Oklahoma to Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore

[Herrett]

My 200,009 mile 97 FZJ 80 is my daily driver. Set up with 285 tires, stock gearing and stock motor. ARB bumper and roof rack are the only mods adding weight. PPH hose has been changed, all fluids changed and Birfields being addressed next week. At that time I’m going to have a Toyota master mechanic address anything that needs to be addressed from a hose and belt perspective while he is addressing the typical oil leaks with new seals.

Right now I run 185/190 degrees at 60mph and if I’m running 70 on a warm day it may hit 203 on an eastern Oklahoma grade.

Here’s my concern/question. I’m looking at taking a trip to Yellowstone and Rushmore and after reading posts about 4000 rpm long runs in second on grades I’m concerned about driving the 80 on the trip. I would rather drive it vs my wife’s SUV but I’m concerned that a 3,000 mile plus trip coupled with mountain passes might induce too much stress and possibly blow the head gasket. I’m all thumbs when working on a car so reliability is critical. What are your thoughts on driving or not driving the 80 on the trip through the mountains?

Thanks

Robert

 

[jonheld]

FWIW, I don't consider 3K miles a long road trip anymore.
If you're concerned about engine temps, then address the cooling system properly.
190@65mph on a hot day (90F+) with the AC on is pretty normal.

 

[Herrett]

Thanks. More concerned about high rpms on long grades stressing the motor or blowing the head gasket.

Robert

 

[jonheld]

Thanks. More concerned about high rpms on long grades stressing the motor or blowing the head gasket.

Robert

4K rpm is not high rpm.

 

[Herrett]

Ok, good. Not looking for support in not driving the 80 to Yellowstone, I’d rather drive it. Just wanted to broach the subject from a cautious standpoint.

Robert

 

[bhsdriller]

It doesn't mind second gear high rpm's. If anything it runs better/cooler

 

[Herrett]

It doesn't mind second gear high rpm's. If anything it runs better/cooler

Ok. Thanks!

 

[Ecliff5]

Just send it!
That’s half the fun isn’t it? I drove 6k + miles out to southern Arizona from NY and back in my 80 with 240k miles in May of last year.
At the time it had OG head gasket, water pump and everything else untouched. I did replace the radiator because the OG was brown and about to pop. Other than that, all original.
Made it there and back no issues. Saw 213 with the AC on, climbing steep grades in NM. At one point I did pull over and pop the hood to let it chill for a minute or two and kept on going.
I did carry a bottle of head gasket stop leak as an emergency back up.
I say send it, have fun, take the back roads and go with the flow.

 

[landtank]

In those temps, if you haven’t upgraded the fan clutch DO it! Nothing is worse on a long drive than the front passenger endlessly complaining about being warm.

 

[lumbee1]

We did 4700 miles from NC to AZ and back in 2017 on the original headgasket. The only "issue" was stock gears and 35's didn't play well on the super long climbs at 7K feet. At one point, I just wanted to give the Cruiser a rest and pulled over. The exhaust manifold was glowing cherry red. During this same trip I got 15.17mpg.

My advice, Send it and enjoy the scenery.

 

[Herrett]

Glowing cherry red! Wow

 

[jonheld]

7600 miles in 2017. Jersey to Cruise Moab to Seattle to Vancouver to Jasper and Banff. Took the Trans-Canada back east and dropped into NY over the St Lawrence.
3600 miles in 2018 from Jersey around the Gaspe peninsula.
4600 miles in 2019 from Jersey to Newfoundland. Took the ferry from NS.
3000 miles this past winter from Jersey to Ft Lauderdale, back north through the Appalachians.
Final preparations done for Rubithon 2025. Leaving from Jersey to the Sierra Nevada mtns in 7 days. Tick-tock bitches.

 

[Herrett]

I’m scheduled in the shop on Monday for Birfields and addressing the three common oil leaks. I’ll include having them check for any signs of head gasket issues although I am not overheating or losing coolant. With a clean bill of health and proactive service, I’ll feel confident to hit the long road.

 

[BILT4ME]

I’m scheduled in the shop on Monday for Birfields and addressing the three common oil leaks. I’ll include having them check for any signs of head gasket issues although I am not overheating or losing coolant. With a clean bill of health and proactive service, I’ll feel confident to hit the long road.

Mine is also my DD. 15K to 20K per year.
I have 379K on it now, original HG done at 145K.

Yes, I run up to and will hold 4000 RPM on mine, but doing that for a long run will burn more oil. My valve seals are getting old and weak (as yours might be if it's on the original HG).
At higher RPM, the oil pump places a LOT more oil on top of the head. This allows a deeper "puddle" of oil so the valve seals will tend to suck more oil as well as the PCV valve.
In a straight 3 hour run, I will burn as much as a quart of oil when running 3500+ RPM in 1- 2mile long "runs" across the Kansas Flint Hills.

