Turbo 4Runner in S. America

[viesail]

I've been bringing back to life an 87 4Runner off and on for the past couple years. She was originally a Turbo, PO swapped motor and tranny to a 22R and 5spd G52 or G54(not sure which). I built her back to 22RE and worked on just about everything except for the Engine and Tranny. Engine is next as there is a bearing like knock and she's burning oil. I've had to teach myself everything, had no auto background. If I rebuild motor, I'm going to try it myself, which brings us to the question.

I have two dreams for this truck and my life with it. One is to eventually drive the Pan American Highway with it, the other is to restore it to a Turbo. Would a Turbo build with components such as an LCE Performance kit (link below) be a reliable motor so far from home? Obviously there is quite an expense with rebuilding to Turbo, these performance parts are not cheap.

http://www.lceperformance.com/Pro-Tu...-p/1071010.htm

I've got a lead on a 22RTE block w/o head and an R151F (no bellhousing or transfer case). I'll sure do some head scratching trying to figure out what to do with that R151F w/o all the parts. But anyways, what do you think? Should I take a 22RTE with fancy LCE parts on it to South America, or should I just focus on making the strongest 22RE I can and leave the Turbo badge as a memorial of what once was?

Or alternatively, there's a fella nearby with a 1KZ-TE.....

 

[haven]

The turbo will help if you plan to spend much time in the Andes. The problem is the low octane of gasoline. Keep the turbo pressure low to avoid detonation.

At lower elevations, power is not an issue. Typical speed limits are 30 or 40 mph, and the common potholed road surfaces makes driving faster a good way to damage your suspension.

 

[locrwln]

As a current RTE owner, have new turbo sitting on the work bench awaiting install, my recommendation: 3RZ. Similar power (actually better) and no worries about the head cracking, manifold cracking, and really the 22rte ECU just isn't that smart and it will struggle with any variations from stock.

A 3RZ will be many, many more times more reliable.

Jack