What to look for in an FJ???

[BBowski82]

Looking for some help here....I've found an 84' FJ60 locally and am going to go look at it (likely this weekend). It's had a small block chevy swapped into it, so I'm not too worried about mileage/etc. on the motor. Is there anything I should look at suspension/driveline/body/axle/etc....???

 

[cruiseroutfit]

There really arn't any "options" on that year Cruiser. They were all 3.70, semi-float rear. The Tcase & trannies are plenty strong. Really rust is the major issue, finding a clean one is getting hard...

 

[BBowski82]

There really arn't any "options" on that year Cruiser. They were all 3.70, semi-float rear. The Tcase & trannies are plenty strong. Really rust is the major issue, finding a clean one is getting hard...

I was hoping you'd chime in....where are the big spots for rust? I've read some places the frame can be a bad spot, is this true? Is the stock trans and t-case alright with the SBC in there? I think the 350's basically stock...

The chassis has roughly 230,000 miles; do I need to worry about steering components, axles, hubs, etc.? Thanks again. B

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I was hoping you'd chime in....where are the big spots for rust? I've read some places the frame can be a bad spot, is this true? Is the stock trans and t-case alright with the SBC in there? I think the 350's basically stock...

The chassis has roughly 230,000 miles; do I need to worry about steering components, axles, hubs, etc.? Thanks again. B

The stock tranny & tcase hold up fine to small blocks, axles may need attention if you really plan to wheel it (chromo shafts, full-floats, etc) are readily available, nothing major there.

As for the rust... the tubs get it over the wheel wells, door bottoms and the front doors near the windsheild. Most of the frames I encounter are fine, but you might see some in the rear where the layers of the frame are riveted together (such as the rear crossmember). Its not uncommon to see them start to almost blister there.

Steering is great up to ~35's, anything bigger and you may want to upgrade, but if you look at them they are pretty stout. Hubs are great, same Aisin units that all the pickup/4runners run. Used axle parts are cheap and easy to come by. You can add OE locking diffs, as well as all of the common aftermarket lockers and gears up to 5.29...

 

[BBowski82]

The stock tranny & tcase hold up fine to small blocks, axles may need attention if you really plan to wheel it (chromo shafts, full-floats, etc) are readily available, nothing major there.

As for the rust... the tubs get it over the wheel wells, door bottoms and the front doors near the windsheild. Most of the frames I encounter are fine, but you might see some in the rear where the layers of the frame are riveted together (such as the rear crossmember). Its not uncommon to see them start to almost blister there.

Steering is great up to ~35's, anything bigger and you may want to upgrade, but if you look at them they are pretty stout. Hubs are great, same Aisin units that all the pickup/4runners run. Used axle parts are cheap and easy to come by. You can add OE locking diffs, as well as all of the common aftermarket lockers and gears up to 5.29...

Sweet, thanks man. Just to clarify...you are talking about the FJ60, right? I just read "tub" and thought back to my CJ.

 

[SUPERFLY]

make sure the chevy motor runs good. ive had the chevy motor and ive had toyota motors and honestly i dont think ill ever run any motor but toyota again but thats just me. i think kurt and a few others will agree that the chevy motor is is kinda cool but you cant beat the reliability of the toyota. my 4runner's 22re has 215,000 miles on it, its gut less and slow, but it runs like a champ, while my vortec had 15,000 miles on it and it spent most its time at my mechanic. i know the stock cruiser 2F motor is a darn good reliable motor, and some may dissagree i think it is far superior to the chevy 350. i would take gut less and slow any day compared to busted down.depending on the price of this cruiser and the body condition you may want to consider finding one with the stock motor.

my 2 cents

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Sweet, thanks man. Just to clarify...you are talking about the FJ60, right? I just read "tub" and thought back to my CJ.

Yup 60 series.. I call all bodies a tub...

 

[BBowski82]

i know the stock cruiser 2F motor is a darn good reliable motor, and some may dissagree i think it is far superior to the chevy 350.

Please tell me you're joking.... (this next sentence is so important I'll bold it) In my opinion, there is no more reliable or cheap to maintain engine than a SBC.

