Blown HJ45 Ute.
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croozy
- Need to get out more
- Posts: 2872
- Joined: July 25th, 2007, 8:04 pm
Re: Blown HJ45 Ute.
Very nice mate. Very nice indeed.
I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
HAVE A GANDA AT MY SHED
http://www.4wdaction.com.au/gallery/21984-crikey
HAVE A GANDA AT MY SHED
http://www.4wdaction.com.au/gallery/21984-crikey
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RaceFace
- Here and there
- Posts: 26
- Joined: April 30th, 2013, 6:36 pm
Re: Blown HJ45 Ute.
Well guys i am sorry for the late post on my Simpson trip but i have been flat out lately.
The trip went well. Considering i had 1100km on the dial after a ground up rebuild it was kinda insane to tackle the red desert but we managed to get through. With a few issues!!
First off we left home and by time we got to Leigh Creek I noticed the rear diff was leaking. Closer inspection found the diff pinion bearing had gone and there was about 5-10mm up and down free play in it... No choice but to push on to Mungeranni for the night and see if we can find a new diff center on the way up. Speaking to the friendly publican Phil I managed to source a LSD 80 series center in Birdsville for a bargain at $1000 (fitted myself!)
A few beers and off we went again straight for big red! Needless to say up she went!!
After a bit of a play we set off into the desert but..... were forced to set up camp early for the day. My electric thermo fan failed and it wasn't looking good! The coupling where the plastic fan bolts to the electric motor had sheared out of the fan itself so the fan blades weren't spinning at all. A few beers and a bit of bush engineering we had come up with a plan. We removed the fan and chocked the plastic blade assembly where we wanted it to sit using stubby caps. We then used Knead-It and Araldite to bond the coupling and the fan blades together again. The bod had set by morning after sitting near the fire so we bolted it all back up and off we set.
It wasn't long and the car looked like this again! Bonnet up!
The trip went well. Considering i had 1100km on the dial after a ground up rebuild it was kinda insane to tackle the red desert but we managed to get through. With a few issues!!
First off we left home and by time we got to Leigh Creek I noticed the rear diff was leaking. Closer inspection found the diff pinion bearing had gone and there was about 5-10mm up and down free play in it... No choice but to push on to Mungeranni for the night and see if we can find a new diff center on the way up. Speaking to the friendly publican Phil I managed to source a LSD 80 series center in Birdsville for a bargain at $1000 (fitted myself!)
A few beers and off we went again straight for big red! Needless to say up she went!!
After a bit of a play we set off into the desert but..... were forced to set up camp early for the day. My electric thermo fan failed and it wasn't looking good! The coupling where the plastic fan bolts to the electric motor had sheared out of the fan itself so the fan blades weren't spinning at all. A few beers and a bit of bush engineering we had come up with a plan. We removed the fan and chocked the plastic blade assembly where we wanted it to sit using stubby caps. We then used Knead-It and Araldite to bond the coupling and the fan blades together again. The bod had set by morning after sitting near the fire so we bolted it all back up and off we set.
It wasn't long and the car looked like this again! Bonnet up!
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RaceFace
- Here and there
- Posts: 26
- Joined: April 30th, 2013, 6:36 pm
Re: Blown HJ45 Ute.
Due to our repairs the fan wasn't 100% balanced and had lost some of its efficiency. this caused the engine to run hot and caused concern. So to solve the issue we removed the bonnet for the rest of the desert... Thankfully because my girlfriend was getting sick of this view!........
We were off again and made it to Popel corner. The desert is a beautiful place and I was really enjoying the trip now.
We were running a bit behind time now so we decided to push on into the night a bit..... 1am we pulled up and set camp. If you ever do one thing in your life travel some of the Simpson after sunset. It is truly amazing.. especially with a beer, rum or port in hand!
We got up in the am and did some vehicle checks then set off for Dalhousie springs
I haven't got photos of the springs at the moment but WOW. Possibly the nicest bath i have ever drank a beer in!
We washed up and threw the bonnet back on the cruiser. On the road to Mt Dare we went. But not without issues........
I don't have photos of it unfortunately but due to the corrugations I had a few bolts vibrate out. Most noticeably my RHS front brake caliper bolts! The caliper fell loose and broke the solid brake line. BAM no brakes.... we quickly found the issue and plugged the brake hose. (the bleed screw from the caliper threads into the end of the flexible brake hose if you ever need to block one off) we bled the brakes up with a big mistake.... trans fluid. (turns out auto trans fluid eats the seals in the brake system. It got me to Alice Springs no dramas but i had to pay to get all of the caliper and master cylinder seals replaced.. If you ever run out of brake fluid use WATER! It will work but may boil if your hard on the brakes. If that's the case you let it cool, bleed them up and off you go again, at least your seals will still be fine.)
We were off again and made it to Popel corner. The desert is a beautiful place and I was really enjoying the trip now.
We were running a bit behind time now so we decided to push on into the night a bit..... 1am we pulled up and set camp. If you ever do one thing in your life travel some of the Simpson after sunset. It is truly amazing.. especially with a beer, rum or port in hand!
We got up in the am and did some vehicle checks then set off for Dalhousie springs
I haven't got photos of the springs at the moment but WOW. Possibly the nicest bath i have ever drank a beer in!
