Traveler III
Nice! It would be a tragedy to break that sweet machine before you had a chance to take it adventuring.
Reddy the Daihatsu Rocky
- Thread starter utherjorge
- Start date
Great news. Hopefully it stays that way. How much of rad is blocked by the winch now? You getting enough air flow?
Disregard. Looking at the pics, it looks low enough. I thought you had it higher than that.
Enthusiast III
So, when I was driving it around all day Thursday, and it kept hanging around mid way on the gauge, that's the first thing I thought of: "what's different than the last time I drove it?" I thought water pump, because there was monkey business with getting the alt to stop squealing (it didn't stop yet, but I simply need a shorter belt) or airflow. I got out and looked and saw it was pretty clear. However...who knows?
Last year, when I had the coolant flushed (I tried everything before doing the inevitable head gasket that these things snack on) the radiator was tested and had good flow. At that time, I had an electric fan put on. Seemed fine, but it didn't stop the head gasket. Then when the guy did the head gasket, he cut the wire to the fan (at that point, the rad guy simply ran it near enough to the engine it was in the way) and the Rocky stayed cool, so it was no big deal. When I got stuck in the woods near Scandia New Year's Eve, that cooling would have helped: stuck in place got me no airflow and the guage did climg to 3/4, which makes me nervous.
The fan is back on, so next time I wheel, it will be interesting to see how it handles the cooling load.
If the engine truly eats itself, now or in the future, I will do a 22r swap of some sort. Other options exist (any small four banger or very small 6 can fit...there's even a video out there on an LS swap, but the front diff has to go to fit, so it's a drag Rocky) but the 22re is close enough to bolting up and being easy to find parts for.
Last year, when I had the coolant flushed (I tried everything before doing the inevitable head gasket that these things snack on) the radiator was tested and had good flow. At that time, I had an electric fan put on. Seemed fine, but it didn't stop the head gasket. Then when the guy did the head gasket, he cut the wire to the fan (at that point, the rad guy simply ran it near enough to the engine it was in the way) and the Rocky stayed cool, so it was no big deal. When I got stuck in the woods near Scandia New Year's Eve, that cooling would have helped: stuck in place got me no airflow and the guage did climg to 3/4, which makes me nervous.
The fan is back on, so next time I wheel, it will be interesting to see how it handles the cooling load.
If the engine truly eats itself, now or in the future, I will do a 22r swap of some sort. Other options exist (any small four banger or very small 6 can fit...there's even a video out there on an LS swap, but the front diff has to go to fit, so it's a drag Rocky) but the 22re is close enough to bolting up and being easy to find parts for.
Enthusiast III
Hello to one and all. You might run into this story in a few places on the internet as I look for advice, but my Rocky engine is no more.
A quick engine summary: when I first got it, I changed the fluids and started it up. I blew a hose. So I replaced that hose. Then, I started it up again. I blew a different hose. So, I replaced all the hoses.
Then, after running OK for a bit, the head gasket went. I had the head done (decked and everything, new head bolts, new timing belt and replaced all cracked valves I had) and all was OK for maybe 500 miles.
Now, I can't keep it cool again, and we have massive smoke on a start-up done when the vehicle is warm. I'm down compression in two cylinders. I think it's a simple matter of a 145k mile motor that was not always treated well, that already has cooling weaknesses, and is simply ready to go bye bye. Additionally, while it's drinking about half a gallon of coolant per 200 miles, this crap is floating up to the top. It appears to be some sort of stop leak product from who knows when. The radiator has been flushed and flow checked, and this is the third time all new coolant was put in, and we still have this, the top video in this link:
poopie engine vids
Also, note the second video below it, where it barely cranks, and when it does it bogs, has no power, and smokes a ton.
So, we're not going to keep kicking this can down the road. I know this will be a two-year process, most likely, and I understand that. It looks like a Toyota 22R or small GM truck motor is where I'm going here.
I want to run a Toyota 8-inch rear end no matter what. I don't mind being all Toyota at all. It might even be easier. I simply want to get a reliable small motor under the hood so I can enjoy the truck, whenever that can be.
So, I have plans of what I can swap, and always did, but we're now going to go blank slate. As the carcass sits (I haven't stripped the motor out yet or anything) I'm going to finish expedition building, because I have parts and stuff already, and I need to empty my garage to make space for this. But now we begin the slow process.
