Gatorgrl's Grand Gen2 4Runner makeover

Holy $hit Christmas came early! Congrats to you guys! Post some pics!

 

Took her on the interstate today. She doesn't really like interstate driving. Started to drop off and stutter a bit after 60mph. Thinking it might be the fuel pump not able to keep up at the higher demand. We have a new fuel pump for it, its just the are designed not to be serviced so new fuel lines will have to be gotten to complete the install.

 

Ahhhhhh

 

Just got mine smogged here in So Cal but had to chase a low pressure EVAP leak in the fuel system. That took a couple of weeks to figure out and never really found any cracks or holes in the tank or plumbing. But I ended up double clamping all the flex-y-stuff and then it would hold 30 psi for a good long time. My guess is the spring clamps and 27 year old hose isn't quite cutting it any longer so screw clamps to the rescue. I had set the timing back to 10° and had put the CAT back on. Emissions numbers are great and "running clean" but oh my is it ever so slow even with the Thorley, the CAI (by Summit Racing) and the Magna-Flow CAT.

So as soon as the test result were off to the DMV via electronic transmission, I removed the CAT and left the timing at 10° (big mistake). The off idle to 3K had a definite flat spot when closed loop that even the mechanic at the smog check had noticed this and made mention. Went off and started checking voltages at the ECM's terminals with some pins last week end. Didn't find much of anything but some voltages seemed slightly off spec from the FSM. I replaced the temperature sensor that tells the ECM when its warmed up to go into closed loop mode. This didn't seem to change a darn thing. I added an extra 10 gauge wire from the alternator to the battery which is 8 feet long to get there. Then on my last fill up the trip odo was at 100 and only 1/4 tank left so I was looking at barely getting 150 miles from the last fill up, something is not right. I can usually eek out 175 to 200 Miles from a full tank. The climb up to 5K has been seemingly strained all week long and it just didn't seem happy as the howl in the CAI was different for sure. So this morning I set the static timing to 14° and what a difference it made today. When you blip the throttle the advance goes twice as far as when it is at 10°. The acceleration is like it was before I had smogged it and the flat spot is hard to notice as it rockets past 2K with smooth pulls to 5K with out any dithering of the rpm, which had not been the case before. After setting at 14° when I pull the jumper the timing at idle is sort of between the 10° and 15° and seems like the ECM is retarding things a bit. Where as when its set to 10° and the jumper is removed it goes up to 15° at idle but the advance is I'm betting less than 30° When the throttle is toggled. But at 14° the second the TPS lets the ECM know the throttle plate is moving the advance flies off to the left and is at least twice the distance than when static timing is set at 10°. My dial back to 0° timing light isn't working when I move it off 0° so I can't actually measure what it is but the drive to work this morning was mighty good fun with 90 MPH on the speedometer seeming to be an effortless task yet again. Next is EGR delete and get that blasted pipe out of the plenum.

 

Well you could try setting the timing like I do on the Sand Rail? Hold the throttle wide open and turn the distributer until it runs perfect?

 

Thanks Atgparker. Nice to hear from you again. Always helpful. Am very thankful we don't have to deal with all that smog crap over here in FL. No inspections, thank you! i will show my hubby your response and see what he wants to try. Thanks again and good luck!

 

You have reached your destination!
Horray!

 

You know this timing seeming to be needing to be set closer to the 15° mark on the TB-cover of my 91 might just be the blasted harmonic balancer multi "v" pulley slipping on the rubber dampening sleeve. I took a look at a new one at O'Reilly's on the way home last night for a reference and the nicks in the inner most pulley are just off center to one of the 4 cast in screw threads for the third pulley to be screwed on and seem to be at about 2:30 of so with the key-way-slot at 12:00 (looking at front of the engine). I will probably have to pull the radiator to get a good clean look and would think that if the vulcanization is giving up at 28 years, how will it evidently fail completely if it is degrading and starts to not transmit all of the torque to the alternator and the AC compressor. I haven't thought through the torque reactions on the pulley to see if its drifting is in the right direction to support my theory and my glance at the pulley last night is seeming to tell me that it hasn't moved very much i.e., perhaps 5° or so and that is assumed from my timing working at 14°!

The outer most third pulley is screwed to the hub of the balancer so it is not going to slip when the PS needs power to gain pressure for the steering box and ABS modulator.

I tanked up at Costco this morning with only yesterday's drive on the 14° timing and my MPG was 10.6 the lowest I have ever recorded. It has been quite warm over the last week or so. The tank before was 11.83 (a 3 hour off-road trek on this tank full, no torque off-idle was clearly evident) and then 13.13 MPG both with 10° timing setting. Best ever that I have on record is 15.22 mpg last summer on August 08 highway cruising with camping gear in the trailer on vacation to El Capitan state beach a 5-6 hour drive from OC. That is with the same 14° timing, no CAT and the K&N CAI. Hmmm, I think I had better build a shroud with a top cover lid around the K&N CAI to keep the engine heat away from the air behind the head light and away from the temperature probe in the AFM!...

 

Put the CAT back on and get rid of the H.A.I. (Hot air intake) put the stock one on, and I bet you get 20 mpg!!!

 

ATGParker, you are amazing! We checked the timing and it had actually retarded somehow. We set it to 14 degrees and checked vacuum and idle.
Here's our findings:


Then we took her for a test ride. She is a different beast now. Amazing what a little tune can do.
There is no more struggle from the engine to reach speed and she does so almost effortlessly. Sure she still is a long way from the drag strip, but she is miles from where she once was.

