4x4runner01
New member
Excited to see what you do with it!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Airmapper's Build: 2000 Limited
- Thread starter Airmapper
- Start date
Airmapper
New member
Did a little bit this weekend to the 4runner.
Oil & filter change, I've put 5000 miles on it since I've had it now.
The roof rack has been bothering me, it has the typical paint gone and rusting thing going for it, so I completely removed it. I have it disassembled now and working on getting it sandblasted for fresh paint.
I picked out Rustoleum Satin Black for it, and I started off with the spoiler to see what the color looked like, turned out well.
I also pulled off the grille and painted it the same color. It was rough looking, chrome and chipping faded black. Probably going to go with it for all accent work since I don't really want to add any colors, it's close enough to the body color it doesn't detract but just a little subdued.
I'm thinking of doing the center caps for the wheels in satin black, what do you all think? Too much and look goofy or will it look okay? I can't color match the wheels very well, but the wheels themselves don't need anything as they are in great shape. But the caps don't look good as chipped raw plastic.
Photos of how it looks with the refreshed grille and no rack:
Oil & filter change, I've put 5000 miles on it since I've had it now.
The roof rack has been bothering me, it has the typical paint gone and rusting thing going for it, so I completely removed it. I have it disassembled now and working on getting it sandblasted for fresh paint.
I picked out Rustoleum Satin Black for it, and I started off with the spoiler to see what the color looked like, turned out well.
I also pulled off the grille and painted it the same color. It was rough looking, chrome and chipping faded black. Probably going to go with it for all accent work since I don't really want to add any colors, it's close enough to the body color it doesn't detract but just a little subdued.
I'm thinking of doing the center caps for the wheels in satin black, what do you all think? Too much and look goofy or will it look okay? I can't color match the wheels very well, but the wheels themselves don't need anything as they are in great shape. But the caps don't look good as chipped raw plastic.
Photos of how it looks with the refreshed grille and no rack:
Airmapper
New member
I've been putting the runner to work, mostly my commuter vehicle now. Between my two SUV's, every time I compare miles driven for the year it comes out pretty close to 50/50. The runner is doing it's job saving wear and tear on my newer vehicle, all while not taking the entire load itself.
I took it to Nashville for a week for a work required training, no small compliment as if I'm going to take a vehicle onto interstate traffic at night, I better trust it.
Hit a milestone. It's only been about 10,000+ with me, but on the way back from Nashville, it reached the quarter million mile marker. Really hoping for many many more.
I took it to Nashville for a week for a work required training, no small compliment as if I'm going to take a vehicle onto interstate traffic at night, I better trust it.
Hit a milestone. It's only been about 10,000+ with me, but on the way back from Nashville, it reached the quarter million mile marker. Really hoping for many many more.
Airmapper
New member
Well this happened on my way home from work yesterday:
If you can see the hair you know what did it.
I'm torn, I really didn't want to turn this runner into a project, but deep down I want to so bad. The plan was to keep it stock, and enjoy the unburdened mpg's, smooth driving, and simplicity of a well engineered stock 4x4, I have a ever increasingly built 4x4.
But...since my bumper is toast now, and I have too much pride to keep driving it like that, it's already crossed my mind to put an aftermarket bumper on there. Might not be a bad idea from the risk of deer hits in itself, this is the second since I've had the runner, thankfully the last one didn't do any significant damage, but my daily commute is extremely high risk for deer. (seen at least 5 this morning)
Any thoughts? Is an ARB bumper a good deer deflector? Is it going to weigh my nose down? Of all of them I think I like the ARB best, and I don't want the heaviest one I can get nor do I even plan to put a winch on at this point.
If you can see the hair you know what did it.
I'm torn, I really didn't want to turn this runner into a project, but deep down I want to so bad. The plan was to keep it stock, and enjoy the unburdened mpg's, smooth driving, and simplicity of a well engineered stock 4x4, I have a ever increasingly built 4x4.
