GVOLCRunner

HI all. Been around yotatech for awhile now. My old faithful 1990 4runner finally died on me. Just bought an awesome 1999 Tacoma TRD 4x4 v6 manual.
Now, I knew the 2nd gen runners back and forth. Issues, TSB's, Recalls and the like. I always impressed the stealer ship people with all I knew. I miss it..but I have to say, ive always heard how much better the 3.4 engine was.

HELL YEA! I was able to accelerate for the first time in a long time.

Anyway. Its in excellent condition. Engine, Tranny(5speed),frame.. hell everything works.

Just some questions:
What should I be looking for? Any important TSB's or recalls akin to the infamous HG on the 3.0? Any tips or tricks?

Also, I have a button on my dash to "lock" the rear diff. Is that really a elocker? Im missing the manual, so how do I engage it? Rules associated with it? Like no H2 or anything?

I miss my nice bucket seats from my runner, but Im already in love with the get up and go and the LOOK of this.

SO, help a loyal Yota lover out and help me on my learning curve of my new toy.
THANKS!

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Nope, that button is fake. Probably doesn't work, just rip it out.

Congratulations.

toyota4x4907

Listen to Wabbit. Hes the man. Take that darn thing out!

Pics or it didnt happen

rowdy235

Aside from all joking, unless a mod has been done you gotta be in 4lo under 5mph to engage it. Just press the button IIRC, and to the same to disengage it.

GVOLCRunner

Pics coming. Looking for my camera, think the g/f took it for a bit. Looks like this, only without the red stripe and has a bit higher sit. And yea it happened. I got REALLY REALLY LUCKY. They had it advertised at 6k, I had 5500 in my pocket. Was able to get them to 5500 out the door, including tax tag and title, which here in texas would have been about 700. So got them down. Thought I did really good, till I got home and pulled up the NADA values.

Retail : 8k or more. Clean trade in 7k.
HOLY COW. I got a steal. It must be where I live. TX. Im not from here, grown to love it..but its def. the land of big RAM and FORD trucks. The little super reliable jap trucks must not be very popular. Lucky for me.

toyota4x4907

Well sounds sweeeeet

$700?! Thats madness! I thought $200 for smog check, title and reg was a lot here! haha.

Mic09dcsm

No it's just vehicles that don't get good gas mileage are really going down. My '92 cost me 5500$ two years ago, granted it was clean as hell, it would've been gone if I hadn't got it, I think it was the first day it was advertised.

We don't have smog checks though toyota4x4907, which is good because currently my cat is hollow, and before you shake your "green" finger at me CFC's started global warming. Anyway, here she was stock, then beat up.

GVOLCRunner

Yea, thats also true.

but, to me its a massive improvement. My 3.0 4runner got HORRIBLE gas mileage. 12-15 and thats the norm for it. Weak and a guzzler. Not sure why I stuck with it as long as I did, living in an almost constant fear of blowing a HG was horrible. hahaha.

For the record, I babied that engine. Did not blow a HG, main bearing went. Sounded like a jackhammer the 5 minutes before it went POP. Had it towed off the next day. Put enough into her. RIP/


So, the 18-22 ill be getting in this is a nice improvement.

Mic09dcsm

Yeah, but you know that's nothing when there are people in South Texas buying those dinky little smart cars.

scuba

Nice dude, I used to live in SA town for a while, moved back home to cali, The trucks out in texas are 2k less for the same thing. I just picked up a 99 Single cab from austin, My mom is delivering it tomorrow

Mic09dcsm

Sweet, I'll be up at UT Austin this fall. It might be a pain with the smog and all that, I know nothing of vehicle certification over there so...

scuba

Well since my mom is still in the service, we can keep vehicles registered wherever we want, so reg will be in texas for the time being because its sooo much cheaper. Smog isnt really that big of a deal, my 91 which had a motor out of an 86 passed first try...but yea.

toyota4x4907

What makes you think I'm going to shake my "green" finger at you, or rather lack there of...... I'm really indifferent about emission inspections. I hate all the crap that saps power and MPG, on the other hand I think it is good to have some standards. but thats a whole 'nother story and a whole 'nother thread

Mic09dcsm

Was directed at anyone who might come along and school me on global warming, pollution, etc etc. not necessarily you. And I agree, the point is this truck needs to hit a trail.

GVOLCRunner

so back to my point..hahaha

Is there any trouble area I need to be checking? I know the rust issue. This is a TX tacoma, looked underneath and NOTHING is rusting. god bless the dry ass air here in San Antonio. Even the bolts on things like the bumpers and gas tanks..the ones that ALWAYS stuck and broke off on my old runner look brand new.

SO rust aside.

Any trouble spots? I called the local toyota place, only recall they have for it is something to do with the factory hitch wiring harness in the back. Said to bring it in and they will fix it free, since its a recall and not a TSB.

But I want to hear from those I trust, people that drive them.

Has 140k miles. Theres a sticker on the engine. Timing Chain replaced at 44k, so that mean I should replace it soon or is this a pretty sturdy chain design? Some vehicles NEED it every 50k while others go their whole life.


Ive heard that the 3.4 is a FAR more reliable engine than the 3.0, thank god. But anything I should look into?

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Timing Belt on the 3.4L is 90K maintenance intervals.

Mic09dcsm

What dry air? It isn't rusting because we don't salt our roads and have snow.

hektikwon

Very nice deal! Got PIX?!

GVOLCRunner

Yea, dry air. Low relative humidity compared to other places. Or like living on the coast, all the warm salt air will rust things out if you are not careful.

Thats what I was referring to.

GVOLCRunner

Ok. so done at 44k, meaning I'm about due. Thanks. I was noticing how the engine layout seems a lot friendly than the 3.0. The engine bay was so cramped and cluttered. The 3.4 seems much more thought out.