Mclaren880

I'm a perspective Toyota owner, so this is my first post here. I'm hoping you guys can provide with me with some insight on purchasing a 4Runner.

I am looking at at a 1993-1995 4Runner. I see that 1996 is when they introduced the newer 3.4 engine, but unfortunately this year is out of my price range. The cars i'm looking at all have 200,000+ miles on them. How bad are the reliability issues with this engine? I see they can have head gasket issues, and it looks like they are just a general PITA to work on due to it being tight underneath the hood.

I wouldn't be doing much maintenance myself (beyond spark plugs, thermostats, and other simple stuff that a dude with a basic tool box can do). So, is an average repair on one of these double the cost of the 3.4? or just a little more? I've always loved 4Runners and i would love to get one, but not if it is going to be a headache down the road. I'm debating between this and a Subaru (no one kill me, please). I'm 6'6", so i like the idea of an SUV, but i'm going to be starting my own business where i will be a private contractor without a steady income, so i'm more worried than normal about reliability issues. Subaru's are supposed to be easier to work on, but i would love to make it work with a 4Runner. Does the high mileage mean that those particular cars are less likely to have problems since they have already been running for so long?

Also, anyone know what kind of gas mileage these get? I've seen everything from 12-18 in the city. I used to drive a Town Car, so 18 mpg i can handle, but 12 is tough to swallow.

Also, how bad are the power issues? I live in Denver, and i will be taking this skiing and also just general mountain driving sometimes. Not a ton, tho. My girlfriends old Volvo has trouble on the big inclines, but we're usually on major highways (no crazy off roading) so the inclines don't generally get toooo crazy, just the occasional pass but that only lasts maybe 5-10 minutes of heavy incline.

Thanks in advance, i'm hoping to join the Toyota community soon!

MaK92-4RnR

"As slow as a 22re, Efficient as a v8"

The 3.0 is a very picky motor... People can get 8 mpg, people can get 20 mpg... it really all depends on how you drive it, how well its kept, etc etc... My truck sees about 14-15 mpg ( 33s, 4.88s, 5 speed ) and I've faced the fact that theres nothing you can do to the 3.0 to make it efficient. I've done headers and an air intake... no results, but quicker throttle response and RPM gainage...

the motor is a pain in the ass to work on and yes its very vulnerable to heat... a 2" body lift makes the oil changes a bit easier.

The headgasket is an issue... its a ticking time bomb and it can go off whenever it wants! mine blew at 156k with mediocre driving... some go 300k, some go 70k... its 100% random... how/when you catch it is what counts... I caught mine when the gasket cracked... no internal damage. changed the gaskets, got new valve train ( some of the valves didn't seat correctly, so i had them all replaced ) and it runs great now.

Looking back on my experience with the 3.0. keep it tuned up, keep it maintained, and change the fluids religiously! it'll last for what it was intended to do. If you plan to do gears... 4.88s and 33x10.50s fit stock. and it'll add some style. But if you're worried about the motor, save for a 3.4... its practically a bolt on nowadays.

camo31_10.50

everyone says they're not powerful enough for the hills of colorado. but i beg to differ, as long as you get into the motor's power range, which in my 3vz (which is freshly rebuilt) is in the 3250-5000rpm range, and yes i take it to 5000rpms daily.

city mileage, i get about 12-14 depending on the driving. highway i get about 15-17, depending on the driving conditions, and whether or not i'm speeding. at 65mph, i get roughly 17mpg. when i'm really scootin (75+) i get about 15, above 85 and i get about 12 lol.


if this is going to be your daily driver, i suggest saving your money and getting something a little more comfortable(mpg's). like a newer 4runner. which won't yield a bunch more mpg's, but a few none the less.


this is the hardest motor i've ever worked on, simply because it's soooo tight under the hood.




In all honesty, in your particular situation. i would say you should be looking at a subaru outback. you can get them in all wheel drive, with a few different motors. and if i remember correctly, they're extremely reliable, easy to work on, and get pretty good gas mileage. and they'll have the power to get you up them hills.


looking back at MY experience with the 3.0, i would get a 4runner, and swap in a new motor lmao.

i'm looking to get a second vehicle and drop a 350 in my 4runner.

