$500, 225k miles, 2wd, 3.0 V6, auto, engine knock

Well, on April Fool's day I bought a 1995 4runner with 225k miles for $500. Engine had a harsh knock, so I had it delivered instead of driving it home. Seller said he had parked it when he heard a knock, faintly at first.

The noise sounds like it is coming from a cylinder head, center, driver's right side.

So I look forward to hearing from more experienced 4runner owners.

 

Sounds like a good price for a nice project. congrats!. How does she look otherwise? I would check oil pressure first. Manual gage, find a port on the gallery, or tie in where the sending unit feeds the idiot light on the dash. Check with a stethoscope to "home in" on the offending cylinder. (compression test is good, also). Once identified. IF cylinder pressures are close across the same bank (like say, within 10% of each other), valves/ rings are worn the same, and the problem is in the bottom end. (Conn rod) . Drop the belly pan, oil pan, and use your new found knowledge of the offending cylinder source to very carefully/ very vigorously wiggle the appropriate bearing cap and verify the "slop" between the cap and the crank. Once verified, remove the cap bolts, and check for scores on the crank...... Then report back. IF (little word, many things hang on it's outcome) the cylinder pressures are way off, then maybe a pushrod is bent, there is some other problem. BTW, how handy are you with tools? These thoughts are all predicated on the belief that you have ability/ access/ some practical knowledge of mechanics and tools. --- Another line of reasoning is to yank the engine, and replace it with either a good used engine, (like JTM(?) and avoid the possible nursing/ constant worry of a repair on the existing engine. .. Need more data.

 

Thanks, TN Trail.
I've worked on cars, trucks, motorcycles quite a bit. But I'm not a professional. So I'm real careful. My 4runner has a good body and chassis. No rust, recent black paint. It was originally owned (apparently) by a knowledgeable and careful man. No telling how many owners since him. It is complete, except for the radio, and original.

Will proceed with oil pressure check and stethoscope. I use a screwdriver stuck in a bottomless plastic jug which act like a megaphone. Will report results. I ordered a shop manual which will arrive by Friday, but I can do the pressure check etc in the meantime.

Also, I had an error in my original post. It is a 1995 4runner, not 2005.

 

Cool! Like your stethoscope trick! Which shop manual did you order?

 

Rockauto.com is selling new editions of numerous factory manuals. They are paperback books. Mine was around $65. The factory shop manuals are more comprehensive than others, tho I've done a lot with Haynes and Chilton's.

 

Heh, learn something every day! Have bought from Rock auto before, but never looked to them for manuals. Have used Haynes and Chilton's, with the occasional factory manual thrown in, (when and where available) Now I'm GONNA go look for one for my 2017! Especially since I intend to work on the electrics, and I tend to be just slightly anal where wiring is concerned.

Well, nuts.. Rockauto doesn't have the manual available for the '17 or the '16. didn't check any earlier than '16, because I figure many changes have occurred since '15. Maybe one will come out soon.

 

I've been buying practically all my parts and most tools from Rockauto.com for a couple years. Practically everything made in the USA, top quality, and the price is right! So I'm sort of a fan.

 

Just touching base, any news yet? Haven't heard back in a while.

 

Thanks for checking, Noel. Been helping my brother who is real sick. Also, had to replace most of the air conditioning on my Eclipse. Will get back to 4runner on Sunday, I hope. Got the manuals, and gauges.

 

Hi Bob, Sorry to hear about your brother. Family/ health is of primary importance. Our internet has been down for two days, or I would have replied sooner. On the Eclipse, do you evacuate the AC circuit when reworking, or do you do like I have recently heard, and allow atmospheric pressure to be present in the system before recharging with freon? I personally have always evacuated the system, checked for leak-up, and then charged. Just curious.

 

As soon as I can find out how to dispense with the shipping oil in the compressor, and install the operating oil, (plus replace about everything else) I'll pump down the system for an hour or more, as specified in the Hayne's manual.

I've been looking at the 4runner's schematics related to the power windows, etc., while waiting. Also, waiting for a part of the spare tire winch system to lower the spare and hopefully install the Clark hitch.

 

That's a new twist on me. Shouldn't they simply put the appropriate amount of the proper oil in the unit and ship? Not like it is gonna see R12 anymore, so why put anything in the system that isn't compatible with R134A? weird.

 

Yeh, Noel. But I'm gonna follow these directions since the compressor came from China. Arrrgh.