2001 with 220000 miles. Got some KO2s, on market place that came on 17" Tacoma rims, this summer. I love this vehicle!

I’ve got a ‘98 (and a 1st Gen) that eats parts, and I got real tired of checking 12 different junkyard websites that look like they were built in 1998. So I made something that pulls them all into one search. Mods said it’s cool to post, so here’s every 96-02 that showed up in a self-service yard this past week:

West

• ‘00 SR5 2WD, Pick Your Part Chula Vista CA, DOM/IMP-65 (10/27)
• ‘96 SR5 2WD, Nevada Pic-A-Part Las Vegas NV, row 125 (10/27)
• ‘01 SR5 2WD, Pick-n-Pull American Canyon CA, row 17 (10/26)
• ‘01 SR5 2WD, Pick Your Part Sun Valley CA, Mix2-33 (10/24)
• ‘98 Limited 2WD, Pick Your Part San Bernardino CA, Mix-18 (10/24)
• ‘96 SR5 2WD, Pull-N-Save Riverside CA, row 11 (10/24)
• ‘02 SR5 2WD, Pick-n-Pull Stockton CA, row 54 (10/23)
• ‘96 SR5 2WD, iPull-uPull Pomona CA, row 19 (10/23)
• ‘02 SR5 4x4, Pull-A-Part Colorado Springs CO, row 6 (10/22)
• ‘00 SR5 2WD 2.7, Pick Your Part San Bernardino CA, Mix-10 (10/22)
• ‘99 SR5 2WD, Pick Your Part Santa Fe Springs CA, Trucks-8 (10/22)
• ‘01 SR5 2WD, Pick-n-Pull Oakland CA, row 25 (10/20)
• ‘00 SR5 2WD, Pick Your Part Sun Valley CA, Mix2-22 (10/20)
• ‘96 SR5 4x4, Pick-n-Pull Salt Lake City UT, row 16 (10/20)

South

• ‘97 Limited 2WD, Pick Your Part Houston SW TX, just landed, no row yet
• ‘00 SR5 2WD, Pick Your Part Charleston SC, Cars Left-L20 (10/27)
• ‘98 Limited 2WD, Chesterfield Auto Parts Richmond VA, Import 20 A (10/27)
• ‘00 SR5 2WD, Pull-A-Part Lafayette LA, row 502 (10/26)
• ‘00 SR5 4x4, Pick Your Part Raleigh NC, CARS-A28 (10/26)
• ‘99 SR5 4x4, Wrench-A-Part Belton TX, row 414 (10/26)
• ‘99 SR5 2WD 2.7, Go Pull-It Jacksonville FL, row 414 (10/26)
• ‘98 SR5 2WD, Pull-A-Part Columbia SC, row 312 (10/26)
• ‘96 SR5 2WD, Pick Your Part Largo FL, CARS-52 (10/26)
• ‘00 SR5 4x4, Pull-A-Part Winston-Salem NC, row 323 (10/23)
• ‘97 (no VIN posted), Ace Pick-A-Part Jacksonville FL, row 424 (10/23)
• ‘99 Limited 2WD, Pull-A-Part Nashville TN, row 304 (10/22)
• ‘00 Limited 2WD, Pull-A-Part Corpus Christi TX, row 309 (10/20)
• ‘97 SR5 2WD, Pick Your Part West Palm Beach FL, Cars-51 (10/20)
• ‘97 SR5 2WD 2.7, A&A Auto Recycling Bradenton FL, YARD-407 (10/20)

Midwest / East / Canada

• ‘02 SR5 4x4, Pull-A-Part Akron OH, row 303 (10/22)
• ‘98 SR5 4x4, U-Pull and Save Pontiac MI, row 25 (10/21)
• ‘99 SR5 4x4, Pick Your Part Hawkins Point MD, B-21 (10/20)
• ‘98 SR5 4x4, Pick-n-Pull Calgary AB, row 39 (10/20)

All 3.4s unless it says 2.7. Trim and drive are off the VIN. The VIN can’t tell you about lockers, so you’ll have to walk up and look for the button.

About half of these will be crushed by Christmas, and the SoCal ones by Thanksgiving. The good parts go way before that.

If you’re not near any of these, drop your zip and I’ll look for anything within 100 miles of you. There are 294 sitting in yards right now if you count older arrivals.

The site’s YardScout.io, and the app is on the App Store, and Google Play Store too. Searching is free, no account. You can set a free watch and it sends you a recap every Monday. There’s a paid version that pings you within a few hours of one landing and can filter to 4x4s off the VIN, but you don’t need it to use anything above. If your local yard isn’t on there, lmk and I’ll add it.

