Sturmcrow

I went on to specialize in environmental engineering, but yes, I do work in that field

And yes, I do twitch a little bit every time someone suggests ditching their catalytic converter because they do not live in a smog-test state.

RSR

Gevo, definitely use the search function here for your particular issues. Google is better than the yotatech search, on google "site:yotatech.com search words", no quotes in the search box.

But to your ?s:
-check all your sensors per FSM -- most are resistance measurements, so not too difficult w/ a multimenter.
-get a set of feeler gauges to check pretty much everything else

-any rubber lines need replaced at 20+ years old
--this includes your vacuum lines (LC Engineering sells a complete and definitely cheaper than the auto store kit, might want to leave your TVV alone if it's not broken and replace the lines off it only if planning to replace that part)

-replace your 02 sensor w/ Denso aftermarket (same as stealership sells for 1/2 or less the cost) -- big affect on performance and mpg

-replace all filters

-Fuel
--your fuel pump will need replaced soon, fix before it leaves you stranded (Denso aftermarket saves a lot of $ over dealer for same parts
--consider replacing injectors (the flamethrower orange look like a good option)
--inspect tank and fuel lines for corrosion
--replace all soft fuel lines

-Spark
--replace plugs, wires, cap, and rotor

-Air
--run a good plenum cleaner (I documented the Amsoil power foam on here somewhere)
--consider the various intake mods recently discussed to increase airflow (stock intake is restrictive)

-Fluids
--replace all fluids w/ synthetic

-Suspension/Steering
--ebay toyota bump stops (aftermarket stops more durable than OEM and save the wretched full lock metal on metal screetch)
-look at TREs, idler and pitman arms for play, consider an OME stabilizer
-new shocks, new leafs, new leaf bushings, new IFS arm bushings
-ball joints too

-Engine
--I was very pleasantly surprised with Amsoil's engine flush to quite everything down
--Adjsut your valves (odds are they've never been done)
--replace all the oil seals on your engine (pan uses fipg in stock configuration, if it has cork remove and replace w/ fipg to save yourself from leaking)

Mods
-If auto, tranny cooler
-A/C fan from 4runner
-supra AFM swap
-mandrel bent exhaust w/ high flow cat back
-upgrade your headlights
-consider rotorpros for new brake components (pretty fairly priced and appear to have high quality control)
-extend all your breather lines
-consider an oil bypass kit, pareto point's are interesting

And some links:
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/80...e-posting.html
EDIT: Forgot about this braindump I put together on everything but engine over here: http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...29#post1387429
This is a good, newbie friendly service manual: http://toyotachinook.files.wordpress...ckup-alive.pdf
And look at others build threads on here too.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

I dont know the 3.0 but think this link>>> https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...k-3vze-187741/ has some good info.

Gevo

Thanks gamefreak, I will hit up the oem part websites to order from there then. It was mentioned that i can't access this pigtail unless I remove the intake manifold? Is this true guys?

I am using a couple of OEM parts websites to determine what I need. I realize there is a difference in year the part was made, but both years will have the same part number, just a different sku i guess?? weird.. I'll figure it out

Gevo

LOL. great I work with a few environmental Engineers.

Gevo

Thanks RSR,

yes someone mentioned the google search method and it does work way better and I have been reading all over this forum for the past few days. My wife is feeling lonely

Everything else you said I agree with. I am amazed at the web of vacuum hoses under that hood, just ridiculous. I was thinking should I test them all or replace them? To be honest, they all look like they are in suspiciously good condition!

I started to do some teardown yesterday after work, I was able to connect a garden hose to the cooling system (see pic) and to my surprise, there was essentially no mess in the engine. It was very clean, I am happy about that! (I even flushed flushed the heater core).




Everything I've removed looks great so far (couple hoses needing replacement, most are new)


RSR, I will be looking into that airbox mod, I've never seen this before!

And here she is, look great .. minus the tires.. they are literally brand new.. unfortunately this means I need to use them up before I get better ones




Terrys87, thanks for that link!! I am glad there is so much information to guide me through this work. And I do search the site for existing posts about my questions, sometimes I get so lost in everything I just have to post the question my way

Well, looking forward to both keeping you guys updated on my progress, as others have done, and asking more questions!

Gamefreakgc

That 4Runner looks really nice, I don't think I've ever seen a black one! And yes, I'm jealous. I wish I had got a 4Runner and not a Pickup but this was given to me by family (needed a lot of TLC).

In reference to the air box mod, see the link in my sig and https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...37/index7.html. Honestly though, these mods are easy so just focus on your valve adjustment for now and decide if you want to do this later on. Swapping out for the larger VAFM along with larger intake and sealing off hot air really helps with throttle response. Up to you if you think you need it or not though. Also a cat-back exhaust goes a long way with these trucks.

Gevo

I will certainly look into some power mods. First thing as you said is the smooth running, reliable engine. At the moment I'm still compiling all of the parts I will need so I can order them all at once. It's so easy to get sidetracked and start reading all of the threads on this forums lol.. MUST CONCENTRATE!!!

Gevo

RSR, I looked for the lc engineering vacuum hose kit. I found just this generic one, is this the product you mentioned as well or is there a kit specifically for the 3vz-e?
http://www.lceperformance.com/Silico...-p/1072442.htm

Have my searching skills let me down? GULP!

RSR

LC vacuum hoses: http://www.lceperformance.com/Search...&Search.y=-114

Control+f and then type in "3vz" to find the 3vze kits. Blue, black, yellow, red, siver colors.

Your vacuum hoses look factory, fwiw.

