Horror Story:

So I have a 1998 4runner, original everything except aftermarket shocks/springs, tires and starter are all new.
I decided to check my spark plugs since they are the original Denso ones and this baby has seen 216,000 kilometers or 134,216 miles. I take off the ignition wires, and to my shock, 2 of the ignition wire's contact points were so rotten that they rotted out and stuck to the top of the spark plug on cylinder 2 and 6!!! At this point I am wondering if my 4runner was running short a few cylinders and I've somehow never noticed??

Anyway in Canada, parts are hard to get and extremely expensive. So I make shifted a new contact point from an oven igniter. Get 2 pliers and bent the gold contact to a cylinder shape like it is suppose to be. I then use an OHM meter to test each one, I set it to 20k and its getting avg 4.49 so I assume thats okay.

Now I try to remove the spark plugs but because the old contact was stuck on top of it, the socket would not make a connection to the spark plug nut because of the extra space. So I put the socket on and it slides down, I get a fat screw driver and crank it till it turns loose ( no pliers were long enough to pinch off that contact)

I start the car and it stutters and screams. I check firing order, wires and plugs again. It looks like cylinder 6 ignition wire contact fell out at some point during installation so I have to macguyver a new one AGAIN.

This was 3pm yesterday and it is 11:41am the next day and I am done. Car sounds fine, no weird sounds or stuttering/shakes. I'll post pics.

Also 2 of my spark plugs were cracked down the middle.

Cliffs:
sparkplugs were old, ignition wires were so old they were rotting from inside out
spark plugs were a pain to get out
wires were a pain and had to make new wires from an oven igniter !?!?!
Ordered TE66 wires from amazon.com, they better be good.

 

both doors on the bottom right corner are rusted one isnt to bad the other is growing bigger and aggravating me more and more.
Rear axle pumpkin is leaking (like 5 drips a day)
my climate control only works on high! cannot figure it out
my ignition needs replaced sooner then a later

but on the brighter side i just put a new starter in. changed the oil with fully synthetic. put a new pinion seal on. and waiting on my ignition to get in.

 

2 toyotas 2 many problems
91 ext cab all u joints in both driveshafts are toast plus the carrier bearing and dented driveline
power steering pump squeels bad and is going out
power steering box leaks
knock sensor is bad
tire had wood chip in the bead

84 ext cab
both electric windows are about 1/2 short from going up all the way hinges are bad pass side door doesnt open from the inside
brakes are bad
tires need to be balances

but there toyota they still keep going!

 

Radiator started leaking. Just replaced in april this year. Will return it and order a metal one this time. Stupid plastic piece of crap.

 

i agree 100% axle seal. you mentioed it might be exspensive. why?? brakekes and a seal are pretty cheap out here. besides a can of brake clean outa clean it up nicely with out buying new shoes un less its been burnt in alot.

 

Got a nasty vibration on cold start. Smooth out some upon warming up and fan clutch disengaging. I thought I ran over something a week ago-----------I did, fan blade busted off. I would like to get a factory one, but probably pricey.

 

Front bumper bent, radiator support bent, power steering pump not up to par. New bumper, new radiator support, new radiator, new power steering pump..... Just a little work to complete before my April trip to Harlan, Ky.

 

I think the question for mine is what isnt wrong.
Bad vac. Lines
Busted dash
Holes in driver and passenger floorpan
Oil leak out of crank seal
Leaf springs with negative arch
Factory seat torn
Large frame patch behind cab
Bed has more holes than you can count on 2 hands
Tailgate latch broken
Speedometer doesnt work
Passenger door only latches when slammed really hard
No ebrake
Bad exhaust system
Radio doesnt work

Well i thats all i can think of for the moment
I guess this is what you get in a 250$ truck that

 

A very tired 22R. So I gave it away and put in a 3RZ, completely rebuilt with LCE Performance master kit. Runs great. Noticed a clunking noise occasionally but couldn't pinpoint it. Brand new water pump(in the kit) started seeping at the paper gasket, so it got replaced by a Toyota pump with metal gasket. Problem solved. But.... While I was installing new replacement belts, I noticed the crank pulley/balancer moved a little. When I grabbed it, it was loose. So upon further inspection, the crank bolt worked loose allowing the pulley to get loose. This allowed the crank pulley to wiggle back and forth and has worked a perpindicular groove on the inside of the crank pulley. So I removed the pulley, cleaned everything up and reinstalled in the proper location with blue Loctite on the bolt. Tightened it up as tight as a 1/2" breaker bar and 4lb sledge would tighten it. Noise gone and no movement after 3K miles. Now my front crank seal is seeping a bit. I must have damaged it fiddling around with the crank pulley.

So a new balancer/pulley, bolt, and crank seal are soon to happen. Along with figuring out the oil filter housing leak that won't go away even with new Toyota bell shaped o ring and Ultra Black silicone assistance...

And my blower fan only works on high and medium-high.

Tachometer doesn't work yet with new ECU(potentiometer adjustment requires cluster removal).

 

My 01' has numerous things needing replacement.... the rear lift-gate licence plate mount is f^©£€d, so that needs replacement, along with rusty end-caps/rear bumper, and all the shocks/springs are pretty much gone, but I'very got some tundra Billys along with some Eibach 3inch lift springs for the front, paired up with the land cruiser set-up in the rear that are all in the mail (or soon to be bought). I actually just got done fluid filming the underside of the beast about an hour or so ago, so that's done, but that's pretty much it (until something else goes.

In case someone was wondering I used a 50/50 mix of Fluid Film from a gallon can bought at the local Auto Zone, and some automatic transmission fluid. Used a spray adapter for my air compressor with a can attached to it and it worked great.

 

Dont know what it is but my motor ticks. oil and everything is good. need a new MAF. Rear end sags and my passnger front 4x4 axel boot is ripped. so i cant mud until thats fixed. my passenger fender is gapped from the truck the passenger door is dented and cant pull em out. the hood doesnt line up with the passenger fender when its closed. just think of it as a project when it all gets done youll wanna do more. and change it around beef it up

 

tailgate trim is cracked, manifold is warped, the wiring is all screwed up, gas door broke off, slight rust, back seat is missing, cruise control lever broke off, needs a speedo cable, center console is loose. headliner is ripped, climate control face plate had a hole and the light to illuminate the climate control goes on and off. oh and all the wiper motors except the drivers are burnt out. most of this i just need the time to fix though. theres more wrong with it but this is all that's "broken,"... lol.

 

check to see if you have an exhaust leak. if you dont, adjust your valves. those are common "tick," causes.

 

I think its the valves my exhaust doesnt leak but nobody around here will adjust em for a good price cause their so hard to get to and adjust

 

i dont have a 3vze, but i do have a 22rec, and if you can take the valve cover off you can adjust the valves. it took me 30 mins to do my 22re. i imagine it may take you more time but all you need it a screwdriver, combination wrench, and some feeler gauges.

 

Busted Speakers and my battery terminals are loose have to nock em sometimes to make her crank

 

broke head light mount front of the body isnt lined up straight

 

i was wrong, youre right, its a huge pita. way different than a 22re. my b!

 

Pos v6 this motor sucks also rear window only works sometimes

 

not to many things borken on my 99 runner