El Troque Lives! (1 Viewer)

[digitalbuck]

I'm new to the forum, and a fairly recent Cruiser owner, a JDM Prado I have named "El Troque". Looking forward to picking up info and learning all I need to know about all of this from people who have been down the road a ways. My LJ 78 Prado was imported from Japan a few months ago and I really enjoy using it as my daily driver and doing what I can to improve it as I go.

 

[digitalbuck]

Mods so far include:
-OME lift
-Dick Cepek 35 x 12.50 Fun Country tires
-ARB front bumper
-Smittybuilt winch
-Aluminum roof rack
-Conversion to Evans Waterless Coolant

 

[AirheadNut]

Looks great! I like the mods: very tasteful. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Looks very nice! Congratulations!

 

[61Mk+]

Hello Digitalbuck,

I have been considering Evans waterless coolant for a while, and haven't yet met mechanics who know about it. If and when you can arrive at an opinion about it, i would really appreciate your input.
Hope el Troque provides you with automotive satisfaction.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

I'm new to the forum, and a fairly recent Cruiser owner, a JDM Prado I have named "El Troque". Looking forward to picking up info and learning all I need to know about all of this from people who have been down the road a ways. My LJ 78 Prado was imported from Japan a few months ago and I really enjoy using it as my daily driver and doing what I can to improve it as I go.

View attachment 1288730

U.S. 70's Registration.

 

[divemedic]

^ beat me to it.

 

[Tapage]

how it is doing with the 2LTE and 35" guess stock gearing ..?

 

[digitalbuck]

Hello Digitalbuck,

I have considering Evans waterless coolant for a while, and haven't yet met mechanics who know about it. If and when you can arrive at an opinion about it, i would really appreciate your input.
Hope el Troque provides you with automotive satisfaction.

Thanks for your good wishes.

Evans seems to be exactly as I read it would be. Temp gauge shows temps a bit higher and the engine seems to be running cooler. I didn't find any mechanics who were familiar with it either, but I went ahead and did the switch. The clincher for me was realizing that there were spots in the head that accumulated steam and upon overheating the steam would crack the head. And Evans pretty much will not produce steam / pressure. It's the pressure that causes the crack, not just heat. Eliminate the pressure and... So far so good. BTW, this is my daily driver in South Florida and I do quite a lot of 2-3 hour runs up the interstate so the truck does get a workout. I settle in at about 65-70 mph and it does great.

 

[digitalbuck]

how it is doing with the 2LTE and 35" guess stock gearing ..?

Doing great. Yes, stock gearing. I bought it with full awareness of the 2LTE issues. I switched to Evans Waterless Coolant and I don't pretend it's a hot rod. But the tires don't really big it down at all. Very pleased.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Thanks for your good wishes.

It's the pressure that causes the crack, not just heat. Eliminate the pressure and... So far so good.

The coolant/steam pressure anywhere in the system will only be what your rad cap is. A little under one bar....13psi or whatever it is. Not even close to being enough to crack the head. Keep in mind the combustion pressures are 1000's of PSI!! I think I calculated once that the cylinder pressure can be 600psi or more before the diesel even starts burning! The head is made to handle pressure. It's the un-even heat in the weakest parts of the head that causes the problem. When the coolant starts localized boiling around the precups/between valves, the head steel can get close to EGT temps!! Probably up to 1200F, and just an inch away where there is no boiling, the head is at coolant temps of around 200F. Think of how this stresses the head. Repeat this day in and day out, and eventually it cracks.

Happens to almost all heavily loaded indirect injection turbo diesels eventually. VW and Mercedes put a huge amount of meat around the precups, so even when they do crack it doesn't reach the coolant passages....the Japanese and domestics didn't figure this out.

Anyhow, good work man, the Evans really does make a big difference in my experience.