'98 4Runner *problems w/ pic

[Atty]

Edit:
Well, got a real good look at it, and a lot is wrong (that I can tell).

Mmmm, oil. Looks to be the valve cover gasket is shot and that is what is causing the leak.

Next is the left fron tie rod end, its got a lot of play in it (she probably hit something).

After that is all three belts are bad and need replacing, the one for the alternator is the worst looking.

After that the only things that really look bad is the front left tire is half bald and will need to be replaced.

A lot worse than I had thought...great.

My girlfriend has a '98 4Runner SR5.

She's not too happy with it, mainly because it needs work (will list soon) and doesn't look great (she didn't take great care of it, FL sun wasn't too kind.) She says if it looked better and ran better she'd be happy with it, which is easy enough to do for me (hopefully) plus, I need a summer hobby to keep me sane.

Things to do:
Replace timing belt
Check Spark plugs, wires, water pump, etc.
Tires, alignment, balance, etc. The steering wheel shakes past 50MPH, I know that is usually (hopefully) only alignment and balance issue.
Give the car a good detailing and caring for.

Question is: She has 154k miles on it, it accelerates fine and shifts fine. Besides the steering and timing belt (god awful noise, ugh) nothing I can tell is mechanically wrong with it but I don't know what the Toyota engine in it is like in terms of life (3.4L V6).

Anyone have any experience with them? Things to look out for, to, expect, etc.

 

[tbike06]

One thing to watch out for is that the steering wheel shake could be worn suspension bushings or tie rod end, something of that nature.

 

[brblx]

99% chance that the steering wheel shaking is tires- either poorly balanced or excessive runout.

if the steering wheel is shaking back and forth rythmically ('shimmy'), it's excessive lateral runout in one or both of the front tires (or a bent wheel). if the tire is pretty bad, balancing does not really fix this, as no amount of weight will keep the lopsided tire from pulling on the steering linkage as it rotates.

alignment has nothing to do with vibration, simply the direction the wheels are pointing. if the steering wheel is crooked, it needs a front toe adjustment. if it pulls, it needs a caster and/or camber adjustment. newer cars generally lack this, but her truck may be adjustable at the upper or lower a-arm mount. make they give you a printout and that the caster and camber are in spec. many will ignore it, even it's adjustable and just set toe. rear is almost certainly a solid axle and is not adjustable.

if the timing belt is making noise, something is seriously wrong and i would not drive the vehicle. what kind of noise are we talking about, and what makes you think it's the timing belt?

 

[Atty]

if the timing belt is making noise, something is seriously wrong and i would not drive the vehicle. what kind of noise are we talking about, and what makes you think it's the timing belt?

I've always assumed that screeching noise right at start up and for the first few minutes after the car has been started is a timing belt that has been worn?

 

[NutBucket]

alignment has nothing to do with vibration, simply the direction the wheels are pointing. if the steering wheel is crooked, it needs a front toe adjustment. if it pulls, it needs a caster and/or camber adjustment. newer cars generally lack this, but her truck may be adjustable at the upper or lower a-arm mount. make they give you a printout and that the caster and camber are in spec. many will ignore it, even it's adjustable and just set toe. rear is almost certainly a solid axle and is not adjustable.

False on that. My wife's car had a bad steering wheel shimmy at highway speeds. Turns out the toe was about 50% out from "spec" on the left front wheel.

 

[brblx]

a screeching would be a slipping belt. if your timing belts slips, you're in deep shit. best case, the engine doesn't start until repaired; worst case, the engine is toast. timing belts have teeth, rather than just ribs that run parallel to their length (as in a serpentine/accessory drive belt). these engage sprockets on the cam(s) and crank, and if the belt begins to slip, you have a large issue; if it gets more than a couple teeth off the engine is probably not going to start.

if it has an autotensioned (uses spring-loaded roller) serp belt, find a decent length of belt (something that runs between two far-away pulleys) and push on it. if a relatively gentle push causes significant deflection, you probably need a tensioner. often times, with a really weak tensioner i can actually pull the belt on and off by hand. otherwise you just need a belt, or you may have manually tensioned belts that just need to be adjusted.

besides checking the tensioner, look at the physical condition of the belt (cracked on ribbed side, slick as glass on the smooth side would be bad) and make sure it's not getting wet due to any kind of fluid leak.

