LJ78!! I'm Keeping it....

[Tebo]

Good morning everyone...
Well, I have to say, had I found this site a month or so earlier I might not be in the place I am today. I fell in love with a Prado with the 'dreaded' 2.4lte engine... after then finding the site (originally to fix my hubs!) I am more and more seeing the problems affecting this engine.
Afetr much debate, I have decide to keep my Prado (which I still really like and love driving- perfect size, fuel economy, looks... love it all). I am certainly not in any way turning my nose up at any of you who have said to stay away from this vehicle. I respect your thoughts and concerns. My question is now this:
What should I install in this truck to keep an accurate eye on the temp (water and exhaust) as I understand that these factory units tend to warn you a little late! Wil the propane system that waynes sells at luxury imports help at all? Larger exhaust?
To all you Prado owners out there - hows yours doing? And - what have you done to help the problems.
I am using this as my daily driver with some trips through the snow and mud into our cabin and some light wheeling here and there - nothing major and I dont think my ride will see any tires larger than 31's.... (I'm trying to keep the work load kinda light!)

Well, let me know what you all think.

Trent

 

[Tebo]

Ok...
Here are the questions... finding it hard to find the answers on the forum and my lunch break is nearly up!!
Fixed fan? sounds like a great idea- where to get one and how hard to install
EGT, pyro and watre temp guages where can I get those set up anyone still doing this around calgary??

Wayne had at one time mentioned running higher boost levels how do you adjust this??
Recomendations for a good muffler shop in Calgary... 2.5" I am assuming...
And finally what is the EGR?
Pardon all my ignorance here... just another newbie trying to figure it all out at once!

Thanks fellas...
any help would be great.
T

 

[RHD Toyota's]

boost gauge and pyrometer, you can get those at your favorite auto parts store, I went with autometer ultra lites.

I love my Prado, hasn't overheated yet and I'm hard on it, I know my day is coming though. I'm also running 33x12.5 tires and 13 lbs of boost

Things to prevent the heat and add power, exhaust is likley the number one combine that with more boost and you'll notice a difference.

 

[Tebo]

Thanks man,
Hey how long have you had your Prado....
I am begininning to wonder if some simply come over from Japan 'preabused' they definately seem to need a bit of pampering to run nice and cool... that being said - I am prepared for the new head as well. I fully get the fact that it has a high probability of blowing... still for the price, style etc. I think it all works out to a good vehicle for me. There are positive stories out there.... kinda got to look for them but then again, not too many people are writing "oh, my vehicle is running great...." on a forum...

I dont know, just keep it maintained and hope for the best - and budget for the worst!

Thanks again

 

[champjack]

i would just like to say congrats on the ride , i have had mine for just about 2 years and had to replace head before i even got it home. I love this ride , great ride , I have not done a thing with mine other than replace lower rad hose heater and replace studs on frnt tire thanks to mj toyota. other than that i love my ride . Daily driver and a fare bite of hiway driving ....have not had over heating probs as of yet fingers crossed.

 

[Tebo]

Great to hear buddy,
Hope all continues to go well... I am going to look i nto installing a shorter exhaust with a larger diameter to keep the temp down - and look into after market guages so I can be accurate with the temps as well - other than that - its perfect (well, a rack eventually would be nice!)
Have you done much highway driving through the mountains?? I suppose just take your time and all should be well, pull over if at all neccessary...

Great to hear the positives boys!

 

[Saswoi]

@ 2 Years and counting

I bought my prado like you too. I didn't find out about the problems with the 2.4 untill after I bought the truck. I changed all the fluids to synthetics installed a lower rad hose heater and a small oil pan heater,and a battery blanket. The truck starts right up.Last week it was - 43 here. Also I installed a mech temp gauge and a pyro.I have not seen the engine temp go past 220 and the pyro has never reached 1100 plus. The fan is good.I drive this truck every day and I keep the engine in the torque band 2400-2800 rpm. I can cruise all day @ this rpm. I also put on a set of goodyear kevlar tires 31.5". In the past two years I have had no promlems with it. I also put in a killer sterio with a custom sub box.Sterio took me 2.5 days to install because I took out all the seats and carpet. I should put up some pictures. I heat my house with wood so I have pulled a cords of wood out of the bush and down the highway with no over heating. I have just found a leak in the pump I think because their is a diesel smell and its wet under the pump. You have to use a diesel additive in these trucks or you will cook the pump. I use some every fill.

 

[Tebo]

Tha sounds really good saswoi...
Cool to know you have been towing a bit with itam planning to tow a small enclosed trailer for tools and materials... not too much weight though - keep it fairly light. How hard where those guages to install?? Where can I get them (to be honest, I am not even too sure what a pyrometer is...) I would like to set the truck up with both of these though. Also looking to get a stebro style muffler installed, may do it myslf or talk to a few shops (might be better to have it welded profesionally... what kind of diesel additive are you using.. I have been using an amsoil product that seem pretty good... every fill for sure. How mayny km's are you going bettween oil changes with the synthetic? might be a good option.

Thanks alot for the reply,
Take care

 

[Saswoi]

I bought the gauges from a place in BC and put them where the altimeter is, looks like a custom job. I use a additive from a company here in Saskatchewan canola based product.A pyro is a gauge that reads the exhaust gas temps. I installed it about 1.5" past the turbo on the down pipe.I change out my oil @ 5000kms and the oil filter @ 10'000.Use the real toyota filter,is't by far the best one you can buy.I haven't put synthetic in because the front crank seal is leaking alittle, so I have been using dino castro heavy duty 15-40 diesel extended wear.As for pulling with these trucks You have drive them SLOW and drive them in the power ban.I was pulling a full cord of dry wood out of the bush and as I was going home I had to watch my temps because they can climb real fast. If I keep this truck I think I would put a dobson lift in it because as is its a little rough.

