Keaton's 2000 4Runner

[128keaton]

Keaton's 2000 Toyota College FunRunner​

A 1993 Toyota 4Runner 4x4 manual was my first car. I grew up in my car, and 4Runners have captured my heart since. I got this one when I was living in Arizona temporarily. So far, I like it, but don't love it as much as my 1993. I like the platform, but miss how nice the 2nd gen styling was. I want to do a ton to this truck, but lack the knowledge and $$, plus I'm in college, so time is limited as well. Who knows where this will go!

Configuration:
* 5VZE 3.4L V6
* 5-speed manual transmission
* SR5 Trim Package 'Extra Value #2'

Mod List:
* BanditRunner Front Bumper
* Yakima Crossbars
* """Toytec""" 3" Lift (need to measure, compare, and figure out exactly what I have)
* Custom Rock Sliders

Future Plans:
* Better tires
* Hoops on bumper
* Stock silver flairs, maybe limited cladding
* Leather seats from a limited
* Surf rear spoiler
* Swing out spare mount
* Front mud flaps
* Shorter and softer front coils.
* Marine fuse box
* Rewire front bumper (PO used wire nuts)
* 1998 hatch bezel
* New door seals
* Mount CB
* Dunno what else??

 

[octanejunkie]

Congrats, looks like a great acquisition.

Your first mod should be a steering wheel flip (it's upside down) lol

Regarding your turn signal dilemma, here is how I'm gonna solve it on mine
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/246607-marker-light-turn-signal-mod.html

 

[Vansnxtweek]

Looks great! Sorry to hear about your old girl but new memories to be had! Super jealous of your's being a 5 speed. How does it ride with the lift?

 

[128keaton]

Congrats, looks like a great acquisition.

Your first mod should be a steering wheel flip (it's upside down) lol

Regarding your turn signal dilemma, here is how I'm gonna solve it on mine
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/246607-marker-light-turn-signal-mod.html

I was thinking something similar to that effect. I'd just swap the GND and HOT on each bulb, effectively making my tiny blinkers into DRLs/Parking Lights, and the parking lights into side markers.

Looks great! Sorry to hear about your old girl but new memories to be had! Super jealous of your's being a 5 speed. How does it ride with the lift?

I really wanted a lighter color, and I got it. Single Stage paint . It rides pretty good, actually. Less body roll than I was expecting. Gotta get the Wildpeaks balanced at Discount Tire, then it should be good to go!


I already have a short list of things that I'd like to get done!

* Replace the rear bumper corner
* Fix the clutch return switch
* Replace the headlight bulbs and re-align
* Replace the parking light bulbs
* Vacuum the sucker out some more
* Replace the rear head rests (missing)

I'm sure more stuff will come up for me to do.

 

[Bandit Runner]

Kind of hard to tell in the pic, but I think you may have a bandit bumper. Who did you buy the truck from?

 

[128keaton]

Kind of hard to tell in the pic, but I think you may have a bandit bumper. Who did you buy the truck from?

I do have a Bandit BumperTM

His first name was Levi. Super nice guy.

Love the bumper, planning to add the oblong turn signals and the upper hoops in the future, as per your thread:

 

[128keaton]

More pics!

Went up to Canyon Lake in AZ today:

My new 2000 by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

My new 2000 by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

The back seats were basically mint:

My new 2000 by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

 

[128keaton]

Okay, I did some research on the fuel gauge issue..mine just reads Full all the time. Doesn't change. That doesn't seem to align with the symptoms of the TSB. Furthermore, I don't think my VIN aligns with the recall range - my last set of digits are Y0286572:
Screen Shot 2018-06-04 at 5.58.34 PM by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

Hoping its just a wire. Will check when I get a chance. I think the gas tank skid is a bit banged up, maybe the tank is dented?

What do you guys think?

 

[TheRandyMan]

My fuel gauge had the same issue, it ended up being carbon deposits on the reader in the tank. Its attached to the fuel pump. You can pull it out and use a pencil eraser to thoroughly clean it. It wouldn't hurt to do that and put in a new fuel pump, two birds with one stone. My fuel pump failed with no warning at 180k miles and left me stranded.
And your dented tank wouldn't cause it to read full all the time, it sits higher up in the tank.

