Cool thread! I'm a fellow Hoosier here in Indy that's trying to hunt down a rust free, clean, and decently priced gen III. Your fly-and-drives are certainly serving as inspiration. I'm looking at a few more trucks here locally, both overpriced for what they are (an '04 with 115k and a rear end accident in its carfax for $8k, a cleaner '05 with a service history and 151k for $6500). Sorry if you already explained this, but how did you handle the registration/transport plates for the drive home? Any paperwork hassles with registering a California title here in Indiana? Any other tips or 'gotchas' would be appreciated. Thanks!
Swank's Montero(s)
- Thread starter Swank Force One
- Start date
Swank Force One
Adventurer
You've stumbled on why i rarely buy cars in this state.
For California, the plates stay with the car, and Indiana law says you can drive a new vehicle unregistered in your name for X amount of days (can't remember if it's 3 or 5, honestly as long as your paperwork is in order, nobody is going to give you a problem within the first week.).
Lots of people have suggested i get transport/transit plates on these vehicles when i buy them, but you haven't experienced frustration until you've tried to get a temp plate from a state that you don't live in. I don't even bother anymore.
I just make sure i have three things with me:
1) COMPLETELY filled out title. Don't leave the date blank to avoid a $5 late registration fee even if you don't think you'll register it anytime soon.
2) Bill of sale.
3) Proof of insurance.
Beyond that if you get pulled over, it's just "Office i just bought this vehicle, here's my paperwork and license, i'm driving straight home. Indiana law allows me a transit period in which i can get a vehicle home prior to registering it." If they grill you further (they won't), just say that this is because Indiana requires VIN inspections in person by an officer/BMV worker when registering an out of state vehicle, and there is no legal way for you to procure a temp plate.
No gotchas for registering the vehicle. Bring title and proof of insurance to BMV, let them know the vehicle is out of state, and they'll go check the vin to make sure it's not stolen. From there it's just like any other transaction.
Awesome, thanks for breaking it down for me! Yeah I figure that as long as I have all the paperwork, it wouldn't be an issue in the rare scenario of getting pulled over. My '96 4Runner has thankfully been spared from the salt for much of its life, sitting in a garage during the winter from 2000 when it's original owner retired and spent the winter out of country, to 2013 when I bought it (and promptly slathered in Fluid Film). There's no way I can go back to owning and wrenching on a rusty truck now.
Swank Force One
Adventurer
Has anyone successfully swapped a late Gen3 motor and trans in a Gen2? Trans being the more important part, especially if it'll function on its own.
Quick question Swank, what RPMs does yours hold on the highway with a locked torque converter in 5th gear? I test drove an '04 locally just now that seemed to be at 2500rpm at just below 65rpm in 5th, I manually shifted it to 4th and it went to 3k rpm so it's not like it hadn't shifted to 5th... is this normal? The only other things really wrong were a case of the under-used transfer case syndrome (got stuck with 4HLC on for a while until cycled ignition, seemed to work fine after a few engagements/disengagements after that), and the truck was beeping and flashing lights when I shifted into 4LLC. Was I supposed to have the truck in neutral for this to engage? This one was actually one of the better ones in terms of rust, as far as a midwestern rig goes, the insides of the rear fender lips are just starting to bubble a bit. Oh and the driver's side seat heater didn't work in the high position. The valve cover gaskets had been done on this so no oil leaks or burning smells at least. This one's priced high at $8500 IMO, but it's the best example I've driven so far I think.
Swank Force One
Adventurer
Looks like just under 3000rpms at 80. Not sure beyond that, i don't drive that truck.
I think mine beeps and flashes in 4llc as well...
I think mine beeps and flashes in 4llc as well...
Did you shift yours into 4LLC while in neutral? I did some more digging in old threads on here and that's the way to do it apparently, I'm feeling a bit silly for not trying that myself when I was at the dealer. I think I'm heading back there some time during the week to poke around in that '04 a bit more, hopefully they're willing to throw it up on a lift for me to look some more at the underside to see just how bad the rust might be, and maybe check the suspension for any looseness.
Swank Force One
Adventurer
Worked on the Gen2.5 a little bit this weekend. Make sure the coolant level was 100% topped off (haven't flushed yet, was busy working on a friend's Miata), then started to investigate my exhaust leaks, which i believe were causing the CEL for the cat. Flange between passenger manifold and y-pipe was backing off. Cranked it down a few turns, and the noise is a bit better. No other serious leaks exhaust-wise through the rest of the exhaust, just a couple pinholes from some pretty awful welding. (Truck has a custom junkyard-spec exhaust south of the y-pipe. Sounds good, looks bad.) Cleared CELs, haven't driven much since then, maybe 10 miles, but they haven't come back.
