Topic: Slow build 88 runner

[4 runner4play]

Slow as it goes, here is where I am so far. Bought the runner 3 short months ago and here is what I've gotten done so far. My runner has 22re, 5 speed, red and a little rough!
New valve job

New timing chain, guides and gears.
New belts, hoses, plugs, wires, cap & rotor
Rebuild trans with Marlin rebuild kit.
New heater valve.
Used heater controls my brother broke before the heater valve was installed lol
New door window rubbers.
And this is just the beginning, here is what I need in the short term.
Exhaust system with header of course, new marlin rear suspension, going to keep the IFS for now. New interior, new wind shield gosh really to much to list!
This rig needs allot of TLC and it's going to take me a little while and after I post I think it's 11 times I'll put up some picks so stay tuned

[glamisrhino]

Your truck sound familier, I think i might know you but with a different name?. good luck on the build and if you need a good mechanic i might know of one 

[4 runner4play [OP]]

Hey brother very funny I'll see u tomorrow and see just how good a mechanic u really are! Oh! By the way my rear window does not work. I pushed on the tail gate and glass and I can't get it to work. Does anyone know where the fuse or relay is located? If I could only get the truck to run like a Toyota should! Running very rough when I'm between gears and I'm not pushing on the gas or when I'm coasting to a stop. The truck starts bucking, spitting, running really bad  it'd driving me crazy! Please help!!!!!

[glamisrhino]

Sound like it might have a virus, give it some niquel and call me in the morning

[kycrawler]

it takes time dont rush it. and do it right the first time. You will hate it if you take a shortcut and it breaks on the trail.
Good luck
JB

[4 runner4play [OP]]

Slow build update.....OMG u will never believe what happened to me on the way home from work! A few days of running a little rough on this day leaving work I barely made it 4 traffic lights when my 88 runner started running very bad, the whole engine was shaking and I could barely make 40 mph. I pulled over and called my brother who has a shop where I have done most of my build and he said try and make it home and ill stop by bring some tools and we will figure it out. Well I didn't make it home! I would say I was about 500 yards from my drive way, darn!  called AAA had my truck toed to his shop and we commenced to try and figure what happened. It seems like I was running out of gas so the first thing we did was pull the fuel filter. Hmmm....it was full of rust!!! Well the truck did sit for 10 years non-op so I guess I should expect a little rust but when I taped the filter on the concrete a pile of rust poured out tried to start the truck...no luck! So next pulled the gas tank cover to check the filter in the tank. I couldn't believe my eyes! There was a junk yard filter in my tank from a 89 truck with a window screen wrapped around the pump as a filter and a couple zip ties to hold it on! Next pulled the pump out of our Donner truck and it was like new. I Went to install the new pump and upon inspection of the gas tank decided that the excess rust in the tank it would be a good idea that it also be replaced, so pulled the tank from the Donner truck and installed it also. Attempted to start the truck and again no luck! Next we decided to check the fuel injectors and to my surprise they were packed with rust in the inlet screen. How in the heck did the rust get past the filter? Anyway bought 4 new injector and put it all back together. I started the truck and it did run but very rough. I found that #3 cylinder was not firing. I thought it may be a bad injector, so I pulled the intake manifold yet again pulled #3 injector and again it was packed with rust! I pulled the other injectors and again they were also packed with rust. Pulled the fuel injector rack and it was also full of rust. At this point I was pulling out my hair used the Donner fuel injector rack put it all back together and u wouldn't believe that #4 fuel injector was leaking fuel! So for the 4th time pulled the intake manifold replaced the little o-ring put it all back together and presto...it ran now today Wednesday 3 days later the truck is running rough! What the heck!!!! New tank, fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel injectors and fuel manifold flushed the fuel line and still fuel problems!  what could it be now any ideas? I'll tell u one thing I know my fuel system in my 88 runner 

[4 runner4play [OP]]

I almost forgot I exchanged my leaf springs with the Donner runner and also had new shocks installed, cheap ones in the rear only because I'm doing a 4" lift in June in the rear and ball joint spacers in front. Rancho shocks in front. Truck rides so awesome I can hardly wait to get my lift done! I'm a little low on funds until then. I have decided to keep my truck IFS for now only because I want to do some longer trips in my runner and I am enjoying the ride  after having 2 Toyota trucks SAS this runner is smooth........

