CBR's Build Thread

chrisbagnell

chrisbagnell

Member
Introduction

This is a build thread for my 2004 Toyota 4Runner Sport Edition. It’s been in the family since 04’ used and I grew up with my dad driving this thing everywhere. It’s always been super reliable and now it has been turned over to me… not officially but I spend a lot of $$ on it. I started out doing easy mods to the car that were reversible just to make it last longer, but I slowly realized I wanted to do more than that. Hopefully I can keep this 4Runner around for a while… I am not a professional, I do not know how to weld, fabricate etc. but I can 3D design and print parts, a soldering/electrical magician (It just works) and I consider myself a spray paint expert. Follow along to see what I do next.

I hope in the coming days to add all of the projects I have already done, in the future I will document things with more detail. Plans for the summer weeks are to get new LCA and Axles and possibly a front bumper depending on $$$

What it looks like now:



What it looked like stock:





Mod, Maintenance, and Project Directory

Oil Change Data:

14k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
17k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
20k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
24k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
27k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
30k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
34k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
38k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
41k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
45k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
49k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
52k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
56k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
59k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
62k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
65k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
68k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
71k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
74k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
77k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
80k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
83k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
87k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
90k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
93k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
96k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
99k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
103k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
107k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
110k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
112k miles - 5W30 - 2k interval
115k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
118k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
121k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
125k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
129k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
133k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
137k miles - 5W30 - 4k interval
140k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
143k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
146k miles - 5W30 - 3k interval
149k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval
155k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 6k interval
163k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 8k interval
171k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 8k interval
174k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval
177k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval
180k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval
183k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval
186k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval
189k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval
190k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval
193k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval - 9/17/2024
197k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 4k interval
200k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 3k interval
205k miles - 5W30 Synthetic - 5k interval


Other Data:

  • 167k miles - Front Differential - Synthetic Blend - Mobil1 75W-90
  • 167k miles - Rear Differential - Synthetic Blend - Mobil1 75W-90
  • 167k miles - Throttle Body Cleaning
  • 168k miles - Spark Plugs
  • 207k miles - Intake Manifold, Throttle Body, Valve Cover Gaskets
  • 207k miles - PCV Valve

Wheels, Tires, Suspension:

  • 155k miles - Bilstein 5100’s / X-Reas Delete
  • 160k miles - Discover Evolution Tires
  • 167k miles - 9808 T CV Axles
  • 167k miles - TRQ Lower Control Arms
  • 179k miles - Front and Rear Brake Pads / Rotors

Lighting and Electrical:


Body / Frame:


Armor:


Performance:

  • HCF Delete

Shopping List:

  • Skid Plates
  • Fixing Rust
  • Exhaust cam gears with 3° retard
  • 06-09 Instrument Cluster Swap
  • Remote Start
 
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Work That Has Been Done So Far

Going forward I’m going to have a lot more pictures but this is what I have done so far that I could find pictures on:


Subwoofer
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Blew out the stock subwoofer a few months back and decided to replace it with a nice Rockford Fosgate P3SD4-8 Subwoofer. I stretched the life of the stock one by using silicon on the cone but it blew after one song.





Rust Prevention
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Next was the Rust Prevention. I did a lot of research on the best products for rust prevention/protection and a lot were saying POR-15 and then painting it. I ended up going with a marine grade product called Corroseal which is a Rust Converter and Primer. Easy application I just wire brushed the loose rust, and coated this stuff on with a foam brush. Then spray painted it with Rustoleum Black paint. I’ll post some pics later this year after 1 year with it to see how it works if anyone is interested in trying this.

Here are some before and after pics:











06’ Headlight Conversion
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I wanted to do the 06’ headlight conversion because my headlights were cheap off amazon that looked cool when new but they had a whole bunch of nonfunctional lights just for looks. Decided to go with Used OEM from eBay and they were filthy, broken tabs etc… I cleaned them up pretty nice, spray painted the housing black, and installed some Retrofit source Switchback halos. Tapped into the Fog Light relay with the Always on Fog Light mod. Very happy with the outcome, still haven’t decided if I like the orange DRL on with the halo’s but I like how unique it is compared to other cars on the road.







