surf 2.4tdi heads cracking

[Guest]

i have heard alot about the heads of the 2.4 and 3.0tdi engines haveing head cracking problems in the 1990-1993 models, is this true? what can be done to safeguard against this? Extra fan? Oil cooler? im looking at buying a 1990 2.4tdi surf so i justed wanted to know beforehand.

[tomsoffroad]

Heads cracking in the 90's 2LT's is not isolated, it happens in the early ones too.
The most common way to combat it (especially japs) it to put a bigger exhaust in them. My 84 surf had a 2 1/4 exhaust and I can't remember how many times it overheated, but the head never cracked.
Hope this a help, if not then you can always put a Supra/Celica motor in it.

[adventures_more]

its like any weak link , you can always strengthen the head , How - easy , pull it down and clean it , get it crack tested, send it a place that does Cryogenics ( heat and freeze ) , most turbo & hipo engines around have their cranks Tuftrided or nitrited , well Cryogenics is the next step up from that , its used in most high peformance applications - F1 , indy, nascar ,sprintcar, etc most of their internal engine parts have been cryogenic. think there's one in christchurch. its quite cheap condsidering the gain in strength you get .

when i fresh'n my 2LT , i'm getting my head done also as a safe gaurd .

[andrew007]

fit a big exhaust 2.5 inch,get radiator flow checked & core cleaned out if necessary,also don't forget the viscous fan radiator shops can refill them,fit pyro guage to exhaust & don't push past max safe temp, fit intercooler as lowers exhuast temp,lastly buy a spare head;murfys law states if you have a spare head you will never need it!

[smurf182]

Fit an aftermarket water temp gauge, get the rad rodded and the rest of the system pressure cleaned.

The 2L-T heads are faulty from the factory, so it's often not just a matter of if, but when. The standard procedure is to replace them with a 3L head.

[Jerry]

My Rugger which has the Daihatsu version of this likes to overheat as well, in the factory manual it sort of mentions it...do you have an aircon thingy in the front....my next step is to rip out the aircon thingy and fit a extra fan or 2.....

[adventures_more]

i had a problem with my theromostat , so bought a new one and same problem , but not as bad now ie: every now and then under hard driving ,the temp would spike and go real hot before the thermostat would let coolant bye , thinkn i might get a cooler one as thety are rated at 88c , also going to rip off my crank driven fan and put on a big thermo fan or 2 ( alot more effecient ) with adjustable thermo switch .

Well i spoke to someone last week & he told me that the 2LT heads are not the only culprits , there are alot more out there, i spose if you get any head HOt enough , then warpage minimum will happen . My 2l-T has done 220,000klm and the head is fine .

[offrd]

every now and then under hard driving ,the temp would spike and go real hot before the thermostat would let coolant bye , thinkn i might get a cooler one as thety are rated at 88c

Bit of an old post now but...

Air from a leaking head and/or gasket builds up behind the thermostat, this then slows or stops the heat getting to the wax in the thermostat causing it to stay closed too long... They usually get worse and worse.... Can also be caused by an air lock if you have done a body lift and not dropped your radiator to normal height. Of course this only applies if your radiator cap is on your motor which is then lower than the top of the radiator...

Ahhhh just my .00002 cents

[Dace]

Air from a leaking head and/or gasket builds up behind the thermostat, this then slows or stops the heat getting to the wax in the thermostat causing it to stay closed too long... They usually get worse and worse.... Can also be caused by an air lock if you have done a body lift and not dropped your radiator to normal height. Of course this only applies if your radiator cap is on your motor which is then lower than the top of the radiator...

Ahhhh just my .00002 cents

Most, if not all thermostats have a small hole with a brass pin thing through it in the main body. this hole i believe is to let any are in the system bleed through.

Also, i have found some aftermarket Thermos are crap out of the pack. The workshop i used to work for bought 6 from repco (tridon), all the same part number and temp (88 deg) and heated them all at the same time, 1 opened at 82 degrees, 1 at 84, 3 at 88 and the last not till 97

Also in old, and sometimes quite new water pumps, the impellor can corrode away, meaning it flows less water and will let it overheat like the thermo is faulty.

my 2 cents

[offrd]

Yes the little valve is for initial bleed and to pass small amounts of air, It wont help if you have an air lock from lifting your radiator higher than your filler cap unless you have a bleeder fitted to the top of the radiator,

Some toyota thermostats are also faulty from the box and i have seen toyota pay out for a complete new block, pistons, head, injectors, hoses... New not second hand.. after a thermostat new from the box failed to open a few days after toyota fittted it...

Have not seen a failed water pump for years! LOL but it does happen!
Good ole electrolysis huh!

[safangari]

I recently sold a 2.4 turbo surf.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =103125965

I stressed the importance of the dump pipe and exhaust in the listing and would stress it again to anybody who asked.

A mate of mine is a Toyota wrecker and reckons the problem is the heat generated from the turbo.

A complete exhaust from the turbo back will suffice for road applications.

For offroading, a set of extractors would be good insurance, as well as a new water pump, flushed radiator and thermostat.

Why not bin the 2lt for a 3l?

Same power, no overheating issues.

[Dace]

Why not bin the 2lt for a 3l?

Same power, no overheating issues.

or a later model 5l out of the 2000 ish hiace or Hilux, only 200 cc increase but it give better response through the higher revs

And it will have less k's on it than a 3l