1KZ in the Prado

[buggyboy7]

Hey you Prado or Surf guys with the 1KZ engine! I would like to do a little pole on this engine. How are they standing up?
If you have had one for awhile and have put it to the test please post your findings. I love my LJ78 and am thinking of a second one but would prefer not to have another 2L-TE.
Any thoughts good or bad would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

K

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Wow...someone else who likes the LJ78. It's like finding a species in the jungle that everyone thought was extinct.
............1978HJ45 (1990 LJ78)

 

[buggyboy7]

LJ78

Hi HJ45

Yes, I am a fan of this truck! How's yours working out?
I did the head at 100,000 and now have 220,000 on her with no problems. Have worked it very hard in high temps and seems to be ok. I have said before, I believe the most effective thing I did to keep it cool was to up the viscosity of the silicon oil in the fan clutch. It might rob me of a couple HP's but she's under powered anyway.

Cheers

 

[ForealBoreal]

i hear the 1kz is nicer but still is sketchey. People keep saying that but I have yet to see proof.
Look into a pz, I hear there nice rigs. Less money than something with a 1hz.
You can pick them up for about the cost of a nice 81 in Japan if not less.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

157,000 kms......so far so good ( no overheating issues even with A/C running full time). Compared to yours mine lives a somewhat "cushy" life ( hauls kids to school and delivers me to work on a daily basis). Take care.................1978HJ45

 

[drfvdr]

Ok well here is a question I can answer,we run a fleet of the toyota Hiace Minibuses here in New Zealand and 4 of them run the 1kz engine in an Automatic/AWD configuration...
We have had issues with the heads on these engines cracking,BUT this only seems to be an issue in the Hiace van,my guess would be that it is because they are a forward control vehicle the engine is encapsulated more so may have to deal with higher temps
Dont get me wrong they are an awesome engine,3 of the 4 have had full rebuilds at about 250k k/m, the 4th one has had a new head fitted and has now done 410k K/m....

 

[NzGinzu]

I have a 93 KZJ78, when i brought the car the last owner must have over heated it and i end up replacing it with a new head. I think the main thing is that you have to keep up with the maintenance especially the cooling side of things. While the new head was getting put in, I had the EGR blocked off and throw in a transmission cooler as I plan to use my car off road. the 1kz is a pretty nice motor and on the open road cruising at 2400rpm @100kph. One thing I did notice is that when you go up the high the auto gearbox doesnt seem to go down a gear till it drops down to 80kph but a flick down the gearbox and it will go up the hill nicely.. Fuel economy isnt the greatest in the world but I didnt buy my truck to save the planet..

 

[Gun Runner 5]

buggyboy7....................pm sent..............1978HJ45

 

[gotoy]

gotoy

Had a manual 1kz-te in a Lj70 for past 3 or 4 years. Can't complain. Different breed from 2lt and I am so so glad I changed.

The overheating issues seems to be more on the auto 1kz, especially the 1kz-t. So what most owners do is put in the AT Cooler and there seems to be no issues.

I can't say I actually know anyone personally who has had a 1kz overheat or had the head warped.

Usually, here in Malaysia, they are installed in the LJ70/78, after that with min maintenance they seems to run on and on.

I am referring to original land cruiser/surf 1kz's here and not the truck (Hiace) unit.

What more could you ask for with a potential 160kmph unladen vehicle cruising speed.

If you can get hold of the original prado (90series) 1kz-te with a factory intercooler your laughing.

 

[cicak]

i hear the 1kz is nicer but still is sketchey. People keep saying that but I have yet to see proof.
Look into a pz, I hear there nice rigs. Less money than something with a 1hz.
You can pick them up for about the cost of a nice 81 in Japan if not less.

Sketchy haha - I have had the 1KZ-TE in the GREEN mArdi Gra FLoat for almost 10months and no complaints (and this has been in and out of the jungle and done all sorts of road/offroad trips replacing the RED truck while its been banned from the road) except the auto overheated last weekend but that was my fault. Damn the little engine in LJ77 can take some stick and does not mind being revved . Now im going to go 5 speed manual with it.

1HZ very exy to fix.

 

[kzj78]

I've got a JDM KZJ78 which I purchased just over 1 year ago now. It had 138k on the clock and now sits at ~162k. I have had no problem so far but with the rash of comments and concerns raised, I do baby this truck.

I rarely drive over 110kmph, I shift fairly early (or at least earlier than when Wayne drove my truck) and I have only done some very light off roading. Had no problems with starting in the winter although in cold weather I notice a high level pinging that also most sounds like my old honda civic when the timing was too advanced, but this is only in the cold.

Wayne suggested I get pyro, temp and boost guages to monitor when driving. I have them in hand but just waiting to make a trip up to Wayne's cruiser spa to get them installed.

