project suzy diesel...or the isuzu powered j10

[altrocker1]

so, i figured it would be time to start a build thread even though its not all that exciting...yet...

basically i bought a $300 grand waggy and traded it for this:

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/IMG_20120103_163939-1.jpg

1983 j10 long box with a 258, tf999 and np208. while part of me wanted to try to keep it all original, the other part of me has been wanting a fairly useful pickup for a LONG time. since i cant afford a good used gasser, i decided to build a truck with a diesel power plant for a few reasons..1) fuel economy. 2). the challenge of it 3.) motor longevity.

i originally settled on trying to find a 4bt, but when that proved difficult i set my sights on an isuzu 4cyl diesel. i immediately found a 4bd1t down the street from me and went to work making an offer on it...however the owner is still not sure he wants to part with the truck. right that happened i received an offer to buy a motor and some drivetrain parts from a fellow member on here so i decided to go for it. problem being, the parts are 700 miles away :) so we worked out a deal, i put a deposit on the motor and im going to hopefully pick it up on a trip to the east coast in june when i will be driving out for a week of work.

so until then i proceeded to get the truck running well and making sure all of the internals were good before i parted it out and sold them. it was a great learning exercise since i had never rebuilt a truck carb before. but before long she was back on the highway!

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0315121338.jpg

here she sits in my driveway for the initial unveiling to my wife (truck had been at my shop until it was running)

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0315121238.jpg

she handled it pretty well...basically it took about $100 but i had the truck running really well and felt confident that i could part it out now without feeling bad about it. so i found buyers for the tires, carb, motor, and tranny for a total of $500 and i still have parts left over to sell. so now that i have my rig paid for :thumbsup: its time to strip her down and get the frame ready for the motor. here is the plan:

isuzu 4bd motor
5 speed manual tranny
4wd transfercase

(i already know what all these pieces are, but until i have them in my possession I won't reveal exactly what i have)

then for the truck:
-14 bolt rear (going to inboard the springs to help clearance)
-d44 front upgrade to 8 bolt or swap for a chevy d44 to go spring over
-high steer or crossover upgrade
-33" tires
-full body and bed restoration
-interior gut and restore
-upgraded or rebuilt leafs for more support
-bedline/seal underbody to prevent further rusting

fortunately for me there was actually a new passenger floorpan sitting the bed of the pickup when i got it. i bought another one from a fellow member for the drivers side, so other than that its really the bedsides that are my problem rust areas. i have neighbor who is going to be helping who also works at a body shop and is starting his own body work side business so he will hopefully be up to the task. he seems excited about the project so hopefully with some cash, a trade for work on his xj and letting him use my shop when he needs it for projects we can make the body work happen for not a ton of dough.

so...as of last week i picked up my new chevy axles and started the tear down. keep in mind, for now im doing this all myself and i've never torn down an fsj before. its not moving super quick, but it will get there. day 1:

started with this:
http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/IMG_20120103_163958-1.jpg

took 3 hours to get to this:
http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0424121558.jpg

the bumper was really on there. i pretty much ruined the bumper trying to get it off, but it was damaged already and i plan on building bumpers for the truck eventually anyway, so no biggie. by the end of day 1 i was here:

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0424121646.jpg


day 2:

man...i hate torx bolts. but after a short time i got the doors off:

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0426121811.jpg

i broke 1 bolt and had to drill out 1 that stripped. could have been a lot worse! then i removed the fenders and finished stripping the 258:

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0426122058.jpg

i had a few minutes left so i also got the seat out...i tried to pull the dash pad carefully, but of course it cracked :(

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0426122058a.jpg

so thats how she sits now...more stripping this weekend and monday. i hope to be down to a bare frame in a few days...BUT...i am not looking forward to removing the box. there is more rust under the box then anywhere else on the truck.

[lobie]

Great start. Looking forward to the non-Cummins build. :thumbsup:

[Resbum]

Cool start.

Don't worry about never doing something this major before, neither have I. Just take your time when you need to. There have been days when I physically didn't do a thing, but I got ten things done in my head.

I look forward to following your build.

Resbum

[Resbum]

Delete.

Sorry for the double post. Apparently the forum repeated my post when I edited it from my phone.

