Topic: 1979 toyota questions

[Toyota+in+Florida]

OK i took a leap of faith a couple of weeks ago and bought this 1979 Toyota pickup sight unseen in Raleigh, NC for $2000. I spent 16 hours on a train to pic it up. After finding out it needed more work than what the guy said i figured i try to drive it home. After all the train had left and it would have been a long walk home. So  i drove it all the way back to Tampa in the dark of night without tail lights, brake lights or turn signals,  a shattered windshield, tags, fuel gauge, insurance or a clue as to what i have gotten myself into.   Yes  made it without meeting "the bad humormen". Probably only because it was Memorial day weekend . With all that said  i have begun to put this beast back together.

So i have fixed just about all the problems and have changed all the fluids except the transmission fluids. I am completely puzzled by this thing. I think it is a l-43 transmission. It is a 4 speed with the shifter that goes into the side. Other than that it has a leak and i want to fill it.     

How is the fluid put in the transmission? what is the capacity? What is the viscosity?

[YotaNate]

There should be a drain plug on the bottom, remove it and drain the oil.  There should be a similar bolt on the side of the tranny about halfway up, remove this and fill to spill.  

  Sounds like allot of problems for $2,000?  I'm not knocking you just saying, maybe it has a cherry body?  Get your post count up and post us some pics!  And congrats by the way!  


Nate

[Toyota+in+Florida [OP]]

Thank you so much. I will look into that. If you can get a picture of the fill plug it would help alot.

the truck has a pretty much rust free body. 2 small patches less than the size of a dollar not all the way through. The engine, transfer case, locking hubs were rebuilt, there are headers, a holly carb, electrical fuel pump and a ton of other little upgrades done to this thing. When i hit the gas it goes like crazy.    They primered it ready for paint. And it came with 2 sets of  tires and rims. One set were 3 month old 34" TSL super swampers on chrome rims and a set of 235 's on aluminum rims for street use.  I have about $2250 in it with all expenses including travel and parts. The pics will be up when i get enough posts.

[Toyota+in+Florida [OP]]

i found what maybe a fill plug mid way on the driver's side of the transmission.  If i'm worng can i do any damage by removing it to check?

[fade]

No you can't there is nothing in the trans that will fall out by taking off 1 bolt. But that bolt is usually the only bolt in that area if I remember correctly.

[Toyota+in+Florida [OP]]

ok thanks.  i know dip about these 4x4 trucks.  i'm pushing foward on this thing some more this weekend. I about have it back to a respectable condition.

i'm can't upload the photos. It keeps saying the file is too large.

[SFD4x4]

Get a photobucket account, upload the pictures and then copy the "img code" and paste it where you want the picture in the post. 

[gtoyonrocks]

Good luck, it sounds like it's going to be your first build. I can't wait to see the pictures.

[Toyota+in+Florida [OP]]

This weekend i changed (more like filled)  the transmission and transfer case fluids. There was less than a quart of emulsified gear oil combined that drained from both boxes. I to put about 6 quarts back in to top it off. It never made any noise. got hot, or had any trouble shifting. I think i may want to start the hunt for another transmission to rebuild.
After showing my neighbor what little fluid was in there he renounced loyalty to fords and is going to convert to Toyota. 3 days later he is still amazed i didn't break something running 70mph on the interstate for 13 hours.

Here is the first go with photo bucket images.    http://s939.photobucket.com/albums/ad231/bryanlendz/

[gtoyonrocks]

That's not good but if it doesn't make any noise run it. I would start shopping for a w series just because it's a lot stronger of a tranny. Good luck with your truck. I'm glad you got that thing filled before something broke.

[Toyota+in+Florida [OP]]

The whole project literally screeched to a hault today .  I adjusted the valves and hooked up some wiring. I took the truck to run an arrand to test the performance. I just pulled off the highway, made a turn into a drive and blam i got passed by my wheel and tire. Some how i lost all 6 lugnuts in 3 miles.

[yotaneck13]

i did that once i was so pumped to dirve my truck again i completly forgot to tighten the 4th wheel made it about 20 miles and my truck started bouncing like crazy pulled off into a gas station and found i had lost all but one lug which was wedged in so the wheel couldnt fall off lol i was pissed

[junya92toy]

Lug nuts, there for a reason.

[Early]

Well i was going to recommend maybe changing your tranny oil in another couple thousand miles. A "flush" if you will.

But i see that you have other issues at the moment.

Do you have a damage check yet? If your rotor got damaged you might be able to find someone around you that upgraded and has the old ones? a cheaper way out, other wise up grade that stuff.

As for posting pics, you got the photobucket down, now, by every pic there is a img link. [img*** width=800 height=600]http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad231/bryanlendz/1979toyota085.jpg[/img] without the stars. turns into this


Sick truck by the way

[Sparkplug]

Heres what happened when mine fell of going 70mph down the freeway, crazy as hell. Slapped a wheel back on, and have been drivin it like that for about 3 months. Needless to say, I CRANK down on my lug nuts now.

