ThirstyTurtle's 3rd Gen Build Thread

[thirstyturtle]

Well I went to Toyota and got a full half-axle kit consisting of an inner and outer boot, 4 clamp rings, and two tubes of grease. Got the new boot put on, packed it with grease and assembled the axle. Then got it re-installed along with everything else and boom, she's good to go! Topped off the front differential with Mobil 1 synthetic 75W-90 and she's ready to take us on the beach tomorrow!

I also PB blasted the front O2 sensor nuts and will replace that in the morning which will hopefully clear my engine code ;-)

 

[thirstyturtle]

Btw I got a nice little surprise this morning! While I was under there reinstalling the half-axle I realized that I have a front differential drop! What a sweet surprise, previous owner didn't mention it but I'm glad I do as the front lift is pretty significant.

 

[afg10000]

Keep an eye on your axle seals for leaks after install. Sucks to hear about your boot problem. I too, know the woes of axle money shots. 99% of the time after lift install, they fail all the time. I'm a little late to the party, but some long travel boots really help with the higher angle on the axles. Even with the diff drop. If you gots Bisltein 5100's up front, they are adjustable. I also did the valve cover gasket job and what not yesterday. Let me know if I can be of any help.
Andy

 

[thirstyturtle]

Keep an eye on your axle seals for leaks after install. Sucks to hear about your boot problem. I too, know the woes of axle money shots. 99% of the time after lift install, they fail all the time. I'm a little late to the party, but some long travel boots really help with the higher angle on the axles. Even with the diff drop. If you gots Bisltein 5100's up front, they are adjustable. I also did the valve cover gasket job and what not yesterday. Let me know if I can be of any help.
Andy

Thanks for the heads up, if I have another CV boot go I'll be getting long travel boots. Although, the lift has been installed for about 15k miles and I'm pretty sure all of the CV boots (except the one I just replaced) are original, so if the new one goes then I'll know there's an issue for sure.

My 5100's are set to the least lift (lowest setting on the shock) so I don't think I can decrease the lift any with existing equipment.

Topped off the front differential with Mobil 1 Synthetic 75W-90 this morning, cleaned up the grease splatter and re-installed the skid plates. Checked my oil and AT fluid levels as well (since I have very minor leaks of each) and they're good to go so I'm ready to chauffeur the in-laws to and on the beach tomorrow!

I'll post with any necessary updates.

 

[thirstyturtle]

The truck did EXCELLENT at the beach today. I usually play it really safe in the sand but today I did 3 point turns in the deepest deep sand and had NO trouble at all, it was awesome! Had to drive my father-in-law to the bathroom whenever he had to go (we drank a fair few beers) because he hurt his foot and had a blast running up and down the beach 4 or 5 times. I've never seen the beach so packed, trucks were parked two deep every few feet for the first half mile of the beach before they started thinning out.

Pics:

Saw some pretty sweet rides, parked next to a guy with an '82 Landcruiser, similar color as my truck with black wheels and BFG Mud Terrains. He had bedlinered the bottom foot or so of the truck, it looked really good. Also saw a Papa Johns delivery FJ Cruiser and a Domino's delivery Jeep Classic. There was a really lifted tow truck hauling a few cars that broke down as well. Good day!

 

[thirstyturtle]

Here's a question for you fellas:
If my valve covers are visually leaking but not enough that it has shown on the dipstick over the last 2,000 miles, does it do any harm if I'm not in a big hurry to correct the leak?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about having a perfectly operating vehicle but the leak isn't substantial enough that it ever drips in the roadway and only leaves a very thin oily coat on some of the engine. Is it doing any harm aside from causing me slight stress knowing that it is leaking?

 

[Troybylt]

Here's a question for you fellas:
If my valve covers are visually leaking but not enough that it has shown on the dipstick over the last 2,000 miles, does it do any harm if I'm not in a big hurry to correct the leak?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about having a perfectly operating vehicle but the leak isn't substantial enough that it ever drips in the roadway and only leaves a very thin oily coat on some of the engine. Is it doing any harm aside from causing me slight stress knowing that it is leaking?

