I haven’t been able to work on my truck for the past couple of days for one reason or another. However every now and then I would start lurking everyone’s thread to see what everyone is up to.

For this posting, I would like to thank the many who have inspired me to have a little fun and start rebuilding a truck. Back in the 90’s my truck ended up sitting and I keep telling myself that I would start tomorrow. Tomorrow never came and my 86 4Runner just sat deteriorating. Still so interested in the 1st generation 4Runner and with the internet becoming so vast full of knowledge making it easier to obtain things better than before; I started to get the itch in 2009 and off I started looking at parts to rebuild. In search I came across Yotatech.com, 4x4wire.com, expeditionportal.com, 4runnerforum.com, Toyota-4runner.org, Toyotanation.com, ttora.com, ih8mud.com and pirate4x4.com. Reading each forum threads, I got more and more hung up on rebuilding my 86 4Runner. When I finally got the motivation to rebuild the 86 4Runner was so badly rusted on around the A Pillar, I decided to look for another truck and that journey start in the latter part of 2011. Finally around May of 2012 I found the truck, the truck you see here today. Only issue was it was 240 miles +/- away from me. I was determined to see this truck and I drove up with my son and checked it out. I thought he wanted to much for the truck as he had it only for a month and wanted to get rid of it. I saw the issues from the rust starting up to the sloppy paint job, to the shoddy work on the engine and elsewhere, but my son like the truck and so did I that I left him a deposit and told him I have to figure out how to get it 240 miles home, please give me a week and if I can’t come get it the deposit is yours to keep and he agreed. He called me a few a day later and asked me if I had found a way. I told him yes, I found a company who will do it for $200 he said great. About an hour later he called and said he would deliver it for that amount. I asked him if he was sure he said yes, so come that weekend he rented a uhaul car tow and towed it down here.

The truck was in running condition. You could hear the chain very slightly rattling, so I knew that the chain had to be replaced along with a bunch of other stuff. I drove the truck around the block each day, since I didn’t have a tag for it, I just wanted to keep it going. Prior to purchasing this truck, I had purchased a 22re engine to rebuild knowing that I will be replacing the engine in whatever truck I would purchase. Like I said I drove the truck daily around the block and this is while I rebuilt the 22re motor that was going into this truck.

Sorry for the long write up, just thought I’d throw this in here since I haven’t been able to get anything done in the past few days. Most of all I’d like to thank the following who have inspired me directly and indirectly (reading their threads):

Terrys87: Awesome threads for those who want info on engine and Body work. Can't thank you enough for your support and Wealth of knowledge.
ChefYota4x4: Same as terry and very entertaining thread. Wealth of knowledge.
Redeth005: Cool mods and very informative.
Coryc85: Nice build and currently heavy on the rear axle build. And all around nice guy.
Cyberhorn of the Dragon: Awesome build and mods, really enjoy his thread.
RBx: Like his build, has interesting mods.
87 Deathtrap: I was enjoying his post it’s to bad he’s left this site.
Rad4Runner: Nice build and very informative
Twistedyota: Nice mods and informative
Stanz: Great build, fantastic interior mod including the rear diamond plate.
Jason in Tn: Another Build you can’t pass to see, great help in repair the interior plastic moldings.
BlazeN8: Another good build thread
PismoJoe: Good build uses OEm Aisin parts and nice mods

All of these guys have inspired me to have a little fun and rebuild a 4Runner. I have loved the 1st Generation 4runner from day one when they first where released and ended up purchasing my 86 4Runner with 50miles on it brand spanking new and taking it out wheeling in Gainesville in the first 6months of ownership. I remember where were trying to sink in a mud ditch and couldn’t it would just crawl right out, in trying to forward and reverse my buddy the passenger at the time opened the door when I was in reverse. That was one heck of a mistake. We must have spent the night scooping mud out the truck

I’m not going anywhere as i hope to be for a long time like most. I still have my 86 4Runner to rebuild. My build takes time and I am not anywhere near a mechanic in profession or close too, this is like a hobby. Again, I just wanted to thank everyone for their inspiration and help directly and indirectly with my build and getting me back into the 4runners. I know most of you listed above have never posted on my thread, but your threads have help or inspired me. Oh and sorry for the long post and read.

 

Hey Junk - nice post

So where are you headed on the engine? With the metal shavings, are you still thinking this is a rod knock? This is super frustrating, I was really hoping it was something simple.

 

Hi Cory, Thanks...

