Back in the Saddle, only this time in a KZJ78 (Coming from a long line of 80s) What should the top of my list should look like? (1 Viewer)

[Tigris]

Hello fellas,

It's been years since I was here last (under the username "TheMoe"). It's good to be back among my people!

After owning 4 80s of different flavors and many other TLCs in the past, and selling my last fzj80 just before the damn prices went through the roof, I had yet another cruiser flare-up and pulled the trigger on a 1996 KZJ78 last night. I bought this practically stock rig sight unseen right after it touched down from it's long slow boat ride from Japan.

The truck will have about 160k miles on it with little to no known information on prior maintenance and use. Now I am no stranger to owning TLCs and know that a complete baseline is THE first thing to do. With that being said, what are the top preventive maintenance/mandatory mods I need to have done right away? I've done some research and I think that temperature control measures are high on the list (especially when the truck will be living with me in Tampa where the heat is on full time.

Please don't hesitate to ask me what I know so far on this truck.

Oh, and let me just go ahead and salute myself!

 

[FJ40 that green thing]

Hey, congrats @Tigris ! I just bought the same about 4 months ago. 1996 KZJ78. Super fun vehicles. Now that these are legally importable, I think were going to start seeing more and more around. The 1KZ motor has been solid for me so far. I daily drive it in my small town and have done a handful of longer road trips including a recent 1,000 mile Moab trip. Other than the obvious cooling measures everyone likes to mention on these, be sure your timing belt has been replaced on schedule, if you are unable to verify I'd probably do that and then a baseline with fluids and maintenance, check hubs and diffs, etc. The electronic hubs on mine have worked perfectly but alot of people like to switch those to manual selectable hubs for reliability. The radiators seem to be a weak point on this vehicle as well, OEM is NLA so finding a good aftermarket replacement radiator may be on your short list. Proper lift and tires will likely need to be at the top as well if its still stock. Start a build thread and share your progress, I'll be looking forward to it.

 

[Tigris]

Thanks fj40 that green thing! I can't wait to see the truck this coming week.

Correct, a timing belt is up there in the list. I was actually contemplating an aftermarket (or possibly an OEM from a different vehicle) with larger dimensions and more cores (since I am planning an on doing an extension surgery to the front end soon).

What do you guys consider a good source of parts such as weatherstripping, exterior trim, rubber under the hood etc?
Is Dan still the man? Lol

 

[FJ40 that green thing]

@cruiserdan is still the man, but I think he is less familiar with the JDM vehicles part sourcing. Who you likely want to reach out to is Dave @Japan4X4 or sales@japan4x4.com for locally sourced parts in Japan. A surprisingly large amount of parts can be crossreferenced with USA models too, for example, my heater blower fan was squealing upon arrival and I found a replacement at the local Napa for a 4runner I believe? Perfect fit. Rear brake pads match FJCruiser, front pads from a 90's 4runner, Extended brake lines from Tundra, etc. Partsouq, megazip, beforward, etc. are some sources for harder to find and OEM parts. I've also had good luck with Ebay if you can identify the part numbers first that for sure helps, many body parts and accessories are still available new as they are mostly compatible with the currently produced 76 series land cruiser sold in certain markets today. You can even get stuff from your local toyota dealer depending on availability. @cruiseroutfit for mechanical parts and upgrades, the list goes on. Dobinsons, OME and Ironman for lift options. Dobinsons front and rear bumpers. There is alot of info on the forum as well if you search and dig for the info. Many have been down your path with the LJ's and now KZJ's. What is your front end mod looking like? I'm curious.

 

[cruiserdan]

@cruiserdan is still the man, but I think he is less familiar with the JDM vehicles.

I'm quite familiar with JDMs. I have owned a BJ74 since 2013. On the other hand I retired form the car business 6 years ago (after a brief 37 years). I was informed that I belonged in a museum, so...

 

[FJ40 that green thing]

I'm quite familiar with JDMs. I have owned a BJ74 since 2013. On the other hand I retired form the car business 6 years ago (after a brief 37 years). I was informed that I belonged in a museum, so...

Maybe I should have worded that differently, just trying to get OP a source for parts as requested. You aren't currently in the parts sourcing business for JDM and unusual Toyota vehicles as I understand it, although around them all day. Correct me if I am wrong. That museum is a perfect place for you and I mean that in the best way possible! I hope you are enjoying it and are proud of your work. It is an impressive museum and collection. Invaluable experience and knowledge, that is why you are still the man.

 

[cruiserdan]

Back in the day I did chase non-US stuff through the TMS system. These days Cruiser Outfitters is my first stop for non-US application parts.

Full disclosure, Kurt is a good friend of mine and he sits on the Museum's Board of Directors.

