Ailing 98'

[Ackaroth]

I recently decided to start researching all the various things about my '98 4Runner that concern me, and after lurking for a little while, figured this might make a good place to get some insight.

Firstly, my sticker, to give folks in the know any specific information they could want from it:


4runner sticka by Ackaroth, on Flickr

Mainly just an aesthetic issue, but my rear bumper seems to sag on the left hand side. Not a big deal, but leads me to wonder what caused/is causing it. Also, it puts a little bit of pressure on the plastic at the joint of the piece from the mudflap to the fender well.


4runner rear left bumper sag by Ackaroth, on Flickr

At times, I wonder about the front bumper as well, but dismiss it a little more easily, it could just be me. But here you can also see a bit of the looseness of the headlight.


4runner front left by Ackaroth, on Flickr

This is where it should be...


4runner headlight by Ackaroth, on Flickr

But it pushes back about 3/4 inch to this. Both sides have this issue.


4runner headlight by Ackaroth, on Flickr

Also, what is this wire casing or hose looking thing and spring? The spring isn't connected to anything on either side, and the hose, which I dont know the reason for anyway, just looks like it would be an overflow for I can't imagine what.


4runner headlight spring and hose of some sort? by Ackaroth, on Flickr

If you look closely you can see where someone drilled holes in the driver-side headlight. I am only guessing, but I had an F150 that started to collect rain in the headlight, and did something similar to this to fix it. But my F150 headlight was plastic, whereas this one seems to be glass.


4runner drilled headlamp by Ackaroth, on Flickr

And lastly, here is what happened to me January 1st of this year, my driver side ball joint decided to take a dump.


F*$# you, ball joint! by Ackaroth, on Flickr



So after what felt like a picture-show, I just wanted to list a couple of mechanical observations.

• After the ball joint breaking incident, the shop repaired the ABS sensor, or line, or something to that effect, I would have to look at the invoice, as well as replaced the ball joint, and did a front brake job. I have been riding the spare ever since, which seems to be almost the same size as the others, the only difference being it is a 265/70 vs the others being 265/75. Around the same time, I also got it inspected, got oil changed, and let the guys at the inspection place sell me an air filter
  
  
• Since then, I have noticed a bit of brake squeel still when slowing, as though the new pads where at the end of their lifespan, or possibly from the back drums for all I know. Its been years since I have done a brake job, and wouldn't know the first thing about messing with the rear drum without some good reading first.
  
  
  
• I have also noticed a bit of what I'm gonna call wobble when I am braking, but I don't notice it when accellerating or driving otherwise. It leads me to wonder if all my tires are properly balanced or if it could be something more sinister. I know I need to give them all a little touch up on air, and even though they are visibly old tires, showing early dry rot on the outside edges, they still look really good overall, dont have any visible belt separation, and haven't seem to lose any tread in the 2 years I have been driving it.
  
  
• Another annoyance, that I believe to be electrical in nature, is something has started to make a whirring noise, that is most noticeable when sitting in park. It sounds kind of like power drawing on something, and is noticeably interupted and then returned when I do things like turn on the headlights, or the a/c.
  
  
• I have also noticed that my 4Runner is either idling low, or maybe dirty fuel injectors or something, but it has a tendancy to shudder a bit and sometimes die if I leave it in park for 5 or so minutes, but seems less frequent with something like the a/c on to kick the rpm's up just a hair.
  
  
• The handling at low speeds is also a bit more sluggish feeling than I feel like it should be, although after I got it back from the shop from the ball joint incident, it was noticeably nicer. Sometimes it shifts a little hard while in traffic, I suppose when its on the brink of two low gears. I have considered whether the sluggishness could be tied to dirty fuel injectors/filter, which coincides with the thing about it dying. But I have also wondered whether it could be a power steering issue, although in my limited experience, the power steering pump gets pretty annoying sounding when its not happy, and that doesn't appear to be the case when I turn.

Wow, what a spew of words. I sincerely hope someone can make sense of any of this.

 

[Bill_Dunnigan]

I just did a vin check, your 4runner came out good, no reported accidents. Looks like your the third owner. Three problems came up. It was reported that your t4r was in a storm area and could have been flooded and that it has failed emissions or safety in the past. Overall scored a 72.
Here you go
http://www.mylocalford.com/CPO/AutoCheck?PaCode=04664&VIN=Jt3Gn86r7W0074047&Certified=True

 

[masphx]

That sucks on the LBJ failure but glad you are OK. How fast were you going and how many miles on the 4runner? I replaced my LBJ's a few months ago because of pictures like yours. I also did the Tundra Brake job (bigger better brakes) at the same time and that will solve pulsating later on in the future. If tires are old watch CL for people upgrading their 4runners. They will dump the stock rims/tires for cheap sometimes.

