Found the limits of 2LTE! Shade tree repairs question.... (2 Viewers)

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GTSSportCoupe said:
Thanks man. Yup, definitely happy. Still lacking some faith on how long it'll run well, haha. If it goes a week I think I'll be fairly confident it'll be okay a few years though.
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I still laugh about the time I saw you driving out of Lake Cowichan about 10 years ago...

was like , damn that dude is fixated so hard on his temp gauge I don't think he even saw me 🤣🤣
 
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seapotato said:
I still laugh about the time I saw you driving out of like Cowichan about 10 years ago...

was like , damn that dude is fixated so hard on his temp gauge I don't think he even saw me 🤣🤣
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Yeah, towing with this thing has always been a white knuckle event.

Got it all put back together. Oil looked good at second change. Gave the Evans s*** the big finger and went back to regular water mix after lots of flushing. Took the truck for quite a good drive on highway and in town and all seems fine. No smoke from exhaust or stink pipe. Easy starting. So, seems a success.

Parked outside for first time in 4 months!

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GTSSportCoupe said:
Yeah, towing with this thing has always been a white knuckle event.

Got it all put back together. Oil looked good at second change. Gave the Evans s*** the big finger and went back to regular water mix after lots of flushing. Took the truck for quite a good drive on highway and in town and all seems fine. No smoke from exhaust or stink pipe. Easy starting. So, seems a success.

Parked outside for first time in 4 months!

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Now remember... just say no to dragging trailer over the hat... not to flog a dead horse.
 
bikersmurf said:
350 with RV Cam... or newer LS motor or similar. It's too bad you just sunk so much money into the current engine. Or... you can start collecting parts for the next time something goes south.
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I could sell the existing engine now at least. Or part it out. Anyhow, although mildly tempting, I don't even have time. Hmmmm, but I did just remember a neighbor whos been trying to talk me into this. He offered me a good condition low km 268 SBC for free...
 
GTSSportCoupe said:
I could sell the existing engine now at least. Or part it out. Anyhow, although mildly tempting, I don't even have time. Hmmmm, but I did just remember a neighbor whos been trying to talk me into this. He offered me a good condition low km 268 SBC for free...
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Walk away….
 
GTSSportCoupe said:
I'm pretty proud of myself. I couldn't find a single other reference where anyone has managed to do this to a 2LTE!

I've had blow-by from my engine since a long hard tow this last summer where I pushed things much harder than I should have for hours on end. Haven't had time to deal with it, and it still started, and ran fine with good power, haha.

Despite having a crappy cold (thanks kids!), I pulled the head yesterday to see whats up. Cracked two pistons! Pretty impressive, as these pistons are factory forged and have a oil cooling gallery in the piston crown. My EGTs at the time read 1000F pre turbo max. But I guess running the motor so hot (coolant and oil temps) took it's toll.

Soooo... Looking for advice. I have zero interest in a proper rebuild. I'm done putting money/time into this thing. I do happen to have extra pistons/rods. Here's what I'm thinking. Drop oil pan, disconnect rods of bad pistons from crank, and pull them out.

I'll put my spare pistons rods in, just reusing bearings. Spare parts are all the same size specs and wear as original. But I don't want to hone or buy rings. Condition of spare pistons/bores is about the same with same kms; so the wear is very similar. Bores are in great shape and pistons did not damage them.

So, question for this shade tree repair:

- Do I just use rings that are on my spare pistons, or should I try to swap rings on from the cracked pistons I remove? ie. would it make any improvement for sealing to bore to retain the original rings over different ones?

My goal here is just to get the truck moving again and semi-reliable. I'm not looking for perfect compression or lack of blow-by.

Time to move onto a newer daily driver that can safely and capably tow our camper trailer (Tundra or 200 series). Maybe will keep the 70 cruiser as bush truck only....we'll see.

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I may be mistaken but I think I remember you saying your plan was to do an engine swap with the v8 from the ls400, (I think the 1uz), once the 2lte dies. Would you consider this still? I’m hoping down the line I’m able to do this. What are your thoughts
 
GTSSportCoupe said:
Yeah, towing with this thing has always been a white knuckle event.

Got it all put back together. Oil looked good at second change. Gave the Evans s*** the big finger and went back to regular water mix after lots of flushing. Took the truck for quite a good drive on highway and in town and all seems fine. No smoke from exhaust or stink pipe. Easy starting. So, seems a success.

Parked outside for first time in 4 months!

