Project 4Reigner

I think theres a way around making flexplates.... wouldnt it be viable to provide the template and then have the customer take their existing flexplate to a machine shop ans have them drill the holes and balance it using your template?

Instead of a custom certified flex plate, why not get a performance Torque Converter from Precision of New Hampton that mates the engine flywheel and transmission?

I like your attention to detail. I have over the years owned 5 Toyotas and Three MB diesels. I also currently have a MB 560SEL with the European Engine.. My daily driver is a 1998 Tacoma Extracab SR5 with the 2.4 engine RWD. I have been planning a contingency of putting in a 1985 300SD OM617 motor for sometime. My Tacoma has the A43D transmission which is a 4 speed Automatic non-lockup converter. 1st 2 3 4 Rev

2.452 1.452 1.000 0.688 2.212

Its the same transmission used in the Toyota Motor homes.

The 300SD was designed such that peak engine torque was around 60 MPH

mating the OM617 to the A43D with the stock rear axle on my truck would put peak engine torque at 75 MPH.

I'm using this forum thread to gauge interest in a Toyota Automatic (A340) OM617 Adapter kit. Unfortunately, I haven't seen hardly any interest at all. Only 1 viewer post. Certainly not worth my time/effort to go out and design/manufacture and have SFI certified a billet flexplate for the adapter kit if no one even wants. This is one of the many pains of R&D and running your own business, though. Some ideas float and some sink - and this one appears to be a sinker. I was planning several major upgrades for Project 4Reigner to really make it the "showcase" swap for this adapter kit, but I will now invest that money into something else. I was also planning to finish updating this thread with all of the very specific instructions on the wiring modifications that were necessary to make the A340, 4x4, A/C, etc. work. I spent dozens of hours just deciphering the wiring. But again, it's not worth my time if no one is even going to do this swap.

The last update I'll make is this:

The diff gearing is paramount to this swap performing well. I tested smaller tires to simulate lower gearing, and the difference was night & day. I'm no longer going to invest in a new R&P setup as it would take me 20-30k miles to pay that off, and I'll likely be stripping this swap down so it can go into the next R&D rig. A custom torque converter would certainly benefit things. But I am surprised how well the factory 5VZ TC works with the 617.

I recently added a push-button Torque Converter switch from aironboard.com. Unfortunately they don't provide enough 3rd Gen switches - mainly just 4th gen and newer. So, I had to settle with a mislabled "Air Compressor" switch, but it works all the same. I simply spliced the switch inline of the TC signal wire. Switch on = factory TC signal. Switch off = TC unlocked (TC can't receive any signal).

If the TC engages, I can then toggle the switch on/off turning the lock-up on/off. However, if I shift from 2nd to 3rd with the switch OFF, then even when I press the switch ON, I can't get the TC to lock up. Oddly, I have to shift to OD before it'll engage. It's almost as if there's a 'condition check' that occurs when the TC should initially lock up in 3rd, and if it senses it isn't locked, then it bars it from locking as long as I remain in that same gear. I could, of course, overcome this by adding a 3-way switch so I could have lock-up ON, OFF, and Auto. But then you run the risk of forgetting it's on, and trying to hit the brakes and dying. I don't expect anyone to ever want a manual switch as I have it. I simply added it just as a band-aid for not having the proper diff gearing. It's worth 200-300 RPM in 3rd, which is the difference between falling on its face and being right at the start of the powerband when shifting from 2nd. Same story with OD. And, if I'm just cruising in OD and want my RPM higher, I am able to unlock the TC without the trans temp spiking. It does, however, go up quickly if I drive unlocked all the time with heavy acceleration.

The proper solution for the A340 with the OM617 is to get an aftermarket controller to allow modification of shift points and lock-up settings. Compushift still doesn't have inventory as of 1/11/23, and Haltech of Australia doesn't even have a functioning website now. Until tuning is available, I don't see this as a viable swap, unless you're building a rock crawler and want the torque multiplication and omittance of the clutch pedal.

My best tank during testing has been 29mpg. Still well short of the low 30's where I expect this swap to be when everything is set up correctly (gearing, shift points, TC stall, etc.). But it's a great sign of the potential this trans has to offer for diesel swaps (A340, AW4 married to OM617, OM60x, TDI, etc.).

Now that it's been down to 11°, I've had a chance to test the 5VZ-FE starter wiring, and it's failed miserably! If ambient is >50°, the OM617 will start just fine. Below 30°, there is no chance of this thing starting without having the block heater plugged in, because the starter just can't spin fast enough due to the small gauge wire.

The automatic-trans starter actually has a higher output than the manual, so it shouldn't have any problems with proper wiring. I'll eventually add a 2/0 battery-to-starter wire, to match the ground, and to match what I use in every other OM617 swap, and this puppy should start at 4° without being plugged in!

The Takeaway:

If you live in a southern state where the temp doesn't get below 40-50°, you should be just fine using the factory starter wire. If you're mid to northern US, or Canada, or Greenland, etc., you'll need to beef up that starter wire!

Haven't had a chance to test mpg - been fighting a new gremlin. The smooth GM pulley doesn't get enough grip to turn the vac pump without some slipping. Mind you, I still have brakes, but I also get a horrendous belt screech. I swapped on a new belt, thinking the failed ac comp stretched this one too much (which it did), but I had screech again almost immediately. There isn't a factory ribbed pulley that will work (that Dorman or I could find, anyway), so I'll be attempting to modify one that's close. Hoping to have that completed within 2 weeks. Then, I'll have to drop the radiator to swap it out 😪 Till then, I'm turning heads with either my belt whistle or the turbo whistle, adding the miles to the swap. Got my cup holder 3D printed, and I am now content with the interior creature comforts.

