v8stang289

Hey guys, My name is Matt. I just picked up an 87 4runner pretty cheap and am going to be fixing it up a little at a time. It's in decent shape and has a running 22re and 5 speed.

These pics are from the first day I went to check it out.




(That's my 337k mile 91 pickup in the background)

The owner had advertised this and an 86 carbed 22r pickup. The pickup was rusted out but ran and he said the 4runner ran but had an engine knock. He was asking 800 for both. I took a battery with me and cranked the 4runner and heard the unmistakable sound of timing chain rattling and rubbing the cover.


I asked him if I could pull the valve cover and he said sure. I got it off and could see the driver side guide was gone and see the grooves in the cover, but it wasn't deep enough to mix oil and water yet. I told him the engine wasn't knocking; it was just the timing chain and I asked him how much for just the 4runner. He said $400 and I said sold!!

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

Wow, that guy doesn't know how to sell a car!

You gave him good news that his engine was in better shape than he thought, and he dropped the price.

Nice score - that's robbery!!

v8stang289

I went 2 days later with a trailer and cash and picked it up. It cranked right up and drove onto the trailer with no issues.

I took it across town to my Dads house (he has a shop and a lift) to begin work






The interior needs a good cleaning and a few things replaced, but overall it's in good shape. The driver seat and the driver door panel are torn and everything else is dirty.
It also has a fold down bench seat in the back. It seems like most I've seen have a split fold down bench, but mine is solid.

v8stang289

Haha, well he wanted $800 for both or $400 each so his price really didnt change but yeah, I feel like I stole it.

v8stang289

I ordered a timing kit from engnbldr the day after I picked up the 4runner. I went over to my Dads this past Saturday and changed the timing set. I wound up replacing the radiator and some hoses while I was in there. The radiator was starting to separate and the hoses felt a little soft and I didn't want to take chances.

Chain rattle is now gone and it runs pretty good but has a small miss under load. I picked up the stuff to do a tune up this morning and plan on putting it on this weekend.

So far I have less than $850 invested including the 4runner, title transfer, tags, taxes, new battery and parts.


My current plans are to raise the back because it has the "4runner sag", bed line the cargo area, polish the paint, and Adapt an fj bikini top for it. After that I'll just see where it takes me.

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

Great work!


The ZUK mod is cheap and easy - check out my link in my sig below -$70 in parts/shipping from eBay and an afternoon.

Love my bikini top (Wab fab), but you can fab your own for less if you want...there was a thread here I saw on that recently.

Good luck - will be following this!

v8stang289

Thanks

I've read up on the Zuk mod and I think I'm going to try it. I've got some 88 mustang springs that will fit over the upper bump stops on top but still have the small opening for the bottom. I already had them so I'm going to try them first. My only concern with the mustang springs is ride quality because they are a pretty high rate spring I believe. If it's too harsh I'll give in and go with the black majic springs and cut the bump stops.

Thanks for the heads up about the bikini top, I searched and found this thread
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f88/...ni-top-119857/
I think I'm going to try that route.

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

That's the link I was referring to!

BTW mounting the footman loops in the floor of the bed (corners) I think is better than mounting on bed rail. You can leave them in when your hard top is on.

v8stang289

Got off work early today so I changed the plugs and wires and took it for a short drive to warm it up, then came back and adjusted the valves. It runs good now

When I got back from the drive it was belching coolant from around the Rad cap. I inspected it and found the rubber was torn really bad and cracked up. I was like WTF? I just checked the cap Saturday when I replaced the radiator and it looked brand new.

A few hours later I was talking to my Dad and he said "oh yeah my radiator cap went bad on my truck(88 22re) so I switched it with your 4runners until I get a chance to get you another one" ahhhhhhhhh....He had me thinking I was crazy, I knew that cap was in great shape 5 days ago and couldn't figure out how it had gone bad that fast. lol. So I went and got a new cap.
-Matt

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Great looking little runner. The first motor I worked on and learned alot on was a 289. I want another motor someday just to have. Really enjoyed it. It was in a 68 Mustang.

v8stang289

Thanks. My Mustang is a 66. It was a factory 289, 2 barrel, auto trans car, but now has a mild late model 5.0, 5 speed trans, and 3.80 gears in the rear. I've also done a disc brake conversion. It's a blast to drive and is pretty quick.

