Should i keep my LJ78 or sell? Input appreciated...

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

fish78

fish78

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Threads
26
Messages
115
Location
Whitehorse, YT
Hey guys,

I've got a bit of a problem. We recently moved into a new condo complex and i can't fit my Prado into the parkade. Last winter the truck was real tough to start in anything below -5 celcius, so i installed a lower rad hose heater, and everything was fine. Problem is, i have to park on the street this next winter and there's no where to plug the truck in.

Can anyone suggest a solution? I know about Webasto heaters, but i've heard that they go for over $2000.

I'm not sure i should be sinking a bunch of money into a truck that isn't quite fitting the role i'm using it for. The last few months the truck has only been used for getting out to the ski hills on the weekends, and we all know how Prados are on the highway. Especially highways with notoriously strong headwinds.

I had the head replaced under warranty soon after i bought the truck, and have installed pyro/boost/ watertemp gauges, and haven't had any overheating problems at all since. I've put about 20,000kms on the truck this last year, and most of it's been highway including a big trip to Northern B.C. with a canoe on top. Should i just consider myself lucky to have a working Prado and stick with it?

I'm extremely torn about what to do. Maybe there's some sort of heater option out there thats cheaper than the Webasto?

This is all based on the assumption that a gasser truck will start ok without being plugged in. My reason for thinking this is my girlfriends impreza started all winter no problems...correct me if i'm wrong

thanks guys
 
You could also try adding a second battery in parrallel.
Should not be a problem to do. The hardest part will be finding a spot for it.

Other than as Goldboy said. Syn oil and a glow plug bypass switch.
I had no problems starting my BJ74 at 25 below when I forgot to plug it in.
I just cycled the glow screen afew times and was good.
The bigger problem was how long it took for a cold engine to warm up.

Eith that being said. Even if you can easily cold start your truck.
Will you want to all winter, every winter?

What to do? Tuff call.
How close are you to fitting inside?
Maybe you can just get a slightly smaller winter tire?
Would dropping 1cm help you fit?

Cheers.
N.
 
Wilson Switch? That basically changes the glow plugs from working on a timer to being manually on and off, right?

Well, if i were to be parking on the street, and just running the glow plugs for a longer time, do you think that i could damage the engine constantly doing that? Wouldnt it be hard on the engine to be starting up that cold? Or is simply waiting for the truck to idle properly ok for it?
 
For my Surf I found going from 10w45 dino to 5w50 syn made all the difference in subzero starting. With the dino anything below -5 was hit or miss (usually miss). With the 5w50 I was good to about -20. My main battery is old and weak so below that temp I had to jump myself with my aux camping battery (got a few looks from people doing that)...I think with a good main battery it would have started every time no problem.
 
fish78 said:
Wilson Switch? That basically changes the glow plugs from working on a timer to being manually on and off, right?

Well, if i were to be parking on the street, and just running the glow plugs for a longer time, do you think that i could damage the engine constantly doing that? Wouldnt it be hard on the engine to be starting up that cold? Or is simply waiting for the truck to idle properly ok for it?
Click to expand...

with syn oil, your 2lte should turn over much easier in colder conditions and not damage your engine.

i have a wilson switch for my 13bt, and all i do is count off the seconds that i engage it for.
 
want my advice?
ah hell, i will give it anyway...
if you get access to a plug in then a lower rad hose heater is the cat's ass, cheap, easy to install and works great...
if you can not get elec then sell the rig, sad part is you will loose money on the deal... unless you can find someone that has not heard of the head issues and you don't inform them that even the replacement heads are now dieing a painful death... which is up to your morality...

i kept both of ours since i refused to sell them, the one is now DOA and is a parts rig for the (still) running unit. this one will probably die after May long next weekend...

i do believe you didn't listen the first time so i doubt you will listen this time...

cheers and best of luck in your descision...
 
When I had to park on the street with my BJ60 with no plug in, in Calgary. I ran 0w40 rotella. And wired the glowplugs to over ride the ridiculous short timer.

If your glow plugs are all working it should start much easier than that. -5 is fawk all. Not sure why it is so hard to start at that temp.

If you like your truck keep it. I have a guilty conscience for things like selling vehicle with known problems. It's not something I could do. If I had to sell it I would be trading it in to a dealer. If I wanted to sell private I would be fully disclosing how it got a new head but needs care to prevent another crack.

