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Have read a great deal about cracked heads on the forum and was wondering if there is anyway to check if you have a revamped cylinder head or not? I have a K plate 2.4 TDI and it runs great. Have checked it over and all seems very well in the engine department. Averaging around 25 mpg at the moment, not a teriffic amount of acceleration but goes okay. I don't have any documentation that would suggest a cylinder head replacement and having read about this I guess I would have asked first but there you go. The engine temperature remains constent at around half on the gauge as does the oil gauge so I am assuming it will be okay? Any suggestions would be great, thanx.
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Hi deejay, welcome on board.
There is no way of checking if you have the new style cylinder head fitted as from the out side they all look the same. I suppose you could have a close look aroud the manifolds turbo and rocker cover for signs of disturbance?
If you're getting 25mpg thats brilliant, so it looks as though the engine has at least been serviced regularly.
With regard to the temp gauge, don't take it for granted, they are not the most accurate of gauges, just check the coolant level before every long journey is better. Sounds like you got good oil pressure too!
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Thanks very much
It was looking gloomy I must admit. Mine seems to run very smooth and quiet but does make a lot of noise on starting. Soon as it has run for a minute it all calms down a lot. No smoke from the exhaust either. I have the metallic grind from the front on full lock which I see on the forum that it is a common fault "steering stops" so I can fix that. Fingers crossed. I will check everything this weekend and take your advise to check fluids before all long journeys. Thanx...Comment
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Yep, mines the same when first starting in the mornings.
Here's some info on the gauges.....
http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/techsite/gauges.htmComment
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hi deejay - i live down in newquay and got a surf (plus the other kind) about a week or so ago
my gauges read just like yours - temp gauge gets to the middle pretty soon and stays there. oil pressure seems just fine, as does battery. fuel gauge is a bit low but there you go...
i panicked at first - i bought my surf then found this forum and wondered exactly as you are - if my surf would be ok. well i've drove it off road (my first ever time), up to the moors, around twisty windy cornwall roads, around town etc... and i just love it
at first, the surf would overheat - and that stressed me out but replacing the rad cap, thermo (the old one was stripped out) and flushing the coolant sorted that - now the fan cant even be heard to come on
the advice i got, is don't worry, just enjoy the surf - rolling around town and country. if the head goes, well, whats £1200 all in for the repair if it means you have a mint, fully loaded 4x4 wagon thats gonna keep on truckin
i run a kitesurfing school, and my students love to be taken to the beaches and kiting spots in the surf - we can get down all the bumpy tracks etc...with all the gear, and four passengers in luxury. the low ratio 4x4 is just great for crawling down slippery hills...you'll love it!
i'm thinking i wish i discovered these vehicles before...at first after reading about the probs i thought "christ - what sort of vipers pit have i just jumped into - i'll be like those v-dub owners who hold up fingers as they pass to indicate how many head gaskets they've gone through" but i just dont feel like that at all - if it goes, it goes. thats what AA relay and barclaycard are for!
i love my surf - it rolls over anything, gets all my gear and punters in it, scrubs up great for a night out and feels just great to drive. no rust on these babies either - great eh? i'm planning to roll with the surf for a few years yet...then just get another. too much grin factor driving around knowing when the mood takes you, you can take that farm track turning on the left you just passed and bounce bounce bounce
problems? i'll take 'em.Comment
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General maintenance
Thanks for the responses so far. I have elected to carry out a full liquid change on the Hilux, oil, water, brakes etc. I shall run it in for a full service too just to be safe. On the subject of overheating and cracking heads - I own a 2002 Triumph Daytona 955i motorcycle that used to run hot but I use a magic formula called "cool water". This is an addition to the coolent that maintains low temperatures in the cooling system. Question is has anyone ever thought of this? Reckon someone must have done or at least used it. Here's the link: http://www.firefreezemotormax.com/faqs.htm. I guess if it helps cool the engine a little more efficiently then that's gotta be a bonus.
I am also involved in Kite Surfing - I run the Paracademy web site www.paracademy.co.uk here in Weymouth. A friend of mine Down Wind Dave - Hi Dave (He's a member too) has a Hilux (3.0) and I had been looking for a while so that's why I brought one. Well, that and the car park at Chesil is full of serious pot holes that my previous car kept grinding out on!Comment
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The motormax stuff looks good, I've used water wetter in the past but haven't used it in the truck yet.....
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/produc...pcode=RED80204Comment
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