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- Thread starter
- #902
So so so so SOOOOOO down, messaging u. Could get that 25% of the missing fun back:
So awesome that you were able to get on the road, would be even more awesome to caravan with a Troopy! If you feel like driving 2.5hrs north from Missoula give me a shout, Glacier National Park is only 45 min. from my place and well worth the trip. I need a good excuse to take the Prado out anyway!
- Thread starter
- #904
Belt tensioner seized, ripped apart the serpentine belt. Got the bearing freed up with some WD40 and a hammer+screwdriver. Yes, I know, very professional. Packed it full of red and tacky grease, spun somewhat freely but obviously is pretty screwed seeing as it was seized with metal shards everywhere. Was able to limp and get a new bearing. On the road again! Gonna be somewhere in South Dakota late tonight
All of this makes me realize just how lucky I was last year with the red rocket. Guess I used all my luck up last year. The fact I drove 9,500 miles in a decently untouched 35 year old troopcarrier across America with little to no drama other than the cooling system is amazing to me. Thought lots of stuff like what is happening with this sequoia would be happening to the troopy, just lucky.
All of this makes me realize just how lucky I was last year with the red rocket. Guess I used all my luck up last year. The fact I drove 9,500 miles in a decently untouched 35 year old troopcarrier across America with little to no drama other than the cooling system is amazing to me. Thought lots of stuff like what is happening with this sequoia would be happening to the troopy, just lucky.
- Thread starter
- #905
Yea I figured. That’s why I was so confused, unless I just lost all oil pressure and it spun a bearing and really messed with the pistons causing such a drastic change in PSI.
Always can try a different one at some point, this one was brand new than @LuckyDevil just got, you would think it’d be somewhat accurate. If the head gasket did let loose then why does knocking get louder when you’re at the bottom end of the engine, like significantly louder?
It wasn’t overheated at all though. Temps running cool on my factory and aftermarket temp gauge 180f when things started getting funky and 185 by the time I shut the engine down while driving. Shot up to 210 since I shut my engine off under load while moving all abruptly, still nothing insane or near overheating… aftermarket temp gauge is in the side of the engine block so I would’ve thought I would see a change in temp that’s noticeable… might not have time to pull the head for a while, I get back after this trip and gotta pack for college. I’ll see what time I can spare.
Also just fyi, this didn’t work out. As cool as it would’ve been, it also would’ve been pretty sketch driving a turbod 2H with 620,000kms that far especially with my recent luck with Toyota IDIs. That shouldn’t be turbo’d. He was lucky enough that his transport truck ended up working out
We are going to glacier!!! Probably on the 20th or 21st, don’t know how we’d meet up if cellular reception is bad. Shoot me a PM with your number and hopefully I’ll be able to check out your prado!!!
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Future engine thoughts…
That Isuzu 4bdt1 is looking pretty appealing, especially for price/performance. Odds are I won’t be able to pick up a decent 13 or 14B for less than 5-6k that I can find or have been offered. I could pick up an old Isuzu NPR for 2-3 grand or cheaper. Then the additional costs of fabrication and adapters etc etc. then sell the rest for scrap or part out. also with the amount I drive my car I’d much prefer diesels efficiency and simplicity compared to an electronically controlled V8. 4cyl much easier to work on, mechanical diesel much simpler, etc etc. time will tell
Isuzu 4BD is supposed to be a good engine and significantly quieter than a cummins 3.9 4BT. If you do the research and figure out the engine to H55F adapter please post. Good luck.
Are really the 14Bs so pricey in the States?
Here in Greece, from time to time, one can get them for approximately 3.500 Euros/USD.
These are, usually, low mileage (100-200.000km/60-120.000 miles) engines, direct imports from Japan.
Given that here the 40/50/60/70 Series Cruisers are practically non-existent , it seems that there is a demand from the Dyna owners, who want to get their old trucks back on the road when their B or 3B engines have died...
We know in this forum that there is an important market for the 14B in the OZ, but I guess that it is worth the trouble that you purchase directly from Japan, in order to get one to the US at a fair price.
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I barley recall being 18-20, broke and full of ideas. 
You will figure it out, best lessons are often learned the hard way.
Old man advice; travel overseas as much as you can before you are 30-35yrs old. Besides school, I would put all my money and effort into that if I was you. Troopies are a tough one when you are young and broke.. Latin America is GREAT and CHEAP if you do the backpacker thing. 
Have fun!
Cheers
You will figure it out, best lessons are often learned the hard way.
Old man advice; travel overseas as much as you can before you are 30-35yrs old. Besides school, I would put all my money and effort into that if I was you. Troopies are a tough one when you are young and broke.
. Latin America is GREAT and CHEAP if you do the backpacker thing. Have fun!
Cheers
Should you choose SE Asia for that just ask.I barley recall being 18-20, broke and full of ideas.
You will figure it out, best lessons are often learned the hard way.
Old man advice; travel overseas as much as you can before you are 30-35yrs old. Besides school, I would put all my money and effort into that if I was you. Troopies are a tough one when you are young and broke.
Have fun!
Cheers
That place is definitely an experience if you have little regard for you liver, kidneys and reproductive organs.
- Thread starter
- #911
Quick update, after a week in Montana we are on the road again. About 3 hours out from SLC so right now, can’t wait to see the new Land Cruiser Heritage Museum!!! Meeting up with some cool cruiser owners in the area aswell.
