70 series or prada? Ideas please.

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ticoman

ticoman

Joined
Oct 13, 2008
Threads
74
Messages
289
Location
stuart island BC canada and Costa Rica
cruiser.webp
Hi it has been a while since I posted but glad to be back.I am looking at buying this 1991 landcruiser II 3L diesel Is this considered a 70 series? wica. says it is a prado but I do not see a forum for prado or cruiser II.Is this a good ride? I live in Costa Rica,and the roads and rivers are a bit of a bitch.I have a BJ40 with a B diesel and it is very tough,but am looking for a bit more comfort and nicer ride I would sure appreciate any thoughts on this model? Is the 3L a good engine? are there any known issues with these trucks?.Thanks in advance, Don
cruiser.webp
 
Yes. it is a 70 series, LJ78 made from maybe 1990-1996? The Prado's/Landcruiser II were marketed as a replacement for the Bundera light duty 70 series. Decent enough truck, drove one when I was stationed in Japan.

I thought the Prados came with the 2LT/E? Eh, different markets have some different options. I used to have a HiAce van with the 3L in it, decent enough motor. Never had any problems with it:meh:
 
If it has a 2L-TE be sure to do some research. ( available on this Forum ) :)
 
to my knowledge the 3l is more commonly found in hilux models. there wont be (i dont think) that many people on here, with one in a cruiser.
you are, after all, researching an engine, so it might be worth your while asking the same question on some hilux forums. ill link to some below that i found very friendly.

the prado is a verrry comfortable vehicle, and rock solid apart from the 2lte motor found in them, which yours does not have.

If Wikipedia is right, and the 3L is 91hp, then your going to find it underpowered. The lj78 body is too heavy for it. fine around town, but show it a hill and it'll balk.


http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/viewforum.php?f=6

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/
 
If that vehicle has a 3L engine, I'm going to assume it has been transplanted in place of the original 2LTE. Do you have a picture of the engine in the vehicle? The 3L is much more reliable than the 2LTE, so this is an important thing to confirm.

Other than the engine, Prado's are certainly comfortable and capable. Does that truck have rear diff lock?
 
GTSSportCoupe said:
If that vehicle has a 3L engine, I'm going to assume it has been transplanted in place of the original 2LTE. Do you have a picture of the engine in the vehicle? The 3L is much more reliable than the 2LTE, so this is an important thing to confirm.

Other than the engine, Prado's are certainly comfortable and capable. Does that truck have rear diff lock?
Click to expand...

While my memory isn't what it used to be but I recall a 1992 or later LJ78 on Ebay in the last year or so that supposedly had a factory 3L diesel.
 
Redd said:
to my knowledge the 3l is more commonly found in hilux models. there wont be (i dont think) that many people on here, with one in a cruiser.
you are, after all, researching an engine, so it might be worth your while asking the same question on some hilux forums. ill link to some below that i found very friendly.

the prado is a verrry comfortable vehicle, and rock solid apart from the 2lte motor found in them, which yours does not have.

If Wikipedia is right, and the 3L is 91hp, then your going to find it underpowered. The lj78 body is too heavy for it. fine around town, but show it a hill and it'll balk.


http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/viewforum.php?f=6

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/
Click to expand...

Yes they're a HiLux/Surf based engine. My old landlord has one and his appetite for maintenance is less than stellar, I think the exhaust fell off last time I saw him driving. There's a million 2.8L diesel HiLux's and Surfs and 4Runner's getting around Oz. As Redd says, hit up one of those forums.
 
Weve had a few owners of these visit the forum.I think they are actually a LJ79. When they began to make the make the KZJ7* other markets retained the updated 3L engine .
The Red Cross had a few of them in SE Asia and a few owners from Mongolia have also reported owning these.
A lot of them seem to be a 4 sp with the R141 gearbox.
They also come in a 71 series.

Its not a really an uncommon vehicle

The 3L in an unturboed form are reliable,there are thousands of them in australia fitted to Hiuluxes with many seeing service in the mining and construction industry.
They take off as fast as 1HZ from the lights but do not have the same top end acceleration .
The head is not an issue.

