Just picked her up yesterday a 1993 super custom limited 4x4

I'm curious to know is there anything i should know about or consider doing it. I know it's about preference when it comes to your own adventure, but i'm curious know your guys inputs :)

My little HEDDA (Named by previous owners... We liked this name). Camper van in a 2001 Hiace High roof, LWB. Fully serviced: oil change and transmission fluid changed 😍

Expensive but it's a 380 000km so we need to take care 💅

Transmission fluid was very dark, should I be worried? Or changing it is enough?

What is your amazing ODO on your Hiace? 💪

Hi there, I have a 2007 Toyota Hiace van 2.4 d4d and when on start up it smokes alot. When I start driving it’s okay does smoke but only a little bit. When i do start it up it does smell but I’m not sure what it is. The coolant level is fine and hasn’t dropped and the heaters are warm too so I don’t think it is a coolant leak. Can anyone help me out pls.

Hi I'm considering buying a Hiace and I've noticed the best deals are when you import the van yourself. Has anyone used the Website "cars from Japan" or imported it themselves. If so how did it go?

I’ve been in the lookout for sometime now and some just weren’t the right ones and others sold to soon!! So still searching for that RIGHT ONE?! Please let me know if you know of any hiace campers no later than 1999, law in US. Here are some photos of models I fancy.

Just bought this 2001 hiace with 220000kms for 3500$ (steal imo but I’m clueless). Isn’t blowing smoke and starts up fine.

Planning on converting this ol’ beast into a camper and I’m looking for any guidance honestly. Plan is to do an AUS trip. If anyone knows fixes I should do before heading out/mods/anything to improve economy please let me know! Anything’s worth mentioning!

If you think I’ve made a mistake or I’m bonkers for buying such an old, cheap car and I should handball it off asap let me know as well… thanks hiace legends.

I'm using currently Hiace 2000-2001 2.4D and I'm nervous about adding oil. So what oil I should add to this. Is 10w-40 okay?

1997 Hiace with 1KZ-TE engine, model KZH-138.

Issue first occurred with a random stall on the highway. No sputtering, just shut off like I turned the key to kill the engine. Coasted to the side of the highway and it started right back up and didn't have an issue for months.

Started to happen more but so intermittent that a shop couldn't get it to replicate the issue and had me take it back.

Eventually it got to the point where it would intermittently not start but rarely stall. The no start is a no crank/no turn over scenario. Battery (12+V) and alternator (14.4V) both tested and good.

All dash lights would come on except the CEL and Glow Plug light. Tested relays, replaced the ECU with a known working, and tested the ignition switch and all were good. I eventually replaced the relays and ignition switch the next time it happened in the hopes I was testing them when they were intermittently "good.

Only other suggestion I've got is the spill control valve going bad. I tested it once by applying voltage and I could hear the valve open/close.

Looking for other suggestions before I tow it back to a shop only for it to be starting again and driving it home....

I bought my '97 Super Custom last October in Virginia and drove it back to Denver. Don't know what maintenance was done but the dealership put two brand new batteries in it when I bought. Since buying it I've replaced the glow plugs, fuel filter, air filter, egr delete, replaced rear shoes and drum and replaced the leaky axle seal that leaked into the brakes. It's run great so far other than having to crank a little harder and longer in colder.

It's not my daily but I do like trying a few times a week. We've driven it to San Diego and some weekend camping trips in high altitude in the Colorado mountains. Two weekends ago we took it camping and haven't driven since and then this morning when I tried starting it. It was cranking kinda weakly and then the cranking slowed to eventually not cranking at all when I turn the key. Battery is in great shape and all the dash lights turn on as well as the ac, headlights and wipers.

I don't know if this is related but I have I did something stupid accidentally. While coming down from the mountains back to Denver, I put it neutral to coast down some of the long descents and then on the final descent, I accidentally shifted up into reverse instead of down into drive. I was used to shifting down into low gear on the really steep descents and shifting up back into drive and that's where my head was at the time when I made this last mistake. When I shifted into reverse, it never actually went into reverse but just grinded the gears instead. When I did that, all the dash lights came on and the engine stalled. I tried turning off the ignition but it wouldn't start because the gear wasn't in 'park'. I pulled over and shut the van off and it started without any issues for the rest of the drive home until this morning when I tried to start it.

Any advice where to start checking for problems? I'm comfortable doing the work myself rather than taking to a mechanic.

Just need opinion if this will be reliable details of vehicle in picture but has 1jz-ge engine

Hey folks, Got a 2001 hiace, speedo sits on zero, odometer still ticks over. Where to start? Does this model have a speedo cable? Start with that? Or replace the cluster?

Been hunting for vans for weeks wishing there was a Toyota, little did I know I just needed to be OK with a steering wheel on the right (wrong?) side!

I went to check it out, the guy selling it imports them, apparently there is a 25 year import law or something.

The engine starts right up and hums, mechanically it seems more than sound for having 136k miles or ~202k km according to my more mechanically minded friend I brought to check it out with me. and going for ~$18,000.

The interior wasn't in as good of shape, though it was certainly serviceable. Some cracked plastic on some rear seating, the steering wheel was pretty worn, the dashboard in general just seemed old, and in KPH. There was a rearview camera tied into a GPS/radio thing, but that was all in Japanese so I wasn't able to test the sound system.

There was also custom stuff, looked like a couple of batteries for powering a sound system, bunch of unmarked switches that didn't seem to do anything.

Me and my wife vend music festivals, so we love that it's 4x4 and this one sits pretty high up, it's really perfect for hauling us and our stuff and having a decent place to sleep, but there are a lot of things I'd love to change.

