Toyota Diesel into 2A Shorty

1. Fuel tanks. There are two sizes, the original '10 gallon' and the later '15gallon' 'L' shaped tank. The first was standard on Series 2,2a and 3 both long and short, although there were detail differences over time, they are all interchangeable. Left and right tanks are mirror image, and interchanging them involves moving the filler and vent spouts. The larger tank was introduced as an option some time during S3 production, and requires the outrigger at the front of the tank to be moved. It may have become standard in very late S3 production, at least in Australia.

2. Hydraulic reservoir. Series 2,2a and Series 3 without booster used a dual reservoir for brakes and clutch, with the clutch using the smaller (inner) one of the reservoirs through a fitting on the bottom, with the brakes using a fitting on the side. Series 2/2a and very early 3 used a metal reservoir with metal pipes. Most of S3 used a nylon reservoir, with a metal connector on the bottom and a hose tail on the side.

When a brake booster was adopted, with a mast cylinder having an integral reservoir, the early ones of these retained a remote reservoir for the clutch, but used a nylon reservoir with only one compartment. Later S3 with boosted brakes used a clutch master cylinder with an integral reservoir, and many clutches on earlier models have been converted to this as they are easier to find - the most common one on trailers!

As you have found, early parts used UNF threads (possibly even BSF on S2), but changed to metric for late S3 production.

Hello All,

Well I went into town and bought the oil and filters. That is about all I achieved today.

A couple of years ago I especially imported an American brand of pressure bleeder. After I finished using it the last time I cleaned all the brake fluid out and rinsed all the lines as per the manufacturer's recommendations. The unit has been stored in the shed out of UV light and stored dry. Today, when I was pressurising the system with brake fluid in it one of the clear poly lines split and I had a geyser of brake fluid cascading down. I will be replacing all the lines before I try and use the unit again.

My replacement reservoir is also a non-standard size which means a "one size fits all" unit which has a non-threaded cap with a very large cone shaped washer has to be used with the pressure bleeder. A chain then goes around body of the reservoir and is secured to the cap by tightening two "J" bolts. The unit's one-size-fits-nothing cap should have four sets of "J" bolts and chains so the reservoir can be kept centred.

Frustrating would sum today up. All due to non-Land Rover related equipment failure. This relates to the pressure hose splitting and an "after-market" reservoir with some form of fine thread which is compatible only with itself.

Plans forward from here - I will remove the 2A CV style clutch master cylinder and replace it with a Series 3 TRW brand of OEM clutch master cylinder. The bleeder kit has a proper threaded cap the fits the Series 3 reservoir.

I will check each joint's threads all the way back to the slave cylinder. Somewhere along the line I will no doubt have to have a piece of brake pipe that has a metric fitting one end for the flex tube to joint to and have an imperial threaded hex fitting which can then screw into the Series 2A slave cylinder.

Well at least I got Teddy started... even if it was yesterday.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Hello All,

Thanks John for your detailed information about the fuel tank sizes. I have a couple that need repair. One of them has to have the drain plug and surrounds secured by a radiator repairer. When I got the one of my other vehicles it always dripped from the fitting. I went to tighten the thread and it must have been only finger tight because within the first turn it fell on the floor. Another tank had a wall of mud from the side of the outrigger to the side of the tank and it developed pin hole rust in a couple of spots. They may be candidates for fitting onto the shortie.

I am going to remove the troublesome remote reservoir out of the equation. I have a new TRW Series 3 clutch master cylinder which has the integrated reservoir. I will just have to buy some brake pipe and fit Metric to the master cylinder end and Imperial to the end of the flexible pipe that connects with the 2A slave cylinder. For some reason the after-market people made the outlet of the replacement nylon reservoir twice as long as the veteran tin pot's reservoir. This extra length - apart from its different thread - means it has to be installed on an angle; otherwise it hits the pedal box. It also means once I have new pipe for the pressure bleeder the has a cap that fits onto OEM reservoirs - no chains or "J" bolts for a one-size- fits-nothing model.

Does it seem like I am really "over" that after-market reservoir? Teehee!

Kind Regards
Lionel

Hello All,

While laying under the 2A I noticed the front shock absorbers. Old Man Emu Nitros. Then I took a closer look at them. Neither of the front shock absorbers had any bushings! Just the metal ring of the shock absorber and then lots of space until the threaded rod the shock absorber is bolted to. Lots and lots of room to move.

