Newbie says hello (1 Viewer)

[Area51]

After reading this forum for over a year, I finally decided to join up- lotsa good info that
definitely helped me in my purchase.
My new LC is a '93 mfg in May 93. Its got R134a AC. When I bought this rig in June, it
had just broke 109K miles. I was looking for 7 months before I found this one. I paid
$11,500 from a used car lot in San Leandro, Ca. Color is 183 Dark Grey Poly.
Yes, it does have factory lockers- unfortunately it also has a roof rack. I just wanted
a decent vehicle with or w/o lockers- the dealer wasn't even advertising it with this
option. My belief is that most sellers ( dealer or PP ) don't even know what lockers are.
The Kelly Blue Book site doesn't even list lockers as an option!!!!!

The dealer told me that they had installed a new radiator since the original " blew its
top". The LC had driving lights installed in the rectangular holes in the bumper (first
things I removed). Would this cause the engine to run hotter leading to the radiator
failure? The new radiator is marked "All Radiator Supply Part # TO 138" Is this a
factory approved radiator or should I install an OEM rad?

The Carfax report says that an O2 sensor was installed around 60K miles. Should
both of them been replaced at the same time? I don't know who did the work. Also,
the report said the starter was also replaced in the 60K mile area. Do starters fail this
early, or was someone just trying to make some extra $$$$?

As the 120K service looms ahead, can anyone recommend some good LC mechanics
for me? I live in Fallon, Nv and am willing to travel !!

Sorry for rambling on, but this is my first post and I'm hoping I did this right.

 

[Beowulf]

Would this cause the engine to run hotter leading to the radiator failure? The new radiator is marked "All Radiator Supply Part # TO 138" Is this a factory approved radiator or should I install an OEM rad?

Anything blocking air flow to the radiator is a concern but it's hard to say whether or not that led to the failure of the rad. The only factory approved radiator would be OEM Toyota. I wouldn't replace it unless you have a cooling problem.

The Carfax report says that an O2 sensor was installed around 60K miles. Should
both of them been replaced at the same time? I don't know who did the work. Also,
the report said the starter was also replaced in the 60K mile area. Do starters fail this
early, or was someone just trying to make some extra $$$$?

The O2 sensors in '93 were replaced under a recall campaign. Again, I wouldn't stress over 1 or 2 being replaced unless you're throwing an O2 code.

The starter contacts can fail a various mileages since the wear is "start cycle" dependant and not related to miles travelled. Many have starter issues in the 90-100k mile range.

Welcome to non-lurking status.

-B-

 

[Romer]

Welcome to the board. Sounds like you did a lot of research and made a good choice. Whats wrong with the roof rack?

 

[Junk]

Wild stab in the dark, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you have or had a bad fan clutch at some point. The only time my truck was ever running hot my dealer tried all types of excuses like winch and driving lights in the way of air flow, blame it on the blower etc. It ended up being the fan clutch. Almost every truck I have heard of with the 1FZ-FE and a cooling issues always seems to come back to that. So it’s a stab in the dark, but something to investigate nonetheless.

I’m not surprised about the starter contacts. Especially if it experienced a lot of start ups, read short trips, it could go that early. This is nothing to worry about.

Welcome to the forum and to the newbie

 

[Steve C]

When I bought my 80 series I checked one out that had a brand new radiator in it and the owner informed me that it was the result of another part failing (alghough I cant remember the details).

I would recomend not second guessing the previous maintenance, as it's all water under the bridge at this point.

In any case, congradulations on your purchase.

 

[landtank]

I went d0own to Autozone and got a fan clutch by torqueflow for something like $48.00, it was for a totally different reason than cooling so it was a trouble swap part. It's been in there for about 30k now and I can still hear the roar of the fan when I first start up the truck so I'm sure it's working.

If I originally had a bad clutch I would have gone OEM, however this thing has proven itself and I'd buy another again.

 

[Area51]

thanks to everyone for the advice. I'll check out the fan clutch this weekend.

Romer- most of the people who have pulled their roof racks off usually find rust
buildup where the holes were drilled, plus the rack just barely makes it under my garage door. I'd like to pull mine off but I'm scared to look since the rig spent its
whole life in a somewhat humid environment. But then again that humidity prob-
ably helped keep the leather seats like new-no cracks at all. All the other cruisers
I looked at had some real ugly looking seats.

 

[Beowulf]

Area51,

You *will* have rack rust somewhere. There could be rust in the nutserts or where the pads have worn through the paint.

-B-

 

[Romer]

A good reason for me to leave my roof rack on. It's like I tell the wife, if you don't look under the frig, you won't be bothered by the dirt and dust there. I bought mine in Texas and there is no rust anywhere that I can see. Prop's to you though, you must have done a lot of research before you bought.

 

[landtank]

I live in the rust belt and have no roof rack rust at all.

 

[LX_TREME]

Easy solution theres only 8 screw attached to the roof , take em all off , apply silicone put them back
DONE! and 1 WORD no water goes in & NO RUST!!!

 

[Docmallory]

Just my experience - no roof rack rust at all on my 1997 model from Kentucky. I played around with removing the rack, and found the screws do not screw all the way into the nutserts. They stick up about 1/4 to 1/2 inch - meaning the idea of just taking off the rack and putting the screws back in didn't work for me.

 

[loquito]

I just redid my roof rack, The front passenger screws were corroded in the little metal guide tubes in the feet
Cut up the offending foot, Ordered more from CDAn, made rubber gaskets for the bottom of the feet and the head of the screws. I hope for no rust down the road
Welcome, New cruisers are fun.

 

[flintknapper]

Welcome, ccngratulations on your cruiser, and there is no rust on my '97's roof rack (Texas cruiser).