JoKEpLaYeR

Hey All,

I'm going to pick up my first 4x4 this Saturday. It is a Red '88 4Runner, 22RE, 5 Speed, IFS, Front Manual Hubs, custom front and rear bumpers, and nerf bars. The truck has 230,000 miles on it and has almost no compression in one cylinder. The 22RE needs a rebuild - which is why I chose this truck. I've wanted to do another engine rebuild and I also wanted to start from the ground up with my first 4x4. I wanted to know what has been done and what still needs work.

I choose the 4Runner for it's overall usability. I can use it as a truck or as a people carrier for around town. The IFS will someday get a SAS, but not until I'm sure I need it. I would like this truck to be my daily driver someday but I would love it to be able to tackle the Rubicon as well. I've been checking out the rigs on here and I love what I see! What got me interested in 4-Wheeling was a trip to Hollister Hills and then another trip to Death Valley. It was fun to drive my friends Jeep at Hollister, but the trails we did in Death Valley and the places we got to explorer are what did it for me. I knew I wanted a truck before, but this is when I seriously started looking! I'm exciting about doing a few more in the Jeep before my truck is ready for pavement let alone dirt.

Plans thus far.....
Full engine rebuild including:
-Cam, any suggestions? I know DOA Racing carries one, needs to be smog legal in CA.
-Port matching
-Blue printed
-Hot dipped for cracks
-Header, Pacesetter sells one, anything better out there?
-Custom Cat back, local shop I know and trust will do this.
-Borla muffler or MagnaFlow muffler
-Larger throttle body? Any ideas?
-Snorkel for air intake

Lift:
-2" Body lift from 4crawler.com
-4-5" Suspension lift from SuperLift
-New custom front bumper with winch mount
-New lower profile rear bumper
-RockSliderZ from 4crawler.com
-Hope to fit 35" tires under there with that lift - will it work?
-Set of AR-767 rims
-Sway bar disconnects

Someday I'd like to do lockers and onboard air. I'll do the rear first and then decide whether or not to do a SAS.

Thanks for your input. I hope to run a few trails with you guys in CA this summer!!!!!

Steve

EWAYota

sounds like you got a good blue print of what you want, thats great. as far as lift for 35's, if your gonna do a 4 inch suspension and 2 inch body, 35's will fit fine. i have a 4 inch lift, and can put 35's under, but i'll rub right now. im debating cut-outs on my truck, to stay away from a bl.

JoKEpLaYeR

By cut-outs, do you mean cutting the front fenders?

JoKEpLaYeR

I'm so excited about picking it up this saturday!!!!! I got it for $800!

If anybody has tips on getting HP and Torque out of a 22RE please share!

Thanks,
Steve

JoKEpLaYeR

I picked up the truck today and limped it the 60 miles or so home at 75mph on the freeway running on 3 cylinders. It did amazingly well. I can't wait to yoink the motor and rebuild it! My first 4x4!!!

EWAYota

bushwacker fender flares

JoKEpLaYeR

I always thought they were just to stay CA legal - so the tires wouldn't stick out past the side of the vehicle. That's cool - more room to flex.

Thanks,
Steve

Plays_with_Toys

Cut outs look awesome on 1st gen runners/2ndgen trucks. I have seen them on a few, both colormatched and plain black. They can definately add to the whole look of the truck and the funcionality.

One thing I noticed you did not put on there, you might want to look into some sway bar quick disconnects. That way you can keep body roll to a minimum on pavement, but gain flex out on the trails.

One thing about the 22re and exhaust, don't get a free flow cat. The general consensus is that those rob 4cylinders of low end torque.

And where are the pictures?!

JoKEpLaYeR

Pictures are here:
http://www.southcheeze.com/4runner/pictures.asp

Thanks for the tip on the swaybar disconnects - I've got a friend that did it to his Cherokee and it helps a bunch. I'll add it to my list!

What cat is recommended?

Steve

Plays_with_Toys

That looks nice! Paint isn't the hottest, but it doesn't look like it has any rust, and besides, if you take it wheeling hardcore like you want to, the paint is only going to get scratched anyway.

As far as a cat, I believe most 4cyl owners just keep the stock one on. If you ditch it, and get bigger pipes/more free flowing muffler, than you're backpressure will be nonexistent (no good).

I myself plan on going to 2.25" pipes but get an OEM muffler from a v6 toyota, that way the motor doesn't sound like an overglorified weedwacker (my main concern). I want to investigate whether or not this type of muffler would provide enough back pressure tp run a free flow cat, because if I can have all the performance, without the huge noise, that'd be awesome.

bamayote

the body looks like it's in great shape!

that truck is very lucky to get some tlc!! great find.
good luck

brad

JoKEpLaYeR

Yeah, The paint needs some work - but I'm just going to make the best of some buffing and wax. It's going to get scratched anyway.

