Just join the Gen 2.5 family. Some question about the car

[vxs2k]

Hi guys. I just pick up a 1998 Gen 2.5 SR with 138000 miles. I am a 29 years old from Hong Kong and I never own any off road SUV before. I will need some advise about fixing up the montero. Please help me out, I am not very good at search keyword in forum yet
1) When I bought the truck there is no problem with the engine light, 2 days later it turns on. I am not able to do smoke check with it. So i bring the car to my good friend' shop and he fix most of the problems. Now the light is off and I will need to complete the driving cycle so that I can do smoke check. I been driving 300 miles+ and the drive cycle still not ready. Anyones knows how to complete the drive cycle or how many miles more I will have to drive?
2) I have my friend changed all 4 shocks to some KYB monomax. It is very stiff on freeway, my GF said she feel very uncomfortable in 2nd roll. Is that normal? I hear the KYB takes 3 weeks to break in and getting soft, is that true? Is there anyways to make the ride better? May be changing the sway bar, torsion bar or any adjustment?
3) The 3rd row seat seems like have very little leg rooms, can the 2nd row seat move forward more? I saw there is a slider under the 2nd row seat but I can fighter out how to move the seat forward
4) If i upgrade my wheels, what is the spec I should look for? How about tires? I prefer not to lift the truck since it is my daily darive and my areas has a lot of underground parking with height limitation.
5) My car missing a driver side bumper and fog light do you guys know anywhere I can found 1? I been looking on ebay but no luck.

Thank you for helping me and I am really appreciated

 

[SoCalMonty]

1) Every car's drive cycle is slightly different, but it involves things like spending a certain amount of time at or above a specific speed, stopping and starting in various ways, etc. It can sometimes take a couple tanks of fuel worth of driving to complete all of the checks. Though, this can be a sign that the check engine light is going to come back on again if it takes this long to complete the drive cycle. I went through this for months with a Mazda. Once the problem was truly fixed, the drive cycle was completed in under 100 miles. When I *thought* it was fixed, the drive cycle took over a week and a few hundred miles...then the light would come back on.

2) They are more stiff than the factory shocks. They may break in a little, but it's going to feel more firm. Though, this should make you feel safer in some ways, if it's firmed up the suspension so the truck pitches and rolls less. For me, it's plenty firm with Gas-A-Justs.

3) Yes, the 2nd row slides forward a little. Just keep playing with it. IIRC, you lift up on the bar and then scoot your weight forward (while in the seat), and it should slide. It will be hard to do if you're not actually sitting in it. Been a while since I had the 2nd row installed.

4) It's a matter of preference. But, they are 6x139.7mm with a 108mm center bore. You can technically mount 33" tires without a lift - though, if it's going to see mostly city driving with occasional off road use, 31" or 32" tires might be more friendly.

5) Where are you located...are you in the states now?

 

[Toasty]

You should try removing the front Sway bar and see if it rides more how you'd like. It's easy and if it get's too soft it can be put back on with little trouble. My Wife ran no rear sway bar on her '94 SR with KYB Gas Adjusts and it still rode plenty firm.

 

[vxs2k]

Thank you guys. So in order to have a comfort ride, what kind of suspension and tires set up I should look for?
I live in San Gabriel, California. Can't wait to have my Montero ready for this summer.