So now what ???

[Mellemel]

Fearing the end of my 4rnr is nigh I'm looking for advice as how to proceed next.

97' Ltd V6 250,000miles, middle of winter and the rust has a good grip on the frame, at least two areas that need some good patching, I know a welder who can do the repairs, but what else is lurking ?

Pretty sure the Head gasket is just beginning to fail, loss of coolant, misfire, and bubbling in the reservoir tank. It's a 20 year old truck, spend $$ on it over the past 3 years, still runs fine, but is getting older and failing.
Rear diff whine now for the past 15,000 miles, no worse, but who knows it could explode tmrw!

Seriously thinking to add some HG sealant this week as a fix for now, advisable or not?

Could just pay up and it might go on for the next 5 years or more! Might not too!

What would ya all do ? Call it a day or fight on ?

 

[reelamin]

Fearing the end of my 4rnr is nigh I'm looking for advice as how to proceed next.

Yeah it sucks....I have pretty committed to keeping mine running unless the repair is similar to another 3rd gen that is in great shape. I just don't know your whole situation. I have other vehicles so taking a few months to fix mine even to replace a motor if it happens is really only a matter of economic choice.

I would dump some Blue Devil in for the head gasket leak ASAP!! Best thing is if it doesn't work you get your money back. Just follow their directions. Some things you can drive it and put off fixing, but there are other things you cannot. Head gasket issues fall under the cannot unless you expect the consequences of not fixing it.

 

[Mellemel]

It's my daily drive to work, wet dog carrier, firewood hauler, all round dirty job transport, occassional offroad explorer, but not the only family vehicle, it's become more of a hobby vehicle and I just seem to be repairing and renovating it now! It's actually quite a money pit!!!

Not sure if I want to go much further, would rather put the money into another newer vehicle. If some HG sealer would work then awesome at least for a few more years anyway. It could block the whole system up as I have read happening.

If I tried to sell it I doubt anyone would want it as it is! not unless they are as committed as I have been with it.

Wish I didn't get so attached to my vehicles.

 

[reelamin]

It's my daily drive to work, wet dog carrier, firewood hauler,

LOL....I get it....but I cut 5-6 cord a year....no way my runner would work for hauling fire wood. I'm telling you to try the Blue Devil stuff. It is all liquid with no filler like the older style. I blew my radiator...and I dumped it in. Don't know what caused my problem, but I did get no indicator after where before I did get some change. It's snake oil....but if it works...WTH you gained a few more trips out of it.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/229040-96-3-4-radiator-blew-up.html

 

[audiness]

Given the rust situation, I probably wouldn't spend a whole lot more money on it. Even if you patch the rust like you said there's still going to be some that you can't get too. Replacing a head gasket and getting head work done isn't necessarily that difficult, but it is time-consuming and expensive . I would stop spending money on repairs and start saving for a replacement

 

[amalik]

make sure you do your part in trying to prevent rust on the next underside/frame of your next Runner.

Consult with fellow Canadians on best methods.

 

[KidVermicious]

You will almost always spend less money maintaining a vehicle you own over making payments on something newer, assuming you do the majority of the work yourself. But paying professionals to make expensive repairs can quickly even things out or even make the newer vehicle a better choice.

My advice would be to keep it as long as you can, learning as you go and paying only for what you absolutely have to. Take the money you're NOT making in car payments and put it in savings so that when it is finally time to put this rig out to pasture, you can pay cash for something newer without blinking and continue saving money right on into retirement and beyond.

 

[absalom]

Used motor is ~$400 on Craigslist or car-part.com

Takes all of 1 day to swap it in.

I fail to see what the issue is.

Kidvermicious is right, it's ALWAYS cheaper to maintain an old car than to make payments on a new car.

 

[meRockboost]

Motor + frame rot + rear end failing = sell it for $800 or keep it as a yard truck.

If it were ONLY the motor that would be one thing but it's not. If you got other vehicles with a payment put the money towards them or just keep spend $$$ to repair a vehicle that is at its end of life.

 

[thegipper]

Get your welder to fix the frame (couple hundred bucks assuming its not a major repair), can of blue devil (50 bucks on amazon) and keep driving it until it explodes. May last many more years or may shit the bed next week.

