GRJ78 Troopy to Overland ready home

[Phil01]

Until this great build i always believed any petrol 4x4 mpg would be prohibitive (never giving up on the 1hz search) You got me researching the 1GR-FE engine.

It s quite clear you know what you re doing. What's your take then on the reliability section near the bottom of it page?

1GR-FE 4.0 V6 Engine - In-Depth Look at Design and Reliability

What is the 1GR-FE 4.0 V6 Engine ? Is it good or bad? Read about Toyota 1GR-FE 4.0 V6 Engine design and features, its the most common problems and relaibility.

www.motorreviewer.com

(I pasted it here)

"The reliability of the 1GR-FE is not the best side of that engine and not suitable especially for a work truck or a big family SUV. The engine block of the 1GR-FE has cast-in special thin cylinder liners. Their thin walls make it impossible to bore the block and rebuild an engine with a damaged cylinder wall surface. The common failure for a relatively big mileage 1GR engines (near 150,000 miles) is a blown off head gasket. The water pump is a weak point; its longevity is about 40-50k miles. So, pay extra attention to the condition of the coolant system. The dual VVT-i 1GR engine is smoother and quieter than first 1GR-FE engines. Also, the simple VVT-i engines had non-stop problems with ignition coils.

Like a modern engine, the 1GR requires a proper maintenance, high-quality fuel, and engine oil. The engine longevity is over 200,000 miles. After that line, most of the 1GR engines need a new cylinder block.

Loving the build process - keep it coming!

 

[Gr8Yota]

Well I only know of the reliability of the engine from my own experience running one for eight years and the many users via the FJ Forums, FourRunner and Tacoma. There are many of these around with 500,000 miles without issue. It is an old engine and if it wasn’t much good I wouldn’t have thought Toyota would have used it to make the second gen, or still be producing both versions.

Here is another take on it

I looked at all three engine options very hard. I know the 1GR well. I couldn’t find a good, over 10yr old 1HZ with a known and quality turbo install or one without and I don’t know if a newer 1HZ would pass an IVA emissions test. (You can still buy the HZJ78 new). I didn’t want the fuel Issues of the 1VD or the relatively high cost of parts over a petrol engine. The economy of the 1GR and the 1VD are virtually the same, on paper at least.

Had it been for Sale earlier I would have most certainly bought David’s HZJ78…but then I wouldn’t have had a project…

I still only driven a short distance but am more than happy with the feel of the 1GR in the 78. It’s not the FJ, but it’ll suit me just fine.

 

[Gr8Yota]

Finally the worktop is cut to fit so I can do the install of the hob and tap. Turns out that the pipework for the air intake and exhaust on the hob are at the front not the back… making the install untidy and more difficult to route the hot pipe away from the fuel tank and everything else… No idea why Wallas thought this was a good way to do it!

So fuel (diesel) tank (plastic marine tank) is wrapped in a fire blanket and I’ll find a heat shield of some sort too (thinking an aluminium disposable roasting tray will work for this). Likewise the filler pipe for the tank is wrapped in fibreglass tape.

The worktop looks great in sItu

And the left over slice made a door table

 

[Phil01]

Well I only know of the reliability of the engine from my own experience running one for eight years and the many users via the FJ Forums, FourRunner and Tacoma. There are many of these around with 500,000 miles without issue. It is an old engine and if it wasn’t much good I wouldn’t have thought Toyota would have used it to make the second gen, or still be producing both versions.

Here is another take on it

I looked at all three engine options very hard. I know the 1GR well. I couldn’t find a good, over 10yr old 1HZ with a known and quality turbo install or one without and I don’t know if a newer 1HZ would pass an IVA emissions test. (You can still buy the HZJ78 new). I didn’t want the fuel Issues of the 1VD or the relatively high cost of parts over a petrol engine. The economy of the 1GR and the 1VD are virtually the same, on paper at least.

Had it been for Sale earlier I would have most certainly bought David’s HZJ78…but then I wouldn’t have had a project…

I still only driven a short distance but am more than happy with the feel of the 1GR in the 78. It’s not the FJ, but it’ll suit me just fine.