Resbum

[budojeepr]

I wouldn't mind coming across a Suzy diesel...looked into doing a swap with an aircooled Deutz diesel once upon a time. That would have been fun!

Looking forward to your updates. :thumbsup:

[rwjohnstone]

Welcome to the madness! That truck seems to be pretty solid, coming from the guy who lives in the rot hole of New York winters :rolleyes: I was contemplating putting an isuzu in my truck, now I can just watch you do it. Chances are you will just break off all the bolts for the bed, if not, just use a zip wheel and cut off the heads of the carriage bolts in the bed. Happy chopping....

[Bill Moore]

I wouldn't mind coming across a Suzy diesel...looked into doing a swap with an aircooled Deutz diesel once upon a time. That would have been fun!


good thread, looking forward to it, there was a J20 on craigslist sometime back with a Deutz diesel in it. like to see one in person

[TheDude]

Looks good, I'll be keeping my eye on this one... Even if it is brow-less... :D

RM

[five16]

subscribed. I like your plan and details.

[ElkyRacer]

What 5 speed are you going with?

[JeepinPete]

Looks like a great start ;)

[altrocker1]

had some more free time tonight...still only my hands working. maybe someday i'll make some friends :kissyou:

got the cab stripped inside...floors are about what i expected.

drivers side:
http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0430122046.jpg

passenger side was a little better:
http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0430122046a.jpg

i did have to call someone to help me do this:
http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0430122047a.jpg

i kind of wanted to put the seat back in and play space ship, but there was work to be done...

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0430122047.jpg

ta da! need an engine hoist and i need to pull/break all the box bolts out. got a paycheck in the mail today so i'll be buying a sandblaster this week. i have one picked out, i just have to go get it.

[Resbum]

Looking good. You'll be glad you're getting all this work out of the way before having the engine/drivetrain.

As for getting the bed off, one of my front mounting risers on the bed had actually broken its weld to the bed frame and the bed was relying on gravity to sit on the riser. I also found a sawzall with a long metal cutting blame could reach most of the bolts. I cut right through the old pad between the frame and the bed to get to the bolt. If memory is correct the two rear most bolts were the biggest p*** in the a**. Good luck

Resbum

[COLOFIREMAN]

SUBSCRIBED!

[jaber]

Subscribed also. Just found this and am very interested. Thanks for sharing it. :thumbsup:

[altrocker1]

Thanks for the comments guys...more work to be done this week. i have a question about gauges for ya'll. as i get ready to re do the cab, i was wondering a couple of things 1.) which stock gauges could be made to work with the new motor. i know a lot of the senders are probably different or strange, but has anyone used their own gauges in the swap? obviously some of will take some work to get working. 2.) what other gauges would be good to add...besides what the truck already has i know i want an egt gauge, maybe a boost gauge and a tach. what else would you want if you were building a diesel truck..3.) what brand of gauges you all like?

[altrocker1]

still hurting a little from the weekend, but i managed to get a couple of things done...started stripping the front 44 from the chevy, but i gave up for tonight since i don't have a spanner wrench yet. also finally got a hoist from a buddy...and then this happened

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0507121742.jpg

didnt have anywhere to put it...this will do...i knew i left the box on for a reason

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0507121750.jpg

and then i realized i didn't have the right size star socket to pull the driveshafts...so the transfer case stayed on for tonight

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0507121838.jpg

more fun tomorrow! going to deliver the tranny to its new owner and hopefully get the transfer case off...anyone need a np208???

[JeepinPete]

If memory serves, a 5/16" 12 point box end wrench works on the driveshaft bolts.

[altrocker1]

dang it...you are right actually...sometimes i forget that wrenches have a 12 pt on the other side since i use mostly flare nut wrenches. im a dummy. cool, going to go pull that now!

[altrocker1]

not much exciting today...BUT i did find these:

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/2012-05-0395091720.jpg

8 bolt 16" soft 8's...i didn't even know they made them. Im going to re-finish them, but i cant argue with the price the guy is selling them for...so hopefully they will be in my possession tomorrow. i finally got rid of the outlaw 2's i bought back when i though i was going to stick with 6 bolts...

i did get the t-case out after i was reminded that combination wrenches have a 12 point on the back side...sometimes i wonder how i get out of bed in the morning! but they were 1/4" and i couldn't find mine so i had to run to the parts store for one. starting to get close to a bare frame!

