Stretch's 87 4Runner - Easy E

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This thing is a "club" hand-me-down. After building a few rigs from scratch I said I wasn't going to do it again. I had accumulated a bunch of parts over the last year or so and was about to start a new build lol. Long story short, I went to buy a $40 3rz radiator and a few days later bought YotaOffroad27's tow rig and 4Runner. I had seen this thing get hammered on from the day he showed up with nice straight body panels and a full length top on it.

All of my rigs have been named after something that was on them when I got it (Desert Eagle my first gen had bullet holes in the tailgate from a .50 DE pistol, Po Lil Tink Tink was the rusted spare tire chain clanking around underneath the bed that I took months to finally cut off my 85 Xtra Cab) so I found this to be kind of fitting since Daylon requested from the beginning that Easy E stay on the rig. The rapper's first album also came out the first year the 4Runner was made as well. :lol:

OG on the drivers door. If this door ever gets crunched, this is getting cut off and riveted onto the hood.

Right now I don't have too much planned for it. Just some housekeeping stuff and to make it my own. He built it right and its proven to be reliable. So I hope to just spitshine it up a bit to withstand my drive by braille style of wheelin.

22RE with a rebuild a few years ago, stock duals with Marlin Crawler adapter, Budbuilt crossmember with a small drivetrain lift, Spartan locker and Nitro 30spline Chromos in the front, Welded Rear, bastard pack lift springs originally TG 5" leafs, Cut 38" TSL's on Beadlocks.

Cage, Harnesses, Fuel Cell and winch are the main things I would like to get done ASAP. Then I'll go from there.

Cruisin down the trail in my Eight Seven :cheers:

 

[Appntr]

My last rig before I sold it:

85 Xtra Cab 22r on Propane, 4Link rear with 2.0 SAW Airshocks, Corbeau Seats and Crow Harnesses, Chevy 1tons geared 4.56 welded front and rear with 35spline chromo outers and forged spicer joints, RPM Offroad trucker girl drive flanges, Stock duals with TG adapter and Budbuilt Flatbelly Xmember, Engo 9000S winch, 42" TN cut TSL's, 4wheel disc brakes.

 

[KidVermicious]

It looks like it's time for a cage for sure!

 

[Hyde802]

Well hot dam. Looks like a great trail rig!

What are your plans for a cage?

:cheers:

 

[Appntr]

Well hot dam. Looks like a great trail rig!

What are your plans for a cage?

:cheers:

Thanks yall...

I'm going to do an interior cage that keeps functionality of the stock dash. Much like I did on my XtraCab. Don't want to get into thinning out wiring and all that mess just yet. The rig works so why change it. The back will look something along the lines of DesertPOS's Runner. Kind of truck bed'ish with room for the fuel cell, a tool bag, cooler and Action Packer full of fluids. I've always loved the look of a raisin'ed out Toyota so basically some tube back there to eventually bash all the sheet metal into.

 

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Took it out to the Flats in Marion NC this weekend since the Rock Corp 4x4 club was having an open ride. Overall the rig did very well. I was only denied on a few things that I think I could have made. Backed off of each one because the consequence was a rollover and I don't have the tube work done yet.

Developed an oil leak somewhere around the front of the oil pan or the bottom of the front cover. I degreased everything and have yet to have it do it again. Going to keep an eye on this one as it was all over the Tie Rod/Drag Link.

Steering box is leaking like a sieve. Going to pull it off and probably have it rebuilt and tapped at the same time. When this happens I need to pull the pitman arm off and line everything up properly. It turns great one way but like a schoolbus the other.

Great start to what will be a great rig. I'm going to get this little stuff addressed and start bending some tube in a few weeks hopefully.

 

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I've slowly been knocking out some work on this thing when weather and time allows. Nothing fancy yet, just some cleanup work and things that I felt needed to be addressed.

The rear tires were very worn and already grooved once by someone. Good thing I've cut a few sets of TSL's and Iroks and am cheap lol. Out came the tire groover for some more rubber removal.

The front tires still are very good so I just removed material from in between the center lugs to hopefully help them clean out a little better when its sloppy.

-Broke my last groover blade with half a tire to go. So I still have some cutting to do.
-Got the rear seat out and the interior cleaned up a little bit.
-Figured out a better way to hold down the battery until I can get some tube up there and weld in a new battery box.
-I think I figured out how I am going to run the Aux temp and oil pressure gauges once the A-pillar bars go in for the cage. This truck has those on an A-Pillar pod right now. So modifications or relocation is necessary for the interior cage.
-Fixed the rag joint that was half falling apart
-Cleaned up some wiring
-Hopefully fixed the oil leak. Most of the oil pan bolts were loose. Like finger tight. Going to keep an eye on these.
-Mounted some Hella 500s where the stock headlights went. I only had one headlight and these were free.
-Since the body is kind of beat, the hood latch would jam up from time to time. Replaced that with some good hood pins last night.

