2.4 Surf Overheating

[Finnish]

Basically I bought a 1992 Surf last Saturday. Payed £1950.00 for it . On Wednesday the temp gauge went right in the red. This happened just as I got to my house. So I waited for it to cool down then put some water in it. All was fine until yesterday when it down it again. I took the Surf to a local garage and the mechanic took the thermo stat out and cut it back so there was a clear hole for the water to run through. He then told me to start her up. He then said with out looking any more your head is gone. I said what does that mean he then said for a new one it would cost you £1000.00 and £800.00 labour. What do you guy's think.

[Finnish]

Just looked through this hole thread and there seem's to be a lot of over heating going on.

[Finnish]

O and forgot to say since the thremo stat has been cut the break light stay's on. Why is that. Sorry for all the Q but this is my first Surf.

[skyhooked]

welcome to the club - it gets better i promise...

hi finnish

just to be sure - get your mechanic to do the 'sniffer' test on your surf to check for combustion gases bubbling up from the coolant

if the head is cracked, you're looking at £800 for a new one with all the bits plus fitting. no doubt there is a lot of threads regarding overheating / cracking with the original head, but how many are there about the new head cracking?

it's a different design with reinforcements to the areas that crack on the original ones

it happened to me, many others before, and many more after you no doubt. sure it's a bitter pill to swallow, but once it's done (if it even is the head) you've got a belter motor that will truck on no problems for donkeys

mine got fixed about three months ago, now no problem with overheating at all, i drive it everywhere - all over the country and get a lot of fun taking it off road

can't help you with the brake light thing, but sounds like you didn't pay too much for you surf, even with the new head that aint a lot of cash for a top notch motor

best of luck

dom

[Sancho]

I'm presuming you have a 2.4....

Take it to TonyN in Basingstoke and he'll charge you 1,200 ish for a new (modified. and not going to do it again) head including fitting if it's gone. Get the gas test done first, but it sounds likely.

Don't know about the brake light. Your fluid might be low or the float sensor is stuck. Not a big deal, you need a proper service, get it done with the head. Probably looking at about 300 for a full service and the brake thing dealt with.

[Pika1971]

Sorry to hear about your problem, it seems someone has passed you on a duff surf. I totally agree with getting the gas test done, although mine showed very little gas but was in fact buggered, cost me 1200 beans with Stevo and done numerous trips to France and Italy since goes like a dream. Until your clutch goes...lol.

There is always the possibility that the head hadn't gone before you bought it, but its a bit of a coincidence, but I am sure you are a more restrained person than me and will avoid the temptation to dangle the previous owner from an upstairs window until they offer to pay...lol

[Finnish]

Thanks for your kind replies. I'm going to take it to Toyota tomorrow and see what they say. I really do like the Surf and this won't put me off them. As some on said I did get it quite cheap. It's just a little disapointing that it has happend in the first week. I will let you no the out come what ever the problem is. Once again thanks.......

[Pauleds]

Don't take it to toyota, they will take your trousers down in terms of cost.
Tony N or Stevo are your men.

[marky]

Once fitted with a Modified head your worries are over & you will have a Vehicle that will last Dont go looking around for anything cheaper as you will get the same problems again sooner rather than later.

[Finnish]

Is there anyone in or around the Bristol area on this forum. That will be able to take a look at the problem.

[Sancho]

People that sell 2.4s with cracked heads need shooting....

To take the head off and actually have a look at it will cost you about 300 quid in labour. Most garages should be able to test the coolant for combustion gases, they just take a sample and have a look at the colour. It's cheap and quick. You don't need to go to Toyota, just go to any decent garage.

If you have a garage that you know and trust and they, or another garage, do the test and find your head's gone get them to order in a new head from Stevo (about 800 quid) when they do the replacement. If not, either drive it to TonyN's in Basingstoke (www.4x4toys.co.uk) if you can, or arrange for it to be stuck on the back of a truck. If you've got AA cover or something, just try and drive it there and they'll take you the rest of the way if it spits the dummy.

[legendgamesmaster]

don't mess, go to TonyN first

I took mine to TonyN, from Worcester, for a full service. Worth it in every way. Don't trust any local garage so far tried, they are all a bunch of..... mechanics. So its TonyN for me from now on, unless anyone knows a GOOD RELIABLE garage in or near worcester.

[Dougster]

Once fitted with a Modified head your worries are over & you will have a Vehicle that will last Dont go looking around for anything cheaper as you will get the same problems again sooner rather than later.

Can I ask exactly what the "modification" is ??
I only ask as throwing my Smurf into a container from Aust. and shipping it to the UK and back is a bit more than I would be ably to afford.
I'm on the Aussie Surf site and have not heard bout this before.

Doug.

[MattF]

I'm on the Aussie Surf site and have not heard bout this before.
Doug.

Trust me, your site down under has cartloads of info on this. You want a 3L head.
Not a 3 litre head, but a model 3L head. It's from a 2.8 engine, if I remember
correctly. Do a search of your forum, and you'll find it. Seem to remember there
being a thread fairly recently regarding it.

And here is a link to one of them:

http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/v...ic.php?t=10297

[stormforce]

Can I ask exactly what the "modification" is ??
I only ask as throwing my Smurf into a container from Aust. and shipping it to the UK and back is a bit more than I would be ably to afford.
I'm on the Aussie Surf site and have not heard bout this before.

Doug.

Hi Doug.I think it is to do with the waterways in the head and that were the problem which has now been rectified