Figit090

I wish it wasn't such a gas hog...but i guess its ok compared to the H2's 11 MPG!!! hehe...my gf has one of those, once i was riding with them, and her dad punched the gas and the MPG estimator/monitor said like 2MPG....that thing GUZZLES!!!!

I'll have to talk to my dad and see what would seem practical for gas prices, i think he gets milage a bit better in his truck, but a 4 cylinder 4 runner (that's weird...4 cyl, 4 runner...but yeah w/e) would probalby save me a lot of money would it not??

so based on what you said, the 4 cylinder would work pretty hard if i got bigger tires?

how large are the stockers? 31?? I like Fahrenheit 451's tires, but i'll try to find the combo that has been my favorite LOOKing for a while... not sure how good it really is though

elripster

The 4 banger works just to move a 4runner period. This can be good though if you are the type to get lots of tickets. Have you thought of a pick up? They are lighter and the 4 cylinder performs better in them.

You can build up the motor but you won't reach the torque of the V6. It is possible to reach actually reach the power of the V6 but we're talking major engine building with major dollars. (thousands) At that time you are sacrificing the reliability of the engine and the tuning alone is to be tackled by the experienced. Also, to get the power the 4 cylinder simply gets modded to make torque at higher rpms, this means you gotta rev it and stay in low gears longer to get it to move. The V6 you shift at normal rpms so much less flogging.

What you need to do is price out the costs of new gears and engine mods. If you get a V6, and stay 32" or less, you will be able to live with the performance. It will accelerate more slowly but it will go. The 4 cylinder will suffer with 31's in a 4runner much more, 32's forget it. Your clutch will not last as long unless you regear it promptly. If you have the dough up front for the right gearing and motor mods, great. If not you might spend that dough in gas but it's stretched out over a long long time so is easier to soak up plus you get to enjoy better performance.

These trucks were built when the national speed limit was 55. Around here it's 65 but average speeds are around 75-85. That means a lot to a little motor and a lot less to a larger one.

When you get some potential trucks, post some pics!

Frank

Figit090

alrighty i will!! I saw one today, and i saw somthing in the window...i was excited...but when i cruised by it was just a road map.... lol

truck? yes i have considered that, but i think i would like the space of the back in the 4runner, because i could take it camping and just sleep in the back...right?? that's what i've been meaning to ask, i've seen runners, but not a lot up close and i don't know if that is practical... what do you think?

i also like the back seat, you can stick your buds back there, and then have a neat controling factor over them as they have to doors to open to get out hehe... jk

also, just having more cab space, i think i'd like that, and if i want to go topless i can...

by the way what is so much heavier anyway? the top?

I was discouraged when i saw how much the gastank protrudes the bottom of the chassis, it looks funny. is it like that on the trucks or do they have a different chassis?

If i got a truck i would get an extracab, the normal cabs don't look right to me, and the year, i don't know. But i can't get somthing more that 5 grand as it's my first truck, and it's not exactly somthing i can blow 8k on... so it'll most likely be an oldie and no newer than 90...

considering the v6, i think i'll get it, because i don't want a largeish truck with a tinyish engine that would be boring and remid me of a minivan, and come to think of it my mom's van might outdrag a 4runner cause it has a v6..lol but then again maybe not, i have no clue!! Gas prices, oh well i guess...if i love my truck i'll pay to use it, and i'll work hard for the extra pep!

what can you do with the v6? i wanted the 4 cylinder because it's practically famous for it's long life and reliability...but what about the 6? what is the common life for those, if treated well... and that goofy head recall.. i need to find out what ones had that and how i can get it fixed if it already hasn't....and what it will cost/hassles i can look down upon. sorry for all the q's...i probably overloaded you guys!

Figit090

i need to DRIVE the two...then i'd know....problem is they are rather rare in lots, i don't have a license, and i don't know ANYONE with one...lol some luck huh? sorry if this is a double post i stopped it quick...i'm going to bed...lol night all!

mikedog

I wish they'd go back to the 55mph speed limits again. The average speeds of 75-85mph on the freeways is ridiculous with a 4sp manual. I really hate to be buzzing along at over 3K rpms doing 80mph+ in this little (400K+ mile) 4-banger. It just makes me nervous for some reason.LOL!

I agree with the torque. The 4-cyl really doesn't start to pull strong until it reaches around 3K rpms. Also, the header and 2.25" catback exhaust on mine has shifted the TQ peak even higher than before. However, when it does start to pull, it pulls much harder now. I think "off the line acceleration would be much better with a trans that had a deeper 1st gear ratio. I believe the Turbo R151F had the deepest 1st gear ratio of all.

