BartMaster1234's (Almost) Supercharged 2.7l 1998 PreRunner 4x4 Conversion [Build Thread]

HELLO, WORLD!
After almost 1,500 messages and a year of posting around on here I guess it's time for me to make a build thread. My first post on this forum was of me panicking because I tried to flush my Power Steering System, unplugged the wrong hose, and spilled the entire contents of the P/S reservoir on my Alternator, and all over my driveway. For the first time in my life I was scared to turn on my car over the fear something would spontaneously combust or catch on fire.

Almost a year later and all you great people have inspired me to do what I've done to my truck as you'll come to learn through this post.

SPECIFICATIONS

1998 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Extended Cab
2.7l Inline 4 Cylinder Engine (3RZ-FE)
4x4 Automatic Drivetrain (A340F)
8" Ring Gear, 4:30, Open 2 Pinion (Gear Ratio - B07A)
Metallic Black - #204
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Interior:

• WeatherTech AVM Floor Mats
• 'A' Pillar Grab Handle RAM Phone Mount
• '01-'04 Double-Decker Center Console
• Gentex 313 Rearview Mirror with Temperature, HomeLink, Compass, and Auto-Dim from 2012 Nissan Titan
  
• '01-'04 Gray Door Panels
• 1990 Toyota Hilux Surf Inclinometer

Exterior:

• Black Billet Grille with 1990 4Runner Emblem
  
• Dee-Zee Trailer Tongue Triangular Toolbox
• '01-'04 Chrome Power Mirrors

Armor:

• Refinished MANIK Grille Guard
• '01-'04 Tacoma Fender Flares
• Relentless Fabrication PREDATOR Plated Winch Bumper (TBA)
• Relentless Fabrication Sliders (TBA)

Engine/Drivetrain:

• Alpine TRD 3RZ-FE Supercharger
• URD 6.5 PSI 2.5" Supercharger Pulley
• AEM Methanol Injection System
• PLX-DM6 Multigauge / SM-AFR Wideband Simulator
• Speedhut TRD Boost Gauge
• Safari Snorkel

Suspension, Tire, and Brakes:

• ICON Dynamics 2.5" Coilovers 58610
• ICON Dynamics Rear Shocks 56502
• SPC Upper Control Arms
  
• AllPro Standard Leaf Springs
• 2017 Tacoma TRD Off-Road 16" Wheels & Toyota Wheel Locks
• BF Goodrich KO2 A/T P265/75R16 Tires
• Rebuilt Toyota Tundra 13WL Brake Calipers - Red Powder Coated
• Baer Toyota Tundra Drilled & Slotted Performance Sport Rotors
• LC Engineering Stainless Steel Braided Toyota Tundra Brake Lines & Hardware
• BAMF Rear Brake Proportioning Valve

Electrical:

• Quad 1985 Cadillac Deville 4-Note (A, C, D, F) Horns
  
• Manual Door to Power Door RETROFIT (Crank Windows, Manual Locks, and Mirrors to Motorized Windows, Actuated Locks, and Remote Mirrors)
• Hopkins 4-Pin Trailer Wiring Harness
  
• License Plate Mounted Backup Camera

Communications:

• Midland 1001Z CB Radio
• Firestik Firefly Fiberglass Antenna
• Firestik FireRing CB Coaxial Cable
• CBI Offroad Antenna Mount

Audio:

• Kenwood DDX373BT Touchscreen Receiver
• Rockford-Fosgate P16 Punch 6-Inch Speakers
• Kenwood KSC-SW11 Under-Seat Subwoofer
• PYLE PA System via Midland CB Radio
• JL Audio Stealthbox

Lighting:

• 48" Redline LED Tailgate-Mounted Taillight
• ACME H1 HID Retrofits with Morimoto XSB Rear-Mounted RGB Halos, and Front-Mounted Switchback Halos (Built by @Roo1041)
• Dual KC HiLiTES 711 4" x 6" 20W Gravity LED Driving Lights

Service History:

• Replaced Original Toyota Battery to DuraLast Battery (December 2015)
• Flushed Power Steering System (August 2016)
• Replaced 12 Year Old P265/75R15 FireStone Tires to Stock Size P235/75R15 Michelin XLT A/S Tires (August 2016)
• Swapped Over-Rail Drop-In Bedliner to Under-Rail Bedliner (January 2017)
• Replaced the flaking exterior door Window Trim (February 2017)
• Changed 6,200 Mile Conventional Oil to Mobil 1 Full Synthetic (March 2017)
• Installed Powerstop Z36 Brake Pads and Slotted Rotors w/ Brake Fluid Change & Bleed (June 2017)
• Replaced Michelin XLT A/S P235/75R15 Tires and original 15" Alloy Wheels with BF Goodrich KO2 A/T P265/75/R16 Tires and 2017 Tacoma Off-Road Wheels (October 2017)
• Installed Toyota Tundra Big Brake Upgrade including new Calipers, Rotors, and LCE Stainless Steel Brake Lines (December 2017)
• Synthetic Oil Change (December 2017)
• 2WD > 4WD Conversion (December 2017/January 2018)

Work In Progress:

• 2001 Lexus ES300 Black Leather Power Seats with Heat, Memory Foam, & Seat Position Memory [WIP]
  
• Courtesy Light Module w/ Mirror Turn Signals & Running Lights, and Theater Lights (Built by @mechanicjon)
• Viper 5706v Remote Start, Keyless Entry, and Security System [WIP]
• $80 Directed Electronics 535T Power Window Automation System with One Touch Operation
  Directed Electronics 535T Power Window Automation System [WIP]
• Bed-Mounted Roll Bar w/ Front, Rear, Alley, and Bed Lights [WIP]

PICTURES

December 2017
Shot on-location at CSUEB!

