27th Apr 2008, 17:16

I just bought a 1995 4runner.. It had a miss in it, and I was told it needed a tune up.. nope it has a bad miss on no.1 cylinder. If it possible to do a 350 or 4.3 conversion. If anyone knows, will you email me at us460tshirts@yahoo.com.

Robby Justice

7th May 2008, 08:03

I own a 1995 4runner SR5 4x4 with the 3.0 v6 in it and plenty of modifications done by myself (intake, exhaust, etc...)

First of all, this is the best vehicle I have ever owned and I grew up with more cars and trucks around me than most people will ever drive. I have read a lot of complaints about head gaskets failing and most of those comments refered to vehicles with over 160,000 miles. I have 160,000 on mine and nothing has gone wrong beyond the typical wear and tear (catylatic converter, filters, etc.) So, before someone else reads this thread and decides that Toyotas are terrible and assume they all blow a head gasket, pay attention. Blown head gaskets are a reality, they happen from wear and tear and depend entirely on the driver. If you drive it hard and fast all the time, of course your going to meet some problems, but not as many as most other brands... that's where toys are different. They take more abuse but still take it like a car would.

To wrap this up, feel free to read some other reviews, talk to toyota owners and decide for yourself based on those observations. Go drive one with 160,000 miles and then a different brand with half the miles and see the quality (assuming it hasn't been too beat on). Toyota knows how to build em but they need love too.

P.S. The 3.0 is pretty underpowered which is why I put a K&N intake and flowpro exhaust with 2.5 pipe and high flow catylatic converter $300+ professionally installed. Not a bad idea.

7th May 2008, 17:03

I know dozens of Toyota owners (almost everyone I know who owns a Toyota) that have had blown head gaskets on both V6 and 4 cylinder Toyotas, and these cars were NOT abused.

Blown head gaskets are not an inevitability. My Ford Econoline van has 266,000 trouble free miles, runs like brand new and has never blown a head gasket. Neither have any of my other vehicles (mostly domestic) before that with similar miles.

You can make all the excuses you want, but Toyota's are notorious for bad head gaskets. If you own one, be ready to get your wallet out.

11th May 2008, 19:14

I was about to purchase 1995 4runner with 4cyl. motor, but after reading the incredible number of horror stories about blown gaskets, I think I will decline. Thanks for the heads up. It sounds like you have saved me a lot of grief.

12th May 2008, 21:46

OK Guys and Gals,

An update:

I put a comment on here a few comments back. I have been checking back here to see the folks that have had trouble since.

For the person that claims Toyotas are good cars unless abused."Are you being paid by Toyota? If not, you are a VERY lucky person. One that is fortunate enough to have a VERY rare 3.0 liter that doesn't pop head gaskets one right after the other".

I was a mechanic for over 16 years. These model 3 liter Toyota V-6's are TRASH!!! I spoke to a mechanic that has been building Toyota racing engines for years in Tuson, Arizona who told me all about these engines. He also told me the ONLY way to cure this problem (he makes A lot of common sense to me) is to put a set of headers on that engine. Then have em hooked up by a professional the way the header's instructions say. That gets the #1, 2, & 3 exhausts away from the engine by dumping it out the bottom, the way it should have been designed to start with.

The reason is, Toyota engineers designed that engine with the #s 1, 2, & 3 exhaust manifold taking those cylinders exhaust and piping it around the back of the engine and dumping it into the exhaust manifold at the #6 cylinder exhaust manifold. That creates WAY too much heat at the #6 cylinder. Making the head gasket blow at the #6 cylinder. Which is where most, if not all, of these things are blowing.

If there wasn't a problem with that engine, Toyota wouldn't have put out a recall on THOUSANDS of em.

And, as for the"Toyotas are great cars comment": While my 4runner was in the shop, twice, as soon as I got it, I was given a rental. The first one was a Nissan Altima. It ran like a race horse and was a real gas to drive and ride in. The next day, after I found all kinds of stuff that dealership's mechanic messed up on my truck, I took it back and they gave me another rental. It was a Toyota Solara. Basically the SAME vehicle as the Altima, same size, or close, engine and everything. That car was slow as a turtle. VERY unresponsive as far as driving. And basically NO fun to drive at all!

I bought a new 1985 Nissan P/U truck, 4 cylinder back then. I drove the wheels off of it for over 6 years and 180,000 miles. The ONLY thing that EVER broke on that truck was the A/C belt. Then sold it for 1/3 of what I paid for it new.

Bottom line, from a man that was a mechanic for over 16 years: Toyota are SLOW TRASH! If you get a good one, you're LUCKY! I wish I had never traded my Harley for it. I have been kickin myself in the rear ever since I did that. My first trip to the Toyota mechanics (twice for the same repairs) : about $1500 bucks. This trip (to an independent, with the modifications to fix the problem for good, I HOPE) TWENTY THREE HUNDRED BUCKS!!! MAN, am I dreading those credit card bills, FOR 5 YEARS :-{ It will take me that long to pay it off because I'm crippled up on disability.

Any questions or comments tmty@onr.com

4th Jun 2008, 03:18

Add me to the list. My 1995 Limited blew a head gasket. The water is leaking out the side of the head.