If you're dead set into getting a 1st gen 4Runner, I'd try to look for one with a V6 and 5-speed or the 22re with 5sp as the second choice. The 4Runner is pretty heavy (3400lbs+) and the stock 22r/re might seem kind of sluggish with all that weight to tow around. A 1st gen V6 5sp 4Runner may be difficult to find since they only made them for two model years. The 22r can be pretty zippy in the PU though. However, my truck is just a 2wd std. cab shortbed that's close to a 1000lbs lighter than a 4Runner too.

BLKNBLU

iTrader: (1)

Let me relate my experience. I have a 1986 22re with no mods. I have run 31's on it as long as I've had it. I've owned it since '89 when I purchased it with 48k mi. I needed a new clutch at 55k so I'm laying that one on the previous owner since the re build is still strong and I'm now at 228k. It has been a daily driver until about a year and a half back. I have averaged about 20 mpg in mixed driving all through the life of the truck. It needed a timing chain at approximately 125k. Otherwise, I have not had to do a major repair so reliability has been excellent. My impressions:

Speed- it aint fast, but it gets me around. I do usually have to drop to 3rd to pull up long steep grades on the highway but otherwise it generally keeps up. If you want to go fast, get a car.

MPG- 20 is nice and I wouldn't trade this engine for anything, but if el ripster is getting 17-20 with a six the difference is negligible. I hear people all the time talking about cancelling vacations because of gas prices when in reality if you do the math a 500 mile trip is only $20 more than last summer. If you want the six, go for it.

Reliability- my experience has been great with the 22re

Tires/clutch- I haven't experienced any excessive wear on my clutch due to my 31's. I still have stock 4:10 gearing.

I get the impression from the replies that most of the respondents are young. I'm probably like your Dad's age so here's the lecture (like you need another one huh?) If you want to wheel and hike and snowboard and camp with your buds you will be happy with either truck regardless. If you want to go fast you you will probably be unhappy with either truck regardless. Just don't try to make the truck do something it isn't designed for. 4 or 6, I think you can't go wrong. Just hold out and find yourself the best overall deal on the cleanest truck you can find. Then take good care of it and remember it's not a race car, and it will reward you with many years of fun and adventure.

elripster

BLKNBLU makes good points.

I should add in fairness, I never got 20 out of my truck. 18 is the best mpg I got. The PO says he go 20, maybe that's true, can't say for sure. I *think* it's possible but you have to straight up set the cruise at 65, not an MPH more, and have no wheeling mods. (Like that's even possible these days) When you add mods, mpg goes down quick. I'd say you can count on 2mpg minimum better out of the 4banger.

There isn't a lot you can do for power upgrades to the V6. It's one of those motors that we wished had more power, just not enough to spend a lot. Still, you can set the cruise control, throw on the AC, and pull most freeway grades in 5th.

For comparison, when the 4 banger is in 3rd on long grades, the 6 is still in 4th, both are floored.

At the dump scales at mine weighed just over 4000lb, after I unloaded it.

Oh, and you certainly can sleep in the back of a Runner. I have when the weather got excessively bad. If you are over 6 foot tall, well sleep diagonally.

Frank

Figit090

hehe...5 11!!! yes! score... what about width? how many people wide will it fit well?? (getting an area perspective)

oh yeah, i had a question about the rear seats... in pictures i've seen it looks almost as if they fold completely flat? if they do that's sweet... if they don't and i have to take them out i'm mad... lol they look much like they are meant to be flush with the floor... but i just haven't seen enough of them in real life to know!! they are all over, yet they are rare up for sale and i never get close to them parked! I did once, but i didn't want to get close cause some people get touchy about their trucks!

4000lbs? that's about 2 tons right? how much does the comparable toyota PU weigh?

there's a 80 somthin yota standard cab with a lift around here, has 180k miles i think...and it's 3500 bux... wish I wanted one... but it has some spot rust anyway.

I heard somthing about toyota's and rust going together, and i've seen alot with rust...is there somthing in their design that's flawed and causes rust, or are they known to rust or what? I know they are frequent beach runners, maybe that's the connection?

mikedog

The '84-'89 4Runners are about 63-64" wide....just like the PU's. I think the base 2wd std.cab shortbed weighs slightly under 3000lbs. Maybe 2850lbs or something like that in "stripped" condition. Add the 4wd, rear bumper, A/C, wheels/tires, etc. the total weight probably jumps up to around 3300-3500lbs on the average. With the Extra cabs, add about 250lbs to the total vehicle weight. The 4Runners are of course the heaviest at nearly 4000lbs more or less depending on optional equipment.

Yes, rust is problem with the older Toyotas. The beds are prone to rust rot particulaly the Japanese bed equipped trucks. These were the ones with locking fuel doors and side-latching rear tailgates. I have one of these. There's a seam that runs down the mid-point of the bed separating both the upper and lower halves. This is exactly where these beds like to rust out....at this seam joint.

Fortunately, I live in the southwest so rust really isn't a problem for me. There are lots of old Toyota PU's at the local wrecking yards around here that have virtually no rust on them. Early to mid '70's models with the original paint and almost no rust rot. It's really the "salt-based" material used for the snow removal process, that many states in the snowbelt use, which makes rust rot a big problem in alot of older vehicles.

