Project L600 - Daihatsu Move Custom

Alrighty, here to add story of my L601 Move. It’s been a five year project. I started the project in early 2012.
Apologies for the long post, it has been a five year project…

If you’ve read my old thread on the old forum, you seen pretty much everything I’ve been through, annoyingly the stupid Photobucket pictures cannot be seen anymore so it’s really annoying as pictures speak a thousand words.

Original idea was to convert the L601 to the L602 with the JB-JL engine, importer could only find the L600 with the EF-RL, think he wasn’t looking hard enough…oh well.

Started off as a L601 at the wreckers with a blown ED-20 engine, got it home and removed their decals off the Move.
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Then began taking the engine, gearbox and driveline off the Move. I didn’t know how to drop the front subframe with the whole kit still bolted on…so I took the engine out first, then the gearbox and driveline. This was when I had no mechanical knowledge and relied on the L601 Workshop Manual to show me how to take things apart.

I ordered the L600 with the 3 cyl EF-RL halfcut from the importer as he mentioned that the 4 cyl JB-JL was a task as the Malaysians were paying a premium to get them in for their Peroduas. While waiting for the halfcut coming from Japan, I continued removing the interior and repairing surface rust at the front.
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Got these photos of the halfcaut before it got placed in the container.
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So its late July 2012 and the halfcut arrives, I ordered a HIAB to collect the halfcut, this rocks up…I told them when I ordered the HIAB that the cargo is less than one tonne and it’s on a pallet.
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Once it got delivered, I wasted no time taking panels off and test fitting it on the L601.
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Started taking the front subframe from the L600 donor. I now learnt that the front subframe can completely come off - winning!
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I had this picture I found off the net and wanted the move to look like this, with the side decals, the chrome electric mirrors and chrome handles.
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During this time, I started buying things for the Move - rims, parts and accessories.
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With a bit of elbow grease, some sandpaper and polish the matte rims from Daihatsu dramatically changed.
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Changed the belts, filters, etc and married the L600 subframe to the L601 shell.
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During this time, I bought a second Move - parts vehicle. Obligatory side by side pics.
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So it’s now May 2013 and I’m ready to take the Move for a drive on the trailer to a few paint shops for quotations for respray.
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It’s now July and I’ve decided on a paint shop who will do it and this is the morning it is waiting for the flat bed to take it to the shop.
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Also here are some pictures when it was at the shop being fixed and prepared.
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Here it is after bringing it back from the shop in September 2013!
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Now, the downhill begins :frowning:
A weird grinding noise begins, subframe is out to diagnose - was advised to flip the engine over and check the bearings.
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Nothing wrong with the bearings, but a perfect opportunity to swap the clutch over.

I begin applying Dynamat to the Move, reupholstered the headliner and did other stuff…not sure now.

This is around the time I don’t have enough time to look at the Move - adult life kicks in…

It’s now mid 2014 and another box of goods come from Japan and it was the time I bought a powdercoating kit from the States to powdercoat some parts.
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During the year I splurged on the rear disc frame from the L500, came with the calipers, frame, etc.
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In 2016 the rear subframe, front subframe and other various parts went to a commercial powdercoater to be coated and they were stunning when they left the shop. They are still glossy black now as most of them haven’t been unpacked…
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While waiting for the main parts being coated, I rebuilt the rear calipers, powdercoated them and put new shoes on them, here are the results.
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During these years, I had so much fun understanding the software for the parts catalogue for the L600 Move.
Everything is in Japanese and the software had to run on Windows XP. Joy!
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Now the “fun” part. Sigh.
It doesn’t start. It cranks, but doesn’t fire up. It will fire up when I spray starting fluid and then dies out.
I’ve swapped out the pump, run the pump directly to the fuel rail, there is fuel in the rail - not sure about the pressure (pending a fuel pressure gauge), the injectors have been pulled out and been taken to a shop for injector cleaning. This part just befuddles me.

Since I had limited time in the past I couldn’t allocate enough time for troubleshooting. Now, I’ve set myself a goal to get the Move running again within six months. This project has taken five years, it needs to be done…it needs to Move from the spot under the patio…

Let the fun begin…again

MoveOn

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Amazing man, was following this forever, keen to see it running!

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So the fuel pressure gauge arrived today - connected it up between the pump and the rail - applied 12V to the pump and got…10psi. Pressure feels kinda low - checked the Daihatsu manual and it mentioned 250kPa (about 36.25psi).

I’m only off by 26.25psi…sigh…if this whole thing was just the second faulty fuel pump…!@#$%^&()(&^%$#@!

Any recommendations for the replacement pump? Can I just get one off eBay? Saw a Bosch one for $57 or a no name one for $35.

HALP!

I have just put one in my move but only run it for about 15 mins so far.

Sweet. I’ll give this one a go!
Cheers!

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How did I miss this thread a week ago. Awesome work so far!

It is ALIVE!!

Only took me three years to get it started again :stuck_out_tongue:

Got the new pump that @evilhighway recommended, installation was a breeze, electrical connectors were the same.

