Replaced my 95LC HG at 93K for $1500 (Slee did the work).
Head Gasket issues??
- Thread starter condoor
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[quote author=Scamper link=board=2;threadid=16168;start=msg154745#msg154745 date=1084316748]
Their was a poll done a while back, and while I can't remember the figures, it was more like 10% with HG problems IIRC. [/quote]
The figure was double that.. and change.
Their was a poll done a while back, and while I can't remember the figures, it was more like 10% with HG problems IIRC. [/quote]
The figure was double that.. and change.
semlin
curmudgeon
An 80 series is a great vehicle but if you aren't going to use it off road and don't need all the space I think you are not going to appreciate its finer qualities and will get fixated on the fact it is heavy and less powerful than some of the others listed. Me, I'm in no hurry, but if you are then the rx300 , or a 4runner or a pathfinder or QX4 for that matter are all decent vehicles. The 100 series landcruiser is also a good suggestion. The v8 will make you happy.
Re:Head Gasket issues??
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(Why don't you buy a 91 - 92 FJ80? No HG issues.)
Out of your list, I would most likely suggest the 4Skinner.
Sorry didn't put down what 3fj40 had said.
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(Why don't you buy a 91 - 92 FJ80? No HG issues.)
Out of your list, I would most likely suggest the 4Skinner.
Sorry didn't put down what 3fj40 had said.
Or get a 98-00 Landcruiser/LX470 and pay a little more. Great trucks and not quite as much maintance.
Listen, I paid top $ for my 1997 LX450 and still having to fix (or have fixed) some stuff including the headgasket now. I can tell you one thing, this is still my favorite truck I have ever owned. Once I get the bugs out of mine, I am going to drive the wheels off of it.
My 2 cents.
Thanks
Andrew
Listen, I paid top $ for my 1997 LX450 and still having to fix (or have fixed) some stuff including the headgasket now. I can tell you one thing, this is still my favorite truck I have ever owned. Once I get the bugs out of mine, I am going to drive the wheels off of it.
My 2 cents.
Thanks
Andrew
Andrewsreef
I argee whole heartedly, I've wanted a cruiser for many years, I dont even mind that it ends up being my wifes, its a new toy in the family. And maintanance is no big deal, I am eagerly antisapating my first three boxs from the brown santa, my wish list includes parts and tools, who could ask for anything more.
But i spent alot of time reading about and looking for the PHH before I think it was Gumby wrote back and said Not me with a 3fe.
So maybe the head gasket may not be a 3fe problem, in which case I'll stop printin up threads.
Take care, Steven
91 LC fancyest truck we ever owned 143,000
95 2x4 tacoma 2.4 liter, 221,000. only replaced belts and hoses, every other part still going strong.
and a back up bronco
two kick a** sleds
one antique and one new snowblower
one generator, (cold in winter with no electricity)
all under my care.
I like tinkering with my machines.
I argee whole heartedly, I've wanted a cruiser for many years, I dont even mind that it ends up being my wifes, its a new toy in the family. And maintanance is no big deal, I am eagerly antisapating my first three boxs from the brown santa, my wish list includes parts and tools, who could ask for anything more.
But i spent alot of time reading about and looking for the PHH before I think it was Gumby wrote back and said Not me with a 3fe.
So maybe the head gasket may not be a 3fe problem, in which case I'll stop printin up threads.
Take care, Steven
91 LC fancyest truck we ever owned 143,000
95 2x4 tacoma 2.4 liter, 221,000. only replaced belts and hoses, every other part still going strong.
and a back up bronco
two kick a** sleds
one antique and one new snowblower
one generator, (cold in winter with no electricity)
all under my care.
I like tinkering with my machines.
Pskhaat
Tourer
loquito said:Andrewsreef
But i spent alot of time reading about and looking for the PHH before I think it was Gumby wrote back and said Not me with a 3fe.
??? The 3F-E isn't prone any more to the HG than the F/2F IMO unlike the 1FZ-FE, was your point different?
R
robbie
Guest
You might be kidding your self 3fj40 as to this. I think any time you have a long head it will be prone to Head gasket failures of many types. The 1FZ bears the burden of the Land cruiser myth that all you have to do is fead it gas, sometimes oil, maybe change the gear lube every 100k or so, change the axle seals only when they fail, etc. I personally have done several 2f and 3f head gasket failures for people, more for the 3fe type. I do beleive that any cruiser is better off than most american products. But and I do mean but, IT mostly depends on the type of maintance the PO does on his truck. The 1FZ is a higher compression and reveing engine then in the past and is marketed to mostly upper class people that have lots of places to go and these trucks servered their PO well with little to no maintance, then was dumped at the prime with maintance to do.