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June 2017
A New Beginning




August 2016
First Drive

 

Super clean can't wait to see the updates. Especially those heated Lexus seats. Love the front license plate too haha.

 

Thanks! I ordered one of those black and yellow California vanity plates but I'm still waiting for it to come in. I still have tons of things to do to get those Lexus chairs in the truck.

 

Picked up some '01-'04 fender flares off Craigslist for $100. They're a little beat up, but with some paint they'll look great.



Lifted the truck on a rack today to inspect the underside. Gotta love California and the non-existent rust. Carrier bearing/driveshaft has zero play, no oil leaks - nothing out of the ordinary.



And yes that is the original 1998 dealer provided full sized spare. If you look closely you'll see a green sticker on it that says "DEALER".

I'm planning on flushing the rear differential fluid since soon since I have access to this great shop at my college. Anything else I should do while I have access to the lift?

 

Here are some photos taken from my Lexus ES300 Power Bucket Seat retrofit thread. I bought some old 60/40 Tacoma seats (beat up as hell) and ripped them apart until I was left with only the mounting rails. My plan is the cut off the feet of the Lexus seats and weld the Tacoma rails onto the Lexus rails while attempting to keep the original Toyota sliding mechanism intact.

The hard part is the wiring, finding the FSM was hard enough. Trying to figure out what the hell all these wires do is even more difficult.

 

Subd for 4WD swap

 

Ohhh boy speaking of the 4WD Swap. I just got back from pick & pull. I got a notification from Row52 that they had a 1995 4Runner 4x4 in stock right as I woke up. I threw on some pants and rushed over there (since these things get picked clean as soon as they enter the yard) What I didn't realize was that the 3rd generation of 4Runner started in 1996 not 1995 and everything on that car was unusable. I spent a good two to three hours under that damn 4Runner trying to get the transfer case off. I forgot my breaker bar so I tried using a piece of the Catalytic Converter piping as a breaker bar, didn't work.

I ended up getting 90% of the bolts off with my ratchet and a box end wrench until it came time to remove the driveshaft... there was a point where I knew this transfer case wouldn't work on the Tacoma after asking around but I was already too damn invested. I called my friend up and we both tried breaking off the bolts that connect it to the front diff but it never budged. I gave up. The T4R had an A340H tranny so I assumed since it was in the A340x family it would work, apparently not.

I'm just going to pay for a damn transmission and t-case off the vehicle already that shit took me forever and I didn't get anywhere.

 

Damn man that sucks. Now you know what years will and won't work though so you won't buy the wrong one. You have to check craigslist often and hope you get lucky. Junkyards are another option too, but there could be a higher probability of damage or higher wear on parts. You could also look on here for someone selling their transmission

 

I found a lead on an A340F for $250 and a T-case for $200 over in Nevada. Seemed too good to be true but I'll give them a call anyway. 150,000 on the drivetrain.

I'm buying some brake calipers off of a Guy parting out his 03 Tundra to do the Tundra brake upgrade and it looks like he has an A340F, albeit a fully electronic transfer case since it's a Tundra. He still wants $600. He's firm on his pricing I couldn't talk him down for the pricing on the brake calipers either.

 

I don't think you want an electronic transfer case unless you plan on doing all sorts of wiring and whatnot. Get the manual j shift transfer case, it is wayyyy easier and almost hassle free

 

Can you have push button 4WD and manual hubs? I'm not too crazy about wiring but I've done a lot of wiring in my truck including putting in power doors so I'm not turned off on the idea. I know the ADD is all vacuum though.

 

I'm not sure if you could have a push button system with manual hubs, all manual hub set ups I've seen have a j shift case. I think you can, I swear I've seen 4runners with j shift and ADD. I would strongly recommend not going the ADD route though, you are going to have to do a considerable amount of wiring and electrical modification.

 

Well, looks like my PreRunner conversion is happening. I'm driving up to Nevada this Friday to pick up an A340F, 4Runner 4.30 Front Carrier, and some other small parts. Hopefully I can get this done by the end of the summer.

 

Well?

 

It's definitely happening!

 

Nice! Is that a little extra something between the tranny and transfer case?

 

Is there? I don't think so.

I bought this as a package deal, the t-case came attached on the tranny. It came off of a 1999 Tacoma 4x4 2.7l, so it had the same drivetrain as me. Hopefully nothing changed between 1999/1998 which is my truck's model year.

 

can you get a picture of the back of the transmission?

 

Sure, the back side as in the torque converter, the t-case, the top of the tranny, or the bottom?

 

Oops forgot to specify. Transfer case end, top and sides