Trade it in at Canyon Creek, see how much they will offer you. That would be interesting to know. They seem to sell soo many imports.
 
brownbear said:
Trade it in at Canyon Creek, see how much they will offer you. That would be interesting to know. They seem to sell soo many imports.
Click to expand...

now THAT is the best advice yet...
LOL!!
i wonder what they would do if all their Prados ended up coming back for trade ins... i wonder if there is a set depreciation value ????
 
i do believe you didn't listen the first time so i doubt you will listen this time...
Click to expand...

awww wayne, i know i know...but i'm a stubborn fellow and usually have to find things out the hard way.

You know, i have been thinking of running down to Canyon and seeing what they'd say about a trade in...hehe, i'll keep you guys posted with what they have to say...
 
look on craigslist in vancouver some prados go for 10,500 ,14,000 and one 16,000 wow ! mine went to HAY RIVER and back 4 times -27c starts no problemo it stumbled for about 30 seconds 110,000 plus running better and better every day
aaron
 
There is plenty of room for dual batteries, it was a cold weather option in Japan. With dual batteries and thinner oil i'm sure it would start no problem. You could keep the truck as is and move to a climate where your balls wouldn't freeze and fall off if you went outside naked;p then you wouldn't have starting issues.
070514_1715_0001.webp
070514_1715_0002.webp
070514_1715_0003.webp
 
fish78 said:
Hey guys,

I've got a bit of a problem. We recently moved into a new condo complex and i can't fit my Prado into the parkade. Last winter the truck was real tough to start in anything below -5 celcius, so i installed a lower rad hose heater, and everything was fine. Problem is, i have to park on the street this next winter and there's no where to plug the truck in.

Can anyone suggest a solution? I know about Webasto heaters, but i've heard that they go for over $2000.

I'm not sure i should be sinking a bunch of money into a truck that isn't quite fitting the role i'm using it for. The last few months the truck has only been used for getting out to the ski hills on the weekends, and we all know how Prados are on the highway. Especially highways with notoriously strong headwinds.

I had the head replaced under warranty soon after i bought the truck, and have installed pyro/boost/ watertemp gauges, and haven't had any overheating problems at all since. I've put about 20,000kms on the truck this last year, and most of it's been highway including a big trip to Northern B.C. with a canoe on top. Should i just consider myself lucky to have a working Prado and stick with it?

I'm extremely torn about what to do. Maybe there's some sort of heater option out there thats cheaper than the Webasto?

This is all based on the assumption that a gasser truck will start ok without being plugged in. My reason for thinking this is my girlfriends impreza started all winter no problems...correct me if i'm wrong

thanks guys
Click to expand...

Personally, I think you should give it the heave ho. There is nothing more annoying than a truck that will not start. Plus sounds like you are expecting more mechanical problems due to the known head problems. If you replaced it with something more reliable, a coule of weeks after replacement you will be wondering why you kept it so long. You want soemthing thats reliable, not something that may not start and then fail if it does get to go. If you have something thats easy to start, you won't feel to bad about leaving it outside.

Hope that helps.
 
well, for those interested, i went in to Canyon Creek today cause my girlfriend's looking at getting a Yaris. I asked what they'd give me for a trade in on my prado, and they sent a guy out to look it over. They said they'd give me $5000 for it. I paid them $14000 for it just last summer. What a bunch of con artists. I talked with the same salesman i bought the truck from, and he basically told me they were having a hard time selling the imports they were stuck with, and didnt want to deal with any extras.

sheesh.
 
fish78 said:
well, for those interested, i went in to Canyon Creek today cause my girlfriend's looking at getting a Yaris. I asked what they'd give me for a trade in on my prado, and they sent a guy out to look it over. They said they'd give me $5000 for it. I paid them $14000 for it just last summer. What a bunch of con artists. I talked with the same salesman i bought the truck from, and he basically told me they were having a hard time selling the imports they were stuck with, and didnt want to deal with any extras.

sheesh.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. Makes you want to camp out at there dealership for week or two and tell that story to anyone interested in an import.

I say put it up for sale for 9k or whatever privately. Explain to new owners the potential problems. But let them drive it and make up there own mind.
 
hummm, maybe a friendly call to AMVIC might be in order... i can see depresiation of $4000 but 60% !!!!

well, that is what i would do...
 
keep it you will never get your money back, if you want to blame somebody blame the importers that first brought these in. monkey see monkey doo!

is it just your 78 that doesnt like cold weather? there is a guy in sask. that says his start really well in the cold. if you are going to loose money i wouldnt sell it
im just another prado owner saving his 74 that g.f wrecked
ask is it worth it taking the loss
 
one last thing dont get all messed up about the head and all that stuff, there are people with surfs, hiluxes and prados that put thousands of miles on these things with no problems, blame the bad publicity on prado owners loosing money
aaron
ps i know about stories of 2nd and 3rd replacements going, i would like to see their driving habits, my appologies for being cranky
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom