Sure wish I had your mad skills, or maybe not then I would be tackling more than I should 
Builds Another Prado in Montana (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter AirheadNut
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- #202
Well, most of those skills didn't exist when I started the project, it has definitely been a learning experience!Sure wish I had your mad skills, or maybe not then I would be tackling more than I should
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- #203
I've been doing a little research into the TDI cooling requirements, and have discovered that I have my radiator fan programed to come on too soon and shut off too late. Currently the turn on temp is 195ºF (90.5ºC) and turn off temp is 180ºF (82.2ºC). I found specifications for the VW fan controller; it is a two speed fan as opposed to my single speed, but the low speed is supposed to come on at 197.6ºF (92ºC), and the high speed comes on at 210.2ºF (99ºC). Also, I found that the thermostat starts opening at 185ºF (85ºC) and is fully open at 221ºF (105ºC). I realized that most of the time in my setup the thermostat isn't allowed to have an effect before the fan comes on. I'm going to reprogram the fan controller and see how things look.
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- #204
Fueled it up today, mileage was 22.6 mpg, or 10.4 l/100km. Not as good as I was hoping for, but I did push it on hills and tried to maintain 110km/h when possible. I did 115km/h for a bit, and hit over 120 passing someone. All things considered I can’t complain!
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- #205
Catching up on a few things that had to be done before the trip.
Heat wrapped the exhaust downpipe:
I also removed the third row seating, it had been on the to-do list for a while. There is so much extra space now!
As a temporary measure I removed the rear window wiper and flipped the tire carrier to fit my spare. Still on the lookout for a used spacer so I can have a rear wiper again.
Hoping to get out this weekend and stretch its legs again to test the changes I made to the radiator fan controller. Maybe I'll do a bit of snow wheeling too...
Heat wrapped the exhaust downpipe:
I also removed the third row seating, it had been on the to-do list for a while. There is so much extra space now!
As a temporary measure I removed the rear window wiper and flipped the tire carrier to fit my spare. Still on the lookout for a used spacer so I can have a rear wiper again.
Hoping to get out this weekend and stretch its legs again to test the changes I made to the radiator fan controller. Maybe I'll do a bit of snow wheeling too...
If you are still in Bozeman, I have one spacer that's sitting on my shelf that you can have for free.
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- #207
PM Sent!
Interesting that your wiper didn’t work when you flipped the spare mount. I did this on my BJ70 that I had and was still able to use the rear wiper
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- #210
Possibly the LJ78 has a different wheel offset than a BJ70? Not sure why else, there was a solid 1/2" of interference between the tire sidewall and the wiper.
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- #211
Went for a little drive today to test my cooling fan setup. Outside temperatures were around 15ºF (-9ºC). I drove for about 20 minutes at 80-110 km/h, and then drove a narrow, steep hill at 40 km/h. The thermostat must be slow to open, because the coolant temperature started climbing fast once I slowed down, and reached almost 220ºF (104ºC), but the radiator was still cold. I opened the rad cap and the coolant wasn't circulating. Going back down the hill the temps dropped down to around 170ºF (77ºC), and once back on the highway went back to around 190ºF (88ºC) and stayed there. I am beginning to wonder if I have some part of the cooing system plumbed wrong. Anyway, here are a couple of shots I grabbed along the way:
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- #212
Took another drive this afternoon, the Prado performed flawlessly.
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- #213
A package arrived today:
It should help keep the engine a little cleaner, I just need to figure out where to mount it.
It should help keep the engine a little cleaner, I just need to figure out where to mount it.
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- #214
Started it up at 3ºF (-16ºC) yesterday morning. Took three tries before my poor little 1.4kw starter could crank the engine fast enough for it to catch. I was planning on camping next weekend, but with -20ºF (-29ºC) lows predicted I don't think I could get it started in the mornings. The hunt for a decently priced used Webasto/Espar has commenced.
GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
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- #216
I've also been researching more powerful starters; the VW originally came with a 2.25kw starter, and apparently the 1996+ 4Runner and Tacoma had an optional cold weather package that included a 1.8kw starter rather than the standard 1.4kw. However, it would appear that this was only available with automatic transmissions, not manuals, so I can't tell if the 1.8kw starter would fit on a M/T vehicle like mine. I'm thinking a trip to a local auto parts store to compare the two might be in order.
I should probably get my battery tested too, since it is pretty old.
I should probably get my battery tested too, since it is pretty old.
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- #217
Yesterday I turned over 118,517 km on the odometer, passing the 5000 km mark since finishing the swap. I was going to write a short post on how apart from the initial problems with the turbo and manifold, everything has been working flawlessly. As of this afternoon, though, that's no longer true. On the way into town I started smelling a hot, burning rubber smell. Then at a stoplight the engine stumbled a couple of times, so I pulled over and popped the hood to find this:
Notice anything missing? It took me a minute to figure out what went wrong, but this settled it:
I had installed a new belt and idler pulley, but for some reason had neglected to change out the tensioner assembly as well. The tensioner pulley seized up, burning the belt and melting the plastic idler pulley to boot. So now I'm waiting for parts to arrive before I can have power steering and an alternator again!
Notice anything missing? It took me a minute to figure out what went wrong, but this settled it:
I had installed a new belt and idler pulley, but for some reason had neglected to change out the tensioner assembly as well. The tensioner pulley seized up, burning the belt and melting the plastic idler pulley to boot. So now I'm waiting for parts to arrive before I can have power steering and an alternator again!
This is a much better why to secure your spare..... I have a few washers back there to get it barely off the rear wiper lol.
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- #219
Parts have arrived!
Here is what the old, melted idler pulley looked like compared to the new one:
All back together!
Even more exciting than the new serpentine belt stuff, though, was another package from Diesel Fuel Injection Specialists in Portland
Can't wait to get them installed and load up the Stage 4 tune!
Here is what the old, melted idler pulley looked like compared to the new one:
All back together!
Even more exciting than the new serpentine belt stuff, though, was another package from Diesel Fuel Injection Specialists in Portland
Can't wait to get them installed and load up the Stage 4 tune!
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- #220
Today was the first day of proper wrenching I've done since I started daily driving the Prado. I got the injectors swapped out and installed the 3 bar MAP sensor, then loaded the Stage 4 tune onto the ECU. Lots more power, quite a lot of smoke and EGT's are through the roof! I had trouble keeping under 1250ºF in 4th gear, and once hit 1414ºF before I could back off. 
For some reason once the boost reaches the set 22psi, the ECU backs it off to around 10psi immediately, causing it to overfuel and run really hot. Not wanting to melt anything, I reloaded the Stage 1 tune for the drive home. Hoping to get this sorted out with the tuning company soon so I can take advantage of the fuel I now have available.
For some reason once the boost reaches the set 22psi, the ECU backs it off to around 10psi immediately, causing it to overfuel and run really hot. Not wanting to melt anything, I reloaded the Stage 1 tune for the drive home. Hoping to get this sorted out with the tuning company soon so I can take advantage of the fuel I now have available.
