1991 Prado (2LTE) BC boy and his Toyota (1 Viewer)

[Chicken47]

Hi everyone

I've been lurking here for a minute but finally wanted to introduce myself and build. Picked up this pig a few months ago and have been very slowly picking away at it between other projects. I'm up in Canada on the west coast and got lucky finding this thing, Frame is pretty much rust free. A few spots on the body, with the worst of it being at the very rear at the bottom corners (where the water drain hoses for the sunroof run through). The Paint is fading pretty bad its definitely time to redo it, 300,000 on the odo on its second engine. Seems like a great candidate to clean up and I'm more than game.

So far I've resealed my valve cover and oil pan as they were both dumping oil all over the place (sandblasted and painted too), deleted the EGR (mostly)/removed the two plates from the intake,replaced a very worn tie rod end and pressure washed the engine and trans. I have quite a list of mods i want to do but getting it running good and clean has been the most immediate goal. Two of the big problems i've been trying to nail down that have been giving me some trouble are a very rough cold start and a terrible steering wheel shake at highway speeds.

The cold start i thought for sure was the EGR system. The previous owner had disabled it but not removed anything, but after removing everything i haven't found it to be any better. Following advice i've seen on here I cycle the glow plugs twice and have removed the two throttle plates with all the EGR stuff. Also blocked off the PCV stuff and vented it to atmosphere for now (also replaced the boost hoses and clamps). Will run super rough and smoke really heavy for about five minutes and then it clears right up and barely smokes it does not struggle to actually start either usually only takes a crank or two. i've seen some mention of the coolant sensor (cold start sensor??) under the intake manifold. I have a new one and will be replacing it when i pull the intake manifold to clean out all the crude. I haven't done a compression test as it really doesn't struggle to turn over and start at all. If anyone has any other suggestions I'm all ears!

One of the Tie rod ends was super worn out and i figured that was all the shake would be, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Rest of the steering and suspension seems tight, checked the steer shaft and steer box too and haven't found any issue. I'm guessing alignment now and am planning on getting it done. Should probably check the tire balance too while I'm at it. Eventually plan on refreshing wheel bearings and hubs but they don't seem to be a issue at the moment.

Bonus question, i'm looking into EGT probes and Gauges. Want to tap in right before the turbo on the manifold as it seems like a few folks have done that previously. What size Probe will I need?
I was thinking this Auber instruments combo Digital EGT Gauge with Exposed Tip EGT Probe [Combo-EGT] - $79.98 : Auber Instruments, Inc., Temperature control solutions for home and industry - https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5_26&products_id=230 The maximum insertion depth is 1.3", I'm assuming that will be enough? Not sure whats the best route to go here so i'm open to suggestions.

Will add more photos soon wanted to get a post on here. Thanks everyone looking forward to diving more into this truck.


Found a old rolling sandblaster at work and decided to test it out for my rattle can paint job. Was pleasantly surprised

 

[Houser]

I had the same cold start issue. It was caused a combination of things. Air in the fuel lines, glow plugs not staying on the low burn cycle long enough and the idle set to high. Air in the fuel was solved by replacing all the flexible fuel lines. Lo glow cycle was fixed by installing a manual glow plug switch to feed the low voltage glow plug relay. The computer wouldnt let it stay on long enough. The engine would pop right off
And run smoothly for a few seconds then the glow plugs would shut off and it would smoke and stumble. It helps with trouble shooting if you run a wire directly from one of your glow plugs to the glow plug lite on your dash. This will let you know if your glow plugs are on high or low power and for how long. Lastly the cold idle was set to high. When the engine was cold the ecm would turn on the high idle function.
The fueling was to rich for the cold engine. When I upgraded to a mechanical injection pump that problem was also solved.
Hope that was helpful.

 

[nomadtribe]

Hi @Chicken47

Looking forward following your progress.

I bought my LJ78 in 2020 and enjoying every moment of the rebuild. Head was done a few weeks ago, but 420,000 km on the clock.