The engine was also fitted to the Toyota Hiace before the 2KD VTE
 
Why do I keep seeing modern-ish trucks [post 85] in emerging nations with crazy things like 4 speed transmissions and drum brake front-ends? I saw an '88 HJ60 in Mongolia with drum brakes! And now this LJ79 with a 4 speed? s***s crase man..
 
You may want to check, is it a 3L or are you stating its displacement? as in 3L meaning 3 Litre, either way if its a 3L, great engine, slow but very reliable if its 3litre its a 1KZ and also a great engine but prone to cracking heads much like the 2Lt in the earlier Prados. Alot of people here in NZ fit the turbo etc off a 2Lt Prado/Surf onto the 3L engine.
 
cult45 said:
Why do I keep seeing modern-ish trucks [post 85] in emerging nations with crazy things like 4 speed transmissions and drum brake front-ends? I saw an '88 HJ60 in Mongolia with drum brakes! And now this LJ79 with a 4 speed? s***s crase man..
Click to expand...

Its a lot to do with the income of the buyers and the roads they have.
The US only had 4 sp FJ60 possibly because Ronald Reagan introduced a max speed of 50 mph to conserve fuel
 
roscoFJ73 said:
Its a lot to do with the income of the buyers and the roads they have.
The US only had 4 sp FJ60 possibly because Ronald Reagan introduced a max speed of 50 mph to conserve fuel
Click to expand...

President Jimmy Carter who served from 1977 until 1981 and was later defeated by Ronald Reagan introduced 55 mph as the new maximum speed on all federal highways as part of his "energy conservation" program. This was just one of many policies that made him one of the most unpopular presidents in recent history. :D
 
LJ = head issues, under powered, thirsty
KZ = head issues, lots of power, thirsty, "E" issues are a bitch to fix.
stick with the HD version.
 
more info

I talked to the guy again and he confirmed that the engine is a 3L natural. apparently they changed the 2.4 to other engines in 91? it does have a lockable diff and factory lift kit also he says it has a different gear ratio to ofset the paltry 91 H.P diesel. Car prices are high here due to the very high import duties on cars(95% on new ones he wants $1200.00 for it. 25.000 clicks on the odometer
3E63Mb3H65L65E15J8cbb1d29fc612dee1d2e.webp
 
the 3L NA is, from what the minitruck owners say, a much more reliable engine, slow, thirsty.
$1200 for a running truck????
curious, your location shows BC and yet you are living in Costa Rica? must be nice, i can only dream of living in SA.
for $1200 i would give it a shot.
 
ticoman said:
I talked to the guy again and he confirmed that the engine is a 3L natural. apparently they changed the 2.4 to other engines in 91? it does have a lockable diff and factory lift kit also he says it has a different gear ratio to ofset the paltry 91 H.P diesel. Car prices are high here due to the very high import duties on cars(95% on new ones he wants $1200.00 for it. 25.000 clicks on the odometer
Click to expand...

A lot of aussie owners get 3-400000 klms out of those engines in their hiluxes.
For $1200 its probably about 1/5th of it parts value in most countries.
You can get $500+ for each of those front doors in oz.

IF the body is good,take it and worry about anything else later.
He is correct about the diff ratio,I think they are about 4.83??

Not sure about the "factory lift kit" ,thats a new one on me. Unless he means those adjustable shock absorbers which would probably be ready for the bin by now
 
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roscoFJ73 said:
Its a lot to do with the income of the buyers and the roads they have.
The US only had 4 sp FJ60 possibly because Ronald Reagan introduced a max speed of 50 mph to conserve fuel
Click to expand...

I'd still introduce a 5 speed. 5th = less revs = less fuel. ??
 
1200 must be a typo, things are not quite that cheap in Costa Rica. If it is not a typo, and you decide you don't want it. PM me because I'll buy it for that price!
 
sorry bout that. The price is $12,000.00 my bad.
 
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