Toyota I need advice for building this truck - Utah's Rock Crawling and Off-Road Forum

guitar-jesus · 11-03-2009, 10:27 AM

so i have a 1979 toyota pickup that i am converting to 4-wheel drive, building an exo cage, lifting, and engine swapping, the engine i am going to put in it is a 1990's 4-Runner v-6... but the engine the truck has in it stock is only a 20R 4-cyl. plus the v-6 has wiring that i dont think will hook up any where in my truck... how can i do this? (the cheap way please

money is tight)

Rot Box · 11-03-2009, 10:45 AM

You will be one of the few people in history to ever want to swap a 3.0 into anything!

It is possible you will need a donor truck with transmission and t-case (no avaliable lower gear sets) unless you want to spend money on adapters. It should bolt in with 3.0 motor mounts but you will have to figure out what to do with the cross member as the drivetrain will be ~5.5" longer. You will need the larger radiator, new exhaust, higher pressure electric fuel pump (79's max out at 8psi which isn't enough), and I also wouldn't want that weight hanging over the stock "push Pull" steering.

Power wise the 3.0 (when running top notch) isn't much better off than the 22RE and far less reliable...

I Lean · 11-03-2009, 11:10 AM

The 3.4 was available in the 1990's--hopefully that's what he's talking about?

Rot Box · 11-03-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Lean

The 3.4 was available in the 1990's--hopefully that's what he's talking about?

Good call I was assuming he meant 1990 model 3.0. Either way the same I mentioned is true for the 3.4 except for the completely worthless and gutless part

guitar-jesus · 11-03-2009, 02:20 PM

alright thanks guys... does any one want a '78 toyota pick up? i have a '78 and a '79 and i am rebuilding the tranny for the 78 so i can sell it... it is completely stock... so if any one wants it let me know... thanks

solidfrontaxle · 11-03-2009, 03:02 PM

Is the 78 the one with the four round headlights? Those are so awesome looking. I always wanted an early 2wd built into a crawler. (I can't afford it, I'm just asking)

sparticus19 · 11-04-2009, 12:20 AM

Come on guys the 3.0 isn't all that bad my 4runner has it i just think that for what ever reason toyota smoked some weed and then said, " Hey lets put like the crappiest gearing ever in this under powered 3.0 v6 4runner". Actually i built a custom 2.5 inch cat back exhuast and added an weapon R intake and it woke it up quite a bit, but it still bogged on the hills and stuff, so i decided to check the gearing, i found out that my axles had 3.25:1 ratios!! wow no wonder it was gutless a big desiel would have that kind of gearing and have a hard time, needless to say the swap your doing is not a bad idea though i proably would choose a 22re for the power and light weight good luck though with what ever you put in.....p.s I'm changing right now the axles to 4.10:1 so i hope you have something like that in there to help

solidfrontaxle · 11-04-2009, 07:00 AM

Doesn't the Toyota 4cylinder 3RZ have more hp than the 3.0?

guitar-jesus · 11-04-2009, 07:24 AM

well i am selling the truck for $500 so let me know...

guitar-jesus · 11-04-2009, 07:25 AM

yes it does but i just want a v-6... i would like a v-8 but there is no way in hell i could get it to fit without cutting off the entire front end and completely rebuilding it

Rot Box · 11-04-2009, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparticus19

so i hope you have something like that in there to help

His truck will have 4.37's stock

I still rock my stock 20R so its not the power of the 3.0 that I don't like. There is a problem when you can find 20+ 4runners on KSL with a blown 3.0 for under $1500. Unfortunately electrolysis wipes out more than the head gaskets. They are hit and miss for sure I've seen many with well over 200k which is more than you could ask from any gas engine. I would hate to have all that time invested into an engine swap to have to pull the engine again and replace it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by solidfrontaxle

Doesn't the Toyota 4cylinder 3RZ have more hp than the 3.0?

Ratings can differ a bit, but the 3.0 is typically rated at 135-40 and the 3RZ is 150hp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitar-jesus

yes it does but i just want a v-6... i would like a v-8 but there is no way in hell i could get it to fit without cutting off the entire front end and completely rebuilding it

Search around. There are a million Toy/V8 swaps out there and they actually fit pretty good. The Fords front mounted distributor is a bonus as you won't have to beat in the firewall.

I won't try to change your mind though. You already have the top shift t-case in your truck so hang on to that. The early automatics are expensive and difficult to adapt the 4cyl t-case to I would really look for the standard 5 speed (R150) that came behind the 3.0. They are very stout, and it will work with all the master and slave cylinder you already have. You will still need an adapter http://trail-gear.com/v6-adapter.html to work with your top shift T-case.

guitar-jesus · 11-04-2009, 01:52 PM

i have the five speed manual... in fact almost all of the parts that i need to make it 4-wheel drive are coming from the 4-Runner, the T-case, tranny, front axle, drive shafts... its all coming from the runner...

you`ve still got the 20R???? i have to do a head gasket, oil pan gasket and carb rebuild to get mine running right... how long do you think it will take?? i want to get wheelin in march, with everything else done...

ricsrx · 11-04-2009, 05:28 PM

pm sent

guitar-jesus · 11-05-2009, 12:33 PM

alright that truck is my profile pic now

Rot Box · 11-05-2009, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitar-jesus

alright that truck is my profile pic now

I almost called you (unless you just bought it) on that a few weeks ago if you had it on KSL for $250. Did you get the transmission figured out? It would be so cool to build one into a 4x4