I haven't been able to get to it yet, I'm hoping this afternoon i'll be able to do something. I still running remote support and it pisses me off that each software vendor blames the other and one of them is Microsoft. Ultimately I can see its the other software vendors issue.

Back on subject I will post what I find this evening. Thanks for chiming in.

 

Hey Cory, Got to run over to my moms house this afternoon, so i don't think I'll have time to look at the truck this afternoon. As well the fight continues with the software vendor who now states the issue is the computer and server.

PS: I got my want list complete thanks to se7enine here on the boards who also got another replay. It's Yours as promised, but i bet its a working unit for your plans. As soon as I have it in hands, I will let you know.

 

Before I get started, i would like to apologize to several people that I did not mention for there support and help. I totally blanked out that morning.


Gizler00: Whom has a wealth of knowledge in and around Toyota trucks. Only thing is I could never get over the fact that his name here reminds me of thanksgiving.
Philbert: Whom as well has an extreme of amount of knowledge and helps everyone on here he can. He has been a super help with me especially in my transmission selection.

Thank you guys and i do apologize for not mention your help and support.

 

Okay today I finally got around to do a little tinkering with the engine, with a slow dismantle.




Took off the throttle/plenum, by the way I saw a small puddle of fuel, could be from the injectors leaking. Stuck a magnet up the intake to see if any metal parts are floating around inside there, but everything seems good.




Removed most of the cabling from injectors, tranny, etc…




Here’s a better look at the engine without all the cable harness.





Started removing stuff on the driver’s side, Power Steering, etc…




Started removing the Exhaust manifold everything looks good so far. Stuck a magnet up into there looking for and foreign metal particles nothing so far.




Starting look at some of the stuff I took out and then notice this.












Could this be the issue? An exhaust leak at the header? This would cause some sort of knocking or valve ticking.

 

By the way the torque was spec'ed to 33lbs. I'm thinking it would be a good idea to get an extra gasket as well what do you guys think could this be the issue?

 

Thanks for the kudos, always happy to help where I can...had so many here already do the same...it's the YT way!

Sorry I don't have any good ideas on this. Personally, I had a mold ticking that increased with throttle...turned out my header bolts were not so tight as they should have been. Found out after my recent head replacement, now that the sound is gone.

Really hope you lick this and get to enjoying your truck soon!!

 

I dont think your ticking is the exhaust. Sounds to me like it is something else from listening to it. I would suggest getting a exhaust gasket from Toyota if possible. The aftermarkets just are not as good as the factory. I dont use everything from Toyota but that is one part I do use.

Glad I could inspire you on your truck. I do envy you that you was able to buy your 86 new and still have it even though it is needing some repair. Dont let the dream of getting your 86 on the road again some day get lost. It can happen. Do one project at a time. Finish this one before trying to work on the 86. Doesnt mean you cant have another side project going on a little at a time.

May seem contradictory as I do have a couple going on at a time, but it slows things down alot when you do that. Except for my pickup, they are driveable and that is what makes the difference. When it is just sitting, it feels like it is a money pit and you cant enjoy it. What you learn on this project will make doing your 86 alot easier and quicker. It is repeatition that makes restoring easier and quicker.

When you are waiting for parts or funds for the truck that you are working on now, and you have some extra time, you will be surprised at what you can do for $5 a week or so on your 86 to keep the dream alive and to move forward in a slow steady pace. A drill with a wire brush attachement and you can clean all kinds of parts. Rattle can paint is cheap for the next weeks $5 spending allowance.

Pull the interior out and give the carpets and seats a good cleaning at the carwash when you have spending allowance. Dont worry about that the seats and carpets arent new looking. It will make a difference and you are using what you have. If you have a bent bumper, use it, just do the best that you can to straighten it out and make it look better then it was before.

Cleaning and rattle canning any parts that you can take off and put back on will keep you busy along time and still feel like you have accomplished something. Only do one thing at a time and what ever you take off, put back on when done before starting another cheap project. Otherwise you will not remember where everything goes and when you do eventually get to the point of where you want to spend some serious time and money on it, it could lead to so much frustration that you may want to give up on it.


Luckily I have tore so many of these trucks apart and back together so many times that I know where and how things go back together, but as I felt the frustration of trying to get the right parts with the right nuts and bolts and have seen what others have gone thru, and have seen projects stop just because of this.

Having owned two new trucks and then building some junkers into some nice daily drivers, I still get more excitement out of the junkers over the new ones. Just something about knowing you made it with your own hands and each part functioning is because of you did. One reason I am trying to put all of the information and things I find on my 88Runners thread to help others in things that I had to find out the slow and hard way. I am trying to make it better then an instruction manual for alot of the things I find on these trucks and some common issues.