 

[brblx]

False on that. My wife's car had a bad steering wheel shimmy at highway speeds. Turns out the toe was about 50% out from "spec" on the left front wheel.

lulz.

50% out? 50% of what? even if the the left front wheel was a full degree out (more than most cars ever are), your steering setup would simply split the difference, toeing both wheels in/out an equal amount (half a degree) and making your steering wheel crooked.

the only way a toe issue is going to cause a vibration is if the car has a bent part and the tire is basically being drug sideways against the pavement. most people would have a car towed for a condition like that.

 

[NutBucket]

Given the range of "spec" was 0.6 degrees in either direction it was 0.9 degrees out. I know logically it should have just compensated in the steering wheel being a bit off center but in this case it did not. Nothing was bent and an alignment solved the issue.

And yes, the tire was being dragged sideways somewhat. Ate up the inner side of that tire.

 

[dug777]

The 5VZ-FE is a tank

I understand it's a very overbuilt motor for the output, so if it has been maintained properly it should run and run I love the one in my Prado, it's a smooth, willing mill that isn't too bad on the fuel either. ~285,000km on mine (99) and no issues that I am aware of, have put about 10,000km on it in the last six months

Here in Aus you see loads and loads of extremely high mileage 90 series Prados with the 5VZ-FE, the motor has a great rep for longevity (as usual, presuming proper maintenance). My bro and old man have a 96 and 98, both around the same or higher mileage and similar story

 

[Atty]

Found another problem. The lock and unlock button for the car doesn't seem to affect the driver side door, you can only do that with the key or manually. No idea where to look or what to do to fix that...

 

[Atty]

Well, got a real good look at it, and a lot is wrong (that I can tell).

Mmmm, oil. Looks to be the valve cover gasket is shot and that is what is causing the leak.

Next is the left fron tie rod end, its got a lot of play in it (she probably hit something).

After that is all three belts are bad and need replacing, the one for the alternator is the worst looking.

After that the only things that really look bad is the front left tire is half bald and will need to be replaced.

A lot worse than I had thought...great.

 

[brblx]

Found another problem. The lock and unlock button for the car doesn't seem to affect the driver side door, you can only do that with the key or manually. No idea where to look or what to do to fix that...

door lock solenoid. key and knob have mechanical link to door lock via linkage. there is either an external lock actuator (usually pretty old cars only) or it is integrated into the door latch assembly, usually along with the door ajar switch and possibly other stuff. if you want to be sure, you need to find the two wires that actuate the lock and see if you have power and ground at them when the lock button is pressed.

unless the door has been messed with (e.g. shoddy glass work), any wiring fault has about a 98% chance of being located in the door jamb (since that wiring flexes), especially with driver's door faults, since that door is opened and closed the most often. but it's probably just a bad latch (or lock solenoid).

tie rods get bent from hitting stuff, play is typically just developed over time and is normal wear and tear.

oil leaks generally don't affect the belts unless it's got a gusher somewhere high on the front cover. usually coolant leaks are what i've seen cause belt squeal.

i can't tell a lot from your pic, but i would say the GOOD thing i see if that there appears to be a definite oil trail- which means you can fix it. often times, with older cars, the entire bottom half of the motor (along with the trans and front subframe) is covered with oil and grime- can be awful hard to pick out indiviual leaks; and when you do fix them, another one's just going to crop up somewhere else.

 

[jlee]

The 5VZ-FE is a tank

I understand it's a very overbuilt motor for the output, so if it has been maintained properly it should run and run I love the one in my Prado, it's a smooth, willing mill that isn't too bad on the fuel either. ~285,000km on mine (99) and no issues that I am aware of, have put about 10,000km on it in the last six months

Here in Aus you see loads and loads of extremely high mileage 90 series Prados with the 5VZ-FE, the motor has a great rep for longevity (as usual, presuming proper maintenance). My bro and old man have a 96 and 98, both around the same or higher mileage and similar story

I came in here to post this. I loved my '98 Tacoma. When I live in a land of no rust, I would like to get another one (or a 4Runner).