Land Cruiser Prado 90 RZ Import & Refresh (and maybe build...) (2 Viewers)

[apexwerks]

While I’m waiting on the ECU repair, it’s time to go ahead and get all the 200k service work done. While I was pulling the skid plates to drain the radiator, I saw that the inner CV boots on both axles had split during our drive to the mountains last week.

What a mess. Grease flung everywhere. It’s amazing what centrifugal force does to axle grease at highway speeds. I’m not going to replace the boots- at 200k kilometers, it’s not worth pulling the axles and re-installing them. Any opinions on remans vs. OE? Looks like the remans are $70/ea, and the OE units are $250 or so. I don’t have a big lift, so I’m leaning towards the remans.

Got the cooling system drained and the radiator pulled this afternoon. It was definitely time to do the job… everything was in functIonal condition, but there was rust in the hoses and the radiator looked tired. No oil in the coolant that I could see, so that’s a good sign.

I’m seeing a valve cover gasket leak that wasn’t evident when I picked up the truck, but other than that and the cracked CV boots I’m not seeing fluids where there aren’t supposed to be any.

 

[apexwerks]

Here’s the next stage of the project plan…

Timing Belt Service
-Timing belt
-Crank and camshaft gaskets
-Water pump, housing and gasket
-Alternator belts and accessory belt
-Valve cover gasket

Cooling system refresh
-Aluminum radiator
-Hoses
-Thermostat
-Install separate transmission cooler
-Transmission cooler hoses

Filters and fluids
-Oil and filter change
-Transmission fluid, filter and gasket change
-F/R diffs and transfer case oil change
-Air filter
-Fuel filter

While I’m in there
-Glow plugs
-Clean and flow test injectors
-Delete EGR, install block off plates
-Install Aubers EGT and boost gauges

Replace L/R front drive axles
-Cardone remans from NAPA
-New discs and rotors
-Replace LBJs

Repair ECU board

Gotta hurry, I’m due at Windrock Park in 6 weeks…

 

[apexwerks]

Slowly but surely… Had some time tonight to pull the fan, the intercooler, the valve cover and the timing belt cover. Cannot get over how much easier this thing is to work on than my previous BMWs… the last time I had to pull an intercooler and a valve cover off an E90 it was at least a 4-5 hour job.

Anyway, discovered a pretty decent VGC leak, so I’m glad I’m doing this job.

Looks like I was shipped the wrong fan clutch - I’m assuming this one is for the petrol engine. The bolt size and spacing are identical, it fits the fan and pulley exactly, but the shaft is almost a full centimeter shorter than the stock one. It won’t interfere with anything on the engine, but I’m still going to replace it with the right one - this motor has a reputation for overheating and I’m not going to risk it.

One question for the gathered minds here… I’m going to have to pull the intake manifold and clean it out. I looked down through the throttle butterfly and it’s full of gunk from the EGR, so it’s time to pull it and try to get it all cleaned out. I’ll delete the EGR while I’m in there. Do I need to replace the intake manifold gaskets on this motor, or are they re-usable? Thanks!

 

[buggyboy7]

I suggest you change them as they are thin and probably were designed for one compression.
As I recall they are cheap and not worth gambling on. Watch the large rubber couplings for the intercooler as well. They are often cracked at this age.
Cheers

 

[apexwerks]

I suggest you change them as they are thin and probably were designed for one compression.
As I recall they are cheap and not worth gambling on. Watch the large rubber couplings for the intercooler as well. They are often cracked at this age.
Cheers

Thanks, @buggyboy7! I was hoping to skip waiting on parts from Dubai - I can't find the gaskets here. But you're right, it's not worth skipping it. I'll get them ordered today. Thanks also for the tip on the intercooler... I'll order a replacement as well.

 

[apexwerks]

This has been a really busy season for our family, so I've been unable to get big uninterrupted chunks of time to knock out big pieces of this project. I'm trying to get this done basically an hour at a time, after everyone goes to bed, which is not how I usually do things. I'm breaking the project up into lots of small chunks that I can complete in 45-60 minutes... this is a new way of doing things, and I'm curious to see how it goes.

Last night, got the timing belt in. Replaced the timing belt, the tensioner and the pulley. Had sourced camshaft oil seal to replace while I was in there, but there's no leaking anywhere I can see - it's dry as a bone. My old man taught me never to replace a seal that wasn't leaking...

Cleaned the timing cover and got it all buttoned up last night. Up next, as time permits:
-Water pump
-Glow plugs
-Pull injectors and send out for cleaning/flow testing
-Pull intake and figure out how I’m going to clean it
-Remove EGR, install block off plates and EGT & MAP sensors

My electronics repair guy should be back next week and I’ll get the ECU and capacitors over to him for that part of the project.

I’ll be waiting for new intake gaskets for a while, and the diesel injector place is pretty backed up, so if I wrap all that up in a reasonable amount of time I’ll go underneath and get all my fluids done, half shafts and LBJs installed, and run my diff breather lines.

 

[apexwerks]

Water pump installed, belts reinstalled and tensioned. I put the belts on less than a thousand miles ago, so no need to replace them. Not much, but incremental progress.

Test fit the fan clutch from the petrol engine and the clearances were all wrong. Put the original clutch back on till I get time to order and replace.