[Early]

Needless to say, I CRANK down on my lug nuts now.

This can be just as bad. much harder to fix. Less problems with things if they are torqued to spec  

[kneedownnate]

No reason to EVER torque a hilux lug over 85.  Kinda as Early said, there's a reason for the torque specs 

[gtoyonrocks]

That's nuts.... I have forgotten to tighten mine to but I noticed it almost as soon as I drove out the drive way. I remember thinking what is that funny sound? And sure enough.

[Early]

off topic im sorry, but we were trying to get a wheel off a buddies 89 runner, no lug nuts, biggest hammer we had. Drove the truck up and down the street and the wheel wouldn't come off. fused to the hub

[Sparkplug]

I wasnt driving when it happened, I was in passenger seat, truck hit the ground and slid like a boat for about 1/4 mile before we stopped, still to this day dont know where the tire and drum went, somewhere on I-5. I know I should torque them, but there off and on so many times that it becomes a pain, so I just make sure they are real tight.

[gtoyonrocks]

Get a big dead blow hammer like a tire shop uses... That will get it off.

[79coyotefrg]

i found what maybe a fill plug mid way on the driver's side of the transmission.  If i'm worng can i do any damage by removing it to check?

if its a 17mm  thats your fill plug,  fill with 80/90 gear oil till it runs out that hole

[kneedownnate]

Get a big dead blow hammer like a tire shop uses... That will get it off.

  doesn't have to be dead blow though, we just have a big hammer.  Not at all uncommon for wheels to become rusted or corroded to the hub, though it's much less common on toyotas than it is chryslers.  Clean the crap out of the hub before you remount.

And I can't stress enough, do NOT just tighten your lugs till they're tight.  There are reasons why each vehicle has a specific lug torque, and you'd be surprised by how quickly 85 lb ft comes on a torque wrench, I do it multiple times each day.  You're only making things harder on yourself further down the road.

[Early]

Get a big dead blow hammer like a tire shop uses... That will get it off.

I guess i said that weird, driving on the wheel up and down the street with no lug nuts. swerving. hitting pot holes. This was tried after the sledge (and not a little one). Im not to woried about it, he wasn't either. I won't be going into the woods with him though. Don't want to try and change a flat in the middle of no where.



So back to yota'n'flori, any updates, how's your rotor look?

[Toyota+in+Florida [OP]]

Damage report:  The dust cover surrounding the rotor was pretty screwed up. I had to use some big pry bars to pull in off the rotor. The rotor looks like the rust got taken off. There was a 1 inch deep rut in the road. Any ways i'm glad nobody got hurt. I would of been screwed if i didnt happen in an idustrial park. Special thanks to JR Long for the use of their lull and their stack of tools. 6 more lug nuts and i was babying it home. I think it had something to do with it being an aluminum rim. Maybe i didn't have it all the way home when i dicided it was tight enough.
2 weeks i pulled the wheels. The lugs nuts were of there so tight 2 of us had to use a couple 3 foot long pieces of pipe to get them off. I thought they were way too tight.  Now i'm minus 1 stud on the rear. May i should put them back that tight so i don't get passed by parts from my truck again.

[Early]

I think it had something to do with it being an aluminum rim.

There are different styles of lug nuts...


Glad everything worked out, and three cheers for JR Long. (im assuming a shop in the industrial area where you lost a wheel.

[Toyota+in+Florida [OP]]

Hey guys i took the truck out riding around the woods. The first time i locked in the 4x4 i experienced a major problem. I think the transfer case is shot.  It grinds and lugs the engine  almost to stalling when a load is put on the front axle. That's turning the wheels and rolling up a slight incline. Not to mention a bad growl with some pops. After puttin it back into 2wd and letting the hubs stay locked in the made a consistant rattling noise as the wheels turned. When hubs are then disengaged i turn the drive shaft and the noise is definitely coming from the t-case. So I'm looking for a replacement.
i found a guy with a 4.7:1 transfer case and twin sticks  and a w56 tranny. Could i cram that thing in my rig without major fabrication work?

[kneedownnate]

I wonder if you have the same gears in the front and rear axles? 

[Toyota+in+Florida [OP]]

i don't know if they are the same. How can i check if they are? 

Just in case I picked up a l43 tranny, transfer case, new clutch, brake booster, cluth and brake master cylinders, fly wheel, stock manifolds, manifolds, a  steering box and a huge box of other  stuff this weekend for $250. The way i figure i can resell the parts i dont need to get my money back for what ever is wrong.

[Rocksurfer]

Jack up your truck rotate the tires by hand and count how many times the ds's rotates. If they are equal the gearing is the same, if not they're not.