hilux guidance

[blobbymotorbikes]

hi,i am thinking of buying a 92-93 hilux surf 2.4.can anyone tell me what i need to look for so i dont buy a lemon,cheers

[Silversurfer]

hi,i am thinking of buying a 92-93 hilux surf 2.4.can anyone tell me what i need to look for so i dont buy a lemon,cheers

Some useful info on the link below but in the case of the 2.4 engine you needd to be sure that the cylinder head is OK and if the seller says it has been changed ask for documention to prove it has had a modified head and not a reconditioned one. Do a search on the Forum for whatever else you are curious about - there's tons of information available.

http://www.showmesome.info/hilux/info/faq.htm

[blobbymotorbikes]

Some useful info on the link below but in the case of the 2.4 engine you needd to be sure that the cylinder head is OK and if the seller says it has been changed ask for documention to prove it has had a modified head and not a reconditioned one. Do a search on the Forum for whatever else you are curious about - there's tons of information available.

http://www.showmesome.info/hilux/info/faq.htm

hi,if i buy one without a modified head will i have to have it changed,cheers mark

[BUSHWHACKER]

hi,if i buy one without a modified head will i have to have it changed,cheers mark

Not necessarily, quite a few people on here are still on thier original cylinder heads.

[Silversurfer]

hi,if i buy one without a modified head will i have to have it changed,cheers mark

No you don't have to change the head - only need to do that if it goes - as said it could last you the life of the vehicle.
If you are buying a freshly imported 2.4 Surf make sure you get either documentation that the head has been changed or a good warranty from the dealer until you are sure that it is not going to be a problem. Most 2.4's that have been in UK for awhile are likely to be ok as a lot of the original Jap owners probably punt them onto the export market if there is a problem or simply didn't bother to respond to the recall in Japan.
There is no real way of telling that the head has been changed for a modified one unless you have documentation. However only approx 1 in 5 vehicles seem to have been affected by the head problem and then only if there has been an overheating problem that caused it. It could be that the Surf could go through it's whole life and never suffer the cracked head and 2.4 Surfs in this country are now all over 12yrs old so all in all it's probably no worse than any other vehicle at that age.
The fault is that the metal on the head between the cylinders is thin and any overheating will cause it to crack. A reconditioned head will have likely been welded where it cracked which could be ok for another 12yrs but a replacement head has been modified so shouldn't go again. There is a couple of well recommended guys on this forum who specialise in Surf heads so even if one did go it is not the end of the world - heads apart the Surf is one of the best 4x4's on the road - certainly one of the best built.