Project daily driver 1991 4Runner

[warrpath4x4]

This weekend the wife and i went and picked up this 91 4Runner. Currently I drive a 06 Jetta TDI but it has had electrical issues and cost us way to much in repairs, I wanted to get something I could work on myself and was 4wd. We had a 93 XJ and while I could work on it, it needed a lot and just didn't feel right, so i sold it and promptly bought this 4Runner.

specs:
1991 4Runner
22RE
5-speed
3" (or 4) lift
33" tires
4.88 gears
ARB locker in rear but needs a compressor (have not verified locker yet)
sun roof

I had planned on putting a header in it and a new radiator but it already has a Doug Thorley header and a new radiator in it. So i will catch it up on maintenance with a full tune up, replace all the hoses, change all fluids, verify the locker and if so add a compressor, add dual batteries (more than likely in a custom box where the spare is currently located), tire carrier rear bumper, winch/bumper front, big 3 upgrade, higher output alternator.

planning on repairing this and getting some seat covers

back seats in good shape

onto the rust spots, while its not horrible, they do need addressed

somebody has already been into the AFM, and there are 3 different types of fasteners loosely holding it together and the piping is cobbled together, i am going to get a cold air intake and build a heat shield for it.

new radiator

i am not surprised it has a power steering leak, even though it is not directly coming from right here

and i thought this was mud caked on until i took my knife to it and yup, more rust. so far it looks like the frame rust is isolated to the front, i need to look at the frame again but the rest looked ok. so i am going to hit it with a wire wheel, cut as needed and weld in some new steel.

 

[Pick_T4R]

Awesome looking project; looking forward to following the progress...

I'm in 'paralysis by analysis' on my '94. Can't decide whether to pull the engine and do a full rebuild or just patch things up to get it going... so I've just been driving it as-is for now.

 

[Arild]

I like the brown interiour

Looking forward to your tire carrier bumper mount. I want to do the same

 

[warrpath4x4]

my UPS and Fedex drivers are not going to like me next week, they will be at my house every day according to tracking numbers.

tune up stuff
140 amp alternator
cold air intake
winch
new dipstick from LCE
wiring harness for the alternator
latch from McMaster-Carr for the swing out

still need to order a power steering cooler but i need to look at available space with the auxiliary fan in front of the A/C condenser first

 

[warrpath4x4]

Awesome looking project; looking forward to following the progress...

I'm in 'paralysis by analysis' on my '94. Can't decide whether to pull the engine and do a full rebuild or just patch things up to get it going... so I've just been driving it as-is for now.

thats kind of how the Xj was, not enough to fix it how i wanted it so i just kept driving it.

 

[warrpath4x4]

I like the brown interiour

Looking forward to your tire carrier bumper mount. I want to do the same

thanks,

if it wasn't for the tear in the driver side it would be in really good shape, i have been looking for seat covers but they're either generic ones that dont fit well, or $200 a seat.

 

[warrpath4x4]

took it in today to get the one busted wheel stud replaced and a front end alignment (pulled hard to the left), they said they helped the alignment but he couldnt complete it due to the idler needing replaced. so i brought it home (now it veers to the right pretty good) and ordered more parts for it today, idler, pitman, tie rods, and found my steering leak, its the box itself so i ordered a reman box for it.

verified it does have an ARB in it, the bulk head is still in the housing but someone must have cut the hose when they pulled the compressor, now i need to look into how to clean the locker or what needs done since who knows if there is mud or dirt in there. i ordered a Viair compressor and an air tank for it, along with some other little things like USB ports and flush mount LED's for the rear bumper.

digging around in the cubby's in the back i found this

 

[warrpath4x4]

parts are starting to roll in, not really much of an update but the old dipstick wasn't sealing and was just flopping around, while it may have been fine it was only about $20 for a new Toyota OEM dipstick from LCE.

my cold air intake also showed up and i got it mocked up but the elbow coming off the intake is not long enough so the cross pipe hits the sling hook. i am either going to look for a longer elbow or just get a piece of pipe to extend it out towards the core support. by the time i got that far into it, it was dark.

 

[ddonovan48]

im currently on the same journey, trying to get my 84 road worthy. good luck to you!