 

[AirheadNut]

Congrats on the purchase! Sounds like a fun project. I would second the recommendation to thoroughly test the glow system according to the FSM (you should be able to find a pdf copy under the Resources tab). Checking for air in the fuel lines is a good idea also, it appears to be a common issue on trucks this age.

The shaking at highway speed could be several things: tire out of balance, worn out steering stabilizer, worn panhard rod bushings, loose wheel bearings or trunnion bearings. Jack the front axle up and check for play in the front wheels (side to side and top to bottom). Crawl underneath the vehicle while it is on the ground and have someone push it side to side to check for play in the panhard rod bushings.

I have run a couple of the Auber pyrometers, they work well and on a 2L-TE the 1.3" insertion depth will be more than adequate.

 

[misterclean]

Congrats! I had some bad steering shake with my old LJ78, it was quickly rectified with a new steering damper. New tie rods and radius rods tightened up the steering, but they were not the cause of the wobble for me as well. After the steering damper was replaced, there was still a bit of a wobble at 60mph. Some swapping of the tires from front to rear got rid of that last bit, so I determined it was the wheel balancing on the difficult to balance M/T tires that were on the rig when I got it.

For the pyrometer probe, I would install it in a blanking plate installed in the block from the EGR exhaust pipe you have/will be removing. I chose this spot on my LJ71 as it was easier than pre-turbo on the manifold, which would have required removal to drill into.

I don't particularly think your rough cold start will be solved simply by installing a new fuel filter, but I do think it's worth replacing if you haven't already. OEM Toyota 23303-64010, aftermarket replacements are cheap and easy to get from Amazon. On my LJ78, I had once-weekly rough starts that went away after I replaced the fuel filter. Something to consider either way!

Enjoy the new rig, and looking forward to seeing what you end up doing with the 2LTE! Really like seeing more LJ7X/2LTE owners here, especially since they're a bit of a black sheep in the 7X world

 

[Chicken47]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm realizing that my glow plugs must not be cycling properly. they come on for about 6-7 seconds i get 11 volts (new battery) at the rail and then they go out, will dig deeper i guess the second relay is not coming on? Didn't realize it had two!

More concerning I realized my drivers side wheel bearing is loose, I found the lug nuts loose after i bought the truck and tightened them up not thinking much of it. I haven't driven it to much since then. Seems like someone tried to get in there and failed stripping one of the slip ring torx bolts in the process. I have the E-hubs and they both work well still. I'd like to convert it to the Aisin manual hubs down the line but see no reason to do it yet.

Once i saw this i slammed it back together and will re-visit tomorrow. I got the part number for the bolts but seems like they might be hard to find? Funky looking bolt anyone know if there is a alternative/cross. I'd hate to get held up by 3 bolts. Planning on getting some good time in on the truck tomorrow and will check out the glow plug circuit as well as hopefully get this bearing tightened up.

 

[Chicken47]

Congrats! I had some bad steering shake with my old LJ78, it was quickly rectified with a new steering damper. New tie rods and radius rods tightened up the steering, but they were not the cause of the wobble for me as well. After the steering damper was replaced, there was still a bit of a wobble at 60mph. Some swapping of the tires from front to rear got rid of that last bit, so I determined it was the wheel balancing on the difficult to balance M/T tires that were on the rig when I got it.

For the pyrometer probe, I would install it in a blanking plate installed in the block from the EGR exhaust pipe you have/will be removing. I chose this spot on my LJ71 as it was easier than pre-turbo on the manifold, which would have required removal to drill into.

I don't particularly think your rough cold start will be solved simply by installing a new fuel filter, but I do think it's worth replacing if you haven't already. OEM Toyota 23303-64010, aftermarket replacements are cheap and easy to get from Amazon. On my LJ78, I had once-weekly rough starts that went away after I replaced the fuel filter. Something to consider either way!

Enjoy the new rig, and looking forward to seeing what you end up doing with the 2LTE! Really like seeing more LJ7X/2LTE owners here, especially since they're a bit of a black sheep in the 7X world

I checked out my steering damper and luckily it seems like its ok, but will definitely look out for this stuff.