If you're reading this, the entire thread has been updated as of 11/12/22.

Did some wheeling this morning, testing out the low range, the 4x4, and in this picture, the E-locker!

Planning to check MPG with a couple different driving strategies. Will limit max speed to 2600 RPM in 3rd gear. Will also try driving any speed up to 70mph limited to 3rd gear (aka, no OD). Expecting good results.

Throttle bracket attachments

The throttle cable has been a bolt-on affair for 5 years, now. It doesn't change.

The line-pressure cable from the trans has to be at rest at idle and fully pulled at max throttle. You don't want to move the STOP lever to gauge where WOT is - you want to use the throttle pedal. Yes, you'll get 2 different results otherwise, because the throttle cable pulls thru some plastic bushing, whereas the STOP lever is hooked up directly, bypassing the plastic bushings.

The cruise control also needs to have no tension at idle and full pulled at WOT.

I used Lokar throttle cable ends to accomplish this. It's not the ideal setup to last 300k miles, I'm sure. But if I get 30k out of it, I'll be happy. To make it ideal, I'd add some stiffeners to the line pressure tab, reclock the cruise module to aim straight at the throttle bracket, rebuild the whole assembly with new bushings. Or better yet, throw the whole works in the trash and design something simple. But since the throttle lever must move backwards for emergency shutoff, it makes things extremely complicated.

I leave the throttle at rest and the cable at rest, and I draw the arc that the cable makes across the bracket. Then I repeat this with the cable and throttle at full extension (WOT). Where these 2 arcs overlap is where I drill the hole for the Lokar. The Lokar has tons of adjustment built into it, so you can fine tune everything. I did have to add some additional material, which I simply cut out on the plasma table and TIG'd on.

This is literally all I had to connect for the cruise and automatic trans to function. The ECU stayed in the vehicle, which controls cruise. Nothing else was needed (no cam or crank or TPS sensors).

When I engage cruise, I can let off the pedal quickly and feel the cruise module sucking in the slack. While this is happening, the speeds drops a bit. This won't be the case in my Tacoma since the throttle cable actually routes to the cruise module, which routes to the throttle. It'll be simpler, cheaper, and tighter/better.

The cooling system is very simple. I used the stock radiator. I used a single hose for the radiator Inlet and 2 hoses for the Outlet. I had custom thermostat housing fittings made to accommodate the ~1-3/8" hoses.

I've requested that ICT Billet makes a 1-3/8" coupler, but they haven't responded to me. Please ask them yourselves, and I'm sure they'll eventually do it. I'm using their 1-1/4" splicer, and it leaks if you don't have your hose clamps perfectly tightened.

I use my favorite 16" Spal fan: https://amzn.to/3X3Eah1

Tucked up into the far top LH corner to dodge the accessory pulleys (this pic isn't accurate - I had to move it all the way up). I had to attach it prior to installing the radiator.

I'll cover the fan controls in my wiring post.

Installing the radiator was tighter than a *****. I found the trans connections are compression fittings, and you could probably convert them to AN hoses, if you wished. I believe Jeeps AW4 cooler lines were actual pressure lines. Toyota did it super goofy and ran pressure lines about 8" off the trans, then ran 2' of low pressure rubber hose. The lines are on the low-pressure return side. But the chances for a leak are scary, as your trans would die a quick death if one popped off.

Anyway, I had to remove the RH compression fitting to get the rad in, as it wouldn't otherwise clear the AC compressor.

The overflow outlet is in a TERRIBLE location. I was lucky enough to find this perfect shaped hose somewhere on the 4Runner, to keep it out of the serpentine system.

Filtration is something I always get excited about for some reason, as if it's going to add 100hp somehow.

Oil is currently being sent thru a dual filter head. This unit leaks unless I tighten the filters with a filter wrench, so I do not recommend it. I had it though, so I'm running it. I run a standard 3/4-16 filter. Toyota has an "oversized" filter option for the 22R, which was what I gravitated towards on all my builds. I buy filters by the dozen when they're on sale. Look at this BS! This HP-2009 from 2019 is larger and cheaper than this 2022 version, which cost about $5 more.

I have since moved on from K&N oil filters, as Autozone no longer carries them anyway. Their 1" nuts were sure convenient, though. Now, I'll be using Wix for my oil filters.

The fuel filter is of course the Donaldson equivalent of the CAT 1R-0750, since the Donaldson has the water separator. I was running a CAT filter that had <500 miles on it, and the o-ring blew out!! I removed the filter, reinstalled the o-ring, drove 30 miles, and it BLEW OUT AGAIN! I threw the filter in the trash. The o-ring had swelled, probably from coming into contact with penetrating oil when I was replacing the prechamber. I've never seen that before, and hope I never do again. I'll stick with Donaldson from here on out on the fuel filters.

After witnessing chaos in my 855 Cummins, I've become an instant believe in coolant filtration. I'll try to make this long story short... I called Cummins/Fleetguard as well as the local-to-me Baldwin. Baldwin was much more knowledgable. I actually found a major typo on Fleetguard's website, falsely advertising that they had a full-flow coolant filter, which was in fact a by-pass filter. Baldwin is out of Kearney, Nebraska. Their engineer was quick to help me design a full-flow system for my 855 motors to get the huge chunks cleaned up in short order. For engines, like this 617, that are not heavily contaminated, a by-pass setup will work just fine.

