How exactly do you monitor the engine temp?
OBD2 or just the needle on the dash?
OBD2 or just the needle on the dash?
Fzj 80 the romanian approach
- Thread starter Bear s
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- #22
With a new power plant in place, it was the time to do some brake overhaul also. So the story got repeated: new Aisin master cylinder, cleaned and painted calipers, new oem gaskets and new front brake pads from the 100 series. The difference was massive!
Make sure you activate the ABS system bleed and re-bleed the system. Do it one side at a time, one side on gravel and the other on pavement, then switch sides. Do it a few times.
Air gets trapped inside the ABS system and it can't get out unless you force it out this way or by using a Toyota specific tool, unavailable most likely.
The brakes should improve substantially.
I believe you removed the LSPV, so you don't need to worry about it anymore.
Air gets trapped inside the ABS system and it can't get out unless you force it out this way or by using a Toyota specific tool, unavailable most likely.
The brakes should improve substantially.
I believe you removed the LSPV, so you don't need to worry about it anymore.
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- #24
With the new set-up on the engine I took the Cruiser to a great LPG specialist and we spend a whole day fine tuning it. Now it runs better on LPG than it does on petrol! The LPG systems has been mapped for boost in order to make sure it won.t run lean again. After that I had some long drives without too much off-roading and things turned out to be just fine. As summer came by, I really wanted not to overheat it again so I also did the temp gauge mod just to have some real time info on temps but as soon as I did the mod I noticed that temps were going quite high when using the A/C on really hot days (above 35 degresse celsius). At the same time I could notice some minor loss of coolant but I didn’t give it too much attention. As days got warmer and warmer so did my engine temp. It would heat when going fast or accelerating hard while using the A/C and it would cool quite quickly when idling... turning the A/C off when cruising would have dropped the temp by a bit. I then started troubleshooting it and the first thing I did was to refill the A/C system (had to change some o-rings too). No change. I then removed the thermostat completely. Nothing. Changed the radiator cap. Nothing. I then started looking for a 3 row CSF radiator and I found a great deal on eBay on a new, re-packed one with only 50$. It turned out the guy had 2, so I said what the hell, I will get both of them (keeping in mind that I live in east Europe and parts take ages to get here and cost import charges...). I installed the first one and took it for a spin... Being sure my issue had been solved I drove nice and easy in order to get the truck to working temp and after that I started racing it. The joy ended shortly, in a big cloud of steam. It seemed that the thicker 3 row radiator along the genuine fan and supercharger spacer for the fan clutch would not work. The fan cuted deeply, 15-20 cm in my brand new radiator. I then installed the second radiator and took my fan to a latche so we could grind away the fan.s “teeth” (it was the only way I had). It finally had enough clearance in order not to touch the radiator anymore when changing gears and reving at high rpm, but, once again I was shortly dissapointed after taking it for a drive and discovering that it would heat up the same way. I then searched and looked all over and keeping in mind that I did have a little bit of coolant loss and not having it dripping anywhere I figured it must be the head gasket once again or at least something related to it. So there I went again, I took off the head cylinder and found nothing too obvious. Not being able to understand where the coolant was dissaperaing, I checked the surface of the engine block and cylinder head very rigorously and discovered that the workshop where I resurfaced the parts used an older type of machinery that leaves small “scartches” between the cylinders instead of the newer ones that resurfaces in circles. This way it was making it possible for the stainless steel head gasket to loose just a little bit of coolant in high pressure conditions and, hopefully, for the hot exhaust gases to warn the coolant. Beying completely sick of all this story because the workshop coudn’t admit that they just don’t have the technology of doing it the right way, I decided to install a “normal” headgasket and see what happens next. The result was somehow good, no more coolant loss, the softer material of the normal gasket is now able to seal the small imperfections, but the overheating persisted. I then did some major read on “mud” and found the whole story of the oil inside the fan clutch and switched it to a 15.000 csf one. The fan is now moving a crazy amount of air, it sounds like a lorry when the engine gets warm but even so, in those really warm days when cruising with over 100 km/h or accelerating hard it warms up right away. The strange thing is that when going down a hill and doing engine braking, it also seems to cool down too much.
What are your thoughts on this? It.s driving me crazy!!
What are your thoughts on this? It.s driving me crazy!!