 

[nOtArEaLcRuIsEr]

Id like to know what you think about the bilsteins, I find them to be bouncy.

 

[apexwerks]

Id like to know what you think about the bilsteins, I find them to be bouncy.

Those are Dobinsons twin tubes, not Bilsteins. They're basically the same color so it's an easy mistake to make.

Dobinsons is the only vendor I could find stateside that specs different spring rates for the diesel and the gas engine... everyone else just sells the gas 4Runner springs. The diesel weighs significantly more than the gas engine, so it has to make a difference.

I've been very pleased with the Dobinsons set up. The ride is excellent, and is a significant improvement over stock.

 

[nOtArEaLcRuIsEr]

I wish I knew this a week ago, explains why it rides like crap.

 

[apexwerks]

I wish I knew this a week ago, explains why it rides like crap.

Oh man that sucks... there's nothing worse than installing a suspension and finding out it isn't a fit.

 

[apexwerks]

Had a few hours this afternoon, and knocked out the rest of the cooling system. Up first was the radiator. The auto version of these has a transmission cooler integrated into the radiator. I’m not a huge fan of this arrangement for two reasons- first, the 1KZ-TE is notorious for cooling system issues, and giving up radiator space to the transmission seems counterproductive. Second, the internal transmission cooler can fail, and cause ATF in the cooling system and coolant in the transmission - neither of which are good.

So, I decided to go with an aluminum radiator for a manual transmission model, and a separate plate and fin transmission cooler. Up first, the transmission cooler:

Cooler went in easy peasy. I attached it to the front of the condenser. A few folks on the 3rd gen 4Runner forums tested and said that this was the optimal location for the cooler. I‘m planning to keep an eye on the temps, and if it becomes an issue I can go with something like a Derale Atomic cooler that’s designed to be mounted anywhere.

Up next, radiator. I found a group in AU that would ship me a full aluminum radiator for the same price as a Koyo. It’s purty.

Install was easy. Everything lined up well. I still need to pressure test it to ensure all the welds are good. New Toyota upper radiator hose and reinstalled the shroud.

Finally, the thermostat. For those of us with an auto, there are a few extra bolts to remove. Just like the manual, the thermostat housing has two bolts at the top, but it also has a bracket for the transmission cooler lines and another bolt securing the pipe to the block at the bottom. They’re a little awkward to get to, but overall it came out without too much drama. New thermostat and Toyota radiator hose went in.

The electronics repair guy is back in town, and I’m hoping to get the ECU repair done this week. I’m also shooting to get injectors cleaned this week and see if I can get the intake hot tanked as well.

 

[apexwerks]

I need some help from the gathered minds here... one of the jobs I want to do is pull the intake and clean it. I've ordered all my gaskets, but Amayama just came back and said the Venturi to intake gasket is out of stock. Partsouq is also showing it out of stock. Does anyone have any suggestions for alternative part numbers or workarounds? I'd hate to do all this and end up with a leak at the throttle body, and I'd also hate to leave all that gunk in the intake.

Thanks!

 

[buggyboy7]

apexwerks
Have you tried Megazip?
K.

 

[apexwerks]

apexwerks
Have you tried Megazip?
K.

Just tried an order with them... let's see if they can get it! Thanks for the tip...

 

[nOtArEaLcRuIsEr]

You can also buy sheets of gasket material and use a hammer to make gasket. Perfect for smaller simple gaskets.

 

[apexwerks]

You can also buy sheets of gasket material and use a hammer to make gasket. Perfect for smaller simple gaskets.

Thanks! I didn't even think about that.... let's see if MegaZip comes through and if not I'll get a sheet of gasket material and start tracing.

 

[apexwerks]

My old man always said that a project wasn’t a project till you bled on it. Guess it’s a project now.

You’d think after 30 years with a wrench in my hand I’d learn to look where my hand was going to go when that pesky bolt breaks loose, but no. Just get tunnel vision on a stubborn bolt and slam my hand into the nearest sharp object whenever it breaks loose.

That last bolt on the bottom of the EGR exhaust manifold side was an SOB. Got it loose and man what a mess that EGR made…

Ended up using dental picks and carb cleaner to scrape as much of the gunk out of the head as I could. I’m soaking the intake in diesel overnight to see if that makes a dent. Otherwise, guess I’m going to have to find someone to hot tank it.

 

[apexwerks]

Pulled the injectors. Found a shop locally that says they‘ll clean and flow test them for me. Hoping to get them off early next week for a rebuild.

Replaced the glowplugs while I was in there.

Dropped the ECU and the new capacitors off with the electronics guy on Wednesday. Probably have it back early next week, but won’t be able to test for a while.

Next, I need to drill and tap the block off plates and install the plates and Aubers sensors and gauges.

After that, I’m waiting for intake gaskets, seals and a few new hoses to ship from UAE… hadn’t planned on doing the intake and injectors when I did my first parts order. While I wait, I’ll do fluids, filters, half shafts and grease everything with a zerk.

 

[nOtArEaLcRuIsEr]

Thanks! I didn't even think about that.... let's see if MegaZip comes through and if not I'll get a sheet of gasket material and start tracing.

I ordered timing belt parts through amayama.com, we will see if they show up.

In the past I’ve used propane torches to burn out the pipes on my 2 strokes when they looked like you intake. Never tried it on an aluminum intake though.