New Surf owner 3.0L Turbo Diesel!!!!

Yup you are very lucky! I wish I could drive that.

Well if you want to sell those rain gaurds and get smaller one I'll buy em. I like those big hunky things. How do they mount anyways?

Make sure you ship it back home when you leave there to.
 
Had a bit of a snowstorm today so I had to take the pics in the garage, the lighting is a little bad but here you go.

All I could see was these two metal straps and then it looks like the covers come off the vertical pieces for a bolt to secure it. I'm wondering if this is a JAOS aftermarket piece as I still have the normal 3rd light cover on the tailgate that had a grommet and wires to power the spoiler light.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46475195@N06/4271791414/" title="DSC01908 by KZN-185, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4271791414_60c46f7f28.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC01908" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46475195@N06/4271048915/" title="DSC01909 by KZN-185, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4271048915_dbc058e2eb.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC01909" /></a>

The rain guards are installed with double sided tape, I wouldn't remove them because I'd hate to have to clean up the mess from the tape. I saw the reasoning for them today while driving with the window down in a snowstorm and nothing got in the car.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46475195@N06/4271825372/" title="DSC01916 by KZN-185, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2782/4271825372_3a946a0cbd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC01916" /></a>

To quote J. Clarkson, "POWER!!!!!"
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46475195@N06/4271807392/" title="DSC01912 by KZN-185, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4271807392_1452365851.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC01912" /></a>

Double batteries. Is that normal for a 4runner or maybe just diesel specific?
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46475195@N06/4271056047/" title="DSC01911 by KZN-185, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4271056047_3d461d04db.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC01911" /></a>

I believe some of these buttons are in different places than 4runners, (and I don't mean wrong side of the car). On the right is the rear window which I thought was in the center console stateside. Below that is the "idle up" switch, that send the engine to about 2500rmp for 20 seconds or so. HVAC controls are different than pics I've seen on the site.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46475195@N06/4271812020/" title="DSC01913 by KZN-185, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4271812020_0176f13bea.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC01913" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46475195@N06/4271075807/" title="DSC01915 by KZN-185, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4271075807_bae0866a7f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC01915" /></a>

I won't be bringing it back home with me, part of working out here for a couple of years is to stash away cash for a really nice car or truck back home. I'll end up going to the Air Force base that's a few hours away and give a great price to a young Airman, Solider, or Sailor. I remember what it was like to want a great truck and not having the money when I was enlisted.
 
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I think the "Surf" name might even be cooler than "4runner" and I love the blue "surf" script on the front bumper!!

man i want one of those
 
Is at the sotck radio, that thing looks cool?

Yes, it is the stock navigation system. Unfortunately, I need to either get the map update disk from Toyota or replace it. The map shows that I'm driving in the Aomori bay right now. It does get TV channels though, which is great for watching crazy Japanese game shows. haha
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46475195@N06/4271215255/" title="DSC01902 by KZN-185, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4271215255_10d4fd5e76.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC01902" /></a>
 
Yes, it is the stock navigation system. Unfortunately, I need to either get the map update disk from Toyota or replace it. The map shows that I'm driving in the Aomori bay right now. It does get TV channels though, which is great for watching crazy Japanese game shows. haha
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46475195@N06/4271215255/" title="DSC01902 by KZN-185, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4271215255_10d4fd5e76.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC01902" /></a>

Does it work in enlgish?
 
A few years ago, we (the family) helped my son move from São Paulo to Brasília in a convoy of my gas Hilux SW4 and a borrowed Toyota diesel 3.0 pickup (the short bed, large cab version) of the same platform. We then went offroad to play in the beautiful but rugged country around Brasília and dealt with a lot of serious mud and plenty of rocks. Both were 5sp manuals.

I did most of the driving of the diesel and all the offroad. The torque and the steadiness were assets off-road. The complaint would be that the lower top RPM on the diesel compressed the gear ranges and you had to do an awful lot of shifting compared to the gas. I hate changing gears in the mud because you can lose momentum and bog down. There was a similar problem on the rocky parts. (That area sort of goes from mud to rocks and back again. Lots of great waterfalls!)

The bottom line is you really had to look ahead and plan your gear changes. The diesel would not let you over-rev for even a millisecond, it just cut power to stay at max. That happened a lot.

The same issue applied on-road in traffic. Highway driving in Brazil is a lot of speed-up and slow-down due to lousy roads and really slow trucks passing each other with a difference of maybe 3 mph in their speeds plus maniac drivers and lax speed enforcement :) . The diesel also had a lower top speed. 125 kph (78 mph) was about all it would do, and less uphill.