Nothing really picture worthy, just a lot of little time consuming projects so far.

Next trip is Harlan at the end of March so I've got some projects to knock out between now and then.
-Cage
-Mount my 14" Bilsteins in the back
-Rear Bump Stops
-Crow Harnesses with the shoulder pads sewn in
-Steering wheel disconnect and aftermarket wheel
-Vision X Tantrum Rock Lights
-RuffStuff Specialties 4 LED Rear Light Bar

 

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Been tinkering on this thing for a few weeks now chasing down little gremlins getting ready for a big trip to Harlan, KY in March.

Hard to start when cold = Bad Cold Start Injector. Still need to fix, but a can of Ether fixes this issue easier at the moment. Its not like I drive it every day.
Starter occasionally clicking instead of spinning the engine over = spade terminal on the positive contact had become corroded. New spade terminal and extended the wire to not be so tight. No issues.
Only had one headlight = Hella 500's on their own relay in place of the stock crappy headlights. LED's coming soon.

Been battling some issues with the truck running rough at more than 1/2 throttle or so. If I lay right into it, it falls on its face, spits and sputters. But if I gradually roll into it, it runs fine until about 1/2 throttle or so. Even all the way to redline if I don't give it too much fuel.
Changed the MAF because I have an extra, no change. Changed the air filter just because the other one was caked in mud, no change.
When I get it back I'm going to change the plugs, change the fuel filter element, drain the tank completely, pull the sending unit, change the sock on the pickup and make sure the pump is still attached to the sending unit.

Removed the top, stripped out the rear seat, factory roll bar and tailgate that would no longer latch. Ditched around 100lbs of stuff to offset the new cage thats going in now. 1.5 x .120 DOM 6 point cage custom built by PJ Mallory at M&M Fab in Mocksville, NC. He should be done sometime next week late. The idea is just to get me a little safer for that trip and he is knocking out the hardest compound bends that I just always manage to Eff up. Haha. I'll finish it out at home. Stuff like front bumper, rear upper shock mounts etc.

Off to get the cage started

 

[wallytoo]

Been battling some issues with the truck running rough at more than 1/2 throttle or so. If I lay right into it, it falls on its face, spits and sputters. But if I gradually roll into it, it runs fine until about 1/2 throttle or so. Even all the way to redline if I don't give it too much fuel.
Changed the MAF because I have an extra, no change. Changed the air filter just because the other one was caked in mud, no change.

this set of symptoms apparently is VERY common in 22re's of this vintage. in most threads, no definitive solution ends up being posted (and could well be the result of multiple issues combining). the problem is that many people seem to just throw some parts at it (expensive) and get minimal/no improvement.

mine is doing exactly the same thing. i am trying to diagnose it without throwing parts at it. one hindrance is the FSM, which isn't as good as it should be (clarity, options). if i am able to solve mine, i will post it in my "maintenance" thread.

wally

 

[Nuked Beaver]

I had the same problem, and it was actually 2 things combined. My TPS was bad (verified by checking using the 4crawler write-up) and my intake manifold gasket was leaking. If I was you I would start by checking the TPS.

 

[wallytoo]

I had the same problem, and it was actually 2 things combined. My TPS was bad (verified by checking using the 4crawler write-up) and my intake manifold gasket was leaking. If I was you I would start by checking the TPS.

i've used the 4crawler info to set the TPS. mine checks out at all settings, although it "drops out" while the throttle is moving (reading on ohm meter goes to "open"). shorting check connector drops idle/timing, which indicates it is working, too. my question is about the "drop out" of the resistance reading while operating the throttle. if i leave it in any position, there is a reading that fits the accepted range, as long as there is no movement in the throttle.

i don't want to buy another TPS if mine isn't broken. is it normal for the TPS to have the drop out open reading? i wouldn't think it would be, but i have nothing else to compare it to.

 

[Appntr]

Thanks for getting this discussion going guys. I don't really want to throw parts at it haha. I just have some other general maintenance that I want to knock out anyway and see if it cures it, but I may go ahead and try adjusting the tps to see if that fixes it.

 

[KidVermicious]

i don't want to buy another TPS if mine isn't broken. is it normal for the TPS to have the drop out open reading? i wouldn't think it would be, but i have nothing else to compare it to.

I've ohmed out a couple TPSs, none have done that.

 

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PJ is done with the cage. I'll get more pictures once I go to pick it up. He got this knocked out a lot faster than expected. Quality of work is always top notch as always. I ran his 14 bolt rear truss on my 85 Xtra Cab when I linked it.

