The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

[Beekeeper]

After two years of ownership and with the next MOT looming my 120 has become difficult to start when hot, or indeed anything other than stone cold.  Otherwise it runs very well indeed. The first symptoms were the engine almost leaping off the mountings when starting from warm but eventually requiring more cranking.  The filter and fuel system look fine so I purchased the pair of SCV's from Milners.  The day before I planned to fit them the engine went into limp mode while sitting at traffic lights, and the EML came on twice more later in the afternoon.

Yesterday I replaced the pair of SCV's, more tricky than difficult and I'll post a few tips that make it easier, however the LC then would not start for anything.  It did fire twice but wouldn't run, and everything pointed to an airlock.  The hand primer seems ok and you can feel the pressure build up but I wonder if there is a non return valve that's going bad as when hard you can hear a clonk when pumping (from the float at the base of the filter I think).  The electrical plugs were all on ok although the green scv plug is difficult to get fully on.

After rechecking everything and much priming I swapped the red SCV back for the old one and the engine started and runs fine, with the warm starting being much improved.  With the MOT in a couple of days I'm going to leave things as they are provided it doesn't get worse, and clean out the brakes (one pipe was an advisory last year which I've previously cleaned up but may replace) and let the garage patch the inner sills.

So provided everything else goes ok for the MOT does anyone have any suggestions as to what's going on?  I could do with a copy of Techstream but can't see anything on the internet or e bay.  I understand the principles of SCV's but how do these two actually work?  Is there any programming required (which I can't currently do), and it looks like the primer may be worth replacing. I've a number of other small jobs looming, again if the MOT goes ok, including the transfer box oil seal.  Thanks for any comments,

Paul

[Google]

[TONYCY11]

If you go on e bay and type in Toyota techstream many will come up , they cost about 25 to 35 pounds for the installation cd disk and lead that connects to the usb socket on the  laptop and scart type socket under the dash . The primer can deteriorate with age or get damaged with forced pumping when full .

[Juddian]

Being a useless clot i couldn't get techstream to load or connect to the vehicle, the computer chappy we use sorted that out easily enough.

Have you checked and if necessary cleaned out the EGR yet?
Emissions on ours much reduced following a good clean out and smoother cleaner power delivery now its getting clean air...ahem, byebye that pesky throttle flap.

[TONYCY11]

Hi Juddian to remedy sudden shutdown when switching off the engine with the throttlebody butterfly type thing removed make sure all electrics are turned off so that the idle speed drops to its lowest level of around 700rpm and shut down is not noticeable and is as normal , as its only noticed when engine is turned off when cold or lights ,fan ,/A/C , or other high drawing electrics that make the engine idle speed higher than 700rpm .

[Juddian]

Hi yourself Tony, hope all is well on the sunny isles.
Much obliged for the tip, don't really notice it now after a few months to be honest, seeing the massive difference in emissions reading before and after plus the smooth running have no regrets doing that.

[TONYCY11]

Hi Juddian  your welcome , removing the throttle body butterfly disk is one of the best mods I have done on my 120 and I have done quite a few mods on my 120 , I rate it as high on a list of best mods to do as deleting the egr valve . I do not rate mods like tuning chips due to them causing a high risking of cracking pistons . I although have a Ozbush mapper that deletes the egr valve I do not have the Ozbush mapper on a + more fueling setting which the Ozbush mapper has a added option if the owner wants plus or minus the fuel setting to of which it is capable of turning the fueling of 1% segments of +15 % or down to -10%   but instead I have mine on the minus 5% setting for better fuel economy and longer engine life due to lower stress on the engine .

[Beekeeper]

Thanks everyone, MOT day is tomorrow so fingers crossed and if everything is ok then I'll be continuing with the maintenance and getting to the bottom of the SCV issue.  The build date of mine is February 2004 so it's exactly 20 years old.

I did have the e bay copies of Techstream earmarked for purchase two years ago but they appear to have moved on a bit since.  There are a few different options but none quite as I remember with just a cable and cd.  The nearest is a cable with circuit board at the plug end, and a small cd that claims to cover 1996 to present for around £29. Next up are nicer versions in a case with the software on a USB, claim 1996 onwards, around £80 to £109.  Lastly are the two cable versions with a module that goes in between and software on a cd around £79, again 1996 on.  I wouldn't mind paying for the dearer ones if they work with newer vehicles which I may or may not own in the future.  None mention being able to set things like new injector codes.  Any recommendations or experience welcome.

I think someone has been in at the egr system as it looks like a new egr cooler has been fitted, either that or it's remarkably well preserved even for stainless.  It does drive extremely well (too well?) but I can't see a chip device anywhere.  That's partly why I thought the SCV's might be at fault but it's perhaps worth looking more closely. I'm loathe to disturb things while it's so good at the moment.  I'll see what a new primer costs as it's no good if it fails when a simple filter issue needs to be resolved.

As far as the scv valves go I found a few things that helped. Not least spreading a large rag under the work area to catch anything dropped and plenty of penetrating oil for the bolt heads.  They were hard to push back in but a longer hex head bolt started by hand allowed a screwdriver to lever between the underside of the bolt head and the scv flange to start them off, after that the original allen headed bolts can be started.  Appreciate most 120 owners will have the single short/long version instead.  What would be really useful to know is whether there's a way to test them as at the moment I've got a brand new red valve that didn't work when installed, or was it a coincidence with an airlock and a poor primer?

After all that I'll also have to decide whether to keep the 120 long term.  It's probably my current favourite vehicle, and I've more than a few sports cars some of which even go, but when I start a new job in April I will get a company double cab Hi Lux, or even a Landcruiser commercial, with free (private) fuel.  I would like to save up for a 250 for when I retire around 7 years time.  The 120 doesn't have adblue, and is reasonably home serviceable, however the inner sills will need eventual replacement.  I could mothball it, a previous owner did for 5 years, but it might not survive at this age.  The road tax is dearer than a new one, but free after another 20 years!  Hopefully the course of action will become clearer, there's not a rush.  I'm a Forester so patience and long term planning are pretty much my stock in trade, however surviving that long myself might be a bigger challenge.

[TONYCY11]

My techstream is just a cable with a usb to the laptop end and the scart type socket that is see through with circuit board that says MINI-VCI  J2534 has leds that lights up red then turns green when  ready with the program on the laptop that is installed with the cd . the cable you mention with the mini cd for 29 quid is likely the one . Other scanners will NOT work with early 120s despite them saying 1996 onward they only work on 120s  2008 onwards .
The genuine complete top filter priming unit can be bought from roughtracks for 108 quid probably cost a lot more from Toyo dealers .
I have seen complete inner and outer sills for sale on e bay also at a very good prices which would save a lot of time and money making ones from scratch .

[Beekeeper]

Thanks Tony, it sounds like it's realistic to keep the old motor as long as the MOT doesn't revel anything that I've missed.  Oddly I've never bought parts from Toyota however my new job is opposite a main dealer so perhaps the parts counter will be worth a visit.