Give me ONE Reason NOT to buy an FZJ80...

[dd113]

I love the 3FE and have owned, wheeled, rolled, killed them as my only rides for 8+ years. As much as I love it I would not go with it for any real reason other than price or availibility. If you fiind a sweet FJ 80 really cheap it might be worth snapping up but the FZJ is sooooo much nicer. My ideal truck is a '94 with the FF/rear disk.

Not sure if this was mentioned but...

FJ have a bastard Ft axle that only interchanges parts with other FJs (Bierfields are the same croos the board)

FJ have wimpy ft brakes and only have SF rear w/drums. Brake parts are FJ specific

Bumper and all front end sheet metal and lights are FJ only. Sucks when you wreck it; sucks more when you wreck it again, starts to really piss you off the 3rd time, 4th time you jsut leave it.

My 91 has 96 ft axle and a 95 FF rear w/disk which is a nice set up.

There are a bunch if hypothetical issues with the 1FZE but reather few real life issues outside of head gasket.

My half assed opinion is that if ya got a FJ build it and accept it for what it is; if you are buying try to get a 93-to 2/95 FZJ

 

[upcruiser]

My FJ80 has been great. It was my daily driver for a number of years and served it well. Even with 33's and stock gears I never found any issues with the power. I think the only place that I would really feel it was too underpowered was if I lived in Denver and had to drive I70 west frequently. That's a bit frustrating. I've driven the '93's plus and can definately appreciate them too, but if I was shopping for a nice example 80 and a good '91-'92 came around, I wouldn't pass it up due to the engine and rear axle concerns. Especially for an expedition platform.

 

[BPMOU]

I just read this whole post and I couldn't agree more with the previous posts. That being said, I bought my 80 last Feb and I have loved every minute of it. I have had to do minor things like brakes, base line, O2 sensors etc over the last year. I thought about selling it back in Nov, but decided not to. Now, with a baby on the way, three labs that usually travel with us when we are out and about, the wife and I are thinking about moving to a full size truck and an old accord as a get around car as my wife will only be working a couple of days a week. For me the 80 is a great vehicle that is stout and requires the maintenance that a 50K vehicle requires. For me, the HG issue, and front axle rebuild up around the bend and the lack of time is making move closer to trading her for a full size truck that would fit our needs.

In the end it boils down to what you want and need. If the pathfinder has suited your needs then I bet an 80 would not leave you wanting. I want to keep the 80, but for me it isn't really feasible.

 

[Pskhaat]

I have to say that a 3FE with a 5 speed is really woken up..

No doubt. I have my simple H42 behind my 3F-E and it's almost a consistent 19% gearing drop across each of the 4 gears, it's like driving with 4.88s and sans the toque converter the thing is downright peppy, but with the higher RPM range has yet full drivabiltiy between shift points.

Another really dumb thing I like about them is you can start the F/2F/3F with the ``Toyota Tool,'' if your starter/battery fails, you can hand crank the thing (not recommended, but I've done it).

Outside of the quite obvious diesel, I think a non-US carb'd/dizzy'd FJ80 with manual tranny is the near perfect expedition platform.

 

[vengeful]

Why carb'd?

They're very finicky about altitude changes.
They're very grumpy at steep angles.

These are two reasons that I wouldn't want a carb'd vehicle on an expedition, since you're likely going to be dealing with fairly vast altitude changes, and possibly some pretty steep inclines/declines, and off-camber stuff.

Obviously, a diesel would be my first choice, but a fuel-injected gas motor would be put above carb'd, at least for me.

 

[Pskhaat]

Why carb'd?

It's really my total inability at diagnosing and fixing FI. I have before run some fairly questionable fuels and would be just a lot more comfortable taking a carb'd rig (with adjustable dizzy) through SA for instance. I am confident with help I could limp it somewhere from harm's way pouring fuel into the barrels.

But of course, I actually have never done that (drive through SA) so I speak totally in the speculative voice :O

But in reality, FI is so choice I agree that anything reasonable FI is superior.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Dave why do you favor the earlier FZJ80's, because of the bigger earlier trans?

 

[Christian P.]

1HZ in FZJ80 - had anyone done the conversion?

It's kind of late right now so I may be confused, but FZJ80's came with 1HZ in the rest of the world, right?

so with this influx of 1HZ engine in the U.S. lately, how difficult would it be to do a conversion? I suppose the cost would be prohibitive...but it would be so sweet to get a FZJ80 diesel/5 speed for a daily driver...

 

[Christian P.]

here's one on Ebay for you...I think it has everything:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996...89QQihZ004QQcategoryZ6443QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Grim Reaper]

It's really my total inability at diagnosing and fixing FI. I have before run some fairly questionable fuels and would be just a lot more comfortable taking a carb'd rig (with adjustable dizzy) through SA for instance. I am confident with help I could limp it somewhere from harm's way pouring fuel into the barrels.

