Topic: [Project Reeda]yup. engines out

[NorCalToy]

picked up a 1990 V6, 5spd 4 door 4runner for $700, it runs pretty good as is, but will need  a new motor at some point within a few months,s o i think for now the plan is to get a new motor in it, and see what funds i can scrape together after that. id like to have the motor swap completed by mid august so its ready for me when i get my license.





ALSO: im gonna try to keep the BS to a minimum while its still small so as often as i need too ill be deleting unnecessary of unrelated posts

and im gonna try and keep track of how much i put into the truck total, so the start here is:


Cost to buy          $700
Rebuilt Engine       $1200







___________________________________________

and stuff to be done (will update as i get money, and figure out what i wanna do)


Fix driver door problem (doesnt open from inside) fixed it with a zip tie
get motor for rear window and install
GET ENGINE
build rear bumper
paint (probably desert tan)

[KDXSR5]

What is wrong with this one's engine?

[THK Matt]

What is wrong with this one's engine?

yeah blake... why'd you buy another flippin vehicle that has a blown or dying motor...?!

















crack attacks

[NorCalToy [OP]]

because its easier (cheaper) to start out with a $700 vehicle that needs work than a $1600 vehicle that needs work, plus i like the runner.

BTW: the name Reeda isnt my choice the PO named it that and I believe its bad luck to change a rigs name, soooo...it goes as reeda or the Pathfinder, or the runner, or the toyota, or whatever the first vulgar term i can think of is.

[KDXSR5]

so... what are you going to do with this engine predicament? You are currently down $700 until you sell the 89, so is your next step selling the 89? Get crackin kid, you don't have much time.

[NorCalToy [OP]]

its back together fully and i gotta put the bumper back on, polish it and its pretty much good to go. im on it already. i think im gonna try and keep this thing and build it up crazy huge. like low and slow, total sleeper, ive discussed some of my plans with matt and he agrees.

[KDXSR5]

sell the 89, get good engine in 92, drive it like that for a while and save up some cash for future mods

[KDXSR5]

So, what is wrong with this one's engine? How many miles are on it?

[BLACKDOG]

What is wrong with this one's engine?

x2

[NorCalToy [OP]]

So, what is wrong with this one's engine? How many miles are on it?

x2

so whats up with this motor

okok calm down a tad now...

something is up with the 6th cylinder real low compression, but its not throwing the check engine light... i think its the original motor with...278 on it, no marks at all on the pull hooks for the engine, whereas the truck you could see had marks from sliding around on some hooks, but real clean. ill take some interior pics in a bit, gonna get an engine for it next weekend i think. so then well be cherry and good until i can get some money for bigger tires then cases, then SAS at somepoint in a long ass time.

[BLACKDOG]

okok calm down a tad now...

something is up with the 6th cylinder real low compression, but its not throwing the check engine light... i think its the original motor with...278 on it, no marks at all on the pull hooks for the engine, whereas the truck you could see had marks from sliding around on some hooks, but real clean. ill take some interior pics in a bit, gonna get an engine for it next weekend i think. so then well be cherry and good until i can get some money for bigger tires then cases, then SAS at somepoint in a long ass time.

only #6?  why buy a motor?  I'd be guessing its a HG.  What're the compression #s on it?  did you throw some oil in there when you did it? 

[79coyotefrg]

i say pull the motor, replace gaskets with TOYOTA gaskets, use ARP head studs

[NorCalToy [OP]]

only #6?  why buy a motor?  I'd be guessing its a HG.  What're the compression #s on it?  did you throw some oil in there when you did it? 

because tahts what my brother (mechanic) wants to do, it works for me because then ill diagnose and redo as needed to the original engine and then if in  some situation where the V6 does somethings stupid, ill have a spare engine sitting right there.

and to appease you, ill see what i can do to get a compression test done tonight, although my brother kinda F'ed up the tester.

i say pull the motor, replace gaskets with TOYOTA gaskets, use ARP head studs

i see. ill talk to him tonight and see what he says.


thanks for the niput guys

[BLACKDOG]

because tahts what my brother (mechanic) wants to do, it works for me because then ill diagnose and redo as needed to the original engine and then if in  some situation where the V6 does somethings stupid, ill have a spare engine sitting right there.

and to appease you, ill see what i can do to get a compression test done tonight, although my brother kinda F'ed up the tester.
i see. ill talk to him tonight and see what he says.


thanks for the niput guys

thats what I don't get.  even with 278K on the motor, with some fresh headwork it'll run for another 100K at least.  By then you'll be in a better position to throw in a 3.4, another 3.0, a v8, whatever.  And doing the heads instead of a full motor swap will save you some $$  kneedownnate's bro can hook up some decent prices on HGs, the other various gaskets you'll need, and the head BOLTS (glen )  I'd say to do it right, with your bro's help, you're looking at $500 or less to do a HG job, vs. 1K or so for a known good/rebuilt motor.  Plus, the knowledge you'll get is priceless, it really is.  A word of warning, if looking on CL or something for engines, keep in mind that what runs well now may not in 2 weeks, and private party people won't refund money (very often)  its a crapshoot buying engines that way.  It worked out well for me once, and the other time, not so well.  Just an FYI

[NorCalToy [OP]]

the engine i may be getting is from a member on here. but what makes you believe its only HG?