Ongoing Instrument Cluster Issues
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My biggest job so far was replacing the instrument cluster. Started off just following a thread on how to replace the LEDs on the cluster and I ended up breaking something on the cluster so the fuel gauge did not work. Had to buy new Stepper motors and tried swapping them with no luck. Ended up buying a new to me instrument cluster off eBay for an SR5 which did not include the 4WD lights. Swapped the chip with the mileage over as well as the LED’s but I still can’t figure out how to get the 4WD lights to work. Fuel Gauge still refuses to go the the "F" when I fill my tank and it drives me insane. I will most likely continue to search until I can find a Sport Edition Cluster but for now it does the job.









This weekend i'll post some pics of my rusted LCA and Leaking CV Axles... Still deciding what brands I wanna go with for the parts as OEM is $$$ but worth it always. Probably cvjreman.com for the axles and Rockauto Moog for LCA.. Let me know what you guys think!
 
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Weekend Post 5/31/2021

Not a lot of time this weekend to work on 4runner, rained all weekend and only had a few hours today.


Refreshing Stock Skid Plates
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I wanted to get my skid plates off in preparation for the New LCA’s and Axles that will need to be put in in the future, the mid skid plate came off like butter. The front one had one bolt that was a total pain in the ass and I am still unable to get off and is rounded out. I will probably take it to a shop before I lose my mind. No pictures for that until I can get it off and painted.



Rusted Out LCA
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I said I would post a picture of my LCA so the forum could see and here it is. I’m no mechanic but this bad boy is rusted just about all the way around and it has me concerned for overall safety while driving.





Thankfully the forum came in clutch because I went on it and one of the new posts was on a thread asking about LCA’s.

So, I decided to go with the TRQ Front Lower 2 Piece Control Arm with Ball Joint Set for $179.99! It’s a solid deal and will give me time to source OEM parts if I want to go back that route in the future.

As for Axles it’s most likely going to be from CVJ Axles - CV Axles & Steering Racks for all your needs as stated in the previous post. I don't have the down time to rebuild the axles myself in case of an issue.





Front Bumper
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Now for the fun part. I’ve wanted a front bumper on my 4Runner for many years and now I am in a position where I can take the hit financially.

I’ve been looking at a lot of different styles and I’m stuck on either the Demello Off-road or Shrockworks Bumper.

I will be getting it in white and Shrockworks is the only brand I saw that offers it in white.

Not sure if I want 3 hoops, the middle hoop, or none… I guess that all comes down to preference. Here’s some pictures for comparison.

The only reason I would want hoops is for added protection in case of a collision but does it really make a difference? Please let me know what you guys think!





 
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New Axles and LCA's!!!

Finally got all the parts in to replace Axles and LCA's. No rain in the forecast... started working and it started downpouring, but I was determined.




Axles
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Both of my boots were torn upon inspection. I followed Y=mx+b tutorial for axles and borrowed a fork from a friend to separate the axles from differential. Stripped the drain plug so I stuck a pump in the fill hole and got as much fluid out as possible and filled a quart back up. I noticed driver side did not have a seal where it connected to the differential and it was not leaking either. The passenger was replaced a long time ago and did have a seal... very interesting. Got the Axles from cvjreman.






New LCA's
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The LCA's were the easiest part of all of this. The driver side was the side with minimum rust and the sleeve wasn't seized in the LCA so I was very happy... Again another discrepancy I noticed is that the passenger side, the side with more rust and a seized sleeve, had a different bolt for the front mount. I know that LCA was never replaced nor the hardware, I thought it was very interesting.. The seized LCA did not stand a chance against me and my Sawzall :)





My dad snagged a photo of me hard at work, you can tell i just wanted this to be over.




Final Result / Advice
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I have never done anything this in depth with a vehicle, and I do not have a lift or anything special. I took my time, and it was worth it in the end. Took me about 8-10 hours... I lost count. Also had to buy a new jack, borrow a torque wrench, and a axle fork. The work speaks for itself.

I really believe anyone with determination and time can get this done by themselves... I did. It really wasn't as hard as people made it out to be, plus the lessons learned will help me for a lifetime. And I got to take an angle grinder and Sawzall to my vehicle which was a bit of fun.