 

[Ackaroth]

Luckily, I was moving very slow speed during ball joint failure, mere miles an hour, coming out of a parking lot. As far as being flooded, not to my knowledge. My mom bought the 4Runner from what I thought was the first owner, but that may not be the case.

 

[jakknz]

Glad your ok after the balljoint failure. It seems like the truck needs some maintainence. I would start with seafoaming the engine. Use half going into your PVC hose vaccuum connection and put the rest in the crankcase and run for a few hundred miles (do a search on here for more information), then perform oil change and change plugs/wires. During this time utilize some fuel injector cleaner by running it in a tank of gas. Also clean the MAF sensor and clean your IAC valve located in the throttle body.

The hose from the headlight is a vent to remove moisture etc. that builds up inside. The spring should connect to the back of the headlight to pull it in place. That is probably why you are seeing that 3/4" gap. The spring, if connected, should remove that.

Wobbling feeling when braking is warped rotors. They can be turned or replaced.

Not quite sure what you mean by sluggishness at slow speeds. Mine kinda feels that way all the time. The electrical whirring seems to occur also but usually only occurs for me when the AC is on due to the increased load on the engine.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[Ackaroth]

Glad to hear the whirring noise might be normal. I don't remember it always being that way, but who knows. As far as the sluggishness, that might be all in my head, I have recently started commuting to a class and being in traffic, it feels unresponsive, but I have begun to think that's because I'm rolling at ~10mph and the vehicle simply cannot be responsive at that low speed.

I'll see what I can do about the rotors, and look into this seafoam thing. I am also trying to work on getting a cycle so that I have a backup if this thing starts acting up before I can sink some money into it.

 

[jakknz]

If you feel it is unresponsive to throttle, check your throttle cable as it may be loose.

 

[Doc2012]

The hose from the headlight is a vent to remove moisture etc. that builds up inside. The spring should connect to the back of the headlight to pull it in place. That is probably why you are seeing that 3/4" gap. The spring, if connected, should remove that.

Wobbling feeling when braking is warped rotors. They can be turned or replaced.

x2 on the rotors. Replacing them isn't hard at all. Getting them resurfaced may mean the truck is down for a day or two....

As for the head light, I have the same problem on my passenger one. It's a little clip that holds the headlight adjuster screw in the bracket. According to Toyota, the only way to replace the clip is to buy the whole headlight bracket @ 60 something dollars. I've tried zipties, but they don't hold tight enough for the vibrations that the light sees going down the road, and they just wiggle off to the front, letting the light fall back again. I'm going to try to get a small hose clamp and try that. Just need to be careful to not break the mount. Here's some pics for refrence.

Passenger:

By doc11 at 2012-06-25

Driver:

By doc11 at 2012-06-25

That little black/grey clip is what keeps the headlight from wiggling back and forth. Find a way to make that stay put, and your headlights should be good. No more wiggle. Like I said, Zipties don't work. Try a hose clamp or something like that....

 

[4R99JB]

Luckily, I was moving very slow speed during ball joint failure, mere miles an hour, coming out of a parking lot. As far as being flooded, not to my knowledge. My mom bought the 4Runner from what I thought was the first owner, but that may not be the case.

My 99 also states possible flood/storm damage. It is a safety measure to keep unsuspecting buyers from buying trashed (flooded out) vehicles that have been shipped to another state on the cheap. It does not mean that there was any actual damage, just informing buyer to check closely. Are you the third owner or does your mom still own it?

 

[Shibby!]

Didn't read all the text because I don't have time. Not sure what was mentioned.

Your headlight isn't drilled but has been hit by large rocks. Silicone the hole closed or get a new headlight.

 

[Ackaroth]

My 99 also states possible flood/storm damage. It is a safety measure to keep unsuspecting buyers from buying trashed (flooded out) vehicles that have been shipped to another state on the cheap. It does not mean that there was any actual damage, just informing buyer to check closely. Are you the third owner or does your mom still own it?

I left it in mothers name. So she is possibly the third owner I suppose.

That little black/grey clip is what keeps the headlight from wiggling back and forth. Find a way to make that stay put, and your headlights should be good. No more wiggle. Like I said, Zipties don't work. Try a hose clamp or something like that....

Might have to get creative on it.

Didn't read all the text because I don't have time. Not sure what was mentioned.

Your headlight isn't drilled but has been hit by large rocks. Silicone the hole closed or get a new headlight.

Fair enough, thanks.