I typically drive about 75-80 MPH consistently. Over 80, with any headwind, I have to shut off the OD to maintain speed or it downshifts and upshifts a LOT. Shutting off the OD holds the RPM in the 3600 range. This makes my gas mileage turn to shyt (8 MPG) and the oil consumption to go way up.
When I'm running that hard for that long, I will check my oil at every fuel stop.

Slowing down to 70 MPH makes ALL of it much more palatable for the truck. My downshifts are less, when it does downshift, my peak RPM is not as high.

BTW, the Peak torque for this engine is at 3400 RPM. When climbing the mountains, if you can keep it in that RPM range, it will pull best, but gas mileage and oil mileage may suffer.

I am also 2" lift, 285's, I carry about 600-800 LB of crap in the back all the time, no special bumpers, but I do have a steel cable winch and Hilift jack on the front. Total weight is about 6200 LB WITHOUT me in it.

Carry extra oil.
I changed my fan clutch to Aisin blue and modified it to open earlier and replaced the factory oil with 50 ml of 15K CST oil. Now it rarely goes over 192°F.
My fan roars a LOT. I also installed new fan blades since they are 30 YO plastic so it doesn't grenade at 5000 RPM.

I run 45 PSI in my tires for the highway.

Peak gas mileage is at 35 MPH all day long. I have hit 21 MPG doing that. I average 11.5 MPG for my four-year average for ALL driving.

Driving in the mountains and heading up elevation is abysmal in my truck. I usually draft behind semis because I'm surely not passing them. I have had to be happy at 55 MPH in the right lane going uphill into the mountains with the truck downshifting clear into 2nd and pulling about 4500 RPM because I'm ALWAYS getting a headwind of 10-15 MPH. I cannot fathom some of these guys in a 7000 LB truck trying to run uphill against this with 37" tires and stock gearing. I'll just get out and run ahead.......

Good luck with your trip! Do your maintenance. Keep 'Mud handy, let us know where you are and folks here can help if needed.

Enjoy the journey in the right lane, going slower.

 

[jonheld]

Enjoy the journey in the right lane, going slower.

This right here is the key to driving a 30 year old 80 Series.

Folks should also do the math. Assuming no variation in ground speed over a distance of 100 miles, the time difference between 65 mph and 75 mph is 12 minutes.
Your fuel economy drops off significantly over 65 mph, my wife has to stop and pee every 30-45 minutes, you have to get fuel every 300 miles, and you have to stop and eat. So you're essentially burning more fuel to get you there at the same time.

And don't forget to stop and take goofy pictures along the way.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

What SUV does your wife have?
Perhaps a routing through Wyoming rather than Colorado would be more flat and therefore easier on the old beast, I don't know.
The suggestions to bring oil along and drive more slowly are good ones, especially for an 80.

 

[Herrett]

This right here is the key to driving a 30 year old 80 Series.

Folks should also do the math. Assuming no variation in ground speed over a distance of 100 miles, the time difference between 65 mph and 75 mph is 12 minutes.
Your fuel economy drops off significantly over 65 mph, my wife has to stop and pee every 30-45 minutes, you have to get fuel every 300 miles, and you have to stop and eat. So you're essentially burning more fuel to get you there at the same time.

And don't forget to stop and take goofy pictures along the way.

View attachment 3927869

Agree. On 412 in Oklahoma where the speed limit is 80 MPH. I never push it past 70.

 

[jonheld]

Agree. On 412 in Oklahoma where the speed limit is 80 MPH. I never push it past 70.

LOL. After driving my 91 FJ80 for 20+ years, the speed limit is "go the fu*k around me".

 

[ChaseTruck]

1. Toyota ‘Master Mechanic’ doesn’t always mean that this person knows about an 80. Just saying…
2. I’d juice the fan clutch, or get one that has already been modified.
3. Despite the experience and knowledge of the tribe here, our ‘93 (S/C, 315’s, stock gears), doesn’t like being pushed in 2nd gear to maintain 70mph uphill. It’s happier in 3rd. Maybe re-evaluate need for uphill speeds.
4. For long distance travel without any intent to hit a trail or dirt road, we prefer the GX470 - the V8 flattens hills in a way where the 80 doesn’t get close. I get it that driving an 80 is fun, but do you need its capabilities?

 

[Herrett]

Oh, I think Ozark Overland Outfitters is pretty sharp on series 80s!