well, ive owned a couple toyota trucks and always wanted a 4runner... so i traded my 74 vw bug for a new toy and heres what i have. (see pics below)

THIS WILL ALSO BE MY BUILD THREAD (LAST UPDATE: 3/13/11)
(and i like lots of pics and video, so stay tuned!)

its has a few problems. already have a lot of it apart (removing lift blocks for the zuk coil set up, new timing chain, oil pump, water pump ect..)

its does have a rough idle and its a little hard to start. sometimes it does idle okay though... and it doest make any power until about 3k rpms. it runs kind of like a 2stroke... pretty weak below 3k then when you hit 3k it launches like you hit the powerband. the engine is stock. i will say it does NOT have a cat... the PO straight piped it with a super 40. the 02 sensor is bunged into the pipe though. its had most of a tune up i think. whire and cap look new at lest. ill check the rotor button. ill be replacing the plugs, air filter, fuel filter and thoroughly clean the TB. after its running right, ill address the minor rust. any suggestions on why this truck has a "powerband" and is weak below that. i cant do more than about 65 on the highway in 5th. fourth will get me higher, but the revs are way up of course. it does have an intermittent check engine light too. i will pull the codes as soon as i figure out how. haha. it also has everything wired on a switch in the cab on the dash. if you flip on the switch, the gauges and everything come on and you can start it, if you flip it off it wont do anything. kinda lame.

cant stand the goofy front bumper either. ill be putting on a stock bumper until i can get a nice tube bumper with a stinger and winch mount.

mods are:
4inch trailmster lift (blocks rear.. front i dont know) the real leafs actually still have some positive arch!
big goofy lights on the back of the hard top
super 40 muffler
home made redneck front bumper
31inch ATs

my plans are to build a road trip worthy mild expo rig. something not to hateful on gas i can drive into the mountains one week, and to the beach the next with some camping gear, my dog maybe my kayak/raft and some paddles maybe my mountain bike and some other random gear.

no REAL plans have been made to achieve that. id just like to get it running right first, then get it cleaned up and address the rust. then ill start building a mild rig. im open to any and all suggestions!

heres pics:









and i just love this thing... though im not sure it works properly... i think it needs cleaned up:

 

nice runner, oh and that switch you think is "lame" is actually freaking awesome. you can park it with the top off and not have to worry about anyone else stealing it. theyre even cooler if theyre up under the dash.

EDIT: no offense but either ditch that front bumper or it needs to be worked on, WAYYY too big and ugly IMHO. buit everything else is sweet, i want an inclinometer!

 

honestly man ,you shouldnt really put any money into it just yet, wait until you get the title thing straightened out.

 

haha, yes! as you where replying, i was editing and mentioning that i hate the bumper.

and.. with the switch off... itll still start... it just has no gauges. haha. i was told it was "to save power while winching"... as you can tell by how well use the winch is...


the title is good to go. i spoke with the guy and we came to an agreement. all is well.

and i def have to work out the running issue and put it all back together. as it sits (besides the fact the front end is tore off as well as the head) i wouldnt and wont be driving it much. its really kind of a bear to drive with no low rpm power.. i mean it makes enough power to get going... but more than 10 or 15 minutes it sucks and you have to hold the clutch and to foot the brake and throttle jap drifter style to keep it running while trying to stop.

zing!

 

Nice I love it! Reminds me of my own 1st gen, including the must-have inclinometer!

 

and you know the thing about that is... im not sure it came on this truck... its just kind of sitting there. theres holes in the dash but its not bolted down. kind flops around when you hit a bump. i will be taking it off/apart and giving it a good cleaning. anyone have a recommendation for a light plastic safe lube for all the gears inside there?

and/or a link on how to service and calibrate the thing?

 

nice rig man good luck with your build I will be watching I love these 1st gens.

 

thanks! ive been trolling this site for what seems like a couple years. i was a toyota mechanic for a while (before i went back to college and became a raft guide) and decided i was some day going to get a 4runner and have at it! i will always do my best to reply to everyone as i build and answer any questions the best i can.... im sure ill have plenty to ask too! haha.

 

good luck

 

I have a 85 t4r with the same issues. Mine sat in a field for 7 years before I drug it out and revived it. New fuel pump, filter, 02 sensor and probally 10 bottles of seafoam and my power issue was resolved. I can now take off without reving engine up to 3 to 5 grand to take off. Still not too fast on the highway but tires have alot to do with that 33/12.50/15 swampers. But over all she is a beast on the trails.

 

if you hate that bumper so much i will gladly swap yah! have a stock bumper on my 88 lol that thing looks tough!

