What mechanical differences are there between a 1998 100 series and a 2003 facelift amazon?

[Aguirre]

I'm viewing a 2003 Amazon facelift with the older style box. I tried 2 older 100 series lately, 1999 + 2002, both auto and I didn't like it, they felt sluggish. I'm wondering if there are any performance improvements in the facelift model. Thanks.

 

[StarCruiser]

I'm viewing a 2003 Amazon facelift with the older style box. I tried 2 older 100 series lately, 1999 + 2002, both auto and I didn't like it, they felt sluggish. I'm wondering if there are any performance improvements in the facelift model. Thanks.

If they've been doing short runs they may need an Italian time up to clear all the rubbish out.

 

[Aguirre]

If they've been doing short runs they may need an Italian time up to clear all the rubbish out.

quite possibly, mileages were 120 & 140 approx, respectively. engines sounded well, but when you put the foot down all that happened was the engines got louder and they accelerated very slowly.

weird.

 

[Shayne]

Sluggish seems to be a common phrase when the 100 series is discussed , and then someone will say the later models with more gears are better .

Not much you can do with micro managed engines and i do wonder how a truck that should be more powerful and more efficient fails against its older siblings ?

As a drag racer might you be able to discuss this with a gearbox specialist Aquirre because i'm inclined to think that's where the modifications need to be done .

Not sure about the differences , other than more gears but i think the suspension might have got more electronically ruined ?

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

2003 facelifted 100's still had the old box but a little more performance (I think) . The uk was a year behind other markets getting the 5 speeder which is a transformation. Mine is a n 03 5 speeder from OZ, with 200+K on it it still feels smooth and faster than any 80 I have driven/owned.
I'd put a bit more in the pot for an 04 onwards TBF, it would be a good investment in my opinion.

 

[uHu]

A picture:
When going to work, I drive out of my neighbourhood and turn 90 degrees onto a main road. With my 2000 hdj100, stock, 4 sp box, I would push the pedal to the metal at standstill, before the turn, and then I would get full power just when the turn is over and I'm aligned on the main road. I tried that, once only, with the 2004 hdj100, 5sp box, and had to compensate halfway through, or end up in the ditch.

There are several changes done on the 5-speed version, not only in the gearbox. The 4sp has one Engine ECU and one Gearbox ECU, while the 5sp has one combined ECU, which makes the communication between engine control and gearchanges much better. The IP and the algorithm controlling it is changed, making it more responsive. The Turbo has a better boost control, which gives power sooner. All in all, the new version feels much snappier, although it is no racer. As an expedition, overland or offroader, it doesn't make much difference though, but the 5sp one is much nicer to drive. There is also the number of airbags to consider, for road use. The 5sp has side airbags, and curtain airbags all the way back to the 3rd row. There are other minor changes as well. One thing that is not better on the 5sp, for the versions without Navi, is the controlpanel for the HVAC. The old one has a very intuitive system, with clear tactile feedback, so that you can easily control everything without looking. The new panel has unreliable pushbuttons where you have to cycle through the settings, and it's not possible to know what you are doing without actually reading the little lcd-display down there. Should have been illegal to design such a system.

Anyhow, both versions get better with a 3" exhaust, but I believe it is more noticable in the old one. There is also the issue with the catalyser, which has a habit of getting blocked, giving the turbo even more delay in spinning up. Also the intake pipes and manifold gets partly blocked by the EGR. So, removing catalyser, egr valve and heater grid, and cleaning out the intake, helps a bit as well.

There is also a modified valve kit available for the auto boxes, from Oz, which makes the shifts snappier.

Reports from Oz, where they really use the cruisers, say that both gearboxes are strong and durable. Exluding the TC of the early years of course (98-2000), but those would be changed long time ago.

 

[Aguirre]

So I bought the 2003 one I viewed. 190k but when you put the foot down, it throws you into the seat unlike the earlier 100's I tried.

Sluggish seems to be a common phrase when the 100 series is discussed , and then someone will say the later models with more gears are better .

Not much you can do with micro managed engines and i do wonder how a truck that should be more powerful and more efficient fails against its older siblings ?

As a drag racer might you be able to discuss this with a gearbox specialist Aquirre because i'm inclined to think that's where the modifications need to be done .

Not sure about the differences , other than more gears but i think the suspension might have got more electronically ruined ?

I'm not a power hungry freak looking for a clapped out cruiser to race people at stop lights. It just felt comparatively slower off the mark than my old 80 series, is all.

2003 facelifted 100's still had the old box but a little more performance (I think) . The uk was a year behind other markets getting the 5 speeder which is a transformation. Mine is a n 03 5 speeder from OZ, with 200+K on it it still feels smooth and faster than any 80 I have driven/owned.
I'd put a bit more in the pot for an 04 onwards TBF, it would be a good investment in my opinion.

I bought the 03 one, facelift with older style box. Totally... and I mean totally rust free. I don't know how the guy managed that, it's got 190k.