View attachment 3889953
Click to expand...
Is there a reason why you reverted to regular water mix and gave Evans a big finger, or was it simply due to the cost and tediousness of the job? I'm curious, as you have talked highly of it in the past.
 
jbone4 said:
I may be mistaken but I think I remember you saying your plan was to do an engine swap with the v8 from the ls400, (I think the 1uz), once the 2lte dies. Would you consider this still? I’m hoping down the line I’m able to do this. What are your thoughts
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Early on I had considered that to make towing easier. But I realize now my tall soft suspension LJ78 is simply not a great tow vehicle anyhow. So if going to gas, I'd just upgrade to a newer v8 landcruiser like a 200 series ideally. Towing my little trailer with that would be easy.

If I were to swap something into my LJ78, it would be a direct injection Toyota diesel. Probably 13B/14B/15B (-T) or 1KD-FTV. I just like the diesels too much in this platform.

For the time being my repaired 2LTE is running PERFECT, so I'll just run that for the time being. Work is too busy for me to take on big projects like engine swaps anyhow.

jbone4 said:
Is there a reason why you reverted to regular water mix and gave Evans a big finger, or was it simply due to the cost and tediousness of the job? I'm curious, as you have talked highly of it in the past.
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My past theory about the 2LTE woes was generally around coolant hotspots that eventually lead to stress cracks in the head. I think that is largely true due to typical progressively worse cracks from front to back of the engine (back getting hotter coolant). But I also believe the woes are tied into high EGTs also. The Japan market 2LT-II and 2LTE have an EGR system with intake throttle plate that are terrible for moving air through the motor. With crank case venting mixing with EGR soot, the motor gets really clogged up. In general the motors run rich to begin with. All this compounds to make hot EGTs which can also crack the head as I demonstrated recently damaging my 2LTE. The European market 2LT-II has no emissions systems, and is reportedly far more reliable.

Anyhow, so I'm not as convinced that Evans is the single cure. Generally it transfers heat a lot worse which meant while towing my motor was always running hot. I think that led to my pistons problems (hot coolant means hot oil). I guess I got tired of the cost and not great cooling too. Thought I'd try water based again. I have yet to tow again, so can't really report on it. The head I put on is basically brand-new updated Toyota one, so I'm good for at least another 100,000km again, haha.

For the record, I actually like the motor. Not towing it's perfectly fine.
 
You want to tow. Get a 12 valve.
 
bikersmurf said:
16 is the way to go… it’ll keep hauling for at least another 400,000km
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4bt is to be one of the most over rated engines and very expensive to build, this truck would fit a 1hd-t perfect with a r151. Ir check out Toyota work runners channel as they just stuffed a Mercedes om 605 into their Chinook.
 
Diesel Cruiserman said:
4bt is to be one of the most over rated engines and very expensive to build, this truck would fit a 1hd-t perfect with a r151. Ir check out Toyota work runners channel as they just stuffed a Mercedes om 605 into their Chinook.
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I’d have to agree, based on what I’ve seen on an expedition van page. He’s on his 3rd 4bt in just a few years. He can’t seem seem to find one that will last more than 6 months without something major breaking. Either his Grumman van is cursed or he has the worst luck.

The 16 valve I’m referring too would probably be a tad heavy for a Parado… given I’ve read it can weigh as much as 1200 lbs. I’d feel it was blasphemy to use Ford parts in it, but would the same apply for International?
 
Diesel Cruiserman said:
4bt is to be one of the most over rated engines and very expensive to build, this truck would fit a 1hd-t perfect with a r151. Ir check out Toyota work runners channel as they just stuffed a Mercedes om 605 into their Chinook.
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1hd-t doesn't fit in short Prado front. Would have to swap to longer front. Meh. I'd prefer a DI 15BF(T).

bikersmurf said:
I’d have to agree, based on what I’ve seen on an expedition van page. He’s on his 3rd 4bt in just a few years. He can’t seem seem to find one that will last more than 6 months without something major breaking. Either his Grumman van is cursed or he has the worst luck.

The 16 valve I’m referring too would probably be a tad heavy for a Parado… given I’ve read it can weigh as much as 1200 lbs. I’d feel it was blasphemy to use Ford parts in it, but would the same apply for International?
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The early Isuzu LB7 Duramax would be fun to try; google says lighter than a 1hd-t.

But don't think Allison will fit.
 
Diesel Cruiserman said:
Nothing in an Allison transmission is made by the company Allison according to debossgarage.
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Doesn't fit in cruiser anyhow, so not to worry. The 80 series swap above uses 4L80. No better, but it fits.

Looking again at that Duramax; there is no way that thing would fit in a 70 series. Barely fits in an 80. Damn cool swap though.
 
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