Mine leaked when I first got my truck, lower half of my engine was coated in oil, will include a picture of it here. I figured it was seeping from the oil pan seal due to where I saw the oil film. Since it sounded like a ***** and a half to pull the front diff and oil pan to change out the FIPG I left it for a while as like you no real change on the stick during regular intervals. However when I changed the oil to Amsoil Synthetic I lost about a quart from dripping out the valve cover gasket. I only realized I was leaking so bad when I stopped at a light and started seeing white smoke coming from my hood and fender well. That was an uncomfortable surprise! Upon inspection there was about a drop every fifteen seconds onto the hot exhaust, needless to say I stopped at Toyota and got new gaskets that day, and wouldn't you know it the block and pan stayed clean after the gasket change.

If you search here you will find that quite a few people have gotten away for a while with just tightening the cover bolts. (10mm maybe 12mm I think) They tend to loosen over time. Tightening didn't stop my leak however even with dino oil so if you encounter the same issue it should only take a Saturday and a six pack to do the gaskets, while you have the intake off do the plugs also, the back left two are near impossible otherwise.

To answer your question however, as long as you stay on top of the oil level and don't run on low oil I really can't see it doing any harm per say, but it will keep your block dirty.

Pic:

 

[thirstyturtle]

Thanks for the reply and photo!

I have tried tightening the bolts but they are all already at or tighter than the stock torque so I haven't tried going beyond that. None of them were able to be tightened by hand as many have reported on here. Also, my driver's side VC is cracked around the front-most bolt and has been JB welded, I suspect that is a source of most of the leak.

As to the oil, I don't know what is in it now (haven't changed the oil since buying it) but are some oils better than others to slow a leak like this? I've always used Mobil 1 Full Synthetic in my vehicles but if a different oil may slow this leak I'd be open to switching.

 

[Troybylt]

Thanks for the reply and photo!

I have tried tightening the bolts but they are all already at or tighter than the stock torque so I haven't tried going beyond that. None of them were able to be tightened by hand as many have reported on here. Also, my driver's side VC is cracked around the front-most bolt and has been JB welded, I suspect that is a source of most of the leak.

As to the oil, I don't know what is in it now (haven't changed the oil since buying it) but are some oils better than others to slow a leak like this? I've always used Mobil 1 Full Synthetic in my vehicles but if a different oil may slow this leak I'd be open to switching.

You are probably right about the JB weld crack being the culprit, if you can't get the valve cover off a junkyard truck in you area I *may* be able to find one for you locally, I'd sell it to you at my cost plus shipping. Be sure to not over tighten the bolts as more JB weld crack mishaps may occur. I know this as I did it to a Chevy Blazer in my greener days, what really sucked is that it wasn't even my truck!

If I had to guess I'd say the guy you bought it from knew of the leak and tried to tighten the bolts and clean it up to hide it.

Good quality dino oil (Non-synthetic, so not the Mobil 1 you like to use) will definitely keep the leak slower than switching to synthetic. When I put the synth in it practically poured out. Ultimately there is no magical pour in leak stop. Least wise, one that won't gunk your engine up. Sounds like a afternoon of wrenching is in your future. In the mean time keeping a good eye on the level and topping it off with the correct weight non synthetic oil like just Mobil, will suffice. (Not Mobil-1, that's the synth stuff) What ever is on your oil cap assuming it is still factory and legible will suffice.

Between this tutorial and the one below it I got the job done, not the easiest but definitely not the most difficult either. I took my time and spent a lot of time cleaning up parts as I got to them, as well as just generally looking at how things worked and it took me about 10hrs. I'm sure it can be done in half that. I would definitely recommend Toyota genuine parts as well, to included the FIPG.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...e-cover-gasket-replacement-part-s-n-pics.html

5vzfe leaky valve covers fixed (56k beware) - YotaTech Forums

Found and skimmed over this one when looking for that second link, it also looks good and includes a few extra things I did as well (Like the D to O gasket mod)
Valve Cover Gasket Replacement - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Lastly here's what all I did while in there:
Oil change to Amsoil 5w-30 Signature series fully Synthetic
Purlator Pure 1 pl20195 (The longer V8 filter)
Air Filter
Spark Plugs NGK Double Prong (Yep the truck calls for a two prong plug)
New NGK Wires
Thoroughly cleaned the throttle body, MAF and intake manifold
PCV Valve and grommet
Half Moons
Cam seals
Intake gaskets
New battery terminals
D to O gasket (Used a new metal one VS the Paper TRD one)
Air Fliter K&N Most people here hate these, some swear by them, I've always used one and just been light on the oil, I like it but OEM is just as good. I chose this one as I like to drive dusty trails a lot and constantly buying a new filter did sound cheep.

