I dont have a problem, you have a problem... 1985 4Runner (1 Viewer)

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jynx

Turd Herder
SILVER Star
Joined
Apr 24, 2010
Threads
141
Messages
10,393
Location
Eagleville, TN
First I have to say, I'm glad there is a place like MUD for all of us misunderstood Toyota aficionados.

So that said, we made a turn and burn from Middle TN to Jackso MS to pick up a very nice 1985 4Runner this past weekend. I have always loved the 1st gen trucks. My first run at a 1st gen 4runner was about 10 years ago when I picked up a non-running 88 with a blown 3.0 in it. I completely rebuilt the motor and had the heads build with a set of engnbldr (blast from the past) valves. I never married the 2 and the truck and motor were sold with my better half assuring me that we would someday find a replacement. Well under the guise buying my lovely daughter (who just turned 12) her first truck, we made the purchase.

These first few are from pre-purchase from the guy we got it from.

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It is 1985 sr5, 22RE, 5 spd truck with a beautiful soft topper and the OE hardtop. Seats are in great shape for their age and it still has the original radio with factory EQ that all works.

I'm still working thru everything, but other than the fading and the usual rear wheel wheel rust, it is a very solid truck. It came with 7 - 33x10.50R15 bfg KM3s, 5 mounted and 2 loose. Has an ARB front with a WARN VR8000 with synthetic line, what I think is a TG rear, or maybe and old school All-pro, a set of sliders and a few other misc bits.

We got it home and first thing was to put on the soft-top for the summer. We also picked up a set of chrome 60 wheels with some general grabbers on the from the mastermind behind Mosley Motors in Memphis on our return trip from Jackson.

I propped them up to get a gander yesterday.
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Same 33x10.50s, but they seem bigger. My lovely better half gave them a good scrubbing today.
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Yes, I believe those will do nicely. I've never really been a fan of black wheels. Gunmetal is about as far as my taste will let me go.

Anyway, I did put it to work yesterday helping a buddy load his old ranger to relocate.
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I told my lovely wife that she had opened the box to my past and all my old 22RE gears have started turning again (my first was a 1990 mintruck that i still have), but im not allowed to take anything apart that can't be put back in a day. Maybe 2. So for now, just gonna do some basic baseline work and enjoy the summer.

More to come.
 
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Though I have been banned from anything major, I do have a minor list of things that I would like to do.

First off, I am looking for an early 90s upper intake and throttle body to swap onto it. The throttle is sticky and I figure if it of the ACV start to give issues, I will have that to swap out, if not before.

Second, but likely to happed first is to swap on a set of vented rotors, v6 calipers and a new MC to get the braking improved a little. It stops fine, but swapping out the factory solid rotors just seems like a good move if my most prized possessions will be riding around town with the top down.

I need to adjust the clutch, it is tight and is kind of hard for the better half, let alone a 12 year old to work. Yes she is learning to drive a 5 spd. She can already putt around the farm in our RHD Suzuki Carry, so I figure I don't want to make it too hard on her.

The PO installed some kind of sneaky blue-tooth radio add-on that is in-line of the factory radio, but he pulled the Sub as it was from a dear friend who recently passed. But thats ok, it will give me an opportunity to see what kind of improvements I can make to it.

Aside from that, it will be getting a full fluid change, fresh plugs, wires, rotor and cap and anything else that I might see a need to fiddle with. I have a complete 22RE to build from an OE shortblock and a pile of 22REPerformance parts that have been sitting for too long. I may put together a hot little long block to swap into it eventually.

Like I said, all the gears are going right now, but I hope to slow down and just enjoy this one.
 
Following the I don't have a problem vibe...

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This is the stash box. To the left you have basically every nut and bolt necessary to build a complete 22RE, middle is an assortment of OE sensors for an SR5 guage cluster, belts in the back, rotor, cap, plugs, pcv valve, valve cover grommets, lce wire separator set, and in the box, oil pump, front cover, water pump a door hinge for my 90 pickup and some other misc stuff. Not pictured is the timing set, an OE front cover, oil pan and pickup, a 22REperformance head and valve cover and I have a complete OE shortblock in the shop. I need to see about getting a wire set this week to get the full tune-up sorted.

I promise I don't have a problem...

So we are going to haul the 4Runner up to GSMTR in a couple weeks (that's a big ride in east TN), so I need to knock out a good tune-up and fluid change this weekend.
 
Nice truck, fun project and parts on hand. Uh, you DO have a problem by the way. I know because I have the same problem. ;)

Your brake upgrade is a good idea. Add a dual diaphragm booster from a 2nd gen truck with the 3.0 for a noticeable improvement.
 
