Build 1988 Samurai Turned Buggy

Byro said:
Glad you got the cooling fingered out. Now I can send you my projects. :smokin:
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I THINK I got it figured out. I might do some wheeling today and see how she behaves.

Honestly this thing is revving high and no matter how I adjust it with the cable, it revs high. So now I’m wondering if I didn’t mess up something with the VSS or chopping into the ECM…

But anyways, Slander, bad zuki, and Byro, I’m thinking about a trip to Good Evening Ranch the first or second weekend in June for a shakedown.

You guys in? Anyone else watching this thread in the east want to go? Pretty sure I can tear this down, weld out, and paint in 4 weeks and be ready…
 
FleshEater said:
I THINK I got it figured out. I might do some wheeling today and see how she behaves.

Honestly this thing is revving high and no matter how I adjust it with the cable, it revs high. So now I’m wondering if I didn’t mess up something with the VSS or chopping into the ECM…

But anyways, Slander, bad zuki, and Byro, I’m thinking about a trip to Good Evening Ranch the first or second weekend in June for a shakedown.

You guys in? Anyone else watching this thread in the east want to go? Pretty sure I can tear this down, weld out, and paint in 4 weeks and be ready…
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I would be down! 94toytruck your foot healed up yet? Come on out!
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Sure it's not a vaccum leak?
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I don’t know if this is a vacuum leak or a faulty, messed up VSV. So now I’m trying to figure out how to delete these stupid things. Apparently they open and close and control vacuum for my idle.

This one is missing a hose and I can’t remember where it goes.
IMG_5866.jpeg


This old archaic engine stuff kind of sucks. Reminds me of the 84’ Bronco I was working on. Awesome when everything is working and then a total nightmare to figure out when it’s not.

Anyways, wheeled this more today. Took 50 minutes to almost hit 250*, which Byro said could be ignition/timing. I’m thinking the high idle is what’s overheating this.

I’ll figure it out, eventually.

Poser shots for fun.

IMG_5860.jpeg
IMG_5859.jpeg
 
Byro said:
I’ll go if you need a spotter. Otherwise it’s gonna be me with my Chevy Silverwalko’s.
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I’ll bring my lambofeeties :flipoff2:


question, where is the temp sensor located? Factory location or radiator? I’ve seen 22res show 240 when it was 210 in the correct location.

Also, is it running better after it gets hot?
 
bad zuki said:
I’ll bring my lambofeeties :flipoff2:


question, where is the temp sensor located? Factory location or radiator? I’ve seen 22res show 240 when it was 210 in the correct location.

Also, is it running better after it gets hot?
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Temp sensor is factory location, under the thermostat.

This is 100% overheating. It will start surging and then I kill it.

It runs fine the whole time until it overheats. As of right now it takes about 50 minutes to get almost to 250*. Crawling for the first 40 minutes or so it holds at 210 and then slowly creeps up.
 
Doubt it’s timing if it’s running worse when it gets hot. (Computer is controlling it out of optimal range).

Does it cool down if you leave it running or do you have to shut it off? Even in high idle, I’d think it shouldn’t make it overheat. I have the power steering and ac compressor grounded to make a small high idle.
 
bad zuki said:
Doubt it’s timing if it’s running worse when it gets hot. (Computer is controlling it out of optimal range).

Does it cool down if you leave it running or do you have to shut it off? Even in high idle, I’d think it shouldn’t make it overheat. I have the power steering and ac compressor grounded to make a small high idle.
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bad zuki said:
Block it off.
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It runs great until the temp gauge gets up there.

I have to let it cool down, it won’t cool itself down while running.

I blocked it off and no change.

Maybe I screwed up the ECU wiring? Maybe need all new vacuum hoses?

I’m assuming if this was an air bubble it would overheat quickly?
 
bad zuki said:
Doubt it’s timing if it’s running worse when it gets hot. (Computer is controlling it out of optimal range).

Does it cool down if you leave it running or do you have to shut it off? Even in high idle, I’d think it shouldn’t make it overheat. I have the power steering and ac compressor grounded to make a small high idle.
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I really think he’s got something ****y going on. I can’t believe this motor in this rig runs anywhere near that hot.

I originally thought air pocket, now I think cracked head/head gasket. Running lean or timing advanced too far. Something is making this thing build way more heat than it should.
 
Byro said:
I really think he’s got something ****y going on. I can’t believe this motor in this rig runs anywhere near that hot.

I originally thought air pocket, now I think cracked head/head gasket. Running lean or timing advanced too far. Something is making this thing build way more heat than it should.
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i didn’t want to say it out loud. I’m gonna call some rear radiator Sami guys and see what fans they are running with a 2.0 and 8v.

FleshEater said:
I just read my sender needs to be for my gauge…I don’t think my factory sending unit can work with this gauge.
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Iirc the factory dash has a resistance for the temp sensor, however if it’s running bad in correlation to it getting warm, I think it’s reading and probably reading right. You could put a thermometer on it.

Do you have the tbi warmer (heater) circuit plumbed in?
 
Wait wait wait. So you were using the factory temp sensor with an aftermarket gauge?

Does this motor use 2 temp sensors? Most have one for the ECU and one for the gauge in the dash.

Definitely need to leave the ECU sender alone and make sure the sending unit is correct for the gauge.
 
But he said it has running problems when it gets hot. If it was a guage only problem it wouldn't have that symptom...
 
Byro said:
Wait wait wait. So you were using the factory temp sensor with an aftermarket gauge?

Does this motor use 2 temp sensors? Most have one for the ECU and one for the gauge in the dash.

Definitely need to leave the ECU sender alone and make sure the sending unit is correct for the gauge.
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So this has two temp sensors, but I think one is for a gauge and one is for a dummy light. Neither of them go back to the ECU.

IMG_5868.jpeg


Yesterday when it got hot it didn’t start surging and was running fine. But it was just a bit cooler than 250*.

I just redid valves on this head a couple years ago, and it got a new head gasket and ran fine. Remember this engine came out of my white Tracker.

So I’m leaning towards a wiring issue. But even at high idle this should stay cool and the ECU wouldn’t have anything to do with coolant passing through the engine or running the fan. I also doubt the ECU changes timing based on coolant. Seems it has more to do with emissions BS.

This is why I originally wanted to run propane.

EDIT: This thing could have me chasing my tail at this point. Before the vacuum fill it might have been trapped air.

I need to replace the sending unit with one from Auto Meter, refill with vacuum, and then see what the readings say.
 
Last edited:
I don’t have any of the following:

-oil/coolant contamination
-no constant bubbles bubbling in the rad
-no loss of coolant
-no white smoke

So as of right now I’m saying my head is fine.

Tonight I’m going to get that sending unit drilled, tapped, and installed, then vacuum fill the system again. That should tell me what I need to know.
 
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