Then I checked the rear shock absorbers. I could not find any - nor any mounting points where shocks would go. This being my first Series 2A and my first short wheel base vehicle - were they fitted with rear shock absorbers?

The ride quality on the front would have been very interesting!

Kind Regards
Lionel

Hello Going Bush and Others,

What is the oil capacity for the B Series Toyota diesel engine - with a new filter? As yet I do not have a manual for the engine so I am in the dark a bit.

Kind Regards
Lionel

6 litres from memory, change every 3000 miles . Ryco filters are perfectly adequate ..

I dose the fuel with 100ml Moreys Diesel Smoke Killer 100ml every tankful, keeps fuel system healthy and helps control algae (diesel bug) . I do this in all my diesels , even modern CRD stuff .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by goingbush

6 litres from memory, change every 3000 miles . Ryco filters are perfectly adequate ..

I dose the fuel with 100ml Moreys Diesel Smoke Killer 100ml every tankful, keeps fuel system healthy and helps control algae (diesel bug) . I do this in all my diesels , even modern CRD stuff .

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Hello GoingBush,

Thank you for the information about the amount of oil. I wound up getting a 10 litre drum of 20w 60 anyway. Getting the clutch sorted out is going to take temporary priority away from the oil change.

The lure of being able to put the vehicle into gear and go for a drive. In the process of driving it will warm up the oil ready for a change - much more exciting than just letting the engine idle on the spot.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Hello All,

After weathering the vagaries of 2A clutch slave cylinders. My experiencing a "gee I should have put that hex nipple on the brake pipe before I put the double flare on" moment or two. Oopsy - just as well I bought plenty of line and start again. Relining all the poly tube on the pressure bleeder. I gingerly brought the pressure bleeder up to the recommended 10 PSI and cracked the bleed nipple to see a nice golden stream of brake fluid and within short order - no bubbles. I screwed the bleed screw up.

Next thing.. it has been a week since I last started the engine.

After some trepidation, and with the auxiliary electric pump priming things I turned the key. No these engines do not like sitting for a week and starting cold. After the third session the motor kicked into life. Next thing - place foot on clutch and cross fingers. Gee with the high speed Range Rover differential centres first gear compared to my other Series 3 LWB Land Rovers is very fast. A quick circuit of the paddock followed. Then I parked near the shed and pumped the tyres up. It will be good to have brakes ... soon.


Next weekend will see me investigating the shock absorbers and also working on the brakes. When I first saw Teddy there was brake fluid in the reservoir. A couple of pumps of the brakes over the past two weeks and now there is no fluid in the master cylinder. I think I found the culprit for the brake master cylinder draining away. There is a stream of raised and blistering Limestone paint on the passenger side front rim that is very fresh. So next weekend I will be able to drive Teddy into the shed and have a nice concrete floor to work on. Electricity and a stable place to be able jack Teddy up - place on axle stands and find out the story of the brakes. Since Teddy has been fitted with a single circuit brake boosted out of a Series 3 - who knows it may have six cylinder size brakes fitted on each corner?

Oh and once Teddy has done some more laps of the paddock a full oil and filter change will happen too.

Well that is it for this weekend - I have to get scrubbed up and go out and be sociable.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Hello All,

Currently my 2A with the Toyota diesel has a set of Old Man Emu "Nitros" sitting without any bushes at the front. I discovered that the rear shocks and all their mounting points have been taken off. The rear shocks were then hidden away in the cargo area. I only found them a couple of days ago. Unfortunately, all the mounting points are not rattling around in the cargo area.

How good are Old Man Emu shock absorbers? Should I only aim for "Heavy Duty" shocks due to the 3 litre Series B Toyota being installed?

What other heavy duty style shock absorbers have other people run in their 2A shortie?

Kind Regards
Lionel

Lionel,
The top shock absorber mount is welded to the chassis with a long bolt through the centre so if someone has cut them off you'd have to get something turned up and welded in the correct position.
If it's the lower mount it's much easier as it's just a piece of round bar with a hole for the split pin and is welded to the plate that holds the springs against the axle.

Old Man Emu are made by Munroe for ARB. I'm sure somebody will always tell you there is something 'better'. I have them fitted to my Defender which I've had for about 18years and they still seem to work perfectly.

What is a 'heavy duty' shock absorber.......... Bigger diameter body, bigger piston rod, thicker tubing ??? Does it give better damping or it's just made bigger/stronger ?
I guess every manufacturer's idea of 'heavy duty' may differ.

A lot of damping on a leaf sprung vehicle is by the inter-leaf friction.



Colin