Removing Oil Pan 87 4runner DLX

[Giantmcm]

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen,

Just recently purchased a 1987 Toyota 4Runner DLX (I believe that is what it is called.) I have to say that I used to be a Nissan Truck owner, but I have gone through 2 in two years (first stolen and second rolled (not by me)), and since we have a baby on the way we decided to go a different route, something with a back seat, but could still double as a truck almost.

Always appreciated the 22-re motor, and so I was all over this deal that I found for the 87. But here is my problem, and I am stuck after doing what everyone else has informed me to do. One of my rod bearings is worn and so I have a slight knock occuring at this point in time in the motor.

A friend who knows these well, told me to put some motor honey in it until I could get the bearings switched out. If I did it soon enough, I could hopefully catch it in time. The knock just started, and has only been really evident for about a week. So I am now in the process of swapping them out.

I was told that if I unboth the motor mounts, lift the motor up (while still attached to everything else) I could drop the oil pan out the bottom end, and get to each of the rod bearings. So I have done all of the above, but I can not drop the oil pan out the bottom in any way. I am wondering what I may be doing wrong, or is there another trick, any tips? Or is this a technique that only works on the V-6s, and I have to pull the motor to get to the bearings on the 22-re?

Thanks, and your help would be much appreciated. I really want my DD back, so that my wife can have her car back. I do have another 22-re on the way, but I won't be able to start the rebuild on it, until this summer. So your help would be MUCH appreciated.

 

[elcidsurfer]

Hum..... Im pretty sure the oil pans on the IFS 4Runners cant be dropped without pulling the motor b/c the axle is in the way.... Could be wrong though.

 

[Giantmcm]

So to just post a follow up on the forums here. I just wanted to let you know you CAN remove the oil pan to just change the rod bearings without removing the motor from the car.

However the method to do this will vary from vehicle to vehicle actually. For instance, my 4runner required me to actually unbolt the front differential from the body so that I could wiggle it around to slip the oil pan past it. And to get it back in, I had someone use a crow bar to torque the driver side down so that I could get a large enough gap to slip through.

So for short, you have two options, pick your poision based on your tools.

either use an engine hoist to lift the engine as high as you can, and then see if you need to drop the differential OR you can just drop the differential first and then see if you need to hoist the motor up any higher.

This will allow you to change all the rod bearings out, if you form a small knock and hopefully get you by until you are able to do a complete engine rebuild.

The whole repair cost me about $30 for the bearings and the gasket, took me about full day to do it, and in the end this is what I have to say for it:

The knock is virtually gone, at times I feel like I can hear something but it is hard to say. So I think one of the wrist pins in the piston has ovaled and I need to do an engine rebuild after all.

However the truck does run fairly sound now, and I am content to drive it until this summer rolls around and I have the ability to actually do an engine rebuild. Until that point in time, I have a working truck that I feel more comfortable with driving longer distances now instead of staying in town.

If you have questions, feel free to drop me a line.