I was driving on the interstate yesterday. My check engine light started to blink. I pulled over within 300 yards and immediately turned off the vehicle. I checked the radiator cap and overflow filter and they are both filled with the pink/brown sludgey mixture that I think is the “pink milkshake”. My question is…….. does the pink milk shake issue trigger a blinking check engine light? I thought blinking check engine lights were only from misfires? Are they related? Coincidence? My coolant temperature sensor never increased and the engine stayed cool. Any and all help would be great.

Thanks!

Is it gonna be my first time doing the timing belt and the water pump since owning this car. It’s been about nine years but has only driven 40,000 miles. I assume he’s also going to inspect the pulley’s and the tensioner.
Is the price crazy for a shop in California or is there any other routine maintenance I should do

I ran over this old video of a guy that achieved a 4inch lift kit on his 3rd gen. What are your thoughts on this setup? Pros and cons

To me looks like an interesting mod

https://youtu.be/4uWeZb3_l_w?is=OuOMc3GG2K3eRDp5

Any feedback will be highly appreciated

I bought this 2000 SR5 for $3500 about a month ago. Zero rust (Florida) old lady owned and the normal maintence was also kept up.

I replaced the front and back suspension components with a mechanics help. ( I was born with very bad fine motor skills as being a preme. It sucks but such is life! ) We re did the whole front and back.

New valve cover gaskets ( had a small oil leak)

I gave her an oil change, new air filter and new front brakes rotors + pads. (Took me 4 hours 😂😂)

Next stop is going to be the timing belt : water pump kit.

I’ve put 1900 on her already! A few trips and such, including our first 2 night camping trip down in South Florida.

How many miles does yours have? I’m currently at 251,700.

Starts right up and gets down to its smooth idle instantly, shifts like a dream. I’d love for this to last me another 75-100k!

I daily drive motorcycles so the 15 mpg doesn’t really bother me 🤷

I sold a 2009 Hyundai suv I had for a year that kept racking up problem.
Couldn’t imagine a new car payment so here we are!

Hello all,

I am new to owning a 4runner and I just bought a 1997 and the clock doesn't work. Is this something that can be fixed, if so how would I do that? Thank you in advance!

This is after rigorous soaking in parts cleaner and scrubbing with a wire brush, new ones are $25 each

I was knocking doors for my job and saw the color of this car and felt like asking the lady if she was selling it cause I needed a vehicle. turns out she was and has owned it since 04 with good maintenance records on kbb. it doesn’t have rust but has 305k miles on it. she sold it to me for 1k

Didn't realize there was such an uproar for these vehicles. the name of the car is the beast

does anyone have advice for keeping this thing driving smooth and keeping it on the road?

this is what she sent for service done in the last couple years

“Valve cover gasket and timing beltwere replaced, wheel cylinder replaced, struts, ignition replaced, brakes all in 2022, tires 2021. That’s all the service records I kept from last couple of years. “

Not sure what to think about these ITRE's on EBay. The OEMs i see around don't have this blue grease, but these claim to be genuine. If that's the case, these are the best price by far as normally they run around $135. What do we think?

Tried to get an alignment earlier and was told my jam nuts are likely seized so time to grab a beer.

Link to ITRE

​

Hello again,

I am new to owning a 4runner and this one had an engine swap a few years ago before I got it and they changed the ignition key so its not the same as the doors. Whats the easiest way to have all the keys match? My husband was just going to have a locksmith take the ignition out and change it to match the doors. Whats the easiest way to remove it? Thank you in advance!

once i get some proper rubber and restore the suspension with 4600s this things gonna be a beast 🔥

Was doing a once over before a short trip tomorrow and noticed this sound from behind the upper timing cover. Maybe water pump? Thoughts? It’s only an 80 mile trip but I don’t want the water pump to grenade if that’s what it is.

I pulled the upper cover back and it didn’t seem like belt slapping around.

Good prices, wide variety of racks, bumpers, plates, etc. Thoughts or experiences?

New to me 2000 Hilux Surf with the 5VZ and 118k Miles.

Good day everyone.

Bought this 2000 Surf 2.7, with 180,000km on last spring.

It’s my daily driver and commuter. It’s a 120km daily trip to work.

I change oil every 5,000km and it’s starting to be annoying. I feel I could probably push it a bit further without consequences?

Also the suspension feels like it’s bottoming out on big bumps, could probably benefit from a suspension upgrade. I want a little to no lift option geared towards comfort. Old Man Emu?

I put Toyo Open Country HT on for the warmer months and Toyo Observe GSI6 for winter.

I changed all the fluids when bought. Have yet to chek the valves. I plan on doing the trans cooler mod. It will be rust proof every fall and I clean it regularly.

Like the title said I want to keep this guy for a long time any tips?