 

Man this thing keeps getting better and better

 

Well, it's not like she could really get any worse.

Besides, it's about time she started acting right after all we have done for her.

 

So it would appear we are not entirely out of the woods just yet.

Took the Runner out to dinner last night and on the way home, she had a power hiccup. The engine shut off for a split second while driving, resulting in a bit of a bump feeling. It started right back so we didn't need to restart it, just odd.
And the brake pedal is being a bitch. Some days it's fine and at other times it goes right to the floor, intermittently.

BTW, brake fluid and power steering fluid are topped off and the rear brakes are adjusted correctly.

 

Son


Of




A




Biotch!!!

 

ordered it a new friggin master cylinder. Will be here this afternoon. It's not safe to drive now.

 

Have you considered gasoline and an open flame?

 

More times than I'd care to admit.

 

Ok, found out why the master cylinder failed.
Take one guess.....

 

Note to anyone paying attention: Remember to also bleed your LSPV (Load Sensing Proportioning Valve) in the rear above the differential in addition to bleeding all the brakes in the appropriate pattern. We got a bunch of crud out of that valve just now. Flushed 2 bottles of brake fluid through the system. Hopefully got all the gunk out. Also installed the new master cylinder.

Front end is not disengaging intermittently when its in 2H. Vacuum actuator is acting funny.

 

This is unreal the parallels:

I was out wheeling a few weeks back and was seeing the brake light lamp coming on at times due to the front pads being basically shot and the rotors almost out of tolerance for thickness. So I topped off the Master cylinder reservoir to keep the float switch happy and headed out only to find in the middle of the run in the hilliest section that my brake pedal was plummeting to the floor. All I can think is how much I love my manual transmission. I can make it out without brakes in low range and the right gear. The free way home well that might require a tow. Then about 15 minutes later the firm pedal has returned and I 'm thinking what the heck! So I am suspecting the casting on the passenger side of the frame adjacent to the Steering Gear which has brake lines going in and out is the anti-lock brake modulator that is powered by power steering fluid pressure. The other thing was I had lifted the rear with Daystar spring spacers to the order of an inch or more and that may have buggered the proportioning valve a bit with off road articulation going on. So I have added a spacer to the bracket to offset that correctly. So far all is good. Was pressing the brake pedal hard while at a stop and can see the engine rpm increase as the vacuum booster is being emptied, I think.

Further in trying to diagnose the problem the rig had a dead PS pump and had emptied all of its ATF when I purchased it for $1,600. So to get it home I filled and bled the PS and made the 100 mile drive home. The PS pump seal kit was the first thing to get fixed but perhaps the ABS modulator had frozen and been without PS fluid pressure for quite some time before I got the vehicle? While off roading it several weeks ago now on a pretty hot day it either got stuck or wouldn't return I need to look at the FSM and see how this thing works.

Sitting in the garage is a Powerstop brake upgrade kit (from Summit via eBay) with 25mm thick drilled and slotted rotors and some amazing pads along with a set of new calipers from Cardon with 25 mm pistons. Turns out the mid 91 and later got the bigger brakes and mine at 06/91 must have not made the transition because the rotors are 20mm thick (well actually 18.5mm now) and the pistons are 23mm diameter in the caliper. The ruddy calipers will not go on the wider rotors but hey bigger pistons are way cool. Might just have to spring for a few more Russell check valve bleeders for the proportioning valve housing and the old calipers when I put them on the rear end. Yea the brakes on these 4Runners are bit on the weak side. Being yours is a 91 you might see if the mfg date is post 07/91. If it is then you should have the thicker rotors and the bigger pistons in the calipers.

Yippee if so, bummer if not!

 

I just ordered a 1 liter vacuum brake bleeder....Not gonna let this happen...

 

Well, so far....so good!
We are hooking it up this weekend for it's first TOAD trip behind the mighty bus. Crossing fingers it all goes well with these old machines.

Still having a bit of an issue keeping the sunroof up and into position. Right now we have styrofoam wedged in and pushing it up but that isn't ridged enough and it eventually drops a bit and whistles when we drive. Gotta come up with a more permanent solution to this minor issue.

 

Best fix for a sunroof is silicone and disabling the switch lol

 

I caulked mine last year. The seal starts to leak too....

 

I won a street race today!


It was me and this other guy at the red light. We both sprinted off and I managed to beat him!
Ok so the other guy was a big yellow school bus.
And OK I don't think he knew we were racing....

....but a WIN is still a WIN!

 

Cut
The seal and create a silicone seal. Tape off the perimeter and clean everything well then pump the gaps full, tool the silicone, peel the tape

 

It stoped working first. It’s been parked outside all of its life...

 

LMAO, try racing a fully load dump truck. You may win that one too.

 

Well 4Runner did its first official stint as a towed vehicle behind our bus. Been out and about for about a month. Tows with no problem. We have notice that the transfer case gets hot when driving at highway speeds for any decent distance. Drove it from Georgia to New York, left the bus in Georgia. The transfer case seems to get hotter than the transmission. We changed the gear oil before the trip and once again before leaving New York.

Is it common for these transfer cases to get hot like this?

Also proud to report she did fine in New York and kept up with traffic like a pro!