Need expert advice on purchasing '99 4runner with 5-speed manual

Hey Guys! I'm new to this forum. I joined because I'm heavily interested in purchasing a 3rd gen 4runner, but need some advice before pulling the trigger.

I saw a listing for a '99 4runner with a 5-speed manual transmission come up on FB marketplace (been listed for 13 days now). It's 4wd with e-lockers and a sunroof. The vehicle has lived in the southwest and southeast its entire life, so no frame rot. Interior is still in pretty good shape (cloth seats). Here's where I need the advice. The seller recently blew the head gasket on the original motor (160k ish miles), and so he's turned this into a project truck. He bought a certified OEM replacement motor from Japan with around 63k miles (sent an image of the order). The old motor is taken out but does not have the new one installed. He bought alot of other parts, most of which are in the engine bay area and are not yet installed - see list below:

• Funsport radiator
• core shifter bushings rebuild kit
• Stark exhaust heat wrap for exhaust headers
• ECCP upstream and downstream o2 sensors
• Alloy works 16" slim fan radiator cooler
• Muzumo auto oil pan gasket
• Aisin clutch slave cylinder (CRT-014)
• NGK spark plugs
• Aisin engine coolant thermostat and gasket
• crossover exhaust and left and right manifold
• Hayden transmission cooler
• Flowmaster 50series Delta Flow
• snorkel kit
• grill with insert rack assembly
• dexsos roof rack
• full headlight kit
• Bilstein 5100 suspension

the reason he's selling is because his job changed which requires alot of travel, and he can't devote the time needed to get it running. I was told that inheriting a project car like this is a recipe for disaster and that rarely these things can get up and running again unless you're prepared to pay alot more (at least 2x or 3x original cost). He's selling for $5k, and it will need to be towed to a mechanic since I do not have the time or space to do this right now. The mechanic in town told me it would be roughly $2-2.5k to do what I described. Towing will cost around $350 (it's in the next town over). So all in all, the project would cost around $8k to do. Factor in more time than required, and let's say $10k even. Is this too much of a risk? The seller has been very honest and up front with me (sent photos of anything I asked for). However I run the risk that this motor does not even work (and I'll have no support from the company he bought the engine from since it's an inherited project). If I need a new motor then I'll be out another $5k, including install. Let me know if this is something you would jump on, or something to stay far away from. Thanks!

 

I'd want to know what circumstances the replacement engine came from, ideally it comes from a crashed car and not a poorly maintained one. You can get a good idea taking a look under the valve cover if the engine is maintained or not, looking into the cylinder with a borescope is also revealing (inspect cylinder walls). The gold standard is compression tests, but outside of the vehicle that might be hard.

I would replace the timing belt, water pump, and clutch/rear main seal (use Aisin parts for both) too. Reseal the lower oil pan that uses RTV too (it's not a rubber gasket). I don't know what quality those aftermarket parts have, but as long as his reason for going with them isn't "it costs less" might as well use them. Any bearings in the transmission that are accessible now should be replaced too.

Whether or not I'd go through with it depends on availability, in the rust zone 3rd gens are rare, let alone manual ones, so I'd go through with it. In the west coast manual ones come up once or twice a month within a few hundred miles and I'd rather wait than accept that sort of risk to only come out slightly ahead in the best case scenario.

 

I live in the panhandle of Florida, so any 5-speeds that come up for sale are a bit of a unicorn and are either in mint condition ($$$) or are pretty beat up - the closest one for sale is in Atlanta and it has terrible frame rot. Most 4runners for sale in my area are '01-02, 2wd automatic and none of them have been in great condition.

Is the $5k price tag a good bargain for what I'm getting, considering the mechanic work I need to pay for? I've heard a non-running vehicle like this typically should sell 50 cents on the dollar.

 

Hard to say without seeing the car or knowing its history. Keep in mind, the sort of owner who neglects a 5vz until it blows a head gasket isn't likely to be any better with other stuff like the transmission fluid.

Because test driving it is impossible, you should ask him about the transfer case and transmission. Never seen that VF2A transfer case fail, they handle abuse well. If it worked it's highly unlikely you'll have to worry beyond changing the old fluid out. If the transmission shifted smoothly into all gears before it should also be fine, though fluid condition if you can inspect it is more important here.

The power steering pumps whine so much normally that it would be hard to know from any description if it was bad or good. They used dexIII transmission fluid (red), but power steering fluid is common (not red) and both work. It shouldn't be low and ideally clean.

I'd try to negotiate down to 4k, 5k isn't crazy if everything turns out to be intact. An elocker with a manual seems to always have a higher price together than the premium they add separately would suggest( ie 2+2=5)

 

If you do not wrench on cars, do not do this. You will be $20k in before it is all done.

 

Thanks Negusm, that's what I was waiting to hear. I do wrench on cars but don't have the time on this one, so was wondering whether I was in over my head or not.

 

Do not touch this. Too many unknown variables, too many things can go wrong, too many ways to spend a lot of money. (unless you’re doing the work yourself and this is a hobby where the journey is more important than the destination, which you’ve already said is not the case). I’ve done one of these projects with a small car and it can turn into a never ending saga.

you can take so much stress out of your life by either being patient and finding a third gen that’s in verifiable good condition, or spending a little more and getting a fourth or fifth gen.
In the words of Mark Twain, “it ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

let us know if you end up going through with this so we can all pray for you.

 

Rule #1 of the internet age: If you find something you really like and want, never post where it is advertised or someone else will see it and snatch it up before you.