The Wildlife Transport GQ Wagon - Continual Project of pain and frustration :-D

OK, so here I go.

I have a 1989 GQ Wagon TB42S AUTO. What I wanted was a TD42, manual, shorty but the Mrs picked her new truck first and ended purchasing a Triton as it is nicer, less rough and more in line with what she wanted and I ended up with the Patrol. But it's a patrol so still winning right?

Anyway, I have had it for 3 years now. It has had a full rebuild on the auto transmission last year (2019) and it is going well so it's time to swap out the engine for a remanufactured one as the 270,000 km have not been kind to the existing engine which has 180 psi on all 6 cylinders. It does start and run well, but hates hot days where it runs on and pings when going up hills or trying to tow anything more than an imaginary trailer.

So I have a remanufactured long block ready to go in, the Mazda is back from the workshop and we are ready to go...

What is going to be done, a few tasks need to be done first and I will document what I have already done and what I continue to do to my Patrol.

It is set up as a wildlife transport vehicle for my wildlife sanctuary that my wife and I run here, so just 2 front seats and all other seats removed (needs to be blueslipped for this).

Task list:

1. Replace long block with remanufactured long block
2. wiring for fog lights in front bar
3. install LED numberplate light bar
4. install rear LED work lights
5. winch wiring and controls
6. stereo cut into top of dash (android auto head unit)
7. rear power accessory ports cabling
8. uhf install

That's the list for now, i'll try to remember to take pictures and update this thread as I go.

Cheers

Greg

My old '92 GQ TB42e wagon (manual) just notched up 420k and still running smooth. 2 new clutches Prev. owner (clutch rider)and I replaced the head gasket at 390k. Just back from a run to Qld hassle free. No stopping these old girls.

and so it starts, bonnet off

Attachment 80696

also took off the roof rack, tent and awning, front bar, winch and cradle, headlights and the plastics bits off the front and drained the radiator fluid (I forgot how messy this is without drain cocks). Removed the front arch flares, and inner liners and some of the wiring that was either not used or 30 years damaged. :-)

I had to chisel off the bonnet as it was held on with bolts and silastic (is this normal).

Interestingly the heat here (45+) has been melting the rust proofing and it is coming out of the holes everywhere.

Today I hope to have the engine out....

But I already have a turtle rescue call to go to and the Veterinary Hospital have asked me to come and assist with some work so I may not get to it today.

Sigh.

It's been a but hectic, but the engine is out and the long block has been pretty much stripped of all needed parts. All I need now is time to put it back together again.

In the mean time, around our wildlife work we have put up a new wall, knocked out a window and put in a door and put in a roller door to close up the workshop from the wombats getting in a working on things :-D.

Getting everything apart was easy, putting it back together I hope it will be the same.