I'm new! 1990 V6 5speed 4wd. Hello 2nd gens!

[Mirakuu]

Well, I'm 24, just picked up a 1990 4 Runner for $900!

It's got some issues though. I'll start with the good.

It's running good. It's a V6 with a 5 speed Trans and 4wd, everything shifts good on it. I searched hard for the 5 speed 4wd and finally got it at an amazing price. The ride is really nice, all power door locks work. Comes with an amplified stereo system but the speakers are blown. Body is in good condition but needs new paint. Just had the timing belt, water pump, fresh ac system. Fortunately all pain in the rear stuff taken care of. Lol

The bad.
Needs a new battery though. 3 of the 4 cabin windows work, rear driver side doesn't, should be an easy fix, I think it's electrical. The console switch for the hatch window doesn't work, but the lock switch for the window does. That's an easy fix. It definitely needs new tires. I'm gonna get some nice knobby ones for the off road. Needs a good brake job too. Couple of them are dragging making the soft scrape noise.

Now the really bad. The owner told me the differential in the rear needs to be replaced. It's making some bad noise back there. Ticking, scraping, etc. It sounds okay under acceleration, but cruising it's making a scraping noise and coasting deceleration while downshifting sounds god awful. Hopefully I can swap the gears and put in fresh bearings and fix it. First I need to make sure it's the differential. Any input is appreciated!

Also, what other Toyotas are compatible with parts? Trucks of the same years? I'm new to 4wd, and suvs, but not imports.

I'm a DIY mechanic. I have a 1990 Honda prelude that I've done everything short of swapping an engine. I've got very good electrical experience and mechanical experience. Body work, etc. I've got tons of tools too. Lol. So I'm hoping to get this thing running good without any trips to the mechanic.

Here's some pics of both my toys now.

This 4runner is mostly gonna be used as a trailer puller, hauler, backup vehicle, and something to take camping. It's not gonna be a mud monster or rock climber, lol, although the previous owner told me how capable and respectable it is in tough offroad situations.

Thanks for viewing and glad to be a new part of the community! Hopefully this new addition will be as nice as my Lude one day =] lots of work to do.

 

[SV_Dude]

Good looking runner!

As for the rear diff, you can drain the oil and see if there is any metal in the oil. If so, you will be best to find a used diff on craigslist and swap it out. That should cost you about a hundred bucks total including the used diff, fuild and rtv.

 

[Mirakuu]

Good looking runner!

As for the rear diff, you can drain the oil and see if there is any metal in the oil. If so, you will be best to find a used diff on craigslist and swap it out. That should cost you about a hundred bucks total including the used diff, fuild and rtv.

Thanks for the input. I will be checking that along with the front diff, Trans, and xfer case tomorrow. I just bought it about an hour before I posted. Put enough miles on it to get it home. I'm thinking it needs fluid changes anyways so it'll be a good way to pm and diagnose at the same time. I didn't have enough time to get straight to it today, but I already got a manual and been reading. I'm going to inspect the whole rear axel, if anything is bad along with the diff, I may want to just get a whole assembly from pull a part, given the ratios are the same.

Also I've already answered a few of my own questions with the stickies. Lots of good info here, definite thanks to the community.

 

[3RDGENGuy]

Lucky find! It looks clean! I want to find a 2nd gen again same color for that price and fix it up

 

[Mirakuu]

Lucky find! It looks clean! I want to find a 2nd gen again same color for that price and fix it up

Thanks! It's got paint chips here and there, and some fading on the hood. The picture I took did it justice. Lol. Around here in upstate SC, 4wd suvs and trucks are treated like gold. I got extremely lucky for paying less than a grand. Running 4 runners go for way more, and I paid less for this one than what I would for one with a blown engine. Lol

 

[3RDGENGuy]

Seriously I always find a 2nd gen 4 under 1500 that has either a blown head or tranny is shot. I want to find one that I can at least drive home. Haha

 

[Mirakuu]

Well good luck! Hopefully you can find a good deal.

I checked my rear differential, no fluid at the filler/check bolt. Opened the drain bolt and got no more than a3rd cup of burned up, stanky, putrid differential fluid... which was more like molasses. No big metal shavings but did have little metallic pieces and a metallic sludge that built up on my magnet. The driveshaft had a good 1/2 rotation play, didnt feel very secure... like I could move it up and down, left and right. So...definitely looks like a new differential is gonna happen. All of the rear suspension bushings look good though with minimal cracking. Really most of the underbody looked good. Most rust I found was on the exhaust.


Also, sunroof is off track or something. Its close tight, motor works and sounds like shafts are too, but it isn't moving.

 

[giro]

LOL!

It took me much too long to realize that 2nd pic was under the hood of the prelude, and not the 4runner. I kept seeing things that were in the wrong place, but blamed it on the air filter change or it being a '90 instead of a '92. I guess it's been too long since I had a '86 and then a '89 prelude.