[NorCalToy [OP]]

i love this look, that pic was posted by hyena in the second gen runner thread in rig gallery, but i love the way these things look when sittin like that, maybe a little lower, thatn that or bigger tires, but something close to that

[Doof]

thats sick

[KDXSR5]

I love the factory sized spare on the back of it

It is a pretty cool runner (for a 2nd gen), what all is involved in getting rid of the y factory 4 link? Just cut off and weld on leaf hangers and shackle tubes or whatever? Is that it?

[NorCalToy [OP]]

i think if i go lift and , ill keep it 4 linked


idk kdx...

she said she was gonna name her kid "reeda" if it was a girl, and she pronounced it reeDa not riTa.

im goin with reeda.

[KDXSR5]

There is a lot more to setting up a PROPER 4-link on a DD rig than most people think. I will leave it at that. Good luck.

[NorCalToy [OP]]

alright so im lookin at gettin an engine from a 92 runner, everything is a direct swap and there is no extra wiring or anything that will need to be changed?

[KDXSR5]

alright so im lookin at gettin an engine from a 92 runner, everything is a direct swap and there is no extra wiring or anything that will need to be changed?

This is how i do engine swaps:

1. Take out old engine
2. Strip new engine down to a long block with tins
3. Swap all intake and electronics and such from old engine onto new engine
4. Install new engine

This way you do not have to worry about what electronics will and will not work. You just swap all of the original stuff onto the new engine. Is it the fastest way to put in an engine? Probably not, but it does allow you to clean/inspect all of the original stuff before installing it all onto the new engine. Plus you know it will all work, because it is all the original electronics and such, whereas the new engine may not have all of the same stuff. It is much easier to swith stuff over with the engine out of the truck than in the truck.

[NorCalToy [OP]]

yea, idk well see waht happens with it. also the runner is a 1990 not a 1992

[KDXSR5]

ok... so you are going from a 90 to a 92? If going from 92 to 92, I would not swap anything over like my methed. But if changing years I would. Plus it lets you inspect/clean everything. I don't like putting dirty stuff onto/into my truck.

[BLACKDOG]

the engine i may be getting is from a member on here. but what makes you believe its only HG?

Well, a compression test will help narrow it down, as will taking a look at the oil.  Thats also why I asked for the #s.  If every other cyl. has good compression, in my experience that is a good indicator that your HG went right at one of the cyl.  It seems as if rings tend to go all at the same time, or close, with a general overall sluggishness of the vehicle as the indicator. 

How is it running?  White smoke at start up? sweet smell?  lets see the #s! 

As for actually pulling out the motor, I'd do the same as KDXSR5 says its a lot easier to swap everything over w/o te engine in the truck. 

[NorCalToy [OP]]

alright damn it. not tonight. but tomorrow ill try to have some numbers, i got to much other to do tonight... my parenst decided to load me up.

[NorCalToy [OP]]

ok, well tahts whats on it now, the others are form the truck.

how do you think the stock wheels would look painted black?

[NorCalToy [OP]]

yea i gotcha buddy

i like the steelies better than those aluminums anyways...

[46&2]

There is a lot more to setting up a PROPER 4-link on a DD rig than most people think. I will leave it at that. Good luck.

IMO I would go with chopping off all the rear coil crap, run some 63s and crank your torsion bars in the front. That will get you some cheap lift and later when you SAS it you can modify the rear to match with shackles, small blocks, drop shackle hanger etc.

 

I love the factory sized spare on the back of it

It is a pretty cool runner (for a 2nd gen), what all is involved in getting rid of the y factory 4 link? Just cut off and weld on leaf hangers and shackle tubes or whatever? Is that it?

Yeah basically all he would need to do is take the time to cut off all the factory link crap and coil pads on the axle, clean the rear axle and frame up real nice, weld spring perches onto the axle, then weld on the 63 rear spring hanger. if he had stock rear leafs he would mount that spring hanger 11" back from that. Since he doesnt have rear leafs, the best way would be to just mock them up, get a nice shackle angle figured out, then tack it on and drop the truck down to put some weight on it. once the centerpin is lined up dead center in the wheel well then blake can weld it on. Also since he has to weld on spring perches to the axle anyway he can even rotate the axle a little bit to get a better pinion angle. a lot of work (mainly just the cutting part) but not as much as doing a three or four link from scratch

[NorCalToy [OP]]

or i could just get a pickup rear axle and save the trouble of grinding all the off and putting new on, i just need to find an IFS truck housing and the nill be good to go, or better yet a complete axle RTR, and then someple simple welding and ill be money. plus then i could weld up the truck axle and have a spare 3rd member, since the 4 pin V6 3rds are a pregnant dog to weld anyways...

and whats the deal on cranking the T-Bars?