diesel purchase (1 Viewer)

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cns

Joined
Jan 16, 2015
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So I'm close to being able to purchase a cruiser. I am leaning towards a diesel. I know there are a few different engine types, but for the most part... what are the key things to look for while kicking the tires . I have owned three cruisers over the last thirty years , so I know what to look for on the vehicle and i have owned two cummins powered pickups , but I have no clue about toyota diesel. Accept fot what top gear has done with one. Next thing I have to figure out is how to import one from canada.
Any advise. Chris
 
Importing from Canada is not too hard. You will want to find one that is 25 years old or older so the EPA won't get involved. There are many different types of diesel engines found in Land Cruisers, most are great, some are way better than others. I would suggest that you spend as much time here reading as many threads about 2H, 3B, 12HT, 13BT and 1HZ engines. These seem to be the most commonly available engines found in importable Land Cruisers. And in case you didn't know, Canadian models are typically very, very rusty unless they were JDM imports or from somewhere else less salty.
 
I'll be looking in the vancuver area mostly. I live about three hours from the border. The 3b is the one i'm finding the most. We will see once i sell my cummins. thanks for the reply
 
I live in the Vancouver area and have/had 2 JDM Toyota imports... even those have rust issues. My 87 truck is really really clean but still has rust issues on the box, cab corners and firewall.
 
Have you narrowed down what series LC you'll be looking for? Or open to anything with a diesel?
 
Do you have a price in mind? I know that's an obvious question, the other obvious one is do you mind right hand drive? Your choices go up exponentially with RHD. I was in your situation and decided I wanted bulletproof simplicity and chose a 3b ( I also wanted a 60 series) , but it might not make sense for others.
 
I will probably stick with a 40 42 series. They are what seems to be in my price range. I would love to pursue that 81 bj42 in abotsford. The highest price would be 8K. And it had better be nice. Once my pickup sells I will be on the serious hunt. I have no time constraints so I will have patience. The question on buying a diesel still is how can you tell if it's junk just by looking and listening. Obviously blue , white , black are not good . But what else. Or ... how much is a turbo kit cost. Free horse power is good.
 
There are a lot of threads like this http://forum.ih8mud.com/posts/9143503/. (3b vs 2h). I don't know much but people here answered lots of questions for me so I'll try.
Id think a BJ or HJ60 would be cheapest in BC but I don't know. From what I figured find a decent running rig with the LEAST RUST. Do a compression check and drive.
BJ's have b or 3bs and HJ's have 2h or 12hts. I don't know if they imported 40 series with 2h engines in Canada, I'm sure someone else knows.
Get a 5 speed (h55) and not an auto in a 60 - don't know if they came in 40's
Turbos range from cheap (flipped manifold with junkyard turbo) to complete kits like Diesel42's on here (for a 3b) which is a complete garret turbo setup with toyota manifold in the $2500 range. Latter is undoubtedly better but I have the first (Mitsubishi TD05) and it works great.
People seem to have messianic faith in their diesels and drive them forever in Canada. I've bought 2 based on the fact they started well and didn't smoke excessively, maybe I'm just lucky. Importing takes about 15 minutes for a 25 yr+ one, Registration here in MT was easy, WA I don't know. Hope that helps.
 
I does help , thank you. Now I have to figure out how to do a compression check on one. Hopefully a owner will let me do one.
 
Good luck getting a half decent bj40/42 for <$8k....anywhere in the world. Down here in Straya the market on the 42 is between $12k and $30k depending on kms and condition.

What you're looking for in a diesel for deal breakers is any hint of water in the air cleaner housing, heavy knocking, anything >350,000km without service history, dark smoke (under load and general), no history or service detail. They're just like any other diesel really but just a sh1tload more reliable.
 
Compression test is accomplished with basically the same procedure as a gas engine, tester I've seen was a Toyota SST kit with suitable fittings for threading into various different sizes/types of glow plug holes. I doubt it was cheap.. Be sure to isolate and de energize fuel cut solenoid.

Its not something I'd really worry too much about though. A 3B is generally going to sound like a relatively noisy engine, but not if your used to the sound of a cummins. The trick is to be able to pick out the bad noises. Chances are if the engine doesen't have a bazillion km's/miles on it, the truck shows signs of decent maintenence habits, and has any service records at all its going to be a sound engine. Nothing is ever certain, but to the best of my knowledge the 3B has a very good reputation for staying together.

Also, smoke isnt always a deal breaker. I've seen "structurally sound" engines that blow white smoke like crazy after a cold start, puff black under heavy throttle and haze blue the rest of the time. These are all fuel delivery related symptoms. Older injectors that lose pressure from sitting will allow air into fuel system getting you the white smoke until they clean themselves out. Black is unburnt fuel, a solid puff when blipping the throttle is normal, steady black under normal load conditions is not. The thin blue haze is generally a symptom of worn injectors as well, also I believe do to incomplete combustion. Hard starting is often a combination of factors and wouldn't be a deal breaker for me either,

Rebuilding a set of injectors can really make an engine behave a lot nicer, start better, smoke less. If itll run at all, compression probably isn't an issue. Smoke can be a handy bargaining point though.


Mechanical ability, cost, and how much your willing to do to a truck to get it where you want it are factors to consider when looking at a particular unit. A bit of savvy tinkering can go a long way.

Turbo'ing a naturally aspirated engine is definitely worthwhile. I have first hand experience taking a truck from almost too slow to drive on the highway and turning it into something I'd drive anywhere anytime. Its no rocket but it does everything I need to do, and has been together for several years and over 100 000km. Tuning is key, instrumentation to avoid cooking a perfectly good engine is also necissary. Cost comes back to mechanical ability. You can pay someone to install a kit and tune it for you but I have no idea what that would cost. Adapting factory parts from a similar engine is a pretty good place to start on the cost effective end of things.

I feel Elkhorn1 speaks truth however, an engine that starts well and doesnt smoke is probably a happy engine to start with. If you've got the time holding out for a better all round truck is probably the best choice.

Rust is the devil.. it sends the majority of Canadian Toyotas to an early grave, long before they are actually used up. JDM trucks are often nice however. Every case is unique, poke around underneath, lift carpets, bring a flashlight.

There are 5 JDM diesels in my yard as I write this, including a 1hz 70 series, 2 3L double cab hiluxes, a 1hdt 8o series and a 2LTE surf for parts. Only two are mine, but I've spun wrenches on all of them. I think I'm an addict.

RHD is only as issue in the mind, I feel. If you are a half decent driver in the first place you'll catch on quick. Yes, there are times when visibility makes passing impossible or unsafe, but thats no different. Cant see around that corner? Don't pass. Can't see past the semi in front of you? Dont pass. I don't know about insurance in the states however. In Alberta, Canada its easy, in another province, Ontario, it is very difficult.

Little more than two cents worth there... but likely not much. :hillbilly:

Happy hunting!
 

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