1993 fzj80 buyer inspection questions (1 Viewer)

[Devilmans Hand]

Hey folks

I have an open and non specific query on the 1993 fzj80 cruisers.
Chance or curse has it that I can get one cheap(trade for guns; Murika) with about 260k estimated on the truck. The owner is a toyota guy that seems to do his own work. The problem is that guys that work on their own trucks know how to limp a POS along past expected vehicle lifetime.
I'm going to go check it out soon and know that a front wheel bearing change and birf servicing is likely needed. Besides rust and regular rubber to check for with age, what else should I specifically check? A quick vin check says it's a base model. I don't have the door jam codes yet.
I'm not too familiar with the 80 series trucks. Think this is the first year of the fzj with the fancy motor.
I started looking through 80 series tech...but am not finding so much tech, but more owner self stroking on their greatness.

Thoughts, ideas?

 

[Stumpalama]

Bushing, brakes, rear e-brake actuators on the backing plates, frozen calipers/ grooved rotors. Exhaust manifold and down pipe cracks. rusted and leaking cat converter joints. Frame rot around rear upper shock mounts. Rusted license plate light mount.
Oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil.
Rusted or missing/broken o2 sensors.
These are OBD 1 as well.
Oh! For the win: rusted rear heater hardlines that run between the trans and body. They are a m-fer (or so I've heard).

I'm sure Ryan and Vince can do a better job summarizing the big ticket items.

 

[Devilmans Hand]

Oh! For the win: rusted rear heater hardlines that run between the trans and body. They are a m-fer (or so I've heard).
.

I think the 3rd gen 4runners have a similar issue. Easy fix is to replace them with soft lines or just cap the rear off.
Yea, the owner has already unfcked the brakes in the past year or so.

 

[iptman]

I started looking through 80 series tech...but am not finding so much tech, but more owner self stroking on their greatness.

You got to hit the FAQ for tech in that sub. Tons of good info there. 1993 was the first year of the mighty 1FZFE but Toyota stuck with the A442 "bus" transmission for that year which is quite stout. This year also came with the 2.2kw starter which is desirable. Rust is the only thing you should be real concerned with. You'll easily see it on the frame, axles and suspension. Mine is pretty gnarly in these areas but still a lot of metal there. Check the rockers, especially where they hit the wheel wells. Also poke around the rear wheel wells where the 3rd row seat brackets bolt through. It'll probably be covered with undercoating though. Do you know if it has lockers? If so find a gravel lot, shift in to low and flip the lockers all the way to the right. The dash locker lights will blink and then go solid when engaged. The door jam sticker will show K294 for the transfer case if so but if you go look at it you'll obviously see the dial to the left of the steering column. Check to make sure all 4 doors lock/unlock via door switch. Check the auto up/down radio antennae, this is a PITA to swap out but can be converted to fixed as well. The windows will be hella slow but there are things you can do to improve this and there's an after market plug and play motor/regulator combo for less ~$100. The exhaust can be replaced for ~$800 using a Magnaflow down pipe/cat and custom from there back. The biggest single issue on the 1FZ is the head gasket. I think this is over blown in the 80 forum but if you do lose it you're looking at a 2-3 day effort to fix. Luckily there are numerous threads out there and even a DVD video that shows you most everything you need to change it out. Also, if you have bad rear heater hard lines you can fish them over the transmission with the head off. Front axle job is pretty much like a 40. You're looking at ~$400 of parts and grease and a day's time for the job. What color is it? The white is a single stage and all the others are base coat/clear coat. Anecdotally the white seems to do better with rust. The sunroof pan drains clog easily but are also easily fixed. Check the floors below the A pillars for dampness. Check all the glass for the Toyota etched in including the windshield. It's best if the windshield is still OEM as it's apparently difficult to get it to seal right when using present day mobile glass replacers. It's a 2 man job and if they didn't use an OEM gasket and the FSM prescribed method to seal it it'll leak. Check the parking brake to see if it works. If it doesn't, look on the back side of the rear brakes and see if the crank lever moves when he pulls up on the handle. All the parking brake parts are still available from Toyota or Rock Auto if you want to go after market.

Really though, if it drives and stops and has good compression across all cylinders everything else you can fix.

Whew...that ended up being a lot. I'm up for tagging along on an inspection if the guy is local. LMK.

 

[Devilmans Hand]

Cool. Easy peasy. I'll give you a buzz when the time comes.
*ah, so looks like the tranny is the ect version.

 

[Von Hayek]

Check the infamous "Pesky Heater Hose." It is a 3" piece of tubing coming off the block, under the intake manifold. They all go because of the heat under there, and when they do it is not a drip but a torrent. The pesky part is that you need the hands of two small children to get the job done. Not a fun one, but a critical one.

Slee - PHH (Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser)

I hope that you get it Sam. They really are cool trucks.

 

[iptman]

Meh...I heard @OTRAMM can do a PHH in 10 minutes of billable time.

 

[OTRAMM]

You heard wrong! My hands are yuuuge!

 

[Devilmans Hand]

Bart, I remember you changing those at Convenience years ago.
Yea, looks like sunday I'll be checking it out.

Think it may be time to sell the Trooper down the river.

 

[76FJ40]

Will you be too good to wheel with the rest of us once you get an 80?

 

[iptman]

Will you be too good to wheel with the rest of us once you get an 80?

You know...I take a offense to that. Where's @Felix to back me up on this! We 80 owners need to stick together.

 

[76FJ40]

You know...I take a offense to that. Where's @Felix to back me up on this! We 80 owners need to stick together.

Snobs!

 

[Felix]

Snobs!

Yeah, sorry, Patrick. I gotta side with Bob here. As everyone knows, once I started wheeling my 80 I turned into an over-cautious princess, not wanting to get into anything where there was just the slightest chance of denting my cherry-new 80. It's this precious attitude about my rig that's kept all the body panels smooth and pristine.



Wait. . .

 

[Crusha]

Buy it, wheel it, love it, you won't regret it.

Oh, and '93 is the best year...but I'm biased

 

[Crusha]

Don't be deterred by Bob's snarky comments...He loves 80's! In Moab, I awoke one night to him "performing" on my 80. Phone battery was dead, so no actual video ..but it looked like this, only slower.

 

[76FJ40]

I was just taking a leak, honest.

 

[Crusha]

I believe you...

 

[TRFCSUX]

I didn't see head gasket listed (unless it was in Patrick's post) They all need a head gasket

 

[OTRAMM]

Steve, you wrote that wrong! Yours needed all the head gaskets. . I've seen several at over 250k on the stock gasket still.

 

[Devilmans Hand]

Passed on the truck...and didn't even bother to drive it

Both bumpers tweaked, rust through the rear inner wheel well, seats shot, panels missing, column cover missing, shifter cover missing, all underhood rubber cracked and about to break, air cleaner cover rusted on, belts about to break, all fluids that I could see are black including transmission, pretty sure coolant types were mixed, bad stereo wire unstall, rattle can paint touch up...of different color, interior FILTHY, tires mismatched brand and size, wrong wheels, exhaust just about falling off, leaks a quart of oil every 3rd gas tank, and yea. .. no thanks if it were free. Money pit.

I'll keep looking for a 1st gen tundra 4x4 instead