So I recently got a stick shift 1993 sr5 v6 4Runner as my first vehicle. ive taken the running boards and mud flaps off which gives it a really nice look. I'm am not to sure about tire sizes and lift kits but I do want to get those done. So what are some first things I should do to my new runner? Also since I'm new to driving standard , anyone got some tips :p

 

Fix the neglected areas of maintenance !! there will always be some.

Most times about $1000.00 in parts .

Read up on installing a new clutch learning to drive a manual your going to need one soon

You really should have done some research first .

How many miles ??

Understand the love hate relationship with the 3.0

 

It's at 220k miles , driving standard is getting easy

 

Oh might I add, the previous owner had it well taken care of & was mechanic owned

 

Here's how I taught my kids how to drive a stick.

- Park vehicle on flat paved surface, flat enough so it won't roll either direction.
- Start engine with foot on clutch.
- Put in first gear
- With right foot flat on floor (no accelerator action), slowly release clutch until vehicle just starts to move. Continue to feather clutch until vehicle is rolling. If engine stalls, start over.
- Stop vehicle and repeat 3-4 more times.
- Now that you've found where the clutch takes hold, add accelerator inputs.
- Start driving.

The whole process took less than 5 minutes and they were off and going. The key is getting the feel of the clutch smoothly taking hold. Once you have that you're good to go.

As far as maintenance, I would check
- date and mileage of last timing belt change (70,000 mile change interval)
- date and mileage of last clutch replacement (as needed)
- date and mileage of last spark plug change
- brake pads/shoes thickness and rotor/drum health. Check for oil in rear brakes due to leaking axle seal.
- Make sure e-brake works, and use it regularly. It's what adjusts the rear brakes.
- all fluids

 

The e brake works .. The only thing that I've noticed is when I turn , like sharp but slow , it's make a weird creaking sound ..like a door would .. It comes from the front but mostly when I'm turning left

 

That's the front steering stops. Common problem. Toyota put a plastic cap on them at the factory to prevent squeaking, but it fairly quickly gets torn up and falls off. You can grease them to temporarily stop the squeaking, but it will come back. It's harmless to all but your sanity. I've never heard of a foolproof permanent fix.

 

Okay cool , I'm relived that it's a common problem 😅, but one thing I find hard about driving standard are hills

 

You might also want to read this thread.
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...k-3vze-187741/ It's a sticky at the top of this board.

As far as hills go, shift early and often. The 3vze doesn't like to lug at low rpms - its sweet spot for power is 3000-4000 rpm. That's not to say you should always run it that high, but when you start to bog down on hills, shift down and get the rpms back up.

 

Hey man , thanks for the info!

 

But I'm talking more about roll backs when you stop at a hill or slope

 

The driver's training method for starting on hills with a stick is to pull the e-brake, then move your foot to the accelerator and slowly add power while releasing the clutch, and disengage the e-brake when you feel the clutch start to grab. That'll get you going without rollback.

I still do that on really steep hills, particularly off road, but for normal driving most people just develop the knack of smoothly moving the right foot from brake to accelerator while letting out the clutch in time to catch the rollback but not so quickly as to stall the engine. Takes practice. Find a quiet street or a hilly empty parking lot and work on it a bit.

You can also do a "heel and toe" method (heel on brake, toe on accelerator) to manage both pedals at the same time. Again, it's best to practice away from traffic.

In really gnarly offroad situations, you can stop the engine, put the transmission in first gear with the clutch engaged, release the brake, press "clutch start cancel", and hit the starter. The starter will easily turn the engine over and start it with the transmission and clutch in gear, and you can give it gas and drive from there. Practice that, too, somewhere besides on the edge of a cliff.

 

Practicing on the edge of a cliff would a story to tell haha!
But yeah, I mean practice is the only way to get better