Nice find! I love my '84 Xtra Cab. But an '85 4Runner might be that truck that I could stop on - that one I'd keep and stop wondering "what's next?".
Looking forward to seeing where you take this one.
 
Solid looking truck!

I miss my 86’ from time to time, I look forward to following this one!
 
Nice find! I love my '84 Xtra Cab. But an '85 4Runner might be that truck that I could stop on - that one I'd keep and stop wondering "what's next?".
Looking forward to seeing where you take this one.
I've seen your 84 build at ACC. That's a nice custom bed Brian built for it.
 
More from the stash...
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Look at all those ponies!

Man I miss how simple these motors are.
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I really want to find a later 22RE intake and throttle body to get rid of the IAC.

Looks like I may need to keep an eye out for a good used AFM too.

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It appears this one may have been hot rodded at some point. Unless I missed something, I always worried I'd eF something up if I cracked that dude open.

Otherwise it is pretty clean. I'll do oil change coolant top off and plugs, wires, rotor and cap this weekend (if the wire set gets here)

Once that's sorted, I'll get serious about the brake upgrade and then move into the intake.

Man, I love this old stuff. With the "D" baby...

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Advice for upgrading the master and keeping the cruise? Seems like a special master with the end port. I think I could snake it under there, bit I'd have to study on it a little. Probably have to order one and see where it lands first.
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Here is the V6 4R-Gen2 master and booster. The booster is thicker and does position the master out a bit. Not sure how it would effect the cruise.

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@pappy I think that might work. Looks like the front outlet would be out in front of the line from the master. More interesting to me is the adapter harness you made to go from the newer reservoir to the old harness. Did you make that?
 
@pappy More interesting to me is the adapter harness you made to go from the newer reservoir to the old harness. Did you make that?
Yep. Toyota uses a whole bunch of common 1/4" spade terminals that use roll-over crimps. The truck is loaded with those. In this case I went to the boneyard and salvaged a short pigtail from a Gen2 4R. On the cut ends I crimped male spades. I could have used the plastic connector from an old cap (white), but the connector on the fuel pump is the same (yellow, I had one of those). I removed the spades from it, and snapped in the new with the adapter connector. No splices, or soldering.

Here is a pic showing the pliers to make the roll-over crimps with male and female terminals.

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Did fuel pump today. Man, I really appreciate Mr. T putting that little access panel under the seat!

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I also did an oil change and swapped on the chrome 60 wheels, but I didn't get a picture because we had to jump in and head to the tractor pull.

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It's not summer in TN until we've been to the local pull.

I'll grab a picture tomorrow before I do plugs wires and cap.
 
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Well today was a roller coaster.

I helped a buddy swap the fuel pump in his Ranger and then figured what the heck, I can knock out the tune up in an hour or so.

Air filter was pretty straight forward.
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Plugs were definitely in need. 2 of the electrodes were cracked and they were all crusty.
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1-3 went fine, but number 4 just didn't feel right. Got it in, but didn't feel seated, crank up and puff-puff-puff. Definitely a leak. Start digging and...

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Number 4 was FUBAR'D. Like from the looks of it, it hadn't been threaded for a good long while. I had a bit of a meltdown and then took a breath and decided to roll around underneath while I pondered my next move and found more great news.

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The whole front of the block is dripping in oil. Pan has clearly been off and has about 3 attempts at resealing it visible. So that's good.

So after some texting and consulting with friends, I decided to make a parts store run. The local O'Reilly had this spark plug coil rethreader. It is heli-coil brand, but looks more like a timsert. Reemer tap and the set of coils. Seated it and put the plug back in and so far so good.
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So now I am going to keep an eye on things and we will putt around this summer while I build a fresh motor to swap in. I have a OE shortblock that I need to pull out of storage and give a once-over. Top it off with all OE bits along with a 22reperformance head and rv cam installed. I'll get that squared away and pick a weekend to drop it in.

So 1 step forward and what feels like 25 steps back... but it runs and drives and looks good while doing it.
 
I was going to say that looks like a cork gasket. It should be RTV.

I was also thinking that the oil leak could be front crank seal.

As far as #4, welcome to the club. I'm not sure if it's because of the angle that folks mess up that plug, or if the head gets hot back by the firewall and the aluminum softens.
 
Yeah, it does have the relief, but as with many of the Toyota illiterate they just throw the cork on there and tighten away, warping the pan lip and causing all the leaky leaks. I'm pretty sure the leaks are a combination of the pan (all the way around) and the front seal (based on how everything around the crank snout is coated). So I'll likely reseal what I can and nurse it along until I get the new motor built and ready to go in.
 
Chrome 60 wheels, yep I think so

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Also, I noticed yesterday that somebody ditched the fan clutch.

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Not sure how I feel about it, but it works therefore is at the bottom of any priority list I currently have.
 

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