Offroad-Express

Hi guys, new guy here, from Dunedin.

I've got a new-to-me 1994 Surf with 1KZTE, manual transmission.

So far I have:
-new BFG MTs all round
-flushed radiator/coolant and replaced
-replaced batteries
-changed all oils and all filters
-manual hubs fitted
-airflow snorkel fitted

It is my daily driver and I will be using it for a hunting truck as well. I don't really intend to do anything too extreme with it so I'm planning on no lift, etc. (for now, anyway)

It has 250,000km on the clock, head was (apparently) rebuilt 30,000 km ago. What can I replace or do now to ensure best performance/longevity from the engine? I don't mind spending some money.

EGR block is on my to-do ASAP, diff breathers as well.

I need new shocks all round, what is recommended?

Planning on a custom front/rear bar, I want a winch mount in the front and want to move my spare from underneath to a rear bar mount and move the fuel tank, it currently sits lower than on the trucks with the rear mounted spare.

Have some minor rust in the drivers door to repair. May replace the airflow snorkel with something else, because #### it's ugly.

What else can/should I do? I'd like to stick a fully manual transfer case in, instead of the current push-button-for-h4 system, is this possible?

What kind of economy are guys seeing from these trucks? I'm getting about 8.7km/l no matter how I drive it.

Hi,

When I got my surf 1kz the guys on here recommended getting an EGT gauge to keep an eye on engine temps, so I would get an egt gauge.

I am also investing in new shocks for mine, I asked the other day and it sounds like old man emu shocks are the go.

I usually get 400ish kms to a tank around town, and I have 33s on.

Cheers.

I wouldnt bother with the fuel tank, mines the same as yours and its been in some pretty knarly places with only a few scraps on it. Fully manual transfer, another modification thats probably not necessary in my opinon. Mine has been completely fine and in fact quite like the easy of the button. Its never let me down so far.

Some useful mods in no particular order,

1) at least 2.5" exhaust from dump pipe through with straight through muffler.
2) egr gauge
3) electric fans, so you can remove the radiator in a flash when it gets blocked. Had to do this down by the oldman range area. Also turn off for river crossings and forget to turn back on.
4) winch
5) 4 core radiator with bigger spacing in the fins.
6) external auto trans cooler - not a problem in your case with manual.
7) front and rear auto lockers - most important mod. You won't break stuff anymore especially your front diff and youll just walk through places everyone is destroying their truck trying to get through. I put twin lockers in mine for under a 1k when the dollar was high about 7 years ago and it was easily the best thing I've ever done to it.

The other reason I was thinking of moving my spare wheel is so that when I'm bogged in a flat riverbed with no trees it is easier to access to dig in as a land anchor for the winch. Under the truck, if I'm bogged down, it's harder to get out.

What brand lockers did you go with?