yotayamin

Nobody's had this problem?

danskelly

Yes, it can be this difficult. :-)

Did you grease the input shaft of the tranny? I've found that will help with the removal, too.

crawyota

WHATS THE difference , in the 95 limited and the plain old sr5 4runners???
I got a 95 sr5 , and it is fully loaded, including factory 4.88's , and it isn't labeled as a limited....

yotayamin

Ahh, some advice! I'll try it today. Thank you!!!

yotayamin

I don't know, actually. Compared to my friend's basic 4Runner, it has sunroof, roof rack, keyless entry, leather, fake wooden trim here and there on the inside, tow package. Also a bunch of rust and a blown HG!

toddol1971

Did that blown HG come as an option. Seems like most came with it. You seem handy. I wish I had a woman like you. I could go hunting & you can fix the truck. Have fun in the heat.
Todd.

yotayamin

Hey danskelley, grease isn't helping, but here's more info.

Caliper measurements of the transmission input shaft are in the pic.

I can adjust the whole thing so that the whole engine can slide back and forth on that shaft with almost no pressure; it just stops solidly with a gap of about 0.65" between the cylinder block and bellhousing. The engine can be easily wiggled from side to side and up and down, and it's obvious that the pivot point is in the center of the bellhousing.

The measurements make me think the two sets of splines (see pic) are at least partially mated, given their length compared to the width of the gap.

Any more ideas, folks?

wii_tarded

I think the limited had leather, and the sr5 didn't. The keyless entry was an option??? on the sr5. Mine is a '91 sr5 and has power everything and sunroof.

yotayamin, good luck on the build. If the seats bother you, pick up some seat covers. That leather will get really hot there in Texas.

yotayamin

Ahh, finally got it in there! It's all a matter of getting it on straight.

For the next person, here's what makes it easier:

- If the transmission isn't sitting straight, put a jack under the rear to straighten it up.
- Raise the front of the transmission a couple inches with a second jack.
- Lower the engine in place, and try to get it mated to the transmission, even if not perfectly. When the engine is sitting on its own weight, you can adjust the engine sling so that the rear hangs down a little to match the transmission's angle.
- Now lift the engine back up. Making small adjustments to the two jacks, the hoist and the sling, get the angle and height of the transmission and engine exactly the same. The fit of the transmission input shaft and the torque converter should be very smooth, you should be able to slide the engine on and off with minimal friction.
- Have a wrench on the crankshaft pulley bolt that you can use to line up the splines. Also make sure the crank turns smoothly before you tighten up the bolts.

From here just try to adjust as well as possible. When everything's square, the engine should be close enough to the transmission that you can start putting the top bolts in.

wii, covers are a good idea, especially in the black truck. Too dang hot out there!

yotayamin

I heard the blown HG came as standard will all the 3VZEs. Ha ha! Yeah, I'm learning this stuff for the first time, but it's not too tough compared to the lab experiments I do at school, and I've got some help both in the driveway and here in the forums.

I'm sorry, Todd, but I'm spoken for, and besides, my husband takes me along when he goes hunting. Ha ha! (Where's the dove emoticon?)

danskelly

Yeah, the 3VZE's come with either burnt exhaust valves (because adjusting them is a ), or blown HG because there is an electrolysis issue with the block which can be solved by routinely flushing and changing the coolant system every 2 years... or both, like mine. :-)

Moral of the 3VZE is, regularly adjust your valves (full 8 hour job... boo!!) and regularly flush your coolant system, and you should be golden!

danskelly

I'm glad you got it on... Sorry I wasn't able to offer more, but if you ever have to pull the engine (or tranny) again, it should just slide right off... Very handy sometimes. :-)

So, what's next?

crawyota

oh okay , yah i got all that , with the tow package too....

yotayamin

I bet the grease helped too. I think the problem was at that very tip of the trans input shaft. Really tight.

Got the starter back in, heads back on, exhaust back together, valves adjusted (need to re-check), A/C back in. I've got a few more things I can do, like install distributor and alternator, and get a few things ready. But...

Now I'm stuck at the knock sensor. The connector broke when I pulled it off. Now waiting for another off ebay (I've already spent about 3-4 weeks waiting for parts, what's another week?). The dealership wants $200 for a new one!

Once that comes in, I can do the intake and timing belt, and it'll be all back together. One more day of work, maybe? It's been fun, but I'm ready for this thing to be done!

yotayamin

bshinn, drawing to a close on this thing, and it looks like you were right on with the costs. I've bought mostly Toyota parts for the gasket kits and lots of bolts that were missing or broken, and aftermarket (but brand-name) parts for things easier to get to, like the timing belt components. Total for parts, over $800. Consumables like grease, towels, gloves, magnaflux refills, cleaning supplies, and an engine hoist rental run another $200.

