortunately the circuit for the thermofan included the starter motor, so we were unable to start the engine without doing some repairs on the side of the mountain. We did get the engine running again, but it was heating up quickly as we were trying to come down the track/mountain. (We needed the engine on for power steering and engine braking)

Eventually made it to the bottom only to find i accidentally left my recovery bag and tools up the top. So had to walk/climb all the way back up (20 minutes of bloody hard climbing) followed by 30 minutes trying to get back down. The bag weighed around 30kg and was bloody awkward. I feel on my ass twice and hurt my wrist

Finally made it out and back onto the main road where i got RACV to come rescue us.

So was a bit of an adventure but overall was fun. Annoyed at the quality of the thermofan and for going with a cheap one in the first place. Especially as we had fused the circuit according to the manufactures spec but their wiring (On the thermofan side of the connector) failed badly.

Again, you get what you pay for.

So now considering a SPAL 16" thermofan which will hopefully be more reliable. Anyone have recommendations on a decent 16" thermofan?

Here is a pic of the connector/wiring that melted.

Cheers

[XUV]

Better watch out LS boys (especially the VF GTS), i reckon id have ya in a drag race...



No wonder i was having trouble on LPG in a higher gear, with a peak power rating of 47.8rwkw and around 30rwkw at 2500rpm it really did struggle going up hill.

The improve is pretty damn massive... Up to 73.4rwkw (A gain of 65% just with a tune). That obviously still a low number (especially considering the weight) but it does get up an go. Easily enough power to keep up with traffic.

Still need to fix the brake bias, but should be good for a trip this weekend.

The tuner said it had no timing and was running as lean as ****, but he fixed it up nicely. (Smithys LPG in Bayswater)

Only charged $385 which i think is good for LPG and Petrol dyno tune.

Im very happy

A case for quoting power figures in 'HP' if there was ever one , lol , what motor is in it? as i've missed that bit

[feistl]

308 V8. Has has some work done during the rebuild (Slightly better heads/cam/valve springs).

That said, the dyno reading doesn't really reflect how well it goes. Obviously not a drag car, but its more than enough to keep up with traffic/accelerate quickly from a side street.

Problem is its already hard enough keeping it cool while 4WDing, wouldnt want any more power/heat.

[IJ.]

A case for quoting power figures in 'HP' if there was ever one , lol , what motor is in it? as i've missed that bit

Yes 98hp looks so much better

Really surprised it didn't do better but maybe it's a ramp rate thing with the big heavy wheels/tyres..

Considered a 2nd radiator in the back for offroad Errol?

[Woodchukka]

Yes 98hp looks so much better

Really surprised it didn't do better but maybe it's a ramp rate thing with the big heavy wheels/tyres..

Which would explain to some degree why it feels better. Maybe run it down the quarter to give you a better idea?

Bummer about the fan. Cheaper prices can be tempting.

[feistl]

Update: Decided it was time to build myself a decent bench. Had been stuffing around on a small trolley thing for far too long. Looked around for something premade, but didnt find anything strong enough for a good price. Plus it was a good chance to practice the welding skills...

Bench measures 1800x900x900.

Also, ignore the mess. Its was a mad rush trying to get the FJ running for last weekends trip and hopefully for another outing over Easter. Didn't get a proper pic last night but the garage is now much cleaner.









Got the brakes working on the FJ. Ended up replacing the brake booster with one from a 55 Series and a Master Cylinder from a 80 series (Non ABS). Had to add the factory bias valve as well as the adjustable to get the rear pressures down enough.





Brakes work amazingly now, very much like a modern car. The 55 series booster works very well, the master cylinder is 1" and designed for 4 wheel disk and the calipers are 4 piston so have plenty of bite. In fact ive driven some modern cars with worse feeling brakes.

Also replaced the thermofan with a SPAL unit. You can tell the cheap one i had was a copy of the SPAL as they looked identical. However the SPAL seems to move more air and is much quieter, plus the casing seems to be better made. Anyway will see how it goes going forward.



Finally went to a mates place and heated/bent the gearstick so its on a much better angle. Previously you couldnt really get it into reverse without pulling the seat out of the way.



Also had an alignment on the FJ40 and filled the tyres up to 40psi and the transformation is amazing. It drives so much better than before and with the electric thermofan is nice and quiet. Also managed to get rid of most of the rattles so it is like driving a modern-ish 4WD. Very happy with the results so far, next thing to focus on is the Aircon and centre console. Will hopefully get some time over Easter.

Cheers

[BigAnt]

Great work! Must be very rewarding cruising around in something you have put so much time into.
Did I read earlier that you had a VX? Perhaps need a thread or some pics on that too

[feistl]

Update time:


Well as usual with cars, it seems to be one step up and two steps back.


Took the 4WD out a couple of weeks ago for a bit drive through bunyip state park. Most of the tracks were closed, so spent most of the day driving down gravel roads. Did manage to find a couple of tracks but nothing great. Anyway during the time off road the transfer case started to develop a bit of a noise in low range, then the engine started to develop a bit of a tick. Nothing too bad, but sounded like a leaking lifter.