Before I did my tune up and gaskets I did run sea-foam in the crank case and through the vacuum lines/intake.

Here's what you're trying to get too. Mine at about 200k. Not too shaby!

 

[thirstyturtle]

I'm definitely going to do the valve cover gasket job in the next couple months and deal with the leak until then. I'm 99% it is the only source of leaking oil.

Currently I'm in the process of trying to replace my front exhaust O2 sensor. After soaking it with PB Blaster every day for 2 weeks I attempted removal yesterday. No luck. Tried again today using vice grips and a hammer, no luck. I then just tried heating them way up and bashing them with a chisel, hoping to break the nuts off, again no luck. I finally gave up and took it to a shop. They messed with it for an hour or so and said I need to have it cut and a new bung welded on. So now I'm at a local exhaust place waiting to see what they can do. I'm hopeful that they can cut the nuts off without having to replace the studs or bung but we'll see...

Update:
They're going to have to cut out the existing bung and weld in a new one: $160

Boo! That's life though, I'm just glad I only spent a little of my own time messing with it before taking it to a shop. I'd be extra upset if I messed with it for several hours before taking it to a shop. Now I wait...

 

[thirstyturtle]

Well $168 later it's fixed. CEL cleared and hasn't returned yet.

 

[thirstyturtle]

Finally got around to Plasti-Dipping the front emblem, finally completely rid of the gold!

 

[thirstyturtle]

Well it's been quite a while since posting on here but my wife kept complaining and complaining about the ride and she just couldn't take it anymore. I ended up removing the shocks and coils, front and back, and replacing them with stock-height components. I put Monroe Quick-Struts up front and Moog coils with Monroe Sensa-Trac shocks in the rear. I ended up having to cut the rear Bilsteins to get them off but after selling all the other components, I ended up only being about $200 in the hole (due to having a shop do the front because the lower shock bolts had to be cut which I couldn't do).

It's a night and day difference in ride. I'm honestly still not happy with how stiff and herky jerky it is but after several months and ~5k miles it's loosened up quite a bit which I'm rather happy about. My wife was still complaining until I had the wheels balanced a couple weeks back. The mechanic said they were WAY out of alignment and that made another world of difference as it eliminated a ton of vibration at all speeds, ESPECIALLY above 50mph. Anyways, the wife hasn't complained once since I had the wheels balanced. I didn't even tell her I had them balanced and she called me the next time she drove it and said "you didn't tell me you finally fixed my truck" haha. So finally the truck rides to her satisfaction.

I got another P0136 code a couple months back and ended up having to replace the other O2 sensor, so they're both new now. At that time I also noticed that the muffler was split wide open (I had heard the exhaust leak for some time) so I had that replaced and it's SO much quieter now. So it took some time, but my wife and I are both quite happy with the truck now which is good because we're expecting our first child this June and the 4Runner is the only car we'll be able to use for any road trips once a baby is in the mix. It's a TIGHT fit as-is now in my Golf with the 95lbs German Shepherd in the back seat and all of our stuff in the trunk and a trailer hitch box. Once the baby is here I'm thinking dog in trunk, baby in back seat along with some gear, and the rest of the gear in a rooftop box.

We'll be using it later this week for our first road trip (aside from the retrieval trip) to visit my family about 4 hours away. We'll be using it again in 3 weeks for a 6-hour trek to the mountains for a long weekend with friends. We'll have it loaded up with 4 people, two large (80lbs+) dogs in the trunk, and all of our luggage in a roof box. Should be a blast.

PS_It actually rides very comfortably on the interstate now once it's loaded with people and or stuff, that extra weight makes all the difference.