Ruined, motor seized!!!!

[jibbby]

Old reliable let me down today... Thought I would share my pain with you guys...:684:

I've had my 1993 LandCruiser for years and years, a prestine truck in and out. It ran like new and has been oh so so reliable for me up until today....

Here is the story - I was driving it just this morning and it began to heat up on me while I was cruising on the freeway, no dash lights came on, nothing...By the time I noticed the temp gage was beyond the red hot level and it was to late...The truck began knocking immediately and then I pulled over and shut it down asap.. I then let it cool off praying the head gasket didn't blow, I never even considered the motor would be toast..Anyway, I then filled the radiator up with water and crossed my fingers and started it. It did run for a moment but tons of white smoke blew from the exhaust pipe and then the motor knocked and completely froze up...Will not turn over... AAA to the rescue for a tow job...

All this because of a bad thermostate if you could believe that... un friggin believable...Needless to say I am pissed off and dissapointed at this happening, no check engine light came on, nothing to warn me..:rant: This was my everyday ride for years and years...

Now I need to decide if the engine in the truck is worth saving and if it can even be rebuilt...I really don't know the extent of the engine damage, but I do know the head gasket is toast, and there was some bottom end engine noise before it froze up.. No water found mixed in with the oil though....

The truck is maybe worth $5000 when it is running, and I thinking if a rebuild is even possible for couple of grand or should I cut my losses and part it out... I am also looking for some forum sympathy from anyone if possible...:boggled: (just kidding) I did love this truck and I probably put 200,000 miles on it... It's kinda like an old dog you just got to put down...

Any suggestions? This motor is the 4.5L inline six Toyota... This could be a good time for 1uz-fe engine swap but I got no garage to pull it off...I don't know if there is any bell housing adaptors for that kind of swap anyway.. Maybe I will just part it out...I Don't know and must sleep on this one...

On a good note and to keep it all positive my SC400 still runs like a champ:439:

 

[JamesN]

Man John sorry to hear what happen buddy. If the shell is still in great condition like you said just throw in a new motor. It is a great time to build an awesome landcruiser. I say throw a tundra motor in and you'll be set. Also, you might have the power now to tow your car to florida when you move.

 

[XR8tt]

I'd say the head gasket has blown.. Then when you filed it up with water it has either cracked the head or water has gone through into cylinder and you have compression lock up...If you have steam blowing out exhaust its definitely head gasket OR coolant into cylinder...[same thing]
Take plugs out and see how much coolant comes out spark plug hole...
Check around you could get a long motor or one from a wreck ???
I wouldn't overhaul an overheated engine...Did it have some coolant in engine?? Or was it bone dry??? When you stopped...??

I'll come and give you a hand.. If you pay transport ???? Lol.....

 

[jibbby]

Thanks for the kind words guys....

James, no garage room to work on an engine swap or else I would give it a go, besides the truck does have 250,000 miles on anyway with the original tranny. Even though I have kept it up as best I could, those miles are alot regardless... Time to move on and sell it as is for cheap...

XR8tt - Well when I immediately filled the radiator with water after the engine overheated, I did hear some cracking noises going on around the head area... I then started it and it just drained the water and coolant right out of the motor but not much from the radiator (thermostate)...White smoke blew big time as the truck to began to overheat again... The truck idled horribly, I started it because I had to get it off the street...Big mistake...I shut it down again...That was the last time the engine would turn over... Compression lock up I did consider... Still the head gasket is shot for sure that is a given, heads could be cracked, and just maybe there is some lower engine damage...Don't know for sure... There was also lower engine knocking noise prior to failure, not big noise but some...

Anyway, car is in the papers for $3000 OBO as is... .It just sucks, because this truck ran smoother the smoothe, AWD with new Michellin tires, D/S rotors with new brakes, two recently rebiult drive shafts, new high flowing exhaust from the headers on back...$500 flip stereo with amp, alarm, tint, updated interior, and needless to say it was loaded and clean with all the goodies, sunroof, tow, six seats (three rows), no dents or dings either any where on the body, etc...

So like I said I babied this truck, and it is going to be my loss and someones gain whom ever buys it, 250,000 miles or not.....It did drive like new, after all it is a Toyota....

 

[Anaema]

a hydrolock test would be a good idea. sorry to hear your ride died. mine might....

 

[Lextreme II]

Nobody in this forum is allow to buy Jibbby's LC. You will be banned if anyone acquire his SUV...... LOL JK....

 

[4000GT]

People in NZ do that 1UZ swap daily in the LC.

