Back Yard Queen

Hello, I’m new here and this is my story,
I’ve had this 1990 4Runner since 2007, I picked it up for 1200 bucks at a public auction in Bellingham Wa. The body is excellent with no rust, a dent or 2 here and there, the interior is still like new but it’s been a frustrating relationship since I brought it home. The standard transmission never shifted properly so I had it rebuilt with all Toyota parts and a new clutch put in, shifts like butter now.
The problem was here in Surrey BC just south of Vancouver we had Air Care (it’s no longer a thing now) and this vehicle could never pass the emissions test. I had it into various shops and they worked on it and I got a nice fat bill which did give it a courtesy pass with air care and I was able to drive it.
I just found a stack of them in the glove box the air care’s all had FAIL. The funny thing was I took it to the local muffler shop and he cut the catalytic converter off put a new one on and it passed air care no problem. So all those supposed mechanical shops didn’t know what they were doing or talking about, yeah something is wrong inside your engine we can’t fix it, blah blah blah.
It started acting up again, I couldn’t open the hood as the release latch wire quit working, then the passenger door latch would not open, the back tail gate would not open and to top it off I could no longer open the gas door to put gas in it. I have a large arched tent at the back of the driveway and it’s been sitting in there since 2011, I gave up on it and just rode my motorcycle for years not caring to fix anymore cars. I used to rebuild lots of trucks, make them pretty and make sure everything was sound and sell them, I really enjoyed that!
Now the bike is mostly sitting in the shop, we have newer more reliable vehicles but I am downsizing and cleaning the place up, I’m in my 70’s now and haven’t been that keen on spending my time on my back under an old truck. Well I rolled that 4Runner out and gave it a quick wash along with my ancient 1966 Honda super trail 90, neither of them will start. Something about that 4Runner won’t let me give up on it, I was tinkering with it and thinking about selling it but boy would it ever make a nice bush truck. I’m getting back into fishing again, almost bought a 2021 4Runner, crazy money for one of those.
I got the hood open, just needs a new cable, the passenger door I had to saws all the nuts off inside the door post to open, got a used door latch off eBay for 50 bucks, closes perfectly again. I broke the fuel door prying it off, got a matching red one from a guy with a bunch of 4Runners in his backyard, he’s going to see if he can get the cables off for me. He told me the trick with the back tailgate, the window has to go way down to release the lock latch and you can open it. Well that latch won’t do that anymore so I disconnected the very bottom release lever and presto the whole tailgate functions perfectly. I greased all the window tracks and those old power windows roll up and down no problem.
The gas tank was next, I had great fun getting that thing out of there today, ordered new fuel pump and support bracket also gas fuel gauge sending unit. Once I looked inside the tank it was full of nasty crud and rust flakes were falling off the sides. I called the 4Runner guy he has a couple of tanks hopefully one is much better than this, I want to put it back together in perfect functioning condition. Under the hood it was a nightmare, since I couldn’t open it all those years the rats moved in and chewed up the wiring harnesses. Well I sure showed them, cleaned that old poo out it was everywhere on top of the engine, in places you wouldn’t think they could fit. I got my soldering gun going with fresh correct colored wires and spent a day resplicing those wires sealing them with heat shrink, got em all taped up with the black electrical tape, it looks like factory again.
I’ve pretty well conquered all the nasty issues and found myself really enjoying making this thing whole again. It still has the brand new plug wires and antifreeze and oil filter in the back which I was going to do 12 years ago. I ordered a new set of plugs and fuel filter, that thing is sure in a stupid location up against the frame with a couple of inches access, I sure hope the old one will come off, soaked it in liquid wrench
So now I have to get the fuel tank situation sorted out out probably next week perhaps, taking my son fishing in his grampa’s old Truck first. I don’t know if it will start that’s the question, there is a new battery so everything is there but that old engine is what brought me here. I found this forum looking for a crate engine or suggestions, don’t know if this motor is worth rebuilding or not. I really like this thing, If I could get it to be reliable it would be a perfect bush machine, I love the fact you can mostly fix it yourself something you just can’t do with the new ones. All that computerized crap that needs special programming just to talk to it so it can tell you why it’s not feeling well is not very appealing to me not to even mention the cost.
There is something about old school, I’m going to give it my best shot and see if I can rehab this baby, if so that old Honda is next!

 

Welcome from Arizona!
What a great intro and congratulations for the perseverance you have shown not once but twice. The picture sure makes the old girl look road worthy.

 

Well done so far on the T4R, a rebuild would be a labor of love for you I would think. After all of that, the Honda will be a piece of cake!

I rebuilt a 1971 Hodaka motor on my work bench in one day, never should have sold it.

best of luck to you.

 

Welcome to the forum, she looks great.

 

We have a U-Blast here, do it yourself sandblaster, I’m thinking if that wrecker’s tank isn’t any better than this one I will degrease this thing and take it there to blast out the nasties inside it. Looks like surface rust flakes, there are no pin holes the tank retains its vacuum. There are coatings for inside, had my motorcycle tanks done in the past, I will reevaluate the situation once it’s all back together. I keep forgetting I’m in my 70’s who really doesn’t need the headache of an unpredictable vehicle. I may be depriving a younger fellow the opportunity to own a very fun machine that he can tinker with and keep on the road with a do it yourself experience. It also came with a huge blaster boombox speaker and amp system that’s just not practical for me but would sure liven up a party.

 

Welcome. Rig looks great for sitting for so long.

 

Nice looking truck, good luck with repairs. If your used gas tank options turn out to be junk, a new tank from Carparts.com is under $200.

 

Great advice thank you, been reading how they rot from the inside out, hopefully Mr Wrecker has a better tank than mine
Just putting in new plug wires, was surprised the end plug was loose, could just unscrew it with my fingers my pickup truck was the same, wondering if some of these shops do this on purpose so you have to come back or if the mec is just careless. One of the reasons I try doing it myself, some of these guys can’t even do a lube and oil properly, it’s very disappointing. I sure hope she starts when it’s all back together, the chat about the injectors has me concerned, these haven’t squirted in over 10 years.

 

I am getting there, my old tank was hopeless, got a nice used tank for $75 the sending unit is in good condition, they sent me the wrong fuel pump hanger so I sandblasted my old one. Big job getting it all back in there but well worth the effort she fired up and runs great, what a relief. Getting new windshield washer pumps and rerouting the cables for the fuel door and installing broken hood latch cable. Someone took a shortcut with the fuel door cable and left a slack loop under the dash, it has to follow its correct path under the carpet to have the right tension to release that door. I may have to do the brakes, not sure yet but it will for sure be easier to sell once I get all the bugs out. I’m feeling optimistic this 4 runner will have a successful return to the roads on which it belongs!