dakotabound wrote:
Hello...now my fellow Luv owners! Just picked up a sitting (for 10 years plus I suspect) a super clean, 111,000 miles super straight lt blue met, five speed diesel LUV.
Congrats on your new truck! This is known around here as a "second generation" LUV, and they don't get quite enough luv here. Most of the LUV purists prefer the first generation. Personally, I was never a fan until the diesel came along, and that was not until 2nd generation.
dakotabound wrote:
Previous--late owner, stated the rear end had a major problem, he parked it! Vehicle was built JUL 81 and from the dash I took this serial number: J8ZCL14S0B8254245.
Here are the questions you might be able to help me with: What might be the rear axle ratio? How could I tell from a tag, stamping, or do I do the rotate the wheels, etc. old school?
No need to go to that trouble. All 5-speed diesel LUVs were 3.73 rear ends. That ratio came only in the 5-speed diesels--not in 4-speed, and not in gas trucks. They're no longer available new, but when they were still available, the rear ends were about $1,200. There's a guy in MO who dismantles LUVs and P'ups, and he shipped me a rear end for a very reasonable price. His name is Dart, and his wife Deb handles most of the emails:
sqdeb@yahoo.com. Your problem might be as simple as a pinion nut that has worked loose. Is there a lot of oil (grease) on the gas tank and the bottom of the bed right in front of the differential? If so, it needs a pinion seal. Mine went bad, and I ran it dry too long--it ruined the gears.
dakotabound wrote:
I suspect dropping the tank, sending it to a shop for cleaning, or how to do this yourself?
There's a drain bolt on the bottom. Once it's drained, it's not hard to take out. Some folks prefer to raise the bed off, but I thought that was way too much trouble. The tank has a supply line, a return line, a filler tube, and an overflow tube. There's also an electrical connection for the fuel sender. I'd probably slosh about a gallon of clean diesel around in it, and drain it before the crud settles. Then the filter will get the rest, but it may plug up prematurely, so have an extra one on hand.
dakotabound wrote:
What filters should I replace?
Fuel, oil, and air filters. I personally prefer the NAPA Gold oil filters because they have a silicone anti-drainback flap. Pressure seems to build faster when starting cold. Fuel filters are pricey and sometimes hard to find. Holler at me when you're ready to replace yours, if the process doesn't look self-evident. Lots of people have trouble starting after a fuel filter changed.
dakotabound wrote:
What about the fuel lines...is there a way to clean out these units?
Brittle fuel lines have probably caused more grief than major mechanical problems for these engines. All it takes is one little crack, and it sucks air instead of fuel. There's no pusher pump, just the injector pump. So it's critical that you have good lines. I replaced all mine for about $20.
dakotabound wrote:
And of course, what should I look for as I examine this engine bay, etc.?
Broken vacuum lines, and broken wires on the front of the thermostat housing.
dakotabound wrote:
Certainly, any filter part numbers, etc. would be more than helpful!
Retailers can always look it up by the make, model, and year. Anything that works for an '81 Isuzu P'up will also work for the '81 LUV.
If you don't know when the timing belt was replaced, that's a VERY high priority. Diesels are interference engines, and if your timing belt breaks, it will do some damage. It's designed to limit the damage, but don't go there. You'll be looking for pushrods and rocker arms. Timing belt replacement took me about 6-8 hours the first time, but I think I could do it in 4 hours the next time.
Jack