guitarfreak2105

Hello, I am new here and would like to start off by just saying hi.

So I have been wanting to put a 5VZ-FE in my 1990 Pickup SR5 4x4 5spd because the 3.0L just sucks. It is so slow, and I just dumped about $2600 into it to have the whole top end done, and while it was a drastic improvement (5 burnt valves on three cylinders! How was it still running?!), it is still horribly slow. So I have found a donor '96 4Runner, it has a blown head gasket, so I am going to do it myself, but the whole complete vehicle is only going to be about $250. I have been reading around and some people say that you can make the 3VZ-E compressor work with the 5VZ-FE, others say you cannot. So anyone that may have done just that send your expertise my way! Also, any advice on doing the actual swap itself, would be appreciated. I have found about two or three threads on how to do it here an other places, but anything helps! Also, I will be doing the swap at home with some friends when they can help out, and again be doing the HG by myself, so any advice on the HG is also helpful. The 4Runner starts up and drives, however there is mad oil leaking from the HG, and it overheats really really fast. Aside from the gasket and the A/C not working everything else on it is fine. It is an automatic 4x4 SR5. Thanks in advanced. Cheers!

Swimmerboy2112

iTrader: (2)

Check this out, there is a bunch of good info from swapping 3.slow to 3.go

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...t=137361&pp=30

guitarfreak2105

Haha, thanks! That is one of the main ones I will be using as a reference when doing the swap!

Swimmerboy2112

iTrader: (2)

yeah i found it when doing some research on the 3.4

guitarfreak2105

Yeah, this one says it can be used with some light mods but there are a few others that say otherwise, I am just trying to make my life as easy as possible. This is going to be a challenge!

Swimmerboy2112

iTrader: (2)

I believe that the 3.0 --> 3.4 swap is one of the easiest if not the easiest swap for these trucks. That should comfort you some.

guitarfreak2105

I've read the same. comforting haha. do you know If the gasket jobs are hard on the 5z's? from what I can see it looks easy but never is. any advice is appreciated.

Swimmerboy2112

iTrader: (2)

I've never done one on a 5vz-fe but i assume its as hard as the next one.

mt_goat

Have you seen the 3.4 swap section here? https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f160/

Are you planning to keep the AC system R12?

I kept the top of my 3vze compressor and put it on the donor 5vz compressor. That way the fittings can be kept the same and match the older system. I think the main problem if you were to keep the whole 3vze compressor is your pulley wouldn't match the drive belt. So if you can swap the 3vze compressor pulley for a 5vzfe compressor pulley that problem could be over come. But then you will have an older R-12 compressor...maybe not a problem if you can manage to keep the R-12 system intact through the whole swap so that it doesn't need a recharge.

JonnyBoy

I think it will be easier to use the 5vz compressor and 3vz top plate, then fill it with R134. That's what I did, and the ac works great. I think the hottest day I've experienced driving my swapped Runner is somewhere in the ballpark of 115* and it was able to keep me comfortable.

On the head gasket, the best things I can tell you(cause I didn't have to do mine) is to make sure your heads get machined and your block is checked for warpage, follow the FSM procedure for torquing the head bolts(order and torque values are pretty important with cast iron block/aluminum head setups), and see if you can borrow or buy the tool for the timing belt tensioner. I forget the part number for it, but I believe the brand I got when I did mine was Blue Point, and it made changing the timing belt pretty dang easy.