OK, I'm new on here...and I have 2 questions for you Toyota enthusiasts out there...


First, the back story:

In 2003 I was on my way to Alaska from Baltimore, MD. The car I had died in North Dakota, about to cross into Canada at the Pembina crossing. In Grand Forks, I picked up a new ride from a used car lot; it was a 1994 Toyota Pickup with a 22RE and a W56 manual transmission, with 63,000 miles on it. I thought it was kind of a no-frills truck, but it was in the right place at the right time. So this was the base, base, base model, with no clock, no power locks or windows, no light in the glove box...nothing. It seemed right, though, for the trip up the Alaska Highway. I also had a topper on it ;-). It had been delivered to a dealer in ND, so it had a block heater fitted.

So, I put all my stuff in the back, tools, flight gear, all my worldly possessions, you know...and I set out across the border.

Well, I didn't find what I was looking for in Alaska, so after several months I turned around and came back to the Lower 48. The truck had performed alright, and seemed VERY reliable. It bothered me that the valves were noisy, and I couldn't understand why they didn't put hydraulic lifters in the damned thing; yes, the valves were adjusted per the book. Anyway, the truck never let me down, and it did occur to me whilst driving through the Yukon that if I ran into a jam "out here", I could be in a world of hurt. But the clutch seemed like it was healthy and the drive train never leaked, so, OK. I really liked the ground clearance relative to a car, too. I had never owned a truck before.

Nine years later I was still driving that thing. By then it had driven in -30 weather and in the Atlanta heat for summer after summer.

Then I sold it, for 600 bucks.

Seemed like a fair price. It had 221,500 miles on it. The clutch was original. I had changed the oil in it like 53 times. The coolant and hoses were changed every 3 years. I gave it a new distributor cap twice. I changed the front wheel bearings at 185,000 miles because I thought I should. I'd done the brakes several times. I changed the radiator and water pump before they ever leaked because it seemed like it should be done (the truck was maybe 14 years old then). I changed the starter once. Nothing ever broke on the truck, ever. The ball joints were original. The master and slave cylinders on the clutch were original. I bled the brakes and clutch with new fluids every 30,000 miles. Put in the LC Engineering timing chain kit with the steel-backed guides. I kept up on the valve adjustments. 3 new sets of tires. It never let me down. Never, ever.

So, then I'm in Atlanta and I got married to a woman back in Baltimore, after all those years. Well, I wanted an all-wheel drive vehicle cuz it snows there, right? The 1994 pickup was 2WD. Now, I made a lot of money and could have any car I wanted...anything. Well, I wanted a wagon with AWD and high ground clearance, and they hadn't made the AMC Eagle in quite some time, so I studied and studied and bought a Subaru Outback. I had to look a while to find a clean, used one because I wanted a 2008 model specifically, not the then-current generation (2012). These things were built to go to war, right? I remember them from when I was a kid and they weren't just everywhere like now. We knew somebody who had one, too. I researched the infamous head-gasket problem from the late-90's/early 2000's and it seemed resolved, etc., etc. My new wife had owned some from the 90's and she beat the hell out of cars, and they never flagged. So I paid cash for one with 27K on it. Had them rack it for me and I checked underneath and all that. Off I drove.

What a piece of POS. Really.

Really.

I really tried hard to love that car. The failures have been too numerous to name, but it is safe to say that it is of the lowest build quality of any car I have ever owned, and I'm in my fifties.

When I compare it to that bare-bones Pickup, I realize (daily): I screwed the pooch, Big Time.


So, that brings me to my questions:

1) Did Toyota ever make a 4runner or Pickup with the 22RE, 4WD and an automatic transmission? I'd really like one. Really. But, all the ads I've seen online are of trucks with 5-speed manuals. Yes, I can drive a manual transmission; I drove that W56 for 9 years, drove a Mack truck for a while, and I ride a motorcycle. I can drive a manual tranny. I want an auto so I don't have to keep putting down the coffee, picking it up, putting down, etc.

2) I gather the automatic transmissions from that era in the trucks were 340-series. Any good? Did they hold up? Did they all have gear-driven transfer cases?

The prices now for that generation of 4runner or truck seem outrageous for 20-something year old vehicles, but I can afford one if I want to. I've looked at new vehicles but it seems like they are all just disposable crap. I'm not sure I could buy that durable of a vehicle new at ANY PRICE. Good God.

Any insights on the above would be greatly appreciated!!!!


-Kevin in Baltimore (Soon to be in Pittsburgh)

 

I can only answer 1. yes they made them. Ive drivin a couple automatic 4cylinder toyota pickups and boy were they sluggish tho. Maybe consider a 1st gen tacoma or a 3rd gen 4runner with a 3.4 and an auto?

 

I drive an '87 4Runner, 22RE, Automatic Transmission, 4WD. I wouldn't call it sluggish compared to the Manual 22REs I've had. Personal opinions on that are going to vary though.

 

Sorry to hear about your experience with you later gen ride. I have an '89 2wd 22re 5spd, 191,000 miles. I plan to keep driving until I expire (now 75) no matter the cost. I also have an '08 Corolla, only new car I've ever bought/owned. 155,000 zero-issue miles. On the pickup Little stuff has been popping-up lately, Timing chain at 155,000, clutch at 170,00, front brakes at 175,000, Everything has a service life. I did the timing chain. Took it to a shop for the brakes and clutch. I hate brake work, and don't much care for crawling around underneath these days.Toyotas have been the least troublesome historically. This guy still recommends them, and his website is really useful. I've worked on my own stuff all my life whenever I could, and IMO he doesn't put out bs. Maybe you woulkd see something useful or give him a try answering your question? Worth a shot.

