Questions on the 1kz-te (1 Viewer)

[datrat]

So I have a kzn185 here in the US and had a few questions. I guess the first question is which oil is everyone running in their Toyota diesels? I live in Kansas city and the fluctuations in Temps has me running 5-40. But it's not like Australia where I can get penrite oil anywhere. I've been using the Mobil one turbodiesel oil on my last two oil changes, but had a tuner in New Zealand tell me that synthetic is no good for our engines.

The second question is related to intercooling. I cannot find definitive information on what solution is best. I can have a factory top mount set sent to me, but from what I understand it's not that effective. I cannot find a front mount complete kit anywhere. I think w2a would be awesome, but have been told it's very hard to get the flow rate and volumes to be correct. Also, would any intercooling require chipping because of the changes in intake Temps?
Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

I've had excellent luck with Shell Rotella non-synthetic diesel oil 10w30 and 15w40. I am very hard on my 2LTE towing etc., and this oil has never let me down. If you're in a colder climate, definitely look at one of the 5w versions.

Your assesment of the intercooler situation is correct. A front mount air/air would be best. Your best option is find a picture of a nice custom one that someone has done. Then, take your truck to a local import tuner/fabricator shop, and ask them to replicate it. It'll cost you; but will end up being the best product. Intercoolers are great for these IDI turbo motors, and will help protect your cylinder head.

No, you should not need to change your tuning for the intercooler. Basically you're just adding cooler denser air which contains more oxygen, which leads to a leaner (cooler on a diesel) burn. Again protecting your motor. If you want to tune for more power, you will need a manual boost controller, and you could turn up fuel a bit at the spill valve. If you go beyond 14psi, you'll need some way to keep the motor from going into fuel cut (overboost condition). There are a few ways to do this....

 

[datrat]

I've had excellent luck with Shell Rotella non-synthetic diesel oil 10w30 and 15w40. I am very hard on my 2LTE towing etc., and this oil has never let me down. If you're in a colder climate, definitely look at one of the 5w versions.

Your assesment of the intercooler situation is correct. A front mount air/air would be best. Your best option is find a picture of a nice custom one that someone has done. Then, take your truck to a local import tuner/fabricator shop, and ask them to replicate it. It'll cost you; but will end up being the best product. Intercoolers are great for these IDI turbo motors, and will help protect your cylinder head.

No, you should not need to change your tuning for the intercooler. Basically you're just adding cooler denser air which contains more oxygen, which leads to a leaner (cooler on a diesel) burn. Again protecting your motor. If you want to tune for more power, you will need a manual boost controller, and you could turn up fuel a bit at the spill valve. If you go beyond 14psi, you'll need some way to keep the motor from going into fuel cut (overboost condition). There are a few ways to do this....

Thanks for the info. I actually could probably do the front mount myself as I have a supply for any silicone and hard tubing I would need. There is a question of intercooler size, not sure how tall and thick it would need to be for effectiveness. Also, can't find 5w-40 in a non full synthetic formula. I am in Kansas City so it gets stupid hot in the summer and then pretty cold in the winter.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Here's a few pics of a KZN185 FMIC setup:

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Thanks for the info. I actually could probably do the front mount myself as I have a supply for any silicone and hard tubing I would need. There is a question of intercooler size, not sure how tall and thick it would need to be for effectiveness. Also, can't find 5w-40 in a non full synthetic formula. I am in Kansas City so it gets stupid hot in the summer and then pretty cold in the winter.

You could use 5w40 synth in winter, and 15w40 non-synth for hot summers. Shell Rotella in both synth and non-synth has a great reputation among Toyota diesels in Canada.

 

[datrat]

You could use 5w40 synth in winter, and 15w40 non-synth for hot summers. Shell Rotella in both synth and non-synth has a great reputation among Toyota diesels in Canada.

It's unfortunate that there aren't any pictures of the intercooler itself. Size and thickness would definitely have a big influence. At what temp would you make the switch from 15 to 5?

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

It's unfortunate that there aren't any pictures of the intercooler itself. Size and thickness would definitely have a big influence. At what temp would you make the switch from 15 to 5?

I'd make the switch just before temperatures start to go below freezing.

Yeah, too bad about the pictures. In general, folks put in the largest FMIC they can fit. You'll be pretty limited in the front of your Surf I imagine. The big thing is that it is in a spot that gets great airflow and isn't blocked immediately in front or behind. At the end of the day, diesel's don't move that much air compared to similar displacement gasoline engines; so should not need as large an intercooler.

I think my FMIC is 26"x7"x2" or so if I remember right. It is quite efficient and works well. My engine is making more power than a stock 1KZTE.

 

[datrat]

I'd make the switch just before temperatures start to go below freezing.

Yeah, too bad about the pictures. In general, folks put in the largest FMIC they can fit. You'll be pretty limited in the front of your Surf I imagine. The big thing is that it is in a spot that gets great airflow and isn't blocked immediately in front or behind. At the end of the day, diesel's don't move that much air compared to similar displacement gasoline engines; so should not need as large an intercooler.

I think my FMIC is 26"x7"x2" or so if I remember right. It is quite efficient and works well. My engine is making more power than a stock 1KZTE.

