We ended up coming back into town on the east end (right by my house), I'll get those CVs over...

Well, here I am back in this thread again, typing for fun and amusement while waiting for the sun to come up on a chilly Phoenix day so I can get outside and work on my neighbor Jorge's '86 SWB 5-speed. I can't even remember how much I've already written about this one, so...

We picked up this project in west Phoenix earlier this year in summer from an old guy who'd had it sitting for about 6 years. There was an engine in it, but it was half taken apart under the hood and was rusty and dirt-filled. He'd finally sourced a running 2.6 out of a later model D-50 5-speed and he included that. Interior was dusty but in good shape, the exterior sunfaded and kids had played on top of it, denting the hood and roof a bit.

We had it towed home and proceeded to sort through the parts in the back and cleaned up the interior over an afternoon while we talked about what was likely to need to be done to get it running. Eventually we pulled the old engine and set it aside in favor of the 'newer' one. Ordered a non-jet valve Clearwater head with mechanical rockers and set that on the cleaned up block with a Fel-Pro turbo gasket, new head bolts and reamed out threads. We had to clean the heck out of the block due to poor cooling system maintenance and replaced all the freeze plugs. New water pump, new little cooling/heater hoses. Lots of spray paint. Trips to junkyards to replace the thermovalve and other actuators took place. Used my clean three row radiator with a new cap. Got a rebuilt carb from Guaranteed Carburetors. Replaced the gas tank since the old one had about an inch of slime on the bottom and a hole rusted through the top. Cleaned out the fuel lines and put on a new fuel filler hose.

Yesterday, on Christmas morning, we turned the key and it started right up. I just have to lay in the emissions hoses and hook up the throttle cable, set the timing and cap off a couple of unused vacuum lines. Needs one more emissions solenoid over on the driver's side fender well since I missed that it had a connection snapped off. There was some oil leakage and coolant weeping out of at least one of the freeze plugs I put in (that chaps my hide, since they're new), but I had to leave to go do the family thing. Jorge looked it over some for the rest of the day and did something or other to his '89, so he can probably fill in some more info on what needs to be done to get everything (hopefully) ready for the AZ Crew run tomorrow.

With its P225/75 tires on stock wheels, it's not going rock crawling, but with the KYB gas-a-just shocks, new leaf spring bushings and sway bar bushings, at least the suspension is up to trail running. It has a new clutch, throw-out and pilot bearing, as well as a new rear main seal, but since we've never driven it, there's just a leap of faith with the condition of the 5 speed trans.

We'll see. It's been fun.

John B.

Not that it matters but i think i may have a Gen 1 4cyl fuel tank out back, and hopefully i'll have a complete drivetrain up for grabs soon.

I may well eventually need that gas tank, Toasty.

Got the vacuum lines sorted out (most of them) and found the carb wiring harness that I had with the old carb parts. Now just need to reseal the valve cover (gasket leaking at the back), set timing and figure out the air cleaner vacuum lines.

John B.

It's yours dude <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

It's giving us clogged gas filter symptoms. Going to change it out again. It runs for a bit then stops, but will restart after cranking. Frustrating little sucker.

John B.

The cake icon is up, so that means only one thing... Happy Birthday Johnny!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, it's my birthday. At least I got to go wheeling today.

When we got back I started that '86 right up and drove it down the block, turned around and headed back, and just like clockwork, it shut off as it warmed up. Until then it ran perfectly. Sum-ting-wong. I followed the emissions hose hook-up under the hood to a 'T,' but something is interfering as the temp comes up to just kill it completely. I need a fresh set of eyes on this thing, as I'm cross-eyed thinking about it.

John B.

After 7 hours of eye-uncrossing sleep, I have a thought. For the uninitiated in how the 85-86 Montero carb is set up, picture this: The choke is non-electric. It is what I call a water choke. Coolant flows through two small hoses, one into and one out of a fitting on the choke housing itself. One of those hoses leads from the engine and the other one leads to the 87+ fitting on the carb base housing. The idea is that as coolant warms up, the choke should open. However, I seem to remember an anomaly on the Clearwater head that we installed. I think they eliminated the coolant passage that would complete the loop, stopping coolant from passing through both the choke and the carb base as well.

Hmmmm...I guess I'm going to have to first look at the choke plate itself to see if it ever opens. If it doesn't, this could be it. The downside is that without some major mod, there's no way to make it function as it should. Keep in mind Jorge has a lot of money tied up in this set-up between the Clearwater head and the rebuilt carb and there's going to be a sad face if some other remedy is suggested like dumping the whole set-up for something completely different.

Also, this truck HAS to pass emissions, so there's that. We want to make this work, but I can't think of how just yet.

Unless we ran the heater hoses (somehow) as an inlet/outlet, just though the choke fittings and reconnected the little hose back to the carb base, 87+ style. Wait, how about just the return/outlet of the choke water line connected to the heater return line with a tee...? Something could work.

That is, if this is what's wrong. Just typing to let ideas come to my brain, since it's 4:05 a.m. and I'm not about to go out and try it in the dark.

John B.

I moved the Q & A on this over to Tech so I could get more eyes on it.

Thanks Alpha Male for the help this morning.

John B.