[Hawk Thor]

I´m picking up a ´97 90 series on 38x15.5R15 tires next week. I have been looking at what guys have been doing to increase power, milage and reliability. Its a manual with 4.88 gears.

I just want to run my ideas by you guys. Can you tell me what you have done to your 1KZ-TE, its exhaust, cooling system and intake?

I´m planning on a 3" dump-pipe with a brace to the nearest trannybolt to reduce flex and the risk of cracks.

I want to install a intercooler in front of the radiator, something bigger than stock. It does have a 4" bodylift so there is plenty of space for a top mount intercooler. Has somebody here used bigger top mounted coolers? Did you install fans on the cooler? Whats the largest intercooler that you have seen topmounted in a Prado? Are there any coolers from wrecking yards that fit in there nicely and offer more cooling than stock?

I have a spare washerfluid reservoir and a small high pressure pump. I was thinking about putting together a intercooler mist system. Does someone here have one? If so, where did you mount your reservoir and did you use a WOT switch or a dash mounted push switch.

I will be making changes to the intake. I plan on moving it up to a higher point, no snorkel yet though. What size tubing have you used for your intakes, 2.5", 2.75" or 3"? I also want to use a boxed airfilter, stock or aftermarket, so that when I get a snorkel I can just route the intake to the filterbox and don´t have to worry about some cone filter all the time. Do you know of any good filter boxes for this application?

As for the radiator, I will be using the stock one for now. I´m partial to copper/brass core rads instead of aluminum ones. I can solder the copper one myself if it cracks and they cool better, but the aluminum ones are lighter, which is a good thing since they sit at the front of the car.

Have you changed your thermostat? What temperature does it open at? Have you had overheating issues with your stock one?

What have you been doing for chips? I will have a laptop with me for GPS maps and for storing photos on trips. I would like something that can be connected to the laptop to show realtime readings from ECU sensors.

Thats all I can think of now. Please comment and criticize on my ideas.

Here is a picture of my new baby.

[Hawk Thor]

I forgot one question. Has anybody here built a more freeflowing exhaust manifold to reduce restriction to the turbo. If so, do you have pictures and a description of it of it. I´m sure we can make this thread into a collection for 1KZ-TE mods if we all pitch in.

[-MaTTi-]

I have installed top-mounted water-air-intercooler, 3" down pipe + exhaust, tuning-box for ECU + some fuel pump adjustment.

Now it makes about 120 kW.



The core is 10"x4.5"x4.5". I have 2" bodylift, the cooler would not been fitted without it.

P.S. Your "new baby" is very nice, I like those tires.