M&M Offroad
Home
336-909-2076

Going to pick it up this weekend. Now I'm all pumped and ready for it to warm up so I can get this sucker running right.

 

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[Hyde802]

Thats awesome. Came out nice and tight to the inside of the roof!

 

[wallytoo]

not to continue the thread semi-hijack, but i've done some more checking on the TPS. mine is not the problem. with my digital mulit-meter, which auto-ranges, it indicates an "open" when moving the throttle (connected to Vta and E2). however, when using an analog meter, the needle sweeps smoothly, with increasing resistance, throughout the range of the TPS. happens whether moving the throttle fast or slow. no drop-outs indicated with the analog meter.

as a check, i unfortunately now have a brand new toyota TPS, which tests exactly the same as the one in my truck right now (digital vs analog). the key in testing the TPS is, apparently, to use an analog meter when checking resistance, at least for the Vta-E2 readings.

so, end of the hijack.

if yours has the same problem mine has, it probably ISN'T the TPS.


wally

 

[Appntr]

not to continue the thread semi-hijack, but i've done some more checking on the TPS. mine is not the problem. with my digital mulit-meter, which auto-ranges, it indicates an "open" when moving the throttle (connected to Vta and E2). however, when using an analog meter, the needle sweeps smoothly, with increasing resistance, throughout the range of the TPS. happens whether moving the throttle fast or slow. no drop-outs indicated with the analog meter.

as a check, i unfortunately now have a brand new toyota TPS, which tests exactly the same as the one in my truck right now (digital vs analog). the key in testing the TPS is, apparently, to use an analog meter when checking resistance, at least for the Vta-E2 readings.

if yours has the same problem mine has, it probably ISN'T the TPS.

so, end of the hijack.
wally

Thanks for the input, by all means thanks for sharing your results. Thats what the board is for. What part of NH are you in? We used to have a place in Gilford about 1/2 a mile from Gunstock where the old Alpine slide used to be and some family in Wolfeboro and Amherst.

I have searched to no end before posting noob questions but every single thread I come up with for this is basically people throwing parts at it. I'm just slowly checking things off the list as I do the same stuff really. But some of what I have done was for my own reassurance since its a new to me rig and I have a big trip coming up.

So far I have done the following with no luck in fixing the issue, but like I said some of this was part of preventative maintenance I wanted to do anyway:
Air filter - old one was caked in mud.
Swapped MAF's since we had two extras in the shop.
Changed plugs - Figured it couldn't hurt since it had been a few years.
Drained the old gas - rig sat for a few months before I got it and fuel these days is crap IMO.
Sprayed the entire engine with carb cleaner while it was running to check for vacuum leaks. None.

Next up I am going to pull the sending unit and check the pickup filter and the pump. The pump fell off the sending unit for the PO and caused some similar but not exactly the same symptoms. It would idle but wouldn't run well under load. Trail fix was to hose clamp the pump in place. Might have come loose since the tank is very beat. PO swapped the fuel filter to an inline version thats easier to access than the factory one so I am going to replace it as well, even though through the glass element, it looks fine.

Then I am going to hook up the fuel pressure gauge to verify proper fuel pressure. The way its acting, It feels more like its starving for fuel at high RPM's than it is a sensor issue. I could be completely wrong and usually am :biggrin1:, but other rigs I have worked on over the years have run like this when its a fuel pressure issue when the pump is dying or a line is pinched. Basically it can flow enough at certain throttle percentages, but if the rail needs more fuel all at one time that pinch point just chokes it out and doesn't allow enough fuel to be supplied.

If that doesn't lead me to a solution I'll test or swap the TPS. Just going to do all the free/cheap stuff first before I go throwing money at it.

 

[wallytoo]

west central nh, half-way between concord and lebanon.

i hear you on the fuel pressure/starving potential. i may just do the same thing, set up a fuel pressure gauge next to the altimeter/clinometer so i can see what's going on when it hesitates. i replaced my fuel filter about 20K miles ago, and my tank is only a year old. same with the fuel pump.

 

[Appntr]

TPS swapped and calibrated. The problem remains.

Stuck with my gut instinct and pulled the pump from the tank and checked all the connections around the tank...pump is only reading 5.7 ohms and when it runs there is a slight hiccup in it. Its not a consistent hum like I am used to hearing.

Copied from YT:
The resistance of the fuel pump should be around 37 ohms. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the fuel pump wires going into the tank, if you don't read somewhere close to this (20-40), but read infinity or overload then your pump probably has a bad segment (an open) on the armature. Measure from each wire going to fuel pump to a chassis ground with your ohmmeter. If you get a reading and not infinity (analog) or overload (digital) then your pump probably has a short.

This pump was swapped in by the PO and has a lifetime warranty on it. I'm going to swap it out and see if this fixes the issue once and for all.