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Good point, just because guys like us will kick in the clutch and shut off the engine if we lose oil pressure, or at the very worst will do it when we hear the big ends starting to knock....so many of the current crop of kids are so utterly clueless they will keep going as long as the damn thing will keep moving under it's own power...I didn't think about the cams being welded into their journals, and in all OHC that I know anything about, no replacable cam bearings either.
Something else to think about is if you have a machine shop that does OHC engines. For example you have to think about keeping the cam journals straight as well as the sealing surface of the head flat...
On VW you can find "ready to go" heads with cams in them, all adjusted and ready to bolt on, but most others like the Toyota a "rebuilt" head comes bare, I don't know if the Montero has shim adjusted valves or hydraulic or some other mechanism - but I do know for the Toy I ended up better off with a good used head, replaced the valve guide seals (which was all it needed anyway) and knock on wood it's still on the car working fine...
If you are OK with having the engine apart for a while, if you have a good shop where the parts won't be disturbed, you may be OK with the rebuild, but for quick turnaround that $1000 junkyard engine sounds good to me. At the same time maybe you are not in a hurry.
The motors from Japan with 30,000 miles come pretty cheap. There is a importer here in CA called Watanabe motors, google it. Girlfriend's dad swapped out her Mazda motor for $600.
At 30,000 miles they are barely broke in.
Not to be a critic and I seriously am curious...but why not settle for something a little more...I don't know...efficient? Not saying a little Civic, but something other than that particular vehicle. Fair question.
Quote:
Can you name the truck with four wheel drive,
Smells like a steak, and seats thirty five?
Montero! Montero!
Well, it goes real slow with the hammer down
It's the country-fried truck endorsed by a clown
Montero! Montero!
Hey, hey!
Twelve yards long, two lanes wide,
Sixty five tons of American pride!
Montero! Montero!
Top of the line in utility sports,
Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts!
Montero! Montero!
She blinds everybody with her super high beams
She's a squirrel-squashin', deer-smackin' drivin' machine
Montero! Montero! Montero!
Whoa, Montero! Whoooooaaaa!
My parents had one for a few years. It was a lumbering, wallowing hog that went through gas like Shane MacGowan goes through gin. But it always did what they asked of it without trouble or fuss.
Montero's are about as reliable as a Land Rover. Just my .02 cents.
Agreed.
There is also a Dodge version... called Raider. I have never seen one thats not burning oil.
According to Wikipedia, there were some diesel models available early, but not sure if that was just in Japan or not. Seems like they date way back to 1981, but I dont think they came to the US market until 1987? I think in Japan they were badged as "Pajero".
The reason he's considering this Montero is because he wants something to pull his boat. Good mileage isn't so important, because he lives in Minnesota and has about 20 lakes within 20 miles of where he lives.
But he also likes the fact that it's a good 4x4, as well has has seating for more than 2-3 people.
The more we look into it, we're leaning more and more away from that Montero. We've spotted a 98 GMC Jimmy that's looking rather appealing.
I have a 92 Montero, 460,000 miles on chassis (310,000 on engine and drivetrain, the 150,000 balance is from it being towed behind my RV). Good at towing a tent trailer, but not sure about a boat. I could tow our former tent trailer up the California I-5 Grapevine in 3rd gear at 55 mph. Great off road. Just finished running it in the Arizona desert this past winter. Kept up with the Jeeps. However, because of the high mileage, I have been looking to replace it but have not found a satisfactory equivalent. So...I am now thinking of continuing to repair it when it needs work. I have found parts at salvage yards around the nation.
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