[Utopian]

Congratulation for the Prado SWB. Just the right size for the streets. Never knew that Toyota came up with smaller versions of its giants. Can we expect some Fortuner Junior in the same format? Would be a terrific city SUV.

[Samurai]

Congrats Shahnawaz! This is a rare beauty. Why can't our desi car makers match the quality, utility and reliability of this 90s SUV?

So you are going to use the Prado like I use the GV. Not a bad idea, we all need a Badroader in our lives, considering we live in KA. Damn, talking about KA, what will be the Lifetime Tax for this?

I guess after driving around with Spidey, you had to go for one more very unique vehicle. Congrats again.

[Frankenstein]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

Thanks Frankie. Would need help from diesel experts as I am a novice in diesel vehicles. All I know is that black smoke comes when I push the gas pedal (like i would in my petrol S10). However, when driven sedately, no smoke comes out.

Why do you think injector cleaning will impact the smoothness? Shouldn't that be just remove, clean/calibrate and put back stuff??
===
..

Shanawaz bhai .
Diesel pump tuning is very commercial . Users say that once the factory fitted injectors are removed the injector pressure changes. Pump shop guys say otherwise.

I went to a pump shop in bommanahalli, one MR.KRISHNAMURTHY, from manjunatha diesel explained and thought me the basics of pump tuning.
Genuine person who knows his work technically .
Black smoke on hard acceleration is due to injector pressure fault.

I have seen the bill of a qualis pump and he said that it will be below 10k.

Attaching the bill for a recently serviced qualis pump of 5k rupees.

[Carb]

Whoa!! Congrats on your purchase mate This is one of those rare honest-to-God-Engineering vehicles. The stability and the vehicle's reliability are just mind-boggling. Wish you many happy miles ahead with the beast.

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by anand_hc

...
How Bangalore RTO assesses the road tax that need to be paid as this is imported vehicle ?
As this is 15 year old vehicle, are you planning to get vehicle fitness certificate from RTO.

The RTO tax would be based on the import papers or B-extract of the vehicle. That B-Extract would have all the details that can be used to calculate tax. Let's see. I will share my experiences of paper transfer here. Right now it is still underway -- even after 5 months of me getting this vehicle.

FC will need to be done. That expires (15 years) in April of 2103.

Originally Posted by Utopian

..Just the right size for the streets. Never knew that Toyota came up with smaller versions of its giants. ..

Yeah, in today's crowded cities, these are just about the right size. I understand that there were especially made for the Japanese market. However, in markets such as India he SWB ones of Patrol, Pajero, Prado were not as popular, for obvious reasons.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Congrats Shahnawaz! This is a rare beauty. Why can't our desi car makers match the quality, utility and reliability of this 90s SUV?

Thanks Samurai. Agree with you on desi manufacturers not focusing on such a market. Don't know if they can't see an obvious market out there for such a vehicle -- size, space, utility, function etc. Let's see if the recent compact SUV focus makes manufacturers to think of compact 4x4 vehicles. That will be great for the market.

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

...I went to a pump shop in bommanahalli, one MR.KRISHNAMURTHY, from manjunatha diesel explained and thought me the basics of pump tuning.

Thanks Frankie. I will get in touch with him. This is nearby and will take the vehicle to him for diagnosis.

Black smoke on hard acceleration is due to injector pressure fault.

How to rectify that? Someone did tell me that take injectors for calibration and check if all have the same pressure. Can Mr KRISHNAMURTHY also do that part?

If I put in new injectors will the problem go away of existing injectors can be calibrated and used. If new injectors have to be put in, what all other parts also need to be taken into consideration for replacement for ideal setup?

[harjeev]

Hey Khan
Congrats on the buy, It sure is a treasure find and one of the 5 in India. WOW. Pretty neat condition too and I'm sure you'll take good care of it.

You an me are in the same frame of mind with regards to the planned mods on our SUV's. For me too the purpose of my vehicle is to take me to far flung/ off-beat locations where normal sedans could/ wouldn't be able to go easily and at the same time take me in good/ decent comfort.
Cheers and will be glued to the thread.

Regarding the FIP I too had to get my TLC's FIP overhauled and changed all the 6 injectors too (my TLC has a 6 Cylinder engine). The smoke issue is more or less there but the FE improved after the FIP overhaul and replacing the Injectors. I've shared the experience and copy of the bill on my thread
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...ml#post2619941
Hope it helps.

[speedmunster]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

FC will need to be done. That expires (15 years) in April of 2103.

Congratulations on the white beast. Looks stunning I must say.
Does the FC really expire 90 years from now .

More seriously, the interiors look anything but dated. Looks functional and extremely durable. It may not have as many buttons and gimmickry of most modern cars but that way it does not have that many things that can go wrong. Also, IMO, a set of Hellas would change the look of the car.

Cheers to many wonderful trips in the Prado.

[jmvivek]

Congrats, Khan sir....Good choice of a vehicle. I have seen this being used extensively for off-roading(mainly dune bashing) in Dubai. Superb vehicle.

As is the case with all LWB and SWB SUVs, and especially Prado's both new and old models, you just need to be a bit careful on roundabouts and other sharp turns to avoid rollover.

[HappyWheels]

Congrats, Shanawaz!

A rare find and a well kept specimen.

5 months of ownership? How are the Bangalore cops treating you?

[Frankenstein]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

...
Thanks Frankie. I will get in touch with him. This is nearby and will take the vehicle to him for diagnosis.

How to rectify that? Someone did tell me that take injectors for calibration and check if all have the same pressure. Can Mr KRISHNAMURTHY also do that part?

If I put in new injectors will the problem go away of existing injectors can be calibrated and used. If new injectors have to be put in, what all other parts also need to be taken into consideration for replacement for ideal setup?

Shanawaz there is no need to change the injectors as they are very expensive.Each injector will have a nozzle which will be cleaned .
You can go to mr.Krishnamurthy and he will attend to all the pump and injector queries and work. Your injectors will be fitted to a manual pump and diesel will be sprayed, you your self can see if the spray is correct or not in the meter, if its blocked they will clean and check it again.

Its just like a carb jet cleaning for a petrol engine, .

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by harjeev

...Regarding the FIP I too had to get my TLC's FIP overhauled and changed all the 6 injectors too (my TLC has a 6 Cylinder engine). The smoke issue is more or less there but the FE improved after the FIP overhaul and replacing the Injectors. I've shared the experience and copy of the bill on my thread
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...ml#post2619941
Hope it helps.

Thanks Harjeev. I have gone though your thread & it's VERY useful. Really helps in planning for repairs and costs involved.

Question: How did you/Lakozy determine that injectors need to be changed? Just observing or some science to it? I ask first because they are expensive and second if they are changed just for heck of it, then no use.

Originally Posted by speedmunster

... It may not have as many buttons and gimmickry of most modern cars but that way it does not have that many things that can go wrong. Also, IMO, a set of Hellas would change the look of the car.

Yes, plan to get a pair of Hellas + also better headlights.

Originally Posted by jmvivek

Congrats, Khan sir....Good choice of a vehicle. I have seen this being used extensively for off-roading(mainly dune bashing) in Dubai. Superb vehicle.

As is the case with all LWB and SWB SUVs, and especially Prado's both new and old models, you just need to be a bit careful on roundabouts and other sharp turns to avoid rollover.

Thanks you sirji. Will be careful on the turns -- if at all it reaches those speeds

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

...5 months of ownership? How are the Bangalore cops treating you?

Thanks buddy. Been lucky with bangalore cops but not to worry as I anyway intend to transfer it to Bangalore -- whatever the costs involved. So will just pay.

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

Shanawaz there is no need to change the injectors as they are very expensive.Each injector will have a nozzle which will be cleaned .
You can go to mr.Krishnamurthy and he will attend to all the pump and injector queries and work. Your injectors will be fitted to a manual pump and diesel will be sprayed, you your self can see if the spray is correct or not in the meter, if its blocked they will clean and check it again.

This really helps Sandeep. Will visit Mr Krishnamurthy one of these days. Want my vehicle to run perfectly

[mashmash]

What were the other vehicles you had your eyes on? Any car currently on sale in India? Yeti, Duster?

Spotted an ad in tbhp classified of a 1989 Land Cruiser which looks similar to yours. classifieds.team-bhp.com/buy-used-for-sale/18849/Mysore/1989/Toyota/Land-Cruiser.html/

MaSh

[khan_sultan]

An update:

Have been using the Prado as my daily drive and touch wood it is doing great. In the recee's for Bangalore Annual OTR, used it for some offroad also and it performed nicely. Now I know what it can do and what it can't, what the positives are and what the weak links are. So will start some work accordingly soon on that front.

Meanwhile had some pending work to be done on the Prado -- some parts that were ordered from Japan; like the rear brake shoes, exhaust gaskets & few drive belts. Here they are, all made in Japan and imported



A multi-information display light was not working was got that fixed also.

2 of the exhaust gaskets were replaced and required some paste based gasket work also. Now the silencer is super silent (as silent as it can be in a diesel). Previously, there was a leak form the exhaust gasket.





The drive belt being replaced. With this, now ALL the belts are OE toyota and new.



The total bill, including parts & labor, came to 10K. Of this, the most expensive was ~5K for the rear brake shoes. Interestingly, the labor for replacing the exhaust gaskets is more than replacing the drive belts.



All in all, am happy with the Toyota service & the folks at Nandi Toyota Bomanahalli. Hope they continue the good work.

Next round is changing of all fluids once again.

[khan_sultan]

Last weekend, the Prado got an Ironman 2" lift. Now while the diff position remains the same but the approach angle, departure angle, break over angles improve by a huge margin and will allow me to do trails that would have been a bit difficult previously.

Combined with the SWB & a > 500mm GC at the center of vehicle (not rear diff), it makes for quite a capable machine.

The ride is a lot lot firmer now and bad road stretches can be just sped over.


The ironman coils come with marking for the Driver Side & Passenger Side and I did a mistake of not noticing which side went where. That has resulted in the vehicle having a slight drooping to right side, especially at the rear side. Later checked and found that sides were reversed and need to sort that out. Will be done over the next weekend.

The front struts. The overall length is same as stock but the position of the strut mount is different


The rear coil -- bigger than stock. Do notice the driver side marking -- DS (Which i forgot to notice)


Rear shocks & coils fitted


This is how the Prado looks now.

[anandpadhye]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

• The engine smokes under heavy acceleration. Black smoke. Will get injectors cleaned/checked. If required, will get new.
• Not sure if the pump needs re-calibration. SA mentioned some 22-25K as cost. Not sure if it is worth it.

What's the status on this? Did you diagnnose the smoke and how was it fixed? What about the pump calibration?

Thanks,
Anand