Hey guys, just wanted to introduce myself and ask a couple questions. I live in Colorado and just recently bought my first 4runner. I had a 2007 FJ Cruiser that was totaled by hail damage and I had been planning on getting an older 4runner as a second vehicle/camping/offroad truck. Well, since I just started my own business I figured I would take the opportunity to significantly lower my monthly payments and get the 4Runner now and once the business gets going I can get something a little newer/nicer to daily drive.

So, about two weeks ago I picked up a 99 Highlander Edition (I think) 4runner with RR Diff Lock, 5 speed manual, and TRD Supercharger. It has a lot of miles (170k) but was a well maintained one owner car and lived its whole live in Colorado so it is practically rust free. Here is a picture, sorry about it being so dirty. I have already painted the wheels and removed the running boards.



So, my question is, what should I plan on doing maintenance wise? Here is what I have planned so far:

1. Change all fluids (Engine, Diffs, Transmission, Transfer Case) Plan on using Redline for everything
- Anybody know the part numbers for all the crush washers and gaskets I need for this? Searched but couldn't find anything
2. Oil, fuel and air filters
3. Spark Plugs and Wires
4. Timing Belt
5. URD Short Shifter and Marlin Crawler Shift Lever socket and ball seat

Anything else I need to have my mechanic look at? I get a little shimmy when braking so the Tundra brake conversion will be coming. Also, get a little steering wheel shimmy around 65-75 MPH, gonna get the tires balanced properly to see if that helps.

Anything, in regards to the supercharger that I needs to be looked at or done?

Sorry about the long post, but thanks in advance for all the help. It looks like there is a ton of information and a ton of great people on here. Look forward to learning a lot.

 

welcome

 

nice find specially a 5 speed. lift it and all good.

congrats

 

First thing you need to do is change the RADIATOR. search "strawberry milkshake". For $120 its peace of mind.

Looks like a nice truck and welcome. There's a few things you need to be aware of. The rear axle seals leak and ruin the rear brake shoes and bearings especially if you switch to synthetic lube. Keep an eye on it. I posted a thread on why and and what I did to fix mine. Because you are SC'd, your spark plugs probably aren't OEM. Pull a plug and get the code from it before buying the next set. Forced induction usually runs a step colder. Synthetic oil will cause engine oil leaks so if its not in there now, I wouldn't switch to synthetic now. Last thing I can think of is the fuel filter, it probably has never been changed. Again, since you are SC'd, fuel starvation can be catastrophic. Consider changing it but use OEM because other brands are hard to seal correctly.

 

you have no i sea how long and hard i looked for one of those but came up with nothing u have a really hard to find 4runner!!!!!!!!!!!!! ur going in the right direction with ur list!

 

It's a 5 speed so he doesn't need to worry about the milkshake but he could still replace the radiator just as maintenance.

Nice find OP, make sure they change the water pump when they do the timing belt.

 

Can somebody elaborate on the synthetic oil causing leaks? I would really feel much better running a high quality synthetic in everything. Also, is there anyway to know what kind of oil is currently being run? The car was really well maintained so it wouldn't surprise me if it was already running synthetics but I do not have specific maintenence records or an oil change sticker on the windshield.

No lift for now. Once I can afford to buy a new daily driver this will baby will go under the knife, SAS, 3 link front, 4 link rear, 35s, gears, bumpers, sliders, ect, ect, ect. I may try to throw some 285s under it until then (since I can't leave well enough alone) but it will be a while until I really go crazy on it!

Thanks for all the compliments and help everybody!

 

Might want to do a service on the S/C nose ...

 

Because you're a 5-speed you don't have to worry about the radiator or "strawberry milkshakes"--that's an automatic thing. And since you have an e-locker you won't have axle seal problems either, cross those off your list. Just change all of the fluids in the diffs, trans, xfer case, etc. and catch it up on maintenance, clean the MAF, run premium fuel with the supercharger (there's nothing you need to do with the SC unless the nose drive rattles--that's a relatively inexpensive bearing replacement). Finally, if it doesn't have the URD 7th injector kit, just make sure it doesn't ping below 3000 RPMs, otherwise you should make the investment on the kit.

A SC 5-speed with e-locker is an extremely rare find BTW!

 

I almost think you are pulling our legs; a 99 4Runner, Highlander Edition, with RR Diff Lock, 5 speed manual, and TRD Supercharger is the holy grail of all 4runners.

 

That made my day. I like mine more than any new SUV, that's for sure.

 

Gorgeous 4runner!

Btw, where in colorado are you at?

 

this is so tru i think any one who wants a 4runner wants this one! but looks so hard for so long they give up!(as i did)

 

If I had to replace this one I would probably just buy the cleanest 99-00 SR5 with an e-locker and an automatic transmission, since there are lots of clean examples out there, then convert it to a manual trans. Supercharger is no biggie, I added mine in 5.5 hours. I'm not sure I could get the manual trans to work with the 01-02 VSC system (plus I think it occupies the space of the clutch master cylinder) and the non-multi-mode transfer case in the 99-00 models would be easier to adapt to the back of the manual trans. To be honest, I think the manual trans swap would be easier than trying to find another clean manual trans/e-locker 4Runner.

 

Ha, that is funny that you said that. I was searching everywhere online and couldn't really find a good one. Well me and a buddy were out looking at a couple dealerships that had 3rd gens that I seen onlie and we happened to pass a Lexus dealership that had this parked out front. We pulled a quick U-ie and when I looked inside I told my buddy "holy s***, this is the holy grail!"

The dealership had just got it the day before and didn't have any online ads or anything for it. I guess sometimes its better to be lucky than smart!


I am down south in Parker.

Thanks for all the compliments everybody!

 

^^ How do you like it compared to the FJ?

 

So I installed my URD short shifter and Marlin Crawler shift lever bushing and shift lever ball seat and the throw is nice and short but its pretty tough to shift. Its especially tough to get into 1st gear after coming to a stop at a stop light. Its a little easier if I shift into second then into first just before I come to a complete stop. Before the short shifter and new bushings it was sometimes a little tricky to get into 1st but not nearly this bad and the rest of the gears weren't this difficult.

I did notice when I removed the shifter seat cover and released the tension from the spring that it was ,much easier to get into first and shift between the gears. Does the shifter seat just need to break in a little bit? Are my synchros going? Clutch? I will be changing the transmission fluid to Red line, will that help?

 

WOW, great find! Lots of my buddies on here will ENVYYYY YOUUUUUU! hehehe... OK, I will a lil as well, lol.

Good to hear it's shifting a LIL better... Hope it's not a trans overhaul needed. Not sure on the syn oil helping shifting or not... I guess that would depend on whether the synchro's are starting to head south, no? Someone will chime in....

Paddlenbike... NICE on your end, too

 

My URD short shifter is the same way, as is a friend of mine's shortshifter--nothing is wrong, it's just how it is. Eventually you learn to keep the shifter toward the right side of the 1st gear gate....the further left you go the harder you have to push the gear lever to make it happen.