Car payments suck...

 

[Scramble]

Get a daily driver & keep the 4runner as your weekend warrior & bad weather vehicle. 3 years ago I bought an 09 Accord & my payments are only $225 a month. I put $100 a month into my saving that's just for the 4Runner. With the money I'm saving on gas (28mpg vs 16mpg), owning the 4runner is practically free.

 

[Unner]

Get a daily driver & keep the 4runner as your weekend warrior & bad weather vehicle. 3 years ago I bought an 09 Accord & my payments are only $225 a month. I put $100 a month into my saving that's just for the 4Runner. With the money I'm saving on gas (28mpg vs 16mpg), owning the 4runner is practically free.

Says the guy who's 4Runner was practically free when he got it new...

 

[Scramble]

Says the guy who's 4Runner was practically free when he got it new...

LOL, nothings free in this world. It still cost me around $13,000 out of pocket.:heh:

 

[Mellemel]

Really would miss the old girl, she's great in the snow, of which we get a ton of and I often have to go out in early before the plow truck passes.

Well, some say yay fix her up, some say nay, I want to say yay too. Ok, I am putting on a new Radiator cap in case it's crapped out after 20 years. Highly probable. Gonna get some Blue Devil this weekend. Two relatively cheap things to try first.

Didn't drive it yesterday and when I started her tonight no misfire ! I'm more inclined to think it's an air leak rather than the HG.

Do any of your 4 rnr's seems to smoke/steam for a long time during warm up in the winter ? I'm not smelling coolant in the exhaust, and no overheating. I really should get it tested for HG failure.

Sending the welder some pics of whats needed, he has a 93'Toyota pick-up so knows Toyotas. Says he's not in it for the money, more as a spare time hobby.

Still cheaper to get these fixes done rather than another car payment.

In the meantime I'm going to drive her like I stole her Eh !

 

[Scramble]

Really would miss the old girl, she's great in the snow, of which we get a ton of and I often have to go out in early before the plow truck passes.

Well, some say yay fix her up, some say nay, I want to say yay too. Ok, I am putting on a new Radiator cap in case it's crapped out after 20 years. Highly probable. Gonna get some Blue Devil this weekend. Two relatively cheap things to try first.

Didn't drive it yesterday and when I started her tonight no misfire ! I'm more inclined to think it's an air leak rather than the HG.

Do any of your 4 rnr's seems to smoke/steam for a long time during warm up in the winter ? I'm not smelling coolant in the exhaust, and no overheating. I really should get it tested for HG failure.

Sending the welder some pics of whats needed, he has a 93'Toyota pick-up so knows Toyotas. Says he's not in it for the money, more as a spare time hobby.

Still cheaper to get these fixes done rather than another car payment.

In the meantime I'm going to drive her like I stole her Eh !

Haha! Yea man!

The smoke is normal on cold mornings, it looks scary but I'm not burning coolant or oil so...

 

[UnderFire]

Start with a compression and leakdown test, that will tell you what's really going on in the motor.

 

[reelamin]

Really would miss th

Brother...freaking test the HG issue!! NO...mine does not smoke or steam when I start it up....I dont care if its -10 or 30 above...its always the same. Everyone freaks IT is a HG....but about 10 percent actually experienced it! You have to sift through the ones that are repeating what they heard.....VS...those who lived the life!!

 

[Mellemel]

Getting in the shop for the pressure test Friday, yeah, I need to get to the bottom of this.

 

[JayRolla]

Some steam at warm up is normal if cold. Once the exhaust heats up you will see steam. Just like when you're breath streams on a cold day. Perfectly normal.

 

[Mellemel]

Damn........... put on a new rad cap from Napa today which is working 100% but the pressure has blown out coolant from somewhere all over the front of the motor, it's all in the black fan shroud too, did the radiator take a dump ?

It's the same pressure rated cap as the one that it's replaced, just a working one.

Can't do anything on it right now, there's a blizzard raging outside I don't have a garage and I don't fancy stripping stuff down when it's -10c or below. Might just park her up for a while till the weather improves.

Sigh...