Ideas for improving the 2LTE (5 Viewers)

[IanB]

I wanted an analogue gauge so I could tell at a glance where the needle was so I went with a VDO unit, but I was also looking at these units from Auber Instruments, I believe them to be good quality if you want a digital gauge with alarm capability.

https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5_26

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

I bought a Westach unit. Was dual boost and EGT. I really like it. Simple and reliable.

 

[AirheadNut]

I installed one of the Auber pyrometers in my first Prado and really liked it. The lcd was easy to read and the unit could be programmed to set off an alarm if a set temperature was exceeded. There is also a way to hook the display brightness to the headlights so that it auto dims. I am currently helping my brother install one on his HDJ81, and will probably put one in my TDI when I swap it into my Prado.

 

[Nas90tdi]

I am going to use a Madman Development gauge on mine. Actually arrived today. They are very popular with the Defender community.
I actually use VDO gauges in all of my Defenders, but am very familiar with the Madman and it is a really nice piece of kit. And, for 200.00 it's far cheaper that buying a bunch of gauges. Plus, real estate for gauges is at a premium in the LC.
I just ordered all my sending units tonight. All told I will be at about $320.00 to monitor EGT, Water temp, Oil Temp, Oil Pressure,Water level, voltmeter and hourmeter. With high and low alarms.


Madman Developments - MadMan EMS2 Unit

 

[Hiace4wd]

Thanks for the suggestions although they are all much more expensive
I will have a look at it, which one to take.


More a question overall. I'm looking into putting a turbo on my 2L so it is a bit different. I do not intend to adjust the fuel pump in any way, at least not in beginning, I want to make sure it runs well.
I can fit the turbo, plug the oil lines and stuff, fit sensor to monitor EGT. But from there:
About cooling. I know that my cooling system is in good shape, I know that the visco fan is working, and the radiator is new. Without the turbo I can go full throttle up a very steep hill (on highway), and yes it drops a lot of speed, but I can keep pressing full throttle and it really doesn't give a damn. Even though it is 40 degrees C outside.
Radiator is at an near original size of something like 35mm or 38mm thickness. There is one (from an unknown brand) which is 50mm thick (at least it says so). I can look into that, but:

Given that I have a properly working cooling system, shouldn't I give more priority to an intercooler?
In the end, the intercooler also offers cooling in a different manor.
If I can put it in a way that it does not effect the airstream towards the radiator too much it should do nicely for the engine in general and the EGT right?
A better coolant system won't drop the temperatures going in and out, so I expect an intercooler might actually be more friendly to the engine head.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Thanks for the suggestions although they are all much more expensive
I will have a look at it, which one to take.


More a question overall. I'm looking into putting a turbo on my 2L so it is a bit different. I do not intend to adjust the fuel pump in any way, at least not in beginning, I want to make sure it runs well.
I can fit the turbo, plug the oil lines and stuff, fit sensor to monitor EGT. But from there:
About cooling. I know that my cooling system is in good shape, I know that the visco fan is working, and the radiator is new. Without the turbo I can go full throttle up a very steep hill (on highway), and yes it drops a lot of speed, but I can keep pressing full throttle and it really doesn't give a damn. Even though it is 40 degrees C outside.
Radiator is at an near original size of something like 35mm or 38mm thickness. There is one (from an unknown brand) which is 50mm thick (at least it says so). I can look into that, but:

Given that I have a properly working cooling system, shouldn't I give more priority to an intercooler?
In the end, the intercooler also offers cooling in a different manor.
If I can put it in a way that it does not effect the airstream towards the radiator too much it should do nicely for the engine in general and the EGT right?
A better coolant system won't drop the temperatures going in and out, so I expect an intercooler might actually be more friendly to the engine head.

As your engine was normally aspirated, it has higher compression pistons, which are also weaker. So be careful with the boost. I would not recommend more than about 10-12psi.

Tough call with the radiator vs. intercooler upgrade. You might have to turbo it first, see how it performs, and then make the decision. I can say that an intercooler is a excellent modification for these motors. But a sufficient radiator is a must as well.

Is your vehicle manual or automatic transmission? If manual transmission, there is less load on the radiator to begin with which is good.

 

[Hiace4wd]

It is a manual parttime 4x4 with low gearing.