To do this, you must install the filter between higher and lower pressure sources. The easiest/most common is before and after the heater core. You "T" the filter head into each line. Imagine an "H", and the filter is the middle of the "H". I simply put a "Y" in the heater hose outlet coming from the head, running it to the filter inlet (so much for that pretty 1-piece made-to-be hose 😢). I put a "Y" after the heater core outlet, routing the other side to the filter outlet. This allows coolant to flow thru the filter without impeding flow thru the heater core, and when the filter is plugged, nothing else will be affected. This also allows flow when the heater is off. The filter flows a max of 2GPM, and only 3% of the coolant passes thru it on each pass. According to Fleetguard, it will only take 4 hours of runtime to filter the majority of the system down. When the filter is not hot to the touch, this means it is plugged, and it's time to replace it. Otherwise, an annual filter change is a recommended service interval. I've seen these go several years without being changed, and while they still flowed, they began rusting and were a bear to remove. I also wonder how long the filter media can last without breaking down when left for years on end. When properly maintained, engine rebuilders say the inside of the coolant cavities on engines with coolant filters are shiny clean.

Here are the parts I used:

https://amzn.to/3EmWTMQ

https://amzn.to/3A3xeX9

https://amzn.to/3th6w9G

I'm getting very technical about designing a couple different air intake systems for several different specific vehicles/engines. I invested in some top quality equipment so I can measure the vacuum an air cleaner causes. 15" h2o is where I draw the line, to give me tolerance for a dirty filter.

I slapped on my cheap universal Spectre filter to get me up & running. I couldn't measure it's restriction with the plastic 90° elbow, so I ordered a cast 90° that I could weld a bung into for my gauge.

I'd assumed the Spectre was restrictive, so I ordered a massive 12" K&N - the biggest I could fit - but much to my surprise, the max vacuum I could pull with the Spectre was 4", even with being very dirty.

I'll return the 12" K&N in favor of something smaller, which will make building a cold air intake/water shield so much easier & better.

I've ordered a bit larger K&N filter to replace the Spectre. I'll update when it gets here. Going to build a box for it so it's a true CAI.

Modifying the fuel tank on these is pretty straight forward. Removing the tank and filler neck sucks, though.

There is a plastic shield that must be removed to get to the filler neck. I used a 7/16 socket on the backside of the plastic clips to release them. They are $19 at Toyota, and I haven't found a good universal replacement. In hind sight, I could've probably left all of this in place and modified it on the vehicle. Just disconnect the filler neck from the tank.

The filler neck restrictor, from what I could tell, just has to be beaten out to the best of your ability. Make sure to clean all debris out of the tube when you're done. I used an air chisel to open mine up.

To drop the tank, you'll have to pull the carpet up on the rear LH seat and unplug the harness going into the pump. You'll also want to reach in and pop the plastic retainer free, if you can. I destroyed mine form underneath - just another stupid automotive engineering oversite.

Then you can drop the tank. You'll want to drain 100% of its contents. Some had a drain plug, some didn't. Oh joy.

You'll want to remove the pump and rollover vent assembly.

I modify the vent by cutting the line, smashing it flat, and welding shut. Then, I leak test it. Reinstall. A new gasket is probably a good idea if you have the foresite.

The pump gets removed and replaced with either fuel hose or a piece of tubing, to draw fuel from the bottom of the tank. Cut the tip at a 60° angle to prevent the possibility of sucking against the bottom of the tank. It also helps prevent clogging if big debris gets in the tank, and makes for smoother fluid flow, according to FillRite. Mine got cut a bit short here... And I was out of hose. So I will be sure not to ever push this thing past the Fuel Light coming on. I've also done these to where I modified a pick-up sock screen to fit the hose, to retain the filtering and original drawing point.

I want to give my brain a break from wiring for a moment and talk about injectors. I had mine rebuilt by Vaughn Classic Specialties. Alex is a great guy and knows more about injectors than I ever want to. I had several leaks, and assumed it was the injector bodies. I eventually got all of the leaks stopped by replacing the return hoses. The best way to do this is either on a warm engine, or use a heat gun to heat up the injectors. Then, the hoses slide on properly. Doing it cold tends to create more leaks.

I sent the injectors off, anyway, as I want this thing in tip-top shape. He got them and pop tested them, and told me they were one of the top 3 sets he'd ever seen in his career. This made sense since this was the quickest starting OM617 I'd ever come across. But that made me pretty depressed after experiencing what I'm about to share....

I bought a used set of injectors, had them mailed to Alex to rebuild, so I could swap out and minimize downtime. He said my original injectors were better than the ones I was getting ready to install. Oh well - I figured I'm splitting hairs here. The first 4 swapped out without issue. The last prechamber washer WOULD NOT come out. I've since found a method that should remove almost any washer. But I destroyed my prechamber trying to get this one out.

Use a tapered punch that will wedge into the center hole. The friction should be enough to break any seize without harming the prechamber.

I had a ton of brown liquid in here, so I wanted to pull everything for inspection. After pulling the prechamber, I found even more brown sludge. I will say that it was good after all, that things happened the way they did, as I fear my head would have eventually rusted out and would have been totaled. I bought a new prechamber and installed without any issues. I will be making and selling prechamber removal tools after this ordeal, though, as it is a proprietary thread and the tools out there are insanely high.