But...since my bumper is toast now, and I have too much pride to keep driving it like that, it's already crossed my mind to put an aftermarket bumper on there. Might not be a bad idea from the risk of deer hits in itself, this is the second since I've had the runner, thankfully the last one didn't do any significant damage, but my daily commute is extremely high risk for deer. (seen at least 5 this morning)
Any thoughts? Is an ARB bumper a good deer deflector? Is it going to weigh my nose down? Of all of them I think I like the ARB best, and I don't want the heaviest one I can get nor do I even plan to put a winch on at this point.
Airmapper
New member
Since my last post I did not opt for the upgraded bumper. Insurance took care of it, and since it was the part specified per the VIN a painted bumper was put back on so it now looks like a Limited should from the front.
Recently it developed a Cylinder #2 misfire, my first thought was plug/wire/coil related. I'm sure it was overdue so I changed the plugs, wires, and got a new Denso coil for the one Cylinder 2 fires from.
Well it wasn't the ignition end, it started missing again, on heat soak on a restart, that will go away after temps stabilize driving. Pretty sure it's an injector, really the only thing left.
Cleaned the MAF and the Throttle body while I had the intake off. The TB was pretty sooty.
Since my Toyota coil is not bad, and I found an unbranded coil on there I guess from a prior to me repair, I'm going to swap those out and keep the off brand as an emergency spare and get the OEM coil back on it.
For now I'm collecting info on the injector job, if I want to replace the one or all of them, if I want to do valve cover gaskets while I'm in there or not, etc....does not look bad just time consuming.
Oh, and if I remember I need a new PCV valve and related parts, a grommet I believe.
I've had this Runner about a year and a half, and for over 250k+ and driving it to work every day, even with a little injector troubles and the minor repair here and there, I'm still impressed with it. Actually doing the spark plug job I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was, I've had much more difficult times with that job on other vehicles. The top end of the 3.4L is very accessible for the most part. I recall taking wheels off a Ford to get at plugs...
Not glamorous, but looks like the next project is some top end engine maintenance.
Recently it developed a Cylinder #2 misfire, my first thought was plug/wire/coil related. I'm sure it was overdue so I changed the plugs, wires, and got a new Denso coil for the one Cylinder 2 fires from.
Well it wasn't the ignition end, it started missing again, on heat soak on a restart, that will go away after temps stabilize driving. Pretty sure it's an injector, really the only thing left.
Cleaned the MAF and the Throttle body while I had the intake off. The TB was pretty sooty.
Since my Toyota coil is not bad, and I found an unbranded coil on there I guess from a prior to me repair, I'm going to swap those out and keep the off brand as an emergency spare and get the OEM coil back on it.
For now I'm collecting info on the injector job, if I want to replace the one or all of them, if I want to do valve cover gaskets while I'm in there or not, etc....does not look bad just time consuming.
Oh, and if I remember I need a new PCV valve and related parts, a grommet I believe.
I've had this Runner about a year and a half, and for over 250k+ and driving it to work every day, even with a little injector troubles and the minor repair here and there, I'm still impressed with it. Actually doing the spark plug job I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was, I've had much more difficult times with that job on other vehicles. The top end of the 3.4L is very accessible for the most part. I recall taking wheels off a Ford to get at plugs...
Not glamorous, but looks like the next project is some top end engine maintenance.
Airmapper
New member
No Runner related activity to post, which is a good thing usually meaning no problems.
Took the Runner camping for the first time, a break from the commuter role this once. If I was about a foot shorter, it would be more comfortable, but all in all not bad.
Those other vehicles are my friends I wheel and camp with regularly, for once we all had 4Runners at the same time.
Took the Runner camping for the first time, a break from the commuter role this once. If I was about a foot shorter, it would be more comfortable, but all in all not bad.
Those other vehicles are my friends I wheel and camp with regularly, for once we all had 4Runners at the same time.