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0509121851.jpg

managed to get the passenger side torn down...i got the sway bar, drag link and shock off. i did have to cut the eye off the shock with a sawzall since the bolt was frozen in the bushing sleeve, i figured i will deal with it when i put the axle under my xj next year :) you can see the bushing in the pic giving me the evil eye...no pun intended

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0509121851b.jpg

i also started pulling the box/rear end out...and i found these shocks...is this an air line on these shocks? they are destroyed, i just thought it was interesting.

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0509121851a.jpg

[rwjohnstone]

Those are some nice looking cab mounts you have there...

[Resbum]

:funny:

[altrocker1]

Those are some nice looking cab mounts you have there...

pretty sexy huh...you think ill need new ones?? :D

the funny thing is every single one looked just like that...the bolts in the front cab mounts were actually rusted away so that they were about 1/16th of an inch wide in the middle. i put a wrench on them knowing they would be frozen and braced myself for a hard turn with the breaker bar and proceeded to almost fall over when they instantly snapped the second i put any torque on them. lucky no one was there watching. it was pretty embarrassing.

[jaber]

lucky no one was there watching. it was pretty embarrassing.

I did that once and I smashed my finger between the wrench and the frame so hard, that 2 weeks later, I lost the finger nail...:banghead:

[rwjohnstone]

.... and proceeded to almost fall over when they instantly snapped the second i put any torque on them. lucky no one was there watching. it was pretty embarrassing.

We have all been there, but typically I only do it when there are as many people around as possible:rolleyes: and then there is the 5/16" bolt that you are going to be all macho about and snap off with ease, only to find out its a grade 8 forged in the depths of h@!! and the tiny wrench you got to remove it makes you huff and puff for all your worth while it laughs at you........

[altrocker1]

started to go to town with a wire wheel and my sandblaster tonight...only had about 2 hours to work but i got to here. you can see the dirty cruddy side, the parts where it wheeled it and the part that got blasted. so far so good, just a little slow going. sand blasting SUCKS by the way...what a mess

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0529122017.jpg

also picked up my wheels today! the tires are for sale if anyone wants them :)

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0529122017a.jpg

i also have this on the way...

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/boobirgrille.jpg

starting to come together...i also might have a hood lined up to replace the one that i got from the jy thats a little rougher than i thought. little over a month till motor time...got a crap load to do!

[altrocker1]

well boo...the boobie grille didn't pan out. so now onto other options. i may be trying to work on a deal on some gladiator parts, but we will see how that goes.

now im t minus 6 days until motor pickup day, and i'll bet you've all been wondering where my mystery motor is coming from. well, if anyone hasn't figured it out i have worked out a deal out with ifjsa's resident isuzu man, jeepinpete. im super excited to be resurrecting what he started, and for the price it was an absolute no brainer. i originally contacted him about motor mounts for 4bd1t, and he offered to sell me a set with an entire drivetrain attached to it. so it is a win, win as far as im concerned. im getting a project that needs to be resurrected and he is getting some cash to continue his awesome projects.

im also hoping that i have the cash left over to stop in maumee to pick up new bedsides for the truck. im getting excited...this is close to happening and i should have a good amount of free time in august! hopefully i have a moving truck by christmas

[MtnYJ]

Thanks for the comments guys...more work to be done this week. i have a question about gauges for ya'll. as i get ready to re do the cab, i was wondering a couple of things 1.) which stock gauges could be made to work with the new motor. i know a lot of the senders are probably different or strange, but has anyone used their own gauges in the swap? obviously some of will take some work to get working. 2.) what other gauges would be good to add...besides what the truck already has i know i want an egt gauge, maybe a boost gauge and a tach. what else would you want if you were building a diesel truck..3.) what brand of gauges you all like?
Looks like a great project!

I've been very happy with the Isspro gauges in my Cummins Dodge. They're a little cheaper than other brands but seem pretty reliable, mine came from http://www.dieselmanor.com/gauges.asp. I have EGT, Boost and Fuel Pressure. I don't know that you need a fuel pressure gauge for the Isuzu, but the EGT, boost, and tach are a good idea.

