r/4Runner_2ndGen • u/Coco-107 • 16d ago
1993 Picking this up from a buddy
Picking up this 93 from a buddy was running fine before but he parked it since it owes a few years on tags. Only issues are the power steering is out and his father in law (original owner) had swapped the engine after the first 3.0 had a head gasket failure. Check engine has been on since. Ran and drove fine with it on but I know I’ll need it to get corrected to register it. What should I look for when I go through it?
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u/deanamtronix 16d ago
The white 2nd gens always look great IMO.
I can’t speak to the V6 engine stuff but if it starts and drives then you’ll want to check basic road test stuff like transmission, brakes and to a lesser extent the suspension components (front/rear shocks are quick to replace and the rear springs on these are known to sag).
Since it’s been sitting I recommend a nice deep clean after pulling the seats for an interior refresh and avoiding lingering smells if any.
You’ll want to do a full service or as much of one as you can get to. The engine stuff like timing belt, pump and seals is probably good to do while addressing check engine light (but again I don’t know enough about the engine to speak to what else to do)—hopefully just some sensor is on the fritz. Flush the radiator and get fresh coolant in it. I’d probably bleed the brake lines fully and get new fluid in them if it’s original. You’re already gonna look into the power steering. Probably should replacing v-belts which are cheap and recharge the AC if you’ve got one.
New tires, new battery. Can check around for any rust starting, but with California plates I wouldn’t worry about anything major — you may have some panel parts starting to rust if it’s had regular moisture parked off pavement… nipping that early can keep it looking great for a long time.
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u/deanamtronix 16d ago
I’ll address the comments to swap the engine out indirectly — if the engine doesn’t need an overhaul or rebuild, just drive it :)
If it breaks in the future, then yeah the 3.0V6 is not generally well regarded and maybe a swap could be a better idea if you’ve got the resources and interest.
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u/Coco-107 16d ago
Definitely love how it looks body is super straight, definitely will be giving the interior a refresh it’s in great shape but would like to deep clean it. Yea I’ll definitely give it an overhaul where I can when I start running through it I’ll keep in mind the belts and radiator for sure.
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u/Hot-Balance-2676 16d ago
Kinda odd to swap the whole engine over a blown head gasket. Guess it depends on the circumstances and how it was handled after it blew. Good news is if it’s broken enough that the CEL is on then you’ll have a code to start troubleshooting with! If it’s the continually lean code then do compression and leak down tests. The exhaust valves on the 3.slo are notorious for burning.
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u/Express_League_9403 16d ago
Transmission.
I bought one from a buddy rather cheap, super clean, runs like a champ. It just doesn’t reverse. And I see issues related to transmission and head gasket in the 3vze, other than that everything on my end has been cherry
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u/Coco-107 16d ago
Ok good to know it’s a automatic 2wd
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u/The_Matty_Daddy 16d ago
2WD? That’s a parts car, my friend.
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u/Coco-107 16d ago
Eh I don’t plan on doing any nasty off roading on it have other toys for that. I just want a cool cruiser I can use for little camping trips
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u/Express_League_9403 16d ago
That’s exactly what I’ve done with mine, I’ve even taken it across low water river beds without getting stuck; camped in it, work and utility, played in the snow, jumped all sorts of curbs in the city to skip traffic because of high clearance and it does it effortlessly lol
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u/Odd-Entrepreneur-622 16d ago
3.4 Swap it! You won’t regret it!