Nice 4runner, I have not had a chance to read all the way through but I am sure I will be coming back to your build to assist with mine. I appreciate your help on mine so far. I am sure I will be running into things that I will need a lot of help on the deeper I get into mine. Nice work so far.

 

Hey Terry just checking in. Wish I had more time to read all my subscribed threads more regularly. Glad to see Chef helped you out on the check engine code issue. It's amazing how often the answer is so simple, and odds are you'll be able to help him on his next glitch. Cheers!

 

takeitoutgetitdirty..Thanks.. I try to help where I am can. Just ask and give it my best shot. Also on my first post I listed all of the fixes I ran into. I think I experienced about all of the most common ones and tried to make my fixes no cost or low cost fixes.

Hello Dutchbelly.. I know you been busy. I have been a little busy my self. I know how that goes. Yeah, Chef saved me on a goof. I was so sure it was 86 and down that had the different codes. Once I seen it in the manual, I couldnt believe I did that. Doh!!

 

I was having a cold starting problem with the runner. I took the meter to the sensors and all checked out great. I then looked at the contacts and they had some corrsion on them and gave them a good cleaning and all is great so far.

I have fixed several things like this in the past and wanted to let others know that if a sensor is failing, first check contacts. Might save a few dollars and some time.

When I worked in the electronics field, a good part of the time that was all that was needed.

With Thanksgiving coming up we will be doing alot of traveling to see the families. We are going to use the 88. The wife has been wanting to get some stripes put on it and we took it in and should be getting them on next week. She was wanting to have them on for this week as the last time my in-laws seen it, it wasnt looking so good.

We really enjoy driving this 4Runner. She has basically kicked me out of it. I use it to pull a trailer and if I leave something in it, I usually find it back in my truck or the shed.hehe..Its all good. But it is a fun little truck to drive.

I think the ones she is having made will look really good on it. She is personalizing it to the way she wants it. I tried to see if the Supra AFM would work on the air box, it is going to need a new air pipe assembly, which I figured it wouldnt work without modification, but was hoping anyways.

Told her I might swipe the Supra AFM back from her if I get into another 22re. She said no way.lol

Hopefully will have some pics of the stripes next week.

 

I am at 1700 miles til I hit the 300,000 mile mark. I dont drive it nearly as much or would of had it there already. The wife drives it mostly.

She has always had the run of the mill cars and wanted something that she could make her own. The other car she would like which is out of the budget is a 69 Firebird. That is way out of our price range. She has several other plans for this truck. Just will be slow.

Other then the Cold Start Injector being corroded up at the connection, havent had any problems with it. My brother thought the 01 Runner was broke or something and I said no, we just like driving the 88.

Still need to get the transfer switched out and will eventually do something with the seats.

She is into her dream catchers, got the side stripes added and Mistys toy on it. I know she has several other things she wants to add to it. I want CRUISE CONTROl. That is my biggest complaint right now. Other then that, it is a fun little truck to drive.

She wont be able to complain when I get on my project again. heheh.

 

Love the '80s side graphic! There's no way around the fact that these are '80s trucks, so I'm all for a bit of nostalgic styling!

 

totally changed the look of your runner Terry. looks great. also nice to hear your wife likes it so much.

 

good match with the seat covers

 

Thanks Zelephant..It is 80s, some of the stripes are kind of Toyota in that era. I was looking at the newer cars on the road and most were just on solid color. It does set it apart, not like there are many around here anyways.

Hello Jason..It helps with my hobby of getting her support. She understands why I like to tinker on these. She still isnt going to get involved in the tough work though.lol

Hello Outsane... She knew she needed to match the colors to the interior. I notice if a car is repainted and doenst match the interior. Just one of my little quirks. One of these days will get the seats reupholstered. Just going to be awhile.

 

The runner has been running great. 1400 more miles and I hit the 300,000 mile club. Have been having some starting issues with it while cold. I knew it was in the cold start area of the truck.

I had alreadjy cleaned some green gunk/corrosion/build up on the Cold Start Injector connection and seemed to fix it when it was in the 30s degree weather. The other day it wouldnt start til it got into the 40s and fired up fine.

I took the Cold Start Injector Timing Switch off of my blue parts truck and cleaned the sensor and put it in and it is currently 17 degrees now. The motor may have turned 3 complete revolutions and fired off and sounding great as normal.

I took my old sensor and put it by the stove and ran the resistance check and it was right in the middle. I then put it in the freezer for a few hours and it was right in the middle of where the resistance should be.

I really think this sensor is good, it just had a bunch of that green corrosion built up on it. This cold weather coming on, might just need to pull it and give it a good cleaning.

 

I did that very thing, "A Good Scrubbin"! lol.

 

Terry - great thoughts on cleaning that cold start timer, I have one off an extra intake that I'll clean and check the resistance on....my truck has a little issue with *slighty warm starts, starts fine when completely cold, starts fine when fully warm, but an hour or so of cool down and I have to hit the throttle to get it to start. Anyway, cold start timer will be my first check. You're always right on top of this stuff.

 

Great job and upgrade on the new storage pockets you did in the best junk yard mods :}

 

Dude that's exactly what my gauge does !!! Have you ever figured it out ??

 

Thanks cory85..Got it cleaned and it is working like achamp. Have had some cold days.

Thanks john4wd..Those pockets come in handy.

Hello EFI85..I havent been wrong yet on this, but when I have talked to people that have this problem, it is because they have the rear heater option, sitting between the 2 front seats. Somehow water gets warmed before the thermostat opens and reaches the guage.

