Project "semi daily driver and weekend warrior" 1994 4Runner SR5 Limited
 

So i've already posted my voluminous introduction in the new members section, so i'll only copy and paste the technical stuff here.

TL/DR rescued a '94 from the ghetto for less than scrap.

• The tires are all shot, possibly bad ball joints in the front. It is also missing the spare wheel and tire.

• Driver side door creaks when you open it, the hinge(?) is broken and the portion where the door bolts into the body looks like it's cracking. I looked at it further and the door catches/pops on the fender.

• Interior is beat to piss, so presumably a work truck. Will need a thorough vacuuming and shampooing. Missing the drivers side rear bottom seat cushion. Same side the door lock doesn't work and the interior handle is broken off. Steering wheel is disgusting. Rear window goes down and comes up rather nicely though! Central locks need attention. Was used as PO's landscaping company truck, as I found a leaflet and multiple business cards in the glovebox when getting the stack of records out.

• Unknown if A/C works.

• There is some sort of leak on the front of the engine as the whole front is caked in grease. Power steering pump could be the culprit, as it is also caked in grease. However the valve cover gaskets were both leaking. After sitting for 4 days the truck has marked it's territory on the driveway.

• Battery is 1.5 years old and currently at home on the charger. After charging for 8 hours, only had enough juice to start the truck once. See video and updates below.

• When the truck started, blue smoke poured out. Hoping this is the VCGs and not something else.

• Transmission shifter needs new bushings, since I can slop the shifter around and it doesn’t show the indicator staying in park.

• Owner said loss of power so severe that even driving up the slight incline where he parked it the truck was going 2mph. So transmission condition is unknown, but he never mentioned any slipping.

• Newer Radiator and overflow tank are completely dry.

More pics to follow.

You got a ton of work ahead of you, but it'll be worth it.

Thanks, i'm hoping to get a video taken today of the noise it gives off when I start it. Ideal lead time to have this road worthy and daily if necessary is about 2 months. I have my es300 but i'd like to have my beater too.

After charging the battery for 8 or so hours, it only had enough juice to turn the truck over for this video. Even hooking up the jumper cables from my es300 didn't give it enough to turn over, it just clicked and everything dimmed.

I didn't want to run the engine too long due to the noise and the fact that the radiator and overflow tank are completely empty, although no white smoke came out when I started the truck.

Was able to get the shop vac out and vacuum a bunch.

Also noticed the mangled sunroof controls. Pretty sure there is a new unit in the milk crate full of parts.

Milk crate had a brand new 555 pitman arm in it, so that's nice.


<iframe width="1280" height="753" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QyEuouG6NH8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Pictures are as follows:

• before vacuuming

• after vacuuming

• mangled sunroof assembly

• rust on front passenger door

• dirt and rust on tailgate hinge and area

• front seat to give idea of worn out state of truck and the missing seat cushion with the busted door handled and sunken lock

Good job rescuing this. I've also got a 94, in a little better mechanical condition it seems though.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Still no updates. Got the battery charged and have driven it around very little, def rod knock and puking oil through the passenger VCG.

On the fence between:
Getting a $500 running 3.0 and stripping it down out of the truck and doing the HG, TB, WP, Plugs, VCG, etc. (about $1,000 after I do everything)

Or biting the bullet and paying $1500-$2000 total for a 3.4 swap- but for that money I could just get a third gen.
Swap would require me to pull from a t-100 because I want to keep the a340 auto trans, so that's all extra $$$ for oil pan, dipstick, trans adapter, wiring at ORS....

My thought is if I can get a running 3.0 and tear it down and get 50k out of it or 2-3 years i'll be OK...

ES300 needs tires and our 2016 pilot needs front brakes and a windshield. And I have to pay the county property tax ASAP on that Pilot. If I wasn't $10k underwater and had cash free i'd just dump it

Good luck with the build!