Projects Coming Up
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  • Bought some LED strips I'm going to wire into the door lights for under driver and passenger footwell.
  • Also got the later model instrument cluster coming in within the next week, going to see if its possible to use on the 03-05 model 4Runners.
  • Getting a front bumper soon to protect all my precious parts.. still cannot decide on one hoop or 3 hoops or brand... I'll figure it out eventually... oh yea and color. Black, Textured Black, Grey, or White. I don't want Black because everyone gets it. Leaning towards White on white with my truck or paint the Grey gunmetal grey to match my hood scoop, wheels, and grille.
  • Possible Exhaust cam gears coming up.
  • Unrelated to my T4R, been trying to organize all of my tools in my tool chest.



I think that's all for now, will update in a week or two on the updated instrument cluster and maybe more projects. Hope everyone has a great 4th of July!
 
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The Little Things

Trying to work on taking more pictures on my projects.



Sway Bar End Links
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Over the past week I installed new front end sway bar links. They were cheap $26.99 from Amazon. I was worried about the price but the ball joints on these were strong compared to the worn out and torn boots on the originals.

Link to links: Front Stabilizer Links for Lexus GX470, Toyota 4Runner, and FJ Cruiser — Amazon











Throttle Body Cleaning
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Also cleaned the Throttle Body. Was amazed at how much carbon build up there was, also reset EFI and now car idles a bit higher on start but settles down. No noticeable difference other than that.







06-09 Instrument Cluster on 2004
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I made a separate post for this here.

After putting in my stock cluster my car started idling very low and it ended up stalling in the road once I came to a complete stop. Since then has been fine. I'm sure one of the switched pins caused a short when I started the car and it fixed itself after a few miles added to the odometer.



Still super curious about this and what ill have to do to make it work on the 03-05 4th gen models.

Also ordered a front bumper from Demello Offroad with their July 4th discount, excited to see my front end transform!
 
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Hard to tell from the pics but looks like one of your removed axles has the seal still attached, maybe it came out with the axle? Did you replace it or just leave it?

You’ll love the DO bumper, it’s a very good product. Post a photo with what color you decided to go when it’s all done!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I did not replace the seal, have not noticed any leaks but ill keep an eye on it... maybe ill have to go back in and fix it. I reached out to the company and they said there was no seal attached on the axles they received... For bumper I'm trying to get white, still in talks with them but ill definitely post pics!
 
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Small Projects 1

The past couple of weeks have been spent trying to figure out my rear bumper rust, and thankfully its all finished now. I am so happy with how it came out. Also worked on some other little things.



Rear Bumper Reinforcement Replacement
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Found the part off a front end damaged 4Runner in Texas and snagged it for about $180. Was a little rusty but not nearly as bad as mine, so I wire brushed it and POR-15'd the outside and most of the inside.

When welding we had to reinforce the drivers side since it was badly rusted. Used some heavy duty old military plates so now I can say my 4Runner has Military grade steel in it XD.

I will come back to it next year to see if an spots are collecting water from factory welds and make some holes if needed.









Also got some new parts from McGeorge... I got to say I hate OEM prices but I'm always so happy to see rust free brand new parts come in the mail.



Also drilled and tapped most of the existing bolt locations with M8... I think this is my favorite bolt size. Used on skid plates as well.

Now I am just waiting on new tow hitch bolts and then I can put the rear bumper back on.. been off for a month now.



Footwell Lighting
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This was pretty easy with Top4Runners.com Tutorial. I had a problem initially that took a few days to figure out, my splice was not puncturing the 12v power so I had no power to any of the lights.

Very happy with the result it makes my car seem luxury and now I can finally see at night if I accidently drop something.





Bad Spark Plugs
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Thought this was going to be an easy spark plug change but I could not for the life of me get the plugs loose. Took it to a shop so they could deal with it if anything broke... these bad boys were crusty.





HNT Antenna Installation

Unrelated to my truck but I also managed to mount a HNT antenna on my roof... Hopefully this will pay for my car parts soon enough :)



Still waiting on that Demello Offroad Bumper..
 
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The Long Awaited Return

A Year's Worth of Updates in One Post

Hey everyone, I am just about to pass 180k miles on my 4Runner. Last time I posted I did not even have my front bumper yet. So lets start there.