[altrocker1]

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0708121505.jpg

uh-oh...what is that i see:thumbsup:

made my way to jeepinpete's yesterday morning to relieve him of his 4bd1t. with a little gruntin, straining and sweat we got her all loaded up for the 1000 mile trip back to my house. fortunately it wasn't too hot...though my poor little xj cherokee took a beating making its way up and down the hills in pennsylvania. it was a little under geared for the job, but she got her home safe and sound. then of course when i got here, it poured down rain like crazy. it never fails...

i probably could have spent all day at pete's house and given him every cent i have to my name for parts in his shop. he's got a pretty neat little setup and like me, one too many projects. so now, the engine waits for me to finish the frame...with any luck it will be sitting on the frame and axles by the end of august. more pics and work to come in the upcoming weeks!

[Resbum]

Cool beans! :thumbsup:

[JeepinPete]

Glad to see you made it home in one piece :thumbsup:

[manimal]

That is gonna be awesome when you get 'er done!

[altrocker1]

started to clean and organize the shop before things get really hot and heavy. i put the dana 60 i got for free up on the bench and i knew it might be in rough shape since there were no shafts in it, but it was worse that i expected. the carrier was locked solid with rust and there was a mouse nest of some sort in there...also it was not a limited slip like the guy thought.

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0716121347.jpg

i couldn't get the carrier to budge at all so im going to give up on it. i have the 14 bolt that is the right gearing and the disc brake conversion on the 14 bolt is cheaper...so at this point it might be the cheapest route to go. so if anyone wants a dana 60 ya'll can come get it. if not its on the way to the scrapper.

the knuckles on the 44 are a little frozen, but the carrier turns well and the gears look pretty good.

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0716121347a.jpg

14 bolt looks great on the inside

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0716121430a.jpg

the workbench was saggin a bit with all the weight, so you'll notice my sweet 2x4 rig up to keep it level while im working on my axles :)

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0716121430.jpg

got the motor, tranny and transfer case separated and stowed away in the shop while i finish the frame.

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0716121429.jpg

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0716121429a.jpg

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0716121518.jpg

they won't be stowing there for long fortunately. the cab is getting new floors as we speak so it will all start to come together very soon :)

[Resbum]

Nice. I remember when all my parts started to take up space in the shop. It was a good feeling to have them around so I could get hands on while planning. That's when I first felt it might actually all come together.

Resbum

[altrocker1]

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/j10nofloorboards.jpg

fred flintstone style...i've decided to give up the diesel project in lieu of my new fred flintstone powered vehicle...won't be long and the floorboards will be good as new

[altrocker1]

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0730121201.jpg

this was my brilliant idea for how to get the box off...unfortunately it didn't quite work out. fortunately, my buddy was coming up to sandblast a hitch so he helped me out. now after months of waiting i have a bare frame.

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0730121403.jpg

LOTS of grinding and sandblasting to do this week

[Carnuck]

I lifted the box off mine the same way, but I put a comealong to the front of the box to keep it level while lifting.

[altrocker1]

I lifted the box off mine the same way, but I put a comealong to the front of the box to keep it level while lifting.


lol...i wish i had a chain hoist so i could have lifted the front from the door frame, but no such luck. we just lifted it from the sides while my buddies girlfriend rolled the frame forward.

today i got the old motor mounts cut off/unbolted to prep for the new custom mounts for the isuzu

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0731121211.jpg

then i pulled the front axle so i could prop the frame up higher on saw horses to reach the bottom side

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0731121405.jpg

got the front half of the frame mostly cleaned up with the flap wheel and wire wheel. i have to go back over the pitted spots and some of the tight areas with the sand blaster. gonna go back over to the shop after the gym to do some more.

i also had a flap wheel grenade itself today. it was a little scary. i think it got snagged in a groove in the spring mount, but it was strong enough to yank the grinder out of my hand and fly about 6 feet. as it flew through the air in slow motion i could see that the flap wheel was broken in the air and didn't break when it hit the ground. im just glad my first instinct was to jump away instead of trying to catch it in mid air!