 

[Tigris]

@cruiserdan is still the man, but I think he is less familiar with the JDM vehicles. Who you likely want to reach out to is Dave @Japan4X4 or sales@japan4x4.com for locally sourced parts in Japan. A surprisingly large amount of parts can be crossreferenced with USA models too, for example, my heater blower fan was squealing upon arrival and I found a replacement at the local Napa for a 4runner I believe? Perfect fit. Rear brake pads match FJCruiser, front pads from a 90's 4runner, Extended brake lines from Tundra, etc. Partsouq, megazip, beforward, etc. are some sources for harder to find and OEM parts. I've also had good luck with Ebay if you can identify the part numbers first that for sure helps, many body parts and accessories are still available new as they are mostly compatible with the currently produced 76 series land cruiser sold in certain markets today. You can even get stuff from your local toyota dealer depending on availability. @cruiseroutfit for mechanical parts and upgrades, the list goes on. Dobinsons, OME and Ironman for lift options. Dobinsons front and rear bumpers. There is alot of info on the forum as well if you search and dig for the info. Many have been down your path with the LJ's and now KZJ's. What is your front end mod looking like? I'm curious.

Thanks again for the help!

Yeah so it turned out that a buddy of mine is on a short tour in Oman, and he managed to source a complete front end (everything forward of the A pillar) from an OEM vdj76, yes I believe it's Australian (minus the engine and accessories, sadly) and he will be shipping it all in a couple of weeks when his trip is over. So, I am basically going to swap it up from my front end, take advantage of the additional space behind the grill, and then gut out the rig and paint it inside and out in beige.

 

[FJ40 that green thing]

Thanks again for the help!

Yeah so it turned out that a buddy of mine is on a short tour in Oman, and he managed to source a complete front end (everything forward of the A pillar) from an OEM vdj76, yes I believe it's Australian (minus the engine and accessories, sadly) and he will be shipping it all in a couple of weeks when his trip is over. So, I am basically going to swap it up from my front end, take advantage of the additional space behind the grill, and then gut out the rig and paint it inside and out in beige.

Yikes, jealous. I would love to do that mod. I think the new 76 series wagon looks so much better although the Prado front end is growing on me. Reminds me of the 55 wagon a little bit. Def gonna need a build thread.

 

[FJ40 that green thing]

In a strange way, the KZJ78 also reminds me of the elusive PX10 as well. Its like a blast of the past mixed with some modernization of the 70 series (ha ha) The coil suspension and solid axles are a great improvement over the 40 series as far as comfort. Reasons the 80 series so popular as well as Jeep Wranglers for offroading. I really wish Toyota still offered something similar, we need an FJ Cruiser reboot. This time, solid axles and removeable top. Somehow jeeps Wrangler is still a knockout seller and has been modernized. Photo cred, Selden Motors and LCHM.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Congratulations on your new cruiser! I went from a 1991 fj80 to a kzj78 too. I got my kzj78 around the same time as @FJ40 that green thing back in early December and I have had to do birfields and a few other things that go bad on a lot of land cruisers. My e hubs were no good when I purchased mine. of course the first time I drove it on the beach I figured it out quick when I got mega stuck. @Radd Cruisers has good adapters for manual locking hubs. and of course cruiser outfitters is an awesome place to get parts. Like many people have said just make sure your engine stays cool! I have an aftermarket radiator and a few other mods that are helping keep it cool.

I cant wait to see what you do with yours!

 

[Tigris]

Thanks Roastchestnuts! I can't wait myself.. few more days and she'll be here!

Yes it seems like I will have a pretty robust support system here with this KZJ. And yes I am already nervous about overheating, having had two catastrophic engine failures in the past due to heating (one on a 3F that spew its guts out climbing a mountain, and the other with an fzj80 when I neglected to replace the PHH even when I had the damn thing ordered). SMDH I am an idiot!

With that being said, I am planning on going a size or two larger with the radiator (once the VDJ rad support is in along with the other parts) and also a liquid intercooler setup from a 1KZ Hilux kit (aftermarket), but I'm not completely sold on having two heat exchangers sandwiched together where the heated air passing through the first washing over the second, reducing heat transfer efficiency. I know it is a common setup with OE adoption but I just can't help thinking of a better layout. What'd all think??

 

[FJ40 that green thing]

You'll have more options and space with a VDJ front end. I've seen people do add-on front mounted intercooler as well as top mounted. The later model Prados (KZJ90) with the 1kz-te engines if equipped, the intercooler was on top of the engine. I think it had a hidden air source of some kind since the scoops weren't visible on the hood. The "kits" for those seem available in the little amount of research I've done on it. That was the route I was thinking of taking when I get around to it. Gonna hate having to cut into the hood for the air scoop tho.

Here is an interesting link to a South Africa forum thread for reference: Prado 90 Hood Scoop (KZTE Intercooled)????? - https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php/289527-Prado-90-Hood-Scoop-(KZTE-Intercooled)

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Thanks again for the help!

Yeah so it turned out that a buddy of mine is on a short tour in Oman, and he managed to source a complete front end (everything forward of the A pillar) from an OEM vdj76, yes I believe it's Australian (minus the engine and accessories, sadly) and he will be shipping it all in a couple of weeks when his trip is over. So, I am basically going to swap it up from my front end, take advantage of the additional space behind the grill, and then gut out the rig and paint it inside and out in beige.

Look forward to seeing the transformation.