Question about the pyro probe, I was originally planning on doing this with the probe but got to thinking about it. Would it pick up accurate temp readings wouldn't you want it closer to the turbo to ensure a good combined reading from all the cylinders? I sort of suspect my turbo is not in great shape and will probably pull it and the manifold some time soon and was planning on installing it then. I've never installed a pyrometer like this so don't have any previous knowledge to go off so any advice is appreciated!

 

[Chicken47]

Congrats on the purchase! Sounds like a fun project. I would second the recommendation to thoroughly test the glow system according to the FSM (you should be able to find a pdf copy under the Resources tab). Checking for air in the fuel lines is a good idea also, it appears to be a common issue on trucks this age.

The shaking at highway speed could be several things: tire out of balance, worn out steering stabilizer, worn panhard rod bushings, loose wheel bearings or trunnion bearings. Jack the front axle up and check for play in the front wheels (side to side and top to bottom). Crawl underneath the vehicle while it is on the ground and have someone push it side to side to check for play in the panhard rod bushings.

I have run a couple of the Auber pyrometers, they work well and on a 2L-TE the 1.3" insertion depth will be more than adequate.

Your build thread has been very helpful for me so far! Really appreciate it @AirheadNut. I'm going to order the Auber Pyrometer right now!

 

[Chicken47]

I had the same cold start issue. It was caused a combination of things. Air in the fuel lines, glow plugs not staying on the low burn cycle long enough and the idle set to high. Air in the fuel was solved by replacing all the flexible fuel lines. Lo glow cycle was fixed by installing a manual glow plug switch to feed the low voltage glow plug relay. The computer wouldnt let it stay on long enough. The engine would pop right off
And run smoothly for a few seconds then the glow plugs would shut off and it would smoke and stumble. It helps with trouble shooting if you run a wire directly from one of your glow plugs to the glow plug lite on your dash. This will let you know if your glow plugs are on high or low power and for how long. Lastly the cold idle was set to high. When the engine was cold the ecm would turn on the high idle function.
The fueling was to rich for the cold engine. When I upgraded to a mechanical injection pump that problem was also solved.
Hope that was helpful.

I had no idea about the low glow cycle, very much appreciated! I'm going to look into this tomorrow as it seems like mine isn't working at all right now. I love the idea of doing a full mechanical pump swap down the line. This thing had a good engine thrown in after the last one crapped out and it seems like a lot the rubber lines all over the truck were changed then. According to the receipts back in 2014 about 30,000km ago.

 

[misterclean]

I checked out my steering damper and luckily it seems like its ok, but will definitely look out for this stuff.

Question about the pyro probe, I was originally planning on doing this with the probe but got to thinking about it. Would it pick up accurate temp readings wouldn't you want it closer to the turbo to ensure a good combined reading from all the cylinders? I sort of suspect my turbo is not in great shape and will probably pull it and the manifold some time soon and was planning on installing it then. I've never installed a pyrometer like this so don't have any previous knowledge to go off so any advice is appreciated!

Yes, it's better to get a combined reading instead of just cylinder #4. If you are going to have the manifold out, definitely try and get the probe installed pre-turbo. I always told myself that if I get another LJ/2LTE, I would experiment with a pre and post-turbo EGT probe to see how well the turbo is doing. I'm not there yet, but it could be something you want to do since you're going digital and those Auber gauges are a bit easier to install and mount than the larger 52mm analog units.

The torx bolts for the e-hubs are still available from Toyota, but not worth paying international shipping from Partsouq and the like. I ran into the same issue when rebuilding the knuckles on my LJ71 last month - someone had taken a center punch to one torx screw and left it loose inside the hub. Cruiserparts in NH had them in stock after Dad and I optimistically thought similar looking replacements from McMaster Carr would fit. They didn't and we wasted a week because of that. After ordering from Cruiserparts, all was well and the hubs are working as they should.