Eventually you will find out the ticking in your truck, and as frustrating as it is for you now, this is going to teach you so much, that believe me when you look back, you will appreciate the difficult time you are having now and will be able to help someone else out eventually. Believe me I have been there, and really if it was all easy, there wouldnt be any challenge in it, that you might would lose intrest in it. It is the challenges that really is what makes this addicting. That probably isnt what you are thinking now though huh? lol.. Hang in there, you will get it and the excitement that comes with it.

One day when you do start on your 86, I will do my best to give you a plan on how to get it going. I wont suggest tearing it down as far as I have on my builds. I didnt start out doing trucks as bad as I have on Yotatech and would never suggest to anybody to start with something as bad as I have, I gradually worked my way up to these challenges on alot more trucks before I found Yotatech. It was the challenges that made me go one step further then I had been before.

Another thing that makes working on these trucks fun, as long as you stay stock, alot can be done for cheap. Some of the fun for me has been instead of spending $60 for remaned brake calipers was using a $10 rebuild kit for the calipers. A remaned alternator is about $100, but brushes are $10. Getting my windshield bottle washers to work was a freebie, and I did it out of desperation and had nothing to lose.

 

Junk - I can't remember back to the beginning, but was your crank ground down at all by the machine shop? Did they measure it and make sure to put in the proper size bearings?

Check this guy's thread https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f120...83/index2.html

EDIT - ok, just went back to the first post and saw you ordered standard bearings, so I guess that means the shop did not grind your crank at all, right?

 

Hey Philbert Not a problem. I'm not much of a good poster and photographer, let alone a mechanic, but a reader I'm all there with a bunch of mistakes sometimes.

I'm hunting for theory on this issue, been kind of PITA trying to figure this motor out. When i purchased it, the motor was running fine just before I purchased it. It had water in the oil for a short time and the chain had did its job to the valve cover. here's a youtube video of the engine running before I purchased it to rebuild. This video is actual from the seller not mine.

 

Couldnt really hear a noise??

 

Hi Kornhuskerwizard, thanks for chiming in. The video above is actually not mine and was a video that the seller of the 22re motor made before removing it from that truck. I purchased it knowing that the chain was bad and the oil and coolant had mixed. There was not any knocking just a slight rattle which was the chain doing what it usually does tear a hole through the water port.

This video here is what i took recently without the belts after it was rebuilt. You can hear the knocking in this one.

 

ahhhhhhh sorry...Dude your engine is super clean!! How many miles are on it?
I hope you figure out your noise, im sure its a lil frustrating!!

 

Sorry about that I forgot to post the youtube video:


This is a video on the engine right now and you can hear the knocking. When I purchased the engine it had 190k on it.

 

HOLY BAJESUS!! ok i hear it now!! Ummmmmm have you pulled the valve cover while its running?

 

Hey Terry,

Thanks for chiming in. I can't let any possibilities pass me by, but my guess is the exhaust leak will cause a slight ping to the engine or somehow cause the engine to run leaner than it should be. My compression seems to be good on all 4 154-155, I guess that rules out Piston Slap. The rockers seem to have the normal play as I checked them the other day. However, I did the old trick of pulling out the spark plugs and seeing if the noise changes, but there wasn't much of a difference, sound seem to remain constant, though now that I think about I should have grounded the spark plug wire which would have change the frequency of the rod bushing aka Wrist Pin? When I get the chance I will start pulling the head off to see if I can see anything.

 

Yup, I've done all that and checked and adjusted several way to see if there is any changes. No changes even so, did the spark plug thing to see if there is a change. I'm currently dismantling it in steps time permitting.

 

Just read over this again, my bad. No I didn't running the engine while the cover was off. I didn't think that was a good idea as oil would of splashed every where. If you have done this, I would be willing to learn and stop before I remove the head. Let me know... Thanks

 

Hey Cory, I saw that post a few days ago as well as i was looking for some resolution.

The crankshaft was measured by the machine shop and they said it was in very good shape and would only require to be polished and standard bearings.

The one thing that has been in my head today is the knocking sound and what I have done to try and resolve. As a result of this mind bending thinking... could it be the wrist pins/rod pin bushing? That is one thing that was left as it was good, but I have my doubts about this one. reason being is I purchased new bushing for the wrist pins, but the machine shop said that they are good and doesn't need to be changed. I told them that I wanted it change, but they said it required a special tool on the press and couldn't do it then. So, my doubts are there on that