 

[128keaton]

My fuel gauge had the same issue, it ended up being carbon deposits on the reader in the tank. Its attached to the fuel pump. You can pull it out and use a pencil eraser to thoroughly clean it. It wouldn't hurt to do that and put in a new fuel pump, two birds with one stone. My fuel pump failed with no warning at 180k miles and left me stranded.
And your dented tank wouldn't cause it to read full all the time, it sits higher up in the tank.

Awesome! I make sure that gets replaced!

 

[TheRandyMan]

Awesome! I make sure that gets replaced!

If you do, the only (relatively) difficult part is dropping the fuel tank. It can be a pain to disconnect everything, so here's my recommendation: there's an access hatch underneath the back seat which you will need to open to unplug the wiring harness for the pump. This is the top of the pump, and there's just 4 screws there to take it out. Problem is, that access hole isn't big enough to pull it out, which is why you have to drop the whole fuel tank to do it. But, if you just get some metal shears and cut that hole bigger, then its a simple 4 screws and you can pull the pump/fuel reader assembly straight out, super easy. Once you're done, just put some material over the hole, maybe metal or rubber, and glue it or screw it down. Doesn't need to look good, the carpet will cover it. And of course, its fuel, so don't mess around with power saws and frequently touch the frame so you don't have any static.

 

[128keaton]

If you do, the only (relatively) difficult part is dropping the fuel tank. It can be a pain to disconnect everything, so here's my recommendation: there's an access hatch underneath the back seat which you will need to open to unplug the wiring harness for the pump. This is the top of the pump, and there's just 4 screws there to take it out. Problem is, that access hole isn't big enough to pull it out, which is why you have to drop the whole fuel tank to do it. But, if you just get some metal shears and cut that hole bigger, then its a simple 4 screws and you can pull the pump/fuel reader assembly straight out, super easy. Once you're done, just put some material over the hole, maybe metal or rubber, and glue it or screw it down. Doesn't need to look good, the carpet will cover it. And of course, its fuel, so don't mess around with power saws and frequently touch the frame so you don't have any static.

Gotcha, hmm. Definitely food for thought. I'd just hate cutting into the metal like that. Something like a fender or a door, idgaf. I'll be pulling up the seat/carpet to look at the wires there tomorrow anyway.

I finally replaced the bumper corner with the new one the owner included with the car.

Before:
old bumper corner by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

After:
new bumper corner by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

Bonus shot:
2000 4Runner by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

 

[128keaton]

Didn't have time for much today. Wallyworld had some detailing stuff half off. Snagged some compound and some Meguiars protection spray for $10. Need to order rear swaybar endlinks and other misc. hardware. PO removed the rear sway bar, but I'd like it back on.

I "detailed" the engine, although it wasn't super dirty. Makes it easier to clean later, as well as work on in the long run.

Engine by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

 

[128keaton]

So I did a 14 hour round trip today to go get the stuff out of my old 4Runner. I’m pretty sure I need to replace my fuel filter. On the way back, it felt slower. I went up in elevation, yes, but it was pretty drastic. Couldn’t hold 70 up a hill. The stuff I picked up shouldn’t have weighed more than maybe a person and a half. Then, at random times, it would hesitate slightly. Barely. Finally, pulling up on the exit, it acted like the gas was low, bucking, etc. I only put 212 miles on it, and only had to put 15 gallons in. After that, it was fine for the mile I had to drive home. Has that happened to anyone else before? Really concerning to have an issue like this, this quickly.

 

[gamefreakgc]

So I did a 14 hour round trip today to go get the stuff out of my old 4Runner. I’m pretty sure I need to replace my fuel filter. On the way back, it felt slower. I went up in elevation, yes, but it was pretty drastic. Couldn’t hold 70 up a hill. The stuff I picked up shouldn’t have weighed more than maybe a person and a half. Then, at random times, it would hesitate slightly. Barely. Finally, pulling up on the exit, it acted like the gas was low, bucking, etc. I only put 212 miles on it, and only had to put 15 gallons in. After that, it was fine for the mile I had to drive home. Has that happened to anyone else before? Really concerning to have an issue like this, this quickly.

