Toyota Hj 61 Turbo Diesel Lc....

[keith boyd]

What do I look for when buying an 1988 or 1989 model........I feel Im about to convert from Land Rover to Toyota......ooops...

[sandgroper]

What do I look for when buying an 1988 or 1989 model........I feel Im  about to convert from Land Rover to Toyota......ooops...

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Hi Kieth The 12HT turbo diesel is one of the best ever made.

The best way to test them is get the TOYOTA FSM and do the compression test.

If you cant do that,the best way to check any diesel is to start them up cold.

By cold I mean not started for 12 hours or longer.

The 12HT should start up straight away with just a second or 2 of greyish white smoke and settle into a smooth idle.

Let it warm up to normal operating temp and test drive under various conditiions.

Have someone behind you note the colour and amount of smoke on hills ect.

A bit of black smoke will mean a pump/injection,not too expensive.

Blue smoke, dont even think about it.

Dont except anything else as the repairs to these engines can be astronomical and it can be difficult to find anyone with a lot of experience at rebuilding them.

Well cared for versions reach in excess of 600000 klms in australia and its uncommon for one to fail prematurely even if it has been abused slightly.

For the rest of the vehicle you just have to go through it and test drive.

Pay special attention to any odd transmission noises.Test it under a variety of conditions.

Brakes arent great at the best of times ,but they shouldnt be spongy ,pull or have pedal drop a the lights.

If it has steering slop you will need to track it down.The P/S should be quiet.

Check the front axle for leakage around the swivel joints behing the front wheels.

It requires a complete strip down and allow for brake rotors.

You need to check for rust everywhere ecspecially in the roof/chassis/floor/wheelwells.

Check the springs for sag,lean and separating leaf packs,worn shackles and pins

Take your time and work through it slowly and methodically and you will either get a great vehicle or the chance to walk away from a lemon

The other parts on the vehicle are not cheap either but there is a lot a dedicated home mechanic can achieve and save money with home maintenance

This site below has probably the most info on the 61 series ,go to the international section

http://forum.ih8mud.com/

This one is helpfull too http://www.birfield.com/