954x4runner

Two months ago I was in the same boat as you. I was looking at 4runners AND subarus. Well I went with the 4runner and 3 weeks after driving it it blew a hg. Bad luck I guess. At least I know that after I fix this it'll be good for another 230k, I hope (crosses fingers). You're a tall guy 6'6" you might be more comfy in the subaru. I myself am 6'4" and the runner is really cramped for leg room. Believe it or not it has the same leg room as my friends 88 single cab 4x4 pick up. I've driven many outback legacys and forresters and subarus drive so solid. I know the early year forresters and some of the outbacks also have head gasket problems as well. I'm not telling you not to get the runner because I love my runner otherwise I wouldn't be fixing it to keep it. But you should test drive one see if you can deal with the lack of legroom.

jskijoe

Welcome to the world of yotatech!
I don't think you said your price range but you may be surprised by some of prices of high mileage 3rd gens. I'm going to be looking for one of those soon myself.
But back to your topic, I agree with MAK92...if you're worried about the motor, do the 3.4...it's hit or miss with the 3.0. I had good luck with mine for a while by maintaining it well but sometimes that doesn't prevent the HG going, just prolongs the time. Once mine blew the rings out after the 3rd head gasket, I decided to wait and do the 3.4 swap and I couldn't be happier. The 3.4 is soo much easier to work on, I'm changing out the power steering hoses now and it's a breeze with the 3.4 and a 1.5 in body lift!

pwd

I've got two vehicles with the 3VZE and have not had any reliability issues in the four years I had them. (one kept in decent shape, the other has had over 10 owners). Everyone will have their own experiences so definitely take it all with a grain of salt. Both of mine are still eligible for the head gasket recall. The space is tight under the hood, but you can manage as long as you take your time. You can always call Toyota to see if the head-gasket has been done already by Toyota. Thats how I found out about mine.

Can't shed any light on the 3.4 vs 3.0 repairs. (only have experience with the 3.0)
These trucks were not designed for tall people FYI, so try it before you buy it.

The 4Runner is not great of gas, but it does help if you don't drive aggressively. Auto vs Manual can make a differece of a few MPGs as well.

Mine is slow and heavy, but I'm sure its in dire need of a new valve job. My best advice is to use the Overdrive On/Off button. I always take overdrive off when approaching hills on the highway and especially if I need to pass someone. Another reason you should take one for a test drive...

Overall, I would say the 3vze on a 4runner is reliable but not great on gas with the A/T. Good luck.

Mclaren880

Thanks for the input everyone! Sounds like i should probably try and hold out for a 3.4 or get a Subaru. I'm supposed to test drive a 3.0 tonight, so this might be a good chance to see if i even fit. So if the head gasket has been replaced, does that typically mean that isn't an issue anymore?

Funny how leg room works... My old Honda Prelude had so much legroom that if the seat went back any further, i wouldn't have been able to put it back all the way. Then my friend's Yukon i barely fit in.

954x4runner

So true. I had a 92 prelude that had more legroom then all 10 of my previous cars

Mclaren880

So i'm on my way to test drive a '96 3.4 at a dealership. I have a mechanic friend who is going to check out any car i buy before i purchase, but is there anything in particular i should look for regarding the 3.4? Anything that tends to go?

Thanks again, everyone, you have all been incredibly helpful.

MaK92-4RnR

frame rot, and play in the rack n pinion are the two biggies...

check your everyday things... fluids, cv joints, slippage in the clutch, tranny fluid ( if its auto )... etc etc.

gwilly87

I have a 94 with a 3.0, bought it from my dad who has put all the miles on it. Head gaskets replaced at 160k, transmission internal oil pump doesn't work anymore, but other than that its been a great vehicle. Everyone has said it already, it drinks gas pretty quick.

I also have a 1998 subaru impreza (lifted with some all terrains on it and a dual range trans ) and it has been great for me. Good enough to get my wife a 2002 wrx. My mom has the 98 outback and has loved it for driving from utah to new mexico and back annually, but she just had her head gasket done as well. The ej25 motor from subaru has a bad rep for blowing the headgasket at least once in its lifetime. usually around the 120k point from my experiences and friends. If rebuilt properly, it will never go bad again. I find subaru's to be very easy to work on and to understand. Gonna be a challenge getting used to a toyota.

954x4runner

A subaru headgasket can be just as hard to change as a 3vz headgasket. With no room to pull the heads you usually have to pull the motor.