Tracewalk

Hi-
So I've seen 1 other thread like this, which was informative & helpful, but looking for specific feedback to help decide what to do... My '88 4runner has been running great, then all of a sudden overheated violently driving back to a farm job from lunch... Looked at it & there was white gunk in the oil cap, as well as on the dipstick tried putting more coolant in, but it just eats it like crazy. No external leaks, drove it maybe a total of 12-15 miles hot.

I know that there are rebuilt 22re's for about 1500 on eBay, have no idea as to quality of them... I guess I'm wondering, if I were to drop 1500 on an engine, + ?? On labor, could I expect to cruise smoothly for years after?

I tend to take a few cross country trips a year, with intermittent city/commute driving...


I'm trying to weigh my options, I guess between a new engine, & looking for a different ride... I have been looking at an 88 xtra cab with ~150k on the engine & 212k on the body... Some poorly repaired rust on body but otherwise looks clean, I think I can get the guy down to 2 grand for it.



I really appreciate any advice, suggestions or experiences with this



Thanks for looking

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Griswald

Well, I JUST put a new 22RE in my 89 Runner.
I'm guessing you're like me and do not want to attempt a rebuild yourself

There's a post right next to this one about 22RE performance...check them out
Snoobds started the thread years ago...I actually just posted on it today, since I got my new 22RE from them.
As of a couple months ago, Snobbs is still running just fine....SO....

1. If you are willing to wait a few months and have the extra $$, Jim Putney at 22REperformance has the best reputation.
2. You could find someone in your area (where are you, BTW?) to rebuild it. Make sure you use good parts. ideally OEM
2. You could do an engine swap, something w more HP - but you'll need to find the engine, and the right person to put it in - they'll need to re-wire it.

Bottom line: if the frame and body of the vehicle are in good shape, it should be worth spending the cash to fix.
Just make sure you get a good engine, or make sure its re-built right. the previous owner of my truck rebuilt the 22re about 25K miles before it blew a gasket on me...my guess is, he didnt do a good job - used an aftermarket gasket, etc...
If you've got a lot of rust, etc...might be more effective to look at another vehicle - you could always sell your for parts, etc.

Tracewalk

I'm kinda stuck in wayyy northern Maine rn, kinda need to be out of here by August... Pretty tight budget honestly, but how much did that motor put you back?

body & frame are pretty clean, I just need a vehicle asap so I can get to odd jobs & make more $ to get outta here after
​after... Mechanic suggested that he knows a guy with another 22re that was running when he pulled it... It seems like if I go for the xtra cab I would have a running truck for 2k, & if I get a rebuilt engine put in the 4runner it'd be @ least 2.5k? & @ some point in the next year probably need new shocks @ least...

Part of my dilemma is that I'm all the way up here by presque isle, & I don't think there are really any yota specialists anywhere nearby... If one of those 1500 22res off eBay was actually good quality I can see that being worth it tho..

JJ'89

For sure, the head is warped. Damage to the rest would be disclosed after teardown. If you could do it yourself, still gonna cost a lot, and machine shop work is a crapshoot unless you are sure. Sounds like a "long block" would be your best bet. Still need someone to R&R engines. $$$ add up quick. $1,500 not much toward a "new" engine installed.

Sounds like my friends '86... steam and indicated hot on the freeway. Couldn't (or elected not to) shutdown and pull over right away. It had 365,000 miles on it. He hated to part with it, but I followed him the few blocks to the junkyard, steamin' out the tailpipe. They gave him around $150 for it.

Hindsight...you might get away with continuing with overheat engine iron heads and block. I did once with a Ford 390 V-8. Aluminum head? Not likely to get away with it. Good luck.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

It sounds like no matter which direction you go in fixing your 4Runner your paying Labor to get this work done.

If by this you mean someone you know willing to do the work for less then $20.00 per hour rather then the normal shop rates of $50.00 an hour plus !!

Since it seems you need something to drive

Have you kept up with the other maintenance Suspension, Steering , Brakes and Tires

If the answer is Yes I might think about a New Engine Then you really don`t know what is wrong till your is pulled apart

Buying the other Truck one never knows that could easily become a money pit.