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0731121405a.jpg

[altrocker1]

i was also going to see if anyone has a good trick for cleaning the rust/dirt from inside of the boxed parts of the frame? not a lot of rust in there, but it is dirty as heck in there. i'll get the sandblaster as far in as i can, but beyond that im not sure exactly what to do

[altrocker1]

not much exciting to report...de-rustifying for now. its slow going. i broke another flapwheel and i broke the nozzle on my sandblaster. im starting to feel like im spending as much on parts and tools to do this as i would to just have a shop do it! oh well.

i did get these in the mail last week:

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0806121348.jpg

milled, drilled and already tapped for $60 shipped to my door. now i just need some high steer arms and some dom...that can wait a bit though

[Resbum]

i was also going to see if anyone has a good trick for cleaning the rust/dirt from inside of the boxed parts of the frame? not a lot of rust in there, but it is dirty as heck in there. i'll get the sandblaster as far in as i can, but beyond that im not sure exactly what to do

Sorry, I didn't see this until now. Sandblast what you can. While my frame was on the rack I made for rotating it I stuck a pressure washer nozzle into every opening I could from every angle possible. Then I let it dry and sprayed rust eater in and rinsed. Then rust converter. And finished by spraying Zero Rust in.

Yeah, you'll be amazed at how much dirt gets trapped in there. I probably lightened the front of my frame 10 or more pounds.

[Resbum]

... im starting to feel like im spending as much on parts and tools to do this as i would to just have a shop do it! oh well.
Yep, me too. But I'm enjoying the project and will have the new tools for future projects.:thumbsup:

Besides tools and expendables the other thing that I didn't plan well into the budget were fasteners. My decision to use all new nuts, bolts, fasteners, etc. is probably going to come in around $1200.

[altrocker1]

well...no exciting pics...yet :) frame sandblasting will be finished on monday. i spent about 8 hours grinding and blasting the front half....then got really sick of my little blaster. it will work fine for axles and other parts, but its just too small for the frame. soooo....i got a recommendation to call a restore place down the road that does large farm equipment and trucks. called the guy, and he told me that they do bare truck frames for $150 :banghead: seriously...why did i even try it on my own. and he told me since mine was partially finished he wouldn't charge me full price. his estimate was between $100 and $120 to do the whole rest of the frame inside and out:eek:

so needless to say i threw the frame on a trailer and got it up there as fast as possible. he is going to blast it on monday morning and it will be ready for pickup monday afternoon...i sort of am mad that i even tried it myself for that price! like i said, i still have to blast the 14 bolt and the d44 so now at least i have the equipment to do it. im also on the hunt for a small blast cabinet to do the other parts that i have. i do have a short list of questions that i am going to post in the general forums, but i figured i would post them here too...

1.) Does anyone have a pic and measurement for the cab mounts on a j truck? Mine need to be replaced and i was just going to weld a plate on top and re drill the holes for the mounts.

2.) Anyone here ever inboarded springs? i really want to use this 14 bolt, and im having trouble finding measurements. it looks like the new spring mounts will pretty much line up under the frame. I'm going to use some heavier square tube stock to make the mounts and box them around the frame when i do...

3.) my only 2 bad rust spots on the frame are on the back on the back side of the shock mounts and the old rear spring mounts. Would it be better to just weld a plate over it, or box in the back couple of feet of the frame? I was thinking about putting in another brace back there, but because of the rust pitting towards the back, i feel like the stouter i can make it, the longer it will last.

4.) what would be your recommended frame painting method if you were going to dd your fsj? i live in the rust belt and my ideal methods would either be to galvanize it, then paint it or to powder coat it. (I have a guy who might be able to do the powder coat for fairly cheap). However, these methods are both pricey. The next would be to POR 15 it, but after the cost of the metal prep and some sort of paint to cover the por 15, it seems like the other two methods would almost be worth it. the last option would be to clean it well when it comes back from blasting...spray several coats of galvanizing primer on it, then use an epoxy or enamel paint to cover it with several coats. this is probably the cheapest option, but im very worried about it rusting through in a year or two.

anyway...any input would be much appreciated!

[rwjohnstone]

I know what you mean by rust belt ha! I can honestly say that of all the trucks we go through at the shop and all the ones I work on in my family the best lasting maintenance free option is to put on several good coats of primer and paint ant then get it professionally undercoated that seems to make it through 5 or 6 winters with normal washing before rust becomes apparent. The best thing I have seen is you make a mixture of half diesel engine oil and scentless kerosene or lamp oil and spray that all over the underside of the truck. It gets messy and requires some work but I know guys with 15 year old trucks that look great. In the end the salt will find a way into or under anything you put on the metal. Personally I do not plan on driving my truck in the salt at all, far to much time is being spent to sacrifice it to the oxidation gods just yet.