It's not normal to fluctuate so much. Usually with Land Cruisers when the needle moves up that much it's already overheating and usually too late to save the engine.
How is the coolant flow? Do you still have a rear heater?
Can you take it to a specialist to check the cooling system for you. Water pump maybe needs some attention.
Usually on these cars the needle does not tell you much even when the engine temp gets really high and then all of the sudden it goes into the red area.
It's pretty unreliable.
Use some scanner hooked up to the OBD2 port if you can. It will give a digital readout of the actual temp.
How is the coolant flow? Do you still have a rear heater?
Can you take it to a specialist to check the cooling system for you. Water pump maybe needs some attention.
Usually on these cars the needle does not tell you much even when the engine temp gets really high and then all of the sudden it goes into the red area.
It's pretty unreliable.
Use some scanner hooked up to the OBD2 port if you can. It will give a digital readout of the actual temp.
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- #26
I used a vaccum device to bleed the system and brakes are great! I do still have the LSPV but I did some changes on the brake lines, see my first posts!
Sadly my Cruiser doesn't have the OBD 2 plug although it has the newer O2 sensor and airflow meter...
I did the gauge mod and it rises gradualy, it.s not like it used to be before, going from normal right to red when it's too late. I never got it in the red zone after the mod. I changeg my water pump shorty before I did the repairs on the engine...
I do still have the rear heater. A few weeks ago I changed the pipes above the heat shealds of the exhaust with rubber hoses, they cracked the moment I touched them.
Sadly my Cruiser doesn't have the OBD 2 plug although it has the newer O2 sensor and airflow meter...
I did the gauge mod and it rises gradualy, it.s not like it used to be before, going from normal right to red when it's too late. I never got it in the red zone after the mod. I changeg my water pump shorty before I did the repairs on the engine...
I do still have the rear heater. A few weeks ago I changed the pipes above the heat shealds of the exhaust with rubber hoses, they cracked the moment I touched them.
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Have you looked at the thermostat?
I guess that may have something to do with it, being stuck.
I guess that may have something to do with it, being stuck.
I think LPG makes your engine runner hotter than gasoline or diesel.
Good info here:
Head Gasket Failure???
Cooling issue and the blasted HG
"Check your radiator cap.. if it's faulty, your radiator will boil over and overheat very quickly."
Overheating suddenly today
Good info here:
Head Gasket Failure???
Cooling issue and the blasted HG
"Check your radiator cap.. if it's faulty, your radiator will boil over and overheat very quickly."
Overheating suddenly today
good work on it and deal on the raditors.
What LPG are you running (I've BRC)
What LPG are you running (I've BRC)
Most of us who had been running the CSF 2517 had to go back to a 2 row aluminum radiator because we experienced the same exact thing your temp gauge is doing; temps increase to quickly too easily but will recover quickly once load is reduced.
You problem is now with the radiator.
You problem is now with the radiator.
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- #31
Dragos80, in the end I did took the thermostat off (although it was a new after-market one) and compared it to the car's genuine one. I then decided to do a little test and boil both of them in bowl. The results were mind-blowing:
on the left it's the after-market Hella, and on the right the car's original 1995 thermostat at the same temperature:
I then ordered a brand new original thermostat and decided to take it a step further since the water flow seemed to be my problem and also ordered a new original 2UZ-FE thermostat. After I did some research on the internet it looked like the V8 one had the same diameter and length.
After they both arrived I measured them and it proved that although the 2UZ-FE thermostat has the same diameter, the valve diameter is slightly bigger, meaning that when opening it should let more water through. Even so, the 1FZ-FE one looks more solid, and the valve travel is greater than the 2UZ-FE one... hard to tell. Right now I am running the V8 one and when I drive normally the needle sits just slightly lower than horizontal and when pushed hard it goes dead horizontal. I am now waiting for the hot summer to come by in order to be able to tell for sure.