 

[jibbby]

Anaema - How exactly does a hydolock test work? I've heard of it but know nothing about it...

Harsh words LEX.... It's yours if I can't get rid of it in the next two weeks... I just ran the ads...

E-solver - No working area to perform a swap unfortunately.. My thinking anyway, it's a big hasell when switching out to a different non stock motor in the FJ80's... The electrical and ECU is troublesome when mating.. I am sure the motor mounts can be made or purchased as well as a bellhousing adapter somewhere.... Then you have to re-work the entire exhaust, as you know most V8's have two pipes and the stock Cruiser motor has one pipe from front to back..... What else? Cooling and fitment problems, integration of instrumentation and cluster...Just alot of work, time and space needed to do what you are suggesting... Sounds like fun and a challenge though....

The FJ80's would be nice sporting a 350whp swapped in boosted V8 motor...The AWD tranny has been tested to hold 400whp with a Diesel... Had a look on the Land Cruiser forums and read that... Now that would be fun...

 

[Lextreme II]

Swapping will be somewhat expensive. You would need a complete engine, harness, transmission, ECU. That alone would run around $1,000. Custom engine mounts would run about $400. Taking the motor out will be around $1000. Installing would run about $4000 and other misc (headers mod if needed and transmission mounts). Wiring would run around $1000. So the number really adds up very quick.

So far the number is around $7,500 and that is beyond the value of the LC.

 

[jibbby]

Yeah, just rebuilding or swapping in the same motor would be the best option for whom ever buys the LandCruiser... Good points LEX...

Projects get expensive fast, and don't always work out as planned..

 

[quadcam boat]

didn't know you could buy a landcruiser ute in the USA?

 

[Anaema]

how do you test for hydrolock?.... take the spark plugs out, the stick something thin into the cylinder that can pick up water easily. like a tube of paper. if it's wet... well, that's self explanitory. also, can you hear the starter solenoid working when you try to start it? it should sound like a click that comes from around the bell housing.

 

[XR8tt]

Like I said above take plugs out and turn it over...
Water will come out real quick and fast and you WILL notice it....

 

[jibbby]

Yep, your right...I removed the spark plugs and sure enough water and cooland drained... Went immediately for the ignition and walla the motor turned over.... Glad to know the motor is not complete toast, it turned over without any rude noises..... The heads are a different story, although I am starting to believe it just a blown head gasket and maybe not cracked heads...

Still selling, no need to mess with a motor that has severly overheated and not worth too much money, it also has over 200,000 miles on it, plus that head is about 3 feet long on this 4.5 liter inline motor, monster sized.....Don't want to start tearing down the motor, it looks like the back head bolts are hard to get at near the fire wall anyway.....Sell cheap as is....

Thanks for the replies...

 

[XR8tt]

You could go into the water blasting business ???? Graffiti removal etc??
A few hoses and your done ???? Haha....

 

[Anaema]

that's brilliant. could be a firefighter too...

 

[jibbby]

You guys should do some stand up comedy...

The funny thing is I almost was a fire fighter years back...I didn't fall into the minority ethinic groups that were only being hired at the time, so in effect i didn't become a fire fighter 10 years ago... I probably would have gotten burnt anyway, glad it never happened..

Water blasting is right down my alley of work though as I am a liscensed contractor... Water blast stucco all the time...:006:


Just unloaded the Cruiser for $3500... Had to use the Lexus SC and a fat rope to pull the cruiser onto the flat bed truck...The torsen LSD really came in handy as the SC400 started to slide.... Job done cash in hand..

Sorry LEX, I would have given it too you for $1500 if it didn't sell..Hope you understand.... A few closing pics of the old dog I had to put down...:crazy:

 

[jibbby]

I forgot to mention the guy whom bought my Cruiser this morning just happens to own one of the fastest most powerful 95 Supra's in the USA... It's sporting a 2jz 1300whp motor in a 95 Supra equiped with a Power glide tranny...The V160 couldn't handle that kind of power he said...Single huge turbo setup... He also told me he runs a 250 nitrous shot just to get the turbo spooled up at launch... He ran the quarter in 8 seconds flat in this car...

His name is Joel Tranzman and his Supra can be viewed by searching Joel Tanzman on google.....He showed me the pics of this Supra and it is a serious beast....Not street legal or practical with the powerglide tranny...

Oh, The irony of it all....... He was only slightly impressed with my Lexus, that was to be expected...

 

[Lextreme II]

Its a dark today...LOL

 

[jibbby]

Lex - With each missed opportunity there is another that comes up that may even be better...Just keep your eyes open always and stay positive because the future is always bright...:smoker: