Landcruiser FJ80

Just looking for a little insightful information from any former or current FJ80 owner(s). I'm thinking about selling my 3rd Gen, and getting an FJ80 to replace it.

Not looking to make this a wheeler, but more so a very capable forest road vehicle. This would have a platform inside, bumpers, and anything else that we may need to self recover and otherwise live from.

So let me have it.

They are a great platform, very robust, but do require more maintenance than a 3rd gen. Solid front axle drives differently than an IFS truck as well, 3rd gen is much more nimble and easy to maneuver in tight parking lots, etc. You'll miss the roll down rear window.

FJ80 = '91-92, semi floating rear axle, 3FE engine, CDL button equipped, no F&R locker available. Engine is underpowered, but unstoppable.
FZJ80 = '93-'97, full floating rear axle, larger brakes, 1FZ engine, F&R lockers were an option. CDL button can be added. These are generally the more sought after version in North America, engines make much better power, but are prone to HG failure. PHH (pesky heater hose) is another common maintenance issue you'll need to address.
LX450 = '95-'97 Lexus version of the FZJ80, tan leather interior only, see above
HDJ81 = '90-'97, RHD, turbo diesel engine, locker available in all years, VX Ltd. trim included center console fridge and some other cool bits, these seem to be the most expensive available to Americans, needs to be 25+ years old to be admissible.

If you have specific questions ask away.

IanB said:

They are a great platform, very robust, but do require more maintenance than a 3rd gen. Solid front axle drives differently than an IFS truck as well, 3rd gen is much more nimble and easy to maneuver in tight parking lots, etc. You'll miss the roll down rear window.

If you have specific questions ask away.

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Thank you for all this information. I'm really looking forward to getting back into a solid front axle vehicle. A lot of those issues I'm very familiar with from owning a Land Rover. I think those are more prone to head gasket issues than any other vehicle on the market, and the entire cooling system is a complete nightmare.

This will most likely be a weekend/camping vehicle, and I bet will be parked 5-6 days out of the week.

Having owned a '96 with F&R lockers, I also recommend the FZJ80. Wish I had kept it.

Try IH8MUD.com for lots of good info. Good forum for the old stuff.

I freakin love mine, out of the 3rd Gen 4R, 4th Gen 4R, and the 2nd Gen DCSB Taco, my 97 triple locked FZJ80 is my favorite Toyota I've owned. The old adage "they dont make em like they used to!" actually 100% applies to the 80 Series.

It was a $50,000+ vehicle when new and Toyota never designed it to be fuel efficient, light, or cheap to build as possible. The world was different back then. Instead they built it to be as beefy and rugged as possible and to run on the roughest roads in the shittiest corners of the globe, tons of FJ80s and FZJ80s out there with well over 300k miles on the stock motor with nothing more than some head work. The Head Gasket issues in the FZJ motor is one that once fixed/replaced you never have to worry about again same with doing the PHH with Gates Green Stripe hose and constant torque clamps.

Let me know what i can help you with in regards to finding one or any questions you might have.

Nathan

Those LC80s are nice... but god do they leak...

If I had the money, the time, and a shop to play in I wouldn't mind getting one of those and just dropping in a complete 2UZ-FE Drivetrain with transfer-case. I think that'd be perfect.

BlackWorksInc said:

Those LC80s are nice... but god do they leak...

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Mine doesn't drip anything for the 5 days it stays in the garage til the weekends happen. But yeah a vehicle that's at its youngest, 21 years old, will require a little maintenance from time to time.

NateMob said:

Mine doesn't drip anything for the 5 days it stays in the garage til the weekends happen. But yeah a vehicle that's at its youngest, 21 years old, will require a little maintenance from time to time.

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I mean every single one I've seen is leaking from at least 2 if not more of the following:

-Rear Main (common)
-Upper Oil Pan Seal (common)
-Front Oil Pump O-Ring (common)
-Timing Cover (uncommon)
-Front Crankshaft Seal (rare)
-Valve Cover Gasket/Distributor O-Ring (common)
-P/S Pump to Timing Cover O-Ring (rare)
-Transfer Case Seals (including case seams, common)
-Front Axle Seal/Wipers (common)

