I own several landcruisers and always liked the look of the 70 series. I am shopping for diesel and manual transmission. Are there ones to avoid.
Is a 1987 LJ73 with 2L-T and 5 Speed manual a good landcruiser to buy. (1 Viewer)
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It all depends on what you intend to do with it. Will it be an around-town or weekend vehicle, a long-distance expedition rig, a heavy wheeling rig? The LJ platform is lighter duty than the other 70-series, and as such is more suited to daily driving and light to moderate off-roading. They are not very well suited to lots of highway miles, particularly at higher speeds like are common in the US. The coil suspension vs. leaf springs in the heavy duty 70's make the LJ a more comfortable option for daily use.
The 2L-T is by no means a powerhouse, and has a tendency to overheat when run hard. I have heard conflicting reports on their propensity for cracking cylinder heads when compared to the later 2L-TE, though regardless the cooling system needs to be in tip top shape and an intercooler is not a bad idea.
The 2L-T is by no means a powerhouse, and has a tendency to overheat when run hard. I have heard conflicting reports on their propensity for cracking cylinder heads when compared to the later 2L-TE, though regardless the cooling system needs to be in tip top shape and an intercooler is not a bad idea.
I have driven an ‘88 LJ70 for eighteen years. Used primarily in S Italy and driven hard in +40C summer months, I have never had even a hint of overheating. So I expect you will not have problems in Montana. Make sure and let the Turbo cool down after a hard drive and you should be fine. As stated above, the LJ70 is not happy on Freeways, but mine traversed Europe on several occasions using secondary roads as opposed to autoroutes.
The LJ70 is a light duty LC but for my work use it has been superior to any other SUVs including Defenders and only tractors could keep up with it. As a daily driver, it is a joy but you will have to accept what 88 bhp can give you and just putt putt along. I drove a Gen 5 4Runner for the first time last Spring and it felt like a 911 compared to the LJ. And people here say the Gen 5 is underpowered. That being said, the LJ is a blast to drive. I suspect it is suited for use in the States, maybe not perfectly suited, but I will find out soon as mine should arrive in Long Beach in two weeks where it will live in a holiday home, be driven sparingly and enjoy a well deserved retirement.
The biggest problem with the LJ70 are all the admiring stares, thumbs up and unsolicited offers to purchase you will have to endure.
Find a well maintained one and you will never want to let it go.
The LJ70 is a light duty LC but for my work use it has been superior to any other SUVs including Defenders and only tractors could keep up with it. As a daily driver, it is a joy but you will have to accept what 88 bhp can give you and just putt putt along. I drove a Gen 5 4Runner for the first time last Spring and it felt like a 911 compared to the LJ. And people here say the Gen 5 is underpowered. That being said, the LJ is a blast to drive. I suspect it is suited for use in the States, maybe not perfectly suited, but I will find out soon as mine should arrive in Long Beach in two weeks where it will live in a holiday home, be driven sparingly and enjoy a well deserved retirement.
The biggest problem with the LJ70 are all the admiring stares, thumbs up and unsolicited offers to purchase you will have to endure.
Find a well maintained one and you will never want to let it go.
I second @malden.
In general the diesel engines in BJ and LJs with less than 100hp are a bit underpowered. They mostly do great offroad and cruising, but have hard times coping with highway speeds.
The VM diesel found in many BJ from Portugal and Spain is not a great engine.
I own a BJ73 3B. The 3B with 5 speed manual with 90hp is underpowered, in particular at inclines. Also is the parts situation becoming difficult. But still a blast to drive.
One of the 2LT iterations had cylinderhead issues at first (overheating and eventual cracking ), but Toyota solved this with an improved head. I guess, all 2LT iterations still running strong now have either never had any issue or have it solved. But it's worth asking about that .
Good Luck Ralf
EDIT Not sure which 2LT exactly had the head issues. But some research here on ih8mud will bring up more details.
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I may be wrong (I often am) but I’m not aware of any issues with the 2L-T (not to be confused with the
2L-TE). Like with most small diesel engines, your right foot needs to be disciplined.
2L-TE). Like with most small diesel engines, your right foot needs to be disciplined.
Mhmm. Probably I'm mixing up things. Sorry
You’re assuming I actually know what I’m talking about.
I like my 91 LJ77 and have not had any overheating issues. But, I'm in CT.
A friend in CO has a LJ73 and does have some overheating issues.
Is elevation the cause? Maybe going up over passes?
He is going to have an oversized radiator installed.
I've done some mild wheeling and it is capable.
The 2LT is quicker than 2F or 2H but it is not a rocket.
A friend in CO has a LJ73 and does have some overheating issues.
Is elevation the cause? Maybe going up over passes?
He is going to have an oversized radiator installed.
I've done some mild wheeling and it is capable.
The 2LT is quicker than 2F or 2H but it is not a rocket.
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Thanks for the information, I'm thinking of using it as daily driver and normally run 70 mph or less. Some hunting and fishing trips and cat hunting in winter. How are the heaters compared to FJ40s? My FJ40 with 3B-T and 5 speed handles it well unless 90 degree or 0 degree day. It has little to no comfort option and wind noise. The 40 and 45 draw a lot of attention also. Are there a after cooler or oversized radiator option out there?
That seems like a perfectly reasonable use case for an LJ73. I can't compare the heater to a 40-series, as I've never had one, but I will say that the heater in my LJ78 is quite good. Comfort and wind noise should be a significant upgrade over a 40. Any intercooler install would have to be custom, and radiators are pretty much limited to factory style or aftermarket aluminum. There may be some options to get an aftermarket unit with a thicker than stock core, or have the original re-cored.
That might not be the cause, but it probably isn't helping. I didn't see any overheating at all when I was pushing up and through Colorado on a drive across the country...but it was also -6°F when I got on the road that morning. The altitude was a killer, though; my rig struggled after we passed the 8,000' mark. I had to push her pretty hard to keep her moving up the hill, so I would fully expect that amount of strain to cause overheating on warmer days.
Also, to the OP: I don't find the leaves in my suspension to be uncomfortable...but that kind of subjective judgement is more about expectation than reality: the coil-sprung 70s feel very similar to me. If you're used to a modern SUV, any 70-series is going to feel dated and harsh; if you've driven other harder-use vehicles, it's going to feel about like you'd expect. If you're used to driving one-ton-plus work trucks with leaf-sprung live axles and cheap vinyl bench seats, you'll think you've died and gone to heaven... although in point of fact, I do love a good bench seat.