[altrocker1]

workin on a parts truck deal right now to get this guy

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/DSC00448.jpg

owner is out of town all weekend, but basically it has ALL of the parts that i would need to finish my truck. crossin my fingers.

got my frame back right before i left but forgot to take a pic. for 120 bucks, it looks great. right now its sitting covered in a dry storage area, so im hoping there won't be any rust spots when i get back. im gonna shoot a coat of primer on it asap when i get back, then i'll weld the plates on for the cab mounts and put the steel on for the new spring inboard project. with any luck it will be sitting on axles waiting for paint by the end of sept..

[altrocker1]

also how hard would it be to get the brow off and put it on my cab? my cab has new floors, but i dig the brow look....

[tgreese]

also how hard would it be to get the brow off and put it on my cab? my cab has new floors, but i dig the brow look....
Maybe cut the entire floor out of your existing cab and use it for this one? I suspect that would be easier than grafting this roof onto your cab.

The brow is much less aerodynamic, if you care.

[altrocker1]

Maybe cut the entire floor out of your existing cab and use it for this one? I suspect that would be easier than grafting this roof onto your cab.

The brow is much less aerodynamic, if you care.


i know....i just like the brows :) ive spent enough on my cab floors that it won't be worth it. im guessing the floors are rotted on this guy since the rockers are going through already

[Carnuck]

Find a cab with a brow! (that's what I was going to do with the Honcho)

[altrocker1]

Find a cab with a brow! (that's what I was going to do with the Honcho)

we shall see what this one looks like when i get my paws on it...it looks like the rockers are rusted out though and my cab has a brand new floor, so i'm pretty sure a brow is just a pipe dream for me :( oh well

[altrocker1]

ahhh crap...why does stuff like this always pop up when im not home. someday i want to build a truck with a 6bt...you could buy this and sell the scrap and tires for enough money to pay for the whole thing....oh well, i've already got one truck to finish :)

http://desmoines.craigslist.org/pts/3263814323.html

on that note, im deciding if i should keep my 16" rims...what size rims do ya'll prefer to run on your trucks? im toying with the idea of finding 15" rims so i can trade tires back and forth with my xj, but 15" 8 bolts are dang near impossible to find. i also see a lot more used 17 and 18" tires on craigslist..not that i won't buy new, but some tires that people sell are actually in perfect condition around home. iowa is truck country and guys are always upgrading or switching to more aggressive tires, so there are a lot of new take offs floating around....but 16" rims on a new pickup are pretty rare these days

[altrocker1]

so...late summer/fall busy season is really killing my free time, but i've been working when i can. not many updates as of late. frame is fully blasted and i cut the old mounts off for the rear springs...getting set to do some inboarding for the 14 bolt. im also going to weld the new cab mounts onto the frame this week on a day off.

oh...this also happened..

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/1015121756_zps1c2f3c5a.jpg

pretty solid now...:thumbsup:

[altrocker1]

ugh...


well...due to some factors in my life right now, this project may be coming to an end.

it makes me sick to my stomach to think that it might, and there are too many reasons for me to explain why...but i would much rather see this go to someone who might need it.

i don't know for sure yet, but due to one offer i got for something on the truck, it has triggered a lot of thoughts in my mind. so im going to start listing things in the classifieds to see if it will influence my choice or not. i just got the cab back yesterday and was very excited, but like i said...got a few offers and outside circumstances pulling at me right now.

[Resbum]

Man, I'm sorry to hear this. I feel your pain. Been there, done that. If nothing else, take from it the knowledge you've gained and apply it to a future project. Good luck.

