70 series. What is the best engine to import? (1 Viewer)

[Douglas S]

I love my troopy (2H engine), but no turbo at altitude makes it more of a pig than it usually is. I don't really care, I just go slow. When I rebuild the engine someday, I'll probably add a turbo. Or if I win the lottery, swap out a 1HD-T.



My wife insisted on our HDJ81 (gotta love my woman!) because she loves the 80 we've had for a while and wanted the same thing. SHE was the one that wanted the RHD diesel (again, love her). I tried talking her into a 100 or lower milage 80... nothin doin. We've had it comp tested (came out great!) and it's getting the BEBs, valve adj, timing belt, etc currently done ($$). The brakes need love, the rear pinion seal is gone, a front end service is due and maybe new birfields, and the alternator might be shot ($$$). And that's just the obvious stuff. The 1HD-T engine is awesome at altitude, but not as strong or peppy as the gas 1FZ-FE. But we got interested in diesels when gas was $5/gal. The 1HD-T gets 17mpg while the gas gets 12mpg (my PU with the tiny 22RE gets 19-20mpg).


Harrumph, Harrumph! All of our LCs have cost us a bunch of money, more than ever anticipated! On our third project now and kinda used to it. My pickup is super cheap to keep rolling: alternators cost $120 for the PU, $225 for the FZJ80, and $635 for the HDJ81! If I didn't have a cool wife, we'd be driving normal boring cars... and my truck.

Alternators are easy to rebuild. Dropping $635 for a stock 12 volt 80amp alternator is insanity.

If you really want to spend money: Toyota 1HZ Alternators | High Output Alternators by M2K

 

[coldtaco]

Europe is starting to get old enough HZJ-70/73 showing up that would be eligible for import. Problem with Europe imports is they have a problem with rust. Best bets would be trucks from Italy/Spain/Portugal, but these can also have rust, so do your homework. Patience would get you what you want. LLC and joekatana probably can help with Europe trucks.

 

[DamoPeru]

Alternators are easy to rebuild. Dropping $635 for a stock 12 volt 80amp alternator is insanity.

If you really want to spend money: Toyota 1HZ Alternators | High Output Alternators by M2K

Beware with these, mine didn't fit at all. Still haven't fitted it as i have to fab up a new adjuster bracket to bolt it to. I got the 270xp model.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

Then my mission is accomplished - just wanted to raise up the topic.

Couple of related questions - who will service the truck and where will you buy parts?

As you noted, "exotic" in our market. Onur/Beno and others can speak to the issue much better than i, but 13BT parts are getting harder to find due to limited production run ending some 30 years ago. 1HZ are still in production (new rigs and replacement parts) but those motors wee not sold in North America except for specialty markets such as mining.

Our friendly, local Toyota dealer don't speak diesel or stock what you will need in most cases....

How long are you willing to wait for parts from Japan or Australia?

vote again 1hz, but please be warned that at the current time, toyota sales of the united state has taken many 70 series parts off the supply list including the timing belt which at last count 378 sat in the central warehouse in Ontario, CA. but multiple dealers had zero success aquiring one to sell to me. You can get them from ENS in saskatoon, $57 CDN each (for a part that was $18 US discount at US dealers). Valve shims are also off the list. simple service stuff.

These are EXACTLY the reasons I am VERY gun shy at getting a Non-USA truck.
I am not worried about who will service my truck (I own tools, and a Factory Service Manual would be orderd at the same time as the truck) but I am concerned about getting parts that need to be changed out.

I can't just go to AutoZone/Napa/Oreily/CarQuest and pick up a reman'd alternator, or a soft hose, or a timing belt or... if I need one NOW as it's my ride to work in an hour.

And it's sounding like Toyota doesn't want to sell the parts, either. Just another example how Toyota is giving the cold shoulder to the enthusiast market.

 

[broth9640]

These are EXACTLY the reasons I am VERY gun shy at getting a Non-USA truck.
I am not worried about who will service my truck (I own tools, and a Factory Service Manual would be orderd at the same time as the truck) but I am concerned about getting parts that need to be changed out.