I determined that the brown sludge likely came from water entering via the indexing slot in the head, that orients the prechamber to align with the glow plug hole. Filling this with RTV is probably a good idea if you're the type to wash your engine regularly. Or, make sure to run your engine up to temp immediately afterwards to evaporate any moisture that gets in there.

While I was in there, I did get a chance to use my new endoscope. I was able to see some awesome looking crosshatching still intact. And I made sure I got every last piece of debris vacuumed out to prevent destroying my engine. Had I stopped after I'd initially vacuumed and thought it was sufficient, I would've most definitely destroyed this cylinder/piston. I put the probe in and found several huge chunks of washer.

I also got to use the endoscope to find an obstruction in my fuel filler neck. I had plugged it to catch debris when I was modifying it. Apparently one of the several towels broke off when I removed it, which luckily just clogged the filler neck instead of going into the tank and clogging the pick-up tube. It paid itself off just with this first use!

https://amzn.to/3ElkxcN

Gauges Part 2

The critical gauges I always run in anything are:

-Oil Pressure (your engine's blood)

-Water Temp (to prevent blown headgaskets)

-Pyrometer (to prevent melted pistons)

-Boost (to prevent blown headgaskets)

-Tachometer (used for setting idle and getting good MPG by finding target RPM)

If I have an automatic, I also run a Trans Temp (see the Gauges Part 1 post).

These 96-04 have terrible gauge clusters. They don't even have a volt meter for crying out loud. I don't know what happened to SR5's having all the fixings, but these don't. In my opinion, every vehicle should have all of these gauges.

I decided to run Glow Shift gauges for this project, as AutoMeter quality has gone down the toilet, while their prices have sky-rocketed. I opted for the White Elite 10-color series. GS has so many more perks over AM. AM wants $10 for an LED bulb to change the backlight. GS has every color pre-installed, to change with a click of a button. AM has outdated wiring while GS includes a daisy-chain feature. GS also has many more features:

-Records your Peak value for you to reference at any time by pressing the Set button

-Offers flashing and beeping alarms for Hi and Low values that you set

-Can output a signal for said warnings, for you to run things like a larger warning light or trigger an engine shut-off solenoid, etc.

My only gripes about these GS gauges are that the White 10-Color don't have a Water Temp gauge, which is asinine to me since that is a basic, critical, fundamental gauge. And, they don't have backup batteries to remember your settings - so if you disconnect or drain the battery, you have to reprogram all of them. Not a huge deal, as it takes less than 2-3 minutes to do. People also complain about the brightness, and I tend to agree. They dim when your lights are turned on (if you connect the appropriate wire), but I find the White light to still be too bright at night. I wanted white to match my new gauge cluster backlight. I've found myself switching to Green at night. I will also say that the 2 color changing modes (1 blinks from 1 color to the next, the other slowly fades from 1 to the next) are idiotic and just add extra unnecessary clicks when changing between White & Green. I realize that's bold, but seriously, running a bright gauge that changes colors constantly is a hazard to the driver.

Lastly, none of their gauges are mechanical. Mechanical fits so well with Doomsday, and I hate sensors, but the benefits outweigh the cons in my opinion for this build.

Here are the 4 gauges daisy-chained together, so I only had to hook 1 wire up instead of 4, for each function. SOOOO much cleaner than an AM setup. I put them in a pod to make mounting simple for this cheap/quick build. They have every mount style you could imagine, and at great prices. I actually ditched this solid mount for an articulating pod setup, so I could individually aim each gauge towards my line of sight.

I reluctantly ended up using the Toyota Water Temp gauge, but it's working well, and I know the values after finding them in a Toyota manual, so it's not just a needle pointed at an arbitrary point.

Here, I've got the hood removed while I'm waiting for intercooler connections to show up. I wanted to test the IC in a best-case scenario, where it's getting full possible flow. If it doesn't work here, I'll know it's definitely too small to go under the hood. As you can tell by my gauges while cruising, it works excellently.

I ultimately tucked the IC under the hood, and it still works well. I plan to eventually add either a hood scoop or a louver. Still undecided, as the air filter partially rests directly underneath the fins of the, and I can't have water pouring down into the filter. That's still a work-in-progress. For now, the EGT's can get up to 1200°F on a long, steep climb with cruise on. I can also peg 1300 if I'm trying to pass someone above 65mph. These engines were designed to run at a constant 1250°, but as I mentioned before, excessive heat just kills longevity. With the stock 30.6" tires and 4.30's, it will cruise at 600° in 3rd and 800-1000 in OD. This is another indication that I'm undergeared.

There are actually 2 water temp sensors. The spade terminal unit is for the gauge; the weather connector is for the ECU. I mounted the ECU sensor in the tstat housing, as it's a perfect location for the wiring harness, and the thread is conveniently close to tap out.

The ECU sensor serves several functions, still, in this swap. In stock configuration, it should kick off the AC if the temp gets too high. Shift points are likely affected by it, too.

The gauge sensor got adapted to the head fitting behind the injection pump, with an adapter from GS. I had to extend the wiring harness wire to reach this location, but it reads the temp in the middle of the head, and is easily accessible.

I ran all of the wires for the aftermarket gauges thru the factory grommet, to make things look clean/factory, as well as protect them, nicely.

The tachometer is a can of worms... I will say this clearly right here:

I DO NOT ENDORSE DAKOTA DIGITAL.

