Is this necessary- Skid plate foam pad? (1 Viewer)

[2001LC]

Is this necessary- Skid plate foam pad AKA Coolant Packing?

After pulling my front skid plate and cleaning it, the open cell foam (approximately 2"x2"x36") which was attached by glue came off. I found rust on the skid plate in the area where the foam was.

This foam (sponge) holds moisture which is not good as it promotes rust.

It must have a good purpose, but what?
(The officail part name: Coolant Packing, may be a clue)

Anyone have a good replacement for this foam?


Edit 9/28/13; Official part name Coolant Packing (source: The great guy's over at the Toyota parts counter, Grove Toyota on So. Broadway Englewood CO.)

Edit 10/4/13: Credible reasons Toyota engineers’ installed Coolant Packing, Toyota part # 88578-60100:
First: Coolant System aid as the name implies and many believe the primary purpose is to divert air to aid in cooling.
Second: Reduce road grim from entering the engine compartment. Maybe but this is probable a secondary benefit.
Third: A Vibration Damping device.This seems a stretch but comes from Toyota tech support. See post # 22.

Edit 10/8/13 Toyota response in wirting: "The purpose for the foam is to act as a vibration absorber which then prevents unwanted noise and metal fatigue, which can lead to cracking of the skid plate."

Edited 11/24/13 link to pictures in post #22

 

[jemsec]

Makes good trash can fill.

 

[badlander]

I'd pull it off. It caused a rusted thru hole in mine.

 

[2001LC]

Rust is what caught my attention.

Toyota engineers must have had some reason for this foam. Does anyone know what that is or care to guess?

 

[phatairman]

Maybe to promote air flow or restrict it. I know with an 80 that the foam piece on top of the radiator is there to funnel air down through the rad.

 

[2001LC]

Air flow is my thought as well, at least as the primary purpose.

 

[2001LC]

Anyone know if the 2007 has foam rubber as well?

 

[Lx470iH8Mud]

My 06 does.

 

[2001LC]

Well since your 2006 has foam (coolant pack) undoubtedly the 07 will also. Anyone know if the series 200 also uses foam rubber?

 

[gaijin]

Well since your 2006 has foam (sponge) undoubtedly the 07 will also. Anyone know if the series 200 also uses foam rubber?

Yes, it does - about 2" x 2" x 18" between the skid plates and the radiator.

 

[Rot Box]

On dirt bikes it is popular to place foam between the skid plate and engine to keep mud and debris from accumulating. Whether this apply's to the Land Cruiser or not i haven't the foggiest.

 

[2001LC]

On dirt bikes it is popular to place foam between the skid plate and engine to keep mud and debris from accumulating. Whether this apply's to the Land Cruiser or not i haven't the foggiest.

I'm betting keeping road grim out is a secondary benefit of the foam block (COOLANT PACK).

 

[2001LC]

I’ve spoken with a local shop and some in this thread say it is unnecessary “just toss it”.

Past experience has taught me not to remove any mechanical part without carful consideration, as the out come may not be desirable or readily apparent.

Anyone that has removed notice any differences; possible engine temp change or more grim in engine compartment?

 

[2001LC]

My 06 does.

Is it open cell or closed cell foam?

 

[2001LC]

I power wire brushed the rust off, clean and degreased the skid plate, then sprayed on a rubber coat (wheel well rubberized coating). Now I’m considering replacing the coolant pack (the old open cell foam pad) with a close cell foam and drilling drain holes into skid plate in front of the foam.

Later this week the new Toyota coolant pack(s) will be in. My parts department friends order both, the series 100 and 200. I’ll be able to see if Toyota changed the material to close cell for the 100 and if the 200 is indeed close cell. If not I’ll order some Dynaliner or similar produce and make my own coolant pack.

If Toyota engineers felt this important enough to continue its use, well, I’ll be replacing it. The open cell foam was obviously a mistake but the name coolant pack implies it part of the cooling system and my TLC has always run a perfect temp and I’d like to keep it that way.

