VX landcruiser 12 valve

[aotror]

Hi guys, Im considering buying one of these.. just sold my swb patrol factory turbo.. will probably regret it.. great truck.. but not enough room for the hound and bikes when i go away.

Ive read a bit on the forums but what i want to know is

1. what to look out for when buying them.. i heard of chassis cracks near steering box, big end bearings .. anything else to watch for when buying them? how good are the auto trannies? weak or tough?

2.How would the running costs (mpg) and reliability/durability compare to a patrol 4.2 td?

3.What would be a good price for a 1990 12 valve 4.2 turbo vx land cruiser auto with about 250000 km.. average condition, triple diff locks otherwise pretty standard.

4. how much does it cost to replace the big end bearings and how do i know if i should do it... Also how much and is it it worth it to do the part time 4wd conversion kit.

.. thanks in advance

[cruiser80]

I can only answer a couple of these as mine is manual.
Im getting 11L per 100km around town and 12 per 100 on the open road.
The 1hdt probably isnt as powerful as the later engine, but I think it goes great.
Going to twizel a few weeks ago I sailed past a bus going up burkes pass in 5th.

I dont know if id do the 2wd conversion, I had to run mine in 2wd when I shredded a front drive flange while on holiday and on shingle and in the wet it felt a bit loose, especially when the turbo came on, I really like the constant 4wd, the car really sticks to the road even on mud grip tyres.

Check out offroad80s.com

[aotror]

11 l per 100 around town and 12 on the open rd? It uses less round town or is that a typo?

How has your maintenance bills been? And reliability? How Do you reckon an hdt engined 80 would perform compared to a nissan safari turbo?

[Jay]

Gidday,

Other than chasis crack around the steering box and big end bearings, its just the usual stuff to look out for - rust (especially around the rear window frames, leaking passenger hub seals, oil leaks etc etc...

I've owned a few GQ's and a couple of 80's, and I find the 80 much more comfortable to drive and less "truck like" - that being said, its more than capable offroad - even more so with lockers. For such a big, heavy vehicle, they go extremely well, remove the sway bars offroad and the articulation is impressive - they love to climb. Like cruiser80 said, I prefer having fulltime 4wd, holds the road way better, esp with 35's on and that much weight moving around.

The auto is strong - like any auto i'd recommend adding an external cooler, especially if running big wheels, as heat is generally what kills them.

I paid $9k for mine 2 and a half years ago with 310k on the clock, factory standard with lockers.

BEB's cost me $90 and a couple of hours work - if you can't do them yourself, mechanic will charge you around $700 - $800. If you haven't got any record of them being changed, I'd do them anyway - better to be safe than sorry.

[firestonecruiser]

I got a 91 vx for sale. bigend bearings done. new tyres and rims, 50mm lift springs and longer shocks to match. its in extremely tidy condition inside and out. pm me for more details.

cheers jono

[cruiser80]

. 11 l per 100 around town and 12 on the open rd? It uses less round town or is that a typo?

Yes, its the only vehicle ive ever had that does that!
Its got so much low down torque I can drive around in 5th, with very little throttle.

My gearbox is getting tired and doesnt like to be rushed through the gears so I tend not to be racing away from the lights, although it will take off surprisingly quickly for a big heavy vehicle.

[Jay]

.... although it will take off surprisingly quickly for a big heavy vehicle.

I second that... mines an auto, but gets away from the mark pretty damn quick. Turbo kicks in at 1400 rpm - surprises others when such a big vehicle beats em off the mark!

[wjw]

. 11 l per 100 around town and 12 on the open rd? It uses less round town or is that a typo?

Yes, its the only vehicle ive ever had that does that!
Its got so much low down torque I can drive around in 5th, with very little throttle.

My gearbox is getting tired and doesnt like to be rushed through the gears so I tend not to be racing away from the lights, although it will take off surprisingly quickly for a big heavy vehicle.

Mine is 17 Litres /100km round town.

[Big]

. 11 l per 100 around town and 12 on the open rd? It uses less round town or is that a typo?

Yes, its the only vehicle ive ever had that does that!
Its got so much low down torque I can drive around in 5th, with very little throttle.

My gearbox is getting tired and doesnt like to be rushed through the gears so I tend not to be racing away from the lights, although it will take off surprisingly quickly for a big heavy vehicle.

Mine is 17 Litres /100km round town.

Must be the big tires. .that make the difference. .

[Clint]

They're not bad on diesel for a big rig, Mum's old 5spd used to do around 11L/100km IIRC.

Is it the front hub splines that can flog out? A mate bought an 80 that he later discovered someone had welded bits together in there

Cheers
Clint