Kalawang said:
Harveya,
Looks like you and I have much the same rig. Yours is probably newer as my furniture is much simpler and not anywhere near as luxurious as yours. My engine is a 1HD-T.
I would suggest you change all fluids immediatly as you get the vehicle, and in doing so save samples of the old fluids into some small glass jars so you can check for solid particles after the fluids settle. I think it's also a good idea to change the timing belt immediatly unless you have confidence that the former owner treated the car properly.
I'm also experiencing a small deisel leak at my injector pump but it's so small, also about a teaspoon, I'm waiting for some energy before I decide to deal with it. I would much be interested if you post your experience as you deal with yours.
I've left my wheels without center caps, I don't like them, and it looks to me as if you have the slight forward lean, or nose droop, that I also have. It can be eliminated but I think only worth doing if you needed the very slight improvement for angle of attack. Bigger tires or a small suspension lift will do much more for that in a cost effective manner.
Would it be too surprising if I say that I think you bought yourself a very good car ?
Kalawang
Thanks, I think I got a good one too.
I've got a full service on my list probably for next week although the engine oil is clean and I have the receipt for a service done about 2 months ago just before I got it. However I've always felt that I prefer to do these jobs myself as I know what has been done.
I'm not going to touch the brake fluid however as It looks good and with brakes I don't touch unless it needs it (apart from doing a full replacement every 50K miles however I know this has been done twice on the vehicle since new so It's OK for now.
I'll also leave the coolant alone as the radiator was changed only about 5000 miles ago and new Toyota Red coolant added.
However Oil, filter, transfer case, transmission, diffs are all up for a change - especially as the front axle and transfer case are a bit noisy - although they are quietening down since driving it, think it hadn't had a decent run for a while.
Yep it certainly does have the rear up stance, but I'll leave that for now and majbe change the front and rear springs (they don't cost much here) when I do the suspension bushes.
I think the 1HD-T engine is great, loads of low down torque and it pulls like a train from about 1500 rpm all the way past 3800 rpm where it loses a bit of steam. Accelerating from 70mph is great, box doesn't even have to change down.
I've found that the leak is actually an oil leak from the vacuum pump not the injector pump - the guy who sold it to me said it was a fuel lift pump but having looked at the manual, there is no lift pump and the thing where it is leaking is actually the vacuum pump. It's coming from one of the banjo bolts, so I'll have to remove and replace the brass washers - pretty easy job I think. Injector pumps are more tricky, top seal on all toyota diesel pumps seem to go after a while.
I'm still thinking of replacing the Toyota alloys with some 8x16 steel spokes in black or some chrome and black modulars - although I do like the look of the spoked rock crawler type wheels.
I will be replacing the timing belt as it's an easy job - 30 minutes tops on the 1HD-T. Having changed timing belts 5 times on a 2LTE (2.4TD Toyota Diesel) the 1HD-T is a doddle. The 2.4 requires you to strip out the front of the engine and remove the bottom crankshaft pulley. ON the LC it's a few clips to remove the cover, pull off the belt, take back the slack on the tensioner, refit with all the timing marks set, release the tensioner, rotate engine a couple of times, tighten tensioner, cover on - Job done.
Where was you Cruiser originally built for, the Japanese and asian units tend to have a different specification than the UK and US ones. They never have leather although some have suede, they never have electric seats (except lumbar support) but they do often have winches, lifts, clinometers etc...
Cheers
Andy