I had initially been using the DSL1 in my swaps. It worked just fine. Then, DD obsoleted it in favor of the SGI8. I called when the DSL1 was listed as NLA, and the guy on the phone told me to start using the SGI8. I found a good deal on them, and bought a bundle of them. Finally ran out of DSL1's on my last customer's build, and had to use my first SGI8. The signal worked fine until 3000 RPM, then the tach would die. I called tech support for troubleshooting, and this is where my support for Dakota Digital died. In their never-ending quest to consolidate parts, they've taken a $70 module and replaced it with a $110 module with bluetooth and all this jazz that none of us need, want, or will ever use. The guy on the phone immediately scoffs at me for asking for help with an SGI8 module, acting like it's been obsolete for 10 years. He claims he can't even pull up any documentation for it. We get into the troubleshooting, and he tells me this is not going to work at all - it's not for diesel tachs. Well that's pretty damned funny... it's called the "UNIVERSAL TACH INTERFACE" - says it right on the module. I informed him that Dakota Digital told me to start using the SGI8. He told me "no we didn't". It was at this point that I was ready to slam the phone. I gritted my teeth and tried to get some technical troubleshooting points. All he could offer was "just push buttons and try different things".

THANKS FOR NOTHING, DAKOTA DIGITAL! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM YOU!

I ended up figuring out how to calibrate the SGI8, and it works even better than the DSL1 ever did. Too bad they had to obsolete them. Honestly, the bluetooth adjustments would be great, as I have this thing hidden way up inside the dash, and adjusting was a PITA. A correction factor of 966 with an IN of 6? and OUT of 10? (of course I lost my pictures of the IN/OUT settings... comment if you need them and I'll dig the module out and read them again) got the tach working perfectly using the AD230 alternator output. It is buttery smooth.

Hooking it up is a breeze - you give it 12v with the key on RUN, ground it, send the AD alternator's "P" to the Signal-In, and the Normal Output goes to your gauge cluster tach input. I piggy-backed the Glow Shift gauge power to eliminate a splice/butt joint connector. I used a simple add-a-fuse to pull my 12V from the fuse panel.

Some tape-on velcro makes mounting and removing simple.

If the battery is disconnected, it still retains its settings. I wish the GS gauges did this. I could not imagine pulling the dash to reprogram the tach module every time I disconnect the battery.

As for connecting the rest of the gauge wires goes, it was extremely simple and convenient with the existing 4Runner fuse panel. The tach module and gauges get 12V in RUN. The gauges need constant 12V to keep their memory (this could potentially drain your battery over long periods of time). And my OM617 Wiring Harness needs power with key on ACC, to shut the engine off.

The gauges also need 12v when the lights are turned on, to activate the dimming feature. This was easily done by removing the plug from the dimmer switch, removing the hot wire going in, and crimping a new spade terminal over 2 wires. This makes it look factory (you know, cuz people are totally removing your dash at car shows to look at your wiring connections 🙃) and it makes for a strong, solid connection.

I want to address gauges and LED's, and I think this kind of goes together...

LED's are current technology - halogens are archaic. My gauge cluster had 1 of 3 backlights working. I couldn't see my fuel level or the water temp. I added white LED's for the backlights, which make things clearly visible. https://amzn.to/3ToekRE

The Low Fuel bulb is the same as the backlights, but you can't run an LED there, or it'll always stay on (at least mine did). Shame, because I want that to be bright and in-my-face when it comes on.

The idiot lights are finicky. You can't run an LED for the Charge, or your alt won't charge properly. I also couldn't get the 4x4 to work with an LED. The light has to illuminate, or your 4x4 won't engage (the current has to pass thru the bulb from the switch to the differential - how dumb). If your 4x4 doesn't engage, your bulb may be burned out - now you know!

Cruise also won't work without the bulb illuminated. But it works with an LED - just make sure you install it with the correct polarity (the first time I tried cruise, it didn't work bc I installed the bulb backwards).

My brake light stayed on because my fluid was low. Added a couple drops of fluid and it went off. I have LED's in for the Wait to Start (CEL), Cruise, Hi Beams, O/D OFF, and ECT PWR. I'd probably recommend going with something dimmer for the ECT PWR since it'll likely always be on. Same with the OD OFF. Using an LED for the W.T.S. helps it to illuminate. The Merc glow plug controller commonly puts out a weak, low voltage signal that won't illuminate a halogen bulb, but LED's will still pick up the lower voltage and light up.

I removed the trans temp light since I installed an aftermarket temp gauge in the original sending unit's place. More on that in a second...

Another dumb thing that I hate - the A340 has an actual temp sensor, not just an on/off switch for a light. If you plug into your OBD2, you can read the trans temp! But the idiot light doesn't come on till 300°, which is 50° after your trans was already dead, anyway. Why pay to install a sensor but not give us a gauge to read it, Toyota?

Here's how I installed an aftermarket Glowshift gauge (part # in pic). It's a better thread adapter than the Autometer part. Use the crush washer, not the o-ring. Sucks that you have to loosen the cooler line fitings to get to it, though. Keep in mind that removing the factory temp sensor removes the fail-safe feature that kicks off your AC if the trans temp ever gets too high.

This trans can safely handle at least 220°. I like to see it at 180, which is the operating temp for ATF. But I'll see it stick at 160 while cruising, and I'll see it hit 200 with a heavy foot and lots of shifting in stop/go traffic. I back off and take it easy once it elevates to 200, for longevity of the trans. Excessive heat only means shorter life (so does excessively cold). The stock torque converter could likely be highly improved upon, but it works! If you're pinching pennies, there's no reason you can't just run it. A custom unit from FTI is on my bucket list, though.

