Offroad-Express

Hey everyone,
This is my first post here - pretty new to the 4wd world. I bought my 3L diesel, automatic Surf about 5 months ago, and now I can't think of anything I'd rather drive.
Unfortunately, while driving to Ruapehu at the weekend, my engine overheated, and I discovered all the coolant was gone. Thinking it would be a leaky radiator, we filled up the coolant, let her cool down, and continued up the mountain. Got back to Wellington (after another radiator fillup), and now she barely starts, blows white smoke, milky oil cap, oily coolant... heads f**ked!!

My question is...
What now?

I've taken her to a mechanic to have a once over, and make sure it is worth repairing. I'm a little worried that having driven the car so far since blowing the head, and putting 2 full radiators of water through the block, that I may have done some more serious damage to the bores, etc.

So far my options are:
Pay approx $3000 for a head replacement, with all the little extras like belt and thermostat from Custom Works in Wellington. I've seen people talking about blanking off EGR valve, fitting larger dump pipe, and upgrading rad?
Buy a reconed or 2nd hand motor and drop that in, unsure of cost yet. Just checked trademe, reconed by Toyota is about $3800.
Go all out and fit a V8 Lexus motor, or V6 Commodore... But worried that this could cause more problems down the road...?

Like I said, I'm new to this. I have some experience with cars (not 4x4s), and an engineering background - so happy to do most jobs myself, but not having a garage has made me take it to the pros.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I know this is a common topic with Hiluxes, I just wanted to know everyone's opinion!

Thanks all,
James

I've never owned a 1KZ , but did lots of research prior to buying my Surf.If i was you, I'd fix what you have.(put a new head on your current motor) They are a good motor, except for the head issues. However, most 1kz motors that crack their heads have done lots of km and are around twenty years old, so if you do put a new head on it, you can look forward to years of trouble free trucking.
I'm sure that Custom Works' machinist will check your bores to make sure it's all sweet before they bolt on all the new bits.
There are a number of things you can do to reduce/almost eliminate the head cracking issue. New thermostat,new fluid, new radiator cap.Have the radiator tanks removed and the core cleaned.(very important after an overheat, as crud is loosened from inside the motor and deposited into the lower regions of the core.)
I'm willing to bet that you have a factory dump pipe(the exhaust pipe that bolts directly onto the turbo). Have one custom made, with a bigger diameter- Many people are going with 3" on their 1Kz motors nowadays! This gets the hot gases away from the head more easily, keeping it cooler. Likewise, the exhaust system needs to be bigger too,say 2.5" plus.
If you have a auto trans(in this case you do), bypass the trans cooler in the radiator, and run an aftermarket trans cooler. This will also help keep the water in the radiator at a cooler temp. Lastly, if you are paranoid, install an engine oil cooler.
All these things combine to get the running temp of the motor and head lower. It is interesting to note that as a general rule, the intercooled 1kz motors crack heads much less often, once more adding weight to the 'reducing heat' theory.
I personally know of 4 intercooled 1kz surfs that between them, average 500,000km each, none of them have had their heads off.(all with good service history by the way).
All the best, let us know what you decide, and how you get on.

How many kms on the rest of the truck?

After doing head and cooling system you might find injectors, turbo and other bits end up needing to be done then short block and by then you have spent 10k.....

Thanks so much for the advice!! I've taken her to my mechanic now, who is going to start work next week replacing the head, along with a few other bits. I'll start searching for an intercooler, and the other bits! Is there an aftermarket exhaust system I can pick up, or should I get a custom job? Once the new heads all done, I'll start making the mods!

Pretty much what blake has said for mods.

I did the following:
>>got an egt gauge and put the sender in just above the turbo. (drill and tap for the fitting). Egt (exaust gas temp) will save your engine big time, it will change your driving style.
>>4 core radiator with wider spaced fins, so the mud is easier to get out and doesnt block up as easy,
>>2.5" pipe with straight through muffler from the dump pipe. Not sure if the guy changed my dump pipe or not and cant be bothered checking.
external trans cooler
>>cryoed the new head.
>>blocked off egr
>>electric fan (for easy removal of rad in bush)

mike wrote:Pretty much what blake has said for mods.

I did the following:
..........
>>blocked off egr
>>electric fan (for easy removal of rad in bush)

Just out of interest where did you get the radiator from and what electric fan do you use as fear most wouldn't be good enough
Also what model truck was this on
Thanks

I think A1 radiators in chch , just replaced core of orignial. I used a ford falcon or somethings fan and it was awesome till i broke it somehow (can't remember how i did it) and then put an old volvo one in which is ok and does the job (doesnt overheat ever, wheeling up big slogs, when its on). I can climb hills that used to overheat the truck, on the road, with the old setup (old fan going etc) and the electric fan won't even be on (fans are meant to be ineffective over 15km/hr). So it means everything else I did was doing its job occasionly the fan will come on towards the top if I push it.

94 1kz surf.