Thanks in advance, guys. This has been a pretty disappointing few months as I get this thing going.
A quick engine summary: when I first got it, I changed the fluids and started it up. I blew a hose. So I replaced that hose. Then, I started it up again. I blew a different hose. So, I replaced all the hoses.
Then, after running OK for a bit, the head gasket went. I had the head done (decked and everything, new head bolts, new timing belt and replaced all cracked valves I had) and all was OK for maybe 500 miles.
Now, I can't keep it cool again, and we have massive smoke on a start-up done when the vehicle is warm. I'm down compression in two cylinders. I think it's a simple matter of a 145k mile motor that was not always treated well, that already has cooling weaknesses, and is simply ready to go bye bye. Additionally, while it's drinking about half a gallon of coolant per 200 miles, this crap is floating up to the top. It appears to be some sort of stop leak product from who knows when. The radiator has been flushed and flow checked, and this is the third time all new coolant was put in, and we still have this, the top video in this link:
poopie engine vids
Also, note the second video below it, where it barely cranks, and when it does it bogs, has no power, and smokes a ton.
So, we're not going to keep kicking this can down the road. I know this will be a two-year process, most likely, and I understand that. It looks like a Toyota 22R or small GM truck motor is where I'm going here.
I want to run a Toyota 8-inch rear end no matter what. I don't mind being all Toyota at all. It might even be easier. I simply want to get a reliable small motor under the hood so I can enjoy the truck, whenever that can be.
So, I have plans of what I can swap, and always did, but we're now going to go blank slate. As the carcass sits (I haven't stripped the motor out yet or anything) I'm going to finish expedition building, because I have parts and stuff already, and I need to empty my garage to make space for this. But now we begin the slow process.
Thanks in advance, guys. This has been a pretty disappointing few months as I get this thing going.
cracked block? between cylinders.. or in a cylinder.. Like I mentioned before, you gotta be getting crankcase pressure in the coolant system from somewhere..Sorry for all the issues though.. Been there done that.. a few times..if I can help ya with anything, I'll try my best..
Enthusiast III
Unclear where the air and water are coming from. No oil where it shouldn't be, but I'm drinking a lot of coolant and so on. Like I said, at this point, I just can't take this any distance. I was in the closest woods to me and we nearly ate it, badly.
Traveler III
Time for a cummins diesel crate engine swap!
In all seriousness, I feel for you, brother, that sucks to have such an awesome machine grounded by mechanical gremlins :(
In all seriousness, I feel for you, brother, that sucks to have such an awesome machine grounded by mechanical gremlins :(
Enthusiast III
Yeah, the hope is that I'll kick the engine problems once and for all....with a new engine. But, here's to hoping. I guess I'll simply take the time to do it right.
Enthusiast III
After a few months of fooling around with it, a close inspection showed that the dreaded head gasket was the least of the worries. The head (side closest to the firewall) had a crack in it, running the depth of the whole head, and the top of the block had a crack in the same (approximate) location. if I didn't know better, I would have thought that the engine had been removed from the rig, and then dropped off a hoist from 6 feet up. Sourcing a new engine is impossible; a used one would have cost a lot to ship in from overseas, as there are no used ones available here that didn't already have the bad head gasket.
I considered an engine swap, but the time and money would have been something (let's say two years...I work a lot and don't have scads of free time) and as a result, my personal view of the Rocky's shortcomings came forward, front and center. I have a family of 6, and while my oldest is out of the house, I still couldn't take the rest out of the house at once. The times I used the rocky as a daily caused additional monkey business to get it to work.
Future upgrades that I wanted were possible (lockers, for instance) but would also be spendy. The cost of being unique finally caught up to me. So, I made the decision to scrap it. It was a bit sad, because I had a lot into it, but realistically, I have my health and good employment and a good family. Life moves on. I scrapped it, and have been selling parts off of it. I will make a fair amount on it, though nothing like what I put into it, obviously.
A random check of a couple of auction sites found the number 2 choice i had been looking for: an Isuzu Amigo near me for a ridiculous price. I grabbed it, and have been starting my research for what to upgrade, what to change, and so on. However, it's only 8 years newer (and has more miles) than the Rocky had, but with a Dana 44 rear axle, anti-lock brakes, multiple accessory outlets, a V-6, functioning air-conditioning, and so on...this is likely the rig I should have got the first time. Oh well...this is how I learn to do stuff.