Back to LED's! I'd put them in for your overhead lamps! Here're the links:

https://amzn.to/3NT5jPm

https://amzn.to/3fPX4XG

I like both. I don't notice a difference so far between the 2 brands, so longevity will probably be the difference.

Here's before and after shots:

Here are the same bulbs in the map light slots (99-02 have different map lights). They're blinding, but you'll be able to see anything you want.

The ignition cylinder, automatic shifter, HVAC controls, and glove box all use the same bulb. The cig lighter has a goofy proprietary halogen bulb, unfortunately. LED link here:

https://amzn.to/3hsu2he

My shifter bulb was burned out and I couldn't see which gear it was in at night. Since the 96-98 don't have the indicator in the gauge cluster, it was challenging to drive at night. Not anymore!

I'll pick back up on gauges in a 2nd post.

I will come back to edit this post once I've figured it all out. But for now, here's where I'm at with the PCV and catch can... I want to run a catch can and an exhaust e-vac. My experience with catch cans has been they're too restrictive by themselves, so you must add a vacuum supply to them to facilitate flow from the crankcase. If not, the crankcase pressure builds up and blows oil out any possible place, usually starting with the turbo, oil fill cap, and dipstick.

I ordered a $15 e-vac kit from ebay. Got it installed - it just blows exhaust out. Sent it back and got a refund, thankfully. I determined it was only cut at a 25° angle. Supposedly these need to be at 45°.

I ordered one off Summit for $25 that's supposedly made by Holley. It's got a 45° cut. Heck, the welds over the old hole looked even better. But it also just blows exhaust out. This is regardless of RPM. I think I need to place it further downstream in the exhaust. I can't find any info about this. And the stupid part doesn't even have instructions. I've just plugged it for now and am running my PCV hose to the ground.

The minimum hose size you can run for the PCV is 5/8. I just use heater hose and a barbed 5/8 coupler to meet the factory 90° elbow. The e-vac needs a check valve to prevent pressurizing the crankcase. These come standard with 5/8" hose barbs, which is convenient. Running the PCV to the ground will drop small drips of oil occasionally, and will emit smoke - so if you want a clean looking/running rig and/or can't have oil drips, then you'll need to make a catch can work. Running the PCV to the turbo inlet will cake your intake/turbo with oil and is a horrible idea!!

As long as we're on the donwpipe, let's address the whole exhaust system. I ran a 3" turbo-back system. I would not recommend this unless you have the room. For future 96-04 swaps, I'll use a 2.5" downpipe. I had to use a BFH to clearance the DP from the starter, trans dipstick, and swaybar bracket. I used my own 2.5" to 79mm Holset v-band coupler, a cheapo amazon stainless 90° (you want 16ga, not 18ga), followed by a generic steel 90° from Summit, and a v-band at the end. This is my "downpipe". The rest of the exhaust is 2 pieces.

I welded a cheapo amazon flex pipe (highly discourage these, despite how enticing $16 appears) to a straight piece of 3" pipe roughly 7' long. I only had to make 1 cut in the middle to angle it about 8°. This is the middle piece.

The rear is from a 2000's 6.0L 2500 Chevy. It's supposed to be 3", but it's more like 2.75". But it has a great bend to clear the axle and point the exhaust out in the general direction you want it. I will eventually cut the tailpipe and re-aim it to look a lot better. I coupled the 6.0L tailpipe to the intermediate pipe with a slip-over clamp after having my local exhaust shop flare the 6.0L pipe. I think a Duramax tailpipe would work better. But they're Ø3.25".

The sound of an OM617 is very uniquely its own. It's not a Cummins; it's not an International; it's not a CAT. The closest thing I can think of is a Detroit. Keep this in mind when building your exhaust system:

-2.5" will support more power than this engine will make

-The larger the pipe, the lower the tone

-The smaller the pipe, the louder the exhaust

-3" is generally a PITA to snake by the starter

-These OM617's have an annoyingly loud idle heard from the motor (not exhaust)

I love how this one sounds in the cab (hate how loud it is by the hood). I need to do a drive-by, as I'm thinking the tailpipe probably doesn't sound that great blasting past you on the highway (or maybe it does?). Tailpipe idle sounds great tho. The open air filter and 3" system generates more turbo noise than exhaust, from what I can hear inside while driving. All I hear is turbo noises 😍

The oil pan could have been the catastrophic ending of this whole build. The new motor mounts settled very quickly, the the pan began to smack the frame crossmember with any load applied.

I could've modified the frame, probably with less effort. It slopes front-to-back. But with the engine installed, modifying the pan was the only option. I smacked it in the middle (possibly not necessary), and cut off each end. I only lost exactly 1/2 quart of capacity with this mod, to my surprise.

This is just a front shot of the pan - the motor mounts weren't attached in this pic.

Next, I had to address the lack of a front skid plat. The radiator hangs down in harms way, and I very nearly ripped the brand new unit right off on my first off-road outing. Instead of buying an expensive factory rust-prone replacement, I simply welded a 2x3x1/8 tube to the rusty bent crossmember.

I'd have preferred an 1/8" skid plate, but I've had a 1/4" slab stuck on my plasma table forever, and it's beginning to rust, so I decided to use a bunch of it up. I ran bolts/nuts where I could, and used nut-serts in the other spots.

And here's why I need some beefy protection - this thing with the rear e-locker, even with stock tires, is a BEAST! Look at what it effortlessly crawled up once the rear locker was engaged.

