Howdy folks,

Couple questions here.

First off - What would you all consider the 3 most useful, practical, over all, all around off road performance enhancing upgrades for your daily drivers? I want to make my daily drive the most capable off road rig possible without going over board. I don't want to climb trees, I just wanna access the back county with confidence and have little fun seeing what I can get away with.

Second - When I'm driving, my engine seems to be stumbling, right around 2000-2500rpm in any gear above 1st, on a level road, and little load on the engine. It seems to happen right at the fine line between coasting and minimum throttle input. Also, at idle, the engine stumbles, burbles, or misses, most noticeable when listening at the tail pipe. Under the hood the engine shakes just noticeably.

Third - I'm considering purchasing the factory repair manuals. Are they worth it. Are they considerable more detailed, informative and user friendly than the Chilton?

Thanks

Also I'm new here, and if my rig's specs don't show up below the post like some of you other folks, I drive a 95 4Runner, 3.0L, 4X4, 5spd, 175k, bone stock except for K&N and BFGs.

 

bjspacers and coils
33's
gears

 

1. Selectable rear locker, winch, tires.

2. When was the last time you replaced the cap, rotor, plugs, wires? Your description can also be indicative of a malfunctioning EGR valve.

3. There are quite a few FSMs floating around this forum (free for download).

 

FSM is worth every penny and more... if you saw an FSM you would not even MENTION Chiltons (btw - for toyotas, Hayes is better than Chiltons if you have to get a cheapo one)

For engine stumble start with the simple stuff
-- ignition tune up
-- maintenance items check (air filter, fuel filter)
-- I do a throttle body clean up and check the TPS as per FSM

For DD/off road mods
-- gears and diff (I prefer TruTrac - others have differening opinions...)
-- tires
-- suspension

BTW - experience will beat vehicle mods....

Way back when, Four Wheeler did a vehicel test. They didnt have enuff staffers so the recruited the office staff to assist. One of the office staffers (aka not a writer) was a young woman who was not "into" wheeling, she just worked at the office. Well EVERYONE got a vehicle stuck at one point or another. Except HER.... after the day was done and the writers were comparing notes they realized that SHE was the only one (they all took the same routes, but rotated rides) who was NOT getting stuck in the mud, rocks etc....... turns out "well GrandPa made me plow the fields with the old tractor... (if I got the tractor stuck then I missed Dinner... )"...

 

1. Lockers. Period - nothing else will enhance the capability of the truck as much.
Armor. 'Wheeling gets to be not fun when you're beating the crap out of your rig.
Gas money. Driver skill/experience is the best "bang for the buck" mod out there.

2. Check your timing. 10*BTDC is factory, can go to 12*BTDC on normal gas.

3. FSM for a '93 truck: http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...fsm/index.html

 

Agree with all the above but add checking for vacuum leaks & bad dashpot causing your stumble in addition to EGR. These trucks are getting old and the vacuum lines are, too. Also check the fuel pulsation damper & fuel filter (replace if you haven't). These trucks are so reliable that people forget to maintain the stuff that wears out over a period of time.

 

engine, paint, frame

 

tune up
fluids changed
mudders

 

Lockers
Armor
Tools/Spares

 

The way I'm doing it is this:

armor - skids/belly pan/ lowprofile cross-member - I got Budbuilt. rec'd this past week ~$600
sliders and front brush guard will have to come later.

suspension - Ball joint spacers up front, Landcruiser - FJ80 rear coils in back
Rancho - 5167's up front (samauri shocks) and 5009's in back
no torsion bar crank
~$400

Wheels - 32 or 33s, depends on ride and money. I am waiting for my 31s to be used up.
on stock rims. I met a guy yesterday that has 33's on his '98 model(?).
I like his three spoke stock rims and may get those if I like the way they look on my rig.

 

1st- winch, good mudd tires, and lower gears.

2nd- As far as your crappy running problem and the way you described your engine stumble/miss i would guess head gasket. (I know thats worst case senario heres what i would Do. Toyota can do what is called a sniff test. They put a device over your radiator with cap off and sniff the coolant or carbons that come out of the radiator/cooling system and tell u wether or not your have a bad headgasket. Myne cost about 38 dollars i think.

3rd- as far as factory repair manual v.s chiltons I dont know. I have neever looked at a toyota FSM but i have done a lot of detailed work with my chiltons manual. there only 16 dollars and what u dont find in there u could find online in sure. HOPE THS INFO HELPS A LITTLE

 

rear locker (i love my detroit)
2" BL and motor mounts (this allows you to flat belly skid it)
armor (rock rails, skid plates, ARB bar)

(with the above 3 upgrades, youll want larger tires...33's)

after the above 3 youll want

winch
gears
BJ spacers and rear susp rework (u-bolt flip, long travel 2" lift springs, punch long travel shocks through the bed etc)

 

What symptoms will you find when your head gasket is going out?