Hey guys,
Just got myself a 1987 4runner. 22re motor, 287k on the odometer
The previous owner said the block was rebuild a few thousand miles ago
Brought it home and the oil pan was leaking slightly from the hour and a half drive.
I took the oil pan off today to redo the gasket with the Toyota sealer, and discovered the block is cracked on both sides through the oil pan mounting surface.
Due to a slight surface mismatch I decided to try a cork gasket instead for now.
The previous owner removed the transmission bracket on one side (to clear a stupid exhaust) and left the bolts out on the other side.

I guess my question is, is there any way this isn't toast?
I was gonna drive this thing 1200 miles back home on Saturday but I'm not so sure now
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Not toast. Block can be repaired (at considerable expense if you have to pay). Drive it... with a "leaking slightly" block proven with an hour-and-a-half test drive? Anecdote: my '89 22RE has a small oil leak. I know where it is and why it is, and I'm not willing to tear it down enough to fix it (laziness). I had to relocate 900 miles five years ago Washington to California. Had two very nice 60's Brit bikes, and I didn't want to jam both in the pickup for the trip, so I did two 1,800 mile round trips on I-5, 70-77 mph and runnin' like a top to this day. I have a drip pan strategically located on the driveway and in the garage to avoid soiling the 75 year old concrete. The cracks I just live with... happy driving...

 

If it runs fine, I'd clean everything really well, ditch the cork gasket because it will leak sooner than the toyota FIPG. Slap it back together and drive it like normal and keep a quart or 2 of oil in the truck for the trip and just monitor the oil at each gas up.