The 1987 4Runner SR5

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If I can pull this off I am going to make this kind of a 85/87 hybrid restomod using parts I’ve been collecting.
Found a steering box with only a little over 60k miles on it.

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Finished pulling the front bumper. Had to put solvent on the bolt collar, Vice grips on it and then an impact to break it free.

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Went to warm up the engine for an oil change and it stalled. I think the fuel pump may have given up. Will have to troubleshoot.
 
IIRC 79-80 SFA don’t have a lower truss, 82-83 have a lower truss that stops 1” short of the spring perch while 84-85 goes all the way. Yellow does stand for 4.56 but it’s also inaccurate. Best to check by spinning and counting.

If you do go with a solid axle just do a high steer swap. I did a 2.5” OME lift on my 84 with factory steering and it was scary around corners, went to hi steer and I wouldn’t go back. The solid axle frames have a higher frame arch up front and you can make it work with a flat pitman arm and 2.5” of lift.
 
Mudder said:
IIRC 79-80 SFA don’t have a lower truss, 82-83 have a lower truss that stops 1” short of the spring perch while 84-85 goes all the way. Yellow does stand for 4.56 but it’s also inaccurate. Best to check by spinning and counting.

If you do go with a solid axle just do a high steer swap. I did a 2.5” OME lift on my 84 with factory steering and it was scary around corners, went to hi steer and I wouldn’t go back. The solid axle frames have a higher frame arch up front and you can make it work with a flat pitman arm and 2.5” of lift.
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Only the '79. The '80 was factory trussed.
 
thetoyotaman said:
Went to warm up the engine for an oil change and it stalled. I think the fuel pump may have given up. Will have to troubleshoot.
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Besides the connection differences would a 80/100 series fuel pump work if I need one since I have one on the shelf? I tried to research flow rates, etc., and found conflicting information.
 
Tested voltage at the fuel pump connector and no voltage with key on.
 
thetoyotaman said:
Tested voltage at the fuel pump connector and no voltage with key on.
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Correct. Did you short B+ and FP in the diag box next to the battery? The fuel pump doesn't run unless air is moving through the AFM. Shorting FP and B+ will bypass the AFM and the COR and put power directly to the pump. Don't drive it like this. It's a safety feature to kill the pump should you get in a wreck.

Pull the pump out and check the negative wire to the pump. Mine recently broke and left me disabled in the middle of Death Valley. Easy field fix, once I figured it out.

thetoyotaman said:
Besides the connection differences would a 80/100 series fuel pump work if I need one since I have one on the shelf? I tried to research flow rates, etc., and found conflicting information.
Click to expand...
Yes, and no, the fuel pump connection on your truck is a pair of studs and ring terminals. The 80/100 will have a plug connector. The pump hanger can be modified to use the newer pump. If the 80/100 pump is the same as a Gen3 4R it's also a physically smaller pump. Same flow and pressure, but tiny compared to the one you have. The filter screen is also different, IIRC.

I'll be adapting the filter bracket on my 1985 next week for the newer pump.
 
Played around with it again tonight and with the clutch out starting I could hear the fuel pump running so I think it only engages in the start position instead of on??? I think what happened is more gas than I realized pumped out of the return line that was leaking and since it's on an angle ran dry. How do I figure out if I have the hoses in the correct position that clamp on the pump housing?
 
Assuming our turbo model is the same I think I got the gas hoses on correctly. They actually cross under the car.
Changed the oil and filter with some protect and restore with a Toyota oil filter. Discovered the PCV valve grommet was bad so replaced it and checked the valve which seems good and put a little brake cleaner through it under vacuum for good measure.
The idle is around 1100 so I went to adjust it and discovered the air bleed screw was turned all the way in. Not sure what’s going on there.
The brake pedal will slowly go to the floor if you give it any pressure so I’m guessing the master cylinder is bad. Not sure if the brake booster is original, but I’ll post a picture of a sticker I saw on top of it.

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Added some more gas for another warmup cycle. As I'm not ready to drive it yet, trying to do some warmup cycles to let the oil hopefully work if there's a stuck ring or something. Decided to check/adjust the timing to see if that's part of the high idle problem. Adjusted it from 15 to 8 with the diagnostic connector jumped T to E1 and code 5 came up on the dash (oxygen sensor). I wouldn't think that would do the high idle as I had an O2 sensor disconnected on my on 85 4Runner years ago. Idle did drop from 1400 to 1100 but air bleed screw is bottomed out. Any ideas on what to check for the high idle?
 
Had an extra oxygen sensor from the turbo I replaced the faulty one with and now code 1, normal.
Found the dashpot with a long vacuum hose sitting unconnected. Also saw the 3 port vacuum fitting with an open connection so plugged the hose in assuming thats where it goes and the idle dropped a little more. Looked at all the other vacuum hoses as best I could and all appears well. Vacuum dropped a little. Reset the timing to 5 degrees factory spec now that the idle in check mode was around 900 or slightly less. Sprayed some brake cleaner and I think I have a slight vacuum leak guessing it's the intake manifold gasket.
Other than the leak it's running better and better.
 
if I was in your position I’d be buying a smoke machine and smoking the intake manifold to find any leaks. I did it after rebuilding my 3rz and it was definitely helpful. I’ve also used it for finding exhaust leaks.

This is the one I’ve been using
 
Thanks for the tip! I may do that at some point. Trying to decide whether I’m gonna use this motor for another project or sell it but I wanted just see how it was running first.
 
Yes, I checked that for leaks and it was good.
 
I've noticed when the 4Runner is cold if I turn the key to on the gauge goes up to the middle. So, I've been doing some warmup cycles this week and today after 15 minutes running it was 3/4's the way up. When I turned it off and then to the on position (motor not running) the needle was back in the middle. Does anyone know what's going on?
 
When it rains it helps me see the potential in this 4Runner. 😃

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Does anyone remember the radio wiring adapter Toyota had in the mid 80’s for when the 84-86 maybe plugs changed in 87 so they could use up their old stock of radios? Thought I still had one but it hasn’t turned up yet. Found this accessory radio from 86. Hopefully it works. Just need a better trim piece for it.

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