1KZ-TE 1993 super custom engine

Hi all,

I've joined a few sites on Facebook re travelling around Oz, and I've become a tad concerned about the lifespan of my 1KZ-TE engine, and wondered if anyone could help me:

Firstly, there seems to be a lot of 1KZ-TEs either reconditioned or available, but all say for HILUXes and some even say "Long motor", others give dates from 1995, not prior to.  What the?

Can someone please explain.

Also, my van only has 222,000 Ks on it and I am sure it will go a way further yet, but is it silly for me to contemplate getting a reconditioned engine on stand by or will they always be around do you think, and are ALL 1KZ-TEs likely to fit my 1993 super custom, and if SO, WHY do these people say "From 1995" and "suit Hilux" (I'd swear here but better not).  I mean, what the seriously???

Any advice appreciated.  PS: I believe when I bought the van, it had new head gaskets, and it's also had a brand new transmission put in and brushes too (I drove from Bendigo to melbourne on a half a brush apparently).....and BTW, I did look up engines here and saw some links, non of which exist.

I'll take a stab at helping you out.

A 1kz is a 1kz. The block is basically going to be the same. It's the supporting hardware that is different. Take a look at your 1kz and then compare it to an image of a Hilux 1kz. The air filter dimensions and location is the easiest to notice.

To sum up, you can probably purchase a 1kz from a Hilux, but you'll need to swap over the bits from your HiAce engine that differ.

Also, long block refers to engine and transmission.

I found a guy two hours away who said the same thing. Something about size off piston rings or whatever plus a free incidentals etc. he said if anything happened they’d help me get the van too hon and he’d put a modified to suit engine in. Hate to think of the cost but still better than a whole new car. Thankyou

The block of your engine is actually the part that will outlast everything else.
The weak points have always been the heads (cooling problems in the design) and the fuel injector pump.
Added to that is the general age which affects all o-rings, seals and any rubber or plastic part on the engine. That includes wiring & harness plugs.

At 30 years old, kms are not really the determinant of condition or longevity.

If you intend to keep it long term the only part I’d want to have as a backup is a fuel injector pump. Best to find as late a model one as possible - say, from an early 2000’s Prado.

Well, I was on my way to south dandenong from Bendigo yesterday when it shat itself half way down the Calder Highway. Engine light first, I stopped, started, engine light off and the radiator over and above the red. Towed back to Kyneton to a mechanic who doesn't like the look of the 'Bubbles in the radiator" when he poured FOUR litres of water into it. If it's the engine I'm told he can send it on to Dandenong for a reconfig for the new Hiace motor, but, once we got (another) tow on to home town of bendigo, MY mechanic said he'd rebuild it instead. Of course, it may just be the heads (injectors were done four years ago, not by me, but by previous owner). I'm crapping myself, excuse me, cos I'm on Jobseeker and I can't afford this, BUT every mechanic I've spoken to, I've asked one thing "Is it worth it" and their comment has been "It's a Toyota. Would you rather buy a whole new one or get this fixed. It's a TOYOTA".

That’s an arse. Damn. It’s def worth more fixed than rolling as it is but yes, It’s a Toyota, a 30 year old Toyota.
I’d no longer trust one as a daily driver. Lots of ongoing maintenance.

Well. Every mechanic I’ve spoken to says to keep it going. Not like I’ve got enough for a new one. Never mind. I do love it. Those engines are meant to go for a long while yet, she has set least another 200k on her…… I’d worry if it was over 5k….

I'll just add I'm not SURE it's the gasket but I'm pretty sure, and it has a relatively brand new transmission (two years old) and NOT USED FOR DAILY USE (per above message) but, yes, regularly, maybe two, three times a week for short journeys, however, wanted to get it kitted out to travel further. I still think it's worth the rebuild if it comes to that....so long as it's not over 5K. Thanks guys. It's v hard to find another engine for it, I know there are tweaks to a later model 1KZ-TE engine and apparently do-able, but I'd go with whatever the easiest and cheapest way is, either would work.

Sorry about your issues, but I think that you'd be likely to find a suitable replacement engine that you could just drop in, that would probably be cheaper than rebuilding since Toyota used basically the same engines in lots of models.

Nope. The replacement engines are different and need a lot of rejigging. The 1KZ-te for the hills is not the same one as for the 1993 super custom. Been told this numerous times and also in this forum. Checked and was told when I nearly bought one as well by the guy wrecking an old surf