'90 LJ78 Prado: Engine on but no power

[LJ78ish]

Here’s my situation: I’ve got a 1990 LJ78, a trusty vehicle with under 180k miles that’s primarily driven by my wife. It’s well-maintained with regular fluid changes, so it threw me for a loop when she encountered an issue driving home. She described hearing a hissing sound as she exited the highway, and although the engine remained on, there was absolutely no power response when she pressed the pedal. She pulled over and shut down the Prado after a few minutes. At the same time, both the ATM Temp and the battery voltage lights came on. Engine temp was reading normally.

We had the Prado towed home and decided to replace the old battery (the battery light nudged me towards this), and also swapped out the fuel filter, suspecting dirty fuel. When I tried starting it today, the starter took off but the engine didn’t catch—no sign it was even trying. I suspect a fuel issue and plan to double-check the fuel filter tomorrow morning.

Now, here’s where it gets more puzzling: the ATM temp light remains lit, the battery indicator is off, but now the check engine and fuel filter lights are on. I was hoping for fewer warning lights, not more ... HA! I’ve also checked for any obvious issues like a cracked block, oil levels and color, belt conditions, and other fluids, all of which seem fine.

Any insights or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated!

- 2LT-E + automatic trans

Thanks in advance

 

[EngineBlockEggs]

My inclination is that this is either your fuel pump or your alternator. Get a multimeter and check your battery to see if it's being charged. I agree it sounds like a fuel issue but the multitude of warning lights sound like Toyota's method of letting you know your alternator is having problems.

 

[LJ78ish]

Hey everyone!

Life threw me a curveball, and I just found out my timing belt decided to call it quits—of course, a few thousand miles before it was due for maintenance. Classic, right? Anyway, I’ve been digging through this forum (thank goodness for this community!) and weighing my options. Here’s where I’m at:

Scenario 1: Hope for the Best
First step is to assess the damage—head, valves, camshaft, pistons, the whole shebang. If the bottom end is okay, I’m thinking of grabbing a Gen II head and related parts to get it back on the road. One step at a time before diving into anything major.

• Shoutout to this super helpful thread: 2LTE blown engine thread
• Fingers crossed because the engine was still running when my wife turned it off. Maybe there’s hope? We’ll see soon enough.

Scenario 2: Embrace the Swap
If the damage is ugly, I’m leaning towards a 1KZ-TE swap. Full engine, auto trans, wiring harness, ECU—the works. It "looks" like this engine is almost a one to one swap.

Scenario 3: Stick with the Devil I Know
If the damage is bad but not catastrophic, I might swap in another 2LTE and focus on upgrades to keep it reliable for the long haul. Depends on how hard it is to find the 2LTE and cost associated with it.
- good read in this post : Ideas for improving the 2LTE

Scenario 4: Cut My Losses
If it’s a total lost cause, selling it as-is could be on the table.


Extra Notes:

• Structurally, the Prado is in great shape. Just one tiny rust spot I’m planning to patch, plus an undercarriage spray for some future-proofing.
• Budget: I’m trying to keep this under $10k and avoid turning it into a bottomless money pit. Is 10k a doable price for a mechanic? I'm living in Memphis, TN and my garage & tools are at our house in Austin, TX.

Looking for your collective wisdom to steer me in the right direction. Any advice, experience, or moral support is welcome!

Thanks, and here’s hoping this doesn’t turn into a long saga!