Demello Offroad Bumper
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I waited until the 4th of July Sale in 2021 to order this, and got $160 off. Since I knew I wanted to do the later revision grille in the future, I decided to get the 06-09 version of the bumper with a single hoop, all in with shipping cost me $1690.00. Took about 5 months to show up, mostly due to COVID delays, the owner of DO was super cool and actually called me to give me updates. Looks like they don't sell this style anymore so I won't be able to link it.











Toyota Grille
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Got the 06-09 TRD "Toyota" Style Grille and modified it to fit on my 04. Just cut the original reinforcement bar on the bottom of the original grille and drilled new holes to make it work. Using a Strong hanger for the hood latch.





Rust Prevention 2
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Next was the Rust Prevention.. again. I just started going for my Masters at a new University that is right on the beach, so naturally I am exposed to salt 24/7, 365. When I say on the beach, I am 200ft from sand when I step out my door.

I do not have a lot of photos of this but I spent about a week cleaning the frame and applying POR-15 to every part that I was able to reach. After that dried, I put fluid film over everything. My main concern was a reaction that would hinder both, but others have done it and it worked fine.

If anyone is going to do this just make sure you are 100% done with the POR-15 before putting fluid film on, as it is oil and is difficult to get off. This double barrier has done very well in the month and a half I have been at school, and I check it about every 2 weeks just to see if there is any rust building up.

In addition to this, I noticed clogged drainage holes in the frame, where rust has now built up. I took an air compressor and blew out the holes and then went back through with a magnet to get the rest, it was insane how much rust came out, but after coating the inside and outside with Fluid Film, I'm not worried.







Instrument Cluster Fixed
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For those that have been following this thread or have seen my posts, I tried changing the LEDs on my instrument cluster a few years back, and have had problems with the cluster motors ever since. I decided to buy a hot air station, and went to work.

I now have 4 4th gen Instrument clusters laying around, and in retrospect I probably should have just sent it in to get repaired. The biggest issue I was having was that the "new" used clusters I got off eBay were not the same model, missing certain lights etc.

I finally figured out how to transfer all of that from one cluster to another and got a functioning lights only board. I then realized that the only motors that were consistently breaking/not working for me were the Fuel gauge and temperature motor. So I decided to transfer the extra cluster speedometer motors into the Fuel and Temp gauge and it finally worked.

The only thing I have to do now when I fill up the tank is disconnect and reconnect the battery to get proper reading on the fuel, but it is way easier than not knowing how much gas is in the car.



I made a diagram with all of the parts of the board labeled for anyone in the future but cannot find it, I will update the thread once I find it.



Possible Head Gasket Failure
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The past few oil changes I have sent out to Blackstone for analysis and I am waiting to hear on the latest change that was just sent out. They found coolant and other unusual substances in the oil that is raising concern.

Once I hear back from them on this latest change I will decide how much longer before I need to get the head gasket changed. I saw several users recommending a top end gasket kit vs the headgasket kit as it will all have to come off either way. I need to find the time to do it or find someone that will do it for the right price.





Bonus Picture



In other news, I just started my own business with a few friends which has been a lot of fun so far. Slowly moving up in the world! Hope everyone has been doing well.
 
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Headgasket - Well This Does Not Look Good :(

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I knew my vehicle was plagued with the headgasket issue due to the model year, and it was only a matter of time. I have been monitoring it closely for years and no mechanics could determine any headgasket leaks, however it was clear to me that I kept having to fill my coolant (very minor fills).

I tried to run the 4R around 3k miles each change, and sent my past 4 oil changes to Blackstone to get tested and just got the latest results.

They are suggesting I do not run the vehicle much longer on these gaskets, however the only sign I have had for years is a very slow loss of coolant, no overheats, no smoke in exhaust etc. For reference I am right about to hit 180k miles (about 300 to go).

I saw a post on this forum HERE, that said to go for the engine overhaul kit vs the headgasket kit as it covers all top-end gaskets and is not much more.



The concern I have, is if I were to replace this all myself, what the odds would be of having a warped head or something else go wrong along the way.

However, if I do decide to go to a shop and pay $$$, would a Toyota dealership be ideal due to their warranties?

Looking for some guidance/experience on this.

I am unsure what the costs are for these today, as everything is inflated so anything helps!
 
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Hey man, I too have an 04 I did the headlight swap and 06 TRD grille with. I see in this post you mentioned using a strong hanger as a replacement hood latch/hook.