It may just be you're background that let you form the opinion you have. But, I've never, ever had a problem with a SBC. Even if I bought a SBC with no compression, it can be rebuilt or replaced for all of about $250 bucks. The only weakness I might identify is the carb that's on this 350 (not that the Toyota stock carb is anything to write home abou), so I'm in the process of ordering a stock TBI setup to swap onto the cruiser. It bolts right up and I'll build my own harness....

Thanks for your .02, but I'm afraid that I've never disagreed more with a single post on RME.

 

[Hickey]

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Please tell me you're joking.... (this next sentence is so important I'll bold it) In my opinion, there is no more reliable or cheap to maintain engine than a SBC.....

Sorry, I am going to have to hop in on this one...

I would absolutely beg to differ on this one...

2F's are extremely reliable engines, and very cheap to maintain... I have done nothing to mine. Robby is right about 2F's & Cruiser owners, many have tried the V8 thing, and kissed it good buy. Sure it had more displacement, but lacks in torque and reliability to the 2F, I've owned both, wouldn't go back. There are plenty of others that feel the same way about the F/2F/3F/1FZ breed of engines.

As for the SBC being the most reliable... kidding right? There are dozens of motors I would rank up there in front of a SBC when it comes to reliablity... the 5VZE comes to mind, how about the 6BT, 4BT, 22RE? 2H, 3B, all spank the longevity of a SBC. But you can't get parts for them at Albertsons, the SBC has that.

As far as "cheap" to maintain... All relative I guess, when you are swapping out parts left & right.... even the the cheap parts add up.

2F versus SBC, oil filters are the same, parts are probably nearly the same price... Can't make a judgement there.

SBC's are great motors... but in my mind.... "no more reliable or cheap to maintain engine than a SBC" isn't the most fitting of statements.

 

[BBowski82]

Sorry, I am going to have to hop in on this one...

I would absolutely beg to differ on this one...

2F's are extremely reliable engines, and very cheap to maintain... I have done nothing to mine. Robby is right about 2F's & Cruiser owners, many have tried the V8 thing, and kissed it good buy. Sure it had more displacement, but lacks in torque and reliability to the 2F, I've owned both, wouldn't go back. There are plenty of others that feel the same way about the F/2F/3F/1FZ breed of engines.

As for the SBC being the most reliable... kidding right? There are dozens of motors I would rank up there in front of a SBC when it comes to reliablity... the 5VZE comes to mind, how about the 6BT, 4BT, 22RE? 2H, 3B, all spank the longevity of a SBC. But you can't get parts for them at Albertsons, the SBC has that.

As far as "cheap" to maintain... All relative I guess, when you are swapping out parts left & right.... even the the cheap parts add up.

2F versus SBC, oil filters are the same, parts are probably nearly the same price... Can't make a judgement there.

SBC's are great motors... but in my mind.... "no more reliable or cheap to maintain engine than a SBC" isn't the most fitting of statements.

hmmm....I'm not trying to start an argument. (Although, I don't understand how you can say a 2F's 210 #'s of torque is superior to a SBC). But I will admit an SBC was a requirement for me when looking for an FJ.

Seeing as how I've never owned a stock 2F I can't fairly argue my case much further. I just know that I've owned a number of small block chev's and SBC derivatives (4.3L) and have never had any problems. God knows I've also worked on my fair share of Chevrolets while in college (Chevy dealer for 3 years) but I honestly never had experienced any base engine issues. ON the same note, I replace plenty of intake manifolds, injectors, pan gaskets, and all of the other piddly stuff....but this stuff is easy. Either way, I'm rambling.

 

[Greg]

What's really intresting about this debate is how similiar the Toyota 6 cyl is to a Chevy 6 cyl of the same era. I believe the head gaskets are even interchangeable. Cool, eh?