Right now the radiator is definetely sufficient. All is working very well. But who knows with the turbo.
Maim concern is the head. If the cooling is not sufficient than I will notice that on a long run anyway. But cooler air has more benefits. Possibly smoother or more power, but also is nicer to the pistons and the head.

The pistons have different part numbers so yeah there is a difference. But both 2L and 2LT have oil sprayers for the pistons.
And a friend said that the they 2L/2LT is the only engine where the compression ratio was kept the same. And he certainly knows Toyota diesels. But yeah actual compression will vary I guess.

As said, I want to start without giving it extra fuel and monitor EGT. I can indeed start without intercooler as that will be the most straightforward.

 

[Nas90tdi]

How are you monitoring that the engine is fine with holding flat out up a hill? I have been running and watching EGT gauges on every diesel I have ever owned including chipped 500HP V-8 diesels pulling 15k LBS(6800KG) regularly for many years. If you are holding flat out up a hill and losing speeds, your EGT's are climbing at an alarming rate. The cooling system has marginal effect on the temp you head is seeing at that point. EGT temps can rise from 400F to 1200F (200C to 650C) in 20 seconds or less.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

It is a manual parttime 4x4 with low gearing.

Right now the radiator is definetely sufficient. All is working very well. But who knows with the turbo.
Maim concern is the head. If the cooling is not sufficient than I will notice that on a long run anyway. But cooler air has more benefits. Possibly smoother or more power, but also is nicer to the pistons and the head.

The pistons have different part numbers so yeah there is a difference. But both 2L and 2LT have oil sprayers for the pistons.
And a friend said that the they 2L/2LT is the only engine where the compression ratio was kept the same. And he certainly knows Toyota diesels. But yeah actual compression will vary I guess.

As said, I want to start without giving it extra fuel and monitor EGT. I can indeed start without intercooler as that will be the most straightforward.

Sorry, for some reason I was thinking you have the early 2L engine (which does have higher compression). Yours is actually the 2L-II right? Maybe that one has the same compression as the 2LT-II and 2LTE. Being a 1994, yours might have the newer version cylinder head too! It's stronger and more resistant to cracking.

That is a pretty cool van. Looks like a great thing to travel in.

 

[Nas90tdi]

And, agreed. Very cool van. I actually considered one for a moment a couple of years ago.

 

[Hiace4wd]

Thanks guys, yeah it is a cool van, and we only bought it for travelling. Just a bit noisy and slow sometimes (it is a mid-engine, you're sitting on the engine)
And not so tough looking or easy to modify as a Landcruiser, but it gets to the same places. Okay, that is after we gave it a bit more ground clearance.
But it allows us to camp everywhere with our family. Now we're preparing it for a long overland trip into Asia, something like 6 months or so.
They are hard to find though. This one was a bit rusty too. But there are very little vans like this. And I was lucky to find this one with low mileage, running well, and with a factory LSD.
It is basically a Hilux/4Runner in terms of engines and axles (with IFS). Just some details are different.

How are you monitoring that the engine is fine with holding flat out up a hill? I have been running and watching EGT gauges on every diesel I have ever owned including chipped 500HP V-8 diesels pulling 15k LBS(6800KG) regularly for many years. If you are holding flat out up a hill and losing speeds, your EGT's are climbing at an alarming rate. The cooling system has marginal effect on the temp you head is seeing at that point. EGT temps can rise from 400F to 1200F (200C to 650C) in 20 seconds or less.

Well maybe the EGT was rising all the time. I guess ignorance is bliss
But there was nothing strange noticeable, and I have had it full throttle at times way longer than 20 seconds. Also on flat parts, just maxxing it out. I don't do that all the time but have done that occasionally.
However, the turbo will add much more I think. As you say that the coolant system is not helping so much in those times (when EGT is rising fast) then that is what I'm after, that an intercooler may be more important.
And with the turbo, I will not go that long full throttle and intend to monitor EGT.

Sorry, for some reason I was thinking you have the early 2L engine (which does have higher compression). Yours is actually the 2L-II right? Maybe that one has the same compression as the 2LT-II and 2LTE. Being a 1994, yours might have the newer version cylinder head too! It's stronger and more resistant to cracking.

That is a pretty cool van. Looks like a great thing to travel in.

I think it is the 2L-II yes but I'm unsure. If I run the part number of the "Head assembly" through toyodiy.com, I find it in several cars (Hilux, Dyna, Hiace) from 1987 to 2004. So that is a bit strange.