My buddies truck on the other hand, which is automatic and mine is manual, is a different story. See this post.

I plan on making this one the truck that changes attitudes about KZ's in Canada!

 

[Mark_kzj78]

I have a 1KZ-TE in a 94 (ish) KZJ78. Truck had 80K on it when I got it and now has 120K. I've had no problems except that a couple of weekends ago I was traveling on holiday with 4 adults and 2 kids and roof rack loaded with camping stuff. I was really working the engine on a hilly bit of road (like keeping 100KH) UP the long hills and the temp started heading towards redline. Once I had stopped and let it cool it was fine. I have driven 'normally' since and no more problems. I know 2 others with auto's that have both have head gaskets go. These engines in manual's are fine unless you 'wring them out' but in auto's......

 

[Gun Runner 5]

I have a 1KZ-TE in a 94 (ish) KZJ78. Truck had 80K on it when I got it and now has 120K. I've had no problems except that a couple of weekends ago I was traveling on holiday with 4 adults and 2 kids and roof rack loaded with camping stuff. I was really working the engine on a hilly bit of road (like keeping 100KH) UP the long hills and the temp started heading towards redline. Once I had stopped and let it cool it was fine. I have driven 'normally' since and no more problems. I know 2 others with auto's that have both have head gaskets go. These engines in manual's are fine unless you 'wring them out' but in auto's......

Just curious: Are you still running the factory water temp. gauge? ................1978HJ45

 

[Mark_kzj78]

Just curious: Are you still running the factory water temp. gauge? ................1978HJ45

original gauge - why?

 

[Gun Runner 5]

original gauge - why?

From my experience ( 1990 LJ78 ) the factory water temp. gauges can be terribly inaccurate. My gauge would read "all over the place" ( from normal to hot then back to normal in a matter of seconds). I replaced it with a good quality aftermarket unit and the water temp. is now very steady. I am not sure I would put a lot of faith in the factory gauge.
Take care......1978HJ45

 

[Mark_kzj78]

hmm interesting - up to that recent experience the gauge had always been steady. Once warmed up would sit at mid way all the time.
During my 'overheat' experience the gauge would rise as I went up a long hill under power and then when running down the hill the other side would cool off again as you would expect so I have not reason to doubt it. Would be nice to have an actual reading though. The gauge that you installed - did it fit in place of the factory one or somewhere else?

Regards
Mark

 

[Gun Runner 5]

hmm interesting - up to that recent experience the gauge had always been steady. Once warmed up would sit at mid way all the time.
During my 'overheat' experience the gauge would rise as I went up a long hill under power and then when running down the hill the other side would cool off again as you would expect so I have not reason to doubt it. Would be nice to have an actual reading though. The gauge that you installed - did it fit in place of the factory one or somewhere else?

Regards
Mark

Thought this would work better since I wanted to add an aftermarket oil pressure gauge also. ...........1978HJ45

 

[gotoy]

hmm interesting - up to that recent experience the gauge had always been steady. Once warmed up would sit at mid way all the time.
During my 'overheat' experience the gauge would rise as I went up a long hill under power and then when running down the hill the other side would cool off again as you would expect so I have not reason to doubt it. Would be nice to have an actual reading though. The gauge that you installed - did it fit in place of the factory one or somewhere else?

Regards
Mark

I am going to be fitting an extra temp gauge next few weeks and also an EGT gauge.

You are right about the factory gauge sticking in the middle. Only once have I seen it rise a little and that was when I forgot to check the radiator level...took a full 2 litres of fluids.

 

[gotoy]

My buddies truck on the other hand, which is automatic and mine is manual, is a different story. See this post.

I plan on making this one the truck that changes attitudes about KZ's in Canada!

I read that post and seems that a bad ass engine. Not the normal erks I read about. The comments on the fuel pump are worth noting.

 

[kbushnz]

I am running the 1KZTE in my LWB KZJ78... Its a 94 Jap import here into NZ.
When I got it it had 70,000 km on the clock in 2001 but I think it had been wound back.
I used it every work day doing a 70km round trip.
And also a weekend bus for the family.
Then I started converting it to off road... Oversize tyres, bar work.
At about 120,000 it had a overheat spike on a beach run...
Then 4 months later cracked a head.
That was back in 2004.
I replaced the head with a new one plus injectors etc etc. Got rid of the EGR system and cleaned out the intake manifold.
Ran like a dream after that...
It has just past 200,000 km and still going strong....
But has been moved from a daily driver to weekend warrior when the fuel prices here in NZ went crazy some two years ago.
I have had no other issues with the motor...And the Auto for that matter.
But I did install an oil cooler when I got it and also run Amsoil lubricants in the auto (best auto fluid out there) and also diffs...etc etc.