I binged watched that youtube blokey for hours! Thanks for the link. Well that s quite reassuring stuff reliability-wise.I'm still really curious to see your real world mpg figures!

Where can you source the HZJ78 new? Everything I found is "for tropical export only". But that said, I don't know if the IVA would accept a retrofit to bring the 1hz up to euro 5 (I think Tom's Fahrzeugtechnik was doing that in Germany until euro 6 kicked in) Now it's all and only petrol.

 

[Gr8Yota]

If you're trying to buy from the EU dealers then no they won't sell you a HZ. But if you buy from a dealer on Dubicars I don't think they care what you buy. There are lots of 1HZ variants available out of Dubai.

 

[Phil01]

Yes, it's just the emissions problem. I m seeking workarounds but it's complicated to say the least.

For dvla purposes is the conversion still M1 cat? I see theres a "moto campervan" option but not clear on the category.

Converting a vehicle into a motor caravan (motor home)

www.gov.uk

 

[Gr8Yota]

Mine is registered as a six seater passenger car. I asked David and someone else who has a converted Troopy in the UK and both theirs are registered as two seater vans. (They were converted prior to registration/IVA mine was not)

For me there is no advantage as it is a car in trying to register it as a motorhome and it would not qualify anyhow, From what I have seen here and elsewhere and from what the guy at VOSA told me it is virtually impossible to register a Troopy as a motor caravan. My insurance company are aware that it is a camper conversion.

The emissions is one of the reasons I stuck with the 1GR.

 

[Gr8Yota]

And finally…. The interior is about finished. Lots of bits to do connecting stuff up etc but the cabinets are done!

 

[Dave_S]

Nice job - good attention to detail and I like the natural flow to the worktop. Do you have an internal sink somewhere or am I being dim?

 

[Gr8Yota]

I got my eBay bargain snorkel on too… like everything else it didn’t fit right… fits on the side beautifully but the A pillar bracket was totally the wrong shape. So I made one…. Again it doesn’t link with the airbox, I need to figure that out as it is obviously meant for the 1HZ.

 

[Gr8Yota]

Nice job - good attention to detail and I like the natural flow to the worktop. Do you have an internal sink somewhere or am I being dim?

Thank you. No, there is no internal sink, I opted for a folding bowl so it doesn’t waste space and mean more plumbing. I have installed a “deck shower” which will give me internal/external hot and cold water.

 

[GeekOKent]

Looking amazing.

 

[Ben Stratford]

It does look really good you must be so proud of it so far

 

[Phil01]

It’s looking really clean. how does your deck shower look / operate?

 

[Gr8Yota]

It’s looking really clean. how does your deck shower look / operate?

It doesn’t yet…but like this

Oval deck shower with Mizar mixer and push-button shower head - [Leaving Land Cruiser Club]

The idea is it can be used internally as a tap into the bowl or externally as a shower as I will fit a shower cube on the side

 

[Gr8Yota]

Well nothing much has changed visually, well actually that’s a lie as it is in bits again… trying to push to get things actually working and was inspired to get on with it rather than waiting on help by you all last weekend, (especially Andy).

Thanks to a group effort I now have a bonnet that opens with ease on it’s new gas struts (a kit from Australia).

The water tank fill is connected ( hole finally made in the inner wing thanks to a friend with an air drill small enough to get in there), and a bracket has been made so the hob/heater exhaust is mounted. So now to fill the tanks and test it all out.

Next is the Calorifier pipework to the engine but I had to order some more pipe as it was moved from the planned location so I was about 2m short.

Chassis has had one coat of paint and today I started on the wheel arches, blacking the Toyota sound deadening stuff that is stuck to the outer surface of the rear arches

 

[Gr8Yota]

Well the water works and doesn’t leak anywhere, the hob runs… wow that thing chucks out some heat! The Calorifier pipes are in but not yet hooked up to the engine.

So it’s time for a proper shakedown I think so I’m going to head up to Scotland for a week or so, hopefully not too many wild campers about.

 

[Gr8Yota]

Oh and this arrived…. But will wait until I return to find some help to fit it up.

 

[Dave_S]

Ah, love fitting new suspension. Its one of the few jobs I'm always happy to do for some reason...

 

[Gr8Yota]

I can come over…