 

[re_guderian]

Well, a diff drop renders it useless, and the engine runs just fine through AZ summers...

 

[2001LC]

Well, a diff drop renders it useless, and the engine runs just fine through AZ summers...

I was hoping someone from AZ would post, thank you.

My experience on a trip in 1975 while dropping down from Flagstaff to Phoenix, a missing piece of shielding on a VW bug became a problem, that wasn’t and issue in the cooler temp of the Rocky Mountains. Although we do reach 100+ degrees on the plains, the old carburetors need a change of jets for altitude so the combination of heat and low altitude made the missing shield and issue causing overheating. This is what has had me concerned, so I’m very interested in TLC being used in the heat of deserts.

Can you give me a little more color/info:

What outside temperatures you were driving in and for how long?
What range did you see on engine temperature gauge?
Does your temp gauge work well, what indication/position you normally see on it through the seasons?
Do you have the larger radiator (I know Toyota change to larger but not sure what year)?

 

[gaijin]

I power wire brushed the rust off, clean and degreased the skid plate, then sprayed on a rubber coat (wheel well rubberized coating). Now I’m considering replacing the coolant pack (the old open cell foam pad) with a close cell foam and drilling drain holes into skid plate in front of the foam.

If the purpose of the "coolant pack" is to direct air through the radiator rather than allow it to pass under the radiator, then the area in front of the coolant pack would become a higher pressure area.

Seems to me that drilling holes in the skid plate(s) in front of the coolant pack would allow the air to exit through the holes and would reduce the pressure in front of the coolant pack - thus negating the purpose of the coolant pack.

If you're going to drill holes, why bother re-installing the coolant pack?

If you don't re-install the coolant pack, then why drill the holes?

Just thinking out loud ...

 

[re_guderian]

I was hoping someone from AZ would post, thank you.

My experience on a trip in 1975 while dropping down from Flagstaff to Phoenix, a missing piece of shielding on a VW bug became a problem, that wasn’t and issue in the cooler temp of the Rocky Mountains. Although we do reach 100+ degrees on the plains, the old carburetors need a change of jets for altitude so the combination of heat and low altitude made the missing shield and issue causing overheating. This is what has had me concerned, so I’m very interested in TLC being used in the heat of deserts.

Can you give me a little more color/info:

What outside temperatures you were driving in and for how long?
What range did you see on engine temperature gauge?
Does your temp gauge work well, what indication/position you normally see on it through the seasons?
Do you have the larger radiator (I know Toyota change to larger but not sure what year)?

I live here, so it gets driven all day, all year, this year it saw outside temps from 6 degrees to 119 degrees. The 2UZ is the first land cruiser engine where you don't have to worry about over heating. This includes slow-speed wheeling during the summer with the AC blasting. Both my 60 and 80 ran hot here in the summers and you had to mod them to accommodate (fan clutch mods, pusher fans, no AC). The stock temp gage has a massive flat spot, as it did on the 80 series. Temps fluctuate within an acceptable range, and the needle won't even move. I have a BT OBD II adapter and the Torque pro app. I stopped looking at temp data years ago. Stock radiator, no change on the 100's that I'm aware of. You're seriously over thinking this...

 

[2001LC]

If the purpose of the "coolant pack" is to direct air through the radiator rather than allow it to pass under the radiator, then the area in front of the coolant pack would become a higher pressure area.

Seems to me that drilling holes in the skid plate(s) in front of the coolant pack would allow the air to exit through the holes and would reduce the pressure in front of the coolant pack - thus negating the purpose of the coolant pack.

If you're going to drill holes, why bother re-installing the coolant pack?

If you don't re-install the coolant pack, then why drill the holes?

Just thinking out loud ...

If I don't replace coolant pack I'll not drill holes, if i do; they'll be small wep holes and only a few at key points (were rust started). The series 100 does have three rows of holes, first hole is 14mm the rest are18mm. They're running front to back through the skip plate under and through reinforcements that is spot welded, with three 14mm hole anterior to the foam. The rust starts along the area where the foam meets the reinforcement traveling under and back of the reinforcement .