TDV8 engine issue possibly

Possibly battery. Maybe get it load tested.

How does 4.4 v8 compare to the 3.6 tdv8?

Being normally aspirated it is a lot less complex and more room under the engine bay. The 4.4 goes very well however likes a drink when towing, 3.6 is a lot more economical. In this particular case I got the 4.4 as a real IKEA moment at nearly half the pride I paid for the 3.6. Plus personally I love the Rimini red. The 05 4.4 has a couple more electrical gremlins which one day I will find and fix. The 3.6 up u til the alternator cramped itself last year had been faultless it was a one owner from new and was set up for touring more than the 4.4.
I like them both for what they are, I wouldn't go near a 2.7 again I had more dramas with that than I have had with both the 4.4 and the 3.6 combined. After last year when we had to get the 3.6 trailered home from Denham I was seriously going to sell up and just keep the 4.4, and then this year I thought we were off again, thankfully everything seems to have turned out ok.

I am presently spraying my Goodyear MTR's with tyre Wal black and trying to get the red dust out of all the nooks and crannies, everything doesn't seem that bad any more.

I camped next to a guy in Newman who was driving quite a new Prado, he had just waited a month for a new engine to be delivered and fitted in Alice Springs. He had just found out they had munted his transmission pan fitting the engine. I would I suspect gone Toyota however doesn't matter what you buy you still could just have problems especially with today's complex electrical computerised systems.
You asked it is a bit long but this is where I am at.

Cheers Marty

Thanks good to know.