2nd Gen 4Runner N130 Reliability

[PHeller]

I'm a Jeep guy. I know the 4.0 I6 quite well, and I'm comfortable with wrenching on them. However, I'm looking for something just a big longer.

My goal? A dead-nuts-reliable 4x4 I can sleep in the back of. I don't need a huge life or huge motor, I just don't want to worry about it.

In any case I plan to build a sleeping platform so folding the seats forward doesn't bother me.

My budget is about $3500, and I can't find a 3rd Gen 4Runner for that money unless its over a quarter million miles. If I had a garage I wouldn't be so nervous about an impending swap, but right now I need something that'll run for a few years before needing something major.

How are the 2nd Gen 4Runners for reliability?

 

[ca18_sean]

I'd have no issue buying a 22RE powered 2nd gen with a manual transmission... V6? Auto? No thanks.

Edit* Honestly, I'd take a 3rd gen with 250k on it before a lower mileage 2nd gen (unless it's the 22RE/5spd version).

 

[calicamper]

I'm a Jeep guy. I know the 4.0 I6 quite well, and I'm comfortable with wrenching on them. However, I'm looking for something just a big longer.

My goal? A dead-nuts-reliable 4x4 I can sleep in the back of. I don't need a huge life or huge motor, I just don't want to worry about it.

In any case I plan to build a sleeping platform so folding the seats forward doesn't bother me.

My budget is about $3500, and I can't find a 3rd Gen 4Runner for that money unless its over a quarter million miles. If I had a garage I wouldn't be so nervous about an impending swap, but right now I need something that'll run for a few years before needing something major.

How are the 2nd Gen 4Runners for reliability?

Whatever you do. Avoid at all costs the 3L V6 if there any still out there they are on borrowed time by a very very long shot. Perhaps the worst engine Toyota ever built to date. I had one two complete tear downs to a bare block by toyota and they still weren't able to get it fixed. The head surface vs block is a flawed design and results in a HG failure.

The little 4 cylinder and the 3.5L and the 4L are all good though!

 

[v_man]

You're looking to buy a 20-25 year old vehicle that is 'dead nuts reliable'. Anything that old is going to be a risk mechanically, and possibly running on borrowed time...

Also be cautious of the 3VZE naysayers , they love to remind people of how much they suck and are very vocal about it , but there are still many older 3VZE's on the road ... if the head gasket was changed and you can verify other receipts , I'd still strongly consider a truck with the V6 . (agree that the V6-Auto would be the last combo I'd consider)

It also sounds like you're looking for a simple motor to work on , if that is the case , hands down the 22re is easier to wrench on.

Also I currently own a 90 'Runner , and the seats fold down flat and my wife and I sleep in there comfortably (I'm 5'10")

 

[toylandcruiser]

You're looking to buy a 20-25 year old vehicle that is 'dead nuts reliable'. Anything that old is going to be a risk mechanically, and possibly running on borrowed time...

Also be cautious of the 3VZE naysayers , they love to remind people of how much they suck and are very vocal about it , but there are still many older 3VZE's on the road ... if the head gasket was changed and you can verify other receipts , I'd still strongly consider a truck with the V6 . (agree that the V6-Auto would be the last combo I'd consider)

It also sounds like you're looking for a simple motor to work on , if that is the case , hands down the 22re is easier to wrench on.

Also I currently own a 90 'Runner , and the seats fold down flat and my wife and I sleep in there comfortably (I'm 5'10")

X2. 3.0 isn't as bad as it's made out to be. I know lots of them running around with well north of 200 on them.


"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

 

[JasonRedwood]

I had two 3.0 v6's, a 22r and a 22re in my time. Never had major issues with any of them. One of the v6's went over 250k before it had a headgasket issues and I sold the other before it 160K. From what I read the auto sucks all the power of both the 4 and 6 cylinders. Best bet would be the 22re with the 5spd. I have to say that the v6 did slightly do better on the speedo and pulled a lil harder. That being said I'm looking for the right project 1st gen 4runner with a 4 banger and 5 speed combo.

 

[calicamper]

To give you a sense of the 3L V6 issue the 13 lift big Toyota Dealer had three dedicated brand new Camry's for the 3L V6 rebuilds they were doing over a 5yr span! The failure would cause the heads to warp and the mating surface of the block was the primary issue after the second rebuild I finally got the full story from a friend at Toyota corporate. The basics of it don't get the 3L V6 it was the worst engine design Toyota had period and flawed. My first rebuild was a $8000 dealer charge back to Toyota a year later it was a $6000 charge back to Toyota. Both times the heads were replaced the first time the entire block was torn down to a bare block and sent out to get worked over to try and fix the mating surface issue. I dumped it after the 2nd rebuild at 130,000 miles.

I did find out that for some reason the 5spd MT had a lower failure rate but still had the same mating surface issue and HG failure happening but at a lower rate. Stick with the 4cylinder or jump to the engine Toyota designed to be the reputation fix for the bad 3L the 3.5L was a pull out all the stops and do it right engine design which is a really great engine. Then they carried that to the 4L which is also a very good engine. Good luck you'll be fine as long as you avoid the 3L.