This is where I noticed some thing particular when I was removing the fuel assembly - the fuel hose was dribbling in the middle. Removed the old hose and pump and replaced it with the new kit. Put the pressure gauge to the new pump and woosh - up to 40psi.

Had to persuade the Move to start with a bit of aerostart, but after a few more goes it started on its own with out assistance. She’s back!

So why did two pumps failed - I don’t think it was the pumps, it was the rubber hose that goes between the pump to the assembly. There was an obvious crack once the fuel dried off the hose. The pump was probably pumping at pressure, but the hose couldn’t hold the pressure and the fuel squirted back into the tank…
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No big deal - now I know that the pump is more than capable to do the job for the 660 and I know it’s a new pump.

Let the reassembly begin!

Also a new battery is in order as the old Century I bought in 2012 has failed. Should I go with Century again or go with another brand, such as Exide? There’s a small price difference i.e. Century 330CCA for $150, Repco (Century rebranded) 400CCA for $145 or Exide 400CCA for $115?

Cheers,
MoveOn

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woohoo great news. that’s funny you had that issue with the rubber hose I once had an mx6 I bought for $250 that had the exact same issue but for some reason it held together just enough for me to drive home with and not cost me a tow fee. The person I got it off even had a brand new pump that went with the car in the back seat. As for battery I cant recommend as I have about 3 or 4 half dead batteries that I’m currently using and I have 1 good one that is a motorbike battery but I’ve that does about 330CCA from memory but I have been too lazy to modify my terminals to fit it haha. I think it will come down to your personal choice.

So happy you got it running again though well done :+1:

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Go the Exide unless the repco one has a 24 month warranty

Mine didn’t have the rubber hose, plugged straight into feed pipe.
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@601to602 That’s so weird! Did your assembly come from the L601? Maybe they changed design later down the track?

Ive had a mira cradle like that before also. I just hadnt seen one on a move.

It was from the l502 or l602 i bought it from Japan as it still had most of its cad plate unlike mine.

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@601to602 So much CAD plating on it - so shiny
Mine had some rust…inside

New issue - car doesn’t start under it’s own power when cold. Have to persuade it with aerostart.
It will restart fine when it’s a warm start.

I think its the spark plugs, but they have been hardly used - I could get another set.
Do you guys recommend anything I can get locally or do I get the ones that are suited for the EF-RL?
NGK: BKUR7EK
Denso: K22TNR-S

You could try Bosch 0242245018 (FR5LDC) maybe there are some locally available

Good news! She starts up on her own now - no more starting fluid!

As the fuel tank was out - I gave it a clean and there was so much gunk/rust particles floating on the bottom.
Put the tank back in and placed some fresh 98 in the tank.

Tried starting the Move and heard a hissing noise at the front - was a leak from hose to the fuel filter…hose clamps not up to the job. Swapped the clamp to a smaller clamp - that leak stopped, but another presented itself. Just decided to swap all the fuel hose clamps with the next size down. That solved the problem.

Decided to give the Move a go over with the pressure cleaner and so many years of dirt washed off.
The bonnet wasn’t in good shape as the dust has sat on the vehicle for that long.
Gave it a good once over with the clay bar and the bonnet now looks like it left the paint shop four years ago - so smooth!

Now the fun part of putting everything back together and to recall where I put that particular bolt or that connector or that body panel.

I finally got a new battery as the old Century has failed. Bought a new Exide 400CCA battery for $115!
A replacement 330CCA Century was going to be $150!

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Productive day today - was able to put the replacement trailing arms for the Move today for the drum to caliper conversion.
All went well putting the parts in, bleeding brakes, etc.

One problem - the Move rims rub against the rear brake calipers! :open_mouth:
Anyone encountered this issue before?
I believe it’s a spacing issue between the rim to the disc because once I stick some 2mm thick washers over the studs and then clamp them back down it clears the calipers.

Did a quick Google search for “Daihatsu L502 rims” and noticed that the ones I have are not to be seen (some do show up, but when you search closer it for the L200s). Tried sticking the OEM black steel rims back on and it rubs :open_mouth:

Does that mean I have to bet different rims or is there other ways to fix this issue?

I’m really not sure man. Your rims are 13’s right? I’m using applause rear disc conversion and have 4x100, I have had 13’s on mine and now have srioin gtvi rims which are 14’s and they both didnt/ dont rub. It may mean you do they actually go over the caliper or not at all? It may mean different rims are needed.

Yea 13’s

I’m not good at describing the issue so I took some pictures…
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They go over nicely internally, but the edge of the caliper has zero clearance between the spokes of the rim.

Was thinking 3-5mm spacers would be good, but then noticed that that they aren’t legal. Poop.

Whats the offset on those move alloys , i have the L5 tr-xx alloys and they have a +50 offset. Other than that it may be the inner profile of the wheel the Move was never available from the factory with the rear disk, only the l5 had them and the l5’s never had that move style alloy as an option. Interesting.