I actually have been talking to a guy from the shop that you posted pictures from so I think I'll just ask him haha. He says that they are getting ready to do a kit for the surf but they wanted over 1k usd for it and that seems maybe a bit excessive. I'll see if I can just buy the piping from them and source my own intercooler to bring down shipping costs.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

I actually have been talking to a guy from the shop that you posted pictures from so I think I'll just ask him haha. He says that they are getting ready to do a kit for the surf but they wanted over 1k usd for it and that seems maybe a bit excessive. I'll see if I can just buy the piping from them and source my own intercooler to bring down shipping costs.

You can get pipe kits, intercoolers, couplers, clamps etc. easily on ebay, amazon, etc. Shops hate it when customers cheap out on them. I just push for pictures and leave it at that. Sound like you're interested in their kit to help motivate them.

 

[AirheadNut]

I actually have been talking to a guy from the shop that you posted pictures from so I think I'll just ask him haha. He says that they are getting ready to do a kit for the surf but they wanted over 1k usd for it and that seems maybe a bit excessive. I'll see if I can just buy the piping from them and source my own intercooler to bring down shipping costs.

To be honest that doesn't sound like too bad of a price if it is a complete, bolt in kit. Safari intercooler kits for HDJ80's are quite a bit more than that if I remember correctly. If you do it yourself don't go overboard on hose sizing, 2" or maybe 2.25" is plenty, and is a lot easier to thread through a tight engine bay. Like @GTSSportCoupe said find the biggest intercooler core that fits and has the inlet and outlet roughly where you need them to be and work from there.

 

[Earwigg]

Hilux kit should be similar but intercooler kits for 4wds seem overpriced not a big market like street cars. Post would be expensive and with the way things are it might never arrive.
A universal kit isn't expensive helps to know someone who can tig the pipes together.

HPD Front Mount Intercooler Kit to suit Toyota Hilux 1KZTE 2002-2005

HPD Front Mount Intercooler Kit to suit Toyota Hilux 1KZTE 2002-2005 HPD Intercooler Kits are made to order - please allow 2-3 weeks from date of order if product is not in stock. Includes: 1x HPD Front Mount Intercooler Kit - IK-TH1KZ-F Details: HPD's Toyota Hilux 1KZ-TE front mount intercooler...

trundlesautomotive.co.nz

 

[AirheadNut]

Or, if you want to go really cheap like I did you could just use pie-cut steel tubing. I'm probably less than $150 in to my intercooler tubing/couplings excluding the core itself. I oxyacetylene welded mine because it was fun, but mig and tig would work fine too. You can get really creative with the bends in a way that chopping up pre-bent tubing doesn't allow.

 

[AirheadNut]

Also, for whoever might be interested, when I was building the new steel tubing for my cooling system I discovered that this $6.50 wire crimp tool works great for making a bead at the end of thin walled tubing: 9-1/2 in. Wire Crimping Tool - https://www.harborfreight.com/9-1-2-half-inch-wire-crimping-tool-36411.html
Lots quicker and easier than building up a weld bead all the way around the end of a tube and then smoothing it out like I did on my intercooler pipes.

 

[Dougal]

There is no problem running a synthetic oil in your engine. You will not find a straight mineral oil with the temperature range you need.

It used to be required to run a "low ash" oil and it was hard to find synthetics that were low ash. But now with diesel exhaust filters they are everywhere.

 

[badman9]

I can't speak for winter since I'm in Jamaica, but Mobil Delvac 15w-40, Shell Rotella R4 or R5 in 15w-40 and Delo 400 15w-40 have always been very good to me in the warm here. Go with whichever is cheapest of those 3 is my usual motto.

If you have the factory topmount I would just use that unless you are looking to push big turbo boost numbers. The top mount is very effective once you get airflow going (driving, highway, etc), but has limited effectiveness offroad/slow settings with little airflow. My diesel mitsubishi negated this top-mount limitation somewhat by putting a fan and shroud below the top mount that keeps air moving over it once it hits a certain temperature, but there isn't much room on top of the KZ rocker cover to do something like that.

Like most things KZ, the key to happy motoring is keeping it cool, so proper cooling system with a properly sized radiator, and cool air coming in. Heat soak on my KZ decreased a lot after installing the snorkel, so hopefully you experience something similar

 

[Douglas S]

You could use 5w40 synth in winter, and 15w40 non-synth for hot summers. Shell Rotella in both synth and non-synth has a great reputation among Toyota diesels in Canada.

For what it's worth I used to do it this way but I've found it much simpler to run 5w40 year round and change based on mileage instead of ambient temp. Reduced a lot of unnecessary oil changes where I was below my mileage threshold but the seasons were changing.

 

[ALX4X4]

Or, if you want to go really cheap like I did you could just use pie-cut steel tubing. I'm probably less than $150 in to my intercooler tubing/couplings excluding the core itself. I oxyacetylene welded mine because it was fun, but mig and tig would work fine too. You can get really creative with the bends in a way that chopping up pre-bent tubing doesn't allow.
View attachment 2807586

Not a fan.... steel rusts inside and guess where those rust particles go = eek !

 

[AirheadNut]

Not a fan.... steel rusts inside and guess where those rust particles go = eek !

Possibly depending on climate, but I haven't had any issues with that. I find that the light haze of oil in my intake keeps it all rustproofed nicely.