There is some rust, I'm working on it right now. Passenger side wheel well and the A pillar on the passenger side right next to the windshield also need some TLC.

I think I'll stick with stock cat if it's still in good shape - it has been dumping unburned fuel into it for who knows how long from the lack of compression in that #2 cyl. I did a compression test on it today: #1-150psi, #2-40psi, #3-150psi, #4-150psi. I put a teaspoon of oil in the #2 and cranked it again, still 40psi. I hope it just has a blown head gasket. I'm still going to rebuild the entire motor, it's been used and abused for 230,000 miles and I know for a fact its leaking from the rear main seal.

Duffdog

we did a test of all the trd cams at a shop to determine which one put out the most horsepower for real!! all three were tested in the same truck--the baby cam (stage 1) put out the most gains of all of them. the other two cams: Low-end torque and high-end didnt put the power in the useable powerband. This was at Gerolamy's racing engines in Sacramento. He decided that the 22re is not really designed for racing at all---its more of a torquey motor ( problems with high rpm swirl and roll and long rod-crank ratio ) I wouldn't waste my time with crazy pistons and stroker kits for minimal gains. maybe mirror face the head and block and get a thicker head gasket for some boost....yeeee haawww!

I would get the turbo kit for the engine and the stage 1 TRD cam for it. That would get you moving for sure!

T

JoKEpLaYeR

Could I run the TRD Stage 1 for now without a turbo? Would it hurt my torque output? I'm not too worried about horsepower..... but any gains wouldn't hurt either, but I am worried about losing too much torque.

Thanks for the cam info,
Steve

cfwdude

Hey, that truck looks familiar!!

(I sold it to Steve)

Glad you're looking to fix it up, I loved that thing!
The guy that you outbid was going to use it as a parts truck, and I couldn't see my truck defiled like that.

The cat on it is about 5 years old, replaced when I put in the Borla. I think it is a high flow, I'll check out reciepts if you want. Cylinder #2 went bad probably about 2 - 3K ago, so the cat may still be OK?

I also have some powdercoated items, hose clamps, clips for the ignition wires, and the pulley for the fan if you want 'em. (all red) I also have an extra alternator and fan clutch.
Let me know if you want any of it.

Chris

needayota

nice rig! for 800 bones thats not bad
i just picked up an 87.
did you already look for rust?

mine has a mediocre (sp?) case in fender wells and drivers floor board.

also check windsheild seals cus if its leaking then rip your carpet out and look for rust under floorboards.

btw im in hayward (kinda close) if you need any help at all

keep posted on the status.

22Ryota

Wow.. looks like a great buy.. I can't wait to see it once you get everything worked out and get the lift. Same color as my pickup. Was that red and the dark red the only two shades offered back then?

Duffdog

yes you can run just the cam...thats what i have in my 88 runner. works great, and allows me to actually pass some cars on the highway!! thats something im pretty sure a stock 4cyl 4runner cant do well. (unless its a streetsweeper)


T

JoKEpLaYeR

Hey Chris,
Thanks again for working with me on the price. I've been looking for this gen 4runner for 2+ years now, like I told you. My friend Harvey (the one that jumped under the truck when we came to look at it) is the one who has shown me what 4Wheeling is all about. I'd love those extra parts, expecially the alternator and the powdercoated stuff. Never know when you might need an extra alternator.
Take care,
Steve

The rest of you,
The element in the cat was loose and rattling two days ago when I was running the truck. I pulled the cat out and sure enough the element had disloged itself and was facing the wrong direction. I gutted it and plan on buying a new one before smog time.

There is some rust, the rear pass. side fender and the window seal are the spots I'm working on. The rest will get fixed later.

The truck is red..... it's not dark red. The oxidation in the pictures is coming right off with some rubbing compound. I'll take pictures of the pass. door to show you what it looks like now.

Thanks for the offer needayota for help, I'd love to do some project with some of you all this summer when cash is flowing and school is on hold!

Later,
Steve

JoKEpLaYeR

The head is off, the driveshaft's are dropped, the exhaust is off, the radiator is out, the motor is next. I'm going to drop the transmission this weekend and then try and find an engine hoist! Any ideas? I know I can rent one.... but I don't exactly have a running truck to pick it up with . Anyone in the Bay Area have one? (a hoist or a truck?)

Thanks a bunch!
Steve