80 experts, please help! new motor suggestions and other mods (1 Viewer)

[Josh Higdon]

Hey guys! Its been a while. My LX450 is in need of help. I have oil leaks in the front amd rear mains, as well as the oil pan. Its got 265k miles on it and ive been shopping around. My mechanic, who is toyota certified, told me I would be better off buying a used motor and swaping out when the ti e comes. However, as most of you, the fzj80 is my favorite vehicle and I plan to always have it. I prefer a rebuilt motor so that I'll basically have a brand new motor and I'll know the history. I'm having a real hard time finding one and hoped some of you could point me in the right direction. And I would like to know if this is what you guys would do if you planned on keeping it. It's my daily driver as well.
Secondly, I'm really contemplating removing the body cladding and repainting the whole cruiser. What do you guys think about removing the cladding? Im almost finished with my rack, and I'm loving it! I'll just list my plans and maybe that'll simplify things, as I've went longer than expected, lol. But please help because everyone tells me to just sell, not realizing how much I love my truck.

1. Should I buy a used or rebuilt motor (knowing that I plan to keep it)?
2. What are the opinions of removing the body cladding and repainting the whole vehicle?
3. I want lockers! Would I be better buying air lockers or buying the axles off a used cruiser and use the factory lockers, if thats even possible?
4. Does anyone have any instructions on making some limb savers/risers? Or can they be found for me to buy retail.
5. Im having some issues I think from the rear end. If Im off road and in any sort of bind, it jumps a lkttle and makes a horrid sound in reverse. Also from time to time, it willjump a little bit if I'm at a dead stop and start to accelerate. What could this be?

I want to thank you all for past advice and without you guys I would have never accomplished what I have so far. My landcruiser is, in my mind, a thing of beauty and as long as I can continue to get ideas, suggestions, and expert advice, the sky is the limit! Thank you all so much!

 

[allan man]

Oil leaks from your 1fz doesn't call for a rebuilt motor however when the the time comes it would be cheaper to just a buy a new used cruiser with lockers when the time comes.

 

[jfz80]

Man, hope not to across as an ass, but a lot of this is personal opinion or based on your individual situation with variables unknown to us(budget, time, ability , space avail, other vehicle) and a lot of the answers are in here already.... Albeit influenced by personal opinion. So, since there is no correct answer here is my go at it

1) buy a used motor and rebuild it. Plan for 3500$ When it's ready. Swap it for yours (sell at that time) and motor on happily for another 150k mi. You probably can't find a rebuilt motor because most people rebuild them for their continued use, not resale. Do some homework. Find the local trusted machine shops and go through the rebuild process. Maybe im a skeptic but I have not heard great reviews of the places that are offering rebuilt units and would find it hard to find confidence in these offerings. Plus you don't know what parts are used. commission the rebuild yourself and take control
2)the opinions are there are a lot of f'ing holes to fill. So if you love welding and don't mind burning off corrosion resistance in an area likely not to be revisited go for it. The clean look is great but this is all personal opinion here again. If you like it be prepared for repaint or liner as well.
3)why do you want em so bad? (Just playing devils advocate) Have you needed them yet? Your proposed solution is possible but if it were me I would add an Aussie in the back and wait and see. If you want or need more add an Arb up front later
4)search is your friend. I think wildyoats may have done a write up years ago but when it comes down to it you need a cable, a crimping device or wire locks, and an adjuster(turnbuckle). Bet you could knock it out with a couple trips to the hardware store after thinking it over.
5)sounds like you need to start here and asap. More info is needed for proper diagnosis. Sounds like could be related to ring and pinion, front drive flanges, or slip yoke splines in driveshaft. All best guesses, more info should yield better help. What do you mean by bind? Jumps a little and makes sound in reverse... When you put it in reverse or when it rolls back from jumping a little ? Describe the jump. Actually lurches forward or is it a loss of drive momentum? This may be best for a separate thread

 

[Josh Higdon]

Thanks guys! My mechanic has mentioned to rebuild my current motor to be approximately 4500 bucks! If I we're to buy used and even with 150k miles or less (rare), I'd be looking at close to that and still not know how well it was taken care of. I've found some rebuilt motors for around 3500, but I'm looking at roughly 5500 all in all going in that direction. It's worth it for the peace of mind since I plan to always have it. I'd just like opinions. I've had several 80s and they all leaked a little. I'm wanting one to be leak free for once. The last one I had before it was totaled had about 170k miles on it and leaked a bit. My goal is to have one that is as good as it was, even better than new, mechanically speaking. My work consists of house visits and nothing is worse than leaking oil on a driveway, ha. But even though this motor is running strong, the leaks have gotten worse and worse. At lease a quart a week of 20/50. At least. So I know it's a matter of time. And the price to fix the leaks ate going to run 2k from my authorized toyota mechanic.
As far as the body cladding, I'm still on the fence. I am going to repaint the whole thing anyways, I'm just unsure. I liked my toyota land cruiser looks way more than the lx,so will removing the clad make it look like the land cruiser?
And I just want lockers! I go into some sketchy places way away from any help. I want to make sure I have all I can to get me out. I've needed them a couple of times in the past month alone. I considered an aussie locker many times, but don't like the fact that I have 0 control over it. Especially when it comes to ice. Would front lockers sit me better than rear, that is, if I choose to do front and rears at different times?

 

[lockd80]

Buy a straight Land Cruiser (no body cladding) with lockers, around here they are about $5000. Pull the motor and rebuild it. Swap all the good stuff from the LX to the Land Cruiser and do the regular maintenance on the rest. Put all the junk in the LX and sell it for $3500 or make it a trail rig.

 

[jfz80]

Used motor for close to 4500?
you need to shop the classifieds here more, I sold my running 190k 1fz that had the hg done to a mudder for 450 bucks and dude threw it straight in and ran another 70k miles before he sold the truck.