I can`t live with only one vehicle having only one puts so much more pressure on making decisions

Quite easy to say fix the 4Runner if there is no time limit and pressure.

I can only say go with what you think is best for you .

I can only say many years ago in a similar situation I elected to replace the engine looking back I should have just sold the vehicle and walked away I was only 19 lots of life experiences since then.

Tracewalk

Ya shop rate here is 50/hr, waiting still on an estimate for what installation would be.

This is the pickup I've been looking at:
https://maine.craigslist.org/cto/6174840797.html


I haven't had suspension, brake or steering work in maybe 2.5 years but tires are brand new on the 4runner, so if I did go with getting a different ride I'd definitely swap those off

& Yeah, I guess it could've been the timing chain sawedthru a hole thru the cover, but I feel like even if that was the cause of oil & coolant mixing, it overheated so badly that I suspect the HG also blew as a result, basically pretty positive that that engine's toast for all intents & purposes...


Thanks for all input, really anything is helpful rn

Griswald

If your mechanic says he knows a guy w another 22re, than look into that. You could probably just have that one installed in your budget.

Then see if you can sell your core/engine to offset the cost.

...quick question - in winter, do they salt the roads up there?

Tracewalk

Ya, I'm waiting to hear what the guy would want for it, & how many miles are on it, etc- all I know rn is that he pulled it from a truck because he thought it was still good, & scrapped the rest...

I assume they salt the roads here cuz winter is intense & long, I'm just visiting friends up here, usually I'm either in chicago or CA

millball

These trucks are 30 years old, some older. A couple grand for a quality rebuilt engine is peanuts.

Buying a different 30 year old truck is a poor bet. Better to repair the one you know. The cheap often turns out expensive.

It is near impossible to buy any new car without putting several thousand down and paying two to four hundred a month for 4 or 5 years.

If you can't afford a couple thousand dollar repair on a machine you already own, you probably can't afford any kind of car at all.

Tracewalk

K I guess everything except poor-shaming is helpful. A couple Grand may be peanuts to you, but not to a majority of people in this country, & not to a single person I know.

Also, not necessarily true. For instance, if I don't check my transmission's health first, & pop a new motor in, there's a chance I'd be more fk'd than if I got a new whip, which I would also get checked out before moving forward with. I'm trying to be careful in both directions.

Additionally, my 4runner is the last ~30 y.o. truck I've bought, & has gotten me from chi to CA & vice versa 10+ times, round trip with minimal problems... + Daily driving & the trip here... I used to have a 45 y.o. motorcycle bought for $500+300 in repairs that made the trip from chi to CA as well... Just saying, you never really know how well a machine will treat you. I'm poor, & trying to cover my bases, while considering my options & $.
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Tracewalk

My understanding is that there is some risk in both options.... My main concern is being mobile & ready to go cross country ASAP, & trying to best avoid dropping a bunch of money & then having to drop more. I know it's probably be unwise to just change the head gasket, as the block is gunked. If I do put a reman/rebuilt in, want to do my best to preemptively make sure nothing else will fail shortly down the line.
there is also an appeal to the xtra cab, as they're way more practical to camp/live out of than the 4runners. Considering dropping a bill to get a diagnostic run on the pickup, & then if it's full of problems i spent a hundo to avoid having a Lemon, & put what I have left into new motor for the runner.

millball

It certainly was not my intention to 'poor shame you' There's a good likelyhood that you make more money than I do.

I pride myself in knowing what best to do with the small money that comes into my hands though.

There is sometimes truth in the old saw: "Poor people have poor ways".

I'm just trying to talk good common sense with no wish, hope, or good luck thrown in.

I don't know what you mean about checking the health of your trucks other components first??? There is no one better able to assess their condition than you, the one who operates it every day.

The other guy who hopes to sell you his old beater likely has made his own assessment of that machine and he hopes that you won't see its defects as clearly as he does.

Tracewalk

I thought my engine was doing Great until very suddenly it wasn't , intentionally not assuming the rest is.

Tracewalk

I thought my engine was doing Great until very suddenly it wasn't , intentionally not assuming the rest is.