Looking for Prado Information (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Oct 29, 2005
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Hi All,

Long time LandCruiser fan, and massive Toyota enthusiast here :)

I've taken a quick look around, and like what this site has to offer, except information on 70 series trucks is kind of lacking :(

I recently purchased a LJ78 and am waiting on its arrival from Japan.

Just wondering if anyone has any idea what kind of options I should expect to find on it, and if there's any known problems I should be prepared to fix.

I know it has PW, PL, Sunroof, 8 Pass seating, AC, and that the trim level is EX-5- I believe.

I can't wait for its arrival and to spend a little more time in the community.
 
ummm

Options can be anything, there is a wide variety of options it all depends on the boxes people ticked when they bought it.

A LJ78 will have a 2LT I think, there a strong little motor from what I have read on this fourm, keep your coolent system clean, and watch for leaks. Make sure all you gauages are in good working order, it's a good very idea to have a mechinical gauge cluster on top of the exsisting toyota ones. If you ever notice your coolent gauge going into the red, STOP right away, and shut her off. Many of the diesel toyota engines get cracked or warped heads from people driving with there trucks overheated. A quick rad fill up or even a tow if nessary is alot cheaper then a head!

First thing I would do is look for major damage under her, holes leaks etc, then after fixing any problems (if any) I would get it krown oil sprayed, do it once a year, every year. It will keep the nasty canadain winters from stealing her life from ya.


Can't wait to see some pics, how old is she, how many KM's?

cheers
 
Yeah, I know as much as it has a 2LT (or so I think!)

Its a 1990 model, with 70,000kms :)
 
Eric Winkworth said:
ummm A LJ78 will have a 2LT I think, there a strong little motor from what I have read on this fourm, keep your coolent system clean, and watch for leaks. heers

ummmm...So, Eric. You are saying the early 2LT is as strong as the 3B, 13BT, 12HT, 1HZ, 1HD-T, when the 2LT is known to have a head issue from the factory?

Please, if this is not side taking, and is not an issue with running a engine dry, or otherwise abusing it...enlighten us with your facts.

Remember too, as Ezra Taft Benson is quoted as saying "Pride is concerned with who is right" "Humility is concerned with what is right".

For me, what is right is to ensure any consumer is given the facts. With the facts a person can them make a choice, and live with it.

Would I own a 2LT. Yes, and be prepared after exhaustive research with those who have walked the path to change out to a 3L head with new head gasket at some point.

Canadam: Search a couple forums, as well as this one, with 2LT and you will find some interesting reading and opinions. Do your research, then decide what is the best course of action for you. You have the beginnings of a great platform imo.

http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/
http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/
http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/index.php

There is not a lot of light duty Landcruiser Prado information on these shores yet. This will change with time. I know the latest Prados are winning awards, and top ranking on a number of fronts overseas.

hth's

g(trying to ensure humility and done with this conversation)b
 
Hi Canadam and welcome. There is a lot of useful info on this site regarding your future Landcruiser although it not always easy to find using the search facility.
As more LJ7# owners congregate here it can only improve:cool:
As to the head problems some owners have ,I believe the Surf owners suffer more because of the cramped engine bay which reduces the airflow through the radiator.

This very profound Greg:D

"Remember too, as Ezra Taft Benson is quoted as saying "Pride is concerned with who is right" "Humility is concerned with what is right".
 
the engine will be the 2L-TE. it is a pretty pepping little engine. there are problems with the head in certain models. i have heard of 2 LJ78s having head problems, i do not know the history of those 2 particular trucks and wether they recieved abuse after arriving or were bad when purchased.
the replacement heads are cheap in comparrison to the 3B cracking heads at $850. the driving habits of some will cook this engine so i recommend a pyro be installed. i have sold about 10 of these LJ71s and none of them have had any cracking issue, i have 3 LJ78s with no head cracking issues. some of these have been here for 3 years and are daily drivers.
i have not heard much on the boards about the land cruiser versions having the same problems as the surfs and minis, one suggestion was made that the engine bay of the surfs are too tight for heat transference which is a possilbe cause of the noted head cracking in those particular models.

it sounds like you bought your truck from the auctions in Japan with out the aid of an inspector. send me a copy of your inspection sheet and i will try and help you decifer what options it has. wayne@crushersrule.com . most important when you are buying from an auction is your contact in Japan.
best of luck in your purchase.
cheers
 
Hello Canadam. Welcome to the board, and welcome to the growing LJ78 club. I've got one that should be in Calgary this week. Can't wait.

Anyway, your '90 Prado will have the 2L-TE, which displaces the same as the 2L-T but features electronic engine controls instead of mechanical pump. I've done tons of reading on the cylinder head issue, and it does seem that the Hilux Surf trucks suffer more problems than the 78s. Of course, it may simply be a matter of there being more Surfs out there, or maybe Surf drivers are a little more aggressive than LC drivers, who knows. At any rate, I know of at least one other dude who cracked his LJ's head when he burst a rad hose. So, as already mentioned, a set of gauges, especially a pyrometer to measure EGT is pretty important. I'm putting one on as soon as I get my truck.