I did all the head measurements myself per the FSM (flatness, valve stems/guides, lifter/bore diameters, camshaft runout and journal/lobe diameters, plastigage, magnaflux and valve lapping), and no major problems. So yeah, you were right on. I guess you've done this!

When it's all done, if the truck actually runs, I'll post a how-to on the head measurements. Seems like most of the folks here just ship their heads straight off to the machine shop. If anyone in the Austin area wants to save a buck, my friend and I have all the tools between us.

yotayamin

YAYYYY! It started today!

Still waiting on a few parts to come through UPS (scheduled tomorrow) and then I can put the cooling system back together.

The only glitch to get it started was the distributor was off a tooth. I figured out how to hook up my remote starter switch to the starter relay, and found a cool way to make my vintage, non-inductive timing light hook up to the #1 terminal on the distributor with a little extension made from Radio Shack banana plugs. I'll post this soon.

Thanks for all the help and support from everyone!

yotayamin

So, if anyone's actually following this thread, I did a write-up with some details about the tools for setting up the timing the first time after installing the distributor. I used a remote starter switch, a vintage, non-inductive Sears timing light, and the official Toyota SST for jumpering the diagnostic block. Enjoy!

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...g-3vze-214349/

MB4runner

Good stuff, nice writeup. I remember doing the gaskets on my 3zve lol. Hopefully never again!

yotayamin

Got everything back together today. As I said the truck runs, but when I filled up the radiator with water, it blew steam out the tail pipe--exactly the same problem as before I took it all apart!

That's what I get for trusting Midas's diagnosis.

Compression test shows the #5 cylinder is low, but that could just be a valve that I didn't adjust right. Tomorrow's leakdown test should reveal that problem.

Now I'm trying to devise a test to tell which cylinder head the problem is in. Maybe just pull the plugs on one side and run it? No steam = that side is the problem?

Doing this job was so much fun the first time, I'm so glad I get to do it all over again!

GO_BLUE!

I've spent the better part of the last year working on my '92 3VZE Runner - - -

But my head gaskets are good... replaced along with the water pump & timing belt per factory recall about 45K ago. Did you give Toyota a call with your VIN to see if it was eligible for the FREE headgasket replacement?? (probably a BIG time & money saver there... if your Runner is eligible...) Other Runner owners have noted that Toyota is pretty good about replacing them if you put up enough stink, even if your 3.0 isn't eligible.

A couple things I've learned about my '92 auto 4WD SR5 (red w/grey leather interior) - - a.k.a. "Care and Feeding of your Rig":

1. The junkyard (pick-n-pull, or something like that) is your friend. The last cash-for-clunkers added a bunch of 2nd gen Runners to the mix, so finding parts for your '95 should be easy (and cheap!!) including that black plastic running board piece that you are missing... or the grey plastic seat-recliner piece that you're also missing. You can buy some pretty cool polished aluminum ones on the sfbayarea craigslist page... some guy in Sunnyvale make's em for $20. They do make your interior look better.... so does NEW aluminum screws ($4) on the grey plastic trim pieces that covers the edge of your carpet just above the running boards when you open your door(s). Also...whenever you go to the junkyard and scrounge parts from other 4Runners, be sure to take the black teflon steering stop caps. You'll need 'em eventually

2. Using Toyota Red coolant (not prestone green) mixed with DISTILLED water solves the electrolysis problem. Every two years or so helps save the headgaskets. Well, that and Doug Thorley headers! (keeps the heat away from #5 cylinder, where the HG tends to fail). Mobil 1 synthetic 0W-30 helps too, and be sure to use Toyota or Bosch or MAYBE purolater oil filters NOT FRAM!! You need 4.8 quarts but Wal-Mart sells the gallon (4 quarts) for $22 (get the green top "advanced fuel economy" gallon) and then a quart of 0W-40 "high performance" Mobil 1 ($6.50). Wal-Mart has everything... pickup a 4pack of superglue while you're there ($1) ... you'll use every drop.

3. You can't beat Toyota engineers. Going stock is, for the most part, the best way to go. That being said, a new air intake (ISR mod) and a few holes drilled in the airbox (underneath the air filter) are a worthwhile modifications. Advancing the timing a bit (from OEM 12 to 13 or 14) really helped my 3VZE idle a lot better. So did a new cap & rotor, and blocking off the EGR valve. Speaking of EGR valves, clean it out as well as the intake plenium with Easy-off ($3, gets rid of carbon) and carb cleaner ($2, Wallymart) as well as the throttle body for better air intake.