The reason for replacing the vacuum hoses is 3 fold. 1) over time at connections the rubber breaks down and grips less (pretty easy to pull them off) and if they come off on their own it causes problems. 2) is also related to the same deterioration over time. Internally the hoses' rigidity is compromised and sometimes they collapse and/or otherwise restrict when under vacuum which makes things further down line not work fully. 3) is that the same deterioration leads to hoses cracking an otherwise being exposed to engine bay/atmosphere.

2 is the hardest to troubleshoot. 1 is pain but is a quick find (not an issue you want to have on the side of the road and whatnot). And 3 you need inspect every hose with the engine on...

I haven't replaced mine yet (1 1/2 years w/ my truck now and not a DD as I work from home), but it's one of the next on my to do... I have a list I'm working through slowly but surely.
Basically, tier 1 is safety & security -- tires, brakes, steering, suspension, better lights, replacing hoses, fixing leaks, etc.
Tier 2 is drivetrain and electrical and vacuum reliability (fluids, sensors, spark, air, etc).
Tier 3 is cab updates & other driving experience fixes (plan to swap eventually, so stuff like speakers, new carpet, soundproofing, might replace my evaporator, weatherstripping, seat belt cleaning and spring tightening, etc).
Tier 4 is performance mods and expensive non-essential stuff from the earlier mods (wideband 02, stainless steel brake lines, .
Tier 5 is vanity (big thing here is a new paint job -- my clear coat is hazy on fender tops and roof, PO painted the hood...) and will probably end up putting a brush guard in this category too...

*Not staying true to these in whole, but largely using it as a guiding post for prioritizing mods. Any low cost stuff or things that truly annoy me I'm moving up in priority, but I bookmarked a bunch of stuff, found that too overwhelming, and now have a mod to do list I try to steadily work on when the itch strikes.

RSR

Yes, save pigtail for a headgasket job. Probably not worth it otherwise. It's the connection at the sensor and pigtail that when disturbed has issues.

toyodiy.com is great for finding all parts by your vin. Then google for parts by part number (both w/ and w/o the dash). Only a couple vendors have searches by PNs, but you're still able to compare prices and they're in the ballpark of the cheapest. And using a PN is a heck of lot faster than clicking through parts catalogs and looking at parts diagrams for every single item...

Added a couple links to prev post above -- forgot to complete that section, haha.

Gevo

RSR, thanks a lot for your response. I am listing the black hose kit to purchase with all of my other items

I decided i'm going to remove the heads, I may as well at 216k miles with seemingly iffy maintenance record. A head job will cost about $600 (with all seals/gaskets/labor) from what i've been reading around on this forum.

If you guys have a shop in LA area you recommend, please let me know. Thanks!

RSR

If doing your heads, check your compression and to see if you need to get any work done on the shortblock too...

And if pulling the heads and they checkout as kosher, you can run a standard gasket set -- pretty sure everything on both of these is the same as OEM for much cheaper:
http://www.autopartsway.com/PartList.../pagenum1/tabS

*From pics, the first looks to have more gaskets... But I suspect they're the same product (all the same Japan company network, just different brandingI think).

Depending on how much is removed from your heads in machining, you might need to run an MLS gasket of specific width, but the MLS require much more precise machining than the OEM ones.

Regardless, you need to use new head bolts. *I am not theperson to ask beyond this though, as I haven't done head gaskets <knock on wood> yet myself.

Gevo

I spent a few careful hours today removing the plenum, the 4,563,342 hoses and fuel injector rail/injectors.. wow.. the worst looking injectors.. I'm very surprised the thing ran as well as it did!!! I'll post some pics later... bday party tonight.. lame :/

Gevo

This is what I pulled out yesterday. The lack of cleanliness of the whole intake system is very disturbing..


SO, today I tried to spend some time workign on the 4Runner again. I spent a good 35 minutes trying to remove one of the three nuts holding the exhaust manifold to the exhaust pipe. Seriously, what the heck. My swivel joint broke, that's what I really needed.. I was to lazy to take a trip to sears and exchange it. Yet again, I learned my lesson doing the job with the wrong tools. lol. That third nut is still there.

Everything in general is a bit more difficult to undue/remove than I expected. I gotta hand it to the jeep, was much more simple

Gevo

So, I am gonna dive into the FSM for this, but maybe you guys can give me a jump start...
The first pic below shows two hold on the side of my case. From both of those holes, more so the one to the right, transmission fluid is leaking. The 2nd fuzzy picture is just a little zoomed out so you can get a perspective. (to the left is the front of the car)

Any ideas???

Sturmcrow

Did you spray your exhaust nuts with PB Blaster or Kroil? Letting some kind of penetrating oil soak in there should help get those nuts to come loose.

Gevo

WD40 was the best I had.. didn't work. I figured I'll attack it next time with a clear head

Gamefreakgc

WD40 is useless for removing bolts, trust me on that one.

Get some freezing penetrating oil (uses cold temps and thin oil) or Liquid Wrench to get it off.

Also... those injectors look perfectly normal for 216k miles for being stock. That's just years of built up oil and carbon. Some will debate this, but Seafoam (sucked through the brake booster) has shown incredible results in reducing carbon and dirt buildup in my intake manifold, cylinders and injectors. For $7 you can't beat it.

If you're looking to clean/replace the injectors, I highly recommend replacing them instead with 4-hole injectors on Ebay. It's the same price as sending them to Witch Hunter or Dr. Injector ($140ish) and you get brand new injectors with an atomized spray instead of just a stream. All newer cars use the spray pattern since it burns better than a stream. I noticed a nice little HP boost with them in my rig. However, some people have had issues with the 4-hole Bosch (silver) injectors, mine work just fine though.

Gevo

ok, thanks for that info.. I'll most likely need that for atleast this dumb bolt.