One stock Land Cruiser better than another? (1 Viewer)

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I think we are all overthinking it....these trucks are not build for speed, so who freaking care if one is slightly faster than the other. On paper, they are all SLOW! I was recently in Thailand and Cambodia, 100 series there are like Toyota Prius here, they are everywhere, and so are 200 series and 80 series....point being is, these trucks are made majority for the 2nd and 3rd world country where they mostly see dirt and unpaved roads and hardly ever get over 60mph..
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Not built for speed, but the differences between them are significant. I don't really classify my latest 80 as slow. It's not a 300Z but considering it's weight, it's not slow either. I care.
 
I have had my 80 for over 10 years. I search high and low for a “poverty pack U.N government spec” so mine has a carburetor. So over the years things changed and it became under powered for better words.I think it was due to its U.N work in the past. So I found a second hand motor for cheap with full service history never opened and under 100000 km pulled mine and fitted it. The car still performed like a dog so I fitted a new carb kit and gave it a full tune up. Nothing improved. After years of struggles I pulled the head of the motor. The sleeves were like brand new with no ridge I could see the said mileage was correct. So I sent the head in to be de carbon and the valves reseated. This made a unbelievable and massive difference.
I can’t say if it was the carbon build up or the valves that needed seating but the guy at the machine shop said he sees lots of theses heads coming in blocked with carbon. That might be limited to the carburetor version but man it made a difference to my car.
 
I think we are all overthinking it....these trucks are not build for speed, so who freaking care if one is slightly faster than the other. On paper, they are all SLOW! I was recently in Thailand and Cambodia, 100 series there are like Toyota Prius here, they are everywhere, and so are 200 series and 80 series....point being is, these trucks are made majority for the 2nd and 3rd world country where they mostly see dirt and unpaved roads and hardly ever get over 60mph..
xD8UQzM.jpg
Exactly..... I used to work with a guy from Yemen, a third world country with very poor roads. He told me that anybody who can afford a Landcruiser drives one because other cars don’t hold up. Ever go to Brazil? Lots of Cruisers and most of them models I’ve never seen anywhere else.
 
Exactly..... I used to work with a guy from Yemen, a third world country with very poor roads. He told me that anybody who can afford a Landcruiser drives one because other cars don’t hold up. Ever go to Brazil? Lots of Cruisers and most of them models I’ve never seen anywhere else.
From what i can gather from talking to locals, most of the Land Cruisers were 2nd hand imports from other countries. Due to lack of emission control and government regulations, you will find a variety of trims like RHDs, LHDs, gasser, diesel turbos, etc..But i do know a brand new 200 series Lexus LX570 costs about $150-180k due to import tax in Cambodia. =)
 
Kinda funny but got me thinking about my 1996 80. I have owned it since 2001 and I have never once ever actually driven another 80 series Landcruiser. I have absolutely no idea what it's like how another one drives or rides. I rode in the passenger seat of a buddy's 100 series once before and I can tell you it rode much smoother than my 80 and had more pep. I was a bit jealous of the ride at the time, but I still love my 80 like a bet friend and drive it daily.
 
Kinda funny but got me thinking about my 1996 80. I have owned it since 2001 and I have never once ever actually driven another 80 series Landcruiser. I have absolutely no idea what it's like how another one drives or rides. I rode in the passenger seat of a buddy's 100 series once before and I can tell you it rode much smoother than my 80 and had more pep. I was a bit jealous of the ride at the time, but I still love my 80 like a bet friend and drive it daily.

My LX is close to your scenario. It's only the second 80/LX I've ever actually driven.

Maybe got I got lucky with one of the "better" ones but I've never had complaints. I knew I wasn't buying a race car or an economical car. I know the PO also dumped a bunch of money into it (as have I to keep it running). When I lived in CO I went over Vail pass probably 10 times in it. Sure, it's slow, but who cares? It'll drive over most anything that I care to. I'm sure I'd care to DD it again (did that for 3-4 years) before I got a work pickup but it makes me smile everytime I do drive it.

Suppose if money was no issue I'd swap in a diff engine and some fancy suspension (I'm on some pretty old OME) but then I just shrug and say would it really be worth it even if I had the cash.
 
totally agree, but it will only hold a 33" tire or smaller, correct me if i am wrong...

I don't know the answer to that. But I run a 33" tire on mine...so it would be OK for my needs.
 
Suppose if money was no issue I'd swap in a diff engine and some fancy suspension (I'm on some pretty old OME) but then I just shrug and say would it really be worth it even if I had the cash.
I hear ya. I'm paying a guy $275 to remove and paint my flares next week as they oxidized from the road salts in Denver when I lived there. That's only because I am winning a little cash in Fantasy Football this weekend haha. I'd love to get some new shocks and springs at some point but for now I just say to myself, it's just a little bouncy rough ride. No big deal. Not sure I could ever actually part with the truck, though. Sometimes I give a side eye to a 460 or 470 and think about what if but then I get back into my trusty old reliable black 80 beast. :)
 
I hear ya. I'm paying a guy $275 to remove and paint my flares next week as they oxidized from the road salts in Denver when I lived there. That's only because I am winning a little cash in Fantasy Football this weekend haha. I'd love to get some new shocks and springs at some point but for now I just say to myself, it's just a little bouncy rough ride. No big deal. Not sure I could ever actually part with the truck, though. Sometimes I give a side eye to a 460 or 470 and think about what if but then I get back into my trusty old reliable black 80 beast. :)

Truth. I've said I'll never part with a vehicle in the past and ultimately did but the 80 feels different. The escape and locations it takes me to are well worth the cost of ownership IMO. And there's pretty much no other rig that I like and also provides the cargo space I want.