 

[tanglefoot]

I have a soft spot for the 2nd-gen 4runner--it's my favorite for styling, but it had some shortcomings. One of the things that can be a headache is the rear electric window/tailgate combination. The electric window has to function in order to open the back. It's prone to electrical gremlins, and it can be tough to troubleshoot without being able to open it.

If I were shopping, I'm not sure what I'd do (how helpful is that?!). Do you need a rear seat? If not, I would look for a 3rd-gen Toyota pickup with the 22RE /5speed or a 1st-gen Tacoma with the 3RZ/5-speed.

 

[djsixbillion]

I'm in the "3.0 gets a bad rap, but is really OK" camp. Had a '91 pickup with the 3.0 that blew a head gasket at 130K, did the replacement myself with very limited knowledge and drove the truck for another 100K before selling it for nearly what I paid 8 years earlier. Definitely not the most powerful lump, but I wouldn't say there's any major design flaw aside from the composition of the original gaskets. All that to say: don't discount a good truck with the 3.0/5-speed combo. I think we're all in agreement that the 3.0/auto combo is a total dog, however!

 

[Idaho_Pakeha]

I searched long and hard for a 22re/5spd combo and found a nice '92 SR5 with A/C that I love. It came with a timing chain cover that was worn through from the timing chain (I fixed that with a head gasket, timing chain replacement). It has been good, but recently I have had to pull the head for the second time (I was getting exhaust gas in the coolant-I think the machine shop missed something a few years ago), and fix a few other things. Bottom line, it is a slightly gutless but reliable older great 4wd. Much better highway manners than my '82 Toy shortbox, '69 Jeepster Commando, or my lifted '97 Samurai. What I have lost in cool 4x4 street cred I will gladly take in cool air conditioned comfort when stuck in traffic. Oh yeah, the gearing in 4lo is great for any exploring I have done.

 

[Beanzermin]

I've had my 3.0 5speed now for 3 1/2 years. I live in Las Vegas where the heat doesn't help out on the head gasket issue. Luckily for me Toyota had a recall on that motor for the head gasket. In the 22 years of my 4runners life it had never been done. Long story short, Toyota replaced the short block and machined the heads. Cost me nothing! Just make sure when you go to buy one you check the open recalls on it and see if the head gasket has ever been redone! They will still honor the recall!

 

[Arktikos]

I'm in the "3.0 gets a bad rap, but is really OK" camp...

Me too. I've had two 22RE's and 1 3.0 V6. All of them blew head gaskets. 3.0 before I bought it (now 11 years later and doing just fine), my old '85 4Runner 22RE blew 9 years after I sold it, current 22RE came with blown gasket when I bought it.
That said, I would take the 22RE/5 spd combo as the most reliable and easy to work on.

 

[knox]

I had a 1st gen 3.0 and might pick up a 2nd gen 3.0 today. The 3.0 isn't the most reliable toyota's built and definitely has issues, but I believe the unreliability of the 3.0 is MUCH overstated. If you can get the HG replaced on a rig if it still has the factory one somehow then that should resolve any reserve you have about trusting it. I haven't heard of any 3.0 having issues after the recall.

 

[98OzarksRunner]

I had a 1st gen 3.0 and might pick up a 2nd gen 3.0 today. The 3.0 isn't the most reliable toyota's built and definitely has issues, but I believe the unreliability of the 3.0 is MUCH overstated. If you can get the HG replaced on a rig if it still has the factory one somehow then that should resolve any reserve you have about trusting it. I haven't heard of any 3.0 having issues after the recall.

I had a 92 that Toyota covered in 97. I had a 95 that went bad at 137k. Toyota said it had the 'fixed' head gasket so they wouldn't cover it. Major pain to do it. The 92 also had transmission overheating issues, which I have read is common.

 

[Martinjmpr]

You're looking to buy a 20-25 year old vehicle that is 'dead nuts reliable'. Anything that old is going to be a risk mechanically, and possibly running on borrowed time...

.
This x 1000. Sorry but 25 years old and "dead nuts reliable" don't go together. Even if the engine, tranny and T-case are solid you can expect to have lots of little "peripheral" things going wrong: Electric window motors or regulators failing, switches broken, bushings and other rubber parts wearing out, etc. As others have pointed out, the electric windows are a major concern with the 2nd gen 4runner because if the tailgate window won't go down, you don't have a tailgate (off topic but I had a '67 Travelall with the exact same issue and it was a total PITA to deal with.)
.
Don't buy into the myth that Toyotas are made of gold and never tarnish. Anything mechanical can break and the older a vehicle is, the more likely that is to happen.
.
Also: There's a reason you can find lots of 2nd gens in your price range - people want to get rid of them.
.
BTW I'm not saying don't do it, I'm saying go into this with your eyes open. Yes, on the Intertubes you can find somebody who found a cherry 1994 4runner with 59,000 miles that they paid $500 for and it ran like a top and never leaked oil and never gave them any trouble. Also the seats were covered in unicorn skins and the engine was a perpetual motion machine that made more gas than it consumed. But that won't be you.
.
Figure that at the very least you're going to need to put some work in fixing the minor things that people never fix when they get ready to put a 25 year old vehicle up for sale.