'88 Runner build/ advice needed

[TechnoMyViolet3]

I bought an '88 4runner 3.0 5speed from my cousin for 1000 over the weekend. The rear window didn't work when i got it, but iv'e fixed that thankfully pretty easily.

Now, the reason he sold it was because it started overheating. Originally he thought it was just the water pump but there's oil in the coolant so now i'm going to have to do the head gasket (There's also oil all over the bottom half of the engine and there are quite a few oil drops on my garage floor. Anyone know what would cause this?)
The 3vze has 256k on it and has had the HG done once before. I really wanted to keep this cheap and get it on the road ASAP but is it worth it for me to do all that work just for the HG? Although I would like to get the top end at least re-machined.

Anyway here are some pics of her


Interior is actually very clean just needed some vacuuming.






Someone tried to zip tie speakers in the back:doh: needless to say they had to go.

 

[DrewL]

Nice to see another 1st Gen being saved in Maryland. It appears to be a pretty solid truck for these parts. It's definitely worth saving. I understand your desire to keep it cheap- I got my first 1st Gen with the same intention. I'm starting to realize that I only one to do major engine work once, so I'm carefully researching how to do it right.

I agree with you about the speakers-you definitely need to replace the cheesey white zipties...with black ones! :biggrin1:

 

[Footofgod]

I say rebuild the engine and get another couple hundred thousand miles out of her. The 3.0 is not a powerhouse, but very reliable if properly maintained.

 

[CodyX36]

but very reliable if properly maintained.

LOL says 1 in every 50 3vz owners.

 

[KidVermicious]

I say rebuild the engine and get another couple hundred thousand miles out of her. The 3.0 is not a powerhouse, but very reliable if properly maintained.

What FoG said x100,000%.

That truck is way too pretty to let go. Look into a 5VZE swap if you're that shy of the 3.0 - it'll be more work than a set of head gaskets though.

 

[TechnoMyViolet3]

LOL says 1 in every 50 3vz owners.

This is what scares me. I don't want to be wasting my time with this engine if its gonna keep breaking.

Id LOVE to do a swap but i wont have the time or money for a while and i really wanted it to be on the road this summer. I guess rebuilding it is my only real option here. Looks like its time to start looking for kits, anyone recommend a specific one?

 

[TechnoMyViolet3]

Nice to see another 1st Gen being saved in Maryland. It appears to be a pretty solid truck for these parts. It's definitely worth saving. I understand your desire to keep it cheap- I got my first 1st Gen with the same intention. I'm starting to realize that I only one to do major engine work once, so I'm carefully researching how to do it right.

I agree with you about the speakers-you definitely need to replace the cheesey white zipties...with black ones! :biggrin1:

Awesome hello fellow Marylander! Definitely don't see too many of these around here especially ones not completely rotted out. But i guess with our areas lack of cool rock climbing possibilities its only natural.

And i was thinking id just spray paint the white ones with black and then tie em back on :heh:

 

[Rhyno88]

Looking good, and a decent deal price wise. Nice to see another one here in MD, i almost never see any 1st gen runners around. I dont think i have ever seen another with the top off.

 

[Footofgod]

LOL says 1 in every 50 3vz owners.

This is a crock. There are 1000's of 3.0 owners that have put well over 200,000 miles on their 3.0. Toyota put it in hundreds of thousands of vehicles. If it really sucked that bad, why would Toyota use it for 10 years? Yes, the head gasket is the flaw. We know that. If you maintain it and keep it running cool, you will likely never see an issue.

 

[broken wrench]

Nice clean runner, good score. I say have block deck checked and heads to, then decide how much your going to put in it vs a swap.

On a side not what type of wheeling do you have in MD ?

 

[TechnoMyViolet3]

Nice clean runner, good score. I say have block deck checked and heads to, then decide how much your going to put in it vs a swap.

On a side not what type of wheeling do you have in MD ?

Thanks! I think i'm gonna keep it cheap for now and just get it running and do a swap a little down the road.

And I honestly don't know anything about wheeling around Maryland. I come from a world of E36 M3s so ive stuck to pavement. This is my first 4x4 (other than a land rover i only drove in the snow) so hopefully ill find out this summer!

 

[DrewL]

On a side not what type of wheeling do you have in MD ?

Next to none in Maryland, unfortunately. We had a scenic, but not very challenging, 24 mile loop in a State Park in western Maryland until about two years ago. They closed it due to damage to the environment. Our best options are in Pennsylvania, Virginia or West Virginia. You can always get a permit to ride on some of the beaches if that is your kind of wheeling. :lookout:

 

[TechnoMyViolet3]

I got started on ripping down the engine today and the oil looked coolant free, however the coolant does have a very small bit of oil in it. I also found out why it must have been overheating. The radiator was clogged with lumps of this nasty gooey stuff that i've never seen before. I imagine its just broken down coolant from not being changed in way too long.

There's the little bit of oil floating on top of the coolant


And the chunks of gooey stuff




Lots of oil residue on the underside. Is this a common problem with these engines?:help: Is it most likely a gasket of some sort?



Very dirty oil but coolant free. :shocked:


Only one casualty for today. Ripped off the negative battery terminal... oops