gen 3 cylinder heads

[Doublejack]

Hi all , I am new to the forum but on my second surf , my first was a 2nd gen 2.4, I now have a 3 litre gen 3 (what a great truck !!)

On a long uphill recently ,I noticed the temp gauge creeping up ,I didn't let it cook and i am going through the usual ( thermostat, rad flush etc) but i was wondering if the 3 litre heads have a weak spot like the 2.4s or if they simply warp/crack as a result of overheating

any thoughts appreciated

doublejack

[TonyN]

They don't have the same actual 'flaw' as 2.4's, my 3.0 gets to just under the red everytime I tow up a hill, has done for years. But is still fine and never needs coolant.

But they do crack, as can any car, you don't know how much stick the previous owner gave it, and even 3rd gens are getting on a bit and never trust any imports mileage. Keep an eye on the coolant level in the rad, If the level stays the same it's just getting hot, maybe a blocked rad, tired viscous fan or jammed stat, if it's losing coolant with no obvious leaks then you need to get it checked.

[tonupteabag]

Hi,
Yes the 3ltr does suffer from cracked heads, My 3rd gen head let go around september when we removed the head it had cracked between the valves also the pre-combustion chambers..

Just as a side note the 3rd gen had NEVER got hot in the time before the head finally gave up, I noticed the bubbling sound from the expansion bottle when the engine was switched off. After replacing the usual thermostat and rad cap checking for any leaks or crap blocking the cooling fins on the rad, i removed the head hoping it was just a gasket but it wasn't to be, but it's a 50/50 whether it's head or gasket, mine was the head..

I've just re-read your post properly, The trucks do get slightly warm on a good incline but mine has never got past 92 degree's. Also do the viscous fan service as well.

[leighh]

I noticed mine getting a bit warm on hills and on the motorway, a few months back. Turned out to just be a hell of a lot of mud on the lower rear third of the radiator, hidden by the fan shroud.

[Doublejack]

Thanks guys - will go through the motions and see what happens .

what is the viscous fan service ? I have the workshop manual but it only mentions checking for leaks

Doublejack

[tonupteabag]

Hello mate,
have a look through this..
http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/showthrea...hlight=viscous

[ziggy]

Hi all , I am new to the forum but on my second surf , my first was a 2nd gen 2.4, I now have a 3 litre gen 3 (what a great truck !!)

On a long uphill recently ,I noticed the temp gauge creeping up ,I didn't let it cook and i am going through the usual ( thermostat, rad flush etc) but i was wondering if the 3 litre heads have a weak spot like the 2.4s or if they simply warp/crack as a result of overheating

any thoughts appreciated

doublejack

Hi mine had a new head last year, it still gets hot now up hills,in the summer i went on camping trip in wales going up a big mountain it got very hot but i was very loaded with gear including two weeks fire wood and beer lots and lots of beer infact i nearly had to leave the misses at home to make room for it. but i tow a horse trailer around lots,mine goes near into the red i just ease off on hills and so far been ok. you will see on here some have fitted an ATFcooler to either help out cooling system or bypass it completly.i only use original toyota coolant in mine. so if you were loaded up i would not worry about her getting a little hot.

[Doublejack]

cheers for help and advice guys, i have changed the thermostat, the old one didn't seem to be opening properly and also removed the undertray and gave the radiator a good clean as the lower part was jammed with mud from a salisbury plain trip !!

fingers crossed

[Albannach]

Hi mine had a new head last year, it still gets hot now up hills,in the summer i went on camping trip in wales going up a big mountain it got very hot but i was very loaded with gear including two weeks fire wood and beer lots and lots of beer infact i nearly had to leave the misses at home to make room for it. but i tow a horse trailer around lots,mine goes near into the red i just ease off on hills and so far been ok. you will see on here some have fitted an ATFcooler to either help out cooling system or bypass it completly.i only use original toyota coolant in mine. so if you were loaded up i would not worry about her getting a little hot.

Have you renewed everything in the cooling system? If not, do it now. And fit an auxiliary ATF cooler.

[yoshie]

Hi mine had a new head last year, it still gets hot now up hills,in the summer i went on camping trip in wales going up a big mountain it got very hot but i was very loaded with gear including two weeks fire wood and beer lots and lots of beer infact i nearly had to leave the misses at home to make room for it. but i tow a horse trailer around lots,mine goes near into the red i just ease off on hills and so far been ok. you will see on here some have fitted an ATFcooler to either help out cooling system or bypass it completly.i only use original toyota coolant in mine. so if you were loaded up i would not worry about her getting a little hot.

On a yota temp gauge, that is a cooked truck. Well over 100 and by the sounds of it you do it often.

[ziggy]

Have you renewed everything in the cooling system? If not, do it now. And fit an auxiliary ATF cooler.

Its had a new rad and thermostat,one day i will get round to fitting an Atf cooler i do over 300 miles a week in it about 50 of them are towing around two ton horse trailer.shame about the cooling sytem on these as they tow realy well

[ziggy]

On a yota temp gauge, that is a cooked truck. Well over 100 and by the sounds of it you do it often.

Just big hills when towing mainly. atf light comes on too then goes out after a while.the cooling sytem on these can only just handle itself. i just avoid hills

[TonyN]

I'd not worry about a 3.0 2nd or 2rd Gen getting 3/4 or so hot while towing max trailer weight on hills, they all do it with stock cooling systems. I can get mine to do it while not towing now it has 35's on, just by giving it a bit of throttle on hills. Every time I step up a tyre size it gets slightly hotter on hills.

(This is with no in rad AFT cooler at all, but a unmessed with viscous fan and original rad, I've no doubt it can be improved, and will be before I sell it, but what I'm getting at is you really have to abuse a 3.0 to crack the head, unlike a 2.4 that does it when the sun comes out. 100-105 deg engine temps are really no problem short term and to be expected on a deisel under heavy throttle.)

But, I've never got the AFT temp light while driving, and only ever once when starting from a stop on a really steep hill with another Surf on the trailer have I ever seen it on, and it didn't stay on long as soon as I could get off the throttle a bit.