Here it is beside my 4 year olds Mcqueen car.

v8stang289

Put my mustang springs in the 4runner today, I cut them to 11" and they leveled it out nicely. It rides a little stiff but no where near as bad as when it was sagging on the overload spring.


I like them because no cutting was involved on the 4runner itself.


Hard to tell from this pic because it isn't really on level ground but it sits level now and looks a lot better

v8stang289

here are a few more pics of the runner

The not original carpet in the back will not be there much longer, it is getting pulled and the metal will be bedlined. The speaker boxes will be gone as well


The PO cut holes in the interior quarters, I'm gonna patch those somehow with either fiberglass or metal covers.


And the bench seat. Most of the ones I've seen are split bench, not solid back like this.

v8stang289

Now for the bad news.

I knew I had a small coolant leak but thought it was coming from the intermediate radiator hose. I tightened the clamp and it held a pressure test so I thought all was well.
Then I drove it 25 miles from my Dad's house to my house this morning and when I stopped I could hear it hissing a little and see coolant on the driver's side of the block. I grabbed a mirror and could see coolant bubbling out between the number 1 and 2 cylinders between the head and block....

So now the head is coming off and getting a valve job and valve seals. I think I'm just going to pull the engine and check the bottom end and re-gasket everything while I'm at it. It may turn in to a partial or full rebuild depending on what I find when I tear into it.

It sucks, but it is what it is. Even if I have to rebuild I should still have less than $1500 invested overall. So it's not too bad.
-Matt

v8stang289

Took the runner back to my Dads house Saturday and pulled the engine.


The pistons and cylinders looked great, but I cant say the same for the crankshaft and the main bearings





I dropped the head and the crankshaft off at the machine shop this morning, should have them back in a week or two. Current plan is to hone and re-ring it and put it together with a turned crank, rebuilt head, new oil pump etc. If all goes well I'll have it back together and in the truck in 3-4 weeks. The bill is going up fast but I still shouldn't have too much invested when it's said and done.
-Matt

v8stang289

I got the head, crank, bearings, rings, gaskets etc. a couple of weeks ago and put the engine back together with a light hone to clean up the cylinder walls. The day after I assembled the engine I had a timing guide break in my DD 91 pickup. The chain was rubbing the cover pretty hard so I had to park it until I get a chance to tear it down.

Because of that I had to rush and make time to reinstall the engine into the runner to keep from daily driving my Mustang. The Mustang is not really kid-friendly and I have to pick my son up from school a few days a week. It's loud, has lap belts in the front and no belts in the back, and makes you smell like exhaust. So It's not really safe for a 4 yr old imo.

So anyway I got the engine back into the 4runner and drove it around some to seat the rings and make sure there were no problems. Everything is going good with it and I have been DDing it for the last 10 days or so with no issues. I do need to adjust the valves again as it has developed a little valvetrain rattle. I was hoping to have more time to clean it up and take care of some things but I haven't been able to since I had to rush it into service, lol. Hopefully I'll get a chance this weekend to mess with it.

Currently I have $1492.23 in the 4runner all together. I don't think that's too bad.

v8stang289

I did manage to get the 4runner and head out to the woods for some whitetail hunting on Halloween morning. Got a little 6 point buck for my efforts. It was my first deer of the season, the first deer stew of the season will come tomorrow.

Nervo19

Nice Mustang. I alsways wanted one but ended up with a '67 Cougar with a 289 4bbl. I sure miss it! I spy an "OBX" sticker on your new 4Runner. I'm sure it's the PO's but where are you located?

v8stang289

Yeah the OBX sticker is from the PO. I'm in Deep Run, NC, around 70 miles from the coast.

v8stang289

I've put several hundred miles on the 4runner now with no issues, averaging 17.5-18.5 mpg. Also, I finally got the outside of the 4runner a quick wash and it cleaned up pretty well. Really need to polish the thing at some point. I also made some patch panels and painted the interior quarters. I'll try to get some updated pics of it tomorrow.

In other news, took the runner out to my hunting spot yesterday morning, and called in a nice 11 point buck. My nicest deer so far.