But of course, I actually have never done that (drive through SA) so I speak totally in the speculative voice :O

But in reality, FI is so choice I agree that anything reasonable FI is superior.

Carbs from the 80's...HELL NO! give me FI all the time. Most miserable repair I have ever done on our Honda was rebuild the carb. The carb rebuild was a piece of cake its all the plumbing on the 80's emissions carbs that brings the suck. They have a computer and 6,000 ft of vacuum lines. They are more difficult to deal with then the FI.

You over think FI. Fuel injection is actually quite easy to work on. Test meter, paper clip and the FSM and you are set. The FI on Toyota is a Bosch design. It dates back to the 60's. Very simple and with the diagnostics flow chart in the manual its very easy work on.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Carbs from the 80's...HELL NO! give me FI all the time. Most miserable repair I have ever done on our Honda was rebuild the carb. The carb rebuild was a piece of cake its all the plumbing on the 80's emissions carbs that brings the suck. They have a computer and 6,000 ft of vacuum lines. They are more difficult to deal with then the FI.

You over think FI. Fuel injection is actually quite easy to work on. Test meter, paper clip and the FSM and you are set. The FI on Toyota is a Bosch design. It dates back to the 60's. Very simple and with the diagnostics flow chart in the manual its very easy work on.

I have to admit that given the whole spectrum, an old carb'd truck would be my choice. But this assumes no emissions. When you add emissions, the EFI truck IMO becomes the winner. But then again, Grim, we are talking about the EFI like on a 22R-E or 3F-E. It's a pretty simple design and has the benefit of self diagnosing that a carb truck does not. Newer designs are so much more complex that I think in the field repairs become difficult. But the 22R-E EFI system will run in limp mode as long as the major parts are there (MAF, TPS, O2). If a temp or knock sensor is bad, the CEL comes on, but it still runs. Basic EFI systems can adjust for bad gas, radical changes in elevation, temp swings. This stuff is nice here, where you might leave Denver at 85F, 5280' and end up at 11,000' at 42F. The engine just does what it needs to run. No sputtering on high angle stuff, no issues with stalling.

 

[mike h]

here's one on Ebay for you...I think it has everything:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996...89QQihZ004QQcategoryZ6443QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Well Dan, there you go. Disregard everything i wrote about in my previous post - this is exactly the type of LC I would buy, if I was ready to buy, right now... today. Problem is, I know I could get that financed with a phone call... but I wiil do my best to remain calm.

One more season... one more season...

The internal cage - now that is sweet. I wonder what the seller needs to make it happen, my guess is this one will go for mid to upper 20s. But, other than this board and mud, there are probably less than a dozen people seriously looking for a LC built to this level, right now, this week.

But Dan is...



m.

 

[Skillet]

here's one on Ebay for you...I think it has everything:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996...89QQihZ004QQcategoryZ6443QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Minus the bling, that is a sweet looking ride.

Great color for those hot Arizona days too.

 

[kcowyo]

....give me one good reason (other than getting rid of the Pathy, or gas mileage - Pathy already gets crappy mileage), why I should NOT get one...please.

Please talk me out of this...

I won't talk you out of it, but I'll tell you what keeps me from picking up an 80 and why I still look at FJ62's. And this is coming from a longtime TLCA member, I'm no hater.

The flippin' prices of a 10 year old LC are absurd! :violent-smiley-031:

This is not a knock on the product, their quality or reputation. I recognize that they are exceptional on & off-road SUV's. But I "cruise" eBay, Autotrader & Craigslist often for LC's and seldom do I see a 10 year old 80, with less than 100K, for under $15K.

Banks won't lend on a vehicle that old and I don't carry $15K in cash. And even if I did, I wouldn't cough it up for a hunk of metal. Many 80's have 120K-200K miles and people still want over $10K. 80's with over 200K still go for between $7k -$9k. Ridiculous....

There is the random good deal on an 80 out there, but they are the exception rather than the rule. I feel people want too much for 'em because they're a status symbol, not due to their exceptional off-road prowess and reliability.

I'm not going to pay over $10K for a 10 year old vehicle with over 100K miles on it, because a bunch of Dr.'s wives have driven the prices through the roof on their way to Starbucks. No matter how cool desertdude, blupaddler, Skillet, Boston Mangler and SoCalFJ make them look.

It makes more financial sense to me to pay $4K or less, for an equally capable FJ62, in good condition with 160K miles. Same rep, same quality, same heritage, same aftermarket support, etc. I don't think the 62's are quite the lookers that the 80's are, but I like Toyota's oddball offerings best anyway.

 

[Life_in_4Lo]

here's one on Ebay for you...I think it has everything:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996...89QQihZ004QQcategoryZ6443QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That is Landcruiserphil's 80! He is on Mud. Wow, I'm surprised he's selling it. I think that would a great truck to own.

Here is another- who I know personally- and this one would be a steal at what he's asking. I was so tempted even tho I don't need another 80!
Big thing here is he already did the HG and is running the uber rare Austrailan Safari turbo.
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=145705