Help Learing About Hiace Based Vehicles - 3.0td

[greg123]

Hi all,

Looking at basing a camper conversion on a mid 90's vehicle, attracted by the jap imports of which hiace based vehicles I can see 3.0TD engine, auto box, pas, twin air con, all electrics etc.

I'd love some tech info eg is the engine direct injection, does the auto box have torque converter lockup and is it electronic control and as I'm planning a camper van what is the floor height like?

Also what is the difference between the 'truck' square front type hiace super custom and the sloping front (later looking) granvia type? Any difference in floor height? Independent suspension? All rear wheel drive?

A jap newbie,

Greg.

[chrisandhiace]

Hi Greg, I have the 2.8 4wd (92) version supercustom. Torque convertor locks up at around 30mph in 3rd and 40mph in 4th on my version. The only electronic control (switchable) is 'ect'...which delays the gearchanges to higher revs if you desire....

The 3 ltr turbo is direct injection.

The sloping front is the modern 'powervan' jap granvia mpv, the semi sloping front is the supercustom (jap mpv with more space than powervan/granvia), and the bullnose front is the jap comercial/minibus type (harsh front suspension on last 2).

The 3ltr turbo is the one to go for if you want car like accelaration/speed.

All rear wheel drive unless 4wd/awd, but don't know about granvia...this may be front.

Floor hieght is at bottom of rear door

Try:

http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/HiaceSuperCustomWagons/

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/u...w.auto.vl.ru%2F

http://www.sbmcc.co.uk/

Hope this helps a little

Chris

[greg123]

Hi Chris,

That was an answer really worth waiting for - thankyou! I will check out the links. Direct Injection engine and lockup in 3rd and 4th would be perfect, about as efficient as I'm going to get. Would this be one of those?:

super custom 3.0 1994

another 3.0

Am I right in saying this style rather than the powervan style has more room in the back due to shorter overall 'cab' length? Also I have seen quite a few places on the web complaining that the engines are bad due to heads cracking and head problems that can't be fixed. Is this true and is the engine fitted to something else in the uk such as the LandCruiser? I take it the 2.8 idi and the 3.0di were both given as options on the same year model with the 3.0 costing more?

Thanks again, Greg.

Hi Greg, I have the 2.8 4wd (92) version supercustom. Torque convertor locks up at around 30mph in 3rd and 40mph in 4th on my version. The only electronic control (switchable) is 'ect'...which delays the gearchanges to higher revs if you desire....

The 3 ltr turbo is direct injection.

The sloping front is the modern 'powervan' jap granvia mpv, the semi sloping front is the supercustom (jap mpv with more space than powervan/granvia), and the bullnose front is the jap comercial/minibus type (harsh front suspension on last 2).

The 3ltr turbo is the one to go for if you want car like accelaration/speed.

All rear wheel drive unless 4wd/awd, but don't know about granvia...this may be front.

Floor hieght is at bottom of rear door

Try:

http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/HiaceSuperCustomWagons/

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/u...w.auto.vl.ru%2F

http://www.sbmcc.co.uk/

Hope this helps a little

Chris

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[chrisandhiace]

The older hiace certainly seems to have more rear space when you look at the sizes of the rear windows.....the lack of bonnet/engine under your backside saves some space too....same size as an average salloon on the ground (slimmer than most too) but a better turning circle/more manouverable than some.

I would guess that the powervan/granvia type gives a smoother ride at the front end though.

The M reg link looks nice....not sure they ever did anything called a weekender though. Their camper version being the 'cruising cabin'....

The 3ltr base unit is as fitted to some landcruisers. There does 'appear' to be some issue with cracking heads, but can't really comment much there. The cooling systems are more complex than a car, as they have rear heater, and personally on mine I feel the pressure cap would be better placed an inch or two higher to ensure any trapped air gets out rather than recirculated...also the expansion bottle is a bit low....

Some feel more re-assured replacing the viscous fan with an electric one. I just replaced my viscous with a new viscous.

There are some issues if you delve under the floor, but whether its poor design of the expansion end of the cooling system causing probs with the heads, or bad heads, or bad maintainance I don't know. Some people (probably the huge majority?) have no problems there at all, but it would be prudent to keep an eye on things should you purchase.

The 2.8 (no turbo) is all cast iron..an engine favoured by commercial users in japan....the 2.4 (turbo) is cast bottom and alloy head...the 3ltr (turbo) is alloy head but don't know if the bottom is cast or alloy with liners.

If you are after converting to a camper its worth noting that a long wheelbase version is also available as an import....these tend to be (but not necessarilly all)the 2.8 non turbo.

Heres the english version of a previous link

http://english.auto.vl.ru/catalog/

and an interesting jap dealer link worth 'babelfish'ing

http://www.carlifeauto.co.jp/index.htm

Anyway, happy hunting, no used vehicle is going to be perfect but I can say I'm glad I got the supercustom...if your a camper do do a search for the 'cruising cabin' version

Chris

Hi Chris,

That was an answer really worth waiting for - thankyou!  I will check out the links.  Direct Injection engine and lockup in 3rd and 4th would be perfect, about as efficient as I'm going to get.  Would this be one of those?:

super custom 3.0 1994

another 3.0

Am I right in saying this style rather than the powervan style has more room in the back due to shorter overall 'cab' length?  Also I have seen quite a few places on the web complaining that the engines are bad due to heads cracking and head problems that can't be fixed.  Is this true and is the engine fitted to something else in the uk such as the LandCruiser?  I take it the 2.8 idi and the 3.0di were both given as options on the same year model with the 3.0 costing more?

Thanks again, Greg.

Hi Greg, I have the 2.8 4wd (92) version supercustom. Torque convertor locks up at around 30mph in 3rd and 40mph in 4th on my version. The only electronic control (switchable) is 'ect'...which delays the gearchanges to higher revs if you desire....

The 3 ltr turbo is direct injection.

The sloping front is the modern 'powervan' jap granvia mpv, the semi sloping front is the supercustom (jap mpv with more space than powervan/granvia), and the bullnose front is the jap comercial/minibus type (harsh front suspension on last 2).

The 3ltr turbo is the one to go for if you want car like accelaration/speed.

All rear wheel drive unless 4wd/awd, but don't know about granvia...this may be front.

Floor hieght is at bottom of rear door

Try:

http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/HiaceSuperCustomWagons/

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/u...w.auto.vl.ru%2F

http://www.sbmcc.co.uk/

Hope this helps a little

Chris

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