Symptoms
Coolant smell in the cabin, a damp passenger carpet, poor heat or unexplained coolant loss.
The fix, step by step
- Drain the coolant, disconnect the heater hoses at the firewall, remove the dash panels and heater box, and swap the core.
- Refill and bleed.
- Cruiser Corps warns that a leaking core can corrode the floorboards under wet carpet, so dry and check the floor while it's apart.
Tools & part numbers
- Basic hand tools
- coolant
- Cruiser Corps 520-127 front heater core (8/1980–8/1987)
Where to buy the parts
Heater core (1985 Land Cruiser 4.2L)RockAuto ↗Amazon ↗
Heater hose (1985 4.2L)RockAuto ↗Amazon ↗
Coolant / antifreeze (1985 4.2L)RockAuto ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.