Piddlin'

Leak down test FTW!! Use a compression tester hose with the valve removed. Position motor @ TDC on each cylinder, hold motor still with breaker bar & force shop air in cylinder. Have the radiator cap off and radiator slam full. If it's the HG or cracks in head, it will push coolant out (because air going into water jacket will displace water). Best done on a hot motor. Cold motor may still leak, but if it's only minor it may not show. 100% guaranteed proof positive results. No displacement = good. You can leave it for a few minutes if you really want to prove definitely, though usually if it's leaking it will puke quickly, especially when it's really bad. (I've seen Honda's that wouldn't hardly run about geyser from the radiator, but that's extreme case, normally will just start overflowing) Leak down also simultaneously tests rings and valves.

If it passes leak down test, you know it's just moisture. Drill a 1/8" hole or two in muffler to fix that.
 
Got the cage welded to the frame at the two rear tie ins. Next on the Toyote will be adding the sliders and finishing tying the frame to the cage with the sliders.

I shaved as much as I was willing to off the bottom of the cage to get rid of the gaps between the cab and cage.
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Next for the Sami will be new brake lines (never flared brake line), new wheel cylinders, new radiator.

I'm procrastinating the inevitable head gasket test to a point where I will have so much time invested the samurai that I'm obligated to the address whatever the issue is. The optimist in me threw a fel-pro hg in the cart on the last rock auto order.
 
Got the cage welded to the frame at the two rear tie ins. Next on the Toyote will be adding the sliders and finishing tying the frame to the cage with the sliders.

I shaved as much as I was willing to off the bottom of the cage to get rid of the gaps between the cab and cage.
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Next for the Sami will be new brake lines (never flared brake line), new wheel cylinders, new radiator.

I'm procrastinating the inevitable head gasket test to a point where I will have so much time invested the samurai that I'm obligated to the address whatever the issue is. The optimist in me threw a fel-pro hg in the cart on the last rock auto order.
Sami are so easy to do hg on, just skip the leak down and just pull the head, surface it and put it back together.. don't forget to replace the timing belt.
 
Well, I spent the first half of today tearing the samurai down and pulling the head. Can't see anything obvious ( to me) that leads me to think the gasket is faulty. I talked to an old timer that said 120$ to clean, pressure test, and resurface the head. Is that a fair price? I can't seem to leave well enough alone.

Are new head bolts a must?
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Recommend new bolts but if the threads and bolt aren't necked you can reuse them.

Head surface usually runs $50, my machine shop doesn't have the leak test rig. Include valve job?
 
Gasket scraper followed by razor then brake clean with lint free towel. Handle gasket only by edges. Clean head with cleaner also. Also drain coolant below gasket surface so it's not getting on block as your trying to clean. You could use a roloc but I don't like them for clean up as it can leave an uneven finish. Maybe as a final once over but not for bulk removal.
 
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In the spirit of getting in way over my head, having more projects than time and not wanting anyone else to get good deals, I picked up another Toyota crawler. I've since decided to convert this build thread into a blanket build thread of everything I end up piddlin' with.

verb (used without object), pid·dled,pid·dling.
to spend time in a wasteful,trifling, or ineffective way;dawdle (often followed by around):

This is the first crawler project I've bought that didn't come equipped with a Monster Energy sticker. Has some interesting body work, a few nice parts and an uncracked dash.
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3 crawlers at the same time?
 
No forward progress on the Toyote, but I did pick up this 1996 f-150 from @doc exactly a month ago. It would only run with the MAF unplugged, and run very rich. Took a bit of gamble, considering I already have an OBS Ford with too many sensors. Did some reading online and took a second gamble on a rockauto ECM to the tune of 130$ . The computer came in and the truck fired right up. Part of the deal was the truck came on rollers, so I coughed up another 292$ for some 16x8 steelies on eBay. I had a 1/2 tread set of 305/75/16s laying around that I got from @Kickdeez. Had to spacer the bumper 1.5" to clear the larger tire. Took it on a test drive and it seems to handle pretty darn good.
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F150 looks good...it drove really well - I like the larger (matching) wheels & tires!
 
If I only had one crawler, I still wouldn't have anywhere to ride it. I'm in the coastal plain right now, so not a rock for hours. So im just taking this time to enjoy working on them, which keeps my mind turning. I'm 3.5 hours to uwharrie and like 6 hours to Marion. I just can't bear to get out of it because of distance.
 
The above pictures are circa 2012 when it was cab swapped and the bed was built.

Below is its current state.
Someone spent a ton of time relocating the wheelwells on the bed to accom9dare the 114" wheel base. Nothing about the bed was functional or built to withstand a brush with a tree, so I pulled it off and plan to scrap it. It was a bit of a rusty bondo mess.

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Today will be my first day giving this thing any attention. Hope to get some of the wiring mess thinned out and too off some fluid and start diagnosing the no start issue.
 
Been waiting a few days for a rockauto order to come through. If they didnt gig you on shipping from multiple warehouses, I don't think they could still be in business.

Currently working on the Turdyota. Diagnosed the no start to a bad fuel pump. Replaced some 5/16 and 1/4" fuel line. New fuel filter. Blew out all the hard lines. 5 gallons of 93 non ethanol at 3.35$ a gallon.

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Had one very small fire from a leaky Banjo fitting on the fuel filter getting jiggy with the starter. Luckily, I had a POS fire extinguisher near by with one dying puff of powder to put it out.

The only tech tip in this thread: the flat side of the copper crush washer faces the Banjo fitting. Or just keep your fire extinguisher handy.

Bled the brakes, fresh engine oil and filter, topped off the diffs, topped off the power steering fluid, replaced one knob on the ac panel that will never work (but hey, it's about the look), trimmed the tail off about 50 zip ties, reinstalled front turn signal.