Figit090

alrighty thanx!

89-4run

Guess I feel fortunate to have an 89 v6 SR5 I think I will keep my baby forever! Its definitely not a race car, but for some reason its been running great, thanks to all the help from this board. I was just cruising home going up a slight incline (highway) doing 80 in 4 gear - smooth! Yeah yeah, I was speeding but it was wide open - and it wasn't for long. Mind you this is Colorado, so the thin air doesn't help much I'm running 31's and stock gears.

I love sleeping in the back of my truck. I'm 5'10", and sleep with my 85lb dog in the back I love pulling up to camp spots late at night, and while everyone is pitching a tent, I just unroll my bag and go to bed.

The seats do lay fairly flat. You can see in this thread (kind of) what it looks like when they are down:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/pics-custom-speaker-install-1st-gen-31868/

Figit090

thanks...i've beeing wondering that for the longest time... it's been buggin me so much that i can't even get close to one of these awsome trucks...

i wish one would come up for sale by me

Figit090

nice truck!!! that looks like a really nice setup you have there...is that one sub enough? I have no experiance with woofers in cars...so i have no clue!

what do the side panels of the rear bed look like before you modded it?? i can kinda tell there has been added portions because you mentioned it (wouldn't have guessed otherwise)....

89-4run

Its just cheap plastic.... mine are now wood and fiberglass, rock solid.

Figit090

how long in terms of milage do the V6 engines last?? I know that the 4 bangers can get past 300k miles... but what about the v6 engines? (that is, with the head gasket replacement...lol)

deathrunner

I have a 4cyl 5 spd 89. I run 33's with4.88 gears and a 4 inch lift. I get 18-19 mpg and I just put ona header and cat so hopefully it goes up. The 4cyl 5spd is no speed demon but after having my v8 dakota i get way less tickets now. It's not fast, but it keeps up fine in traffic and offroad, who needs to go fast??? If you want to race it drop a v8 in. Other wise the 4 or 6 is fine.

Figit090

thanx for all the help everyone, i was kinda curious about somthing, there are body lifts and suspension lifts...they are a bit confusing...

what are the differences, pros, and cons of suspension lifts and body lifts?? i know what each are, and that with a body lift you're suspention should ride just about the same as it did, but...what else is there to know??

elripster

You might do a search on this. There are a few recipes that work for our trucks. Typically, a starter would be 1" body lift, 1.5" spacers front, rear maybe shackles or springs, depends. That with maybe some small trimming/pounding fits 33's. Gears and lockers make the truck a competent wheeler though.

There has been so much info on that subject I'd likely forget something if I tried to retype all I've read and typed myself.

Mileage on V6's varies. I have 287,000 on mine. I have heard of them going well over 300K. I have also heard of them not making 200K. This is true for the 4 cylinders as well. Often, 4 cylinder trucks get things like new heads and motors just for the performance upgrade though.

At this age, the way the truck was used and how well it was maintained play a huge role in reliability. Trucks with big tires and lots of aftermarket goodies have a better chance of wearing out a motor sooner than stock trucks. Trucks that live on the freeway do better. My casual observation, when it comes to say a place like San Diego, where as I've said people haul butt and it's hilly, you add hundreds of pounds of aftermarket goodies, your odds are better with a larger engine since it's not working as hard. In other areas that are flatter or slower, this is less of an issue.

Definitely take some trucks for a test drive and see what you think. I have always been so glad to have purchased the V6, it's been very reliable and driveable. However, with gas these days, fuel savings is a score for the 4 banger.

Frank

JoKEpLaYeR

Howdy,

I was in the same boat you were in 6 months back. I decided I'd do the 4 cyl because this is just a daily driver (Around town) and trail rig. True, it has yet to be out on the trail because as soon as I got it I ripped the motor out, but well worth the money thus far. There are so many perspectives on tires... Frank is saying that 33's require 1" BL and a 1.5" b/j spacer and fender trimming but I've seen/heard of people fitting them under a 1" BL. Definitely search around the board for the pro's and con's of both types of lifts. Find someone on the board who lives close to you and become friends with them. 1) You'll need someone to help you with "projects... wallet thinning projects " 2) someone to possibly go wheeling with 3) someone with a set of hands and hopefully tools . Good luck on the hunt for your first truck!

FYI: I picked up my '88 for $800 and just invested $2071 for the full motor rebuild. Rebuild included: Bored-over, head decked (fixed warped head), TRD Stage 1 Camshaft, all machine work, parts, and assembly. The engine had 230,000 on it.... I want to push this one to 500,000.

Steve

Figit090

allrighty, now if my dad will ever let me contact someone like that i most definatly will!! (he's cautious, it will work eventually though...) thanx again!!