A picture:
When going to work, I drive out of my neighbourhood and turn 90 degrees onto a main road. With my 2000 hdj100, stock, 4 sp box, I would push the pedal to the metal at standstill, before the turn, and then I would get full power just when the turn is over and I'm aligned on the main road. I tried that, once only, with the 2004 hdj100, 5sp box, and had to compensate halfway through, or end up in the ditch.

There are several changes done on the 5-speed version, not only in the gearbox. The 4sp has one Engine ECU and one Gearbox ECU, while the 5sp has one combined ECU, which makes the communication between engine control and gearchanges much better. The IP and the algorithm controlling it is changed, making it more responsive. The Turbo has a better boost control, which gives power sooner. All in all, the new version feels much snappier, although it is no racer. As an expedition, overland or offroader, it doesn't make much difference though, but the 5sp one is much nicer to drive. There is also the number of airbags to consider, for road use. The 5sp has side airbags, and curtain airbags all the way back to the 3rd row. There are other minor changes as well. One thing that is not better on the 5sp, for the versions without Navi, is the controlpanel for the HVAC. The old one has a very intuitive system, with clear tactile feedback, so that you can easily control everything without looking. The new panel has unreliable pushbuttons where you have to cycle through the settings, and it's not possible to know what you are doing without actually reading the little lcd-display down there. Should have been illegal to design such a system.

Anyhow, both versions get better with a 3" exhaust, but I believe it is more noticable in the old one. There is also the issue with the catalyser, which has a habit of getting blocked, giving the turbo even more delay in spinning up. Also the intake pipes and manifold gets partly blocked by the EGR. So, removing catalyser, egr valve and heater grid, and cleaning out the intake, helps a bit as well.

There is also a modified valve kit available for the auto boxes, from Oz, which makes the shifts snappier.

Reports from Oz, where they really use the cruisers, say that both gearboxes are strong and durable. Exluding the TC of the early years of course (98-2000), but those would be changed long time ago.

Excellent post, interesting to read. Thanks. So to my ear, the 4.2 in the facelift sounds very different. Refined is the word I'd describe it as. The throttle response is unbelievably different. Although this is my opinion, the 2 previous 100's I tried could've been abused wreckers.

I truly wanted another 24v 4.2 80, my second choice was a manual 100 series, third choice was 5 speed auto 100. I've landed on a 4 speeder. Oh well!!

 

[Ian Chuter]

Congratulations. Hope you get miles of smiles out of it.
Pic's are expected obviously

 

[frank rabbets]

From a slow start I can floor the throttle on my 04 5spd and turn steering at right angles and it leaps forward with both inside wheels lifting off the ground. I can keep it floored and straighten the steering and the tyres squeal on toughdown. Scares the neighbours to death when turning into our drive coming home.

 

[StarCruiser]

I would have thought a slow one would have been pooled about not a wrecker (though this can be as bad). I would think a can of Wynne Eco Diesel and drive it hard would blow some cr@p out of it. Mine had been pootled around Fukushima all its life and had done about 5500 miles a year over 9 years. It was sluggish as a slug on a go slow. A month of hard and some Eco Diesel and it was a different beast altogether. It really is true that diesels thrive on being driven hard.

 

[Aguirre]

Congratulations. Hope you get miles of smiles out of it.
Pic's are expected obviously

will get more!

 

[StarCruiser]

View attachment 101274

will get more!

Prepared for Land Rover encounters I see.

Nice looking truck from what I can see.

 

[Aguirre]

Prepared for Land Rover encounters I see.

Nice looking truck from what I can see.

you never know!

it needs a couple small jobs doing, i.e temp guage, transmission clunk from D to R (and vice versa) when selectring them from stationary, and a small leak from transmission output to front drive shaft.

 

[Ian Chuter]

Looks nice. Enjoy

 

[clivehorridge]

Yup, good looking truck there.

If you want to talk about slugs, it's taken me 10 years to beat the black stuff outa my HZJ.

It's twice as quick as it used to be and half as quick as a standard HDJ.

No worries, I'm too old to be leaving skid marks (on asphalt that is....)

 

[uHu]

Congratulations. Purrfect colour too.
Looks a bit too high in the picture. Is there something wrong with the ahc?

 

[Aguirre]

Congratulations. Purrfect colour too.
Looks a bit too high in the picture. Is there something wrong with the ahc?

Nope, it has had AHC deleted, heavy duty springs and air bag kit fitted, which can be filled with air via a button in the centre console.

 

[uHu]

Sound like a good start for an expedition vehicle. Is that your plans?

 

[Aguirre]

Sound like a good start for an expedition vehicle. Is that your plans?

I wish! It's going to be used for towing...

 

[Aguirre]

Some photos:




it seems to have really uprated headlights... xenon or HID maybe.

It's currently got front bumper, both front wings, rear bumper and all body trim/cladding off. I'm greasing everything to make it last as long as possible.