 

[warrpath4x4]

by tomorrow all the big items should be here (the 4runner is full of boxes), i will still need to get the small stuff (belts, wire, fluids). As luck would have it though i fly out sunday for a week in Dallas for work, i wonder if my parts will be thinking of me while im thinking of them lol.

 

[warrpath4x4]

I am back from Dallas and got a total of about 10 minutes to work on the 4runner this weekend.

here is the routing of the CAI hitting the engine hook

putting it in a bind against the overflow tank

i ordered up an extension and a new elbow and adapter

but i think it may be a little too long, i may need to shorten it up a little to align things better

and i still need to build a heat shield.

 

[warrpath4x4]

last weekend i got the fan, alt, water pump, and associated bracketry removed, tried to test fit the new CS144 alternator but it doesn't look like it will work (without more mods than i want to do right now) so i found a stock size 130 amp unit to put back in that is supposed to be here Monday. I will put the CS144 in my 72 K5 next spring when i revamp the electrical system in it. I have yet to put anything back together between the cold weather and the cold my son gave me i have not done much of anything.

 

[Ahlem]

Try a Harbor Freight Needle Scaler on that rusty frame stuff. I was amazed at how much work it did before hitting it with a wire brush or sandblaster.
My son and daughter-in-law are in Moses Lake and have a TDI as well.

 

[warrpath4x4]

Try a Harbor Freight Needle Scaler on that rusty frame stuff. I was amazed at how much work it did before hitting it with a wire brush or sandblaster.
My son and daughter-in-law are in Moses Lake and have a TDI as well.

any excuse for more tools right? i will have to pick one up and try it.

 

[warrpath4x4]

Finally got some time to work on the 4Runner yesterday with our weird weather were having.

i was wrong when saying the power steering cooler needed replaced, it was the A/C condenser, and since the A/C doesn't work i don't see the point in keeping extra parts on the rig.

much more space now

and without the condenser and everything else in the way, the radiator will get more air flow

i had planned on keeping the A/C fan but its a little rusty

this is what its suppose to look like

with the rust in the front of the frame i was fearing what i was going to find when i pulled their little skid off that was bolted under the radiator... but i was pleasantly surprised.

 

[warrpath4x4]

snow finally melted enough to work on it. pulled the upper intake off to get room to try a pipe wrench on the broken thermostat bolt that was sticking up. it started to move, I re position the pipe wrench and SNAP... now its broken off flush. This has been the worst bolt to try and remove, I tried heat and PB blaster before it broke, then after it broke, even more PB blaster and heating iron. I wasnt perfectly centered with my left handed drill bit, so now i just get to drill it out bigger and re-tap it.

ordered up some parts the other day, 4.7:1 transfer case gears from rocktactics, and a trail gear winch plate from some random Amazon seller. I am going to build a bumper off the plate (eventually), and beef up the rusted frame where it mounts to.

 

[discontd]

looking forward to the build. I am doing a restore on a 91', let me know how the install of the tire carrier goes

 

[warrpath4x4]

I have been so unmotivated to work on any of my projects by the time I get off work, drive home, feed the family, feed the livestock, get my kid showered and in bed, I don't want to do anything. the other day one of my old friends came into work and were talking toyotas and it motivated me a little bit so after everything else was done that night I went out and started removing the leaky steering box until I found out I didn't have a pickle fork big enough to pull the pitman arm off.

slowly picking up extra stuff for it. I picked up a top shift transfercase so right now im planning on doing a doubler with 2.23/4.7 gears and a SAS.

I have been working on it about 10 minutes each night, not much but its something lol. I was able to finish drilling and tapping the broken thermostat bolt, wasn't the cleanest job so I am changing it from a bolt to a stud which I epoxied into place last night to let it dry. Now i can start getting the intake put back together and delete as many vacuum lines as possible.

 

[warrpath4x4]

Little more tinkering around the last few days, only took me 6 months or so but I got the thermostat changed lol, both studs are epoxied/loctited in. I got the intake bolted back up, pulled the leaky steering box off, last night I tried the oven cleaner trick to clean the frame off, tonight I will go out and see just how clean it got it after drying.

 

[warrpath4x4]

just chipping away at it, last night was mounting the steering box, hooking up the hydraulics and steering shaft, then removing ang capping un-needed vacuum lines. I tried the oven cleaner instead of like a brake cleaner or engine de-greaser, it worked but I dont know that it worked any better than anything else. it was not a miracle in a can lol.



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