wally's 87 4runner upkeep thread

[wallytoo]

in september, i noticed a small coolant leak at the radiator outlet. the radiator was a csf replacement, and all metal. so, i replaced it with another csf all-metal version. it wasn't quite an exact fit, as the core was about a half-inch shorter, so i had to modify the lower area of the shroud to allow it to clear the outlet.

all of the mounting holes lined up, and the factory hoses fit perfect. so, not horrible, but a minor inconvenience when installing. kept the old radiator, so i might take it to a shop to see about repairing it.

 

[wallytoo]

the non-liquid filled gauge failed last month. stuck the old gauge that leaked the glycerin out of it back in place. it works for now. i'll probably try a smaller liquid gauge similar to RAD4r's gauge when this one inevitably permanently fails.

the fuel pump is still working, too. now almost 4 years.

 

[4RunnerSafari]

Nice car and thread

 

[wallytoo]

an update. very soon after purchasing the 4r, i added a headlight relay in order to preserve the column switch contacts, and that modification has worked very well now for over 5 years. i did eventually take the switch apart to clean the internal contacts, using emery cloth, but the headlight relay has been doing its job. one thing that i didn't like about adding the relay was losing the high beam indicator light on the dashboard. the relay prevents the dash light from picking up enough voltage to light up when the high beams are on, and i had been unable to come up with a solution that would restore the indicator function.

fast-forward to today. i ordered and installed a LED from superbrightleds.com - WLED-CWLX: 194 LED bulb - 1 high power LED - miniature wedge base. annnnd, the high beam indicator works again after 5 years. :clap2: so, if you have added a relay to your headlights, and want to have a functional high beam indicator on the dash, this works.

 

[Heathen_S13]

Thanks for the detailed thread. This gives me plenty of things to do for when I go pick up my 86 this week!

 

[wallytoo]

earlier this year, i picked up some later toyota alloy wheels (the “offset 8” version) that had 32x11.5x15 tires. two tires were junk, but two were good with plenty of tread. i bought two tires from simpletire.com, desert hawks, in the same size for $215 delivered. i’ve put several thousand miles on these larger tires, and they have worked well. no fender rubbing. i do need to downshift a bit more often, but still plenty drivable.

 

[wallytoo]

rebuilding the 22re from my other '87 4runner, a white sr5 5-speed, 242K miles. after pulling the engine, it was clear that a previous owner used "stop leak" or similar snake-oil to try to solve/hide a problem. so i decided to rebuild the engine, as it appeared to be in decent condition. had the block and head cleaned and checked for cracks; solid report. so, the block got decked (along with the timing cover and the original toyota head was reused with a new valvetrain/cam installed).

pulling it:

back from the machine shop:

 

[wallytoo]

mounted on the stand, ready to start putting things back on it:

bored 40 over (1 mm)

 

[wallytoo]

much cleaner than the filthy block when it was removed from the truck

 

[wallytoo]

new timing chain set added, although reusing the timing cover.

used a rubber mallet to tap the timing crank sprocket on

 

[wallytoo]

aligned the links with the marks on the sprockets

added the new tensioner

and the gaskets

 

[wallytoo]

prior to installing the chain components, i tapped the threads with appropriate sized taps to clear and clean the block threads, and used CRC drilling/tapping oil to lubricate the tap. i also purchased a new set of timing cover bolts from 22re performance - a nice kit, and each bolt came in its own bag with a label, along with a diagram showing where each fits on the timing cover. torqued the bolts using torque wrenches. 29 ft-lbs for the 10mm bolts, 109 in-lbs for the 8mm bolts

 

[RAD4Runner]

rebuilding the 22re from my other '87 4runner...

Sweet work! If you want it done right, do it yourself. I wish I had the room and equipment and lear how to rebuild.

 

[wallytoo]

chasing the block threads for the headbolts

headgasket and head installed

 

[wallytoo]

new valvetrain

oil pump back on

crank pulley and water pump installed

 

[wallytoo]

water tube installed

other side

rear bypass

 

[wallytoo]

dipstick, power steering bracket, and coolant tube

and alternator

spark plugs installed, and valves adjusted

 

[wallytoo]

more pics coming, but i got the engine installed back in the 4runner. started on the first attempt at cranking it, and took about 5 seconds. ran a bit rough at first, but it quickly smoothed out. still need to adjust the clutch pedal and put the hood back on.

a few coolant drips needed to be addressed; all were solved by tightening the hose clamps.

battery was good enough to start, too. hasn’t been used since january, but it has been on a solar charger.

 

[wallytoo]

oil strainer/pickup installed

motor mount cushion

rear main - note that it is possible to install and torque correctly even mounted to the engine stand

 

[wallytoo]

lower plenum and oil pan

fuel filter, iac, oil filter, knock sensor

valve cover