94 owners?

[desertwampa]

I was really wanting a 97, but kinda digging the 94s. Ive done my research and know most of the big differences.

What are your opinions on owning one. Pros/cons, gripes? raves? I wanna hear them all.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Fixing roof rack leaks / rust on 94 alot harder on s 94 because of the headliner

 

[t100boy]

Like the a440 trans although they are both just fast tractors. The smiles per gallon are about the same, couple hundred per gallon and you go thru alot of gallons

 

[ZackR]

I like my 94'.

Pros:

Better looking front grille, steering wheel and dash (personal opinion)
Stock exhaust is tucked up underneath the frame
Cloth interior + manual seats (not sure if these are available in the US on 95+)

Cons:

Parts availability isn't as good as 95+
No OBD2

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

94 headliner is kinda sewn in. removal requires removing the windshield. seriously. mine had no roof rack or spoiler.

No obd2 so diagnostic is more difficult, slightly worse mpg.

 

[effjay80]

94 owner from new. I see OBD1 and no airbags as a plus. VAF vs MAF an issue to consider. Exhaust tougher to source versus 95 plus.

 

[Broski]

I like my 94'.

Pros:

Better looking front grille, steering wheel and dash (personal opinion)
Stock exhaust is tucked up underneath the frame
Cloth interior + manual seats (not sure if these are available in the US on 95+)

Cons:

Parts availability isn't as good as 95+
No OBD2

^^^^^ This ^^^^^
Love my 94

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

94 owner from new. I see OBD1 and no airbags as a plus. VAF vs MAF an issue to consider. Exhaust tougher to source versus 95 plus.

OBD2 does make diagnostics easier. The OBD1 blink codes can be pretty unhelpful, and the ECU *will pull timing, limiting power, if something isn't right.

When i bought my '94 11 years ago it had a check engine light that the PO's mechanic "couldn't figure out". I forget the exact codes, it was something about too rich and too lean? Reading between the lines in the FSM, all the ECU was blinking at me was that it was idling rough. I knew it was idling rough because I'd been driving it.

It was real lazy on a freeway on-ramp and struggled to reach and maintain 65mph.

Replaced both O2 sensors as well as some of the O2 sensor wiring, replaced like 16 feet of vacuum lines, cleaned and wiggled many connectors, and put band clamps on the air duct and THAT problem went away. And then i had to replace the rear knock sensor which was super fun too. But since then it has been solid. Passes the exhaust sniffer test every year, good acceleration, can cruise at 80 all day long.

Granted, early OBD2 isn't as in-depth as modern diagnostics.

The OBD2 engines are a little more efficient and it is certainly easier to turbocharge them. The VAF on the OBD1 trucks has a limited range for obvious reasons.

 

[AgentOrange]

PAIR system makes a nice place to move O2 sensors up high, exhaust routing I like a lot. No airbags and I got lucky enough to have cloth seats. Not having OBD2 is a little bit of a bummer, but it's not a deal breaker as with no cats, the ECU doesn't see the difference. Lets me keep the sliders high and tight

 

[Desert Dino]

VAF Sensor is a terrible problem with no solution
OBD1 is no problem with TOYOCOM and TOYOBD1 app

 

[LandLocked93]

+1 OBD1 is a plus IMO. No 'scanner anxiety' and CEL only when it actually matters.
+1 Cloth and manual seats. No potential giant leak hole in the roof (sunroof) either.
+1 better grill, steering wheel, no airbags

 

[Irish Reiver]

I loved my '94. OBD1 is not a problem if you have a toyocom, grill is nicer, dash is nicer, center console is nicer, exhaust is better routed. Manual seats (Probably could put those in the later versions) the only downside are the headliner and the "i want a turbo but i have a 94" comments.

 

[CharlieS]

I like mine for a trail rig. No airbags, manual cloth interior, easily removed ABS. The early dash is fine, but I don't like it any more or less than the newer ones. It falls in this weird spot where vendors get confused sometimes or fail to acknowledge that it can be a 1FZFE but have early interior bits. Some parts are NLA. The rear swaybar mounts are odd. Otherwise, its about the same as a 95-97, except it isn't as easy to boost.

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

toyocom doesn't seem to be widely available.

idk what "scanner anxiety" is supposed to be

With obd2 you can do realtime monitoring, toyocom seems to be for diagnostic only and will burn out if you leave it hooked up in the engine bay.

 

[mudplacement]

Pros:
Cooler grill
Probably triple locked

Cons:
No turbo
No odb2
Headliner sucks

 

[LockedCollector]

Comes down to manual cloth seats and TOYOTA grill for me. I’ve had a 95, 96, and 97 and this is the one I’ve kept longest….maybe because it’s white and paint still looks great like the interior….others needed paint and new seats covers. OBD1 or OBD2 makes no difference to me if they are properly maintained and not interested in super charging for as little I drive it a year. All the 80s I’ve owned came with the CEL on and have cleared them all which is why I keep a FZJ80…super simple to work on.

Only drawback of the 94 is that really cool @TRAIL TAILOR hidden winch mount is not available for that year

 

[LandLocked93]

idk what "scanner anxiety" is supposed to be

With obd2 you can do realtime monitoring,

It is to some exactly as you say, 'real time monitoring' of parameters whereby crisis arises when and where crisis does not actually exist.
Put another way, living and dying by the scan gage regardless of normal operating parameters.
OBD1 does not afford that level of i/o thus does not raise concern when unwarranted.
Too much info is a thing sometimes. lol

 

[simple]

zero complaints about my 1994. Get's terrible gas mileage and I can't diagnose that easily. much easier to find a 93 or 94 with cloth seats than a 95 to 97.

 

[dirtthief]

Love my 94. Ive had no issues with the roof or headliner at all.

ODB1 sucks.
Part availability is a pain.

 

[HungryJ0e]

No love for the '93? I read somewhere '93 had beefier starters... mine is a later '93 made after the R134 switchover.