So, I'd made a temporary power steering line for mock-up purposes. Thought it'd survive a couple thousand miles at least... nope! It exploded while I was bedding in the new brakes the 1st time. The crooked Dorman pulley made the new pump's life hell, but the failed hose finished it off. Got to wait for RockAuto to take their sweet ass time to send me a replacement. Summit, on the other hand, overnighted me a new brake rotor (despite me telling them a week would be fine). Huge difference in customer service there! The PS line was my fault, as I'd used a hose with too little of pressure rating. Ordered up the Fragola hose I'd been planning to use, anyway. I should've used my own advice and ordered a custom hose with a bend >90°, but for the sake of time, got a built-to-stock 90° hose. It works, but it won't last as long since it has to bend pretty harshly. I also ponied up & got another Trail Gear billet TC pulley.

So here's a pic of where the hose blew out. This thing blew the diesel fuel filter o-ring out twice in a row, requiring 2 top-to-bottom Hotsy baths. Then this happened 32 miles later, requiring a 3rd. At least things shouldn't rust any worse for a while 😂

This is a pic of the 1st undercarriage wash I gave the 4Runner after it was drivable. This is the shit that was falling in my face during the entire swap. This undercarriage washing tool is a godsend: https://amzn.to/3UKjCrA

Here's a shot of the 235's on the rear. I wanted to test as close to 27" tires as I could. These are a hair over 29". The 4Runner would take off so much easier with these. Driving the 29's with 4.30's is essentially the same as it'd be to have 4.56's with 30.6" tires. 27's with the 4.30's would equate to 30.6 and 4.88's, and 4.88's are what I want to go to, especially after trying this setup.

Brake upgrade time! Any time I'd hit the brakes above 15mph, the steering wheel and entire suspension would shake violently. I got in the habit of manually down-shifting to mitigate this, which is good now that I have to for the diesel driving, anyway. But I needed brakes... Did some research and found a 2001 Tundra brake package fits. The smaller brakes can fit the 4Runner 16" wheels, but the larger 231mm package requires 17mm wheels. The brake price difference was negligible (they were both expensive), so I went with the bigger ones, even though I hated the idea of buying yet more wheels/tires since I have tons of 15's kicking around.

I got Powerstop's 2nd best package for $350 with a bunch of discounts and promos. Found some primo 5th gen wheels for $200. Got some NOS tires off craiglist for $420. Had them mounted/balanced, got them back, threw the first 1 out of the truck and weights came off, so back they went to the tire shop. The idiot didn't even wipe the wheel at all - just tried taping the weight on over top of brake dust and dirt. They're good now, though. I'll be burning off my excessive supply of tires in the rear, hence why you'll see my pictures with weird wheels in the back.

The swap was completely painless. Somehow, all the hardware came right out, even the brake fittings, and bleeding went smoothly. I went to bed the brakes in, getting that nice blue color on the rotors, and one of the rotors began showing a casting flaw. This led to some major down-time (2 weeks). Eventually got the bad rotor replaced and with 600 miles on them now, they are freaking awesome!! Hands down, should've done this the first day I bought this 4Runner. I can damn near do a stoppie.

I also installed some All Pro Off Road rock sliders. They were selling them for the same price it'd cost me in materials, so it was a no-brainer. I also got tire of hearing people poke at the damaged front fender and gorilla tape, so I used my new stud welder to yank it out.

Here begins the massive photo dump... If you've never cleaned your AC evaporator or heater core before, you need to try this stuff!! https://amzn.to/3UpNSZ0

It goes in thru your evaporator drain, foams up, then drips out. I highly doubt mine was ever cleaned. It leaves a minty-fresh scent in the air ducts. My AC works fantastically.

Speaking of creature comforts, I find myself adding more and more. The 3rd Gen 4Runner vents are available new, here: https://amzn.to/3EkQD8k

Mine was broken and nasty. This one is a perfect match.

I also successfully got a fob for the 97 (here: https://amzn.to/3WMgjlD) and the 2001 (here: https://amzn.to/3UqoVwD)

The programming for the 97 was stupid-simple. The 01 sucked! Here's the manual for the RS3000

Now, you see, my 4Runner didn't come with a key for the doors - just the ignition. And of course, no fob, either. So now, for the first time ever, I can lock my doors! Apparently the PO had replaced the ignition cylinder but wasn't smart enough to have things re-keyed. I'll be doing this in a couple of days.

I also wanted a cup holder. So I ordered this factory replacement, which to my surprise for amazon stuff, is another perfect fit. https://amzn.to/3A16tCC

I think I'll be making a cup holder out of the old t-case shifter hole, eventually, as this terribly placed holder blocks the HVAC controls and barely holds anything larger than a can.

Also found a replacement center console lid for $42. The latch doesn't work, but at least my elbow no longer gets pinched. Really wish these seats had arm rests.

Added a lace-on steering wheel cover, and these are my favorite. My original Toyota came with one, and I've never found anything else I've liked more. All the grip you could ever want.

Lastly, I went to work on the rear wiper. First, I removed the entire arm and cleaned, then soaked in oil to get it to move again. Now it moves like it's new. Then, I put these adapters on so I can run a cheap/normal 13" blade. https://amzn.to/3X1uGmr

https://amzn.to/3G86oBb I happened to go by a free CO-OP scale, so I weighed 4Reigner with me an Dolly Parton in it. We weigh a combined 250 lbs, so 4Reigner weighs about 4170. This is with the Tundra brakes and rock sliders, without a spare tire.