Performance-wise, I would stick with the gas due to range in the gears and responsiveness. The diesel won big on economy (diesel/gas differential much larger in Brazil) and maintenance/durability.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23249464@N06/4271705789/" title="Jan05Judy´sXmasChinaItalyBahia 254 by iamthedurk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4271705789_0e9e1f3cae.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Jan05Judy´sXmasChinaItalyBahia 254" /></a>

Here is the day I taught my son about manual hubs! He was used to the HiLux and could not get the diesel moving. I had parked on the dirt pile because it was the last spot at the trailhead. I forget the model name for that thing.

And here is a totally private waterfall (about a 3-hour hike through climax rainforest):
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23249464@N06/4271753323/" title="Jan05Judy´sXmasChinaItalyBahia 291 by iamthedurk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2690/4271753323_879a91baaa.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Jan05Judy´sXmasChinaItalyBahia 291" /></a>
 
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Was the tranny non syncho TheDurk?

No, normal synchro. It shifted fine--problem was having to do it so often as the range from idle to max rpm was less than what I was used to with the gas. The gear ratios may have been different, but despite having a lower top speed, you had to shift very frequently on almost any kind of trail with that diesel compared with the very similar gas machine. If you are looking at a diesel engine/transmission, I suggest you look at the max rpm speed in each gear (especially 5th) and see how that compares to what you are used to.
 
That sounds more like what Class C and up truck shift like so maybe because its not made for the american market it is like that, i've yet to hear that kind of shifting process on a syncro tranny on a regular vehicle, i'll keep that in mind, i just want the 3.0TD out of a 94+ surf.
 
KZN-185, what a beautiful Hilux Surf. I, myself am an enthusiast for Hilux Surfs, and believe the model in Japan is much more appealing. I thought I'd share a few pictures of my very own 4Runner in which I have slowly, but progressively acquired parts from Japan to fit specs of a Hilux Surf.

P1000479.jpg~original

P1000477.jpg~original


If you happen to come by JDM parts and feel you can part with them, please do not hesitate to send me a PM. Thank you for this post!
 
KZN-185, what a beautiful Hilux Surf. I, myself am an enthusiast for Hilux Surfs, and believe the model in Japan is much more appealing. I thought I'd share a few pictures of my very own 4Runner in which I have slowly, but progressively acquired parts from Japan to fit specs of a Hilux Surf.

P1000479.jpg~original

P1000477.jpg~original


If you happen to come by JDM parts and feel you can part with them, please do not hesitate to send me a PM. Thank you for this post!

That's one sweet looking truck!
 
Wow, that red 4runner sure looks sweet!
If y'all are craving more Hilux Surf pics check out goo-net.com, it's like autotrader for Japan. There is an English tab on the top right of the page and the rest is pretty self explanatory. Don't be fooled by the lifted ones though, it's not suspension lift, instead 3"-5" of body lift using anodized aluminum spacers. As if this truck needs to be more high centered, body roll on the ones I've seen is terrible.
 
ahhhh that thing is sick! i'm a JDM sucker haha

Does anyone know if the rear tire carrier from a Surf would work on a USDM 4Runner?


dude...I really hope you're joking when you say you're not taking it back home with you...I don't think I can handle knowing you had one of these and let it get away...
 
KZN-185: Thanks for the spoiler pics. It looks like it mounts the same way that mine does. Yours is probably the Jaos aftermarket piece too.
 
ahhhh that thing is sick! i'm a JDM sucker haha

Does anyone know if the rear tire carrier from a Surf would work on a USDM 4Runner?


dude...I really hope you're joking when you say you're not taking it back home with you...I don't think I can handle knowing you had one of these and let it get away...

yeah, you need to reinforce the rear fender or buy the reinforcement part, the tailgate you will have to mod too.
 
ahhhh that thing is sick! i'm a JDM sucker haha

Does anyone know if the rear tire carrier from a Surf would work on a USDM 4Runner?


dude...I really hope you're joking when you say you're not taking it back home with you...I don't think I can handle knowing you had one of these and let it get away...

exactly what johnsd90 said - you will have to reinforce where it attaches to the rear corner and mod your tailgate. i have wanted one for a while.
if you're interested, check out this link:
TOYOTA HILUX SURF 96-02 SWING AWAY SPARE WHEEL CARRIER - eBay (item 360153586849 end time Feb-02-10 02:19:09 PST)
 
No, normal synchro. It shifted fine--problem was having to do it so often as the range from idle to max rpm was less than what I was used to with the gas. The gear ratios may have been different, but despite having a lower top speed, you had to shift very frequently on almost any kind of trail with that diesel compared with the very similar gas machine. If you are looking at a diesel engine/transmission, I suggest you look at the max rpm speed in each gear (especially 5th) and see how that compares to what you are used to.
I drive my dads TDI jetta all the time, the shift times are better than the 4runner, but that's a car and were comparing trucks.
 
KZN-185: Thanks for the spoiler pics. It looks like it mounts the same way that mine does. Yours is probably the Jaos aftermarket piece too.

his wing is actually oem as the 3rd brake light and the mount covers under the wing sit and look differently from our jaos wings his sits more flush.
 

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