[PETDOC]

  So next pulled the gas tank cover to check the filter in the tank. I couldn't believe my eyes! There was a junk yard filter in my tank from a 89 truck with a window screen wrapped around the pump as a filter and a couple zip ties to hold it on! Next pulled the pump out of our Donner truck and it was like new. I Went to install the new pump and upon inspection of the gas tank decided that the excess rust in the tank it would be a good idea that it also be replaced, so pulled the tank from the Donner truck and installed it also.     

The fuel gauge sending unit in my '88 4Runner, 22re, SR5 (344,000 miles) went south years ago. I've been reluctant to replace it because I'm unsure how difficult it would be to drop the tank? Can you tell me what's involved in dropping the gas tank?

[4 runner4play [OP]]

OMG it's so easy! There are 6 bolts that support the gas tank skid plate, 6 bolts that hold up the gas tank in the same location as the bolts that Hold skid plate and the neck where u fill ur gas tank there are 2 bolts. Then where ur gas tank spout goes there there are 4 philips head screws remove them first. Oh! There is a drain plug in the bottom of the tank so u might want to drain the gas first lol lastly there are a couple wire u need to unplug, the fuel pump power and ur gas tank level sensor and that's about it! Easy just lower the tank and ur done!

[glamisrhino]

you dont have to drop the fuel tank to get to the sending unit you can access it from under the rt rear seat bottom

[4 runner4play [OP]]

Yep ur right brother 

[PETDOC]

you dont have to drop the fuel tank to get to the sending unit you can access it from under the rt rear seat bottom

That's wonderful news. Currently my 4Runner is at shop for replacement of tranny with Marlin rebuilt transmission. Was going to do that myself until recent really bad bicycle accident--now 1 handed for 6-8 weeks. As soon as I get it back I'll look under the seat.

[PETDOC]

you dont have to drop the fuel tank to get to the sending unit you can access it from under the rt rear seat bottom

After some additional research it appears that the fuel pump is accessible from under the passenger seat, but to get to the fuel gauge sending unit the gas tank must be dropped.

[glamisrhino]

sorry you are correct you can get to the fuel pump through the top  but have to pull the tank for the sending unit,

[4 runner4play [OP]]

Hmmmmm......I guess it's my lack of Toyota experience to know u have to pull the tank but I know now _{thanks for all the discussion on this topic}

[4 runner4play [OP]]

With all the fuel issues I've had the truck still runs rough. When I'm sitting at a stop light the idle is slow and it slowly increases like 500 rpm then all the sudden it drops back to the original rpm level any ideas? 

[PETDOC]

OMG it's so easy! There are 6 bolts that support the gas tank skid plate, 6 bolts that hold up the gas tank in the same location as the bolts that Hold skid plate and the neck where u fill ur gas tank there are 2 bolts. Then where ur gas tank spout goes there there are 4 philips head screws remove them first. Oh! There is a drain plug in the bottom of the tank so u might want to drain the gas first lol lastly there are a couple wire u need to unplug, the fuel pump power and ur gas tank level sensor and that's about it! Easy just lower the tank and ur done!

So is the proper sequence
1. remove 6 bolts that secure skid plate and lower skid plate
2. drain tank
3. remove 4 phillips head screws
4. remove 2 bolts in neck
5. unplug wires to fuel pump and fuel gauge sending unit
6. remove 6 bolts that hold tank and lower tank

[glamisrhino]

Any more progress on the yota?

[4 runner4play [OP]]

Well here is the update, my runner tranny is in the shop again and hopefully will have it back soon! In the mean time my younger brother seems to have borrowed my ball joint spacers for his 89 runner and is hinting to acquire my rims and tires  well since mine is OOC that out of commission for u non military guys lol for a while I don't see why not! I am going to buy new rims anyway so........we will see what he does. As soon as I do get the trans back I'm hoping it will go back together pretty fast and I can get it back on the road. Then go on my first in a long time off road trip somewhere.