I'm avoiding putting the samurai back together, and it's too wet to finish welding on the Toyote.
 
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Soooo, the Turdyota. I haven't given the full run down yet.
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22re ( smokes a bit )
5 speed / dual cases / twinsticked /
4.30 diffs ( that's a first for me), lockrites
Hydro assist (needs a more functional res)
Doved front end
37" radial iroks (fronts are balding)
Nice front brakes, bunch of axle gussets
maybe Longfields, haven't checked
Straight, rust free cab, but nothing on the dash works, nice glass
Chevy 63" rear, RUF
Northern Hydraulic 9k winch
HREW sliders
114" wheel base
Planning to build another wood flatbed for it.
This truck actual has two frames welded together. As shown in the picture, there is a union between the t case cross member and the shackle. It's actually under the leg of the slider.
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The rear portion is tall x wide c channel and the front is an 85 toyota pickup. The rear port contours and bottle necks before it meets the front portion that slides inside of it. Also a first for me. Someone went to a lot of trouble to weld in all the Toyota crossmembers, brackets, body mounts.
 

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So I've been working on the Turdyota when time allowed. I found a scrap yard in a neighboring county that has a small amount of angle and tubing for $0.35 a pound. So I grabbed 28$ dollars worth of square 2x2x.25" wall for future drive shafts, and 5' of square 4x4x.25" for a rear bumper. A few days later, I went back and got 42lbs of 3x3x.25 angle for 14$ once I had my flatbed plans figured out.

The rear of the truck sits a little higher than the front. But I figured with the added weight of 100lbs of steel and 200lbs of wood, it might settle down some. Flatbed is just 2x6s across two 4x4. Pressure treated. 56" wide x 72" long. My landlord cut the boards on a radial arm saw like a boss. Because of the slope of the rear portion of the frame, chose to weld on a simple angle iron frame that would hold the forward most 4x4 crossmembers. Ran out of Mig wire on the driver side support and had to break out the buzz box. Screwed the 2x6s down with 3-3/4" deck screws.
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There were already two factory hole in the rear portion of the frame to mount a bumper so I drilled some angle iron to match them, and welded up the 4x4x.25" square tube bumper on the welding table.
Someone in northeastern North Carolina is buying up all Walmart's $1.94 brake parts cleaner and black gloss rustoleum professionally, so I went with Hammered black.
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I would say this truck is almost ready for a shakedown run. Tomorrow, I'm planning to assess the power steering reservoir situation. Assuming that it's not hotter than sin. I also have a very Turdy paint job picked out.
 
Identified a big exhaust leak right by the upstream o2 sensor. So that meant stripping 2 nuts on the pipe going into the exhaust manifold and eventually removing the entire manifold. Luckily, I scared the nuts off when I got out the torch. Never had to heat it. So I guess this means another rock auto order for a new down pipe.
 
Well, I spent the first half of today tearing the samurai down and pulling the head. Can't see anything obvious ( to me) that leads me to think the gasket is faulty. I talked to an old timer that said 120$ to clean, pressure test, and resurface the head. Is that a fair price? I can't seem to leave well enough alone.

Are new head bolts a must?
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Seems you don't know the history of the engine. You got the head off. I used to pick up Sammy's for junk price, as they would have a thrown rod, which usually busted the block. Guy that used to buy them from me, said, Always replace the rod bearings, Before you hear them knock! They run almost touching the block, & when they get worn, they will Hit the block. You might not hear the knock, before it comes out the side!
 
I've always wanted an 8274, just for the clicking sound and line speed. Never could imagine paying $1000-2500 for one. For me, finding a deal or diamond in the rough is more than half the fun. Happened across this gem on the front of a OBS powerstroke that was sinking into a mans yard. Made a deal to change the fuel filter, hook up the charge pipe, and a few high pressure fuel lines and give him 180$. Came with a warn bumper that was rigged to the front of the OBS, that likely won't get used. I plan to go through the winch, redo the wiring, and clean it up some.


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He also hooked me up with these swanky tow mirrors that I couldn't resist.
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Well, a lot has happened in the past 3 months. Transferred to Rockingham county with my job, sold the Toyote and the Turdyota. @MadcowRS got the Turdyota. Bought a parts truck full of goodies, bought a 1998 Tacoma to beat around in. Neglected the heck out of f250 tow rig while pulling my hoard all over NC for our move.
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Made the decision to swap a 1.6L into the samurai, after doing some winch trading with @Rnuovrcj5 . Spent a little money on new forever motor mounts, unbreakable transmission mount, and poly t case bushings. Also, cut out the crossmember that supports the t case and welded in one from low range that allows high angle driveline clearance. If you look in the second photo down, the silver area is where I had to grind the block to fit the 1.3 starter on the 1.6 block. I ordered the trail tough 1.6 to Sami trans adapater. Pretty happy with it. The unbreakable transmission mount is super stout, but was a pain to get lined up.
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That pretty well brings up to date. Hopefully I can get more done now that move is about complete.
 
I ordered a 16" electric fan for the radiator. Hopefully it fits and cools without a shroud.

Supposedly the bottom end of this 1.6L 8 valve has been rebuilt. I read on Gotpropane.com that you should never break in a motor with propane. I'm pretty sure the head hasn't been rebuilt. Can anybody give me the reason for not breaking in a bottom end on propane?
 
Guesses:
Higher combustion heat (? Maybe makes run hotter during break in due to additional heat of breaking in?)
Lean burn possible if it wasn't mixing properly causing above or possible pre-detonation

Only things I can think of why.

Your fan should do fine. I gave a friend a fan off of a Accord (not sure if main or ac) and it cools his 1.3 fine. He went through 2 head gaskets prior to that, but there's other possible causes other than the fan but his fan clutch was marginal.
 
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