Outside of the Grand Tetons we were camping a few nights ago, woke up, started head back down this forest service road and BOOM… troopy! Stopped and talked for a while, super cool couple from Switzerland traveling the globe in it. What are the odds I randomly run into a troopy in the wild out of all the other places I could have been and they could have been? Awesome! Just wish I had mine with me too for moments like these, well pretty much all of the trip I’m wishing I had it.
Outside of the Grand Tetons we were camping a few nights ago, woke up, started head back down this forest service road and BOOM… troopy! Stopped and talked for a while, super cool couple from Switzerland traveling the globe in it. What are the odds I randomly run into a troopy in the wild out of all the other places I could have been and they could have been? Awesome! Just wish I had mine with me too for moments like these, well pretty much all of the trip I’m wishing I had it.
I lived in Jackson Hole for nearly 25yrs, you might be surprised how many international travelers visit the area.
I once hosted a French couple for three weeks that were driving around the world in a Troopy.
Cheers
I once hosted a French couple for three weeks that were driving around the world in a Troopy.
Cheers
Did you get her phone number? 
i put a 4BD1T in my FJ55 back in the day, GREAT engine, adapting was a pain and hasnt gotten any better over the years, its a shame really.
How long are you staying in SLC? I think they're doing cruisers and coffee on saturday.
Last Saturday. It's the 4th Saturday of the month.
Ah, I was thinking it was the last Saturday of each month. Thanks for the correction!
- Thread starter
- #918
I will update this thread in the next day or so whenever I get home, about the entire trip. Met a lot of great people, i always love matching faces to the usernames on here, such a treat. @PabloCruise @FJBen
Anyways I’m very busy trying to find out a plan. Due to @FJBen i was lucky enough to drive his friends 60 with an Isuzu 4BDT1 behind it, drove great, awesome engine as most everyone has said. For the past month since my engine blew up I’ve been looking for 1986-1991 Isuzu NPR’s with this kind of engine in them and have found 4 within 500 miles of NC... not looking too good and all of them were asking 7-12 grand for them. Then this one popped up a week or so ago. Finally messaged the guy. Will be driving thru where the truck is located tomorrow anyways just on our way back home. This means I wouldn’t have to spend $500+ on gas driving up to it and back if I go back to NC and then go pick it up. I would have our sequoia following me home if anything went wrong. It is just so convenient and cheap. 89,000 original miles, also a big plus.
What do y’all think of this? $2,500 for the whole truck. That’s atleast $1000 cheaper than any engine that’s been ripped out of one and for sale on eBay, I could see it in person, drive it, see any hiccups in the engine, and then be able to pull it out. Plus once again 89,000 miles… I asked him straight up if he thinks it would make it 10 hours home to NC or if I would need to trailer it and he said that mechanically he doesn’t doubt it at all. (Then again this is some random guy on FB marketplace) seemed friendly enough and honest enough about everything. Legally he said that it might be kinda sketchy due to it having no brake lights, could just get the sequoia to follow close behind and not drive at night.
I drove a Tacoma with a blown head gasket much further (like 2x the distance) without a second thought, just want to see peoples opinions on here! I won’t be able to buy a 14/15BT for another year or so if I can ever find one, prices are way too high for me. I can pull the engine out of this truck, part out whatever else and then scrap the rest. Maybe only would be $1,500 into the engine alone, plus adapter stuff and all that fun stuff! Still much cheaper than any other engine I can think of, and man that 60 drove nice!!!
Anyways I’m very busy trying to find out a plan. Due to @FJBen i was lucky enough to drive his friends 60 with an Isuzu 4BDT1 behind it, drove great, awesome engine as most everyone has said. For the past month since my engine blew up I’ve been looking for 1986-1991 Isuzu NPR’s with this kind of engine in them and have found 4 within 500 miles of NC... not looking too good and all of them were asking 7-12 grand for them. Then this one popped up a week or so ago. Finally messaged the guy. Will be driving thru where the truck is located tomorrow anyways just on our way back home. This means I wouldn’t have to spend $500+ on gas driving up to it and back if I go back to NC and then go pick it up. I would have our sequoia following me home if anything went wrong. It is just so convenient and cheap. 89,000 original miles, also a big plus.
What do y’all think of this? $2,500 for the whole truck. That’s atleast $1000 cheaper than any engine that’s been ripped out of one and for sale on eBay, I could see it in person, drive it, see any hiccups in the engine, and then be able to pull it out. Plus once again 89,000 miles… I asked him straight up if he thinks it would make it 10 hours home to NC or if I would need to trailer it and he said that mechanically he doesn’t doubt it at all. (Then again this is some random guy on FB marketplace) seemed friendly enough and honest enough about everything. Legally he said that it might be kinda sketchy due to it having no brake lights, could just get the sequoia to follow close behind and not drive at night.
I drove a Tacoma with a blown head gasket much further (like 2x the distance) without a second thought, just want to see peoples opinions on here! I won’t be able to buy a 14/15BT for another year or so if I can ever find one, prices are way too high for me. I can pull the engine out of this truck, part out whatever else and then scrap the rest. Maybe only would be $1,500 into the engine alone, plus adapter stuff and all that fun stuff! Still much cheaper than any other engine I can think of, and man that 60 drove nice!!!
have you made sure you can acquire whatever way to adapt a 4BD to your H55f?
- Thread starter
- #920
nope, been doing tons of research for the past hour or so. Seen it done many many times before on mud. Many different ways to do it, well like 4 different ways. I’ll keep y’all updated once I find a clear route
