90 & 91 Prado w/2LT engines

[Rooman]

Hi Guys,

I want to thank you for this site. It is invaluable!

After reading all the threads on ther 2LT engines I can make an informed decision as to go or no go on the Prado.
It is a great looking vehicle but who needs the headache if the head might go on you.
I have found a 91 Prado in BC Canada with 98k km's on it.

How can you determine if the engine has been abused before purchasing?

Cheers

 

[crushers]

with out trying to sound offensive, if after all your research on these engines why would you even bother asking?

but that aside, how can you tell if an engine has been abuse or are you asking what to check on a 2LTE before purchsing?

if it is the first then:
abuse:
excessive oil consumption, poor fuel milage, poor performance, rad plugged with dirt
neglect:
oil leaks, fan belts cracked, rad plugged, dirty

if it is the second part then :
coolant pressure test, road test, compression test

MAKE SURE YOU GET A WARRANTY especially on the head...

if it is from an importer then get them to fax or email you the Japan auction inspection report...and ask someoen to help translate...

 

[denis]

provision the $$$ and get ready to change the head when time comes and you'll be a happy camper. Servicing/ upgrading the cooling system right away would be money well spent as well.
The ride quality/offroad performance/cost is quite unbeatable.

 

[fish78]

Hey Rooman,

I've been in the same boat as you, let me give you some advice. I bought a prado from one of the toyota dealerships here in town. I went down, took one spin in it and fell in love with the truck. No matter how much bad press i read about it on the forums, i was always looking at the cracked head issues and thinking, "well, its not a garunteed thing, maybe i'll get lucky and it wont happen to me". I bought my truck with my heart, not my head. Bad decision.

The head on my truck went within the first month of owning it, and lucky for me i had a warranty on it. However, the hassles of getting the dealership to honour their warranty (which they only partially ended up doing, i still had to pay for part of the repair out of my own pocket) and being without transportation for 2 months while the parts were ordered, i simply wouldnt do it again.

Driving the truck around, i'm always worrying about engine temperatures, and it takes some of the enjoyment out of owning a land cruiser, these are supposed to be bullet-proof trucks.

It feels a little funny saying "don't do what i did" because i didnt lisiten to my own advice when i bought my own truck. When you make your decision, just dont take these issues lightly, they're a definate reality. When you're budgeting for purchasing a prado, make sure you put aside the money for getting that head replaced, cause its eventually gonna go. And if you can get some kind of warranty on the engine, make sure its in clear writing so they can't jerk you around!

Maybe consider waiting for the 2nd gen prado's (the KZJs) to become available, the engines in those units are supposed to be much more soild. I've been told that when they hit the canadian markets, the resale values of the first gens will go down, cause who wants to buy a rig with a crappy engine when you can buy the same truck with a better engine for around the same import price we're paying now. Also take a look at a HZJ77 maybe....

 

[crushers]

well written advice Steve...

 

[Rooman]

Thanks

To answer crusher....it is the look and size I want but you are all correct! Stay away.
I suppose I was trying to convince myself it will all be good.

Thanks for the timely advice. I am on the hunt for something else now.

 

[denis]

Maybe consider waiting for the 2nd gen prado's (the KZJs) to become available, the engines in those units are supposed to be much more soild. I've been told that when they hit the canadian markets, the resale values of the first gens will go down, cause who wants to buy a rig with a crappy engine when you can buy the same truck with a better engine for around the same import price we're paying now. Also take a look at a HZJ77 maybe....

I don't know how much those cruisers sell for in Canada so I can't comment on the value for money,but you need to do a lot more research before you call the 2LT engine "crappy" and the 1KZ-T "much more solid".

 

[light_duty]

People have really become scared of the 2L-TE, which is too bad. There's no doubt that having to replace the head on a newly-acquired vehicle is not fun, but if you go into it with your eyes wide open, at least you know the potential. Once you've done the head, and brought everything up to speed, you should be good, as long as you learn how to drive the thing and don't abuse it or neglect it.

I think the biggest problem for people is that parts and service personnel in North America will not be able to help much with work on the 2L-TE. If you go with the 2L-TE, you need to know that, aside from forums like this one and whatever you can find online, you are largely on your own. [edit: or you will pay THROUGH THE NOSE to have someone do it for you.]

A final opinion...Prados have been overpriced for a while now, because they are cool-looking trucks, good on fuel, etc. But I'm willing to bet that the price will be coming down like a rock as they develop a reputation as unreliable. For a decent HZJ77, you'll be looking at close to $20,000. My bet is that by next spring you'll be able to find nice LJ78 Prados for less than half that - a not a bad deal for the RIGHT buyer.

 

[Psilosin]

^^

Regarding prices of Prado's. I did get a kick out of talking to I believe it was the service manager at Penticton Toyota about the cracked head Prados and having him bitch and moan about the money they have lost on them.

Considering they have been selling most of their units at $16-19thousand even after doing the heads under warranty I would think they would still be ahead profit wise. Now if they were selling Prado's at Hilux Surf prices (8-13K) I could see them crying about lost money. The purchase price in Japan for a Surf or a Prado is only different by like $1K so the differential higher selling price here in Canada is pure gravy to the seller.

Those Prados do look nice and have the features to go with it that would make for a nice camping cruiser. Even though my 2LT experience with Hilux Surf's has been good, one thing I have been thinking about is trying to find a minty looking Prado with a cooked 2LT for real cheap and go against the diesel trend and put a nice reliable and cheap 22R in it. Then you got the looks, the functionality, and the freedom of not staring at your rpm gauge, your EGT gauge and your Water Temp gauge in a state of constant fear. ;p

 

[crushers]

not quite, a high end prado is twice to 3 times the price of a high end surf. the lower end prados are cheap, some really cheap. mind you i have not been watching the prices of Prados in the last 6 months so they might have dropped considerably...

if i was to do a swap into a prado i would find a buick V6 and in she goes... power and decent fuel milage (in a gassers eyes)...

 

[Island Moose]

People have really become scared of the 2L-TE, which is too bad. There's no doubt that having to replace the head on a newly-acquired vehicle is not fun, but if you go into it with your eyes wide open, at least you know the potential. Once you've done the head, and brought everything up to speed, you should be good, as long as you learn how to drive the thing and don't abuse it or neglect it.
.

I'm not so sure about that, haven't we heard from an owner here who has had the 2nd head go as well? Certainly driving up hills can't be classified as "abusive" driving, yet that's the very thing that's wrecking these engines.

Why not find yourself a BJ70 or 74? You want the Sherman Tank Landcruiser experience, there's no better choice.

 

[Saswoi]

Good Luck

I bought a 91 Prado with 118032kms on it. I bought it after the fact that this engine has a issue with over heating. I have changed all fluids flushed rad and engine, Put in a inline engine heater and a small oil pan heater. Also a mechanical temp gauge.

The shape of this Toyota is outstanding. I pulled all the seats out and the rugs to see what I would find. No surprises it has some wear on the drivers seat and the shiny spots on the steering wheel. It would be hard to find a vehicle in north america in this kind of shape.

How many Prado's come over with a cracked head ? These Landcruisers are not made to cruise all day long @ 80mph. You have to drive them in the power curve.

I am enjoying my Prado. Who makes a diesel in north america to sell ? This is why I bought my Prado.

 

[crushers]

curious, how many km have you put on it? how long have you owned it?

 

[Saswoi]

Happy Prado Owner

I have owned it for three months and have put 3000kms on it. Milage around the city is 19-22mpg out on the highway 31-36mpg. I try to drive wit out the turbo light lighting. I have also ajusted the timing alittle, what a difference. I currently have 385kms on this tank and the gauge reads just over half. I need to finf the fuel screw so I can see if it has been played with.

 

[roscoFJ73]

if i was to do a swap into a prado i would find a buick V6 and in she goes... power and decent fuel milage (in a gassers eyes)...

Has that swap been done much your way? Its quite common downunder.
Here they use the Commodore V6 which is based on the buick V6 and highly refined .
The Hiluxs with V6 can do some scary high speed hill climbs that chill the blood of cruiser and patrol owners

 

[crushers]

there has been no Prados done yet but this is a well liked swapping in the mini truck crowd...

 

[crushers]

I have owned it for three months and have put 3000kms on it. Milage around the city is 19-22mpg out on the highway 31-36mpg. I try to drive wit out the turbo light lighting. I have also ajusted the timing alittle, what a difference. I currently have 385kms on this tank and the gauge reads just over half. I need to finf the fuel screw so I can see if it has been played with.

i can say this is the only Prado with this kind of fuel milage. you are getting about 4-5 mpg city and 5 to 10 mpg highway better than any other Prado ...

 

[1990 LJ78]

Prado & my 2L-TE

Well I've read all these threads..and have to say --
I got my Prado back in april with 51000kms (on the speedo) real kms? Who really knows...
I use this truck as a daily driver. (it gets me to work, so far every day). It also gets me and my gear to gigs that are all over the GTA. (when I talk gear I mean packed to the gills with only enough room for me to drive, thats probably 500 or 600 extra pounds) so I know I am working this truck.
I'm well aware of the issues with this motor.
I still have not checked my milage but know I can go about 200kms on a quarter of a tank of fuel city & highway mixed. The reason I have not checked its fuel economy is I do not really care.. I just put the fuel in and drive it no matter what it consumes I still have to put the fuel in any way, and I do drive within the power band of the motor.

My Prado has earned the nickname Turtle (even though it flys on the 400series highways around here).. I do all the maintenence this vehicle requires or the mechanic dose..
I've had the rad rebuild and up sized and keep the cooling system serviced.
In 40degree summer temps the temp guage dose raise and run a little higher but never over 1/3 since the rad rebuild.
I have yet to install a Pyrometer or water temp guages, but at some point I will as everything I want to do with this truck takes time and mostly money to boot..

To date I have 64658kms on the speedo of this truck I've had it under coated twice to help it combat rust which to date it dose not have.. So since April I have put on 13658kms and have enjoyed every one of them..I'm not saying the head will never crack and I do not know IF OR WHEN it will.. If it dose I'll have it fixed. I also can not say I babe this truck, like I said I work it pretty heavily. Every place I go the truck takes me there via hill or flat road which dose not seem phase the truck.
Sure I glace at the temp guage now and then even in the Montana I own (Rarely gets out of the garage) I do that but my eyes are not glued to it
My experiences with My Toyota Prado SX5 has been nothing like I ever expected. I'm one of those guys who fell in love with it bought it and drive it a lot.

Just had to get all this out. Hope along the way it shed a positive light on these trucks instead of beating them to death cause of the motor and is only my experience. Which I must say I'm thankfull I've had..

All the best guys

 

[light_duty]

i can say this is the only Prado with this kind of fuel milage. you are getting about 4-5 mpg city and 5 to 10 mpg highway better than any other Prado ...

Wayne, some folks actually let off on the accelerator from time to time...

 

[endless]

I'm not so sure about that, haven't we heard from an owner here who has had the 2nd head go as well? Certainly driving up hills can't be classified as "abusive" driving, yet that's the very thing that's wrecking these engines.

Well, we've had our 2nd head go, although I really don't know if it was the same problem or not.