Driving this old guy home

Well my dad passed away last November and mom doesn’t want the truck sitting so at the end of this month I’m flying home and driving it back 1,100 miles back to Washington. It’s been in the family since new and Dad took extra care of it. Every visit home was a chance to take this truck out for a drive. So, data permitting, I will try to update my road trip home. If you see me driving up I-5, gimme a honk and a wave!

I was inspired by this cool story:
http://www.fourwheeler.com/events/the-epic-xc-in-a-325000-miles-toyota-tacoma/

 

In a regular cab, I'm guessing it's not as 3.slow as it would be in an extra cab or a T4R?

Seriously though...

That is a beautiful truck!!!

5-speed stick?

Does it have air-conditioning?!?!

 

Yes manual ac works.

 

Good thing it's winter!

A/C in these trucks is incredibly easy to work on. My uncle had a '91 regular cab 2WD with 2.4L/5-speed that DID NOT originally have A/C. He canibalized a totaled '94 xtra cab for a bunch of parts, including the complete A/C system, and installed in the '91! Best part is the '94 is factory R134a so he didn't have to retrofit!

I'm guessing that a rubber fitting or two wore out and all the Freon leaked out. In my experience, the compressors in old Toyotas don't just fail unexpectedly.

The same uncle had an '87 Camry that I'm pretty sure had the original compressor, and you see puffs of white coming out of the vents...

 

It’s got an oil leak underneath the passenger side. Slow drip, accumulated. Could it be head gasket or rear main seal?

 

Does your dad's truck have intermittent wipers?

Also, this is something for all members to read...

I've driven the aforementioned '91 pickup owned by my uncle. I didn't just drive it, I learned to drive stick in it. I don't know the exact horsepower figures on a 2.4L for that year, but I must say that for what it was, the truck was no slouch.

I'd imagine the 3.0L has more horsepower and low-end torque and probably accelerates better than the 4-banger, but that it's underwhelming by comparison since it had 2 more cylinders and you'd expect more...

 

I don't much about the 3.0L, but I've heard of oil leaks caused by head gasket issues in those engines.

 

Could be. It could also be something as benign as a valve cover gasket.

What year is that one? I had an '89 w/ 22RE and same color (Cardinal Red). It was a fun truck.

 

It's a pretty significant and noticeable power difference between the 2.4L & 3.0L.

 

Sweet little truck. 4wd?

 

How come people don't complain about the 2.4L then?

 

Thanks guys,
Sr5, 4wd, manual, and has intermittent wipers.

Repainted a couple times, zero rust

 

Because they are reliable.

 

Beats me. I had the 2.4L before there was a V6 option and constantly thought to myself that Toyota needed to offer a pickup with the Supra V6, since that was the only V6 Toyota offered back in the day. They finally added a V6 around 1991, which was when I traded in my pickup for a 3.0L 4Runner. The difference was night and day.

Edit to add: The 4-banger was plenty fine for daily driving and a lot of fun. Where it struggled, understandably of course, was when you put it under a load, like pulling a trailer full of dirt bikes over a mountain pass. The I4 was 3rd gear all the way up the grade, whereas the V6 pulled it with very little effort.

 

I thought the Supra had an inline-6?

 

How many miles?

 

Honestly, I don't know what the Supra had. I just know I wanted it in my truck. Was very happy when Toyota began offering a pickup with a V6.

Edit to add: Just looked it up, the Supra six cylinder was indeed an inline-6.

 

About 249k now

 

I'd say just put a new engine in it and start fresh...

This truck will easily last you another three decades!

 

Just in case anyone was wondering, I made the trip but with some hiccups.

Instead of I-5, I drove Ca 99, which was worth it since there was a Costco to fill up every couple of hours.

The new battery wasn’t holding a charge and I could tell things were going south around Merced.

Before I get into that I did manage to snap a wheel stud when I re torqued the lugs in Bakersfield.

So the electrical stuff came slowly:
The battery sign came on and off so I check the terminals and it fixed itself. But the hand brake light dimmed and didn’t go off.

Passing Sacramento I knew I wouldn’t make the rest of trip with these red flags so I called for a tow and rented a uhaul truck and trailer. I spent the rest of afternoon and night driving home and made it home the next morning. The problem was the alternator.