Decided to call it a day and head home. Anyway half way home on the freeway (Doing 110kph) there was a sudden smell of burning oil and the engine stalled. There was smoke pouring out of the gearbox shifter and it was really hard to shift.


Called a tow truck (I now know most of the tow truck drivers in the area by name) and got it home.




Spent the following weekend pulling the engine/gearbox out which is a pain in the ass due to the weight/height of the 4WD/location. Id estimate the engine/gearbox/transfer case combination would be well over 400kg...














Pulled open the gearbox to find NO oil . The input bearing had exploded and siezed, the gears were badly burnt and everything smelt really badly.








A bit of history, the gearbox had been rebuilt previously before being fitted to the car. We had checked the oil level in the gearbox and it had nice fresh oil in it. After a bit of research we think we've found the problem.


In the H55F 5 speed landcruiser gearboxes and split transfer case, the GB/TC share the same oil. During normal driving oil tends to be "pumped" from the TC into the GB due to the gears rotating. To solve this problem Toyota had an external oil line running between the two. The process for filling it with oil is to remove the external oil line on both ends, indivudally fill the TC and GB up then reattach the oil line. What we think has happened is the GB was filled, but the TC was empty. So after driving around half the oil from the GB has ended up in the TC meaning not enough lubrication in either the GB/TC. Over time this has got hot and the oil has burned off going out the breather overflows.

(Pic below shows the oil line, sorry thats the best pic ive got atm)




In credit to the GB/TC, it did probably 2000km with virtually no oil before failing. Obviously the hour at 110kp/h generated waaay to much heat and the input bearing failed.


As for the engine, we popped the intake manifold off to find the lobe for cylinder 1 exhaust has ground off and the lifter has been ground down. The exhaust port was barely opening which would explain the ticking and slightly poorer performance.








So... Its now time for a new camshaft and lifters, and to rebuild some gearboxes/transfer cases.


Now as we are planning on build 2 more (3 in total) FJ40s, we decided to source and rebuild a number of GB/TCs in prepartion. We've been keeping an eye out on eBay/Gumtree and picked up a couple of 4/5 speed GBs.








Interesting fact, Toyota originally built 4 speed gearboxes in the 40 and 60 series landcruisers. When there was a requirement to have a 5 speed, they took a 4 speed gearbox and added a separate 5th gearbox behind the normal gearbox. They extended the mainshaft and counter shaft but essentially kept the first 4 gears/input shaft the same.



So we found a 5 speed which had a stuffed input shaft and another 5 speed with a stuffed 1st/2nd gear syncro and used donar parts from a couple of 4 speed boxes that came with the original FJ40/Green FJ40. In the end we ended up with 6 different gearboxes pulled down and a big collection of parts.

We picked up a couple of rebuild kits which include all the bearings, gaskets, snap rings and syncros for $650 per gearbox. Essentially we should be able to rebuild the gearboxes as good as new for $650 which is pretty bloody good. That said, its a bloody nightmare pulling these things apart, you need to make custom special bearing pullers, use a oxy torch to hear the bearings up and a 12t press to get the things apart. The only way it was worth it was we are doing 3 of them (So it was worthing spending the time building the tools), otherwise for just one its easier to just buy a rebuild one.

Next stage will be to order a replacement camshaft and lifters, fix up the engine and rebuild the gearbox (hopefully today). Then with any luck we can put the motor back in next weekend and get the FJ up and running again.

On a slightly different topic, I got the front end of the VX painted last weekend. Still need to fit the badge, but looks pretty good painted .







Also gave the VY Wagon a wash, came up pretty nice for a daily driver. Its pretty nice to drive now with the rebuilt T56/Ripshifter and OTR/Exhaust/Tune. Does need a detail though...





The LPG has been playing up on it so might spend some time today looking at it. Ive got a new job much closer to home so LPG isnt as critical now as id be lucky to use 20L of petrol a week (Compared to 80L previously).
Also been throwing an airbag fault so need to look into that. It never bloody ends with cars....

Cheers

[whitels1ss]

Interesting, well written thread Errol,
keep the updates coming

[feistl]

Cheers man,

I'm hoping to be able to post some good updates for a change. The plan is to get this FJ fixed up and running, then focus on rebuilding 2 new gearboxes, 2 engines and 4 diffs for the next 2 FJ40s over winter. Then in summer we should have all the mechanical parts ready to be installed, so its just a matter of sandblasting and painting the chassis/bodies and putting it all together.

Its ok working in the garage with the heater on, but too cold to be lying on the floor.

Also want to spend a bit of time finishing off the VX and VY, and spend some time driving them .

Cheers,

[IJ.]

Bit of a safety question Errol, if you estimate the Engine/Trans combo to be 400Kg's why is the Crane setup on the 250Kg hole?