notfarnow

Newbie post!

Background:
A couple weeks ago, my 1987 Suzuki Samurai LWB burned to the ground.


It had been a faithful mule for over 4 years, and I would have never sold it otherwise. A couple years ago I swapped in a VW 1.6 turbodiesel using an ACME adapter kit, then converted it to run on used canola oil. I could go on and on about what a great little truck it was, but alas, it is gone. Best $500 I ever misspent.

Anyhow, a replacement was in order and a week ago I picked up my new beast, a 1990 4runner.



It's a 5 speed with the 22re, it has 347k kms.

Upsides:
- The body got a lot of work last year. Not perfect, but all in metal and a better job than I would have done.
- It was only $1100
- The frame is solid and straight, albeit with surface rust all over
- It was only $1100
- It has brand-spanking new tires
- It was only $1100

Downsides:
- The brakes are easily the most horrifying I have ever used. It's an Armageddon pedal, not a brake pedal. I'm assuming I'll be in for pads, rotors, shoes and drums all around. No biggie
- Front shocks are flopsy
- Rear suspension needs some work. On the highway, it twitches left on throttle, right off throttle.
- Emergency brake MIA

Anyhow, the first order of business is to get this guy fixed up to pass a safety inspection. I've never owned a 4runner before, so I'll need some advice for sure. I have the Haynes manual, but what I really need is DIY expertise.

The second order of business will be to swap in a diesel engine. That's the reason I bought it, so I'm not really looking to debate whether or not I should. The question at this stage will be to land on exactly what engine to use. Right now there are 3 options:

1) VW 1.9turbodiesel. Not a TDi, a '96 idi (indirect injection) engine with only ~100k miles. I have this engine on a stand, in my garage. It was intended for teh samurai, but ACME sells an adapter for 22re swaps. It will be underporwered, but at this stage it is my most likely route.

2) Toyota 2l diesel engine from a local pickup: Maybe, but i doubt it. It would probably be an easier swap, but parts availability would be a pain, and it would be underpowered compared to the VW 1.9td.

3) Mercedes Benz om617 5cyl 3.0 turbodiesel. I would love to do this swap. Others have done it, but have done their own machining for the adapter plate, flywheel, and pilot bushing. I am fine with welding up engine mounts, fabbing up cooling & electrical, etc etc... but I am no machinist. I would need to be able to BUY the adapter & flywheel. As it stands, there are none available at this time. It pains me!

So, there you have it!

Last weekend I tore into my yet unnamed 4runner, to see what ails it.

Here's what I found:

1) Brake calipers are sticky, but I managed to score some calipers for $25 each, so I'm on a roll. Looks like pulling off the rotors will be a pain though... Is there a decent step by step DIY for changing the front rotors? Shockingly, it looks more complicated than rotors on a 96 Jetta. Who'da thunkit?! Maybe I'll luck out and the bouncy pedal will be from a bad drum.

2) Where the passenger side locator link mounts to the frame, the outise of the housing is broken, allowing the arm to wiggle around a fair bit. Looks like I'll have to crack out the Mig. Where does a fellah get new bushings for the 4 link rear?

3) I'll have to address the poor (rich!!) idle and horrific mileage while I get my ducks in a row for the diesel swap. Plugs & wires look newish, I was thinking of a new O2 sensor as the next likely step. Anything else I should look at first?

Any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated!

96redtoy

If you do a quick search there where at least two different diesel swaps with a lot of info on here i belive one was the VW and the other being the Merc.

fillsrunner4

Welcome



cant really give you any advice which diesel to go with but I look forward to seeing more about your swap!

Good luck!

96redtoy

heres one will look for some more

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f162...ild-up-135203/

notfarnow

Thanks guys!

I've actually read those yota tech threads about VW 1.9 & Benz Om617 swaps.

At this stage, it really looks like I'll be going the VW 1.9 route... it'll be underpowered, but I can buy an ACME Adapters flywheel & adapter plate and have it here in a matter of days, and I also have a VW 1.9td engine with low mileage ready to go.

I'd love to do a Benz 5cyl swap, but so far there are no commercially available flywheels & adapters, and the guy who is really making progress on that swap has noted issues with the oil pan & oil filter housing. If I had more time for an "involved" swap, I think it'd make a better overall match... but I really want to get a diesel under the hood by Christmas.

Either way, in the meantime I really need to focus on getting this guy roadworthy. Any advice on where I can get bushings for the 4link rear? Also, any good online DIY guides on pulling the rotors?

Thanks!

fillsrunner4

Search at the top is going to be your best friend!

Believe me it really is!

Good luck!

96redtoy

Good luck and keep us posted

notfarnow

Thanks!

I have been searching on &off for 3-4 days, believe me. Maybe I have my terminology wrong, but all I can find info on are the sway bar links.

I'm trying to find those big meaty bushings for the main locator links that go from the frame to the rear axle. Mine are beat, and it makes the truck REAL exciting on the highway.

The dealer will only sell the whole link for $304 a side, not just the bushings.

Surely to jeebus someone sells the bushings for these

82yota

I see looking at your motor options that your looking for something that was originally sold in NA. The 2LT would have more grunt than the 2L would. But for parts the VW would be best. I've got a 3.0L inline 4 TD from a Japanese Toyota in my truck. But you've got to buy all of the electrical and pretty much the front half of the truck to be able to do a good swap for that motor. But its got lots of go to it. You might be interested in this thread for the Merc swap stuff. http://toyotadiesel.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5347 If you've got questions on the 3.0L TD just ask me. Parts aren't that hard to get for it. Just gotta know where to look.

notfarnow

Thanks. Yeah I'm really trying to keep this swap relatively simple. I've worked on VW diesels for years, so it's a pretty natural route. Plus, I have a great engine ready to go. The downside is that the 1.9td will be underpowered, but I can live with that.

I'd love to go the Ben 5cyl route... I've emailed back & forth with RatherDiesel. He's really pioneering that swap and is still working out the bugs. I really need to be rolling relatively soon. I may very well go the Benz route later, I have a '99 Benz E300d and am partial to mercedes diesels, but for now I need simplicity.

It's a moot point right now anyway. I have to focus on getting the damn thing roadworthy first. Have some welding to do this weekend, plus brake lines & other stuff. I am in a bind with those rear link bushings though.

wardriver

There are stickies to the factory service manuals...those will help a ton.
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/index.html

truckman1966

anything ever come of this 90 runner?

rattlewagon

wow you dug up an old thread!

truckman1966

curiosity got the best of me

hunter 4321

If you haven't already, I would go for the 1.9L that you have laying around. I made a VW 1.9L M-TDI and put it in my 94', I had it on the road for a couple of weeks, then made the mistake of cranking the boost up a bit to much, I pushed the limits of the amount exhaust that could safely flow out the back of the turbo, and cooked some pistons.
With 33" tires and improper gearing, it didn't get moving real fast and seemed to lug the engine on hills quite a bit, though it was moving really good right before those pistons cooked.
The Toyota diesel swap can be costly, and you can't just go down the street to a store and buy all the parts you need when something breaks.
If the VW engine won't push it properly, a ring an pinion change will fix that, though you will lose your top end, but I doubt you bought this truck to to zip around everywhere.

truckman1966

hunter, he hasn't posted since august 08

Magnusian

Awwww, I clicked on this thread all excited to see a diesel swap and all I get is a thread full of disappointment.