 

[1990 LJ78]

Hi Tebo
I have had my Prado for a while now purchased without knowing the pitfalls as well..
Even if I did Know the pitfalls I probably would have still bought it..
Had 51000k on it when I aquired it now I'm up to 82000k +/-
I really like this truck.
I had the rad rebuilt and extra core added. That was the first thing I did.
Have never overheated it.
I run synthetic oil in motor now. Have upped my boost a bit but I have nothing to measure it with so I did not get too carried away when doing it.
Waiting for some part of the muffler system to go so I have an excuse to get a bigger one installed.
My Prado did not have the cold weather set up on it..
I have added dual batteriers & an oil pan heater for help in cold weather but that is all Southern Ontario not that cold. - 18c today. Truck started ok.. I want to get the lower rad hose heater installed next time it is in for service anyway.
I also had the problems with TWH sensor took a while to definitly sort out.
See this thread.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/70-series-tech/176981-ecu-pin-out.html
I have also installed the Wilson Switch mod.. It is documented some where here as well. This by passes all the glowplug timer stuff.

Hope this helps you a little.
Rich

 

[Tebo]

Hey Rich!
Thanks alot for all the tips... The Rad mod seems like a great option to me. (makes good sense)... I did get a rad hose heater installed, starts easy and we have been as cold as -35 since the install, should really get a couple of battery blankets to protect those - but no troubles so far...
I have a muffler kinda worked out (with TwoThirty's help!) figured out all the bits this weekend at C-Tire... hopefully do that in the next couple of weeks- maybe I will try to post a picture or two...
Well, good to meet you (and add to the 'positives' about these beauties...)
I will check out those posts,
All the best,
T

 

[dberwin]

In BC Canada

I alos have a LJ78 Prado and like the looks and driving. May have payed to much based on resale but it is in very nice condition. I now have over 5k on it and looks good. I was hoping for better milage as it is a little low. I have only drivin it in the winter so will have to see in the summer before I give up. It is a bit hard to start in the winter even with all the glow plugs working well. It has 140k on it with 1" tires. My back springs are a little weak and willl also look at upgrading them in the spring.



I have changed all the fluids and put in Evans Coolant. This seemed a little expensive but it certainly works.

www.evanscooling.com


I will be looking to add some guages soon and was looking at these as the local ones are around $400.

Auto Meter Sport-Comp Digital Series Gauges from egauges.com

These are nice with all the fittings and instructions. Many come with extra parts and sending units.

 

[1990 LJ78]

dberwin
I just looked at your link to Evans NPG coolant.
Sounds like something all diesel land cruisers should be running..Boiling point 375F.
Hijack!!
Anyone know where in Ontario Canada that this coolant can be found..??

Regards.

 

[Tebo]

dberwin...
Great to hear from you and always good to see another happy prado... so this evans coolant seems pretty cool - definately be good find out more about it.... I understand the pressure in the heads might be less asd there is no steam from the water?
Were did you purchase the coolant and about how much was it for the change over??

 

[dberwin]

Regarding Evans Coolant

I went to the web site and looked up the suppliers. It looks like we need some more but did not chase that at all.

I bought mine out of Edmonton. You can get it from Rotax dealers for Ultralights as they are also putting it in the engines for thier planes. It cost about $150 to switch over. 1 of cleaner and to fill. Only a little bit left and should buy one extra just in case.

Jmj in Edmonton Jim Heppner 780-922-5837

 

[1990 LJ78]

dberwin
Thanks tons for the info and phone number.
Regards

 

[kkriese]

Pyro; keep your eye on e-bay. After I paid $200 for mine I found them on ebay for less than 100. For the boost I would recommend adding in a boost control valve; when I just bypassed the wastegate I was boosting over 15psi which most regard as too much for this engine. With the boost controller I max the boost at 13 psi (compared to the 10 psi if the wastegate is working). This does reduce EGT's by over 100 degrees preturbo. Installing the pyrometer sensor is hard; you have to drill into the manifold just before the turbo, accessing it from the wheel well. There is room, but if you don't have a good place to work, get a shop to install the probe and you install the gauge and wires. Make sure they put grease on the manifold to catch the metal shavings from drilling.

PS: I had the head adventure but it was my fault for not installing a proper water temp guage, driving wiht a small leak in the rad while Toyota was looking for a new rad, and presto it overheats and the guage shows a problem well after the head gasket is blown.

Lesson; keep coolant system 100%. Put in a better water temp guage. Install pyro and boost.

All this aside, it is a good machine.

 

[I will NOT give up]

Love my truck

Same same, but different
I have had my Prado for 9 months, 30K, and no problems. Ok, the stump i hit this morning was a problem and i bent the steering rod.
But i have driven this for 4 hours with 5 people and a full back in 35 degree heat up hill both ways and there has not been a stich of a problem with the temperature. Maybe the head was redone before it got here.
But my oil pressure goes up and up when i do long hills on the highway. Any idea why? I am using 15/40.
The fact that there doesn't seem to be an english manual for this vehicle kind of irks me.
Time saving tip for those who don't already know. The 4 wheel disk brakes are the same as a 93 4runner.
Keep the tires turning.

 

[grease_guzzler]

dberwin

thanks for the heads up on the evans coolant. Did the system take about 4 gallons of coolant all together?

 

[dberwin]

I bought 3 of coolant and 1 of flushing agent. I took top and bottom off the rad and pulled the block plug and heater and intake lines. I then flushed all through until it came out and used about 3/4 of the flush. The system took about 2 and 3/4 jugs of coolant. there is very little left so you should have 4 of coolant to have a spare.