When you have the heater option, you are supposed to use Part # 90916-03070 for Dual Stage Themostat.

I havent put in the correct thermostat myself yet but since I now know the cause, I quit worring about it. Also talking to others, with the rear heater option, the rear heater will start putting out warm air before the front heater.

It isnt anything to worry about. If by chance you dont have the rear heater, but I am hoping you dont prove me wrong,lol..another possibility is the temp sensor has a hard water build up on the water sensor behind the thermostat.

On Page 15, #353, I show the sensor all dirty and then it cleaned up, that will fix your water guage from bouncing all over the range of temperture, but I am still betting you have the rear heater.

 

This build hasnt died. Just have been working on other trucks and now that the wife drives, I seldom get to drive it.

I have nearly 32,000 miles since I started the build on 1/11/11 and the only problem I can think of has been the Cold Start Timing Switch. Did do an alghinment on it,oil changes and a tune up. The little trucks just keeps running great. We really love this little truck.

I will be hitting the 300 thousand mile mark real soon. Trying to time it to hit the 300 club on the January 11th of this year. Right now I have 186 more miles to go. Wahoo!!!

Still need to fix the AC and transfer case wont go into low range, but just havent been able to get the time to pull it. I talked to a guy and he said he had the exact same problem. He said it just needs to have a C clip replaced.

Havent been able to come up with the funds to upholster the seats yet either. One other small problem I have is when it bitter cold, is the Power Steering pump a little noisey. I think the fluid is just really old and need to change it. Once it warms up, it is quiet. I have it at the right fluid level.

We have been running the wheels off of this truck and have had it on some nice little journeys and couldnt be happier with it. Other then basic maintainace, no real problems. Will need to get some new tires in the coming months as the tires I put on it were used, but that falls under the basics for me so cant complain.

I recently went back an updated my first page on this build and updated some more info that I have found through out the build to make things easier to find. Any suggestions you may have let me know and I will try and get it on this build.

I am trying to make this a useful build for others.

 

no worries man. 300k....that's awesome. i have a bit to go before that happens (205k) or on joe's (252k). wife may actually hit it 1st in her 2006 4runner (106k).

don't worry about moving fast enough on the builds. if i ever had enough money to do all the stuff i need and want to do (not just on the trucks), i'd probably die the next day out of spite.

 

Hello EFI85...I just checked your profile and seen you have an Extra Cab. I havent had that problem on my truck. I did have on my 91 extended cab that it would jump around. I would try cleaning the sensor itself.

Hello 92.. I hear you on the time and money. If I ever get to retire (yeah, right) I am sure I could stay plenty busy. My dad is on his final vacation and then goes on retirement and is already thinking of a part time job just to stay active. I told him I could keep him plenty busy. Dont think he liked my suggestions.lol

 

I finally hit the 300,000 mile mark. I was really trying to make it hit the 300 on the 11th of this month as that is the one year anniversary of when I got this truck and started the build. When I got it, it had 268,212 miles on it.

I have over 32,000 miles on it and since I havent had any real issues since getting it running. Did have to work on the Cold Start Timing Switch but other then regular maintainace, I havent done any thing to it.

Everything else that I have been wanting to do is just adding things to it, but that involves cash and is what is holding it up from getting further upgrades to it.

I orginally built it for myself but once I got it painted she started driving it and took it over. She has it all girliefied so I dont drive it near as much, but I really do enjoy driving this truck. I would still take it coast to coast with no worries.

Of all of the trucks I have done, this has been my favorite build. One of the biggest reasons was I had to do the interior and it made me get creative on it and am really happy how it has turned out and would suggest it to anybody who would like to try it themselves.

It happened 6 tenths of a mile from work at 11:51 pm, 1/8/12. Didnt quite get to the anniversary like I was hoping.

300,000!!! High Miler.. Wahooo.. Not the best pic.

 

I want to show what my next build is going to be. I will start a build thread on it on the 11th of this month. I have posted these 2 pictures in this build earlier on, but just to give a heads up on it.

I orginally bought this blue 86 for parts for this 88. I got it for $400. It has well paid for itself on the 88. It orginally came for Florida and is really solid. I have very little work to do on the body. I think just 2 small dents.

It may look bad but I did part out a rusty 87 4Runner that was literally rusted in to. I have always liked blue and this one has factory cruise control. I will have very little into. I will put more info on the 86 Runner on the 11th. It keeps both builds on the same day, just different years. Basically it just worked out that way.

Right now I am still getting the shop set up for it and getting the tools around for it. I have the boat in there right now and just bought a cover for it and I need to get it out.

This blue runner is going to be MINE.... I wont give it up, been wanting one for along time and it will be manlyfied..lol.. I just hope I can get it as solid and dependable as the 88. If I can get it like the 88, I plan on just to keep driving it as long as I can get parts for it or until I kick the can. That is my plans for now.

I have had 2 new trucks in my past (young and single) but I get so much more satisfaction building my own.

Keep an eye out on the 11th (Wednesday) for the 86 build. I should have the shop ready today and then getting it home. It looks bad, but this truck is not going to be a challenge at all. I have 98% of the parts. Really all it needs is paint,interior, front bumper,alternator,clutch,valance. I have everything else. I have slowly replaced all of the parts that I had used on the 88. I had to do a lot of digging for the deals.

I dont think it will take me that long at all to get it into the same shape as the 88. I actually have maybe a total of six months work time on the 88. Dont think I will truly ever be done fixing these two trucks, nor do I ever want to be completely done with them. Always looking for the next improvement.