Gurmbles Gets Some Love! Or 100 problems and finding a project isn't one of them.
I am starting this thread to keep track of my rebuild process for a 1984 Mighty Max 4x4 manual with a 4d56-t engine(originally had the 4d55 with no T), that I affectionately call Grumbles. In doing so I hope to help others who pick these up keep them running for as long as possible, also to get some help and advice on the way and lastly but not leastly, to meet some great people and have some great conversations.
As of an hour ago, Grumbles got a serious cleaning with a pressure washer(hour and a half at 1700psi). I feel it lost 10lbs or better of grease, road trash, rust welts, and chipped paint. Lots more red showing on the little black truck now.
As of the start of this thread I have 260miles on the truck, most of which were driving it home. Lost 2 quarts of oil on the way home. Heard many bad noises. Drove slow and had all my fingers and toes crossed. But it made it home.
So far, I have fixed:
Intake leaks
Main front seal
Adjusted Valves(big improvement)
Inspected timing belt
Replaced a missing bolt on the intake
Replaced a missing bolt on the transfer case mount
Replaced the glow plugs(still needs a new relay)
performed quick adjustment to hood bumpers
The day after I got it home I took somewhere around 100 photos and inventoried all the issues I could identify right away. Problems added up to over 100 issues that need to be solved.
It started raining so I figured I would get started with the build log well everything was still wet.
I do not plan to "restore" the truck but instead halt the rust and do a great deal of customization, mainly to the interior.
My current list of issues:
Exterior Issues, Front to back(28 issues)
Bumper: Dented, oxidized
Grill: broken, missing a chunk
Hood: Dent on PS on front edge, looks challenging to remove
Underguard: Rusted, Twisted
Fenders: off d50, junk paint job, marker lights wires clipped
Antenna: rusted
Lights: Spoiled
Turn signals: oxidized
Hood vent panel, scratched, light rust, prettiest part of this trucks body.
Wipers: rusted
Windshield trim: Oxidized, clips shifted
Door pillars: light oxidization
Roof: heavily dented, lightly rusted
Door chrome: Overall good, needs a couple patches on body mount
Driver door: rust along bottom seam, and lower rear, small spots elsewhere
Driver Rocker: almost completely gone
Driver Cab Corner: nearly gone
Passenger door: same as driver door but with much heavier rust along back side
PS Rocker: Better then drivers but still gone
PS Cab Corner: Better then drivers, Still gone
Cab rear light: Heavily oxidized, May remove to run umbilicus for RV conversion.
PS bed:Light cancer patches, small dent at bottom seam before wheel, not sure how easy this will be to get out
Driver side Bed: Large rust hole in front, Crazy rust blush all across top panel
Bed interior: Numorus mystery holes, 5 small rust holes, a few rough rust spots, Side panels have extensive surface rust, Massive hole in wheel well where support rod mounts to rear
Tailgate: one heavy rust spot, long dent along bottom side, surface rust along bottom seam
Rear Bumper: Rusted mismounted, needs to be pulled, stripped, repainted and remounted
Tail lights: spoiled, needs to be replaced
Engine Compartment front to back(14-28 depending how you want to count)
Hood release needs adjustment and one new bumper
Massive over usage of RTV on oil pan
Radiator heavily corroded
Dip stick handle broken
Wiring harness for light is just a scary cobble job
Bolt missing on intake manifold(fixed) it was a m8-1.25x30
Hole in intake filter down pipe(was threaded, someone drilled it out, I covered with3 layers of aluminum tape for the time being)
Needs new throttle cable(chaffed)
Electrical cobble job on right side of engine(engine harness disconnect)
11 wiring defects on drivers side
5 wiring defects on passenger side
Turbo needs new rubber(reseated slipped boot)
Fan has sizable stress fractures that were JBed together but repairs already cracking again(there a good metal replacement?)
No Shrowd(understand I need one from a Montero)
Interior Top to Bottom(20 issues)
Headliner missing
front head trim cover is shot
Sun visors busted(drivers) missing(passenger)
Door pillar covers shot
Dash cracked badly
Radio missing
Glove compartment hinge broken(just thinking of sandwiching a thick sheet of rubber under what remains of the hinge)
Door Skins are very rough, missing speakers(will build custom)
Arm rests are uselessly low, will be relocated when I rebuild door skins
Seats are rough drivers is almost shot, both are terribly uncomfortable
Temp control lever covers are all missing(heater core is plugged too, and AC was deleted)
Dash cluster... Well the fuel guage and spedo work, and the brake light stays on, all else dead/dysfunctional including illumination
Cobbled light switches, running lights wired to switch next to throttle knob, low and high just two toggles mounted in center console
Rear window was broken into at one point with screw driver or such, missing latch, will not close completely
Kick panels rusted out
Battery installed in cab behind passanger seat, not my first choice but I think I might live with it(I did put it in a battery box at least)
Still need to figure out what the "Throttle Knob" is for(anyone have the answer?)
Drivers side floor pan is all but gone, front cab mount just floating hole big enough to shove my foot through with a little effort
Caps missing on shift knob and drive selector
Hood release needs lube and adjustment
Under carriage front to back(10 issues)
Cobbled wire harnes for rear
Leaf spring rubber shot
Needs new exhaust(homemade job, sharp corners, corrugated curves, Functional, but highly restrictive, 2")
Transfer case needs new rear seal, ok for now
Sway bar end rubber needs replacement
Transmission /axle mounts need new rubber
Shock rubber shot, will likely just replace with something nice
Front tires weather checked and both heavily warn toward drivers side
Needs new wheel bearings in front at least
Driver side brake caliper stuck
Ok so it is just short of 90 issues total, I am sure I could get to 100 if I broke them down a bit more or just looked a bit harder...
I could also add on upgrades I have planned, like custom interior, and an intercooler, but it will be a long time till I get to the fun stuff.
So now, after inventorying and photoing most of the issues it is time to get something done.
Feel free to keep up with this thread to watch the progress as I get this little beast back up to par.
I hope to update every couple days at least.
Any questions, comments, parts sources, answers, or just general thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Have a great day, the rain has stopped here and it looks like it is starting to dry out, so I better get out there and tear down the front hubs before the rest of the parts show up for the break job(need to get the roters out for turning before I head in to pick up parts, long run).
Later days!