The 1FZ has had more prolbems because of design changes forced on Toyota by EPA, and other such agencies. This engine has more potiential than any previous engine in the cruiser history for the USA. I would of like desiel options, having these choices would change my statement above. Cast iron head is great for old technolgy, but at some point you have to come out of the stone age in this day and age. Toyota did it well. The head gasket issue can be worked out with any engine and it can go on and live to see many more happy miles if done right.
Out of maybe 20 3fe we have seen at the shop, maybe a 12 have had signs of leakage out the side between the head and block. Usually it is under the intake and exhaust manifold hard to see. Some even had the dreaded tiny bubbles in the overflow tank, but did not show overheating. So Knock on wood that you do not have a problem. later robbielklk
The 1FZ has had more prolbems because of design changes forced on Toyota by EPA, and other such agencies. This engine has more potiential than any previous engine in the cruiser history for the USA. I would of like desiel options, having these choices would change my statement above. Cast iron head is great for old technolgy, but at some point you have to come out of the stone age in this day and age. Toyota did it well. The head gasket issue can be worked out with any engine and it can go on and live to see many more happy miles if done right.
Out of maybe 20 3fe we have seen at the shop, maybe a 12 have had signs of leakage out the side between the head and block. Usually it is under the intake and exhaust manifold hard to see. Some even had the dreaded tiny bubbles in the overflow tank, but did not show overheating. So Knock on wood that you do not have a problem. later robbielklk
If you don't really need the offroad ability of the LC, I'd go for the RX. I do see the HG as a major negative, and YES it does seem to affect a disproportionately large percentage of the vehicles no matter what others will say- just ask robbie at sleeoffroad for proof! People are asking "what else will you get?" assuming you need a true 4x4 for tough trails. Be realistic and if you're not going offroad, get the RX which is arguably more reliable and will cost *much* less to maintain.
I agree with the idea that at times it seems like a 80series has alot of stuff to maintain, and that's true. But most of this is from us buying them used, so as soon as we bought them we had stuff to do. If we had bought them new, we easily could have gotten 60K miles out of them before doing anything at all. I bought mine with 49K miles on it, have since done minor things, PHH, starter contacts twice, knuckle, wheel bearings, etc. It seems like alot of work to think about it all at once. I do like the fact that most of this stuff the average guy in his garage can fix, this is in contrast to many other vehicles (Jeeps for example) that do not have re-greaseable wheel bearing, it is a sealed bearing, usually goes for a long time, which is good, but can not be reused and can not be pulled or fixed by a normal guy in his garage.
I wouldn't say the 80 is perfect, I think Toyota should have put a rubber boot around the birfield joint, still have it inside the housing, but put a CV-style boot over the joint, fill with grease and call it good, if they had done that, then short of breaking the joint you'd never have to touch it, the grease couldn't go anywhere, sure grease gets old but mostly just turns into oil, and if in a sealed boot, still protects good. I think Toyota could have done better there. But you also have to compare it to other things out there. Compared to a Jeep the Cruiser is engineered far better (jeep puting u-joints in their knuckle joint with no way to grease them).
So I wouldn't say the Cruiser is perfect but compared to what is out there it's pretty darn good. I hear the argument alot about how this Jeep went for 180K miles with no work at all (one of my friend's did), and that's great, happy for them, but at the 127K mile mark it already felt old, didn't drive good, etc. However my Cruiser at 127K miles feels quite good, like it's just getting started..
I think for more people the newer Cruisers (100-series) are a better fit, they ride 10 times better than an 80, more power, better gas mileage, great vehicles, and less maintence things to worry about.
Personally I love my 80, not the nicest one in town, a bit beatup, but it's taken me places no vehicle should have to go, and it did it all smiling..
I wouldn't say the 80 is perfect, I think Toyota should have put a rubber boot around the birfield joint, still have it inside the housing, but put a CV-style boot over the joint, fill with grease and call it good, if they had done that, then short of breaking the joint you'd never have to touch it, the grease couldn't go anywhere, sure grease gets old but mostly just turns into oil, and if in a sealed boot, still protects good. I think Toyota could have done better there. But you also have to compare it to other things out there. Compared to a Jeep the Cruiser is engineered far better (jeep puting u-joints in their knuckle joint with no way to grease them).
So I wouldn't say the Cruiser is perfect but compared to what is out there it's pretty darn good. I hear the argument alot about how this Jeep went for 180K miles with no work at all (one of my friend's did), and that's great, happy for them, but at the 127K mile mark it already felt old, didn't drive good, etc. However my Cruiser at 127K miles feels quite good, like it's just getting started..
