Recently Purchased: $400runner

[rustyrazor]

I bought a 4runner an hour ago for $400.

The clutch is seized. The pedal won't even move. I'm going to start working on it tonight. Any tips are appreciated.

The back window doesn't work. I understand that this is common. Tips on this are appreciated.

There's a hole in the exhaust manifold. Tell me what you think.

I just couldn't pass it up for $400. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

I've already named it the 400runner!

 

[Blurr]

pretty cool find. if you can't get it to run you can always part it out and make money on the deal!

year? mileage?

 

[alex c.]

Word up. Nice find. I also bought a 89 sr5 v6 w/253k a wk ago for $500. It needs a clutch also but is still driveable. My cousin works at advance auto parts and says he can get if for $129.00.

 

[rustyrazor]

The specs

It's a 1990 SR5 with the 2.2 re 4 cyl. 248 000 kms (155 000 miles)

I can't get over the "clutch start override" button. I think it's funny and cool at the same time depending on who you're talking to. It was funny telling my wife what it's for and cool telling my brother in law.

 

[cornbreadlion]

is the clutch dead, or just the master or slave cylinders? I would check those two first because they are cheap and easy to do! As far as clutches go, I wouldn't recomend a ceramic one because they are rough and hard to feather. I wish I never put mine in :cursin:

 

[rustyrazor]

Here's what I've found with the clutch.

The slave cylinder was seized so I took it apart, unseized it and put it back together to see if the clutch worked.

The clutch still didn't work. The slave cylinder is pushing the arm that goes into the bellhouse but the clutch doesn't disengage.

Right now I'm thinking/hoping that the arm came loose but it looks like I have to pull the transmission to get a look at the clutch.

A buddy of mine has a clutch for me if I need it so I'm good that way.

 

[ovrrdrive]

Re: The specs

It's a 1990 SR5 with the 2.2 re 4 cyl. 248 000 kms (155 000 miles)

I can't get over the "clutch start override" button. I think it's funny and cool at the same time depending on who you're talking to. It was funny telling my wife what it's for and cool telling my brother in law.

In real life that button is used to move the truck around when the engine won't run or you run it out of gas. :beer:

I have never been precariously balanced on the edge of a cliff to the point that if I pushed in the clutch in I would face certain death...

But I have used it a few times to move the truck. Thanks Toyota.

If you have that button I take it you got a 4x4 model?

That is a smoking deal then... Even if you have to replace the transmission and rebuild the motor. I need a fun backup truck like that...

 

[rustyrazor]

Update for the day

I was messing around with the clutch again last night and I got it working.

The problem was that I didn't bleed the clutch well enough the other day. I was trying to bleed the clutch by myself and I thought I figured out a sure-fire plan.

I'll tell you about it because I think It would have worked if I did it for longer.

First I would pump the clutch pedal up, then I'd grab I peice of wood I had and when the pedal was pumped up I'd wedge the piece of wood under the dash and on the clutch pedal to keep the pressure on.

Then I'd climb out of the truck and crawl under it. Open the bleeder screw and wait for the 6 drops of fluid to fall out. Close the bleeder screw crawl out from under the truck, check the level in the reservoir, fill it if needed and start all over again.

I did this about 8 times before I could feel the clutch starting to feel like it was working. I guess I didn't do it for long enough though because when I tested it out the clutch still wasn't working.

So last night I got my wife to hop in and push the clutch pedal while I opened and closed the bleeder screw.

If anything, I entertained my neighbors for 20 minutes on Sunday, climbing in, craling under and sticking my head under the hood repeatedly.

So ultimately the 400runner is all systems go. I drove it down to the end of the road and took the trail there last night with by brother-in-law.

We kept laughing that I only paid 400 for the thing, even when the heater knob broke off when I tried to use it.

 

[alex c.]

Nice man! Glad you got it working. Now that makes it an even BETTER DEAL.:cheers:

 

[mikes4runner]

Next time buy a cheap bleeder kit that uses air pressure from a spare tire or canister. bled the slave on my MG in mins.


Mike

 

[rustyrazor]

I brought the 400runner to the mechanic for certification so that I can put it on the road.

Here's the list of what it needs to pass the safety

both lower ball joints, both outer tierod ends, idler arm, rear left and right brake lines, left front signal lense and bulb, patch rust hole in rear fender, right front tire is checked, outer CV boots are cracked, and the horn works intermittently and there's a stone chip in the middle of the windshield.

So I asked the guy if I bought all the front end parts how much he'd charge me for labour. He told me that to do the idler arm, ball joints, tie rods, CV boots for 160 bucks and he'd give me the safety as long as I give him my word that I'll fix the rest.

I figure the front end parts will cost me about $500. I can't get Toyota parts because the parts guys are only there from 9-5 and I work 8-5.

 

[rustyrazor]

Monday Update

After a very full weekend the 400 runner is closer to being road worthy.

I replaced the brake lines in the back end, lubed up the e-brake cable so that it wouldn't stick anymore and adjusted the rear brakes.

I also got the horn working. I had to turn the adjuster screw way in to get any noise out of it so it sounds like a cross between a duck and a goose. I don't think it'll be too effective for venting my road rage anger.

I also McGyvered up the signal light lens. I glued a piece of a broken lense from my parts Tracker over the hole in the lense for the Toyota. This will get it on the road until the one that I ordered from Toyota gets in.

The front end work should be done today and then it will be ready for certification. I bought the parts (Spicer and TRW) and the mechanic said he would do it today but if he doesn't I'm going to do it myself.

So once the 400runner is certified and on the road I'm going to start doing some body work.

I located a couple of rear doors at a wrecker that's 4 hours away so I may be taking my first trip in it on the weekend.

Also, I'm going to try taking apart the tailgate and getting the window working. If anyone has done this in the past or knows of a thread for tailgate windows on 2nd gen 4runners that would be helpful.

 

[rustyrazor]

Found a parts 4runner.

I found a parts 4runner and I want to buy it and the guy is asking $500.

It's a 1990 SR5 V6 with lots of features and it has 33s on aluminum wheels. Even though it's a different drivetrain and interior I still can't go wrong.

Here's my dilemma:

This isn't a problem for me, it's my wife. She doesn't want a parts vehicle anymore. If I was the crying type I'd be crying right now.

I'm not giving up this easily though. I'm going to redouble my efforts tonight.