Resbum

[rwjohnstone]

Sorry to hear that, save the good parts and keep collecting, one day you can return and finish. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[altrocker1]

alright...well...this keeps getting more and more interesting...

i had some offers on parts locally, when my wife found out i was going to start selling parts off, she flipped out a little bit, but not in the bad way. she basically told me that she didn't want me to sell off the project for the reasons that i was wanting to do it. i thought she would be happy to have the extra money and to get me out of the shop some more...but i was wrong. so due to a wife mandate, this project might still be alive. i have some thinking to do today, but i was pleased to learn that as much as my wife complains about how much time i spend in the shop...she understands why im there...

more to come...my head hurts

[Resbum]

:banghead: Man, you're bringing up a topic I, and most men, don't want to touch with a ten foot pole.... Understanding the thinking of our better half.:confused:

The only reason I feel safe making this post is that right now I only have to keep my dog happy,... and that's easy.

Resbum

[Carnuck]

My wife is waiting for me to finish BlackJack so she can steal it!

[altrocker1]

:banghead: Man, you're bringing up a topic I, and most men, don't want to touch with a ten foot pole.... Understanding the thinking of our better half.:confused:

The only reason I feel safe making this post is that right now I only have to keep my dog happy,... and that's easy.

Resbum

no kidding man...the honest to gods truth is that we are really ready to buy a house, and start a family. after some serious personal debate, i decided that i would sell of the truck and its parts to get rid of some stupid old debt that we have over our heads and maybe even put a little bit in the pot to help get us started. i also thought that my wife would also like having me home more instead of at the shop down the road...she really just wants me to keep going with something that i've thought about for a while. when we got married i told her that within 2 years i got to buy a boat and a truck that were the combined equivalent of her engagement/wedding ring and her dress. lets just say, i haven't even come close yet...so she hasn't really ever complained about me spending money on the project. at this point i told her that i really don't want to put any more money into it for a while. and other than leaf spring bushings and cab mount bushings and some misc steel...i really have what i need to get started putting this beast together. a year or two down the road i will hopefully have some money in the bank and i can think about things like new tires, and replacement body parts. so...im going to call this project back on again. it took a lot of thought and reflection and conversations with other fsj owners to decide to sell it...but it only took one woman to put it back on track. its amazing that no matter how long you've been with someone (going on 9 years) you never really fully understand them:confused:

[Resbum]

In all seriousness. It's good to see that you have your priorities straight and your wife is understanding enough that she wants you to keep your project. Congrats.

[Carnuck]

As well as keep you too!

[altrocker1]

so...since i've decided to keep moving forward on the project...and since im past the point of being able to do a lot of painting on the body (no heat in the shop) next week will commence moving forward on getting the isuzu running again. i need to track down a new waterpump (napa has them available along with all the belts that i need)...i also found a site that has a lot more engine parts available for the 4bd1t.

the goal is to build an engine run stand with wheels (need one for 2 or 3 more projects anyway) and to get the engine running again before the new year. shouldnt be that hard since it was running when pete had it installed...i just need to clean some cobwebs out and get it hooked to a radiator so it can run for a while without worry. i also plan to get the turbo temporarily plumbed up (i will be adding an intercooler when the truck comes back together) just to be able to monitor egt's and turbo operation.


the wastegate is missing from the he341 turbo that i have, so im also searching for wastegate options at this point. im not sure how much i need a wastegate, but there are certainly a lot of options for that particular turbo. im stuck in nyc till sunday, then thanksgiving week sucks...but after that from december-march i have a lot of freetime in the shop. last year it was the time i spent getting the old 258 to run again...this year it will be just as fun bringing this gal back to life :)

[Resbum]

so...

the goal is to build an engine run stand with wheels (need one for 2 or 3 more projects anyway) and to get the engine running again before the new year. shouldnt be that hard since it was running when pete had it installed...i just need to clean some cobwebs out and get it hooked to a radiator so it can run for a while without worry. i also plan to get the turbo temporarily plumbed up (i will be adding an intercooler when the truck comes back together) just to be able to monitor egt's and turbo operation.


... im not sure how much i need a wastegate, but there are certainly a lot of options for that particular turbo.

...this year it will be just as fun bringing this gal back to life :)

Cool. I can't say enough how happy I am that I decided to build a temporary setup to run the engine before putting all the sheetmetal back on. Having easy access to all the mechanicals has made life six times easier debugging and fixing everything.

wastegate- Do you mean how much you need one for just temporary runs, or all the time? I don't really see why you'd NEED it or an intercooler for engine runs on the test stand. With no load the most boost I saw on my engine in the three runs I did was about 3psi. However, I also wasn't slamming the throttle wide open from idle to redline.

