Holley 2300 2BBL Sniper EFI Kit Install on a 1969 FJ40 F155 Toyota Land Cruiser

Holley 2300 Series 2BBL Sniper Kit Installation on a F155 FJ40 Toyota Land Cruiser.

We received a call from a client who would like to add the convenience of electronic fuel injection to his FJ40 Land Cruiser, powered by the F155 engine. The rig is delivered and is a beautiful example of a 1969 FJ40 that is supposed to be “ready for Sniper Install.” As soon as the colorful mint green excitement wears off (yes, we are still enthusiastic), we pop the hood and start to work, as we know that if a Land Cruiser comes in “looking good,” we are really concerned about what we might find under the hood. “If it has lipstick, check the dipstick!”

The first task is to test for air leaks. All this will be for “nothing” if we are riddled, chasing air leaks after the fact. Yes, we are about to do our Manifold Prep as we know where the issues will be “hiding” if they are present.

We remove the air filter assembly so we can gain access to the intake manifold.


With the engine running, we use “secret sauce,” also known as brake cleaner, to spray into the crevice of the manifold where it meets the head. What we are “looking for” is an audible change in RPM, denoting we have an air leak. Typically, the RPM will rise as the brake cleaner reaches the combustion chamber and burns in conjunction with the gas. While your rig can and could have been running for years with air leaks, when you install the EFI system, air leaks after the “metered air” will create tuning issues! In the last photo, the top-front portion of the intake manifold is where we observed an increase in RPM, indicating an air leak at the manifold; therefore, we will need to remove the intake and replace the gasket.


Although it doesn’t appear to be much, this is where the air leak is occurring. Years of heat cycling and gasket degradation… While it may not have made much “difference” for the carburetor, it’s still “additional air” going into the combustion chamber! With the addition of an EFI system, this will be a massive no-no and would only lead to headaches and “hunt” as the computer would constantly be “hunting” for the correct calibration. Read the “Idle Air Control Valve” section of Holley Sniper EFI Tech Tips. If you have vacuum leaks, you will encounter issues. Do yourself a favor and work on these issues before you start strapping “new toys” onto your Toyota Land Cruiser!

To remove the intake manifold, we first needed to remove the air filter and the canister bracket.
These two head bolts secure the bracket in place. Upon losing the head bolts, coolant began leaking from between the head and the block.


We removed the manifold and conducted our mating-surface inspection. Upon returning to the engine bay, we noticed that the coolant, which had dripped down the engine block, had a distinct appearance. SILVER SPECKLES! It appears that someone added a radiator “Stop Leak” to this rig at some point. Maybe this rig overheated at some point?
 

With the head leaking coolant, we grow concerned.

To remove the head, we must remove the valve cover. Upon closer inspection of the valve cover, questionable sealing practices are in play.

With the valve cover removed, we find that only one of the four Rocker Support Stud Bolts is somewhat “tight enough.”

Note the number of threads showing above the jam nut on these Rocker Support Stud Bolts.

Removing the head revealed a metal head gasket and broach-cut mating surface. NO AND NO! Now we are really concerned! Perhaps they performed a valve job while they were here as well. While the head is out for proper resurfacing, we will inspect the valve job. Here we go… backwards to go forward. However, when you plan to ask for more from your engine and wish to continue using your 35+ year old engine, you want to give it the best start.

Yes, you could go to the expense of rebuilding the whole engine, but this customer was initially mentally not planning on going down that path. Sometimes you want to enjoy your rig one more season before completely tearing it down and rebuilding it. We understand that and totally agree.  While we shared the Manifold Prep blog post, you can also find additional Manifold Prep information at the bottom of this post, titled ‘Sniper 101’.