opinions on '94 4-runner

[hillbillyjake]

started a search recently for a 4- runner as a family/spare 4wd. i noticed a 94 in the local ad pad. sr5,v6,auto,power everything,sunroof,cruise,ac,120k $2900. the guy who has it is the 2nd owner. said it has some rust on the tailgate and above the fenderwells. says the frame is in good shape. question 1) isi this a reasonable price? 2) what specifics do i need to look for? meaning, is there any thing good or bad inherit to this year/model/bodystyle? all info welcome.

jake

 

[Jacket]

That's not a bad price for a '94 with 120k miles. Back in the day (2002 I think), I sold my 92 with 160k miles for $6500. Same setup as you describe, except mine was a 5 spd manual.

Generally speaking, I'm sure you've read about and heard the "issues" with the 3.0 V6. Paired with an auto, you'll find it less than adequate power-wise, especially relative to the efficiency of the engine. You'll also read that the 3.0 V6 is known to have head gasket issues, especially in newer versions of the engine (I never had issues with mine). But I also know a guy with a 3.0 in his 1st gen 4Runner with 260k miles on the original engine and head gasket. Needless to say, results can vary....

 

[4Rescue]

That's not a bad price for a '94 with 120k miles. Back in the day (2002 I think), I sold my 92 with 160k miles for $6500. Same setup as you describe, except mine was a 5 spd manual.

Generally speaking, I'm sure you've read about and heard the "issues" with the 3.0 V6. Paired with an auto, you'll find it less than adequate power-wise, especially relative to the efficiency of the engine. You'll also read that the 3.0 V6 is known to have head gasket issues, especially in newer versions of the engine (I never had issues with mine). But I also know a guy with a 3.0 in his 1st gen 4Runner with 260k miles on the original engine and head gasket. Needless to say, results can vary....

Yeah for all the issues I KNOW of with the 3.0 and all the work I've done on them, there IS a guy with over a million miles on his 2wd 3.0 not sure on the tranny truck. All he did was regular maint. and pretty short interval oil changes and it may still be on the road. So they're a little hit'n miss, that's kind of my major beef with the 3.0 V6. Some have issues ranging from mild to major but alot of folks have no issue with them at all. Kind of reminds me of my experiences with Jeep XJ's... With the auto it'll definatly feel slower then the same truck with a 5spd. whether it is or not is negligable because NONE of these trucks were meant to be quick by any means. really, even if you ahve a few issues with the motor, you're buying a tough little truck that should serve you and the family VERY well espescialy as a "extra' vehicle. Toyota's seem to last forever (if they don't rust away, espescialy in the NE/ mid-west where they salt) so not driving it every day it should last you a lifetime.

2900 might be a bit steep, but you'll have to see it, drive it etc to tell that. Get aunderneath and check the CV's, look at the Torsion bar sockes to see how rusted they are. This truck being a v6 Auto, it'll have the chain driven T-case so it's a little tou gh to gauge how "tight" and sound they are because to me, they all feel a little slushy because of the chain. but they're still perfectly good units. Best part of these old trucks is that if you run the stock wheels and keep the width down you can get some pretty tall tires under neath it with some very minimal work. The front CV's may not like it for long but it;s fun

Cheers

Dave

 

[hillbillyjake]

i talked to the guy and he sid that he has never had any problems with it. he said that he has put about u60k of the 120k on it. he said the frame was in good shape so hopefully the torsion bar sockets are as well. a rusty framem is my biggest concern. i'm not to concerned with the power of the 3.0 as much as the reliability. he never mentiioned anything about havingn already changed the timing chian so that would be #1 on the list.

if the rain holds off i am going to go look at it this evening. thanks fro all the info.

jake

 

[DHC6twinotter]

There are a few recalls for the 2nd gen 4Runners, the biggest being the head gaskets. I would also make sure the cooling system is up to par before any long trips. I know myself and several other people have had issues with random leaks, and its been a bit frustrating to me. Otherwise though, the 4runner has been great, and I'm really sold on Toyota quality. This 4Runner got me through school without any major break down, which is really what I needed (except for water pump, but I fixed that in school parking lot). Once I can save up my $$ from my new job, I'll be looking for a newer 4Runner or LC.

I've got 214k on my 3.0, and haven't had any major problems. A lot of little stuff though. Head gaskets were replaced by the original owner at 134k. These 4Runners are slow though!

Things I've replaced over the past 8 years and 70k miles:
water pump
timing belt
thermostat (x2)
front rotors and pads
knock sensor
knock sensor wire
PCV valve (x2)
PCV valve grommet and hose
valve cover gaskets
distributer cap and button
distributer oil ring
spark plugs and wires
stupid U shaped coolant hose at back of motor (I HATE this hose)
radiator
belts
PS pump
tranny filter
fluids, gaskets, etc.
power antennae
idler arm bushings and seal

That's pretty much every little thing I've replaced since I bought it. I have a few things to fix right now, but overall, I can't complain. I've got the following on my list of things that need some attention:

timing belt idler pulley
rotors and pads
some hoses
fuel injetor leak
Transmission solenoids
radiator

If you could save up a bit more, I would just purchase a 96+ 4Runner. More room, more power, and easier to work on. That being said though, the 2nd gens aren't bad, and I've been happy with mine.

Just my $.02.