4. I think your Runner is the last year with the back window that rolls down. If so, IT'S GREAT!!! You'll love that retractable window... when you haul stuff (ladders & skis & such) it is great to put stuff in back and let it hang over on top of the tailgate. Plus if you are in a hot climate like me, rolling the back window down a couple inches makes for GREAT air circulation. But the back window needs care & maintenance. Roll the back window all the way down and then insert your key in the tailgate. Unlock the tailgate and lift up on the latch but DON'T let the tailgate open (put your body up against it). This "fools" the safety feature of the back window into believing that the tailgate is shut (and locked) when it really isn't. Then you can rollup the back window 3/4ths the way and still open your tailgate (it takes a little practice, but you'll get it). Now you can clean the inside of your back window AND you can remove the carpeting & black metal piece to get to your electric window motor while the tailgate is down. Grease everything up real good including the rails (they tend to rust) and don't forget to use silicon spray (Jig-A-Loo, $2.50) on the black rubber insulation that the window fits into when it is up.

5. The electric sunroof is fun too... just be sure to clean the drain hole once in a while (use a Q-tip) or water will accumulate and drain into your head liner causing a stain on the inside roof of your car. Greasing the sliders helps a lot, too....the glass will close tighter keeping the water out.

6. The front bumper is easy to replace with one picked from the junkyard... under $100. Remember I said Wal-Mart has everything? I bought 2 Hella fog lights cheap ($65 at Wal-Mart) and mounted them just under my bumper. Drill through the top of the plastic valance and INTO the metal bumper (hidden behind the top of the valance...there is just enough metal bumper for a good, solid mount) to mount 'em nice & secure I had to buy longer bolts to make that work. Wallyworld also has "racing" gas & brake pedals (with the holes in 'em) for $14 which is a big improvement over those stock little pedals. Wal-Mart also has the cheapest price on Seafoam so be sure to pick up a can of it while you're there too ($8)

7. RUST!! As you've learned, 4Runners rust in certain places. Yours LOOKS like it isn't too bad, but whether or not you chose to fix the rust, be SURE to grab a few cans of rubberized rustproofing (they go on sale: 2 for $10 at AutoZone) and lower your spare tire and rustproof....everything!! Especially the tow-hitch and rear bumper. Also underneath the running boards. I originally started out in Michigan so I've rustproofed AND used a can of black spray paint (0.97 Wal-Mart) to paint the entire bottom of my Runner including the rear wheel wells where rust tends to form on these trucks (as you've already learned).

8. Catalytic converters get stolen. This is because your Runner sits up high and it's easy to crawl under there and steal 'em.....they're worth $30 -$50 dollars or more at the recycler and some people are just douchebags. Mine was stolen in L.A. If it gets stolen, think of it as an opportunity to put a magnaflow free-flow cat on it, as well as a free-flow muffler (Borla or Magnaflow). It's a little louder but the increase in horsepower is quite noticeable. And they're smog-legal. Some companies make cat locks (there's a company in Toledo that makes converter locks $45) but just keep an eye on your truck if it's parked outside.

9. A GPS is fun to have (and increasingly invaluable) and if you get one, take out the vent just above the climate control (the two on the dash.... take out the right-side one) with a screwdriver (flat screwdriver, on the side of the vent...it pops out easy) and mount the GPS there. It's like Toyota knew it would be the perfect place to mount a GPS. And you won't miss that right-side vent. Also clean the vent as far back as you can reach cuz it blows out crap every time you turn on the fan until you clean it. I prefer Garmin cuz it gives me free traffic updates here in Cali. You can run the cord down the right side of your climate control & radio to cover-up that dash damage. And it covers up more of that silly fake wood-grain!

10. Yotatech and Pirate 4x4 and Toyota-nation.com and ttora.com have SO much information that you'll wind up spending hours reading through the forums. I'm not a mechanic and I'm barely mechanically inclined but I learned how to do most things myself (i've been unemployed and haven't the $$ to pay anyone... but I have LOTS of time on my hands!) even things that I thought I'd never be able to tackle. Like rewiring the fuse box under the hood this afternoon (it took me 3 damn hours, but I did it!!) The wire from the positive terminal to the fuse box behind the battery should be at LEAST 10-gauge! And upgrading the ground wire(s) to 4-gauge is a good idea too. The ground it just 3-4 inches to the left of the battery....screwed into the inside of the passenger-side fender. Speaking of batteries, be careful which battery you put in there. There's not much room between the battery posts and the (metal) hood when it's closed and you don't want the hood making an electrical connection on the battery.


There ya go.... Top Ten things I've learned since buying my 2nd gen Runner 3 years ago. 116K original miles and still going strong.... hopefully for another 200K. I hope that helps. And I hope you forgive me for mentioning the headgasket recall to you, after you've already torn your 3.slow apart!!

-Tom