1996 Hiace Super Custom

Can anyone give me some data on the above. I've just bought it. It has a 3 litre Turbo diesel with an automatic gear box. Can't get my hands on a manual. The drivers handbook just covers the interior and cab instruments.

How many mpg can I expect - What is the engine oil capacity - Gearbox oil capacity - Coolant capacity - Fuel tank capacity - Tyre pressures -

thanks ! James

Reply to
Ann Smith
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Let's see... Yup, New Zealand. A: They haven't used the name HiAce in years, and B: we rarely see diesels in the States.

And a batch of generic questions simply begs for a batch of equally generic answers. ;-) Hey, I can be a smartass, deal with it. :-P

Not sure, too many variables, local input required - but see the next answer also.

What engine model is in the truck? Open the hood and there will be a sticker on the valve cover with the number in big block letters.

What model transmission? This one will be coded into a 'build plate' that is probably under the hood riveted to the firewall cowl (below the hood) The plate will have the serial number, and the part codes for many components including the engine, paint color, body trim, transmission, and rear axle ratio code - all interesting things to decode and know for future reference.

If you reply and type in all the numbers on that build plate, all will be revealed in short order. Someone here can decode it for you.

If the automatic transmission fluid is not burnt from the trans being abused (pull out the dipstick and sniff it like a wine cork - the smoky rosin smell is very obvious) just drain and refill the pan on the trans every few years. That takes roughly 3 to 5 liters of ATF, just add a half-liter at a time till the dipstick reads Full again. You only need to freshen up the additives and detergents in the complete fluid volume.

A total ATF fill of a dry trans (including the torque converter, which can not be drained without total disassembly) would be in the range of 12 to 20 liters.

Be warned that some newer Toyotas take a special T-IV synthetic ATF available only at the dealer - it should be stamped on the dipstick. Regular Dexron fluid will not work.

What engine do you have again? Doesn't matter too much, just get two or three jugs of the proper antifreeze/coolant, mix it up one jug at a time to the right ratio (usually 50/50) with clean water. And fill till it's full - the average car or small truck takes somewhere between 10 to 16 liters of mixed coolant.

Use steam distilled or reverse-osmosis treated water in the radiator if your local water has a high mineral or metallic content. This is very easy to determine: If you can't drink the local tap water without holding your nose from the sulfur fumes, if you have to chew the water before swallowing, if it has enough iron dissolved in it to swing a compass, if a slowly dripping faucet develops rock stalactites and stalagmites... don't put that water in your car. ;-P

Mark the jug with the remainder of the mixed coolant "Diluted 50/50 with Distilled Water" (or whatever you did) with a permanent marker pen, and put the jug back in the garage for top-off duties. On the top shelf out of reach of children, Ethylene Glycol is poisonous.

Till you find out, don't let it get below 1/2 full. And even after you do, keep it above 1/4. Simple - Normal cars are hard enough to push to a filling station, but with a diesel engine you have the extra added challenge of purging all the air from the fuel system before the engine will restart.

Running dry is never fun. Been there, Done that, more than once. And NOT on purpose.

What brand, model, size, and load rating of tires do you have on the truck now?

This one is easy - go see your local tire shop, they have catalogs full of load charts. They grab the right tire manufacturer's catalog, look up the model tires you have, then the size and load rating, and the chart will tell you how much pressure for how much load. This is the minimum, you can always go higher up to the maximum pressure on the tire sidewall. Make a photocopy of the load chart and stick it in the glovebox for reference.

The vehicle maximum axle weight ratings are on a sticker in the doorjamb, and if you want to get really picky you can go to a truck scale and get front and rear axle weights taken to get the normally loaded weight at each end.

Divide the axle weight by two to get the individual tire load, unless you know it's loaded lopsided. Motorhomes/Caravans often are, they put the water and sewer tanks on one side, for those you take individual wheel weights at the truck scales to make sure that one side isn't over the maximum rating of the tires.

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Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

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