A few 100 series questions

[Paul]

Ok then people, just for interest.

Did the 100 series have an intercooler fitted as standard on the 4.2 Diesel?
How easily obtainable are engine ECU upgrades?
As the 100 has IFS, what are the rear axle/front diff locking options as standard?
What are the top items to look for when buying? e.g. for an 80 i would say stuff like, front axle rebuild, starter motor rebuild, BEBs, etc. The only real one i know of for a 100 is the torque convertor washer on pre 2001 model autos. Is this fault on both petrols and diesels?
Did they all come with the fancy suspension and how easy is it to rip off and fit something decent and simple?

Cheers all

 

[Andrew Prince]

My 2c from the little I know of 100s....

Did the 100 series have an intercooler fitted as standard on the 4.2 Diesel?

Yes

As the 100 has IFS, what are the rear axle/front diff locking options as standard?

Diesels have rear diff-lock. No 100s have OEM front lockers, so it's A-TRAC or aftermarket locker. Petrols have open rear diffs as well (no OEM rear locker).

What are the top items to look for when buying? e.g. for an 80 i would say stuff like, front axle rebuild, starter motor rebuild, BEBs, etc. The only real one i know of for a 100 is the torque convertor washer on pre 2001 model autos. Is this fault on both petrols and diesels?

Also look for functioning AHC and steering wheel auto-retract.

Did they all come with the fancy suspension and how easy is it to rip off and fit something decent and simple?

Nope, the 100 GX spec has normal steel springs/t-bars and shocks all round (I think AHC was an option on the GX). Some GXs came in manual too. Dunno how easy it is to rip off the AHC - for someone with your skills, probably not a big deal.

Cheers,

 

[Julian]

Good work Andrew, another thing worth a mention, is the 98-early2000 diesel models had a poorly specced Torque converter with a washer that falls apart, debris then gets pumped around the gearbox making a bit of a mess
about £1600 to put right

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

As Andrew said no OEM front locker option for a 100 (fit an ARB) but a rear locker was an option on both petrol and diesel until ATRAC was introduced then I'm not sure it was an option. ATRAC was introduced on petrols in 99, not sure it ever made it into the diesels, don't think so. Torque converter fault affects both models. If it doesn't ride like a limo the AHC is faulty which will be a good way to talk the price down even if you're going to ditch it, which is pretty easy to do just buy and fit different springs and shocks.

 

[warrenpfo]

Aircon pipes are very expensive to replace/repair so look at them, surface rust under spare wheel carrier.

 

[uHu]

1
Converter prblm only on HDJ100. Petrols had different converter.

2
AHC is decent and simple.!!
Easy to remove though. If it is worn out, it is so old that conventional springs and shocks would have needed change anyhow, so that doesn't add to the cost.

3
Check for rust. Partic. rear part under, and under uppr tailgate.

4
First few years had 2-pinion front diff. The 4 pinion from Aug 1999 is stronger (uzj & hdj). ARB front diff locker is best though. ATRAC works very well, and then you can add arb locker front AND rear.

 

[Paul]

Excellent, first class replies as always.

Whats the news on Engine ECU upgrades?
And also, is the centre diff lock setup the same as an 80, i mean that no switch on dash and comes on automatically when engaging low box? Can the same mod be done as on an 80? Is this affected if it has a rear LSD rather than a rear diff lock?

Was the auto box washer replacement a recall by Toyota at any point or just something that has come up recently?

 

[Gav Peter]

Slightly OT then, thinking of a change Paul?

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

you can get piggy back ecu's for them, the diesel ones are more easily obtained and supported in the UK I think but you can get them for the petrol as well. There have been a few anecdotal reports of problems with chipped diesels I have read somewhere or been told so very much to be taken with a pinch of salt but I'm not sure I would bother TBH.

My centre diff lock is manualy controlled by a button on the dash. I think there are some variations on that but that might relate to use of OEM rear diff lock in high range? Julian should be able to answer that one.

Don't think the torque converter was ever a recall and it does affect petrols according to ih8mud.

 

[Paul]

Gav........

 

[Gav Peter]

Gotchya

 

[uHu]

ECU - Engine ECU that is - is not upgraded as such. But there are possibilities for enhancing (& also screwing up) the workings of the ECU. Several types are in use, check e.g. http://www.adonistechnology.com/index20 ... s=produits . Best result if combined with larger IC and exhaust.

Stndrd set-up for diff-locks is that CDL comes on by pushing switch on dash, or automatically when engaging Low Range. The automatic is easy to remove (pin-7 mod). Heard in here that some UK cars are not equipped with the manual switch, but it can be fitted.
RDL (if fitted) can only be engaged when the transfer is in Low range. That's also an easy mod to fix. A bit more work than the pin-7 though.

afaik the (few) converter failures on the US petrols are not the same as on the HDJs. The TSB from T0yota mentions only the HDJ up to 5 june 2001. On the early HDJ there is no doubt - the converter WILL fail, without fail.

 

[nathanrobo]

Ref the ECU upgrades, are you looking for more power?

I've seen a number of posts on 4.2 power on the 100 series. Having done some major overhauls on my current '01. I reckon that anyone not having the power they would like probably just needs to overhaul injectors, maybe IP, valve clearances and EGR system.

I've done this plus much, much more and can't imagine why anyone would want more power. When I floor her she will accelerate fairly rapidly to 115mph at the same rate as your average 2 litre car, low end from launch to 50mph is particularly impressive.