So I found a 94 4runner 3.0 on Craigslist for a few hundred bucks, it has the usually HG blown with 212k on the clock. The rest of the vehicle is in decent condition, a good freshining up and should be good. I'm hoping to buy just the full upper gasket kit, timing belt maybe a few other little odds and ends for replacement and quickly resell the vehicle and make a few bucks. I have done some searching on this site for past owners doing the job themselves. I didn't find any writeups that may or maynot have included pictures of the process. I have a haynes manual and while ok, and will get me through the job not the best.

Any suggestions or links you guys could point me toward would be great. Recommended Gasket Kit, some better than others???

thanks

 

There are several good write-ups; I'd link you to mine but putfile.com went down & I lost about 2000 of my photos in the process...

Try searching for threads started by Bumpin' Yota and justinking060310

 

And download the FSM here. Much better than a Haynes manual for a major job.

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/index.html

 

thanks for the tips and FSM, I ran across the http://www.engnbldr.com/toyota_30_v6.htm site which looks like it will save me a few bucks on the gasket.

who is this Weasy2k and what does he/she do to the cams?

 

I like Ted from engnbldr, he comes highly recommended here. I got my gasket kit from him and my cam...22re. great prices, email him questions and he gets right back to you. He maybe able to suggest cams as well.

 

Make sure you check cv's, u-joints, and for any oil leaks uder truck. check operation of back window and all switches in cab. bought my 4runner in the same kind of deal and found out all these problems after motor was rebuilt. wasn't as good of a deal as i thought at the time but love the truck. Make sure you mill the heads and use new head bolts.

 

HAVE THE HEADS & BLOCK SURFACED BEFORE YOU PUT IT BACK TOGETHER!

Take that one to the bank....

 

I wanna have my block resurfaced but I dont wanna take it out of the truck!

 

Good luck with that....

 

Well I got this gem home last night what a freakin pain in the butt this was to load and trailer in the pouring rain. Tundra pulled great and I would say it does do it a bit better then my older dodge diesel pickup, not by a huge margin but better. IE,.. maintained 5th gear pulling 6000lbs at 1800 rpm doing 55mph on flat road. Still have another gear but I think the power would drop off and then keep switching between gears

Truck has minimal rust, rear passenger rocker section should be cut out and new section welded in. The other spot sections could be sand down, POR15 it and repaint. Frame is in good shape, slight surface rust in certain areas. Carpet and seats will be removed cleaned and reinstalled.


http://s462.photobucket.com/albums/q...t=DSC_0129.jpg
http://s462.photobucket.com/albums/q...t=DSC_0132.jpg
http://s462.photobucket.com/albums/q...t=DSC_0132.jpg

 

I checked my block after I cleaned it up really well with a strait edge and feeler gauge. couldn't get the .002 under so called it good on just resurfacing the heads. Its held up now for 20k, but only time will tell. Replaced water pump and cleaned out radiator before I put it back together. The head gaskets I used had metal over rear of gasket where number 6 blew. Believe its OEM, got the top end rebuild kit from Napa. Also replaced thermostat to the 176 degreee instead of 180, the was in there. Don't know if it helped any with heat exchange or not though. Only a couple bucks.

 

lol I know.

 

Reducing the operating temp of your engine will cause issues because it is designed to operate at @ 190-195 degrees. Many ppl put lower temp thermostats in but it's kind of silly because the engine doesn't get hot until it's over 200 degrees so lowering the thermostat open temp doesn't help that.

 

If I have the heads resurfaced and not the block is that bad? Idk if I wanna take the whole thing out I just wanna do it in a week or two.