I think for more people the newer Cruisers (100-series) are a better fit, they ride 10 times better than an 80, more power, better gas mileage, great vehicles, and less maintence things to worry about.
Personally I love my 80, not the nicest one in town, a bit beatup, but it's taken me places no vehicle should have to go, and it did it all smiling..
Jim_Chow
V8_Fan
Of the rigs on your list, I'd get the 4runner or RX. Otherwise, consider a '98-99 LC 100 if you can tolerate the fuel economy (I'm guessing you can, as you've been considering an 80). Problem w/ a used 80 is, unless it's immaculately maintained and owned by a single owner, you don't know it's maintenance/driving history, especially if it's being sold by a leasing house. At the minimum, if it were me, I'd have the HG replaced along w/ the valve seals, repack the front axle steering mechanism plus all wheel bearings, and replace the radiator w/ the 3-row core brass one (like $500). I wouldn't bother w/ the ML...a friend of mine has one and it's nothing impressive. Those seats are hard/slippery. The RX will drive at least as well w/ more luxury, leather is much softer.
Still here?
Given Condoor last posted on May 11, I'm not so sure he's still listening. Not that it matters to us.
Either he bought something else OR if he did buy a cruiser then he re-registered as a different user (trying to forget about thinking about buying a Rover or Grand Cherokee).
Me... I like the thought that I can own an 80 for 15 to 20 more years with what will likely be a pretty resonable total cost of ownership. I dread the day I will have part with it. When we sold the 60, the family was basically in tears. My older son slept in it over night to prevent me from selling it. My wife still gets teary eyed at well kept 60 series. ;p
I just can't imagine not owning a Cruiser. But they are not for everybody.
I've done a few things over the past year like:
birfs,
brake pads,
PHH
Starter contacts
Battery
but that's it besides oil & lube ect.... I've got more stuff to do but it's all PM.
When I bought my V6 5 speed Camry in 92, I was really worried about replacing the clutch. I had heard about clutches going pretty often in front wheel drive cars with V6 motors. So I tucked away $1500 when I bought it to cover the clutch job. It's now 2004 and the clutch is doing just fine.
Not sure where the $1500 went though.
Given Condoor last posted on May 11, I'm not so sure he's still listening. Not that it matters to us.
Either he bought something else OR if he did buy a cruiser then he re-registered as a different user (trying to forget about thinking about buying a Rover or Grand Cherokee).
Me... I like the thought that I can own an 80 for 15 to 20 more years with what will likely be a pretty resonable total cost of ownership. I dread the day I will have part with it. When we sold the 60, the family was basically in tears. My older son slept in it over night to prevent me from selling it. My wife still gets teary eyed at well kept 60 series. ;p
I just can't imagine not owning a Cruiser. But they are not for everybody.
I've done a few things over the past year like:
birfs,
brake pads,
PHH
Starter contacts
Battery
but that's it besides oil & lube ect.... I've got more stuff to do but it's all PM.
When I bought my V6 5 speed Camry in 92, I was really worried about replacing the clutch. I had heard about clutches going pretty often in front wheel drive cars with V6 motors. So I tucked away $1500 when I bought it to cover the clutch job. It's now 2004 and the clutch is doing just fine.
Not sure where the $1500 went though.
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Tires and wheels?
oh and sliders and skid plate and roof rack and I almost forgot the cup holder and LEDs
Are we still posting in this thread 
We own a very special truck, the LC 80
Why are we talking about RX , LR :whoops: , Heeps 
, ML 
!!!!
Nothing compares to a LC 80, not a 100 , not a Benz G !!!!!!!!
Our rig is the Climax of 4Wheel-Drive and will always be. It has already his place in the history books for that and if someone does not like a little bit of maintenance that goes along with all the offroad-abilities then he has to stay out of the
We own a very special truck, the LC 80
Why are we talking about RX
, LR :whoops: , Heeps , ML !!!!Nothing compares to a LC 80, not a 100
, not a Benz G !!!!!!!!Our rig is the Climax of 4Wheel-Drive and will always be. It has already his place in the history books for that and if someone does not like a little bit of maintenance that goes along with all the offroad-abilities then he has to stay out of the
League of extraordinary Gentlemen
For me, the main factors in getting my 80 were the 3rd seat, storage space for trips, and unique good looks. There are little plans for offroading atm. I just got back from my second 600 mile beach trip in the last few weeks and the truck did great. My only gripe would be the drifting at times at highway speeds but that comes with the territory.