Unfortunately, i learned three things:
1) Passenger manifold has a big nasty crack in it.
2) Valve seals are in pretty poor shape. Looks like it's burning (maybe leaking, hard to tell with the oil all over the bottom from my oil filter mishap) to the tune of about 1 quart every 1000 miles, and the truck stinks. Burning oil smoke coming from passenger manifold means there's often smoke wafting out of the engine bay, and even sometimes up into the cabin. Going to take care of the manifold and valve seals this month, but beyond that i don't think i'm going to invest any more time or money into this engine, since it won't be sticking around.
3) Transmissions seems to be leaking slightly and/or PO didn't fill it up properly. Going to dump another quart in it and monitor.
Other work i did:
1) Removed CD changer. Surprisingly heavy.
2) Swapped factory head unit for a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X998 (and learned that i have a blown tweeter on driver's side, and door speaker on passenger side). A bit annoyed with the design of the console bezel on this truck. Can't fit the trim ring over the headunit like it should have. Will figure something out when i get my parts to do an interior swap, as my bezel is cracked at the top anyways. For future radio plans, going to try first fixing the blown speakers with factory replacements and adding a 10" sub to take the low load off the factory speakers and see where we are. If i don't love it, i have some nice 6.5" components hanging around that i can swap in, just have to decide if i want to try to power them off the factory infinity amp or just gut the whole thing and start fresh.
3) Removed rearmost seat belts. I don't have the 3rd row seating, and will not be sourcing it.
4) Washed it. Immediately had mixed feelings. It looks better clean, but not as "tough." And this is one of the most "pinstriped" rigs i've ever seen.
Unfortunately, i learned three things:
1) Passenger manifold has a big nasty crack in it.
2) Valve seals are in pretty poor shape. Looks like it's burning (maybe leaking, hard to tell with the oil all over the bottom from my oil filter mishap) to the tune of about 1 quart every 1000 miles, and the truck stinks. Burning oil smoke coming from passenger manifold means there's often smoke wafting out of the engine bay, and even sometimes up into the cabin. Going to take care of the manifold and valve seals this month, but beyond that i don't think i'm going to invest any more time or money into this engine, since it won't be sticking around.
3) Transmissions seems to be leaking slightly and/or PO didn't fill it up properly. Going to dump another quart in it and monitor.
Other work i did:
1) Removed CD changer. Surprisingly heavy.
2) Swapped factory head unit for a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X998 (and learned that i have a blown tweeter on driver's side, and door speaker on passenger side). A bit annoyed with the design of the console bezel on this truck. Can't fit the trim ring over the headunit like it should have. Will figure something out when i get my parts to do an interior swap, as my bezel is cracked at the top anyways. For future radio plans, going to try first fixing the blown speakers with factory replacements and adding a 10" sub to take the low load off the factory speakers and see where we are. If i don't love it, i have some nice 6.5" components hanging around that i can swap in, just have to decide if i want to try to power them off the factory infinity amp or just gut the whole thing and start fresh.
3) Removed rearmost seat belts. I don't have the 3rd row seating, and will not be sourcing it.
4) Washed it. Immediately had mixed feelings. It looks better clean, but not as "tough." And this is one of the most "pinstriped" rigs i've ever seen.
Swank Force One
Adventurer
Two questions for the day:
1) Anyone have a part number/source for a Gen3 brake master cylinder?
2) Gen3 brakes on a Gen2. Been done?
1) Anyone have a part number/source for a Gen3 brake master cylinder?
2) Gen3 brakes on a Gen2. Been done?
Swank Force One
Adventurer
I haven't actually bought anything for it yet. Been planning/still waiting on payment for my totaled Cherokee that was supposed to fund the purchase of one of these trucks, so i'm pretty strapped doing this all out of pocket. Motor in the green one is definitely not as advertised so that really needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
The only local place would be 4 Wheel Parts, and i doubt they support these trucks specifically. I'll just be going with online suppliers for everything i can't find on CL or in a junkyard.
Swank Force One
Adventurer
Thanks guys.
Do earlier Gen2 exterior door handles fit Gen2.5? I don't see any reason why they wouldn't, but i'd hate to find out the hard way that i was wrong.
Do earlier Gen2 exterior door handles fit Gen2.5? I don't see any reason why they wouldn't, but i'd hate to find out the hard way that i was wrong.