You do have extra weight on it already with the bumper, plus parts and cargo AND 33" tires. These only make 33 HP more than the 3VZ-E, which I'm also very familiar with since I also came from 2nd Gen to 3rd Gen (though my 4Runner had a pickup bed, oh wait that's the Pickup ). It does struggle up hills with a load at high speeds when stock even with stock tires and no armor.

A bottle or two of fuel injector cleaner or seafoam could help and is cheap maintenance. Changing the fuel filter isn't hard either, just take your time and get crowfoot wrenches or brake line wrenches so you don't strip the compression nut. If you do you're screwed lol.

Or... if you'd like a permanent solution to the power problem... SUPERCHARGE IT! :zoom:

 

[128keaton]

You do have extra weight on it already with the bumper, plus parts and cargo AND 33" tires. These only make 33 HP more than the 3VZ-E, which I'm also very familiar with since I also came from 2nd Gen to 3rd Gen (though my 4Runner had a pickup bed, oh wait that's the Pickup ). It does struggle up hills with a load at high speeds when stock even with stock tires and no armor.

A bottle or two of fuel injector cleaner or seafoam could help and is cheap maintenance. Changing the fuel filter isn't hard either, just take your time and get crowfoot wrenches or brake line wrenches so you don't strip the compression nut. If you do you're screwed lol.

Or... if you'd like a permanent solution to the power problem... SUPERCHARGE IT! :zoom:

Yeah I figured as much. I don't really like these tires, and the rear two rims have a ton of weight on them, even after being balanced. I'd rather go to a 32" size with a 7" base width. At full articulation they rub a bit too.

I need to do the ISR mod and the deckplate mod, but I won't be going up the mountains soon.

A super charger will be in my future I guess too

 

[gamefreakgc]

Yeah I figured as much. I don't really like these tires, and the rear two rims have a ton of weight on them, even after being balanced. I'd rather go to a 32" size with a 7" base width. At full articulation they rub a bit too.

I need to do the ISR mod and the deckplate mod, but I won't be going up the mountains soon.

A super charger will be in my future I guess too

There's always the option of re-gearing, but by the time you've bought parts and paid for labor to have them put in some 4.56's or 4.88's, you could have bought a supercharger. Seems like most on here go for a supercharger before gears.

 

[ivbeenrokd]

Congrats, looks like a great acquisition.

Your first mod should be a steering wheel flip (it's upside down) lol

Regarding your turn signal dilemma, here is how I'm gonna solve it on mine
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/246607-marker-light-turn-signal-mod.html

I agree on the steering wheel, my first thought! LOL

 

[128keaton]

I agree on the steering wheel, my first thought! LOL

HAHA I had the car parked with the wheels at a sharp angle. Its fine!

I just ordered a 14mm flare wrench an a new Toyota fuel filter off Amazon. Will replace soon. One concerning thing is the fuel tank skid is pretty beat up, but I'm not sure if its contacting the tank. Would explain getting only 15 gallons it it.

 

[128keaton]

Comparing the old guy to the new guy:
IMG_3092 by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

Had some fun times with it:
IMG_3086 by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

Will definitely miss that old truck.


Never driven a stock 3rd gen on graded washboard before, now I want something softer than the Toytec coils. It almost felt like my T-bar setup on my 2nd gen. I need to find the rattles in the dash/engine bay now hahah!

Additionally, I wanna find some rims off an '03 Tundra. Like what COB used on his setup.

Pretty sure something is wrong with the rims I have now, Discount Tire put a ton of weights on the sucker:



IMG_3149 by keaton.burleson, on Flickr

Like, that's ridiculous. Tired of the highway vibes!

Before all of that though, I need to fix the occasional stutter highway speeds
Drove the truck down the Apache highway and looped back into Phoenix. The occasional stutter is still there. Gonna try cleaning the MAF and running a can of Seafoam through the gas tank and through the intake to clean it all up. Its not bad, it just feels like I went over a tiny bump. Still has me scratching my head.