Import Prado Purchasing...

[backroads backpacker]

Hi,

I'm new to the site here, though I've been checking out threads looking for thoughts and advice for awhile now. Good site--good community.

I'm looking at buying a Land Cruiser and I'm wondering if anyone can help me out with a few details and ideas. I've been looking at the 1991 or 1992 Prado's. Also, the HDJ81's from the same years. Both import. Can anyone tell me how the Prado's are on fuel economy, reliability, drive, parts availabilty, etc? Any info really would be great. Likewise, why is there (as far as I can tell) about $5000 difference between these two? Anyone know?

Any help would be great.

Cheers,
Matt


___________________________________
Looking forward to driving my new Cruiser.

 

[crushers]

Matt,
do a search on 2LTE head issue and run away. 60% failure rate.

the price difference is because of initial cost to purchase in most cases. think of it this way, by a LJ78 and spend $4000 on a new head shortly there after OR spend $5000, replace the BEB and drive reliably for 500,000 km...
choice is yours...

 

[Sniperx]

I see this word BEB. You guys are saying big end bearing.....are you sure its not bottom end bearing, as in bottom end rebuild?

 

[crushers]

[icture the connecting rod, one end is small and has a bushing, the other end is big and has a bearing... these are the ones that get replaced...the Big End (of the connecting rod) Bearing...

 

[Sniperx]

Huh...thats a little odd...

I was always told thats called a bottom end rebuild.

 

[brownbear]

Bottom end rebuild to me, means... new pistons,rings,crank bearings, connnecting rods etc. All the items except the head.

BEB to me means, big end bearings, so basically only replacing the crappy bearings toyota used with solid aftermarket ones.

I love the drive of the 80 series. It's a real cruiser. Well a HZJ79 is also very much a real cruiser too

 

[Sniperx]

...

You're right, I'm wrong...just googled it and bottom rebuild kits include more than just bearings.

Can someone spoon feed me a link to a BEB step by step or atleast a thorough description...I may be doing this.

 

[brownbear]

Search for it in the diesel section. There is where most guys talk about it.

Most only do the 1hd-t engine. Not the 1hz engine.... Not sure why.

 

[backroads backpacker]

Thanks for the thoughts Wayne. I'm still undecided, but you've given me something to go on.

If anyone can confirm or argue re what Wayne's said, I'd like to hear it. Still looking for fuel economy on both models (Prado and HDJ81) in real-life terms. Also, if I buy the HDJ, I want to add 3rd row seats--is that relatively easy to do and to find the seats?

How much does replacing the BEB cost? Time to do it?

Thanks again,
Matt

 

[brownbear]

I will con-cur with Wayne. I have seen dozens upon dozens of failure cases for Prado owners come on here to find out about the problems.

The Prado will have a seriously bad re-sale value in Canada. Parts will be harder to find. Everything for parts will come from overseas. Some places sell common parts here.

A HZJ or HDJ81 have the same body and pieces as a FJ80 sold in the USA. ALL parts for the body seem available. Only the engine will need harder sourcing.

The BEB is something you can do yourself. I am guessing on price $300 for parts??? Search BEB in the diesel section.

The head on the Prado will cost $3k or more. And may happen again if your on BC roads.


The 80 will always be worth a premium.

The 3rd row seats do not fit well into a non 3rd row vehicle. But If you search the wreaking yards in the USA/or mud, you make find all the parts you need for it.

The wheel wells I am told are different. If you buy an 80 and need info about that the 80 section is wealth of info. I can take pictures of my 3rd row seats to show the brackets.



my opinion, get an 80 series. Or a HJ61. Both heavy duty cruisers.

Actually a HZJ77 is super nice too. Then you get the real tough 1HZ engine used by underground mines in Canada. But the body is harder to source parts for.

 

[denis]

If the 80 is *only* $5000 more than the prado, something is really f'ed up in the pricing policy

 

[BJ-44]

Prado's can be nice but the engines are a real issue. If you can afford the 80 series you will be much happier overall in mileage, power, reliability (engine), and comfort.