Forgot to mention that if your wheel bearing(s) are loose, that could be another source for your wheel wobble at highway speeds. After rebuilding the knuckles on the LJ71, it rides much nicer. Would definitely recommend rebuilding yours if you're up for the job!

 

[JDM Journeys]

I think I'm a bit late as you've already ordered it, but I would like to second or is it third the Auber pyrometer. I've really enjoyed the functionality of mine. If you're looking for a mounting spot I found sitting on top of the steering column is a great place to glance at it without really looking away from the road. I've also set mine with the alarm light to come on at a predetermined temperature. Sometimes you can forget while steaming up a hill and suddenly the light comes on and says ease up there big fella.

You've probably already got this under control too, but if you suspect air, don't waste your time like I did and just start with clear fuel hose and look for bubbles. Fastest way to rule out or locate the source of any air leak.

Truck looks great so far!
Your neighbor in Alberta,
Phil

 

[Chicken47]

So i managed to get the bolt out, It luckily wasn't all that tight. just pounded a T25 on it. Ended up re-using it for now. I do plan on eventually cleaning up both front knuckles at some point. down the line once I have the engine running good.

Speaking of.....I made a little mistake here i think. After having my drivers side hub apart and back together. I did two things. First took my dash apart as I wanted to experiment with a few gauge mounting options. I noticed my speedo cable has been leaking so I dissembled it to clean up a bit. I assume it’s the same seal at both ends of the Speedo cable? Is it okay to pull the cable from the sleeve to clean and lube it?

After re-assembly of that I figured I’d check out the glow plug system. Confirmed that my buzz bar was getting 11v and then the 6v after glow. Then pulled my glow plugs and replaced them as I already had a new set. I re-assembled everything but didn’t notice the buzz bar was contacting the manifold ever so slightly so I popped the fusible link at the battery. Luckily was able to get another 2.0 at my local lordco and repaired that quickly. But now I have a new issue. My transmission will not shift at all and seems to be stuck in neutral? I had shifted it into neutral during the hub disassembly as I was testing the e-hubs and 4wd engagement. At some point I put it back into park but I can’t remember if it was before or after popping the link. The O/D light is flashing as well. I assume that means there is a problem but not sure if you can pull trans codes the same way as the engine with the paper clip? I have no other light/check engine light. Truck starts right up and i can shift through everything but not able to move at all ( can push it by hand and it will move even in park). But I did hear a quick gear squeal when I went past reverse? Not sure if I fried something else with the glow plug mishap or if I did something with the Transmission when screwing around with hubs and transfer case controls. My Shifter has been “loose” since I’ve had the truck. The indicator is not correct but its always gone into gear or park without issue.

I also found this on the side of the transfer case and not sure if it could be related. I had to get going after this happened so didn’t have time to investigate but I crawled under the truck before I took off. it’s on the side of the transfer case not sure what it’s for?

I definitely have a few leads to chase. IE these mysterious broken wires but curious if anyone else has any ideas here. Wondering if whatever this sensor is has something to do with the transmission knowing whether or not the transfer case is engaged? I hadn’t put it into 4H since I bought the truck so maybe coincidence that this came up after the link popped? Or just wishful thinking these wires look like they’ve been broken for a while.

 

[Chicken47]

I think I'm a bit late as you've already ordered it, but I would like to second or is it third the Auber pyrometer. I've really enjoyed the functionality of mine. If you're looking for a mounting spot I found sitting on top of the steering column is a great place to glance at it without really looking away from the road. I've also set mine with the alarm light to come on at a predetermined temperature. Sometimes you can forget while steaming up a hill and suddenly the light comes on and says ease up there big fella.

You've probably already got this under control too, but if you suspect air, don't waste your time like I did and just start with clear fuel hose and look for bubbles. Fastest way to rule out or locate the source of any air leak.

