White4Runner

Good to hear. I've talked to the guys a couple times on the phone and they've always been happy to take the time to answer questions and entertain my ideas even though I'm sure they've had the same questions from the last 100 callers.

The hard thing for me is deciding if the swap in a box is worth it over actually trailering the rig out there since they are nearly 900 miles away.

auassay

It is a long way to trailer, it was 450 miles for me. I put the 4Runner on a Uhaul dolly and pulled the rear drive shaft to get mine there. Then I drove it back home after the swap.

yotasavg

Hey auassay, sorry to bump a couple month old thread but you swap looks great and I actually have a question about Nevada engine swap info. I recently registered my 4runner in Gardnerville, NV. I am interested in doing a swap but I cannot find much info about what the regulations are. Google is providing me much confusion and I can't find much on the forums aside from a 2+ year old thread on pirate. Can you provide me with any guidance as far as what I can expect after a swap in Douglas County or a similar no-smog county?

auassay

yotasavg,

I am a couple hours North of you in Humbolt County, which is no smog as well. The good news is you already have your 4runner registered and now the DMV could care less what you do to it as long as you keep your registration current. So as long as you do not move over the mountain into Reno you do not have worry about the Smog. Go for the swap, and enjoy your Toyota for many years to come.

yotasavg

That's the definite answer I was looking for! And it's the direction I was hoping! Thanks a lot man.

White4Runner

So how's it going four years later?

auassay

White4Runner


My 4Runner is a daily driver for me, and I have pushed it hard off the road as well. I am happy to say I have not had any trouble with the motor swap. I still touch base with Cliff at Toy Only Swaps and have nothing but good to say about their work. I honestly will drive my 4Runner until I can not repair it any more. Over the past four years other that minor things like break pads and a clutch hydraulic line, I have just changed the oil and filters when needed.

White4Runner

I finally pulled the trigger on one of these swaps. I love my old 4Runner but the 3.0 was to the point of ridiculousness. It seemed just about every time I put the key in the ignition I was having some type of problem albeit mostly minor stuff. The final nail in the coffin was a burned intake valve.

The rig is up in OR now and is done and ready for pickup. I have to work but my wife is flying up there next week. One of the guys from the shop is going to meet her at the airport. Then off she goes for a 1,300 mile drive down the coast and into AZ.

Can't hardly wait to have the rig back! I'm really looking forward to it!

auassay

White4Runner,

I hope you love your swap! Mine is still going Strong, and is my daily driver. I pulled it in the shop this weekend and topped off all the fluids in the diffs, transfer case, and transmission. Locked in the hubs and I am ready for winter!

White4Runner

The guys at Toy Only Swaps have the swap completed. The rig is back home now. Close to 2,000 miles on since the swap.

FirstYoda

I had considered having ToyonlySwaps do my swap, but had a local shop do it after they convinced they could do it. Wrong. Then I did it right, and brought it to ToyonlySwaps, and they corrected all the errors, and more. They just finished it about two weeks ago. Obviously should have brought it to them first. The communication was awesome, and they underpromised and over delivered, especially on timing. I wasn't sure about them until I visited their shop - it's what a professional shop SHOULD look like. Big, clean, with finished and in-process vehicles in clear view. My 4Runner purrs, and has plenty of power. For those who are considering a swap, and are not sure how much more power you will get - keep your expectations high. VASTLY different. Now that I know the difference, I simply couldn't own a vehicle with a 3.0, unless I bought it with a swap planned.

Oh, and one other thing- I thought premium fancy premium gasoline like "Chevron Supreme with Techroline" was a sales gimmick. It's not - at least with that brand. My 3.4 runs SO much better with that gas in it - even compared to other premium gases. It's not a slight difference. I even put the Chevron app on my iPhone so I can locate a Chevron wherever I am.

In case anyone wonders or is suspicious - I have no affiliation with ToyonlySwaps or Chevron, whatsoever. I am just sharing info, hoping to others with decisions.

astynx

Anybody have an automatic transmission? I am thinking of this toysonly swap for auto transmission, but my 92 4runner has about 280,500 miles on auto transmission. I am concerned about spending 5-7 thousand on swap with my existing auto transmission. Thanks

White4Runner

Mine's an auto. TOS charges a bit extra to swap an engine to an auto tranny. I also paid a few extra bucks to have my accessories like cruise control wired up. I figured the cruise worked before the swap so I might as well have it working afterward.

One option you might want to discuss with TOS is swapping in a manual. It is something they can do although I didn't explore that option since my AT seems to be working just fine.

astynx

Thanks for the reply. My transmission seems to work well (shifting etc). Did you have to have the body lift done for 3.4 to fit under hood.? Or did motor fit with only some of hood bracing removed? If body lift, where exactly is gap that is visible on front of vehicle. Again thanks.

White4Runner

Nope. No lift needed. It fit with the liner and the center section of hood bracing removed.

A couple photos are below for your viewing pleasure.

Merry Christmas!

BEFORE:





AFTER:

astynx

Thanks White 4runner. Looking at photos on their website. I saw that a few 4runners were able to just have part of hood brace removed for motor to fit. I hope to have mine swapped. It will cost me for shipping from Virginia to Oregon and back though. Oh well, I really like my 2nd Gen. It will cost at least $4,000 for a hit-or-miss Jasper rebuilt 3.0 though. Merry Christmas Thanks for photos and info. edit, with your photos I can show wife before and after.

White4Runner

So before I spent the money I sort of took stock of what I had. I had a rig with good tires, a decent interior. Not any rust to speak of and a good suspension. Everything works. Windows roll up and down, etc.

The other option was to shop around for a Gen3 rig. There are plenty out there but either need work or are very high mileage. Or both.

It is a gamble either way I guess.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

very well said

White4Runner

So here I am creeping up on time for the first oil change. The rig has been running great and I'm enjoying the upgrade in performance. Gas mileage isn't the greatest--probably about 16mpg on average--but it wasn't that good with the 3.0L.

Every time I open the hood to check the fluids I'm blown away by how stock and correct the engine looks. Only a person very familiar with Gen2 4runners would really know the engine isn't correct by visual inspection. Everything looks so clean and proper that about the only way to tell something has been changed is by looking at the emissions plumbing diagram on the underside of the hood.

Of course now I'm thinking of getting the rig painted. The body is in solid shape but the clear coat is faded in a number of areas and there are a few small chips that have surface rust.

This is beyond the original idea of just getting the rig up and running and back on the road as our "daily driver" but it is kind of a shame not to complement such a nice engine with a new paint job.

Happy New Year!

White4Runner

Ah, crap! I'm getting a horrendous rattle/clatter noise. I think my flex plate is cracked.

So the question is; was it cracked for awhile and is just now bad enough to make terrible noise or did the crack(s) just occur after the swap? Surely TOS would have noticed a cracked plate when they were in there working on the rig?

Either way I guess I'm about to bust out another thousand. TOYOTA Take Out Your Other Thousand in the Account....