Hi guys...its been ages since my last visit because i bought a toytoa supra (1986.5)..but before that i always wanted a 4runner, partially because i love the idea of a convertable top and partially because i would love to go offroading. but instead i bought a car... well now i found a resonably priced 4runner for sale in my area and i need your opinions... i knew a pretty good amount about them before i went the car route but the only main things i remember now are; that its the first year of IFS; and it has EFI...other than that i cant remember if there are any downsides to having the earliest model of the IFS trucks, and i also have forgotten how much these are worth in good condition. i also need help on what important areas i should look at for when i check it out.... i need help on all that because tomorrow, if its still there, i'll be checking it out. here are the details;

1986 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER,
4WD,
5SPD,
RUST FREE,
RUNS GOOD,
2" BODY LIFT INCLUDED
$2000 OBO



this is a hard decision for me because i like my supra, and its an awesome car...but i have a slight fear of rod knock (its had a BHG before) and im not sure what i'd do if that happened....so i was thinking about a trade to a very reliable car... and i was thinking this might be it....

what do you think? (oh and i wont buy it if its a 6cylinder...i think i want the 22re because i had to repair a BHG on my supra and i dont have the willpower to do that again...)

 

huzzah for that custom interior heh. 2k is a great price, depending on the engine condition.

 

for that price i would buy it. these are my favorite model of toyotas.

BUY IT!!!

if you dont, where is it?

 

i thought something was funny about that... do u think it looks bad? i've forgotten what they look like normally... its just the door as far as u can tell, right?

what things should i be especially aware of if its the 22re? like i said i dont want it if its the 3vze.. i dont gate it but i dont hear about 22r's being prone to headgasket failure...while the v6 is another story...
-----EDIT!!_----------------
i will disclose that after i turn it down...if i turn it down. as a heads up you'll be taking a several-hundred mile road trip if you want it. but yeah...thats later. but remind me and i'll let u know.

 

its an 86, its cant be a V6 unless it was transplanted.

The 86 trucks were weird with the interiors. Non sr5 models came with a bare bones, often vinyl interior. Aftermarket companies then installed them here in the US, depending on which port it arrived in.

Both doors, seats, carpting, etc (anything cloth) is aftermarket. Most also didn't come with seats, so I would request a pic of the back seats to make sure they are not some cheapo junk aftermarket job.

 

so, are you saying that there's a good chance this is a non-sr5 model that had cloth interior put in because it was bare bones?

is the only giveaway the rear seats? i know how they're supposed to fold down into a floor, i'm guessing non-OEM seats would not do that? so i take it the sr5 models had cloth, so thats normal?

i'm have no other info besides what he posted and it was too late to call or get a reply email. i'll have to wait until the morning.

if its not a stock sr5 i'll probably avoid it...

i noticed on some newer models (one was an 1988) the door has an armrest-like area near the handle and a pocket and stuff... is that just a interior update, or an sr5 thing? i dont really want a bare-bones truck.... i hope its not.

---edit---
it has the convenience handle for the rear seats...unless they left that in the non-sr5 models...maybe i'll get lucky? can u tell me what looks aftermarket in the pic, besides the door panel? i'll try and snap pics tomorrow if i like the truck.

 

Just for the no rust and cheap price id say its well worth it.. u can always get new seats from junkyards..... Wuts the kms or miles on the engine??? rebuild or original??

 

That looks like a steal to me. Get it!

 

Looks good to me

Rob

 

i dont know the mileage on it yet, i'm hoping to see it today.

is there anything specific i should take a look at immediately? problem spots...etc?

i forgot if yotatech has a link to a "buyers guide" of sorts...is there one?

thanks guys. i'll try my best to check it out today.

 

head gaskets are the only thing i can think of. then again, i'm pretty new.

 

well the 3vze (which cant be in this year of truck, as pointed out to me) is prone to blowing headgaskets, its one of toyotas engines that do that. i'm not sure the reason. on the 7mge (like in my supra) they blow because toyota didnt torque the headbolts down ithgt enough..might be the case with the v6 in toyotas trucks. the 22re 4 cylinder however is not notorious for this problem, but its been a while and i wanted to make sure i havent forgotten anything else that could go wrong with them.

 

You can swap a 3VZE into it pretty easily.

Also, from what i've read, the 3VZE's headgasket fails because it was designed to use an asbestos gasket, which was later banned. The new gasket couldn't take the heat, and would eventually fail.

From what i've read, the 22RE is pretty much bulletproof as long as it is well maintained.

 

22re's weakness is the timing chain.

Looks like a really clean truck for an 86 tho.

 

I think he wants to avoid the 3.0, and I don't blame him. I would only get it if it was a 22RE as well. They're so easy to work on.

As far as problem areas, just look for frame and body rust (which you aleady said was minimal) and make sure 4x4 works.

Rob

 

swapping a 3.0 in would be a waste of time and money.

 

yeah, but what i'm saying is, the ad doesn't state what engine is in there...seller might've already swapped it in.

 

OK!! i called him, update after a few lines, but i'd like to thank you all for your quick responces. its not as great as i thought...but its not bad. here's what he told me when i asked him some questions:

mileage? about 250k on body
on engine? head job about 10k ago by an auto shop...he mentioned that the problem with 22r's is if you let them get to hot, you can kinda easily warp or crack the head....if anyone can comment on how true that is to 22r's that would be great. and NaeSLaS - its the 4 banger. thanks for the concern.

any serious repairs (other than the head)? : none

it has a clear title

he said the 4 wheel drive works fine.

i'm probably going to look at it mid-day today, unless someone on here has info on why i should stray away.

i know that 250k on a 22r isnt too bad, but it is a lot... and i'm looking for a reliable truck i wont have to dump money in...

is ther ANYTHING....anything at ALL that i might need to replair or replace that is going to cost a lot? i'll inquire about the timing chain, chances are it was replaced with the head...maybe not. but what about that kind of mileage on the body? any body twisting problems...worn bushings that might need replacement....drivetrain...

thats another thing...tranny life...i have no idea how long the transfer cases and transmissions/drivetrains last.

thanks guys!

 

When you go look at it first touch the hood and make sure that it's not warm, like he is trying to hide some startup issues or he might have just moved it to hide some leaks. Also note that the check engine light comes on before you fire it up. Good Luck

 

thanks a lot, i'll do that. thats exactly the kind of direction i need, thanks. he's at work so i'll wait a few hours and if the engine is warm i'll know to be careful. i'll check this in a while to see if there are any other tips..

thanks guys!