The thing is they probably won't drip because most of them are caked in about a half inch or more of grime that soaks it up like a sponge. They still leak none the less, the older FJ40's are even worse in that regard from what I've seen as well. From what the old timers that have been working on them since they were new have told me, you reseal them and they end up leaking again after a while (sorta dreading that happening to the FJ80 I did early this year that vehicle was a god damn nightmare). Also working on that engine is a nightmare, whoever designed it just did a shit job (the manifold bolts are on the bottom rather than the top so it makes splitting the intake a royal pain, the idiot who decided the cylinderhead needs to wrap around the front thus requiring you to pull the cylinderhead if you do a timing cover is also an idiot, the god damn tranny cooler lines that rust in place and make pulling the engine are just horrible, ect.) The engine isn't horrible but honestly it's not a very peppy engine and with how spacious and large that engine bay is, a 2UZ-FE with a 5spd manual or automatic and transfer case would slot in nicely. The only issue might be jiggering a transfer case shifter linkage (if you're using a manual T-Case out of say a GX470) or wiring up the electronic unit (if you're using the more common actuated units).

Don't get me wrong though, I do have a soft spot for those 80 series. I just think dropping the old drivetrain for a much better one would make them almost perfect.

I had 2 FJ 80's. Got the initial one when they first came out in 1990 (replaced an FJ 62). As I recall it had the same engine as the 62 and was woefully underpowered. The '91 80 had a bigger engine so I sold the '90 model and got a '91. I really loved it except it was still more than a little underpowered (even with the larger engine) and the brakes were nothing more than speed scrubbers. Passing vehicles on a 2 lane highway was always an adventure. I wound up selling it to a guy that spent a lot of time in Guatemala and he used to post videos on YouTube of he and the vehicle out with a 4-wheel group down there. Lots and lots of water crossings. I still kind of miss it even though I currently have a SAS'd FJ Cruiser and a 2013 4-Runner TE.

I ain't gonna lie, it's rigs like this that make me strongly consider getting an FJ80...

NateMob said:

my 97 triple locked FZJ80 is my favorite Toyota I've owned.

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Do you have a build thread started on your FZJ80? I got into your 3rd gen build thread late but liked your style. Interested in seeing how your FZJ80 turns out.

MStudt said:

Just looking for a little insightful information from any former or current FJ80 owner(s). I'm thinking about selling my 3rd Gen, and getting an FJ80 to replace it.

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I for one, would be sorry as hell to see you go. I do love the 80 series though.


What ever happened with your rover? Too soon?

Jimmy_D said:

I had 2 FJ 80's. Got the initial one when they first came out in 1990 (replaced an FJ 62). As I recall it had the same engine as the 62 and was woefully underpowered. The '91 80 had a bigger engine so I sold the '90 model and got a '91. I really loved it except it was still more than a little underpowered (even with the larger engine) and the brakes were nothing more than speed scrubbers. Passing vehicles on a 2 lane highway was always an adventure. I wound up selling it to a guy that spent a lot of time in Guatemala and he used to post videos on YouTube of he and the vehicle out with a 4-wheel group down there. Lots and lots of water crossings. I still kind of miss it even though I currently have a SAS'd FJ Cruiser and a 2013 4-Runner TE.

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'90-'92 FJ80's had the same 3FE engine as the FJ62's, '93-'97 FZJ80's got the more powerful 1FZ-FE and bigger brakes (larger front disk brakes and full floating rear axle with disk brakes).

JBurt said:

I for one, would be sorry as hell to see you go. I do love the 80 series though.


What ever happened with your rover? Too soon?

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That Rover! It's sitting back in Missouri at the inlaws, and doing a great job as a lawn decoration. My wife still hopes to bring it to Oregon next summer, and I still hope we sell it next summer.

I don't think we'll be switching to a Cruiser anytime soon. We need to be somewhere that I'll be able to wrench before that happens. The 4runner has seen better days, and with the recent transmissions issues it has me looking. I would imagine I'll pick up another 3rd Gen, and swap over parts before I get a Cruiser.

MStudt said:

That Rover! It's sitting back in Missouri at the inlaws, and doing a great job as a lawn decoration. My wife still hopes to bring it to Oregon next summer, and I still hope we sell it next summer.

I don't think we'll be switching to a Cruiser anytime soon. We need to be somewhere that I'll be able to wrench before that happens. The 4runner has seen better days, and with the recent transmissions issues it has me looking. I would imagine I'll pick up another 3rd Gen, and swap over parts before I get a Cruiser.

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Ermagerdz! you live in Eugene! One of these days I need to kick all y'all Oregonians to come out to Bend and play in the dirt!