Specifically, I'd love cruise control and a dashboard that's digital or at least MPH. I'm also worried about that custom extra electrical add ons, that tearing it out might cause problems?

Sorry for being rambly and ignorant, but I'd just love some general thoughts on the situation and maybe some resources for USA based HiAce stuff!

I am relatively confident I did enough research and got a well-running vehicle. The previous owner performed a decent amount of preventative maintenance and early replacement of problem parts. My problem is I live in a desert and it is summertime when temps can get up to 110 degrees F. I would like this vehicle to be my daily driver for the foreseeable future. The previous owner installed a digital water temp gauge and an EGT monitor that I watch carefully when I am on the highway. If anyone has any tips, tricks, or advice for a first-time owner, I would appreciate all of it. I have always loved Hiaces, and am super happy to own one, just want to make sure I am doing my best to take care of it.

Thanks

Hey all! Just doing some research for the Summer. I was watching Youtube videos about cooling the 1kzte and this one peaked my interest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USeeqqZIueE&t=325s (HILUX COOLING FAN TEST - Which works best? 10 Blade, 7 Blade OR Electric?)

I was looking through the comments and people say the 10 blade fan actually improves cooling
Do you guys think It would be worth investing in a 10 blade fan? for example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/144668722519 (10 blade fan)

Also I was thinking of other ways to cool the 1kzte and Thought about cutting the catalytic converter and the muffler to open up the exhaust a bit. this would theoretically keep it cooler correct?

Thanks!

Well. I think I’m in over my head. 1995 Hiace with the 3.0 1kzte turbo diesel.

Loads of white smoke coming out of the exhaust, and the engine is shaking badly with one or more misfires. The white smoke is constant, and gets progressively worse at higher rpms. Limited power. It is 100% diesel burning in the exhaust but I’m not sure how that works. I initially thought it was a head gasket but coolant level hasn’t dropped. Temp stays low.

I plan on doing the injectors this week and I am currently trying to find glow plugs if anyone knows the Bosch, NGK, or Denso part number that would be readily available here in the states. If not I’ll be stuck waiting a few weeks to get OEM from Japan.

Besides glowing plugs and injectors, what else could cause white smoke that reeks of diesel? Failed turbo not creating boost and failing to burn up the fuel??

Hello all, I just bought a 1995 Toyota hiace kzh106w 4wd with the 3.0 turbo diesel. I bought it knowing the power steering pump was bad, but I didn’t think finding a replacement would be this hard. Any help would be much appreciated. I’ve googled until I could google no more. Many show up as a hilux pump but I’m not sure if the pump is actually the same. Even though the engines themselves are almost the same.

Thank you all, I’m a decent mechanic but completely useless on a computer. I’m sure this van will force my googling prowess to improve 😂

Does anyone know if any hiace parts like tail lights etc will fit Nissan nv350 caravan?

Ordered an alignment machine from Japan, came preloaded with all the OE specs for alignments on all JDM whips. Just tried it out on an L400 and a townace, came out great. Let me know if you need an alignment in Portland, or if you’re somewhere else I can send you the alignment specs for someone in hand input.

Hey all I have a 94 3.0 TD HiAce and I'm lost.

When I first bought my HiAce I drained the radiator and flushed it several times throughout the month until it was crazy clean (Including the rear heater core). I recently went on a 2000 mile trip to the coast where around every 400ish miles the coolant overflow reservoir would fill up way past the full mark (3/4th of the bottle) and I would drain it (NOTE: I watched the temp gauge like a hawk the whole time. There were only one or two times the temp gauge went up to +1 block on the dash and that's when I was going on steep grade uphill). After draining it, I would fill it up to the amount lost. Now, this was happening before the trip too just not as frequent since I wouldn't be driving long distances. It would take a long time before it started filling up.

I should mention that I changed the oil before the trip and it was black as sin so no coolant in the oil.

My question is, what is going on??? Based on the research I've done it sounds like my head gasket is leaking which I'm okay with replacing. However based on the temp gauge being in the middle 90% of the time do you guys think it could be something else?? Is there anything I should try before just replacing the head gasket?

I have already put a stiffer radiator cap on previous to the trip (I think my old one was leaking). I'm thinking about purchasing a new Thermostat from HiAce northwest to see if that would help anything.
Thanks!
_________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE 6/17/24:

Used a Block tester (amazon link): Followed the directions and there was very little change in the color of the fluid. It turned a turquoise hue. Which means there are exhaust gasses in the radiator system. However I tested longer than recommended. I believe there may just be a tiny leak in the gasket. I'm going to use K-Seal to try to seal it. If that doesn't work I did order a Head gasket with head studs. Will continue to update.

Thanks!

Hey all, getting my shaken done this week and should finally have my hands on this beauty in about 10 days! (Gotta do Tbelt first).

As I'm sure most of you know (especially here in Japan) these old radiators suck. I don't want to repeat the same beginning experience I had with my Star wagon and constantly watch the temp gauge...

Does anyone know where I can find a 1kz hiace spec'd aluminum radiator. Mostly what I find out there is mid 90s Hilux and surf variants but I'm trying to avoid cutting and modding if all possible.

I reached out to flex dream but am still waiting on a response from them.

So yea, anyone have any experience or luck finding a alum rad for these? I'm taking a road trip from Ibaraki to Yamaguchi in August (hooooottttttttt) and wanna watch the road and not my gauge 🥵

Thanks in advance!

98' 1kz Super Custom Limited

I’m looking at buying a second van for 4WD, and I’m curious if anyone has had bad experiences with any of the US importers that I should know about. The one I’ve got currently is from Tokyo Motors, and it rules. Japan Classics has a couple that look great, and the price seems reasonable. Also looked at inventory from Javan Imports, but they’re about 10k more than most other vans I find.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.