[altrocker1]

Cool. I can't say enough how happy I am that I decided to build a temporary setup to run the engine before putting all the sheetmetal back on. Having easy access to all the mechanicals has made life six times easier debugging and fixing everything.

wastegate- Do you mean how much you need one for just temporary runs, or all the time? I don't really see why you'd NEED it or an intercooler for engine runs on the test stand. With no load the most boost I saw on my engine in the three runs I did was about 3psi. However, I also wasn't slamming the throttle wide open from idle to redline.

i was thinking under regular load for the wastegate...on the highway. i believe this turbo came stock on some 6 cyl cummins motors. i've read online where guys have welded the wastegate, but im not sure if i should try to plumb up the factory wategate, an aftermarket or if i should just not worry about it on a motor this size. i don't know what the factory turbo pulled boost wise, but the holset is definitely bigger.

[Resbum]

OK. Got it.

I don't know enough about your specific setup to offer advice that would be worth anything. In a general sense though, doing a "wastegate delete" doesn't seem like good business. But that's just an personal opinion. ...and we all know what they say about opinions. :rolleyes:

[altrocker1]

i think i can block it open for now temporarily until i get it on the road...then once i get a boost gauge on it, i can determine if i need one or which one to pick up. its a holset so i shouldn't have problems finding a wastegate for it.

i actually picked up a set of the same axles with 4.10 gears now too...im thinking i want to use them in place of the 3.73 axles since the gears look better and since by going spring over, i may wind up running a slightly bigger tire

[Mars]

Keep pluggin man!

I won't go into how many failed projects I've had over the years, kept parts from and actually put them to use in the new project I'm driving now.

Mike

[altrocker1]

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/1128121842.jpg

uh oh...guess who had some free time tonight.


http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/1128121850.jpg

got the 14 bolt under the rear too roughly in place, i have to mock up the spring mounts for the 14 bolt and plate up the rear of the frame where i want to reinforce it. i was a little surprised at how high the frame sits in front now that its spring over and on 33's. true, there is no weight on it, but it was more than i expected. its all good though, it doesn't bother me one bit.

of course like a dummy, i also traded an old shotgun for a jeep comanche that needs some work. i've wanted a beater hunting truck for a while and i would much rather not beat the tar of the j10 when it gets closer to ready. i haven't used the shotgun in 2 years...i will use the comanche all the time:thumbsup:

[altrocker1]

hunting season is winding down and i have some free time so i started to do some rust repair in the back of the frame where it rusted through behind the spring mount and shock mount. i have to cut the spring hangers off anyway to weld up new ones for the 14 bolt. i am not a welder by trade at all, but im getting a lot better. i figured i would start on the areas where people wouldn't see it. i did the plating on the outside of the frame since i haven't ruled out the possibility of boxing in the back. for now this will do...here is what i started with

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0109131221_zps9fe43186.jpg

here is the finished product :)

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0109131546_zps58f90025.jpg

it ain't purty by any means, but it will do the trick and is super solid now. i drilled a few holes in the plate steel, but i also used the holes in the frame to help weld on the flat steel. i cut the rear shock mounts off, but i think im going to have to move them anyway and there wasn't much left of them. my welding got a ton better as i moved on and the second side looks a lot cleaner. i ran out of wire in my welder most of the way through though so ill take a pic when its done. as soon as its welded in i will put the 14 bolt in place and start fabbing up some spring hangers for the rear leaves. i bought some square tubing of the right flavor for that project so it won't be long and the old gal will be back on its axles. going back out tomorrow to do some more work :thumbsup:

[altrocker1]

and as you might have guessed, side 2 turned out way better than side 1...

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0110131610_zps177a3c57.jpg

my welds are still a little sloppier than i would like, but getting much better

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0110131513a_zps79d2aab2.jpg

i also started cutting some stock for the new spring hangers..this is basically what the fronts will look like, minus some rounding off of a few corners.

http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd321/altrocker2/0110131616_zpsabdeaf72.jpg

[Resbum]

Nice progress

[Mr. Goatman]

I'm really thinking about this swap... waiting to see how yours drives.