LN130 Surf

[Instigator]

Voice of reason has won out, saving for a house = more important than V8 Surf

Car was run a couple of times and bottom end, turbo etc seem fine so off with it's head



Worst one













3/4 cracked

Need to buy complete 3L head, 2LT-E headgasket/bolts and a new radiator (been told alloy>stock?). Waiting on messages back from some eBay people now to compare to local prices. If anyone's got any hookups or places they'd recommend let me know plz

[da9jeff]

ebay is almost always cheaper for this stuff, wouldn't even bother looking locally.

[E-Z]

I have my truck for sale, I'm tempted to part it, wouldn't be interested in the motor?
If so pm me a offer, note I will include the alloy radiator I have, brand new never fitted

[Instigator]

Already ordered everything last week

Complete 3L head $650
Alloy rad $190
Head gasket & bolts $150

eBay FTW

Need to get glow plugs, few new hoses/clamps and a couple of silicon bends to replace the plastic bits that fell apart.

Got everything else except the bolts & rad which should turn up in the next couple of days then I'll try and put it back together this week.

[Instigator]

Had to wait for a couple of extra gaskets (venturi & timing cover) but she's all done and driving again now

Add about $65 to above for glow plugs and another $100 odd in bits and pieces so just under $1200 all up, think I did OK there

Starts up almost instantly now with the new glows and seems to run a bit better too, maybe due to all the EGR shit that got ripped out.

[Instigator]

OK so 3 months later it hasn't all been smooth sailing.

When I did the bodylift originally I didn't drop the radiator back down and don't remember if I refitted the heat shields (pretty sure I didn't )

Anywho went out for a 4by and she started overheating again climbing a long slow hill FFFFFFUUUUU Managed to limp it out of the bush and got towed home.

So finally put the water temp gauge on it to see what it was doing. Soon as I started loading it up climbing she would get hot and not want to cool down again.

Dropped the radiator down 2", refitted the top shroud and added red coolant, (only had water in it before to see if there were any issue before buying coolant) Also pulled the viscous fan off and adjusted the bi-metallic stip and renewed the fluid.

Touch wood a couple of months later it seems fine. Have done a few test runs up Glenbrook hill and she won't go over 90. Only time I've seen any kind of heating up is after long freeway runs then coming to a complete standstill eg drivethru even then it got up to 95, the AC thermo kicked in and it came back down.

Put a tank of diesel power thru it not long ago too and economy has come back to 12.5l/100 now





Prado phwoar!

[Instigator]

Went camping up at Hill End last weekend and the overheating dramas resurfaced

Luckily with the temp gauge I was onto it pretty quickly. Still copped an exploding overflow to the face when I popped the bonnet

I think it's a combination of weight + 33s + 12.5psi boost (which creeps to 14 sometimes) + no bottom shroud.

Going to put a bottom shroud, top mount and transmission cooler on it next. On the way home I was a bit gentler with the right foot and let it lumber up the hills and it didn't get anywhere near as hot but she still isn't right for touring.

My favourite pic of her down at Nimmitabel again last year.

[E-Z]

I have 2 r32 coolers with the ends taken off to make a little front mount for mine, but I've since sold my surf,
Can have them cheap
$30
Or a gtir cooler 300x400 calsonic $45

[Terribleone]

What type of radiator did you get? The factory ones have a problem with the transmission cooler in the bottom tank almost completely blocking the lower hose outlet, its a common cause for overheating on these. The fix is to have a manual transmission radiator fitted with an external trans cooler.