Would you care to elaborate on this solution you came up with? I’d love to be able to do the same with mine for piece of mind.

Thanks and cheers on the thread

chrisbagnell said:
<b style=font-size:24px;">A years worth of updates in one post</b>
Hey everyone, I am just about to pass 180k miles on my 4Runner. Last time I posted I did not even have my front bumper yet. So lets start there

<a id="DOBumper"><b style=font-size:24px;">Demello Offroad Bumper</b><a href="#Directory">Return to Directory</a>

I waited until the 4th of July Sale in 2021 to order this, and got $160 off. Since I knew I wanted to do the later revision grille in the future, I decided to get the 06-09 version of the bumper with a single hoop, all in with shipping cost me $1690.00. Took about 5 months to show up, mostly due to COVID delays, the owner of DO was super cool and actually called me to give me updates. Looks like they don't sell this style anymore so I won't be able to link it.
<a href="https://imgur.com/mH6xN3p"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mH6xN3pl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a><a href="https://imgur.com/qR7GNoq"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qR7GNoql.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a><a href="https://imgur.com/OOk4sY0"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/OOk4sY0l.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a><a href="https://imgur.com/9Nn9AGK"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/9Nn9AGKl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a id="Toyota Grille"><b style=font-size:24px;">Toyota Grille</b><a href="#Directory">Return to Directory</a>
Got the 06-09 TRD "Toyota" Style Grille and modified it to fit on my 04. Just cut the original reinforcement bar on the bottom of the original grille and drilled new holes to make it work. Using a Strong hanger for the hood latch.
<a href="https://imgur.com/T5gh5jc"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/T5gh5jcl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a id="Rust Prevention 2"><b style=font-size:24px;">Rust Prevention 2</b><a href="#Directory">Return to Directory</a>
Next was the Rust Prevention.. again. I just started going for my Masters at a new University that is right on the beach, so naturally I am exposed to salt 24/7, 365. When I say on the beach, I am 200ft from sand when I step out my door.

I do not have a lot of photos of this but I spent about a week cleaning the frame and applying POR-15 to every part that I was able to reach. After that dried, I put fluid film over everything. My main concern was a reaction that would hinder both, but others have done it and it worked fine. If anyone is going to do this just make sure you are 100% done with the POR-15 before putting fluid film on, as it is oil and is difficult to get off. This double barrier has done very well in the month and a half I have been at school, and I check it about every 2 weeks just to see if there is any rust building up.

In addition to this, I noticed clogged drainage holes in the frame, where rust has now built up. I took an air compressor and blew out the holes and then went back through with a magnet to get the rest, it was insane how much rust came out, but after coating the inside and outside with Fluid Film, I'm not worried
<a href="https://imgur.com/1L6pEO6"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1L6pEO6l.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a><a href="https://imgur.com/RiYqgPY"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RiYqgPYl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>


<a id="Instrument Cluster Fixed"><b style=font-size:24px;">Instrument Cluster Fixed</b><a href="#Directory">Return to Directory</a>
For those that have been following this thread or have seen my posts, I tried changing the LEDs on my instrument cluster a few years back, and have had problems with the cluster motors ever since. I decided to buy a hot air station, and went to work. I now have 4 4th gen Instrument clusters laying around, and in retrospect I probably should have just sent it in to get repaired. The biggest issue I was having was that the "new" used clusters I got off eBay were not the same model, missing certain lights etc. I finally figured out how to transfer all of that from one cluster to another and got a functioning lights only board. I then realized that the only motors that were consistently breaking/not working for me were the Fuel gauge and temperature motor. So I decided to transfer the extra cluster speedometer motors into the Fuel and Temp gauge and it finally worked. The only thing I have to do now when I fill up the tank is disconnect and reconnect the battery to get proper reading on the fuel, but it is way easier than not knowing how much gas is in the car.
<a href="https://imgur.com/xeFcLsN"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xeFcLsNl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
I made a diagram with all of the parts of the board labeled for anyone in the future but cannot find it, I will update the thread once I find it.