The tailgate window can be a pain....several potential issues. There's a relay box in the rear driver's side in front of the cutout. It's somewhat common to have one go out....there are separate ones for up, down, the lock, and the wiper (I think that's the 4th, and not the defroster). When my "up relay" slowly went out, it worked for a while when the truck was running even when not working when just trying off the battery.

Enjoy your new 4runner

 

[Mirakuu]

LOL!

It took me much too long to realize that 2nd pic was under the hood of the prelude, and not the 4runner. I kept seeing things that were in the wrong place, but blamed it on the air filter change or it being a '90 instead of a '92. I guess it's been too long since I had a '86 and then a '89 prelude.

The tailgate window can be a pain....several potential issues. There's a relay box in the rear driver's side in front of the cutout. It's somewhat common to have one go out....there are separate ones for up, down, the lock, and the wiper (I think that's the 4th, and not the defroster). When my "up relay" slowly went out, it worked for a while when the truck was running even when not working when just trying off the battery.

Enjoy your new 4runner

Lol! I can see your confusion. I love my Lude. 2nd and 4th car. My Runner is my 6th now.

My tailgate window works, just the consol button was gummed up. Previous owner spilled coke on it. I took the switch out and disassembled the switch completely. All the contacts were gummed up/corroded, so I took a Dremmel to it and got the contacts all shiny again. So my switch works now so I don't have to use the key slot on the tailgate.

My sunroof needs to be fixed. And I'm going to pull apart today to pick up new differentials. I've got fluid and everything waiting at home for the Diff swap.

Me and my wife also detailed the interior. Looks great now with the exception of big cracks in the dash and tears in the driver seat.

Also my driver side rear passenger window is out of its retainer, so pulling the panel and resetting it should be all that's needed for that.

 

[jgilk1]

Also, what other Toyotas are compatible with parts? Trucks of the same years? I'm new to 4wd, and suvs, but not imports.

89-95 pickups and 89-95 4 runners ... "most things" are cross compatible between these vehicles

 

[jgilk1]

Also, what other Toyotas are compatible with parts? Trucks of the same years? I'm new to 4wd, and suvs, but not imports.

89-95 pickups and 89-95 4 runners ... "most things" are cross compatible between these vehicles

 

[nevada]

check the rear pinion nut. I bet its loose.
very common on these.

 

[Mirakuu]

89-95 pickups and 89-95 4 runners ... "most things" are cross compatible between these vehicles

Thanks for the info, I'm pretty used to crossing parts from other cars. Lol. My prelude has next to no aftermarket support.

check the rear pinion nut. I bet its loose.
very common on these.

I've got the 4runner in my side of the garage so fixing it is a priority now. Lol. I pulled the driveshaft off yesterday after work, but had a job interview so I didn't get too far past that. The pinion nut was secure, but the Pinion assembly itself was pretty loose. I think what happened, is the previous owner blew a seal, but just kept driving. The diff is covered in stuff. So I doubt this is fixable. Once I get more time I should be able to get the axel shafts out and pull the differential off. I'll update then.

 

[Mirakuu]

Okay, pulled the axel shafts and the differential today. Wheel bearings are good, don't need to be changed, brake shoes have good material left on them.

The differential however, has a busted pinion bearing. Just eyeballing it though, the ring gear and spider gears are fine. Inside the differential looks fine too. Despite it running with almost no fluid, I'm surprised the differential is in a good condition. So I'm thinking that rebuilding the pinion will be all I need to do. Any input?

Edit:

Here's some pics
The bearing trying to escape. Lol

And everything else looks pretty good, you can see some rubbing on the ring assembly from the pinion rubbing on it, but everything else seems pretty decent.

 

[Hyde802]

Sure, you can just change the pinion bearing.

But if you get a neww diff, make sure you get a 3rd that matches your front gear ratio

Gearratiosanddiffs

 

[541joseph]

It looks like the ring gear is worn pretty bad. The lighter color on the teeth is the hard face of the gear worn off but you could have it last forever just an observation

 

[Mirakuu]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm planning to just get the pinion bearing replaced. Some of that discoloration is from the concrete floor, and some from the flash. Once I'll get it cleaned up some I'll take another pic and inspect it more. I had just enough time to get the differential off yesterday. I'll be checking it more when I get off of work today.

 

[nevada]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm planning to just get the pinion bearing replaced. Some of that discoloration is from the concrete floor, and some from the flash. Once I'll get it cleaned up some I'll take another pic and inspect it more. I had just enough time to get the differential off yesterday. I'll be checking it more when I get off of work today.

change all the bearings. you have to pull the carrier, and reset the backlash anyway, so while its out, change the bearings.

 

[Mirakuu]

So I have new bearings, a couple are still on the way. But, I'm stuck on this stupid tard. This is the bearing that blew up, the inner one, and all of the bearing came off except for this piece. Should it just slide off or is this press fit? I wanted to ask you guys before I got out the cutting wheel.

 

[541joseph]

Weld little ridges around the center take a hammer and a punch and hit it as to spin it off while still hot from the welder