We washed up and threw the bonnet back on the cruiser. On the road to Mt Dare we went. But not without issues........
I don't have photos of it unfortunately but due to the corrugations I had a few bolts vibrate out. Most noticeably my RHS front brake caliper bolts! The caliper fell loose and broke the solid brake line. BAM no brakes.... we quickly found the issue and plugged the brake hose. (the bleed screw from the caliper threads into the end of the flexible brake hose if you ever need to block one off) we bled the brakes up with a big mistake.... trans fluid. (turns out auto trans fluid eats the seals in the brake system. It got me to Alice Springs no dramas but i had to pay to get all of the caliper and master cylinder seals replaced.. If you ever run out of brake fluid use WATER! It will work but may boil if your hard on the brakes. If that's the case you let it cool, bleed them up and off you go again, at least your seals will still be fine.)
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RaceFace
- Here and there
- Posts: 26
- Joined: April 30th, 2013, 6:36 pm
Re: Blown HJ45 Ute.
We got to Mt Dare and had possibly the biggest celebration in the world.
We then set off to Apatula (Finke) then direct to Alice Springs. There were no issues with the car for the rest of the trip. I would like to add that between Finke and Alice Springs my car clicked over 3000km total since the ground up rebuild. Im pretty impressed it got across with such little testing.
I raced the Finke desert race and then took the easy road home. We visited Uluru and a few other spots on the way. Ill upload a few more pics later when i get the chance to upload them.
Until then thanks and enjoy
We then set off to Apatula (Finke) then direct to Alice Springs. There were no issues with the car for the rest of the trip. I would like to add that between Finke and Alice Springs my car clicked over 3000km total since the ground up rebuild. Im pretty impressed it got across with such little testing.
I raced the Finke desert race and then took the easy road home. We visited Uluru and a few other spots on the way. Ill upload a few more pics later when i get the chance to upload them.
Until then thanks and enjoy
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Indy Hepburn
- Need to get out more
- Posts: 4903
- Joined: January 28th, 2007, 8:53 pm
- Location: samford
Re: Blown HJ45 Ute.
Wow mate, has to be one of the neatest FJ45 ute build up's I have ever seen
The pride you shows in your work..
The v8 must have drank a bit on the Simpson Desert crossing
How much do you reckon this project has cost?..Just curious ..
Love the original colour too..
The pride you shows in your work..
The v8 must have drank a bit on the Simpson Desert crossing
How much do you reckon this project has cost?..Just curious
..Love the original colour too..
if in doubt more right foot!
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RaceFace
- Here and there
- Posts: 26
- Joined: April 30th, 2013, 6:36 pm
Re: Blown HJ45 Ute.
Thanks Indy.
Fuel wise the car did the desert no worries at all. It definitely used more fuel than my mates new Navara but I haven't quite finished tuning the engine yet either. I think I used 100-120lt to get across from Birdsville to Mt Dare from memory. I am using EFIlive and doing all of my own tuning, 300kw at the wheel was my last dyno session and I think I can get more out of it.
As for cost I would be roughly 30-35k out of pocket on parts and materials. Time is the biggest cost when doing something like this. I work 2 weeks on 2 weeks off and spent every minute of every break for 10 months working on this project.
I like the color too. I tried to keep the car looking as original on the exterior as possible. Cant beat the old-school Landcruiser look IMO.
Cheers.
Fuel wise the car did the desert no worries at all. It definitely used more fuel than my mates new Navara but I haven't quite finished tuning the engine yet either. I think I used 100-120lt to get across from Birdsville to Mt Dare from memory. I am using EFIlive and doing all of my own tuning, 300kw at the wheel was my last dyno session and I think I can get more out of it.
As for cost I would be roughly 30-35k out of pocket on parts and materials. Time is the biggest cost when doing something like this. I work 2 weeks on 2 weeks off and spent every minute of every break for 10 months working on this project.
I like the color too. I tried to keep the car looking as original on the exterior as possible. Cant beat the old-school Landcruiser look IMO.
Cheers.
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RaceFace
- Here and there
- Posts: 26
- Joined: April 30th, 2013, 6:36 pm
Re: Blown HJ45 Ute.
Here is the last dyno result.
I managed to squeeze another 40 rear wheel KW out of it during this session.
I managed to squeeze another 40 rear wheel KW out of it during this session.
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Indy Hepburn
- Need to get out more
- Posts: 4903
- Joined: January 28th, 2007, 8:53 pm
- Location: samford
Re: Blown HJ45 Ute.
How moly that's some power and torque for a old FJ45! 
I reckon with so many rusted out another 20, 25 years and there will be hardly any FJ 45's left..
Let alone BJ40's in LX spec
I reckon with so many rusted out another 20, 25 years and there will be hardly any FJ 45's left..
Let alone BJ40's in LX spec
if in doubt more right foot!
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RaceFace
- Here and there
- Posts: 26
- Joined: April 30th, 2013, 6:36 pm
Re: Blown HJ45 Ute.
Just thought I'd drop a quick line to say the cruiser is still loving life. It has now done its second Simpson crossing and had no big dramas this time around. It has been to Kings canyon, Uluru, over to Brisbane and a bit of NSW. Always making new mods to the car but all in all I am stoked with how its going still.