Thanks 😁

Hi everyone,

This weekend I bought my first Toyota ever. I'm coming from BMWs and other enthusiast cars, so this is new territory for me. It's a late-90s 4Runner SR5 with 280k miles, owned by the same person since about 30k miles, with an exceptional handwritten service record.
So far I'm amazed by the build quality of this Japan-built truck. I've already picked up a set of 5th gen wheels and tires to keep it OEM+.

My goal is simple: keep everything that makes this truck great (reliability, simplicity, capability) and make it a better daily driver. Think tasteful restomod: better seats, sound insulation, upgraded interior, and sensible performance upgrades.

Head unit and cameras:

- I'd like a modern head unit with a backup camera, ideally front and 360 cameras too.
- I'd love the screen mounted higher and more driver-focused while keeping an OEM look. Are there any dash kits that do this?
-Which head units have you had the best experience with?

Interior and sound:

- I want to sound-deaden the whole truck and turn it into a quiet, comfortable cruiser.
- I'm planning a great speaker system with an amp. Any recommendations for amp placement?
-Has anyone added a heads-up display or a steering wheel with audio controls?
-What are the best pre-cut or molded carpets for the 3rd gen? Stuff that improve sound deadening
- Any other interior upgrades that keep the OEM+ look but improve the driving experience?

Performance and suspension:

- How reliable is the TRD supercharger long-term? Forced induction usually costs reliability, so I'm also interested in upgrades that won't hurt it.
- What are your favorite suspension upgrades for ride quality? I am not looking for overland build.
- Has anyone installed air suspension on a 3rd gen?

Any advice, part recommendations, or build threads to look at would be appreciated. Thanks!

Big puddle of brake fluid under rear driver side axle. Hard brake line is toast, will need to replace soft one also. Any clue where that hard line goes to or anyone know a part number?? Goes up and above the shock tower. TIA

Needing to make some life changes and selling my dream rig, some info on the truck.

1996 Toyota 4Runner SR5 | Supercharged | 4WD

1996 Toyota 4Runner SR5 – 3.4L V6 – 278,000 Miles

Selling my 1996 Toyota 4Runner SR5. This is a two-owner, supercharged 4WD 4Runner with extensive upgrades, exceptional maintenance history, and an incredibly clean exterior and interior.

The truck has been meticulously maintained, with several major maintenance items recently completed. It's also been extensively upgraded for off-road capability, camping, and everyday driving.

Engine & Performance

• 3.4L V6 with 2nd-generation-style supercharger
• Supercharger nose and internal barrel rebuilt within the last 20,000 miles
• Upgraded smaller URD supercharger pulley
• URD 7th Injector Kit included with sale (not installed)
• Four-wheel drive (4WD)

Suspension & Drivetrain

• Bilstein shocks
• Old Man Emu (OME) springs
• Camburg Heim-joint upper control arms
• Heim-joint sway bar end links
• CV axles replaced approximately 20,000 miles ago

Exterior & Off-Road Upgrades

• Aftermarket front and rear steel bumpers
• Rear swing-out spare tire carrier
• Fuel can carrier
• Hi-Lift jack mount
• Sherpa roof rack with custom powder-coated finish
• Roof-mounted LED light bar
• CVT Mt. Hood dual-channel rooftop tent
• Upgraded aftermarket wheels
• Falken Wildpeak A/T3 tires with plenty of tread remaining
• Upgraded headlights
• Custom front grille

Interior & Audio

• Full Alpine S-Series speaker upgrade
• Upgraded Bluetooth stereo/head unit
• Two 12-inch Kenwood subwoofers with enclosure
• Sound deadening installed in all doors and floor pans
• Very clean interior with no broken components
• Minor tears in driver's seat upholstery

Recent Maintenance

• Timing belt, water pump, and pulleys replaced approximately 1,000 miles ago
• New radiator with transmission cooler bypass
• New battery approximately 5,000 miles / 6 months ago
• CV axles replaced approximately 20,000 miles ago
• Supercharger nose and internal barrel rebuilt within the last 20,000 miles
• Consistently maintained with preventative maintenance prioritized

Condition & History

• Only two owners
• No rust
• One minor accident
• No warning lights
• Exceptionally clean paint with professional-level paint correction
• Very clean interior with minimal wear for its age
• 278,000 miles

Additional Details

The paint on this 4Runner is genuinely impressive for a 1996. I previously worked as a professional detailer and personally performed a full paint correction. The exterior has been very well cared for, and the interior is equally clean aside from a couple of small tears in the driver's seat.

Is there a way to swap the wasted spark style ignition system a coil on plug system on the 4runners? Would it even benefit anything to do that? I've never had a car with a wasted spark system, but idk that swaping would help

Does anyone know if you can just replace the bushing on the lower control arm or do you got to replace the whole lca ? The bushing is worn the tf out and I've got 1.5 -2" of play ! '97 Sr5