19?? Tamcoma swaps to 88 4runner?

[ajessup]

I have an 88 V6 4runner that the engine just blew up. I have access to a 1991 Toyota Pick up with a V6 and another Pickup engine that I am not sure what year it is out of. I did take pics of the engine number plate. I am just not sure how to figure out if either would work or what year/models I should be looking for a direct swap.

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[jynx]

Any 3.0 V6 from 88 thru 95 should work. There are a few things that you will have to check. Like the distributor plug, the knock sensor plug, and other major electrical plugs for compatibility. The harnesses changed around along the production run.

If you are just gonna pull the old and strip it to the intake and the swap components from one to the other then you should be fine. If the knock sensors are different then you will have to remove the lower intake to swap the plug/ sensor.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

Is the 88 4Runner in nice shape, or is it beat and you're trying to get it back on the road?

If you're trying to just get it back on the road,
All of the 3.0 blocks will swap directly, but you have to use the electronics and bolt ons that came in the 88.

If the truck is nice and you're considering rebuilding the 3.0 DO NOT DO THIS.
Repeat: DO NO REBUILD THE 3.0!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swap in a 3.4

 

[jynx]

Is the 88 4Runner in nice shape, or is it beat and you're trying to get it back on the road?

If you're trying to just get it back on the road,
All of the 3.0 blocks will swap directly, but you have to use the electronics and bolt ons that came in the 88.

If the truck is nice and you're considering rebuilding the 3.0 DO NOT DO THIS.
Repeat: DO NO REBUILD THE 3.0!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swap in a 3.4

I would have to respectfully disagree. The 3.0 may not be the greatest motor in the Toyota line-up, but if he isn't looking to do all the necessary work sourcing parts and sorting wiring, just dropping in a fresh 3.0 will do. It sounds like it has served fine for the last 25 years (unless this is the second or third motor)

I have one that I am finishing up to go into an 88 4Runner that I just sold. If you have a good HG and you maintain the cooling system then they will serve you just fine.

I know I will catch for that opinion, but I have rebuilt 2 now and other than being a pain to get the vacuum lines on the intake and that crazy coolant line that is under the intake that is impossible to get off without cutting, it isn't a bad motor.

And beyond that, if you are going to all that trouble, why not just drop in a 1UZFE from a Lexus and call it good, that was my plan when I blew the 3.0 I probably will do it anyway when I get time and find another 1st gen 4runner.

Edit: Just noticed that you are in AK, and if you are up for a 3.4 or 4.0 style swap, I might suggest that you look into some similar year diesel rigs in Canada and see about swapping a Toyota Diesel into your 88. If parts are hard to come by, I stand by my statement in that a nice fresh 3.0 will be fine. If you do crack it open, have the heads checked for true and use OE HG's when you put it back together.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

I would have to respectfully disagree. The 3.0 may not be the greatest motor in the Toyota line-up, but if he isn't looking to do all the necessary work sourcing parts and sorting wiring, just dropping in a fresh 3.0 will do. It sounds like it has served fine for the last 25 years (unless this is the second or third motor)

I had a 1991 4Runner with the 3.0 and I listened to several people tell me to put the 3.4 in vs rebuild the 3.0. I rebuilt the 3.0.

I did everything I possibly could to upgrade the engine and make it more reliable. The machine shop that built all of the 3.0's and heads for dealerships during the Toyota recall campaign did my 3VZ. I sourced the rotating assembly from a 3VZ-FE (forged parts, rather than cast), upgraded all of the fasteners to ARP (rod bolts, main bolts, head studs), Toyota OEM head gaskets (most recent revision), new OEM oil and water pumps, had the injectors rebuilt, new OEM motor mounts, ported and polished the heads, etc. OE Toyota main and rod bearings. About the only parts that weren't OE were the pistons, as OE toyota .030 pistons weren't available.

In the end, my machine shop bill was $2800, with me doing the port and polish of the heads and providing the 3VZ-FE stuff to the shop.

I bought all new OE Toyota hoses for emissions and cooling. My goal with the engine was a 500,000 mile motor.

Initially ithe cost was less than a 3.4 swap, but after considering rpelacement of clutch (might as well as I had it out) having the injectors cleaned (wound up having to replace 1, again OE toyota), new engine wiring harness (ouch) and replacing the ECU. New exhaust down pipe, muffler, and tail pipe. When it was all said and done I was into the 3.0 the same $$$ as a 3.4 swap would have cost, with obtaining a low milesage 3.4, and the Offroad solutions complete deluxe swap kit (everything you need except for the motor and ECU).

In the end, the harmonic balancer went bad and I was just sick of dealing with the truck...

I'm still mad about it...

 

[jynx]

Holy , I totally see your frustration on that one. And I will concede that if power is what the OP is after and he is better off going back in with something like a 3.4 or 4.0.