Truck looks great so far!
Your neighbor in Alberta,
Phil

Thanks Phil great to hear about the Auber gauges. I love the look of them and will probably be using them for a few things. I want to build a little housing to replace the Altimeter in the dash. Its a neat thing but kinda useless in my eyes. With the New plugs it seems like it does start better. It runs very nice with no smoke for a few seconds and then starts to go pretty rough and smoke heavy. Clears up quick once i bump the idle up for a minute or two. Did you just run a clear hose from filter to pump and then just move backwards? that will probably be my next move once i figure out this trans issue. But it does really seem like the computer is telling the pump to do something funny with the fuel on the cold start because it does not last long once the temps start coming up. On the surf forums they mention this coolant sensor. I got this one from Napa after they crossed a part number i found on here (cold start sensor?) For $30 figured why not swap it out and see.

 

[Chicken47]

Yes, it's better to get a combined reading instead of just cylinder #4. If you are going to have the manifold out, definitely try and get the probe installed pre-turbo. I always told myself that if I get another LJ/2LTE, I would experiment with a pre and post-turbo EGT probe to see how well the turbo is doing. I'm not there yet, but it could be something you want to do since you're going digital and those Auber gauges are a bit easier to install and mount than the larger 52mm analog units.

The torx bolts for the e-hubs are still available from Toyota, but not worth paying international shipping from Partsouq and the like. I ran into the same issue when rebuilding the knuckles on my LJ71 last month - someone had taken a center punch to one torx screw and left it loose inside the hub. Cruiserparts in NH had them in stock after Dad and I optimistically thought similar looking replacements from McMaster Carr would fit. They didn't and we wasted a week because of that. After ordering from Cruiserparts, all was well and the hubs are working as they should.

Forgot to mention that if your wheel bearing(s) are loose, that could be another source for your wheel wobble at highway speeds. After rebuilding the knuckles on the LJ71, it rides much nicer. Would definitely recommend rebuilding yours if you're up for the job!

Yea i don't trust my turbo its got some play but unsure of how much if any at all is normal (need to get a dial gauge on it). It may be passing oil too but only recently dissembled the PCV system to clean it out (including that little filter in the valve cover) it was putting a lot of oil back in to the intake before that. Haven't had a chance to really drive the truck since then. I will probably pull both turbo and manifold anyways. I want to clean the block at the back right of the head. Valve cover was dumping oil before and its still all over! i'll install the pyrometer then.

Both Knuckles are on the list to do. Probably when i save up some pennies for the manual hubs, I've seen you can get a conversion kit for the E-Hubs or some folks swap out everything spindle forward? Not sure whats the better route pros/cons. I honestly quite like the idea of the Automatic hubs and am considering trying to freshen them up while they still work, but thats something that could easily change. Also never had a birfield joint apart before but it can't be that bad right? is there a kit you can but for a full front knuckle rebuild? I see Radd cruisers has this one which i think is correct for my truck Swivel Hub/Knuckle Kit - Land Cruiser 70 Series High Pinion 8" DT-SH5 - https://www.shopraddcruisers.ca/swivel-hub-knuckle-kit-land-cruiser-high-pinion-70.html But looks like its out of stock. Need to find some new brushes for the E-hubs if I decide to go that route.

 

[Chicken47]

Also is this really the factory location for the oil dipstick? Can it be relocated anywhere?
It’s a pain in the ass to get too and will definitely rub through this boot. Trying to keep it positioned on the clamp for now

 

[nomadtribe]

So i managed to get the bolt out, It luckily wasn't all that tight. just pounded a T25 on it. Ended up re-using it for now. I do plan on eventually cleaning up both front knuckles at some point. down the line once I have the engine running good.

View attachment 3318311




Speaking of.....I made a little mistake here i think. After having my drivers side hub apart and back together. I did two things. First took my dash apart as I wanted to experiment with a few gauge mounting options. I noticed my speedo cable has been leaking so I dissembled it to clean up a bit. I assume it’s the same seal at both ends of the Speedo cable? Is it okay to pull the cable from the sleeve to clean and lube it?