So, this all can be archived...and in the spring, after I've got started already, I'll do a build thread for the Amigo. I still have to figure out a name for it...
I considered an engine swap, but the time and money would have been something (let's say two years...I work a lot and don't have scads of free time) and as a result, my personal view of the Rocky's shortcomings came forward, front and center. I have a family of 6, and while my oldest is out of the house, I still couldn't take the rest out of the house at once. The times I used the rocky as a daily caused additional monkey business to get it to work.
Future upgrades that I wanted were possible (lockers, for instance) but would also be spendy. The cost of being unique finally caught up to me. So, I made the decision to scrap it. It was a bit sad, because I had a lot into it, but realistically, I have my health and good employment and a good family. Life moves on. I scrapped it, and have been selling parts off of it. I will make a fair amount on it, though nothing like what I put into it, obviously.
A random check of a couple of auction sites found the number 2 choice i had been looking for: an Isuzu Amigo near me for a ridiculous price. I grabbed it, and have been starting my research for what to upgrade, what to change, and so on. However, it's only 8 years newer (and has more miles) than the Rocky had, but with a Dana 44 rear axle, anti-lock brakes, multiple accessory outlets, a V-6, functioning air-conditioning, and so on...this is likely the rig I should have got the first time. Oh well...this is how I learn to do stuff.
So, this all can be archived...and in the spring, after I've got started already, I'll do a build thread for the Amigo. I still have to figure out a name for it...
Its hard to break from investments.. I know the feeling.. I had a street/strip Dodge Dakota with a 440/727 and 8 3/4 rear. I built it all from a 2.5L, 5 spd with 221,xxx miles.. I really liked that truck. I had it at 11.70 in the 1/4 at 126 mph.. I had plans to make mods in the winter {2008} However, I rolled it on its roof in August..I could've rebuilt it and kept going but decided to part it out.. Glad I did. When I torched the main roll cage loop off the frame, it actually "popped" from the stress.. Glad that was the1st thing I did. It solidified my decision.. I can't wait to see how your new project comes about. Like I said before, I've always liked those Amigos..
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jonfen
Rank 0
Contributor I
Where did you get the bumper? There is also a facebook group "Daihatsu Rocky Owners Group (DROG)" you may want to check out. Many people on there would be interested in your answer.
Hello to all. I just found these forums looking for something...and I reallllllly found something. There seems to be good stuff here, and I'm going to need weeks to digest.
I have a 1990 Daihatsu Rocky. A small SUV of mine was totaled by a drunk driver, and I set out to find something unique that fit what I was looking for. There were a few choices, but I settled on a Daihatsu Rocky. Then, I had to find one!
I found mine at a Copart auction (with a clean title!) in Arkansas, and had it shipped to me. I did all of the regular cleaning stuff, like you do, and all fluids. However, there were some issues to work through, and most have now been done.
-The heads in these pop pretty regularly, and mine was no different. The head has been decked and fixed. All new gaskets and all of that.
-Larger alternator was fitted (only 75amp...I'm worried about going too big) to help power "stuff."
-The Rocky is almost all galvanized steel, so after cleaning it up, I Monstalined the exterior and interior.
-New seats and seat covers were fitted.
-Various odds and ends.
The plans for the next few months include:
-Suspension upgrade. Haven't decided which way to go, but with the AUS exchange rate what it is, actual Daihatsu upgrades are cheaper than they would otherwise be. I got badly stuck a week ago, which is also when I learned my old springs are tired and make the rig squat when the going gets rough.
-Electrical upgrade. Now that a larger alt is in, I'm upgrading the "Big 3," swapping to a larger battery, and when I put in a new, unbroken dashboard (in my basement now) I'm adding lights and a couple of power outlets.
-Winch. Um...mighta helped me with being stuck last week.
-Building an "overland storage" thingy in the rear. I have to get the rest done, I think, but this will help me be ready for camping.
I have already paid for some Northeast overland fun, so getting the beast ready is a must. I'll post here as I go. Thanks for reading!
Enthusiast III
I have been (or was) a frequent participant on DROG. The bumper I have was pieced together from Zuk Offroad, a few different items all cobbled together.