I can't just go to AutoZone/Napa/Oreily/CarQuest and pick up a reman'd alternator, or a soft hose, or a timing belt or... if I need one NOW as it's my ride to work in an hour.

And it's sounding like Toyota doesn't want to sell the parts, either. Just another example how Toyota is giving the cold shoulder to the enthusiast market.

Parts are pretty easily obtained through different channels. Of course your corner store ain't gonna cut it, but there are many,many sources to get just about every part possible for a 70 series. Sure it takes a few weeks in some cases, but most times, its a matter of days. The FJ40 has far more unobtainium parts than any other series. Just my 2c. The diesel awesomeness combined with the creature comforts makes it more than worth the hassle. The more of these that come to the states the more we will see available from vendors as well.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

@Tigerstripe40 .... "I can't just go to AutoZone/Napa/Oreily/CarQuest and pick up a reman'd alternator, or a soft hose, or a timing belt or... if I need one NOW as it's my ride to work in an hour."

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I wouldn't necessarily consider any 25+ year old vehicle as a daily driver unless I had Uber on speed dial.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

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I wouldn't necessarily consider any 25+ year old vehicle as a daily driver unless I had Uber on speed dial.

And exactly why my FJ40 is not my DD any longer.
I have a 2008 Tacoma which is.

I'd love to have a JDM 'Cruiser ,but I also need to have something I can rely on as a DD, especially if I am going to be making payments on it, which I would have to do with a JDM 'Cruiser.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

I've always driven my Cruisers at least 2-3 times a week which included some fairly long road trips and reliability has never been a issue. I do however realize they're old and underpowered and drive them accordingly.

 

[ozcrusier]

It's strange how Australians love your Chevrolet v8 diesels engines and import heaps of them to tranplant into landcruisers but you guys never run them.
Brunswick Diesels

 

[AirheadNut]

Everybody does Cummins swaps here instead.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

This is the General Motors Diesel engine most Americans remember.

 

[ozcrusier]

I got offered two of those engines for $400 bucks and declined after some home work.
Don't get me wrong the Toyota diesels rule in my book but a good friend of mine just spent big dollars installing 6.5 chev in his Sahara.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Although I've never owned one, I think their latest offering is vastly improved.

 

[coldtaco]

My 31yr old is my daily driver.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

The Oldsmobile diesels and the Chevrolet diesels had completely different development cycles and teams.
The Olds diesel was a small block gasoline olds diesel motor that was converted into a diesel design. From what I understand, the issue was with the heads, and not the blocks themselves.

The Duramax diesel was designed by and I believe manufactured by Isuzu.

Not to hijack...

<Hijack>
I like watching some of the PowerNation stuff and V8 TV on Youtube.



The Olds 'DX' diesel block seems to be a really stout bottom end for building high horsepower, force inducted motors. Apparently, they are a high nickel content block, with thick webbing in the mains, and other desirable features (I believe priority main oiling). While the Olds diesel was a poor diesel, they were easily modified to accept Big block Olds mains, cranks, and small block gasoline engine heads in order to do anything you want with them.

Toyota also had an issue with a gasoline block and head design.
Ever heard of the 3VZ-E?
</Hijack>

 

[ozcrusier]

My 31yr old is my daily driver.

As above.
1985 hj75 is also my daily driver

 

[DanMedeiros]

I already have a 1997 LX450 that we love. This is my daily driver. I am a bit reluctant to sell our paid off 2012 mazda 3 and commit to TWO, expensive, old, hard to find parts for trucks. On paper this is a pretty dumb financial decision. Worse of all it cuts into the budget for upgrading/restoring my 80!

That being said I don't think we can resist. Wife took one drive in my friends troops and won't stop talking about them. Oh well that god we don't have kids....... though I'm sure she will want one of those too.

 

[ozcrusier]

Decision is already made if the better half wants a 70.
Does your wife have a sister.
I would try and find a late model 70 with a 1hz engine.
Happy cruiser hunting