I've gathered some info about the LJ78 and the 2L-TE onto a web page. It's still under construction, and it's really ugly, but there are some useful links and more to come as soon as I get a minute to work on it. Click here.
 
light_duty said:
I've gathered some info about the LJ78 and the 2L-TE onto a web page. It's still under construction, and it's really ugly, but there are some useful links and more to come as soon as I get a minute to work on it. .[/URL]
beauty is in the eye of the beholder and information is beauty in itself...
 
crushers said:
the engine will be the 2L-TE. it is a pretty pepping little engine. there are problems with the head in certain models. i have heard of 2 LJ78s having head problems, i do not know the history of those 2 particular trucks and wether they recieved abuse after arriving or were bad when purchased.
the replacement heads are cheap in comparrison to the 3B cracking heads at $850. the driving habits of some will cook this engine so i recommend a pyro be installed. i have sold about 10 of these LJ71s and none of them have had any cracking issue, i have 3 LJ78s with no head cracking issues. some of these have been here for 3 years and are daily drivers.
i have not heard much on the boards about the land cruiser versions having the same problems as the surfs and minis, one suggestion was made that the engine bay of the surfs are too tight for heat transference which is a possilbe cause of the noted head cracking in those particular models.

it sounds like you bought your truck from the auctions in Japan with out the aid of an inspector. send me a copy of your inspection sheet and i will try and help you decifer what options it has. wayne@crushersrule.com . most important when you are buying from an auction is your contact in Japan.
best of luck in your purchase.
cheers


I didn't mean to compare the 2 LT to a 3B or anything, it is a light duty motor. You can't do much more then keep the coolent system clean, giving this guy a s*** storm of possible problems is stupied, if it cracks or warps a head he is gonna know it, and I'm sure will do the nessary things to fix it. The suggestion for an EGT is a great idea also. As always Wayne said it best, like I keep saying unless it is cracked when he gets the truck, heads don't just crack because your engine is operating with optimum engine and exhuast temps, they crack because someone is driving there Land Cruiser like a supra. Baby the old girl and she will be good to you for many years to come. I have yet to hear about any main bearing failing in these motors, which makes me think at least they wern't built to break!
 
light_duty said:
I've gathered some info about the LJ78 and the 2L-TE onto a web page. It's still under construction, and it's really ugly, but there are some useful links and more to come as soon as I get a minute to work on it. Click here.

Your website is going to be well recieved, and it looks great l_d. As more and more show up, the knowledge base will increase in Canada, building on other markets experience.

I should have mentioned the 3L as being a well respected engine in the diesel ld lineup.

gb
 
light_duty said:
I've gathered some info about the LJ78 and the 2L-TE onto a web page. It's still under construction, and it's really ugly, but there are some useful links and more to come as soon as I get a minute to work on it. Click here.


Spruced things up a bit if anyone wants to take a look: LJ78 and 2L-TE Page
 
Last edited:
kzj78 with 3 litre engine

Wonder if the Prado kzj78 with the 3 litre 1kz-te engine is showing up in North America? In East Africa it is about as common as as the lj71 and lj78 with the 2.4 litre engine.

2. All are either reconditioned or simply used car imports from Japan and the Middle East; even though Toyota 4wd has an unassailable lead in the East African market, these earlier model Prados were not sold here. The few highways in Tanzania have excellent metalled surfaces. All other roads are gravel or unsurfaced. Therefore off-roading is the norm if one leaves the highway. Most people seem to use them for city travel and occasionally for 1000km journeys on the highway with baggage loaded on a luggage carrier and inside, with a complement of 4 to 5 passengers . Having mostly ridden a 4.2 litre Landcruiser driven at 100 kmph, don't recall ever being passed by an older model Prado: probably shows that they are being driven with care.

3. Though there is no reliable information, most users I have spoken to appear satisfied with them. Some have said that the 2.4 litre Prado is more susceptible to overheating than the 3 litre models but there is no real proof. I am likely to get a used 1995 Prado kzj78 soon. Will report on its behaviour after it arrives.

Best wishes
Chhayanat
 
kzj78g 1995 model just arrived from Japan. Initial findings:

i. Airconditioner blower jammed with dirt. Cooling lukewarm. Checking gas as sight glass is cloudy. Any ideas?
ii. Depressing accelerator suddenly in neutral creates reactive minor rocking in body towards the right. Gear lever also moves slightly. Is this normal for a Prado or is it the engine mountings or normal in this model?
iii. Car seems to respond rather quickly to accelerator in motion. Is this merely early build-up of torque in 4wd diesel cars? Suspension seems overly compliant especially on ruts on road surface though clearance of car shows no sloping downwards near rear wheels (often seen in Prado).
iv. Not yet driven on highway but expect no large differences.
Chhayanat
 
1 replace the AC coolant
2 in neutral, then check engine mounts and tranny mounts
3 not sure what you mean here, i am guessing you mean the car is bottoming out on rutty roads, if so then it could be tired shocks, tired coils in the rear. my LJ78 has the same problem in the rear suspension.

what country are you in? and welcome.
cheers
 
crushers said:
1 replace the AC coolant
2 in neutral, then check engine mounts and tranny mounts
3 not sure what you mean here, i am guessing you mean the car is bottoming out on rutty roads, if so then it could be tired shocks, tired coils in the rear. my LJ78 has the same problem in the rear suspension.

what country are you in? and welcome.
cheers
Thanks for advice. Will attend to coolant and check engine and transmission mounts. I am in Tanzania, East Africa.

Car is bucking a little when accelerating unlike 100 series Landcruiser which stays stable but does nto respond as quickly to the accelerator. It is not exactly bottoming out but lurching on ruts. I had expected a slightly stiffer ride even with coil springs. Car has done 78000km, all in Japan.
Best wishes
 
ah, the dreaded "sensitive throttle" issue... learn to drive with your foot wedged against the kick panel to stop or slow down the foot flexing when driving over the ruts...
cheers
 

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