 

[gorillaxj]

i know you toyota lovers arnt going to like this (i know i didnt when i herd it) but toyota copied strait from chevy. remember the power glide (at) form chevy? toyota copied it and the 6cyl and came out with its own toyo glide. lol yeah the 6cyl parts are interchangeable. i dont know much about the 350's but ive had a 4.3l and a 22re in an 84 toy. 4.3 is great but i would rather have the 22re... just my 2 cents. it all boils down to what you know. if you can fix the 350 your self but dont know the 2f very well that might change it all for you.

just my 2 cents.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

i know you toyota lovers arnt going to like this (i know i didnt when i herd it) but toyota copied strait from chevy...

Not gonna bother me, I know the facts...

I prefer to think of it as "Toyota improved the Chevy design"

 

[SUPERFLY]

parts are way cheap for chevys but when you have to keep buying and buying and buying again. and replacing and replacing id much rather be 4wheeling. i love working on my truck more than anything else but id rather be upgrading lockers or suspension than rebuilding my tired worn out motor even if it is only 200 bucks.

i dont really care a whole lot about power, its nice but on the rocks ive got dual cases and gears, and on the street i just take it easy, relax and turn on some bob marely. i laugh when someone with a chevy makes fun of my japenese truck, my 22re gets 26 mpg

 

[BBowski82]

parts are way cheap for chevys but when you have to keep buying and buying and buying again. and replacing and replacing id much rather be 4wheeling. i love working on my truck more than anything else but id rather be upgrading lockers or suspension than rebuilding my tired worn out motor even if it is only 200 bucks.

i dont really care a whole lot about power, its nice but on the rocks ive got dual cases and gears, and on the street i just take it easy, relax and turn on some bob marely. i laugh when someone with a chevy makes fun of my japenese truck, my 22re gets 26 mpg

I see what you're saying to a certain extent. However, please, fill me in on which parts it is that you have to keep buying and buying and buying again??

 

[I Lean]

I see what you're saying to a certain extent. However, please, fill me in on which parts it is that you have to keep buying and buying and buying again??

Spark plug wires. I keep having to replace burned ones on my LT1. Lifetime warrantee, so they don't cost me anything.....

I'm almost ready to buy a "good" set though. Stupid unreliable Chevy engine, can't Checker make good plug wires for 'em?

I am a Toy fan though. Over 200K on my old 22RE and 160K so far on my 3VZE, both with zero problems and no repairs other than a starter motor on either of them.

Which side of the argument did I just vote on?

 

[bobdog]

What's really intresting about this debate is how similiar the Toyota 6 cyl is to a Chevy 6 cyl of the same era. I believe the head gaskets are even interchangeable. Cool, eh?

I have never been inside a chevy 6 but if it is anything like a ford or a AMC I6 it has 7 main bearings. I am pretty sure the 2F is missing a few(they have 4 don't they? Pretty big deal if you ask me.

 

[SUPERFLY]

my ignition system gave me a bunch of problems with my 97 vortec, i replaced the coil, then not long after the ignition module, then not long after the distributor , wires and spark plugs (wires and spark plug not a big deal) my injectors sucked i had them replaced once then the guy that bought my cruiser from me complained they were bad. O2 sensors went bad twice, all and all just a lot of money i would have rather spent on a bumper, sliders, gears or just something fun at least. maybe i just had a lemon maybe im just retarded but from now on im going to keep my trucks toyota

 

[BBowski82]

my ignition system gave me a bunch of problems with my 97 vortec, i replaced the coil, then not long after the ignition module, then not long after the distributor , wires and spark plugs (wires and spark plug not a big deal) my injectors sucked i had them replaced once then the guy that bought my cruiser from me complained they were bad. O2 sensors went bad twice, all and all just a lot of money i would have rather spent on a bumper, sliders, gears or just something fun at least. maybe i just had a lemon maybe im just retarded but from now on im going to keep my trucks toyota

Who did your Vortec swap? I'm assuming whoever was responsible for the swap was probably also responsible for your problems...What happened that justified a complete distributor? I've only ever seen a SBC need a distributor after the bushings go out (usually = super high mileage). Either way, I know the chevy's base engine and FI like the back of my hand, so I'm happy to get a TLC with the swap already done.