 

[Vossie]

ok, heres a question for you gurus @GTSSportCoupe :

how much of all this applies to the 1KZ-TE?i would assume quite a bit, but want to know as my 2L-TE surf fell thru and the one im looking at now is a KZ

 

[Hiace4wd]

Well the 1KZ-TE is mentioned here, and it looks like a better engine on paper. But the 1KZ might even have more issues than the 2L series of engines. I think the 1KZ will be a bit faster, but it appears to have some kind of cooling issue on one of the cylinders. Some people cannot get it right it seems, and others don't have a problem.
So for the reasons the 2L series is sometimes unloved, the 1KZ could potentially be worse. I know one guy who converted a Hilux (actually a VW Taro but it is the same car) to a 1KZ and the summary was that he lost a lot of money but never got it to run without any issues.

So, just a cheerful warning for anybody looking to swap a 2L(TE) for a 1KZ.

 

[Vossie]

ive had a KZ surf before. i loved it and ran great, but it was intercooled and had a big exhaust. im wondering if without knowing it i helped make it a better engine

 

[Hiace4wd]

Possibly yes. And as always, there are loads of people using an engine without much trouble, even though other people say it is an engine with a problem.
Just like with the 2L, it is supposed to be weak (a weak head) but there are so many pickups and vans that get to really high mileage (like 500.000+ km)
But I have read a thread somewhere where they were discussing something about cooling channels that were not designed properly. And all kinds of measures to take (which are similar to this thread)
The 1KZ engines do have an ECU which can fail, although that is usually repairable (as a capacitor can be replaced)

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

@Vossie I don't have any direct experience with the 1KZ. What I do know, is it is an indirect injection turbo diesel. Pretty much all IDI turbo's suffer the same heat related issues. I recently read a post on improving the GM 6.5 IDI turbo diesel. I was very surprised, as nearly all the things we do to improve the 2LTE were listed for the big GM motor. 1KZ will be the same story. Personally, I'd take a 1KZTE over a 2LTE given the choice. More displacement means the motor doesn't have to work as hard. The 1KZ has a lot of power potential thanks to the CT12 specs, bigger valves, and the 12mm injection pump. I've heard of people making obscene power with them.

 

[IanB]

Well maybe the EGT was rising all the time. I guess ignorance is bliss
But there was nothing strange noticeable, and I have had it full throttle at times way longer than 20 seconds. Also on flat parts, just maxxing it out. I don't do that all the time but have done that occasionally.
However, the turbo will add much more I think. As you say that the coolant system is not helping so much in those times (when EGT is rising fast) then that is what I'm after, that an intercooler may be more important.
And with the turbo, I will not go that long full throttle and intend to monitor EGT.

This is going to blow your mind, but adding a turbo will make the engine run COOLER! Unless you mess with the pump to add more fuel, it will run leaner=cooler. The fact you don’t have a turbo doesn’t make it any safer to hold to the floor up hills, the opposite may be true in fact. This is why gauges are so necessary, your understanding of what’s going on in the engine may be way off base.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

This is going to blow your mind, but adding a turbo will make the engine run COOLER! Unless you mess with the pump to add more fuel, it will run leaner=cooler. The fact you don’t have a turbo doesn’t make it any safer to hold to the floor up hills, the opposite may be true in fact. This is why gauges are so necessary, your understanding of what’s going on in the engine may be way off base.

Agreed, but just to clarify, EGT's will be cooler; water temps will be higher.

 

[gerg]

I don't think water temps would be higher without adding fuel all things considered equal. You'd get less heat soak in the exhaust runner. Have to retard the timing a bit though. nNow not retarding timing with a turbo could give you higher water temps.

 

[Hiace4wd]

Ok well that is interesting. The idea was to not mess with the fuel pump, as the Aussies apparently do. This means you are only going to burn fuel that before wasn't being burned. I don't want to add much more because that means just more energy into the same engine (and so higher coolant temp seem likely, if my cooling system wouldn't be up to task)
But perhaps with using an intercooler with the turbo (and yes, an EGT gauge) there is some room to play. I can imagine if timing is even more important for a smooth running engine, but I don't feel comfortable doing that on my own.

And to be honest, going on a long trip, I would feel more comfortable if it is easy to switch back to the setup without turbo (or without working turbo).

Well, first step will be to pickup a turbo and fit it. So bolting it on the engine, and see if all the plumbing fits.