<a id="Head Gasket"><b style=font-size:24px;">Possible Head Gasket Failure</b><a href="#Directory">Return to Directory</a>
The past few oil changes I have sent out to Blackstone for analysis and I am waiting to hear on the latest change that was just sent out. They found coolant and other unusual substances in the oil that is raising concern. Once I hear back from them on this latest change I will decide how much longer before I need to get the head gasket changed. I saw several users recommending a top end gasket kit vs the headgasket kit as it will all have to come off either way. I need to find the time to do it or find someone that will do it for the right price.
<a href="https://imgur.com/G1hlXRt"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/G1hlXRtl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Bonus Picture
<a href="https://imgur.com/Q1embxe"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Q1embxel.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

In other news, I just started my own business with a few friends which has been a lot of fun so far. Slowly moving up in the world! Hope everyone has been doing well
Click to expand...
 
TN4Runnin said:
Hey man, I too have an 04 I did the headlight swap and 06 TRD grille with. I see in this post you mentioned using a strong hanger as a replacement hood latch/hook.

Would you care to elaborate on this solution you came up with? I’d love to be able to do the same with mine for piece of mind.

Thanks and cheers on the thread
Click to expand...


I used a coated metal hanger for two reasons: it was the only one I could find with roughly the same thickness as the OEM rod, and the coating helps prevent rust and corrosion.

It took a little bit of tinkering to get the bends just right, but it's been working for months without any issues.

I hope these pictures help with your build!



 
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The Head Gasket Chronicles
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I made a separate thread for discussing my headgasket issues which can be found here: Stealership just quoted me $7,000 for headgasket on 2004.

I went to my local Toyota dealership after 4 Blackstone Oil change reports stating there were traces of coolant in the oil. I told them I did this and suspected a headgasket leak and they took the car in.

Got a call later that:

"Guy told me cylinder 4 is leaking and it's a very expensive job. They would have to pull the motor out of the vehicle... and used a lot of terms to make it sound sophisticated 'we will have to take it down to the heads which is EXTREMELY difficult etc'... Also told me I am at extreme risk driving it because of how bad it is..."
Click to expand...

I said okay, I will pick it up tomorrow. He seemed shocked because I did not want to pay ~$8,400 for a headgasket job.

Took the car home and searched around to find 3 shops in the area willing to take it on, so I took it to a shop and told them what the dealership told me as well as my findings.

They had the truck for a few days and called back to tell me they could not find anything leading to a headgasket failure, however my radiator had a leak in it.

So ~$1,500 later, got my car back and it's been running great ever since.

I have no clue if the oil is still showing traces of coolant because I stopped sending the samples out and quite frankly, I think it's best if I don't know. The car is running fantastic.



More Updates Coming Soon!

Just got a Coverlay to hide my cracked dashboard and having some fitment issues. New headlight lenses as well.

Also need to do yearly rust prevention (POR-15 / Fluid Film) frame work. It held up very well this year living on the beach.



Bonus Pictures - Toyota Meetup

Went to a small Toyota meetup with the 4Runner and Mk2 Supra.



 
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Rear Seat USB-C Port Install
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I was in the backseat of a new Chevrolet a few weeks ago and saw USB-A and USB-C ports on the back of the center console and have not been able to get the idea out of my head. So I browsed for a few hours and found the perfect part for the project, and I will have all part numbers/links in this post if anyone wants to do the same.

Total Cost: ~$30
Installation Time: ~1 Hour

I picked this one from Nissan specifically because it was the only one that came with a harness, and it was ridiculously cheap on eBay. Comparable models from different manufacturers were around $80-$90.





Parts List




Installation

There are other tutorials for adding a cigarette lighter on the back of the console and this is pretty much the same steps.

Step 1 - Remove the Rear Console Panel

The rear of the center console with vents just pulls off, and you don't need to remove any bolts.

I just eyeballed the location and had to remark it once I realized the top vents would be in the way. If you buy the same part, between the two numbers was the perfect spot IMO.




Step 2 - Cut the Opening

Next step, cut. I put tape on the front to prevent possible blowout. Drilled 4 holes in the corners and connected them with a Dremel.

Not my best work, but took a long time sanding it and making it smooth and level. The port has clips and once slid in it snaps into place like it was meant to be there, so be careful removing too much material.








Step 3 - Modify the Rear Venting

Next was reinstalling it to get an outline to cut of the venting. I am not too concerned about it affecting the airflow as it's pathetic to begin with.




Step 4 - Run the Wiring

I taped the wire to a hanger and fished it through on the driver side through the console and used these new connectors that I found on Amazon which are 100x better than normal taps and recommend them to everyone.




