Mods: feel free to move this thread - I thought it fit best here.

So I bought some used XJ sliders, modified them and welded them on early sunday morning. (I bought used sliders b/c it would have been more expensive to buy the steel to make my own!)



Time to go test 'em out
I went to Eagle Rock and for those of you who don't know the trail there is a large puddle/small lake at the entrance. I drove through no problems and went up the trail.




I am completely impressed with the 4runner in stock form-it crawled up everything I pointed it at.

So on the way out, my friend kept bugging me to let him drive through the lake so I did. He bombs through - huge wake and the runner dies halfway through. This is a pic of the incident



we towed it out and I opened up the airbox - the filter was soaked.
I pulled out the spark plugs and it turned over a little -spitting water out every cylinder - then it stopped turning over. just click. but it turns over when you back it up in gear.

I have some suspicions about what is wrong but I want to hear what you guys think. I will be tearing into the engine tonight and this weekend.
I'm hoping it's something simple but I don't think it is.

Any reccomendations? anyone have a spare 3.0 or 3.4 engine laying around? (this engine was at 248k so it's time for a swap anyway)

Let me know what you think of the sliders too.
Thanks

 

Sorry to hear about the motor.

Perfect time to hit up your buddy to invest in your truck.

EDIT: Those sliders are sweet!

 

The sliders look good! nice and clean install. As for the cylinders, if you had water being "pumped" out while it was turning over, seems to me like your engine might be toast, but I'm not too experienced in this area. Good luck!

 

your friend=idiot.

You should hope the motor didn't hydrolock. IF it did, you need to tell him to start saving to buy you a new motor.

 

He's a really good friend - in fact he's the previous owner of the 'runner. I'm not going to make him pay for the parts but he IS going to help me fix whatever is broken. He's a good enough friend that im not going to let a couple hundred bucks get between us. he originally gave me a great deal on the truck to begin with.

The thing that sucks most of all is that now the SAS has to wait till the engine's fixed. I already have the axle and various other swap parts

 

well, at minimum you need to yank the crank/rods/pistons out, have them cleaned, polished, balanced, hone the cylinders, make sure gaskets are good, clean the injectors, flush the oil system, etc.

 

That's why you go slow into water so it doesn't shoot into your engine bay. 4Runner looks good.

 

take it as a blessing in disguise and swap in a 3.4...

 

I think that a bent rod is hitting a piston skirt causing it to not turn over all the way.

I wish I had the money to get a 3.4 but I'll probably end up with another 3.0 or rebuilding this one (if something is broke).

 

look around, you might be able to find a deal somewhere...

 

I came across this today browsing on craigslist:

http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/327501838.html

Cleaning garage

* 3.4L engine 1999 80k $1200
* 5spd tacoma transmission 30miles $900

 

yeah I saw that one too - already sent an email.
i found a couple 3.0s locally at a salvage place that might be in the $300-$400 range.

 

yota yard in golden might have somethin. maybe??

 

I can't figure out why the 3.4 is so damn expensive. You can get a 287hp 3.5L VQ35DE nissan for $1500.

 

that cuz more idiots crash there 350z's(etc) than a 4runner.

ive been looking for one to squeeze into a 510

 

not necessarily. Look at how long it's been out too, vs. the 3.4L (since 96)

 

Hey next time through the lake maybe try some helium in the sliders.

Sorry to hear about the engine. Hope it all works out.

 

Nah, I say finish pumping that water out (one way or another), get the fluids changed out, new air filter, clean the sparkplugs, run some Seafoam through it. I've seen many trucks come out fine from similar situations. Could be damage unseen, but I'd try and get it goin' before I tore the whole damn engine apart, or worse yet, wasted money buying a new one. Your panicking. Hey, I COULD be right.

 

I pulled off the oil pan and this was looking right at me. #2 cylinder
(sorry about the bad pic - it was with my phone)



mmm carnage
I am taking off the head tonight to get the rest out. I don't know the condition of the cylinder wall yet - that will detirmine if I do a full rebuild or not.

 

Yes, that could be a problem...