 

[Tapage]

Prado's can be nice but the engines are a real issue. If you can afford the 80 series you will be much happier overall in mileage, power, reliability (engine), and comfort.

Ditto .. 80 series it's more room cruiser .. I thought you are not planing anything too extreme the 80 series make you happy ( and your family if you have )

 

[backroads backpacker]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. Any Prado owners out there want to comment?

My concern now--though I am now focussing my search a bit more on the HDJ81--is the 3rd row seats. If my wife and I do have another kid, that extra room'll come in handy on road trips. (That is, providing we actually have any time for road trips between nappy changes!) I've been reading forums, user-comments and various google-found bits and bobs here and there, but still not sure about the whole installation of seats. Anyone have thoughts on that?

Cheers,
Matt

 

[crushers]

i own 2 LJ78s, these were ones that i refused to unload on the public even though they were in absolutly perfect shape due to the head issue.

do a search and you will see what all i did to try and combat the dreaded overheating/head cracking issue.

we wheel one and the other was my wifes daily driver (till the head blew).

search for a thread by MOT, he did the 3rd row seat install and posted pics and a write up...

 

[backroads backpacker]

Thanks Wayne.

 

[Coiled Cruiser]

I get 20-22 MPG mostly highway , on a recent trip to california however I got 17-18 MPG when burning #2 Diesel in OR and CA, but my last tank was 21 MPG (from WA). The 78 doesn't seem to link ULSD, it also gets worse mileage than I was expecting, however the truck is usualy loaded and carrying 6 passengers. Also on the way back I could hear a (wheel ?) bearing complaining, I'm going to check it out this weekend, so that probably isn't helping mileage any. I am using synthetic fluids though.

There is a head issue with these trucks, I cracked mine the first week I got it,

A lot of the blame most likely is due to the inadequate cooling system, even with the new head, fresh fluids, new air & fuel filters I still have overheating problems with ithe 78 if I'm not light on the throttle, and it is hard to be light on throttle when there is so little under the hood.

On the upside although this truck doesn't have a lot of acceleration it has a very stubborn little motor under the hood. In 4h the 2l-te can easily overcome obstacle's my old jeep 4.0 would have had difficulty with in 4 low, and both trucks have open rears, locked fronts and the same tire size so they are similar in a kinda, well not really sort of way.

BTW the jeep had overheating issue's too....
worse things could happen to your engine (and then your truck)

 

[prado t]

thats is weird 4h if i do tecknical in 4h the a343 heats up all my wheeling is done in 4l . Just got back from a trip with C
oastal Cruisers Van-Gold Bridge-Lilloet - Van and I avg mid 30s.
backroads backpacker get the 81 replace the crank and connecting rod bearings and be done with it. I cant believe that the 78s are still landing here with all the bull****. I love mine I use it, I run it hard, most of them dont last, be carefull.

 

[crushers]

add to that all the importers that still slell these to unsuspecting buyers then when the head blows the importers claims "i never knew about the problem"...

just in it for a quick buck.

the price of the LJ78 has dropped in Japan quite a bit but the price of resold LJ78 in Calgary has gone up ...now, if the importer was to tell the customer that the heads crack and that the replacment heads are cracking and offered a 1 year replacement warranty with no strings then great.
but when you buy a truck off them for $14G and blow the head, new head installed and a year later you go back to the same importer/dealer and they offer you $5G for the unit "cause we are having a hard time moving these" that hurts. then you get a call about another guy being offered a LJ78 on the same lot by the same importer for $17G 4 months later you gotta wonder who is the con here...

 

[backroads backpacker]

Yeah, I think I'm pretty decided now ... going to look for an 81. To be perfectly honest too--though it's a bit ridiculous--I prefer the look of the 81's.

Hey, anyone know if the camping/safari roof rack puts the height of one of these cruisers over for BC ferries? That extra $35 every time would suck, but I want that rack. I guess it depends on lift as well, hey?

Matt