Step 5 - Final Installation

Zip tied the cable with the provided zip ties and tested it out. Works great and could not be happier.







Future USB-C Project

Next project with USB-C is going to be getting another port similar to this and putting it up front so I can connect my radio via USB-C.

I will most likely put this beneath the rear window controls as it would be symmetrical-ish with the 4WD controls and have an OEM look.

Biggest issue is finding wiring harnesses. This is what I am looking at right now.

I believe I can get a small 6-inch patch cable from USB-A to Mini USB. It would work, but I don't think it would charge at USB-C speeds.

 
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Coverlay Install
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Installed this a few weeks ago. My dash has been cracked for years but this summer my car has been parked in direct sunlight and it's gotten much worse.

I picked up a Coverlay for ~$120 and installed it. It was not a perfect fit. Corners of the dash were swollen on both sides and it did not fit over the edge by the front defroster too well.

I left it in the car for a few days to heat up and siliconed it in place. I opted not to put the airbag cover on as it wasn't necessary.

Overall fit is 8/10. Install was super easy and I assume the fit is off due to the age of my dash and swelling over the years.







I also noticed my whole build thread is one long page... is it showing up like that for anyone else? Not sure how to fix it.
 
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Broken Rear Sway Bar End Link
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I have been hearing a loud clunk the past few days driving and more specifically turning. It has been intermittent but I knew something was not right.

Finally got it located to the driver side rear with my head out the window driving and found this....



Going to be interesting replacing my rear links while at school with only the car jack included with the car.

I was going to replace these a few years ago when I replaced the front but my mechanic said it was not necessary if the bushings were still good.

Replacement Parts Ordered: TRQ PSA55972
 
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OEM Idler Pullies just crapped out on me. They started to make a loud noise whenever the engine is running and its bothering the hell out of me. I am not sure which one it is, but I might as well take this as an opportunity to replace all of them If I am in there. I see it is much cheaper to swap the bearings themselves vs buying a whole new pully but I do not have access to a press.
Other than that seems pretty straight foward
 
chrisbagnell said:
I used a hanger with a coating on it, for two reasons. It was the only one with the same thickness as OEM rod and also prevents rust/corrosion... Took a little bit of tinkering to get the right bends but this has been working for months without failure. I hope these pictures help with your build!

<a href="https://imgur.com/gDytCvF"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/gDytCvFl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a> <a href="https://imgur.com/ePLvYWy"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ePLvYWyl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Click to expand...

This helped a lot! Late response but was able to come up with something similar. Really appreciate it!
 
Recent Updates
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It has been a while since I last posted here, so I figured I would throw together a few updates from the past couple of years:



Remote Start

I installed remote start a few months ago, and it has honestly been one of my favorite upgrades so far since it is something I use pretty much every day. Now that it is getting warmer out I do not need it as much, but during the winter it was a total game changer.

I ordered it from 12Volt Solutions, and they sent me the wrong antenna at first, but they got the correct part out to me quickly and I was up and running not long after. I also managed to grab it on sale for Black Friday.

Here is the wiring mess before I cleaned everything up.





Radio Controls Fix

I was also having some issues with my radio controls. Volume down worked, but volume up did not. I bought a replacement PAC, only to find out after doing a little research that the one I already had just needed to be reset.

I am still not sure why that fixed it, but I was glad I figured it out before swapping parts and wasting the money.





Sound Deadening

I also installed some sound deadening in the doors over the winter, and now that it is getting warmer I am planning to do the rest of the floor as well.

It made a pretty noticeable difference and definitely made the car feel a little more solid and premium.







Tail Lights

I put in new tail lights last year as well. They have a pretty cool startup sequence.

The only downside is that the turn signals are a little tough to see during the day, but other than that they have been great.





Winter Photos

Here are a couple photos from the snow this past winter.







Recent Maintenance

I also spent this past weekend knocking out some maintenance items. I flushed the power steering system, replaced the clutch fan, and did the valve cover, throttle body, and intake manifold gaskets.

I will get those photos posted up shortly.

I also passed 200,000 miles and I am sitting around 208k now with no end in sight.

Also ordered new skids from RCI the other day as a birthday present to myself.

Hope everyone has been well!
 
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