irish_11
Explorer
Thanks in advance for looking,
I figured I'd start my own first generation 4runner slow build thread. Its a 1988 DLX pretty basic rig, but that is what I was looking for. I bought it in 2005 with 91k miles on it. What I didn't know is the previous owner I think did not exactly treat this rig well so at 125k I had to replace the engine.
anyway heres it sitting next to the rig I had to sell to buy it. I regret doing so but I had a 880 mile round trip drive to college that I was going to make multiple times a year and the old truck was starting to show its age. I made it once with it and it was a killer for it. Given it crossed 3 different passes it was time for something slightly newer and that could carry passengers.
After 2 years of crossing the passes and some awesome winter conditions over at the University of Montana (GO Griz!) I transferred back in state and spent a bit of the saved money on fixing some of the issues I had with the rig. In state tuition is WAY cheaper, even though I missed Montana it was kind of worth it. So it for rear shackles, some tube steps for getting my ski's down off the top and my cousin gave me his old load warrior. (The first picture was actually taken in WA, but it snowed 13" over night and was a cool photo)
That brings me to close to where I am today, 2 years after that. I was driving home from spring break in Spring of 2008 and the engine started acting up. There was coolant in the oil. So my initial response was head gasket, 13 hours later. So that was replaced. Still oil in the coolant. So I took the head off and got it tested. It was warped. I re installed it and tried it again. No dice, now I'm 30ish hours in the whole. So I noticed the timing chain guides are missing at the top. After closer inspection there are wear marks on the timing chain cover. And we come to the conclusion the block is cracked.
Mean while it hasn't run in 15 months and I'm driving this as a replacement and its just not the same:
So here we are today. I decided I missed the 4runner so I saved up some money and bought a replacement engine. I then stared the long process of my first engine rebuild.
As of today it has a new engine in it. I just miss connected something in the linkage from the engine and the transmission. So its getting looked at by a professional this week. I'll have some update photos after that. Also my Downey rear suspension is going to be here later in the week so they'll be new photos of that too.
As it sits now here are the stats:
22REC 5spd, RV cam, 1 1/4" BJ spacers upfront. Downey 2.5" shackles in the rear. On 31x10.5 BFG AT's. The front bumper is a Ramsey off a 1st gen pickup (it needs to have the mounts removed and re-welded).
Future mods:
- Downey 3" rear springs and Doechtech Shocks all the way around.
- 26mm Torsion bars
- Sliders (Not sure on the brand yet)
- Smittybuilt xrc 8 winch
- bed storage/sleeping platform
I figured I'd start my own first generation 4runner slow build thread. Its a 1988 DLX pretty basic rig, but that is what I was looking for. I bought it in 2005 with 91k miles on it. What I didn't know is the previous owner I think did not exactly treat this rig well so at 125k I had to replace the engine.
anyway heres it sitting next to the rig I had to sell to buy it. I regret doing so but I had a 880 mile round trip drive to college that I was going to make multiple times a year and the old truck was starting to show its age. I made it once with it and it was a killer for it. Given it crossed 3 different passes it was time for something slightly newer and that could carry passengers.
After 2 years of crossing the passes and some awesome winter conditions over at the University of Montana (GO Griz!) I transferred back in state and spent a bit of the saved money on fixing some of the issues I had with the rig. In state tuition is WAY cheaper, even though I missed Montana it was kind of worth it. So it for rear shackles, some tube steps for getting my ski's down off the top and my cousin gave me his old load warrior. (The first picture was actually taken in WA, but it snowed 13" over night and was a cool photo)
That brings me to close to where I am today, 2 years after that. I was driving home from spring break in Spring of 2008 and the engine started acting up. There was coolant in the oil. So my initial response was head gasket, 13 hours later. So that was replaced. Still oil in the coolant. So I took the head off and got it tested. It was warped. I re installed it and tried it again. No dice, now I'm 30ish hours in the whole. So I noticed the timing chain guides are missing at the top. After closer inspection there are wear marks on the timing chain cover. And we come to the conclusion the block is cracked.
Mean while it hasn't run in 15 months and I'm driving this as a replacement and its just not the same:
So here we are today. I decided I missed the 4runner so I saved up some money and bought a replacement engine. I then stared the long process of my first engine rebuild.
As of today it has a new engine in it. I just miss connected something in the linkage from the engine and the transmission. So its getting looked at by a professional this week. I'll have some update photos after that. Also my Downey rear suspension is going to be here later in the week so they'll be new photos of that too.
As it sits now here are the stats:
22REC 5spd, RV cam, 1 1/4" BJ spacers upfront. Downey 2.5" shackles in the rear. On 31x10.5 BFG AT's. The front bumper is a Ramsey off a 1st gen pickup (it needs to have the mounts removed and re-welded).
Future mods:
- Downey 3" rear springs and Doechtech Shocks all the way around.
- 26mm Torsion bars
- Sliders (Not sure on the brand yet)
- Smittybuilt xrc 8 winch
- bed storage/sleeping platform
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