Couple of 1st Gen Questions????
 

1. I keep blowing the fuse for the brake lights, any idea what could cause this and how high of amp fuse can I use there?

2. I have not done a oil change since I got it, thinking of going synthetic would this be a good move? If so what weight should I use? I am in NC.

Ok first off you have a bad wire somewhere, probably near or at the taillights. Your brake light power wire is going straight to ground somehow causing the fuse to blow. Putting a higher amp fuse will not fix the problem. It will only put more stress on the wire, causing it to heat up and melt down. Check your taillight bulb sockets for corrosion or bad wiring.

Synthetic oil is good but more than likely you will create or worsen current oil leaks. Synthetic is good for a new rebuild after break-in has been done. If you're hell bent on synthetic's, try a synthetic blend first and see if the leaks stay at bay and then switch to full synthetic if you still want. This is just my opinion, though. I run synthetic in everything i own top to bottom. Reason I do it is because I have seen the advantage first hand with my dad's trucking company.

I do have a oil seep so dont want to make it worse, which kind of normal oil would you go with? I am planning on doing a full rebuild if it gets to the point of actually leaking, just dont see the need yet.

as far as the synthetic thing i would just use regular oil the 4runner 22re has been know to go 500,000 miles with just regular crude oil so there is really no benefit to synthetic other then the length of each oil change. and Nate is right sythetic in a old engine is just a waste of money but thats our opinion.

no its comm on for the older import trucks to have a non factory wiring harness made for towing, a common problem is the stupid splice connectors they use they are horrible and cause lots of issues, if you pull out the rear taillights you can see the harness for the lights if it looks cobbled you have a good place to start.
download the fsm and all your problems will be just that much easier to fix! we can always offer up stuff but the FSM will help when we cant be there to give you a helping hand.

synthetic is the way to go after a rebuild!!! by far!!! i did it and o my.... its a beauty but i wouldnt switch it mid life like that.

If you have a trailer hitch, check the trailer light wiring. That's the most common cause of rear lighting problems.

Got the brakes fixed, someone had tried to wire in a trailer lights and messed it all up. Took all the connectors off and taped them back up. I dont plan to tow with this so no need for it.

What kind of oil are you guys running and what weight? This is for a 175K miles 22RE.

Not sure if this is the best idea, but this is what I have done with older engines for years and it works. I run 20w-50 oil. After each oil change I add a quart of Lucas oil stabilizer. Doing this I have no leaks and the engine doesn't burn through oil. If I run 10w-30, my slow leak (rear main seal) comes right back and I burn through the oil in a month. Running the heavier weight oil has disadvantages. It makes for slower starts in cold weather and can create some sludge. That's why I do an oil change with 10w-30 twice a year. I have 240,000 on my Toy and 150,000 on my Mazda and both run great.