george101

Just a word to the wise on shocks for 78 pickup/chinook.... You can use an impact wrench to take OFF the bolts for the rear shocks, but DO NOT use an impact wrench to put the bolts back ON!! Impact wrench has too much power. I did this today, and the impact wrench ripped the head right off the bolt. The rest of the bolt is stuck in the flange, with no way to get it out but drill. Drilling it out is not fun. Spent an hour drilling with a titanium bit and got about 1/4 of an inch. Think I'm going to need to have a shop weld on a new screw to the outside of the flange and just leave the rest in there.

Ya, I had a leak in the same spot.

Ya, I had a leak in the same spot.

Hi All, Any of you out there have a 78 Toyota Chinook? And, if so, have you had problems finding the right oil filter for it? I was trying to change the oil today on my camper, and, of course, the oil filter was stuck. Eventually, I got it off, and the oil filter that they gave me at the store didn't match up (it was half the size of the one I took off the camper). So I brought both of them back down to the store, and I read off the code on the original oil filter to the guy, he brought me out one that looked to be the correct size (a Frame). And, I put that on. Well, you can guess what happened next..... Valdez oil spill down the driveway. Luckily there weren't any pelicans or dolphins around. Anyways, I decided it might be a good idea to check in the owners manual. (Probably should have done that from the get-go. No kidding!) So, I did, and it said to use "Nippondenso 15601-44010". Of course, they didn't have that at the store. They said they could special order it, and it would take 5 days. They showed me a picture of it on their computer and it was a large filter, just like the one I'd gotten off the camper originally. But, they said that their computers were matching up to an ACdelco PF13 5579164 oil filter. But this oil filter was half the size of the original oil filter. Anyways, has anyone else had this problem? If so, do you usually have to special order your oil filters?

Hey guys, I just wanted to check back in and mention that I think the Dow Corning goop is going to hold the seal. Just wanted to mention that, in case other people experience the same gasket problem that I did. It's worth a shot. But when you do it, make sure goop it on really good (about a 1/4 of an inch), tighten the bolts really good, and wait the full 7 days before driving. Thanks y'all, george

Oh, it does? Hmm. Yeah, I don't know. I guess I'll keep the header on there, because I bought it now. Seems to keep the camper a bit more quiet. I'm assuming that it was planed flat from the factory, but maybe that's too great of an assumption. It's made from steel, so I think that it's less likely to warp than the cast iron mani. Not sure where to go from here. I can't drive it cause of all carbon monixide coming in. I guess I could rip the whole thing apart, try to get the header planed at a machine shop and try putting it back together with just the goop and without the gasket. Dunno. Or, I guess I could also bring it to a muffler place, and see if they could do a better job than my current mechanic. Although, he's pretty good. But there's another 200-300 down the drain. I'm already into this thing like 700-800 bucks. Maybe I should make it an even grand. ha! Although, I probably still won't have fixed the problem, the way this has been going. But, ya, If I bring it to the shop, I might have them weld that pipe directly so it will eliminate that as a source of a leak. The less places it could be leaking, the better, I think.

Hi All, Sorry about being late to get the pics. I've included a bunch in this post. So, I got the new header. This is displayed in 85.jpg. You'll see how it has seperate/distinct pipes, which is different from the original cast iron manifold displayed in 90.jpg and 95.jpg and 93.jpg. In 95/90/93.jpg you'll see how the exhaust feeds into one pipe, instead of having separate pipes, like in the header. Pics 98 and 97 display the attachement from the exhaust mani to the rest of the exhaust system which leads down the muffler eventually. My mechanic cut off the mouth to this pipe and welded in a new one. 96.jpg displays the heat sheild. There's another piece to the heat shield, but I just didn't provide a pic of it. This is a necessary component for the original exhaust mani because it drastically reduces the heat and prevents everything around the mani from melting. 99.jpg is this Dow Corning gunck in a tube. It's used on jet airplanes. Someone in another forum said you can use this instead of the exhaust mani gasket, because it can go to extreme hot and cold temps without cracking. I didn't use it, but I might be using soon because.......... I got the new header put on, as you can see in the 85.jpg pic. It was originally covered with black paint, but the paint burnt off after my mechanic installed it and ran the motor for awhile. It is much quiter with the new header on. It sounds like a normal vehicle. With the new header, my mechanic said that I don't need the heat sheild, so that's why you can clearly see the header in that pic, because it doesn't have the sheild covering it. So, as far as sound goes, it works. awesome. Sounds like a normal car now. HOWEVER, I am STILL getting carbon menoxide into the cab!!! This is the 8th time trying to fix this problem. I have sunk far more money into this then I even like to think about, and I still have this problem. I can't drive it more than 10 miles without getting a woozy feeling. It sucks. I really don't know what to do in order to permanetly fix this problem. I think I've done every logical thing that I can possibly think of to get this problem fixed, and I am still getting exhaust fumes in the cab. The only thing I can possibly think to do at this point, is to tear all the work apart that my mechanic previously did, take off the gasket for the header, and use that Dow Corning goop instead of a gasket, and maybe this will seal it properly. But I have serious doubts, given this track record.

Ya, I'll snap a picture of it. It may take a couple days.

Nope. Haven't got to that one yet.

I ordered it up. Will install and let you know how it goes. My current ex mani doesn't have a crack in it. Although the camper only has 50k on it. I just think it was designed poorly, and can't take the pressure.

Did it look something like this maybe? http://www.jtoutfitters.com/exhaust-header-toyota-pickup-mini-truck-celica-p-746.html

Thanks again man! Can I still get one of these reenginered manifolds?? That would be awsome. I've come to the conclusion that the manifold I have is just not properly engineered for the amount of pressure coming out of the engine. It sounds like Toyota (or some after market company) came to the same conclusion, and decided that they needed to reengineer it. Do you know of a place I could still get the reengineered manifold?

Yeah, I have a very good carbon monixide detector that is in the camper. It's very sensitive, and goes off all the time. But I'm not sure if it detects propane. A propane detector is an excellent idea. I'll pick one up. Thanks for the suggestion. However, I have another quasi safety question for everyone. I've been plagued with an exhaust manifold leak since I bought the camper. I have replaced the gaskets probably around 7 times (actually, yes, literally 7 times!!). I had the exhaust manifold planed down. There's an intake pipe that comes into the exhaust manifold which had a slight hole in it, which I replaced with a new junkyard pipe. I payed my mechanic to fix it professionally 2 weeks ago. It stayed fixed for about 2 weeks and then blew again the other day. So, my questions are: 1. Has anyone else had this problem with their chinook (I'm guessing they have, because I've never heard a "quiet chinook", and I am coming to the conclusion that the exhaust manifold was not designed to take the amount of pressure that comes out of the engine). And if you have had this problem, did you figure out a way to fix it? 2. Is it a health risk to have a hole in the manifold? Or is it ok, as long as you roll down the windows when you're driving. Thanks, George

5Toyota, I am very sorry to hear about your friend. That is horrible. My condolences. I know these types of things can happen when dealing with such dangerous substances. I am very leery of using propane, and propane links. You are absolutely right that it is worthwhile to get a new system put in. Do you know if a place like Suburban installs these systems? It almost makes me not want to use propane at all, to be truthful. -George

Yes, it does have a saftey button. It's referred to as the "Reset Button" on my camper. You have to hold this in for a minute and then you can light the pilot light. I would prefer to replace the whole unit, to tell the truth, if there was a heater that was the same size as mine and would go directly into the same spot. Just don't know where I'd find one, or where I could find someone to install it. I'd like to have a professional install it, of course. I don't like to mess around with these types of things.