View attachment 3318314View attachment 3318315

After re-assembly of that I figured I’d check out the glow plug system. Confirmed that my buzz bar was getting 11v and then the 6v after glow. Then pulled my glow plugs and replaced them as I already had a new set. I re-assembled everything but didn’t notice the buzz bar was contacting the manifold ever so slightly so I popped the fusible link at the battery. Luckily was able to get another 2.0 at my local lordco and repaired that quickly. But now I have a new issue. My transmission will not shift at all and seems to be stuck in neutral? I had shifted it into neutral during the hub disassembly as I was testing the e-hubs and 4wd engagement. At some point I put it back into park but I can’t remember if it was before or after popping the link. The O/D light is flashing as well. I assume that means there is a problem but not sure if you can pull trans codes the same way as the engine with the paper clip? I have no other light/check engine light. Truck starts right up and i can shift through everything but not able to move at all ( can push it by hand and it will move even in park). But I did hear a quick gear squeal when I went past reverse? Not sure if I fried something else with the glow plug mishap or if I did something with the Transmission when screwing around with hubs and transfer case controls. My Shifter has been “loose” since I’ve had the truck. The indicator is not correct but its always gone into gear or park without issue.

I also found this on the side of the transfer case and not sure if it could be related. I had to get going after this happened so didn’t have time to investigate but I crawled under the truck before I took off. it’s on the side of the transfer case not sure what it’s for?
View attachment 3318321
I definitely have a few leads to chase. IE these mysterious broken wires but curious if anyone else has any ideas here. Wondering if whatever this sensor is has something to do with the transmission knowing whether or not the transfer case is engaged? I hadn’t put it into 4H since I bought the truck so maybe coincidence that this came up after the link popped? Or just wishful thinking these wires look like they’ve been broken for a while.

Hi @Chicken47

This switch is listed as a "transfer indicator switch" - Switch & Relay & Computer for 1990 - 1992 Toyota LAND CRUISER LJ78 | Japan sales region, , 17730662-910803 - https://www.megazip.net/zapchasti-dlya-avtomobilej/toyota/land-cruiser-38286/lj78-54926/lj78g-pgt-910803/switch-relay-computer-17730662#. Best to connect them up.

Regrading your speedo cable - detach from your transfer case and pull out from there. To insert, feed the cable from the bottom end up. Use DEXIII / SAE30 oil. While it is out, just check the condition . I replaced mine a few weeks ago due to breakage.

 

[Chicken47]

repaired those wires and didn't notice anything change. Seems like my transfer case got stuck in neutral and wouldn't come out? I grabbed the linkage and gave it a good tug from underneath and heard a big clunk. All is good now and haven't been able to replicate the issue again. Call that a win i suppose!

 

[Chicken47]

Waiting for some parts at the moment, still having a rough cold start issue. It definitely seems like it’s over fuelling when the engine is cold. Going to be looking for any air in the system just to rule it out. Need to change that coolant sensor too and go from there i suppose. In the mean time I started poking around for what will probably be the biggest jobs for myself I'm not a body man but i'm about to learn i guess. Feeling inspired after reading through @JDM Journeys build thread. Mine is definitely not as bad as some of the ones I’ve seen here. The big spots are behind and in-front of the rear wheels and inside my taillight housings. Any recommendations for a decent metal brake?

 

[misterclean]

The kit you linked from Radd Cruisers for the knuckle rebuild is the exact kit I used. It was also out of stock when I was looking to purchase, hopefully they have a kit for you soon! The rust you posted is not that bad, I believe there are some companies selling aftermarket rockers you could use when bodybuilding. Not sure if they are specific to the -J78 or if you'll need to modify them a bit to fit.

 

[Tigris]

Although I don't know what cold is like being in Florida, I had some "cold start" issues on my KZJ78 when I first got it.

My issue was caused by air leaks into the system, and was thoroughly resolved by replacing the water drain valve thing at the bottom of the fuel filter assembly (marked in green). Now the truck starts if you just look at the ignition

The new OE drain plug came with the two o rings. I also replaced the fuel lines marked in green with high-spec stuff from Evil Energy, SAE 30R9 300 psi in 3/8" and 5/16" IDs. This stuff is overkill but it is known for it's remarkable low permeability. New OE clamps finished it all off.

Cheers!