Cadaverous
New member
I am thinking about jumping back into the 4runner game. My last 3rd gen was totaled, and I had to use the insurance money from the truck to pay medical bills until the insurance company settled the medical portion.
I was going to get a 4th gen because I'm a big guy and as much as I loved my third gen, it was a little small (I'm 6'6"), and a little under powered compared to the options in the 4th gen.
However I was cruising around and saw this 3rd gen pop up a few miles from me. It's a 2000 with 189k miles on it, it has a branded title, looks like the rear bumper got hit. It has a claimed 'bad headgasket' per the owner and she said it was diagnosed by a shop. I went and looked at it in person before the owner got back to me, I could tell where it was from the photos. The body looks pretty straight, driver seat is ripped like normal. It has a locking rear diff button. I had a locker on my old one and loved it.
I'm thinking that worst case I can swap the engine. I haven't swapped a Toyota engine before but I've swapped an engine from a 1998 m3 into my 1990 325i, and kept it OBDII, so I can't imagine pulling and replacing the same engine would be any harder than making one fit that doesn't belong.
I also work at a import parts place that does mostly German and British, but I can get a Stone head gasket set at cost ($200) and get a discount at LKQ if I need a different engine. I would do all the work myself.
I'm thinking try and get her down in the $1500 range and go for it, I think I would need to put another $1000 or so into it and I would have a good rig. I can still pull parts off my old 4runner too as I sold it to a friend and it's sitting in his back yard.
Your thoughts are appreciated. I didn't want to run bull headed into this thing. I have a tendency to do things like that :gun6:
I was going to get a 4th gen because I'm a big guy and as much as I loved my third gen, it was a little small (I'm 6'6"), and a little under powered compared to the options in the 4th gen.
However I was cruising around and saw this 3rd gen pop up a few miles from me. It's a 2000 with 189k miles on it, it has a branded title, looks like the rear bumper got hit. It has a claimed 'bad headgasket' per the owner and she said it was diagnosed by a shop. I went and looked at it in person before the owner got back to me, I could tell where it was from the photos. The body looks pretty straight, driver seat is ripped like normal. It has a locking rear diff button. I had a locker on my old one and loved it.
I'm thinking that worst case I can swap the engine. I haven't swapped a Toyota engine before but I've swapped an engine from a 1998 m3 into my 1990 325i, and kept it OBDII, so I can't imagine pulling and replacing the same engine would be any harder than making one fit that doesn't belong.
I also work at a import parts place that does mostly German and British, but I can get a Stone head gasket set at cost ($200) and get a discount at LKQ if I need a different engine. I would do all the work myself.
I'm thinking try and get her down in the $1500 range and go for it, I think I would need to put another $1000 or so into it and I would have a good rig. I can still pull parts off my old 4runner too as I sold it to a friend and it's sitting in his back yard.
Your thoughts are appreciated. I didn't want to run bull headed into this thing. I have a tendency to do things like that :gun6:
good luck
