So, my wife has an '88 4 runner, 22re (w/ 250k original miles), base model, 3" rough country lift (which is complete ) 33" BFK ATs, ARB rear locker (not plumbed  but it's been in there for 2 years....), 4.88s, rear window wiring is completely f'ed up (it constantly tries to roll up, until it kills the battery!), and its hopptie (low in the rear like every other runner).  SHE LOVES this thing!  We barely ever drive it, because why drive that when we can drive my truck? (see sig).  We attempted to sell it, but the night before the buyer came to pick it up, while we were cleaning our gear out of it, she started with the water works, and just couldn't part with it.  Lucky for me, the dude was super understanding!  So now it sits in-front of our house.... waiting.... wishing....  We would both like to drive it, but with all of its problems, and a super slow 22re it's not much fun to drive.  You cannot drive over 50mph with the hubs locked or it will shake you to death (thanks rough country), and it kills a steering TRE about every 5k miles (thanks again rough country!).  So I started thinking, it would be really cool to fix all the issues, and make this thing a great light wheeler/adventure/camping rig.  So we started searching for engine alternatives and it took us quite a while to make our final decision.  We live in Colorado, and altitude eats HP quick, and the goal would be to pull up to the Eisenhour Tunnel at the speed limit (from both sides).

So this is where everyone adds some lines about how much HP and TQ the usual Toyota swap motors make….  and I’m gunna do it to!  With an exception, I will add the 5.3l vortec, and the 3800II.

• 5VZ (3.4) (190hp 220ftlb)
• expensive
• Decent HP, and TQ, but nothing fancy
• Works with 3.0l radiator
• 3RZ (150hp 177ftlb)
• A little less expensive
• Better HP and TQ, then 22re, but not what I’m looking for
• 7MGTE (267hp 264ftlb)
• FORCED INDUCTION!
• WAY expensive
• Great HP (even better when modded a touch) Great TQ, and it comes in pretty low in the RPM range.
• Cooling system not adequate, even when upgraded to 3.0l radiator.
• Pretty extensive mods needed to engine compartment
• 5.3 vortec (LS motor) (270-300hp 315-320ftlb)
• Expensive
• Great HP, great TQ
• Pretty extensive mods needed to engine compartment
• Cooling system not adequate, even when upgraded to 3.0l radiator.
• At the edge of an R series tranny
• 3800II (L36) (205hp 230ftlbs)
• CHEAP
• Decent HP, and TQ, but nothing fancy
• Adaptors for R series tranny not to pricy
• Works with 3.0l radiator
• 3800II SC (L67) (240hp 280ftlbs)
• FORCED INDUCTION!
• CHEAP (relative to the other 200+HP options)
• Great HP (even better when modded a touch) Great TQ, tq and HP come in late in the RPM range
• Adaptors for R series tranny not to pricy
• Throttle body points to fire wall…
• Works with 3.0l radiator

Looking at the engine options, a R series tranny would be needed in all cases, and  I happened to find a guy with one for sale with a free chain drive t-case, so I went and picked them up.  Turns out he was parting out an 88 SR5 4runner with a 3.0 (power everything and sunroof), so we bought the whole body off the frame… Came with an extra set of doors, and a set of ORI hinges. (So now, we are looking at a cab swap, engine swap, tranny swap… So a whole new truck…)

Anyway, I have been looking for a good engine swap for a few years now.  I really had my heart settled on a 3RZ, that I could bolt a turbo, and a megasquirt system to some day.  However the world works in funny ways. I started looking into the 5.3l vortec, and decided I didn’t want to do a bunch of work to move the radiator out, and I came across a 3800II swap (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyota-truck-4runner/662090-3800-ii-90-toy-4x4-p-u-w-toy-running-gear.html).  Then I found a super-charged version!!  I did allot more research, and decieded to go for it…
Now I have this sitting in my garage:


I just need to get it into this:


This is going to be a pretty slow build to start (I work full time, go to school full time, am fixing up our new house, and its snowmobile season!).  I plan on getting all of the parts together, and the tranny bolted to the engine, with clutch and all before I even put the thing in there.  More to come!

Sticking with IFS?

Were going to keep it IFS.  Looking for something that drives better then a leaf spring SFA truck.


This all came in this week:





The adaptor, with some modifications, along with a bell housing out of a '87-'90 Camaro with a 5sp, should mate the trans and engine.
Link: https://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/adapters/engine_to_transmission/ax15/kit_gmax15.htm

The grad prix manuals are freeking crazy detailed.  Don't get me wrong, I love my toyota FSM's but they have nothing on this bad boy.  Totally worth the $35 it cost off ebay.  It will be well used by the time I am done with this swap!  I also have the '88 Toyota 4Runner wiring FSM on it's way. 

Still have to get a new input shaft for the trans, and figure out a clutch... Thats the next step!

PZ

Got any pictures showing the rear-facing throttle-body?

Not yet.  I will try to remember to snap some next time I'm out there.

If your free, you should swing by Friday night, probably about 5pm.  Zach and another guy from work are coming over to work (or most likely stare at and do nothing) on this bad boy.  Hoping to get the tranny on the bench, and get the adapter started.  Also hoping to tear all the old mounting brackets off of the engine... Just so I can say I did SOMETHING to it!

PZ

Brenden, this is snowmobile season.  This kind of work needs to happen during the week, not the weekend.

Also, hurry up with the engine hoist, I've got a free '67 Power Wagon w/plow that needs a new 318.

Got the harness striped of of it.


Then the wife decided to hug her new motor....


-We took the blower off, and found that the blower/intake manifold gasket as completely jacked.  Notice the o-ring on the right side of the intake manifold.  It looked like the gasket shrunk really bad, and allot of the holes were miss aligned.  Strange.


Going to try and get the intake manifold off today and get it cleaned up.  Valve cover gaskets are on order, and i need to swing by GM on the way home from work some night next week to pick up a set of intake manifold gaskets, and blower gasket.  I also need to tear the blower down, so that I can start looking at how I'm going to make the elbow.

More to come!

PZ