Hello from Scotland!

[MustardTiger]

Hi everyone! New to the site! How are we all? Greetings from the North!
Well, after at least a decade of lusting after Surfs, I have decided it is time to finally get my hands on one. I was maybe hoping for some advice from people that have some experience with them!
There is a 3.0 for sale near me, with a manual gearbox. Low mileage too, and very reasonably priced. The thing is, it is losing coolant (owner doesn't know where from), and it overheats after about 20-30 miles. He has told me its been losing a small amount of coolant for over a year but has been getting gradually worse.
I'm not familiar with Surfs at all, but would you say I am right to suspect the head is cracked?
I was planning on going to have a proper look at it this afternoon, could anyone please tell me what to look out for? On my list so far I have got:

Milky gunk under Rad cap
Bubbles/ Boiling coolant in reservoir
Bubbles in the Rad
White smoke from exhaust

Is there anything else I should check for? What might the chances be of this just being a split coolant pipe or a system that needs burped?

Sorry to fire straight in here with all these questions! I hope I haven't broken any forum rules, apologies if I have!

Many thanks!

[ToyotaRon]

Hello MT,

I would think you are right to suspect a cracked head. I own a 2.4 Surf just now, that has been perfect, but did own an old Liteace previously that cracked it's head. I believe that these old Toyota heads generally fail in the same way, ie, they crack between the valves, this is what had happened to mine.

The symptoms were (eventually) steam from the exhaust, and bubbling in the coolant (viewed by running from cold with the rad cap off). There was never any sign of mayonnaise in the oil... The other indicator was a complete lack of heat from the heater.

The old bus actually ran and drove quite well for a long time until the steam got to be constant, but it was pretty conclusively knackered on removal... big cracks between every valve!

I fixed it with a recon replacement, and she did another 100,000 miles, finally dying at 300,000 from an oil pump failure. I would think that the head replacement would be easier on the Surf due to the better access, and I think the heads are cheaper too, but obviously you'd have to budget for that. Personally I think he's asking too much for a knackered truck that's a bit scruffy too?

Good luck with it if you decide to go for it, they are well worth fixing! Great jeeps with a 2.4 engine, I can only imagine the 3.0 litre is too. You can't be far from me, I'm just outside Aberlour, so I'll wave if I see you!

[ToyotaRon]

Just noticed that I'm a bit late with my reply, did you see/buy it?

[Bogus]

Hello MT,


Personally I think he's asking too much for a knackered truck that's a bit scruffy too?

Good luck with it if you decide to go for it, they are well worth fixing! Great jeeps with a 2.4 engine, I can only imagine the 3.0 litre is too. You can't be far from me, I'm just outside Aberlour, so I'll wave if I see you!

Ive missed a thread or a post somewhere, how do you know what the truck looks like and how do you know that MT is in the moray-banffshire area?

[ToyotaRon]

I'd seen a 3.0 litre with coolant loss for sale on Gumtree nearby, when he said he's from the North of Scotland I put two and two together. Simples.

[Bogus]

cunning, so far aboot wis the ane on gumtree?

[MustardTiger]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies and the welcome!
The truck was on Gumtree, near Aviemore. I went and had a look at it and sadly the head was indeed cracked. Bubbles/Froth in the radiator and expansion tank. A real shame as it was a really nice clean example, but just out of my budget by the time I factored in towing it home and repair costs.
On the plus side, I'm away to view another one tomorrow morning so I'll let you know how I get on!

Ps, I'm near Tain, about 45 minutes north of Inverness

[MustardTiger]

I must add, the truck was nowhere near as scruffy as it appears in the Gumtree ad! Rusted rear bumper aside, it was very nice!

[ToyotaRon]

Good man, look forward to seeing the next one!

[jonny ramrod]

good luck with the next one. Always worth waiting for the right one to come along

[MustardTiger]

Well, I bought one! It's a 1995 3.0, manual gearbox. It's technically a 4Runner and not a Surf, although I am a little foggy as to what the actual difference between the two is.
I'm chuffed with it! It's had a 2" suspension lift, and I think a small body lift too. Next job is going to be removing the side steps! I've had a good look over (and under) it and it seems to be in pretty good condition. Found the back diff had a slight leak around the seal to the third but after cleaning out the VERY blocked breather and changing the fluid it is absolutely fine, hasn't leaked a single drop since.
I was wondering, where do you guys get your parts from? My steering idler arm needs new bushes and I'm a bit wary of eBay seeing as I'm not overly familiar with these trucks.
Also, it is sitting on 33/12.5/15 tyres, I suspect on the original alloys. They are fine, but not wide enough or my liking. I would be much happier if they filled the arches! Are spacers/hub extenders a big nono? If so, could anyone recommend some steel wheels that would give me that wider stance?

Il get some photos uploaded soon! Thanks in advance, and sorry for all the questions!

[tashtego]

Welcome tiger!

4 Runners are the European spec of the Surf, I think they don't have an ECU. Most of the ones I've seen are manual. They never made the 2.4 I think, only the 3.0L diesel and the petrol V6. For parts Milners or Roughtrax,google them.
Steering idler bushes, for those you might need the dreaded ebay or a Toyota dealer...not sure.

Enjoy!

[Diezel Weazel]

Hi n welcome Guys enjoy ya Trucks n this forum is most helpful .....

14 Years of Surfs ..... n Faultless to a "T" is my Yota !! So i bought another ....