ayoung101

i just bought an 89 4-cyl 5-speed 4runner with 108,000 miles on it. it's in dang good condition for being 15 years old, but being that old, you gotta expect some things to go wrong. and i can't think of any better way to get help on a few things than by asking you guys.

1. it's a stick shift, so it NEEDS an e-brake. 1st the cable is broke. not a problem, easy fix. however, the "bells" and "horns" are froze up. ("bells" and "horns" are the term that the local toyota dealership used). what they are is the little lever thingy that the cable attaches to. when the e-brake is pulled, the lever/hinge thingy does it's thing and engages the rear brakes in the drum. anyone ever had to change these? how hard was it?
2. exhaust. the exhaust isn't HORRIBLE, but it needs a new one soon. i'm HOPING that because of the combonation of a bad exhaust and bigger tires (31x10.5 AT BFG's)(at least i THINK those are bigger tires than stock. anyone know about that?), that contributes quite a bit to it being really slow. i don't know a lot about exhaust systems, but i know there needs to be back pressure vs breathability, etc. now, i certainly don't need it to keep up with my celica, but it'd be nice to get up to top speed on the freeway in under a minute, ya know? so, until i can afford either a much bigger enginer or a turbo kit, my 2.4L 4-cyl, 5-speed will have to do. so, what exhaust should i get to maximize my power? any suggestions? also, any other CHEAP things i could do to increase power?
3. i can hear my timing chain starting to click. meaning, i'm gonna have to do it sometime soon. i can get the kit for like $160. anyone does the chain themselves on this engine? how long did it take? easy/hard? any suggestions to make it easier?
4. can someone give me a rundown of ALL the engines, displacements, name badges, etc. that i can get in my truck? for example, i have the 2.4L. not a clue what the name badge is. i know there is a 2.7, 3.0, 3.4, and 3.7. at least i think. am i correct and what are their names? (also, i WANT to get a toyota v-8 in my 4r, but it'll probably be too expensive, not to mention too new so it might be hard to find, so i was thinking of a chevy 350 and all the goodies. but like i said, i'd PREFER a TOYOTA since that's what it is. anyone know any info on the toy v-8?)

that's all i got for now, i'm sure i'll think of more!

SoCal4Running

Hi, glad to see another 1st gen 4runner on here.

I got 31 on my 86 too and think that with a header and cat back, tps adjusted correctly and descent O2 sensor you will probably be happy with the speed of the truck, It will keep up with most others on the road.

As for the timing chain I would say that its like medium dificulty that you can do yourself with a good manual and patience. should take a novice more than 2 day to replace at the most.

ayoung101

is it safe to assume that you have a 4-cyl as well? and what exactly do you mean by "decent" o2 sensor?

i don't need it to be fast, like i said. i just need it to be able to keep up with some chevy's. (4 of my 5 roommates all drive chevy trucks, 3 of them on the dunes (04 silverado, 2- 77 chevy pickups with 350's, and a 00 4.3L zr2 blazer). i just want to be able to follow them around on the dunes instead of being left behind. they can get there FASTER than me, i just want to be able to get there)

SoCal4Running

Yea I got the 4 popper, by decent O2 sensor I mean one that is relativly new, not 5 years old.

If your going on the dunes you need to make your rig as light as possible and air down to under 10 psi. Header and exhaust will make it not bog down as much in the sand which will prevent downshifts. Consider some paddles on the rear if you can fit them, my friend has some 33" he doesnt use anymore.

Heres a pic of my cheby

Unhappy99

First off, congratulations! You've bought the last good 4WD Toyota ever made. 22RE and 5sp is a rock solid combination, and personally, I liked the IFS, although it had limited wheel travel. Can you tell I miss my '87? Anyways...

1) The e-brake levers and linkage can get dirty or rusty. Get the service manual, take off the drum and see whats binding. Most likely nothing a wire brush or PBBlaster can't fix. The shoes and linkages are easily removed/cleaned/replaced. Be sure to grease the star wheel adjuster threads a bit. Lithium works good here.

2) Power....fugetaboutit. Especially with 31s. I settled for no bigger than 29s and it was still slow. Could climb trees and swim, but still slow. Perhaps a tuned header and free exhaust might get you 8 ponies, it will still be slow. Did I mention it was slow?

3) Strange thing at only 108K on the 22RE. Valve tick should be present, but timing chain tick? Mine went 190K before I replaced it, and the chain/gears/guides were still all in good shape. Anyways. not a big deal to do the chain. Remove grille, radiator, fan, water pump, crank pulley (this ones tight), valve cover and timing cover. Takes about 4 or 5 hours going slow. Now aren't you glad you bought a service manual for the brakes? Since you've got the valve cover off, set the valves. Replace plugs (I like NGK Iridiums), air filter, and thoroughly clean out the intake manifold and throttle body with carb cleaner. Run a can or two of BG44 through the fuel tank to get the injectors and valves squeaky clean. Check timing for advance and replace distributor cap, rotor, and plug wires. It will still be slow.

4) You have a 22RE. Don't bother with the 3.0 V6. It will still be slow, with the added irritation of unreliability.

Since its new to you, I suggest checking belts and hoses for age, front brake rotors for thickness, draining and refilling both diffs, transmission and transfer case, lubing all grease fittings, repacking the front wheel bearings, and flushing the brake fluid.

May you get many very happy years of use.