 

one of the several things on my list of things to too.

im in ohio. you pay shipping both way and its yours for free!

 

so last night, since im waiting for some parts, i decided to take apart, clean, lube and reassemble the inclinometer. basically self explinatory how it comes apart. just start removing scres and put them back where you found them when done. i cleaned it all the mechanisms, then lubed with wd-40 (all i had on hand) and i claned and polished the face with mother chrome polish (also all i had on hand) does look EXACTLY new, but looks a lot better. also works perfectly.








pretty scratched up


used windex for general cleaning and dust removal. mother chrome polish to polish the face of the assy


reassembly:


polished face:


cleaned and reassembled. i am missing one of the knobs. it was missing when i got it. none of the knobs have the retaining screws. (makes for a challenge to calibrate the pitch gauge.. hard but doable. the face still have some minor scratches but it looks 10x's better. the gauges roll fluidly as well. not jumpy and catchy like before.


any questions, feel free to ask. also, if anyone has any of the knobs and screws there willing to sell, do let me know! if you have any other options for knobs!

cheers!

 

Welcome! This is a great place, and there is a lot of great information here.

I also recommend getting the title figured out. Until then, you are spending your time and money on someone else's truck!

I wonder if you might have a vacuum leak somewhere. Go over all your hoses and check for cracks and blockage. If there is nothing evident, start the car and let it idle (if you can) and spray a mist of water near the hoses. Any change in RPM indicates a leak. You can work with the water to find where it is.

You can check codes by crossing one of the contacts in the engine compartment and noting the flash pattern of the CEL. I believe the exact method is in the newbie faqs. It's pretty simple, and only involves a paperclip.

MC

 

hey, thanks. as far as the title goes. its taken care of. turned out there was no issue at all. i have a title in my name (as stated above).

as far as the water is concerned, i prefer carb cleaner. i will actually just be replacing all of the vacuum lines with new (standard rubber) house. not a big fan of silicone... to many stories and one personal instance where of silicone lines getting hot and collapsing. the lines on the 4 runner now done look bad, but vacuum line is cheap so ill just replace it all for piece of mind. 22 yrs and 217k miles, it wont hurt to just replace them. ill be up starting reassembly by about wednesday.

i wont be doing write ups on the timing chain or anything.. not yet at least... there are TONS of good write ups out there.

my biggest concern is whether or not the cat converter, having been removed is messing with the 02. like i said, the downdraft (after cat) 02 sensor is installed into the straight pipe exhaust.

that being said, i know for a fact the throttle body is filthy and the TPS is original.

i am looking for a write up on MAF cleaning. i can clean it with MAF cleaner, i just was curious as to other peoples experiences with cleaning it.

thanks!

 

just a quicky update:
my truck wont start now... its got a starter problem... probably a bad starter or relay... need to test.

got the interior cleaned out and ill rent a rug doctor to really go to town on it.

also, probably needs a TPS and o2 sensor... as soon as those are replaced, and its starting consistently... ill be in business.

 

after a couple days work, and a bit of PROPER rewiring of a few things... the truck starts every time. i pulled out a ton of the interior and deep cleaned my seats with a rug doctor... worked awesome... the carpets are cleaner but i was under no illusions of them getting super clean.. ill just have to find replacement carpets (any suggestions???) heres some progress pics and before and after pics, and a couple videos of the crap that came out of the seats and carpets!

crappy fuel pump wiring from the PO... all rewired properly with soldered and sealed joints:


the order of switches for reinstall ref:


just a few of the cleaning supplies used:


running and testing wires and trouble-shooting (note the nice rust hole):


one of the seats before:




after a good deep clean with the 20 dollar rug dr:


the tool used (i used tide concentrated laundry soap, generic oxy power and spot treatment):


spot treat all REALLY bad spots with this (thes rug dr like hell):


back seat... right seat cleaned... left not:


the muck from the seats and carpet (the water was BLACK!):



and heres some vids (sorry there are 2 of each video... not sure why it does that??):
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KEtlR00lW8[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5l1Fh-q2gw[/YOUTUBE]

 

glad ur able to clean it. makes a world of differance

 

yeah, just the diff in smell is incredible! totally worth it.

 

well, sorry for the crappy cell phone pic... but got the 4runner cleaned and back together and took it for a drive!


list of things still to do:
replace o2 sensor and TPS
fix rear window
get a set of keys made for the doors
get a new top
replace tail light
fix rear brake (maybe rear disc conversion?)
zuk mod
roof rack
start fixing rust holes

load up my crap and drive 3000 miles west!!!

any suggestions for prepping the truck for a long road trip???