looking for help

[bigdaviethedaddy@blueyond]

Hi all haven't been on for a while, however can someone enlighten me on the surf engines as I am still new to them. My mate is looking for one and he has came across an ssr 2.4td but I have heard bad things about the engines in them compared to the 3.0 mostly cylinder head overheating problems is this true, dave.

[JUDWAK]

Hi all haven't been on for a while, however can someone enlighten me on the surf engines as I am still new to them. My mate is looking for one and he has came across an ssr 2.4td but I have heard bad things about the engines in them compared to the 3.0 mostly cylinder head overheating problems is this true, dave.

i have a 2.4 its crap engine loads of problems over heating crank knocking
and under powered
but iam going to say that i have had one 5 years
they do start to be money pits mate

i would go with the 3ltr
iam getting myself a 3ltr after cristmas

[darkdezigns]

http://hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=50062
enough said lol

[RodLeach]

With maintenance there not too bad.

Its not the most powerful engine in the world but the price for it vs. a 3.0ltr will reflect that.

Ive had mine for over 2 years and ive not had a single fault with the engine.

If its a decent price then dont be put off.

[Koi]

i have a 2.4 its crap engine loads of problems over heating crank knocking
and under powered
but iam going to say that i have had one 5 years
they do start to be money pits mate

i would go with the 3ltr
iam getting myself a 3ltr after cristmas

yeah its a crap engine its made by toyota the same engine thats in the pick up and we know how crap that engine is and its made by the same people that make the 3.0 so that will be crap as well.

It has nothing to do with the engine, the over heating problems are down to a large batch of faulty heads fitted on the 2.4
If you find a 2.4 thats ...
1. got a new redesigned head you should be fine.
2. find a cheap enough 2.4 and figure in the cost of replacing the head then you will be fine.

There are many people on here who have a 2.4 with no problems at all. Most of the people who sell a 3.0 use the same advertising crap along the lines of
this is the 3.0 superior engine not the inferior 2.4 that overheats, its bull.

Base it on your needs, if its all round town motoring then either enigne will be fine you wont notice anf difference in the power as round town you wont get to go that fast.
If your doing more motorway stuff then the 3.0 makes sense, bigger engine lower rpm etc same for all bigger engines. If your towing a lot the nagain the bigger engine will cope more comfortably.
That said the 2.4 is still quite capable of towing. As for mpg theres hardly any difference between the two engines its down to how your drive it that will determine your mpg.

[roylittle0]

Ermmm Welll , i would say go for the 3.0litre if you can, mine hasn't cost me that much on maintenance on the whole, apart from this month when it went wrong, big time, but up until then i have had no major issues, starts first time, every time.

The heads are a problem, that is for sure

[POPEYE]

Well said Koi and Roy had my 2.4 over 3 years not and not a days probs, it was very sluggish and now much better with the verious mods i done, i guess new injectors would'nt go amis,
trouble is people only tend to post problems so reading this site ones inclined to think these things are nowt but trouble, haveing said that tho i would choose the 3lt for the extra bit of power, handy if you need it even if you hardly ever use it,

[JUDWAK]

well after my 2.4 has just taken around £1500 this year alone
i would say its a crap engine with 5 years of running one
its still not done the more ya do the more needs doing
i could have got a very good 3ltr engine for that sort of money
so yes the 2.4 is a crap engine for what ever reason
i have had one for 5 years with no expence spard on running costs
if it need it i have payed for it done alot by toyota but not all
everything i use is a gen part
and its still wants more money spending on it
and thats with the modifide head all done
i have still had 2 toyota rads this year?
blow loads of water hose's
and over heat every now and gain for no reason
its a bad engine in my books
its not about who made them
its about what year and what engine?
to me its about when did they sort all these problems out?
3ltr 1996?
from what i read online anyhow
2.4 will become a money pit
i know i give mine more hammer than most
but i give it everything it needs
and it still keeps wanting more

so would i get that same problem from a 3ltr?
no i think not

[Sancho]

Ermmm Welll , i would say go for the 3.0litre if you can, mine hasn't cost me that much on maintenance on the whole, apart from this month when it went wrong, big time, but up until then i have had no major issues, starts first time, every time.

The heads are a problem, that is for sure

If I could be bothered, I'd unearth every thread on heads going on 3.0s. The 2.4 heads are particularly prone to cracking if they overheat but the 3.0s are far from invulnerable too. The 2.4s tend to be older so went first, now the 3.0s are catching up.

