What to look out for when buying a diesel in a 60 series?

rflood · 02-06-12, 12:22 PM

Hey guys, newbie here looking for some help in what to look out for when looking at and buying a 60 series 24V diesel TLC. Specifically, with a diesel what do I need to check out, be concerned with, change after buying, electronics, etc. I've gone through the sticky's out here but I am trying to target a diesel motor specifically. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Biche · 02-06-12, 03:05 PM

Where are you located? I think that only Japan (HJ60, HJ61) and Canada (HJ60) got a 24 volts 60 series.

sporty · 02-06-12, 03:18 PM

European tlc 60 and 61 are also 24volt, and most of the 70s and 40s overhere.

Biche · 02-06-12, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sporty

European tlc 60 and 61 are also 24volt, and most of the 70s and 40s overhere.

Good to know. thanks.

cody c · 02-06-12, 03:46 PM

Rust, leaks, and large clouds of black smoke.

Coolant in the oil or vice versa, tranny sounds!

roscoFJ73 · 02-06-12, 06:15 PM

Demand to see a cold start and make sure it hasnt been warmed up just before you got there.
If they have low compression they are difficult to start and will run rough until warmed up.
Good engines make a quick puff of smoke and get down to business straight away.
If the seller is reluctant about letting you see a cold start,he is hiding something.

There are other things that can affect the start up such as ambient temps,the condition of the glow system and the state of the batteries.

Dont fall for the old story Toyota diesels last forever,by the time they have 300000 klms on them they are getting old,some may go for a lot longer,most wont.

shancerlelby · 02-06-12, 08:22 PM

The trans have issuess later in life. Check to see if it kicks out of 5th on deceleration. Cold start is a must and pay attention to the colour and ammount of smoke. High kms will run pretty rough for the first few seconds. But perfectly fine when warm. Diesels like to rust the fuel tanks really well on the outside so do a good check under for leaks in the top half of thetank. Maybe even do a quick drain of the sedimenter to see what come out.

I can already tell you that its going to have high kms and be alittle neglected. You have to really want a cruiser and be comitted to maintence if you plan on driving one. They are less of a daily driver transportation and more like a way of life. There are cruiser people, then there are the "other" people.

blis · 02-07-12, 01:52 AM

ALWAYS check the frame thoroughly, in most cases you're going to see some serious rust which is alright considering their age but keep an eye out for holes or cracks near the spring attachments.

About the engine, if it has been well kept then +300 000km is not something to worry about, when it gets over 500 000 then I would start asking about engine condition...

Also, as other have pointed out if it has 5-speed trans then check if 5h gear stays on when decelerating and also that it doesnt make any funky noises...

Depending on wether you're looking for 2H or 12HT there are also some things to note... 12ht should start well at 0c WITHOUT glowing while 2h requires glowing at much warmer temps due the differences in engine...

roscoFJ73 · 02-07-12, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blis

About the engine, if it has been well kept then +300 000km is not something to worry about, when it gets over 500 000 then I would start asking about engine condition...

...

Glad you think so. They are all 22 or more years old by now and most will have had 4-5 owners. Its almost impossible to guarantee it has been looked after unless its a one owner with service records.

cruiser_guy · 02-07-12, 09:09 AM

There are also folks like me who do all their own maintenance so no records officially.
I trust my BJ60 to take me wherever I want to go. It's been with us since 1988 or so. I got it with less than 100,000kms and now we are well over 600,000kms and still going strong. It's next big trip is Sierra Leone to Germany next year sometime!

blis · 02-07-12, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roscoFJ73

Glad you think so. They are all 22 or more years old by now and most will have had 4-5 owners. Its almost impossible to guarantee it has been looked after unless its a one owner with service records.

well, lets face it... engine with 10 000km could be in worse shape than engine with 100 000km on it, it all depends on how its been driven and taken care of afterall... it's not the mileage which kills the engine...

oh, when im buying a car i dont give a crap about service record. What matters is how the car works, feels and sounds. Not to forget the general impression i get from the seller, if the seller's some kiddo with clean hands I would probaply skip it unless i get ridiculously good deal...

canucksafari · 02-07-12, 11:07 AM

If you are in the Vancouver area, your biggest concern is some TLC hoarder buying it before you. We've a few of them here.

I always tell someone if you are serious about buying a vehicle, then spend some extra coin to have it properly checked out after you have done your own inspection. This includes a compression/leak down test. Worst case senario is you spend 200-300 on a vehicle you do not buy but save thousands in repairs.

Rosco's cold start recommendation is a good one. Hard cold starts can also be a sign of a glow system problem or air getting in the fuel system after shut-down.

In a BJ60, bad frame/cross member rust and body rust is what I would be looking out for. Look for small bubbles in the paint and run a magnet strip over the body to check for bondo and fiberglass.

kim · 02-07-12, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canucksafari

If you are in the Vancouver area, your biggest concern is some TLC hoarder buying it before you. We've a few of them here.

In a BJ60, bad frame/cross member rust and body rust is what I would be looking out for. Look for small bubbles in the paint and run a magnet strip over the body to check for bondo and fiberglass.

I know, eh? I hate it when someone else gets there first.

i don't know if the OP is in Canada but if he is, there will be rust on an HJ60. 24v in a 60 was only for 2 years here in Canada. bj60's, 12v, will have as much or more as they are older.

I have what I thought was a 'near perfect' 60....I knew the people and the history for the life of the vehicle and they were FUSSY....but you start picking around and you will have rust.

What I look for is body condition for the last three body mounts and the frame in that same section. Focus on rear spring perches, front too but not so much.

Then, let your conscience be your guide.

rflood · 03-01-12, 12:29 PM

Really appreciate the feedback folks. I am hoping to go look at a gas to diesel convert here in North Carolina that was originally from Cali up until last July so I am trying to get an idea of the issues a diesel may have and TLC's in general. I am kinda torn between a convert to diesel and something that I can get from the guys at Extreme LandCruisers that they are bringing in from Japan. Something from Extreme is going to be more in dollars but might be worth the money and less aggravation.