Hi Everyone,
I thought I would start a new thread to document my engine woes. I hope it helps somebody along the way. Please feel free to comment..
I drive a 2006, 120 model Prado with the 1KZ Turbo Diesel engine.
I purchased the vehicle new from my local dealer and have had it serviced by the book. Around 80, 000km I noticed the car was under-powered and sluggish. I found myself downshifting several gears to get up a decent hill on the highway. It just had no guts.
I mentioned this to my licensed mechanic at the 80, 000km (under 3 years) mark and he agreed she was underpowered and questioned a faulty turbo. So it went back to Toyota and the Turbo was replaced at 80, 000km.
Just prior to the next service at 90, 000km the engine oil light came on. At service my mechanic found the engine oil was low and found oil in the intercooler. He questioned blown piston rings.
THIS IS WHERE I KICK MYSELF. I can only blame myself but for some stupid reason I have not gone running back to Toyota when my mechanic found oil in the intercooler, questioning my rings (90,000km, under 3 years). I guess I didn;t realise the significance of what was found, and I feel a bit let down by my mechanic for not really explaining the significance of this.
Anyway, I have continued on and had service after service with no real issues, the oil light had not come on again and she was going ok.I still found the Prado generally under-powered, but I have never been a speed freak so I have motored on with it.
At the 130, 000km mark she was almost due for a service and my engine oil light flickered on again. I had to put in 3 Litres of oil to bring her up to high. At service my mechanic again found oil in ther intercooler and said get that thing to toyota.
Toyota spent a day on it initially and said I have no compression in the 4th cylinder. I had to put 2 weeks aside for it to be stripped down and properly diagnosed.
It has now been stripped and they have found that I need a new bottom half, or short motor. The piston rings have lost their tension in the 4th and 3rd cylinder, and there is evidence THAT THE THING HAS OVERHEATED ?? AND BEEN UNDER STRESS?
My mechanic has also examined what Toyota have fouund and agrees with their prognosis. The scary thing for me is I have never thrashed the thing or had it overheat on me. I have never had any trouble with coolant or overheating?
So, if I get a new bottom half of a motor, will i still have an engine overheating issue??? How many Prados are overheating without any indication on the gauge?? :shock:
That;s what I am up to now. I am trying to get an Out of Warranty consideration, but I am not holding my breath as there is evidence the thing has overheated.
I will probably get an answer from Tyota on Monday..but I think I have to go see the bank manager.
If I had my time again I would have been more assertive with my licensed mechanic and toyota and tackled this issue when it was still in the warranty period ops: ops:
Could be a very expernsive lesson :shock:
I thought I would start a new thread to document my engine woes. I hope it helps somebody along the way. Please feel free to comment..
I drive a 2006, 120 model Prado with the 1KZ Turbo Diesel engine.
I purchased the vehicle new from my local dealer and have had it serviced by the book. Around 80, 000km I noticed the car was under-powered and sluggish. I found myself downshifting several gears to get up a decent hill on the highway. It just had no guts.
I mentioned this to my licensed mechanic at the 80, 000km (under 3 years) mark and he agreed she was underpowered and questioned a faulty turbo. So it went back to Toyota and the Turbo was replaced at 80, 000km.
Just prior to the next service at 90, 000km the engine oil light came on. At service my mechanic found the engine oil was low and found oil in the intercooler. He questioned blown piston rings.
THIS IS WHERE I KICK MYSELF. I can only blame myself but for some stupid reason I have not gone running back to Toyota when my mechanic found oil in the intercooler, questioning my rings (90,000km, under 3 years). I guess I didn;t realise the significance of what was found, and I feel a bit let down by my mechanic for not really explaining the significance of this.
Anyway, I have continued on and had service after service with no real issues, the oil light had not come on again and she was going ok.I still found the Prado generally under-powered, but I have never been a speed freak so I have motored on with it.
At the 130, 000km mark she was almost due for a service and my engine oil light flickered on again. I had to put in 3 Litres of oil to bring her up to high. At service my mechanic again found oil in ther intercooler and said get that thing to toyota.
Toyota spent a day on it initially and said I have no compression in the 4th cylinder. I had to put 2 weeks aside for it to be stripped down and properly diagnosed.
It has now been stripped and they have found that I need a new bottom half, or short motor. The piston rings have lost their tension in the 4th and 3rd cylinder, and there is evidence THAT THE THING HAS OVERHEATED ?? AND BEEN UNDER STRESS?
My mechanic has also examined what Toyota have fouund and agrees with their prognosis. The scary thing for me is I have never thrashed the thing or had it overheat on me. I have never had any trouble with coolant or overheating?
So, if I get a new bottom half of a motor, will i still have an engine overheating issue??? How many Prados are overheating without any indication on the gauge?? :shock:
That;s what I am up to now. I am trying to get an Out of Warranty consideration, but I am not holding my breath as there is evidence the thing has overheated.
I will probably get an answer from Tyota on Monday..but I think I have to go see the bank manager.
If I had my time again I would have been more assertive with my licensed mechanic and toyota and tackled this issue when it was still in the warranty period ops: ops:
Could be a very expernsive lesson :shock:
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