It's nothing to do with being crap really, it's more than the 2nd gens are now between 12 and 20 years old and stuff goes wrong on old motors.

In defence of 2.4s too, they're not that slow. They take a lot to get going, and they're not easy to drive, but if you can develop a rhythm, not over-brake and keep them rolling, they will maintain a reasonable speed on most roads.

Edit: You tempted me George

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/sh...ad.php?t=31502

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/sh...ad.php?t=46022

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/sh...ad.php?t=33832

I could go on, but it would get even more boring

[RodLeach]

If I could be bothered, I'd unearth every thread on heads going on 3.0s. The 2.4 heads are particularly prone to cracking if they overheat but the 3.0s are far from invulnerable too. The 2.4s tend to be older so went first, now the 3.0s are catching up.

It's nothing to do with being crap really, it's more than the 2nd gens are now between 12 and 20 years old and stuff goes wrong on old motors.

In defence of 2.4s too, they're not that slow. They take a lot to get going, and they're not easy to drive, but if you can develop a rhythm, not over-brake and keep them rolling, they will maintain a reasonable speed on most roads.

Well said! i agree with all of that.

An Judwak, No offense mate but your well known to drive the Surf hard.

Whatever engine you were running the outcome would be similar. An i can understand thats its been expensive. But if the work has been carried out either by Toyota or using genuine Toyota parts then the £1500 is going to be a heavy mark up on parts from Roughtrax/milners etc.

No 4x4 can survive being trashed off road.

Whoevers driving it.

[stormforce]

If I could be bothered, I'd unearth every thread on heads going on 3.0s. The 2.4 heads are particularly prone to cracking if they overheat but the 3.0s are far from invulnerable too. The 2.4s tend to be older so went first, now the 3.0s are catching up.

It's nothing to do with being crap really, it's more than the 2nd gens are now between 12 and 20 years old and stuff goes wrong on old motors.

In defence of 2.4s too, they're not that slow. They take a lot to get going, and they're not easy to drive, but if you can develop a rhythm, not over-brake and keep them rolling, they will maintain a reasonable speed on most roads.

I got to agree with Sancho here.I have broken 4 and soon to be 5 3.0l's that the heads have gone and thats only in the last 4-5 months.I have been lucky with my own truck recenly as Bushy will tell you when i drove mine up the mountain to his place in Wales and pulling 3 tonne behind and the temp up in the red and atf warning light on.
The thing is a stated in previous threads when this same subject comes up and thats you only hear the bad things about the 2.4's and not the good things.
I had my old 2.4 for 2 years without a problem and when i sold it the new owners have got it still and thats 5 years of being in this country

[Bogus]

Hi all haven't been on for a while, however can someone enlighten me on the surf engines as I am still new to them. My mate is looking for one and he has came across an ssr 2.4td but I have heard bad things about the engines in them compared to the 3.0 mostly cylinder head overheating problems is this true, dave.

Dont know how much your mate is willing to spend, but i saw a 97 Surf on Autotrader for 2500 quid , described as being in excellent nick. Its in central Jockland somewhere ( 33 miles from Edinburgh) so it has to be worth a call or a look.
I owned a 2.4 for 2 years with no problem. I then had a 2nd gen 3 litre for a year also no problems. Now got the intercooled 3rd gen. I must have been lucky with my 2.4. The 3.0l is certainly more powerful but my 2.4 was not the slouch that some seem to think. I regulary had it up and down the A9 at 70-80 and it felt quite comfortable and was only revving at somewhere around 2500. I only sold it because I had an unsolicited offer that I couldnt refuse on it by a chap who was working in the street and I saw the opportunity to upgrade for a few pounds

Bogus

Bogus

[steve s]

had mine for about 4yrs and its been 100% reliable yes its slow on m/ways 8omph is about it but as i said 100% reliable

[darkdezigns]

i think it basically comess down to the fact of price,and tbh to jump from 2.4 to 3.0 2nd gen is a few hundred,and its gotta be worth it now,u have to remember few years back it was a massive price diffrence,not so now

[Cant Get Right]

I have had my 2.4 for two and a half years and it aint skipped a beat YET, i drive mine quite hard off road and on road and it still runs fine, I have to admit that you do have to give the 2.4 a bit more gun to get it going but if it suits your needs and does the job you want it to then you cant go far wrong. If and when i get a new truck it will be with a bigger engine though