Not really much to put here initially, but going forward I'll have a place to document what I do to my 4Runner.

I wanted a second vehicle to more or less take some strain off my primary vehicle. I wanted something inexpensive, but I also wanted something I would find interesting and enjoy owning.

After mulling over several make and model vehicles, I finally settled on the 3rd Gen 4Runner. I'd been around them some as I know several people that have them, I've seen them off road, I like the way they look, and the reputation for long term reliability made buying one with high miles less scary.

While it is a secondary vehicle, I won't entirely regard it as mere transportation. But for now I simply plan to catch it up on maintenance. I'll attempt to get it as close to "like new" condition as practical. That will take long enough, and once I get there I'll see if I wish to make it more capable off pavement or more suitable for weekend excursions.

Basic Details:

• 2000 year model
• Limited Trim
• 4x4
• Miles at purchase: Just under 239,000
• Purchase price: $4650 (Included TTL) - Used car Dealer, Bowling Green, KY

Overall it is in very good shape mechanically. Pretty much stock, not much has been touched. It was involved in a front end collision that was shoddily repaired, but outside some broken parts and damaged wiring, it's all minor and repairable. What I liked most is it's very clean underneath and not rusty. The engine runs smooth, transmission shifts well, and it drives fairly nice.

The interior was not as nice visually, but not horrible. It's cleaning up okay. Given it is leather the front seats look well worn.

So far I haven't done much:

• Oil & oil Filter changed
• Air Filter replaced
• Replaced several shot exterior light bulbs, repaired wiring for a turn lamp.
• Repaired a loose battery terminal.
• Replaced the center console lights with LEDs, as well as the interior roof lights (will get map lights later)
• New single DIN head unit (media deck, no CD or tape) with BT interface.
• Removed running boards.
• Had extra keys cut, programmed myself.
• Got it a dedicated OBD BT adapter.
• A few sessions of interior cleaning, finally starting to feel clean and smell okay.
• Floor mats and a steering wheel cover.

It's growing on me and I'm coming to like driving it to work despite it not being quite as powerful or roomy as my main vehicle. It may be a mild and practical build since it's not my main 4x4 or exploration vehicle, but I do look forward to seeing what I can do with this 4runner.

Attached Images

 

I have the same truck in the same color and I love it. 225k miles and runs like a champ

Very nice looking 3rd gen, thats always been one of my favorite colors

This build looks familiar... I'm also here from Expo Portal. I'm sure there are quite a few on both.

Nice! Also looking forward to seeing this progress. I have the same colors, so I'm excited to see another thread on one!

Nice antenna.

Sweet 4runner

Thanks. Initially I just wasn't crazy about the overall appearance, I like it don't get me wrong, but I look at it and I can't put my finger on it, it needs something.

I did manage to find a few build threads (very few, it seems to not be so common) with the same colors, and I thought those looked flat out awesome, so I don't think it's the two-tone scheme itself that's bugging me. I do like the combination.

I think it may just be the chrome on the front. I hate chrome. I dull down that chrome somehow, who knows maybe a Satoshi grill mod just for fun, and some more aggressive looking tires, I think it will start to look a bit better to me. I think I want to stay true to the Black/Grey scheme though, nothing too crazy.

Hey, yes I recall you from ExPo. I kinda watch your build thread, it's one of my favorites. I think your right about the overlap of members, a lot of usernames seem familiar here.

Haha! Yeah they really fixed that up good. I didn't pay it much mind, more concerned with engine, transmission, stuff like that. Got home with it and they had just stuck one off some random vehicle in the hole, friction fit. It does nothing. I'm working on getting a OEM unit.

Great looking truck. I would say somehow get rid of the chrome and paint those center caps or just remove them.

Got a few things I'm trying to do over the weekend.

Just put on the hatch struts, 100% improvement. The plastic bearings in the door connection were shattered, so it's metal to metal, need to find something for that....

I don't have my OEM antenna yet but reached behind the radio and got the adapter in and used the rear window antenna, works really good actually but I'm parked on top a hill.

Still have to replace the fuel filter.

I'm just going to do the transmission cooler by itself for now, I got to looking at what I need to do overall, and if I replace the radiator it would be a good time to get access to the timing belt and I could do the water pump and t-stat while I have the coolant drained, be better to replace the radiator while I do the other stuff.

Yes I'd agree on the radiator timing. I did mine first and banged it pretty good while doing the timing belt. A quick pointer for removing the harmonic balancer bolt: pull your EFI relay or fuse and then use your breaker bar up against the bottom of the Passenger frame rail and then bump the starter. Bolt will come right off. And for putting it back on: use a strap of flat iron and put a bolt through a hole you drill on the iron somewhere around the 4oclock position and use a bolt through it to the balancer. Then on the other end, bolt the strap to a bracket, I forget what's there, but you can use the strap to limit the movement of the balancer, because it can't rotate past its limiting strap. If you look it up on google, you will probably find a better explanation. Hopefully yours goes better than mine, i couldn't get the belt on, like it was too short almost, no matter what I did.

Nice rig man. I love the color scheme
Not a fan of the Satoshi grills myself, but I definitely think that chrome bumper on the front is what's throwing it off! Get a color matched one and it will look 10x better, for sure. I think a black color-matched '99/00 grill would look really nice on there too The chrome '01/02 grill definitely isn't adding anything awesome to the front end, I agree.
So what's your "main" vehicle you mention several times? ☺

Nice looking rig you have as well, I spent an inordinate amount of time the other day milling through your build thread.

Yes I was looking at photos of the front ends of different rigs and I'm not a fan of the fat lip. Between that and the chrome I think your right. When I get the basics covered I'll be looking for a way to improve that.

I don't really want to sink a lot of cash into mods, but if I find a Tacoma ARB bumper, I would be tempted.

As for the grille, doing away with the chrome on it and painting it where it's not faded and chipped, it might be a big improvement.


Up till the 4runner my DD and for fun vehicle is a 2011 Nissan Xterra PRO-4X. 6 speed manual, E-locker in the rear, 33" Duratrac's, winch, snorkel, various comms, have a full GOBI rack inbound and a RTT and awning. It's set up for camping and trails. There is a photo of it in my "Garage."

I got the 4runner more for driving to work and just general running around local, but I didn't want some boring car.

No visible changes, but it has a new fuel filter and I did the transmission cooler bypass.

Runs a little warmer actually with the bypass, but it seems to hold between 150-170, even with me deliberately dragging my butt up hills under low throttle. I'll have to keep an eye on it.

I took a slightly better photo of it yesterday as it is now.

I was glancing through the forum and saw airmapper and thought surely it wasn't you, but it is! Glad to see you joined the dark side

Hey man! Yeah all you clever Toyota guys, subliminal peer pressure, just keep driving your Toyota's around me and eventually I'll get one...

Probably quite a drive for you but Saturday we are headed out to LBL for the day if your interested. Cruiserbent is getting it together over on ExPo.