PI**ed off

[bazza44]

Until I bought the Landcruiser in 2005 I had always done my own mechanical repairs except auto trans. I started when 17 yrs old, Because of complexity of these new diesel engines I have taken the cruiser to dealers first (no good) then to a private mech (good but he retired) then to another diesel repair place. (maybe ok, not sure now).

The situation -- The 1HDFTE engine has to have regular valve adjustments which entails removing an intake crossover pipe, an EGR pipe and various vacuum tubes and elect plugs before getting to the rocker cover. The places mentioned above have done this.

The problem -- saw an oil leak from the rocker cover so decide to look myself instead of taking it to the last place above, how hard can it be ? Bloody hard, some idiot had cross threaded one of the nuts on the EGR pipe, took me two hours to get it off by using a breaker bar and socket and only being able to move the nut about 1mm at a time because of lack of space near the back of the engine. Small rattle gun would not move it, no room for bigger one.  Also the bottom left stud in photo of the manifold flange was loose and 1 stud was missing out of rocker cover and I found it in the bash plate.

This is the problem with todays mechanics using battery and air tools. If that nut had been done up by hand the cross threading would have been noticed. I know how it would have been put on as I have seen this. The idiot mech gets his air/battery tool, places a socket on and then puts the nut in the socket, then jams the whole lot on the stud and presses trigger and forces the nut on, don't worry if it is correct or not.

Now how to fix, if I can not get this thread correct it means the exhaust manifold has to come off, too much for me these days at 78. I went and bought a 10x1.25 die nut and was able to rethread the stud, took 30mins turning the die nut a bit at a time using two spanners. Bloody lucky.

Unfortunately I have to trust someone to work on my cruiser but it is damned hard finding a person that wants to do the job properly and unsupervised.It is just possible the last place did not stuff the EGR stud, they may have not undone the manifold join, maybe, I will have to find out. 

Finish tomorrow.

Barry

[jr]

Hi Bazza,
I know what you mean about quality of work by some of these mechanics. I also have done all my own vehicle repairs for about the last 60 years but my time is up. When I get my vehicle serviced for warranty reasons I check all things are back right and very often find half the sump guard bolts finger tight. Just moved to a private workshop that is authorized to do services and warranty still covered.
My old 100 Series had 220,000Kms when I sold it and never had a valve clearance check. Ask Mr Toyota when they will do the tappers and they said only if we hear tapper noise otherwise never.
That stud you ran a die over could you have removed it using a hex socket on the top of the stud?

JR

[Nev and Trish.]

My view of rattle guns, use them for pulling things apart, lock the bloody things up in a cupboard when putting it all back together again.

[bazza44]

JR I tried that first, stuck tight, the other one was able to move of course.

Neville I totally agree.

Barry

[bazza44]

As an experiment I tried to put the cross over back with the EGR in place fixed to the exhaust manifold. Impossible which means the last place I have been going to was the one to stuff the thread.

It is back together again and started first turn of the key so everything must be back in the correct place. My back is sore now from getting in the engine bay and bending to fit parts, oh to be young again. Now I have to find somewhere new to do any work needed to the cruiser.

Barry

[bazza44]

This is a continuation of this thread. When I had that crossover off last time I noticed sludge like stuff inside the inlet manifold and thought that it will have to come off one day and get cleaned out. But where to go for this, someone I trust.

Late last year I spoke to the bloke that has been repairing and servicing my automatics since 1986 and asked if he would do it. He had a look and agreed to do this work including a valve adjustment in January 2024. I got all relevant info for him and gaskets and took the cruiser to him on Monday 15th.

He rang yesterday and said he had completed the valve adjustment ( first time on a 1HDFTE ), then he said he used a bore scope to look down the inlet manifold as far as he could, told me it was clean all the way. The sludge stuff was normal and just around the opening where the crossover joins, do I still want to remove the manifold ? No that's fantastic I said, leave it alone, good news.

He had the crossover apart to look inside for more blockage near the EGR valve but it is all clear so is now just cleaning all the bits and putting it together again. Even the intake heater looked brand new with shiny fins.

He is old school and will use a battery tool to disassemble but only hand tools to reassemble. To me this is the way a good mechanic works. No more stripped threads.

Expecting a call today to come and pick it up.

Under the valve cover the engine is like brand new, very clean, he said whatever I am doing with servicing to keep doing as he does not see many as clean looking as mine, usually discoloured to black.

I am as happy as a pig in s**t

Barry