Or maybe its because I beat the s*** out of mine and would never recover the cost I have into it between purchase and work done since....😂
 
First a little bit of history. I have owned countless Land Cruisers. Most specifically 1995 to 1997 Land Cruisers. And to go along with it I have also owned numerous Lexus LX 450s.

Like many others I have purchased Land Cruisers from far away. I have flown and take an Uber to some pretty remote places. And I have closed many successful deals and driven home yet another Land Cruiser.

While driving home late last night I thought it would be worth mentioning in a thread the incredible differences in performance and fuel economy that I have noticed amongst numerous like vehicles.

Needless to say, some with lift most without. Some with tires close to stock, others not. Some with 225,000+ miles. Some with under 100,000 miles. Everything in between.

What amazed me on my trip last night was that while using an accurate gauge combined with GPS I completed a 457 mile journey and was able to get over 20mpg. All flatland driving. Air conditioning on. Stock vehicle.

The other thing that I noticed on this particular vehicle is even with The odometer over 200,000 The engine performance was incredible. It’s as if this vehicle was entirely different than almost any other I have driven.

Of course two weeks ago in Nevada I backed out of a sale on a stock cruiser with less miles in excellent condition with countless records from Toyota and it couldn’t get out of its own way.

I understand the tolerances within the manufacturing industry. And that each motor maybe a little different than the previous or the next. But I am amazed at how much difference there is.

No doubt, maintenance, time, weather, use or abuse, etc. certainly play their own role in this.

i’m curious to know what others have experienced.
If tolerances can stack against us—why not for us? Rebuild might make the magic go away...
 
interested...
how are people adjusting timing in these things?

I changed my timing recently from static timing of 3°BTDC to just under 10°BTDC. Definitely made a difference in how well it runs and how strong it pulls.
No fuel figures after, coz well, it uses fuel, I fill it up.

When I first bought it I tracked fuel at about 16L/100km which is about 15mpg
 
I changed my timing recently from static timing of 3°BTDC to just under 10°BTDC. Definitely made a difference in how well it runs and how strong it pulls.
No fuel figures after, coz well, it uses fuel, I fill it up.

When I first bought it I tracked fuel at about 16L/100km which is about 15mpg
10!?

Mine pings like a meth head @5btdc above 8000ft. But then, just trying to set it is a guessing game. It'll hop from 3 to 1 to 5 to 1, etc. And then it hops up to 25atdc+ when it comes off the idle switch. Guessing that's normal...
 
10!?

Mine pings like a meth head @5btdc above 8000ft. But then, just trying to set it is a guessing game. It'll hop from 3 to 1 to 5 to 3, etc. And then it hops up to 25+ when it comes off the idle switch. Guessing that's normal...

No pinging at all in mine. Runs like a sewing machine.

You need to use paper clip to jump TE1 and E1 terminal in the diagnostic port (CEL should flash once you've done this) so you can work with static timing.
When the paper clip is removed, mine jumps around too as the ECU controls the timing
 
No pinging at all in mine. Runs like a sewing machine.

You need to use paper clip to jump TE1 and E1 terminal in the diagnostic port (CEL should flash once you've done this) so you can work with static timing.
When the paper clip is removed, mine jumps around too as the ECU controls the timing
I did use the clip. Checked it with and without. Saw no difference. But I'll double check that.
 
I did use the clip. Checked it with and without. Saw no difference. But I'll double check that.

Did the CEL light on the dash flash while paper clip was in place?

Mine has dielectric grease in the diagnostic port and it takes a few wiggles to get the paper clip to get a good contact. CEL will flash once you have it jumped successfully
 
Did the CEL light on the dash flash while paper clip was in place?

Mine has dielectric grease in the diagnostic port and it takes a few wiggles to get the paper clip to get a good contact. CEL will flash once you have it jumped successfully
Yes, yes it did.
And yes, copious amounts dilec giz all about that port.

...not to be confused with Dalek giz...lol
 
Factory freaks are a thing



To be honest, mine is not much different and sounds about the same.

However, it was nowhere near this when I got it.

I did a lot more than just time it. Sure does like 8* though. :)

Cheers
 
I changed my timing recently from static timing of 3°BTDC to just under 10°BTDC. Definitely made a difference in how well it runs and how strong it pulls.
No fuel figures after, coz well, it uses fuel, I fill it up.

When I first bought it I tracked fuel at about 16L/100km which is about 15mpg

Mine drinks almost as much oil as fuel too. :lol:

I am kidding but it does burn more than I would like. But hey my low oil light comes one at half quart low so it is idiot proof. :)

Seriously though, I disliked the 1FZ for a lot of years. Then I actually fixed one up right and it’s far from as bad as I always felt. And that’s coming from a guy that has had and likes v8 Cruisers.

Mine wasn’t just timing, EGR was clogged solid, o2’s were bad, total refresh on all vac lines and hoses, fuel system refresh, ignition refresh, ect ect but it is a completely different truck vs the neglected turd it was when I got it. And my tires are much larger now too. :rofl:

Cheers
 

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