I have a 95 4Runner with 227K miles on it that I've been restoring/modifying to make the perfect truck, for me. FYI, 2003 BMW 325 seats make it so much more fun to drive.

Anyway, if I'm on the highway, between 2000 RPM (55MPH) and 3100 RPM (75MPH), it's running like it's only on 5 cylinders, maybe even 4. Get to 78MPH and it runs smooth. Around town it runs smooth.

It's a 3.0, auto.

Any ideas on what could be wrong?

something else sort of related. When raining out with salt on the roads (any speed), it won't run, bogs down. push in the ECT button and it runs fine, so clearly I've got some electronic control issue with the transmission. My hope is to just replace a solenoid and it will be fine for another 100K, or until I can put a Lexus LS400 motor in it.

 

I want your Porsche!

I'd check the TPS and all the wiring harness connections around the tranny...

No CEL or OD light flashing, correct?

 

wanna let us in on those 325 seats

 

hey, x2 on that!

 

Thanks for the info, I'll take a look when it stops raining...been pouring out. I drove around today and without the ECT button pushed in, it actually surges from 1K to 2K while driving. No CEL or OD, so I've got that going for me.

here are some pics from last summer's work on the truck. The sheetmetal is so thin I didn't want to weld on the quarters just just ended up using body adhesive. It's still a work in process.

 

more pics

 

last set and a few pics of the E during restoration. It's gone now, got a 73 last summer, a real Craig's List gem.

 

On the seats, it's pretty easy to find a nice set of 2000+ BMW sport seats on eBay for $400 or so. They are heated and electric and very comfortable after you break them in like a pair of boots. At first, they are pretty hard. I had to notch the forward semi-structural ridge where the original seats bolt into and also pound on the center tunnel in the back with a mini-sledge to create an even surface, then just drill some holes, add spacers to the left front to even it out, 2 strips of 1.5 inch wide quarter inch steel stock at Home Depot underneath and bolt to the floors with grade 8 hardware.

The three best things I've done to the truck are:
1. BMW seats
2. Irmscher steering wheel (you can sort of see it in the pics, it's a very thick leather grip wheel from Germany made by Momo
3. Dropped the the spare and gutted the truck adding a lot of lightness

I drive it like an early 911 (about the same power!) and those three things will turn it into a sports car...I use it for my business hauling stuff, picking up parts cars, etc. Not much offroading. I picked up a set of Japanese market 17 inch wheels (look like Mercedes Monoblocks) that I'm putting on with performance tires as soon as the snow is gone.

Also done: New gauge cluster window, cleaned the gauges, took out the sickly green bulbs and put in red.

painted the fascia stainless steel, dyed dash black

new black carpet

Mechanically: every single component in the front suspension is new, waterpump and timing belt, made some new brake lines and a new muffler. It's been crazy reliable, nothing ever breaks. Just want to fix this stumble on the highway and that will make it worth painting in May.

 

Only pics of seats I have right now.