Lj80 engine rattling at high revs

[Dirty Suzi]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum but I think a few of you may know my new toy. It's the white Lj80 known as Dirty Suzi. I bought it a couple of weeks ago from Sean Bradley.

I've had a fair few 4x4s, alot of SJs and Vitaras but new to the LJ. Amongst many issues the engine doesn't sea very happy and your advice would be much appreciated.

It has a couple of nasty noises. The really worrying one is like a loud buzzing, vibrating noise from the block or head at anything above approx 3000 rpm.

The engine has only 65000 miles on it, starts well and is very quiet on tick over and low rev running. There is no smoke from the exhaust or white in the oil.

Help much appreciated!

[Darrell]

Hi and welcome.
To be honest with noises it's best to take a little video and bung it on youtube , then link here to it.

[Dirty Suzi]

Hi There,

Thanks for the tip, I'll have a go at putting something on you tube.

Cheers

Kev

[ScottieJ]

How long has it been run for? It's been in storage for a long time hasn't it? It could be a bit of piston slap where it hasn't been run properly for so long or just something simple like valve clearances maybe. Id suggest dropping a tiny amount of oil into the cylinders to help loosen up the rings and giving it a nice long run on tickover/low revs

As Darrell says get a video up as that will help us diagnose the noises.

Oh and welcome to the forum matey, don't forget to get some pics up of your LJ and start a build thread on its restoration (I hope that's the plan anyway , these are too rare to thrash offroad now!)

[juncopartner]

If its still got the 800cc engine, don't waste anymore time on it, throw it away and fit a 1 litre. I've had 12 LJ's now and first job was always to dump the 800 lump. Havn't driven an LJ with a 800 lump for over 20 years, they just go so much better with the 1 litre lump and its a fairly simple job to fit.

[juncopartner]

Scotty just noticed you said the LJ's are too rare to thrash off road!!!!

Sorry but thats exactly what I'm going to do. They are just too good off road not to be used.

Finally cleared out all the sheds/lock ups this weekend, rebuild should start next week, found most of the new parts etc. Didn't realise I had so much LJ stuff!!! I found 4 soft windscreen surrounds and tailgates, thought I only had 2. 4 sets of front doors and threw away 4 other rotten ones, 6 full axles and a mountain of diffs and I still have one more lock up to clear tomorrow!!!

In spite off finding all this stuff I've managed to lose the original engine for my Morris Minor. Its hardly something you could lose but I've managed too!!!!!

[Dirty Suzi]

Plan is to restore this one, it has had plenty done to it over the years but is showing its ago now. From what I can gather from Shaun it is quite a well know car. I am going to start the tear down tomorrow. My plan is to get all the body off ready for walnut blasting or acid dipping. Im planning to rebuild the truck but also use it. Not thrash it hard but use it when I go fishing, shooting get it a little muddy now and then.

I'll try a little oil in the bores, piston slap sounds like a plausible cause for the noise. I have to admit a 1.0 f10 engine with a 5 speed could be a good option.

Can you tell me what the mods would be to fit both the engine and gearbox.

Cheers

Kev

[ScottieJ]

Of course I don't mean that you shouldn't take it offroad, hell I'm gonna be taking mine offroad ( a tiny bit), just not to abuse it offroad like so many have done in the past, there's less than 30 LJs taxed and on the road in the UK so its best to keep the ones that are left in good condition in my opinion.

As far as I'm aware they just need a few subtle transmission tunnel mods for a 5speed gearbox? Will find a thread on LJ10.com for you.

Where abouts in the country are you? I have a few F10 engines/heads etc. and a spare F8 that is supposed to be good.

[Dirty Suzi]

It's a F10 engine, had a look over it noticed it has f10 showing on the block, it also shows 970cc on the log book. Will try and get a video on you tube when it stops raining .

Cheers

Kev

[juncopartner]

Is it Shaun Bradley's old LJ you've bought? Saw it was on E bay.