I actually prefer driving the pickup over the Corolla. Better ride quality and more comfortable (bench) seating. And, I can haul a motrocycle or a load of dirt. Made a couple of 900 miles each way round trips last year hauling motrocycles when I had to move into retirement. 70-77mph all day, 27-28 mpg, can' t beat it.

I hear ya' about traffic and auto trans, but I much prefer a stick. I was going to buy a new Corolla this year, but the hideous styling and lack of manual trans put me off.

Do you really need 4wd? I'll bet that Scotty would tell you that the Toyota auto trans were just fine. One of his videos he talks about why Toyota (Aisin) auto trans are more reliable. I wish that I knew when Toyota was going to discontinue making the original small pickups, I'd have bought one immediately in advance. My brother bought a new 2wd 4dr V6 auto trans Tacoma about 1991, and its been reliable so far. He complains about an oil smoke smell, and I just say "get off your dead butt, and change the valve cover gaskets" But he's like me now old and disinclined to dive under the hood or under the vehicle these days. Any way good luck on finding a reliable truck.

p.s. I was in AK '76-'80, Elmendorf, 17 TAS. Wonderful time

 

Subarus....the sad thing for us mericans is they mostly sold the v6s here whereas in most other parts of the globe they sold their more reliable 4bangers dominate.
theres a wide range of commuter cars id rather have than a 90s toyota truck. And i love 90s yotas!
1st gen CRVs would be at the top of my list. Suzuki sidekick, grand vitara, Rav4s.
but what you want is what you want and what you will care enough abt to continue investing in

 

Well, yes, the older gen Toyotas with auto trans DO exist, but a lot of people that I've read on these forums say that the older auto trans were just power suckers. That's why so many manuals are out there. People with the auto's usually either sell them, junk them, or convert them to manuals. Not like the 22R or 22RE had a lot of power to start with.
Personally, I've driven a manual since I learned to drive in my father's '57 Chevy step side P/U not counting a couple years I had a '73 (? I think it was) Pinto. I sold it fast and bought a nice Chevy Love, which is really an Isuzu Trooper II. Different body, same engine/drive train. It was a manual, 4WD, and I went 'wheeling near Glamis, Az. I loved that little truck.
Anyway, in 90 I bought my Toyota 2WD P/U, and I've been driving it ever since. In 95 I bought my 4Runner, so my GF could drive my 5 kids around. It was fun taking it out wheeling where I used to in my Love, too. Had THAT ever since, too. Biggest problem I've had with it is when my friend borrowed it, dropped the water pump/alt belt and overheated it. Repeatedly. He cracked the head in the process, and I took a year to replace it. I had to work on it in between work days, so it took me a while. As a mechanic, I make a great radar tech, BTW.

Anyay, point is, auto trans are easier, and believe me I know how important coffee is, but I wouldn't trade my 4Runner or P/U for the world! They fit my butt perfectly, and it get's bigger as I get older.
Two things to consider with the older gen Toy's, too. First, there are few auto theives out there that have a clue how to drive a manual, so there is that, and second, the older gens didn't have built-in cup holders! Definately a problem...
Personally, if I'm alone, I put the cup in the passenger seat and belt it in. Works nearly as well a a cup holder. When my wife is with me, well, there's my cup holder.
These older gen Toyotas were built to last, and they are sturdy and reliable. Yes, scour the net, used dealers, etc, but consider a manual. It's well worth it IMO.

I sure do wish I'd known you were selling yours for $600.00!! I would have JUMPED at the chance to buy it. That is a VERY good price, especially for one as well maintained as your's apparently was.
Pat☺

 

No they had beer/can holders!

Between 80 something and 95, there is a slide out tray either above or below the heater controls on ever single one I've seen and it holds a 12oz can.. Then for abit "we" went crazy and they super sized everything to a big gulp cup for a year our two. After that there was the "water bottle" craze, which coincides with the giant coffee cup for some odd reason..

..
I digress!

OP..

The a340, is a licensed version of the Borg Werner designed 340 which is manufactured by Aisin. And is a pretty reliable automatic transmission, assuming you keep the fluid level up and the tranny fluid cool.. I don't recall off hand what years are gear drive transfercase and which are chain, there is a handy chart on Marlin crawler's website iirc. There are various a340(e,f,g,h.. IIRC) versions which are all compatible with the 22re bellhousing.

Ye I'm old and there are lots of (IIRC) memory faults in there.

There has been a pretty big jump in the price of 80-90 Toyotas. Alot of this has to do with, #1 survivors are getting scarce, and #2 the number of restorations have increased, and finally #3 lots of these got shipped South of the rio-grande (where they are police/military fleet vehicles) because well Toyota reliability...

On that note, history! Toyota is the origin of lean manufacturing. Between the mid seventies and eighties they realized they were building things to much tighter tolerances than everyone else which cut into the production numbers, lead times, and profits. This has a huge effect on the popularity of the 22re, as it's right in the "sweet spot" of cost and reliability when they reduced the cost and still have a crap about reliability! (Might just be my opinion..)

 

Yes, when I put it on craigslist in late 2012, I was just swamped with replies...sold it to a famrer on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay; he seemed really grateful. For all I know it is still working his farm.

I really want the 4WD because I am moving to Pittsburgh as soon as the house sells; it truly is a city of hills and it snows significantly there.

My dream catch would be the short bed, extended cab, 4wd, 22RE with a 340 auto, and factory AC. I could care less about all the jazz they put on vehicles now; sensors and Bluetooth to the radio, etc.

It seems we have gotten far away from quality of the core vehicles mechanics and systems, in exchange for affordable glitz. I don't need the glitz.

 

They made a few 22re with the automatic trans but they did not make a lot of them. Every now and then I see one for sale but they are rare on the east coast.

 

All the turbocharged 4runners were equipped with a340's, could only.get.the r151 in the trucks.