Back with another rust check up

[Broski]

I don’t mind slow! I just care about reliability and something more capable than my trash-hawk jeep. It being vintage is a plus! I’m a big parts picker/junk yard dog. So I hope that helps me with parts.

Any advice or tips about the 3FE or 1FZ would be appreciated. What about 95-97? Aren’t those 1FZ’s too?

I own 94 and for me it’s the best year.
No air bags the exhaust runs over the frame instead of under and I like the dash better.
93 -97 have the full float rear axle 91-92 have a semi float rear axle, smaller front brakes, and the 3FE
95-97 have the OBD2 1FZ-FE exhaust under the frame they have airbags and a different dash.

At this point, the cleanest low mileage example with the best maintenance record you can find would be the way to go.

Cloth interiors hold up better and are desirable

 

[Corgi4x4]

I own 94 and for me it’s the best year.
No air bags the exhaust runs over the frame instead of under and I like the dash better.
93 -97 have the full float rear axle 91-92 have a semi float rear axle, smaller front brakes, and the 3FE
95-97 have the OBD2 1FZ-FE exhaust under the frame they have airbags and a different dash.

At this point, the cleanest low mileage example with the best maintenance record you can find would be the way to go.

Cloth interiors hold up better and are desirable

Is there any way to add a little bit more power to the 3FE or 1FZ without making any major mods?

 

[Kernal]

For major power upgrades installing a Turbo system or a Magnuson Supercharger (?$8000) is about it.

For maybe small increases some people advance the timing a few degrees (IME to ~6-7' BTDC in the FZJ80). For the models with a "POWER" button you can leave it pushed in all the time. The engine won't make more gross horsepower but the button changes the transmission shift points to keep the engine rpms up before shifting to the next gear, so a bit quicker acceleration from a stop.

All the usual "tune up" things will help the (Petrol/Gasoline) engine develop it's original HP ie: air filter, spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor, and maybe (if original) install new Toyota spark plug wires. Fixing any vacuum leaks, cleaning the Throttle Body and MAF can help. Having the fuel injectors sent out to be cleaned can also help the engine run efficiently but that's a lot of work to remove those.

Some people may not agree but if you don't want to pull your fuel injectors using one of the newer more expensive high level PEA (containing Amine chemicals) fuel injection cleaners a couple times in a row (or more) and at double strength ie: only 8-10 gallons in the tank can help, IME. Using a Top Tier gasoline may help keep the injectors clean also. It depends how dirty the injectors and valves are IME/IMO, some crud cannot be removed from high mile neglected injectors unless they're sent out to be cleaned ultrasonically. Also you can't "flash" the ECU or install any sort of "power chip".

Toyota parts are best. IME the only exception (to using Toyota tune up parts) are Denso Iridium Power or Iridium TT spark plugs (might add 0.003 HP ). Main advantage is that you can run them up to 100,000 miles, the distributor cap and rotor need to be replaced more often than that however (IME).

Wait for others to chime in.

 

[Broski]

Is there any way to add a little bit more power to the 3FE or 1FZ without making any major mods?

Drive down hill and with a tail wind

 

[kw90surf]

Is there any way to add a little bit more power to the 3FE or 1FZ without making any major mods?

A de-smog, a tune-up, and advancing the timing a bit helps. After that it's gears, exhaust, cams and head work if you're feeling like taking things apart. My 3FE has a header, 2.5" exhaust, timing bumped and de-smogged, and the rough equivalent of ~5.07 gears (manual tranny). Loaded up with everything in my sig (+ drawers and a 60L aux fuel tank), sitting at about 6500lbs, it's just slightly slower than a stock one. The $5k it would take to do the exhaust and manual tranny would probably get you halfway or better to an LS swap though.

At stock height/weight/tires mine would go pretty good I'd bet. I did a drag race once against a part-time converted similarly built 1FZ 80 on 35's with 4.56 and a larger exhaust, I only trailed him by a cruiser-length.

 

[kw90surf]

Drive down hill and with a tail wind

Uphill with a headwind sucks so bad