On the left we have the 90916-03117 1FZ-FE thermostat and on the right we have the 90916-03100
Yes thelal, I am running a BRC Sequent Plug&Drive LPG system that is simply great! One of the best LPG systems!
baldilocks, I wouldn't think the radiator would have an issue, a friend of mine had the same CSF radiator on his 94' Landcruiser and when pushed hard off-roading in mud it would glow the exhaust red hot and the engine wouldn't heat at all. My problem seemed to have been that stupid aftermarket thermostat... I am very curious to take it off-roading now with the V8 one in order to see how it would behave.
on the left it's the after-market Hella, and on the right the car's original 1995 thermostat at the same temperature:
I then ordered a brand new original thermostat and decided to take it a step further since the water flow seemed to be my problem and also ordered a new original 2UZ-FE thermostat. After I did some research on the internet it looked like the V8 one had the same diameter and length.
After they both arrived I measured them and it proved that although the 2UZ-FE thermostat has the same diameter, the valve diameter is slightly bigger, meaning that when opening it should let more water through. Even so, the 1FZ-FE one looks more solid, and the valve travel is greater than the 2UZ-FE one... hard to tell. Right now I am running the V8 one and when I drive normally the needle sits just slightly lower than horizontal and when pushed hard it goes dead horizontal. I am now waiting for the hot summer to come by in order to be able to tell for sure.
On the left we have the 90916-03117 1FZ-FE thermostat and on the right we have the 90916-03100
Yes thelal, I am running a BRC Sequent Plug&Drive LPG system that is simply great! One of the best LPG systems!
baldilocks, I wouldn't think the radiator would have an issue, a friend of mine had the same CSF radiator on his 94' Landcruiser and when pushed hard off-roading in mud it would glow the exhaust red hot and the engine wouldn't heat at all. My problem seemed to have been that stupid aftermarket thermostat... I am very curious to take it off-roading now with the V8 one in order to see how it would behave.
Cool.
If at all possible, check the cooling system temperature by the OBD port with a dedicated scanner. Even a phone app is excellent at it if you have it.
I use Torque app on my android phone. Only $5 I think, but it gives you a lot more info than just the temp. Readiness monitors, fault codes, etc.
You can of course use scangauge, ultragauge and others for that purpose.
The needle is not really all that accurate.
If at all possible, check the cooling system temperature by the OBD port with a dedicated scanner. Even a phone app is excellent at it if you have it.
I use Torque app on my android phone. Only $5 I think, but it gives you a lot more info than just the temp. Readiness monitors, fault codes, etc.
You can of course use scangauge, ultragauge and others for that purpose.
The needle is not really all that accurate.
Great thread! I need to train my dog to help me around the shop 
Get a aftermarket water temp gauge or a phone app to get accurate temp readings before you go too nuts.
Get a aftermarket water temp gauge or a phone app to get accurate temp readings before you go too nuts.
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- #35
Thanks guys!
It's hard to get a scan-gauge hence my Landcruiser doesn't have OBDII.
Last summer I ran across a guy that was selling a petrol Landcruiser at a very very good price here, and it turned out that it was a rhd, 1997 JDM FZJ80 and the guy had no clue how rare those things are in Europe, and in general... he imported it from the United Kingdom hoping people would go crazy about it, but it seemed like people don't really appreciate the costs that come with a 4.5 petrol
I couldn't help myself buying it for spares and for the little extras like the overhead console, rear A/C and fridge, but once I got it home and started checking it out it turned out there are waaay more differences on those JDM ones and decide to get every single one of them transfered to my rig
I will need your help on those modifications I am about to do, some of the electrical stuff is going to challenge me, bad!
It's hard to get a scan-gauge hence my Landcruiser doesn't have OBDII.
Last summer I ran across a guy that was selling a petrol Landcruiser at a very very good price here, and it turned out that it was a rhd, 1997 JDM FZJ80 and the guy had no clue how rare those things are in Europe, and in general... he imported it from the United Kingdom hoping people would go crazy about it, but it seemed like people don't really appreciate the costs that come with a 4.5 petrol
I couldn't help myself buying it for spares and for the little extras like the overhead console, rear A/C and fridge, but once I got it home and started checking it out it turned out there are waaay more differences on those JDM ones and decide to get every single one of them transfered to my rig
I will need your help on those modifications I am about to do, some of the electrical stuff is going to challenge me, bad!
- Thread starter
- #36
The first things I transfered from the JDM one to my rig after a serious wash was the roof headlining along with the overhead console, sun visors, rear speakers, electrical wiring and the brackets for the altimeter/compass "ecu" and A/C vents on the roof.
My empty rig:
The JDM one:
My empty rig:
The JDM one: