New and New...

My to do list: (no particular order)

-change filter and fill transmission with ATF
-straighten fins on radiator for initial engine startup
-change filter and fill engine with oil and coolant
-hang and fill transfer case
-reinstall front and rear drive shaft and grease it
-double check electrical connections for engine and transmission
-new plugs for engine
-clean air intake tube
-engine air filter
-replace o-ring for trans dipstick
-replace seal on transmission tail housing
-reinstall transmission controls and interior components
-siphon gas and replace with fresh
-brakes (once the engine start)

Not bad, most of that stuff will go fairly quick. Just happy the engine is in and for now there isn't anymore swap back and forth bullsh*t.

 

Well I had a pretty good weekend. Alot of the engine related stuff is back together and the transmission is in all the way back to the tail housing (extension housing) I am just waiting on a new seal for the transfer case input shaft. Also need a transmission dipstick o-ring. Hang the transfer case, d-shafts, and OMG it may be ready to start.





Also had a chance to stop anymore of my neighbors chickens from being prematurely eaten.



He was quartering away from me at about 75 yds. .30-06 with 165 gr. soft points were more than a match for this mangy Gray Fox.

See yall next weekend.

 

You did that fox a favor! Glad to see you rolling on Brandon. Good thing that you didn't shoot that with a 180 grain bullet. Would have been two pieces! haha

 

I don't do much varmint hunting, so 165 was the smallest I had besides .22lr. My scope is too cloudy on that one to have hit him reliably.

 

So I finally got the fluids all in the engine and transmission and it runs, pretty well for needing a O2 sensor and having a tank full of bad gas.

Going to drain the tank and replace the O2 sensors this weekend and get it back to my place to make working on it a little easier.

Just going to drive it for a minute before adding any lift, work out all of the bugs and high mileage parts.

Thanks for all the words of inspiration, and all the nay saying to keep me going.

Brandon

 

Doesn't surprise me Brandon. No doubt in my mind that you would finish your project. Keep posting man!
Did you see my thread in 1st gen discussion? Same truck I met you in.haha

 

Looking good, amazing how clean you got it. I bet your not afraid to have your daughter sit back there now.

 

So the 04 is sold and now I have fun money to finish this jewel.
-radiator
-265/75-16 cooper a/t3 load c
-comp4x4 tire carrier parts
-my brothers old OME/AP lift
-rear brake work (stuck e-brake)
-rear shocks, brake line, shackles
-fit my CB and a new head unit, new speakers
-fix power window issue(pass won't go down)

I will continue updates as they are available and mainly I just want to drive this thing and iron out any issues before my birthday in August. I have been cleared to go camping with my wife and the baby will stay with her grandma. Woot!!

 

Sounds like you are almost there Brandon. Still dealing with my rusty frame. Hopefully welding today. Watching for you to post done! ANDY

 

Drove to work yesterday and they were too busy to get it done for me.



On the way home yesterday my upper heater hose blew off due to my dumb ass not clamping the hose when I put it together.

All is well though as I pulled over right at a Lowe's/Walmart shopping area and they had everything I needed, and some 550 cord to start wrapping the steering wheel.



And I also saw this in the Bank parking lot.

 

Well the JDM engine/ 240,000 mile truck combo is getting about 21 MPG per the Scangauge and that ain't bad in my book. Got about 500 miles of my own on it now and starting to hear/feel the CSB and maybe a few U-joints, but that was to be expected and not too much of a pain. Found the bad wire on the driver side door harness that was my problem with the passenger window. It is good to be handy with a schematic and a multi-meter. So far the only thing that I have really paid for is tire balance of the ones that were already on it and a brake flush/bleed. And the mechanic didn't do a very good job on the bleed part, soft as shit brake still. Just goes to show that if you want anything done well....DO IT YOURSELF!!

 

21 mpg sounds pretty good. Sure you expected a few quirks also. Glad to see you up and running Brandon!

 

subbed

 

Looks like the douche didn't do much at all to the brake system, other than maybe soak up some fluid in the reservoir and then add a little to make it look clean. The pedal was just as soft as when I brought it in, didn't know if it was air or garbage in the ABS modulators or what so I haven't said anything yet to them, probably just won't go back.

My wife instead hopped in the drivers seat with the baby in her arms and pumped the pedal while I bleed the drivers rear drum piston and adjusted the e-brake and viola!! Pedal pressure. Thanks babe! I am going to replace the soft lines during the suspension lift in a couple weeks so for right now it's better, and fine. Fucking garage monkey's.

All I gotta do now is get that drivers side speaker working and I will be GTG for a little while.

Brandon

 

Holy moly, now I have a half gallon puddle of coolant in the passenger foot well. Fucking heater core. Until it starts getting cold I have bypassed it with a brass fitting. Also did the new radiator and added an additional Hayden trans cooler. Waiting on all pro still for the rear suspension parts to lift my junk and get it handling a little more solidly.

 

That is what that looks like.

 

Just another surprise. What,s happening Brandon. Finally ordered my frame paint this week. Get to paint this weekend I hope. Need my truck back on road. GL bud.

 

Added a cap this weekend for $150, it's an ARE, I think it's a CX model. Want to build a low profile rack for it to hold a wind fairing and our RTT...probably in the spring.



This weekend I am going to install the new suspension parts. Last weekend I did the CSB and the rear diff U-joint. Still have some noise in the rear driveline, thinking it is either the pinion bearing or axle bearing. I have a rumble on and off throttle, and it neutralizes when I am cruising. Lately it has more noticable clunk/thunk when the transition starts, when I let off and get on the throttle. Ah trucks.

 

Nice project! It's funny i have a very similiar project. I purchased a silver 04 ext cab taco 4x4 for $500, top end of the 3.4L was starved for oil (oil filter was loose & leaking) which resulted in a snapped camshaft & Tbelt. As mentioned in my thread (My $500 project 4x4) the po trashed the interior but with a lot of scrubbing it came clean. I installed a 69k mile salvage yard engine from a totaled 03 prerunner. My brother and a couple of my buddies have newer taco's and made fun of me for tackling this "P.O.S." as they called it, i tell them keep on making those payments! And i'm into this truck, like you i'm sure, way below book value.