My experience has been with mostly stock stuff. I have used a combination of parts form ENGBLDR and Rock Auto with a few OE parts thrown in for flavor. The first motor is running in a truck somewhere in Knoxville as far as I know, the second is about to go into the 88 that I recently sold as a package deal to a buddy.

I am curious about the FE parts. I have read some other threads around about using the FE parts and seems like one guy wanted to put some FE heads on the regular 3VZ or something like that. I don't think it panned out, but it was an interesting idea. In all my research it always seemed like the major issue with the the 3.0 was that the heads were terribly inefficient and not easily improved and the crossover pipe dumping on top of the #6 cylinder was a poor design.

To the OP, please forgive our misc. 3.0 ramblings.

 

[ajessup]

This is all good. I got the truck down in CA and is very clean. Still little to no rust. I dropped in a used 3.0 in the truck before I came up so this will be the third engine. I would really like to put in a diesel or maybe a small block V8. I am just not sure what the cost differences would be. I have never done a done an engine swap and would have to pay someone to do it. I bought a 1990 Toyota Pick Up for $1600 to give me some time to decided what I want to do. It came with a second set of brand new Good Year Workforce studded tires on rims and a camper top. I want to pull the bed and clean up the frame on it and look into turning that into a trail rig. But I digress. My wife and I love the 4Runner, it's here rig and want to keep it on the trail. We have put alot of miles on the trails up here and it goes most places that only the 4 wheelers can go. So with that sad, if is not a whole lot more then maybe I should just wait till I can afford to drop a better engine into it.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

This is all good. I got the truck down in CA and is very clean. Still little to no rust. I dropped in a used 3.0 in the truck before I came up so this will be the third engine. I would really like to put in a diesel or maybe a small block V8. I am just not sure what the cost differences would be. I have never done a done an engine swap and would have to pay someone to do it. I bought a 1990 Toyota Pick Up for $1600 to give me some time to decided what I want to do. It came with a second set of brand new Good Year Workforce studded tires on rims and a camper top. I want to pull the bed and clean up the frame on it and look into turning that into a trail rig. But I digress. My wife and I love the 4Runner, it's here rig and want to keep it on the trail. We have put alot of miles on the trails up here and it goes most places that only the 4 wheelers can go. So with that sad, if is not a whole lot more then maybe I should just wait till I can afford to drop a better engine into it.

OffRoad Solutions http://www.offroadsolutions.com/ makes a kit that significantly simplifies swapping in the 3.4 V6. The 3.4 is very similar to the 3.0, similar enough that it drops onto the factory motor mounts, bolts up to the transmission, etc. You do need to do a body lift and have a custom exhaust made. But I think that swapping in the 3.4, using the ORS parts, and harness, is going to be the simplest engine swap you can do. ORS has taken most of the guesswork out of the swap and if you can swing a wrench, you can do the swap.

 

[ajessup]

How much better is the 3.4? And is there an easy small block V8 conversion?

 

[Tigerstripe40]

How much better is the 3.4? And is there an easy small block V8 conversion?

190 HP vs 150hp. More low end torque, better fuel economy.

There isn't going to be any other swap that will be as simple, especially if you have a manual transmission (if you have an auto, that makes it more difficult as you should use the auto that came behind the 3.4).

If you're looking for V8 power, I'd probably go with a 4.8 V8 from BD Turn Key Engines and get an adapter from Advance Adapters, if you're running the manual. If you've got an Auto, just try to find a complete drive train from a 4wd truck.

What is your end goal with the 4Runner?

 

[ajessup]

Right now a daily driver and a trail truck. The roads up here are pretty much trails anyways asphalt becomes pot holed gravel roads and gravel roads turn to mud holes. We have more trails than paved. The farthest distance we can drive on the road system is 50 miles and max speed on the island is 55 mph and we mostly drive under 45 mph. But there are lots of trails to run to fish and hunt and just look around. The trails are lots of mud, big rocks and water crossing. You really need to be self sufficient when you are wheelin' out here. And I guess the short answer, with a long explanation, is I want a trail rig that won't leave me stranded and help others I cross out there that need help. We have had friends that go out and get stuck and half to walk for hours to either find someone to help or get a cell signal. Besides once I finally decide I want a new truck it will go to trail status only anyways.

 

[liveoak]

I would not rebuild the 3.0 also. That motor is heavy, gutless, and returns terrible gas mileage. The easiest route is to buy a more modern used 96+ Toyota truck. If you really like the 88 runner for its body style/ removable top etc then you should seriously consider the 3.4. Yes a v8 would be nice but the 3.4 is much more easily installed in a truck that had the 3.0. As said earlier you will spend much more than you think rebuilding your existing motor as people are telling you from experience. You'll end up with a very unique truck and a vey big smile on your face every time you press the gas pedal.