2nd Gen 4Runner N130 Reliability

[87GMCJimmy]

I am actually considering buying a 1991 4runner with the 3.0L (stick shift though!!!) to be my commuter vehicle (tired of wearing out the 37" mud tires on my Power Wagon), the engine has almost 350K miles on it now and is still running fine. (I know the vehicle quite well, it has been my buddy's daily driver for the better part of a decade now) So (from my observation at least), the 3.0L doesn't seem to deserve quite the bad rep it gets.

 

[nomadsurfer]

People love to bag on the 3.0, but I see more of them on the road than any other runners out here. I love mine, aside from it being slow. I get almost 20mpg on freeways, if I keep it under 75, and the truck does everything from towing my boat, hauling lumber, camping trips, and still cleans up enough to go to dinner with the lady.

You'd think by the way people go on about the 3.0 they were awful, but people rarely go online to praise things in the first place, and as I said the sheer number of them still on the road should attest to their longevity.

Just saying. ...

 

[Arktikos]

You'd think by the way people go on about the 3.0 they were awful, but people rarely go online to praise things in the first place, and as I said the sheer number of them still on the road should attest to their longevity.
Just saying. ...

Yes, there are a lot of them here in Alaska. The bodies tend to rust out, like any old Toyota, but they're still kicking. Many Toyota people love to heap praise on the FZ Inline 6 found in the 80 series Land Cruisers, yet they're arguably worse for blowing head gaskets and get lower MPGs than the 3.0. Go figure.

 

[Clay]

My 90 4runner with a 22re and 5spd is absolutely reliable. It's on engine number two now, replaced it at 275k, and coming up on 300k. I drive it everywhere, and wouldn't hesitate to go anywhere with it ever.

 

[bkg]

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.

I've done 5x as many head gasket replacements in 22r* than in the 3vze. Owned 20-some 22r*'s and only 3 3vze, though, so playing the odds I guess.

After headwork, I really liked the 3vze in my old 94 4runner. Loved to rev... Loved to drink gas, too.

 

[mtnbiker4evr13]

I'll join in on the outdated thread fun, 3vz isn't a bad motor at all. Yes they can blow a head gasket but there's multiple ways to fix it and prevent it in the future. I got my 94 3.0 5spd 4runner as a basket case after someone blew a head gasket and dropped a 95 motor in. Hands down the most reliable vehicle I have had (5yrs now) and for the past 4.5yrs it has been solid axled and flogged most weekends then driven 2-3hrs home getting 17mpg on 35in tires through 2 transfer cases. Thats alot to ask out of a vehicle but it has been awesome. 100 degree days with the A/C cranked idling through the trails has never been a problem, the 8-10 jeeps on trail rides cant to that because they overheat... yet the "worst motor Toyota produced" can...? Not the best idea to rub that in their face as they get really mad, must be the swamp butt? My 3.0 will torque along at 500 rpm and spin to 6k if needed. Also a 3.4 bolts in so if it does blow... sweet! time for an upgrade and they can get a TRD supercharger:elkgrin:

 

[Degrey]

People hate on the 3.0, I had a 95 4runner with the 3.0, sure it wasn't a power house. But it ran strong for 300,000 miles till I was in an accident. 3.0 with a 5 speed not bad, 3.0 with an auto, it's a bit of a dog.

 

[JLee]

I wouldn't be too worried about a high mileage 5VZFE (3.4 in the 3rd gen). I had my last Tacoma from ~268k to ~283k and put an alternator and fuel pump in it in that time. The engine still ran like a top.