1990 4Runner, Good buy?

[WeezyBlue]

I am the happy owner of a near mint 1992 toyota celica gts, and don't want to put it through another ohio winter...

So I've been looking for a winter vehicle, and came across a severely rusted black 1990 4Runner for $550. 4wd, 4 door, 160,000 miles, automatic (ick) and a fairly nice interior.
I've always loved the older toyota trucks and suvs, but am not entirely familiar with them.

I know the 2.2 5sfe in my celica is known to usually run good for well over 250,000 miles... mine has 140,000 on it and with only an exhaust is still running better times than it did stock.

So how relieble are the 4 and 6 cylinder engines in the 4runners? And how about the other mechanicals?

Unfortunely I do not know which engine it has, I forgot to ask when I called him earlier today. I will be going to test it tomorrow night, and if I like it I have the money to purchase it on the spot. But I'd like to know what to look for specifically in terms of issues and problems.

He says it runs good, 4wd is flawless, but has a slight vibration issue between 45-50mph that he blames on poor wheel balancing. It also has a very minor oil leak under the front. Again, I'm only looking for a winter vehicle...

Any input at all would be greatly appreciated

 

[fourwd1]

The 4 cyl (22RE) is a great motor, the 3.0 V6 has issues. Head gaskets are a big problem. There was a recall, it wouldn't hurt to get the VIN and ask a dealer if it was performed. But the 4 cyl has been known to have blown head gaskets/cracked heads too.

Severely rusted could be a big problem. Check the frame very carefully, 80's Toys are notorious for it. They rust from the inside out, so by the time you can see it it's really bad.

If he's asking $550 and you like it, offer less.

 

[WeezyBlue]

Damn, I really was hoping for good news...

The frame is considerably rusty, but it looked flaky like surface rust...? How would I go about checking the integrity of the frame then? Some jabbing with a screwdriver? And are there any specific points on the frame that tend to fail first?

I really couldn't care less about cosmetics, but I was hoping for a fairly mechanically and structurally sound vehicle...

 

[the_dingman]

If it's the 22RE (4 Cyl), it'll run forever. My current '87 has 209k on it and runs great (oil isn't even black 1500 miles after a change). My old '86 I had went through hell and never stopped running, including 4 months with a dry radiator (completely dry), 3 months with no alternator on a 35 mile (and back) commute (battery charged every night). As well as countless other problems.

I never had the money to fix things right away when I was 16-19, so I always drove it anyway, and through everything, it never once failed to start, and never once died.

 

[toy89yota]

I have an 89 4-runner for sale. Truck is in good shape but has some age. I.E. typ. rust on rear fenders High Mil. But runs very nice. I drive it 160 miles a day. I am looking to get something that gets better mpg and that is the only reason I am selling this truck. It does leak some oil and I have not taken the time to replace the gasket. I am asking $1000 OBO. The truck is located in Manassas, VA or in Martinsburg, WV. I work in Manassas but live in Martinsburg. All of the 4wd works fine and I have pulled 1200 pounds of cement on my trailer with it. The check engine light is on and when I put the scanner to it the scanner said it was for a temp sensor (Have not figured this one out yet). You can p.m. me here or email me at [email protected]





I can take more pics if needed