I found a decent 87 runner for sale on craigslist this morning and was wondering if anyone would like to throw in their two cents. It has a 2500 mile 22re rebuilt by a local shop, bone stock, automatic trans, decent paint, nice interior, $1000. The issue is that the guy says that the engine came from a 96 runner, but from photos it's obviously a 22re, and it destroys a flexplate about every 500 miles. This is what bothers me, dude doesn't know what he is talking about and automatics are garbage. So, do you think it is worth $1000 and swapping out to a 5 speed and if so, which year manuals would bolt up? I have a wrecker in the area that has about a dozen yota on property. here is a link to the craigslist url, let me know what you guys think.
http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/3745749682.html

 

I would run the other direction!

 

x2! Too many yota's out there for sale to deal whatevers going on with this guy. That just my 2cents.

 

I'm afraid that there is something wrong with the engine too, I might go take a look at it if the owner gets back to me, but as of right now I'm on the fence. I'm looking to pick one up to start working on and use as a daily for myself so I'm trying to avoid something with too many mods. Many of the yotas up here are rusted out or just destroyed in general, I'm just not sure if this is going to be something easy to work with or a money pit.

 

sounds like that rig can go either way....

 

That's what worries me, going to go check it out tonight around 6:00.

 

Okay, still waiting for my buddy to show up so we can go take a look at this runner. I've been looking around at this forum and a few others to try and find out what transmission will work for this runner. I'm probably going to go for a w56 or the r151. My problem is that I don't know what w56 model to use(A,B,C,D,E) or if it really matters. Does anyone know what the differences are and how to tell them apart? I don't know if I can even find a R151 around here, but I'm sure I can find a dozen w56 by next week.

 

you will probably have better luck finding Hen's teeth than an R151
looks like a $500 truck

 

And he says its out of a 96? Hmmmmmmm looks like a headache I would hold off.

 

Best to get a w56 a or b since they are the ones that came in that generation of runner. If you go with a later model one you will have to modify the floor for the shifter. The a and b have top shift transfer cases. C and later are forward shift. The way to tell a and b apart is the center piece that connects the two halves of the transmission together. A will be steel and B will be aluminum.

 

Well, the block was a laser block that they painted because they were bored. They also painted the valve cover, pulleys, distributer, oil pressure sensor, the data plate on the firewall, and just about anything else that might have looked like crap. they also had a starter sitting on the passenger seat for a v6 that a local shop had started grinding on to make it work with the 22re flexplate. I found some rust on the rear drivers side fenderwell and the passenger side drip channel that had been painted over too. $500 bucks is about all I was thinking of offering them. I could work with that.

 

Thanks for the info dude, I wouldn't be opposed to modifying the floor for shifters if the forward shift types are better, I just have zero knowledge regarding transmissions. I have never had any trouble with any of the trucks I have owned, so I never dealt with them. Also, I found a turbo xtra cab this morning with a blown motor and am waiting to hear back about the trans and t-case.

 

I think the top shift is the more desirable of the two

 

top shift is desirable for dual cases. no matter what, you don't want a chain driven case if you're gonna wheel it (which comes in a v6 rig). All 4cyl manual trans cases from 79-88 are gear drive. 89-95 G-series are Chain drive, 89-95 W56 are gear drive. Starting with the 1995 Tacoma, Toyota no longer offered a gear driven transfer case in anything it built.

personally, i think it doesn't really matter what t-case it has in the rig. if you're truly going to beat on the rig on the trails like a good toyota should be, then you're eventually going to be swapping in some dual cases with a 23 spline setup...and while you're in there you'd either swap out the tcase as a core or simply spend $100 on the forward to top shift conversion kit

 

I got a call last night from the guys saying that he had an offer for 1500 from someone and wanted to know if I would match it. I was on the fence at 1000, I think I'm going to keep looking. Anyone know someone with a 4runner in north Idaho for sale?

 

I wouldn't do it for more than 800-900. You could always put another engine and trans in if your worried about it and have the money. Otherwise, you can just wait till something better comes along. But at that price poit it's going to be hard to find anything different.

One of my students bought an 86 runner not running but really clean. Just needed a head gasket. But we ended up having to put another engine in it, timing kit, clutch, flywheel, etc... And he paid 1300$.

I would say if you could jump up to a price range of 2000-2500 you will be able to get something that you can just get in and drive. And tinker with it when you want.

 

That is a load of bull. Why would somebody offer more then the asking price. Especially for a pile like that. Dude just thinks you're a sucker.

 

X2 on this. Guys just a scammer trying to make some money.