ExPo Project: 1991 Land Cruiser Prado SX (LJ78)

[Wheelingnoob]

How ironic that the first thing you had to do on your LX was a head gasket! You can't argue with the price you paid for a double locked 80 though!

Yep, $200 gasket kit from Toyota and a weekend's work vs $2000 head + gaskets + waiting for the parts. Plus I can take a 1fz powered LC into any Toyota dealer and get parts and work if needed. It was an easy choice for my needs and I could not complain about the price I got mine for.

 

[Viggen]

It appears that the gauge is all one unit, with a display and the controller behind. What is the 'box'? I want to make sure we are not missing any parts.

Theres a black aluminum box that allows you to mount it anywhere. Its actually really nice too. I didnt want to cut up the dash so I hung it underneath.
http://www.auberins.com/images/box3.jpg

 

[Scott Brady]

Oh, I see - very cool.

The gauge actually slips into the switch hole in my dash - pretty clean.

 

[Douglas S.]

It just fits right into the standard size hole? Based on some quick searching it seems that 1/32 din is a little bit differently sized than the switch cutouts in my 81.

 

[chet]

those auber are cool little gauges. I decided to try a glowshift as it does boost,pyro and water temp(was wanting oil pressure but misorded) all in one. Will see how it works out.

 

[jham]

Scott, we have a 70 series in Uganda as one of our vehicles and Kampala is a gold mine for parts. If you need any small pieces that are hard to find on this side of the water, let me know and I can look around and bring it back for you. Trim pieces, sensors, etc. Just has to fit in a suitcase.

 

[louj]

louj

Hi Scott

Many thanks for this great posting – very informative

I have been looking for a suitable vehicle for some long distance camping/overland travel. I need to have an automatic – which makes a Defender 110 expensive and there are reliability issues . I’ve look at 80’s series and despite all the good reports – they do not really move me. The LJ78 really seems to fit the bill. With suitable suspension, tires and a rear locker - do you think it would be up to a Cairo to Cape trip?

 

[zimm]

has anyone done an intercooler on one of these? (im sure someone somewhere has)

im wondering will turbo mods be needed and how that will affect your MPG and lag, which im assuming is more important than top power.

i ran am early trooper for years, and i think the size is too small. if i was gonna pay a size penalty, i don think this would be the truck. maybe toyota looked at the trooper market and thats why they never made the move to ship them here, as im guessing it was a more expensive alternative.

and the head... all the talk of durability and reliability and quality on this site... i think of the stories i read, and im sure ive read the same ones as you, i dont think "flogging" is an apt description. pulling uphill on a long grade isnt flogging. calling it flogging is passing the buck, its like suggesting the girl wouldnt have been raped if she was properly clothed. it blames the victim. i think the people were using the truck as a truck, like toyota says it is, and not as a car as most use it, and the head **** the bed. one shouldnt have to be Engineer Scotty keeping an eye on his flux capacitors and antimatter levels to go on a jaunt. in the "would you pick this truck in a lineup to cross the arabian peninsula" test, i think it earns the "F" it has on its card.

 

[Scott Brady]

The head issue on the 2L-TE can be an issue. We are working to improve the odds. I have talked with a few in the cruiser community that believe it is a maintenance issue, primarily with the fan clutch, etc. To support their argument, they site that these trucks never have issues with the heads as low mileage vehicles. Who knows, but we are very happy with the truck. Matt drove it to Cruise Moab to pick me up, and we made it all the way from Moab to Prescott on about 18 gallons of fuel.

We have just received a boat-load of new parts for the Prado and will start installing them soon.

For now, it is still stock - I kind of like it this way. . .

 

[91prado]

The head issue on the 2L-TE can be an issue. We are working to improve the odds. I have talked with a few in the cruiser community that believe it is a maintenance issue, primarily with the fan clutch, etc. To support their argument, they site that these trucks never have issues with the heads as low mileage vehicles. Who knows, but we are very happy with the truck. Matt drove it to Cruise Moab to pick me up, and we made it all the way from Moab to Prescott on about 18 gallons of fuel.

We have just received a boat-load of new parts for the Prado and will start installing them soon.

For now, it is still stock - I kind of like it this way. . .

Hey im new here. I just bought and registered a 1991 landcruiser prado turbo deisel. It has 137 000km on it. Second day after i insured it it blew the head gasket going up the malahat. What is this head problem you speak of? My cruiser is at the shop now what can i do to beef it up. Also where do i find a new head gasket for it?

thanks

 

[Wheelingnoob]

Hey im new here. I just bought and registered a 1991 landcruiser prado turbo deisel. It has 137 000km on it. Second day after i insured it it blew the head gasket going up the malahat. What is this head problem you speak of? My cruiser is at the shop now what can i do to beef it up. Also where do i find a new head gasket for it?

thanks

Call Radd Cruisers in Duncan ( I think its there).

 

[Chazz Layne]

A little bit of maintenance/upgrade performed by Kelsey today: replacing the original battery installed by Toyota in 1991, which died earlier this month. :Wow1:

 

[AFSOC]

A little bit of maintenance/upgrade performed by Kelsey today: replacing the original battery installed by Toyota in 1991, which died earlier this month. :Wow1:

A 21 year old battery?

 

[Toyotero]

If you can read Japanese, I think there is a place to get the manufacture date using the serial number from the battery sticker. http://gyb.gs-yuasa.com/

--- edit ----
According to: http://www.powercontinuity.net/powercontinuity_net/images/DATE_CODES_INTERPRETATION.pdf

Yuasa Batteries
-- Chinese Coding ---
1st digit -Factory code
2nd digit -Year
3rd & 4th digits -Month
5th & 6th digits -Day
6th & 7th digits -Factory code

Example: 5003038H equates to 3rd March 2000


29 11 07 - 02
Factory 2 - 2009 (or 1999 or 1989) November 7th - Factory 02

 

[David Harris]

Why do you think this is the original battery?