I need to find the energy to go back thru this thread and clean it up and finish putting the fine details in. I'm ready now to start gutting the rest of the wiring harness. Once I accomplish that, I'll post up 100% of the wiring mods.

Belt driven vac pump is working great. I'll be releasing these brackets soon.

New AC blows ice cold. It was worth just getting some new parts to replace the 291k mile-old parts.

Went for the first long drive today. 190-mile trip. 14mph wind. I did this trip in overdrive, either doing 62mph at roughly 2100 RPM, or 70mph at ~2300 RPM. It was split pretty evenly half and half. These engines are lugging below 2400 RPM, so I didn't expect great results. Sure enough - 22mpg 😪. The next long trip I make will be done in 3rd gear so I can hold the ideal 2600 RPM where BSFC is the lowest. If the mileage delta is large enough, I'll consider having this regeared to 4.88. I thought I had 1 lying around, but it's a high pinion, so it won't work for the rear. This thing is a complete dog taking off from a stop because of being undergeared. Manually shifting it solves the shift-point problems. The TC lock-up is annoyingly premature. It's so weird decelerating and manually downshifting - I freak out stomping my left foot looking for the clutch 🤣! Of course, more interaction here would motivate me to invest more into the project. Only 1 measly response to far... Can't hardly justify dropping lots of dough on something no one wants to replicate.

EDIT: I should add that this 4Runner had only ever gotten a best of 18mpg with the 5VZ, but averaged 16-17. Our 2001 4Runner has gotten a best of 23mpg and consistently get 21+. That could just be the difference in 200k miles of wear & tear. I've also had 2 LBZ Duramax's that were within 30k miles of each other, identical, and they got 4-5mpg difference. So I definitely do see the 37% increase from ~16mpg to 22mpg from 4Reigner as a major improvement. To put it in other terms - I'd also expect the 2001 to also see a significant increase, as it's just in a lot better shape.

I realize this build is centered around the first-ever A340/Toyota Automatic OM617 Swap, but I want to point out that since I'm not yet offering this auto kit, all of you 96-04 guys will be running R150's/W59's for the time being, and with the manuals, all of these shifting issues and gearing issues and interior shift stick placement are non-issues. The manual OM617 swaps in these should be a PIECE. OF. CAKE. I want to just quickly mention the gauges and readings I've been seeing. Knock on wood, everything has been a non-issue there so far, so I haven't even really thought to mention them.

Coolant - The gauge reads anywhere from dead middle to the cooler side. Can't ask for anything better, here! The 16" Spal fan runs all the time - I've never seen it kick off once it comes on. The engine warms up to operating temp within 2 miles, which is even quicker than the 5VZ I replaced. I'm running a 185/175 thermal switch for the fan.

Voltage - I don't have a voltage meter. Pretty disappointed Toyota didn't have one in the SR5 cluster.

Pyrometer - EGT's were ice cold with the aftercooler sticking out of the engine bay, so I know I have plenty of capacity there. With the hood on and no scoop, I see EGT's creep up to about 1100° when getting up to highway speed, but then they settle right back down to that 500-800 range.

Boost - My secret turbo is a touch on the larger side, so it runs low boost at hwy speeds, and it takes a little big longer to lite off, but it absolutely makes this thing scream passing people on the hwy. This would be the best turbo I've found to-date with a higher stall speed, some better diff gearing, and better shift points. If I was on a budget doing an A340 build with all the factory parts and tire size, I'd simply run my HE221 7cm², which would compensate for everything else being a bit off.

Oil Pressure - This engine has great oil pressure. It runs at 90psi under load, at operating temp, and 20psi at idle.

Trans Temp - Surprisingly, the temp has barely gotten up to 160° during normal driving. I saw it get to 180° during the maiden voyage before I'd gotten the trans topped off and it was probably about a quart low. But 220° is safe for this trans. So I'm ecstatic about 160°. Things to note here are - Toyota's temp sending unit was not just for an idiot light - it actually read the temp, which you could read if you had a Scan Gauge or OBD2 scanner. How asinine, for a vehicle to have the diagnostics in place but not let the operator see them! Apparently the ECM would shut off AC if the trans temp got too hot. I replaced the factory sensor with one for my gauge, so, that feature won't work now, obviously. And the idiot light supposedly doesn't come on till 300°, which is also asinine, because your transmission is 100% smoked at 300°.

Tach, speedo, and fuel gauges are all working just fine.

Got the Powerstop 231mm Tundra Brakes installed. Went out to bed them in, which went relatively OK (sucks doing this in traffic, though). Stopped to make sure they were stone cold before heading back to the shop, and they were blued and cool. Had a straight, no-stop 8 mile stretch back to the shop. When I began to turn into my driveway, I noticed I had not power steering. The Summit Racing stainless braided line blew right out of their AN hose end. The Dorman POS pulley put the first knife in the pump, and the POS Summit hose finished the kill. I doubt either of them are willing to step up and pay me for a new pump!

The plan all along was to build a DIY Summit ps hose, test it out, and copy its specs to have a custom Fragola hose made during the Final Phase of this build. I knew it was a risk that it may explode, but I banked on that not happening in <300 miles of shakedown runs.

When I got out at the shop to inspect the carnage, I also noticed the brand new rotor was already about to dislodge a big chunk off the perimeter. I'll be warrantying these, as well. They do have a 3 year 36k mile warranty. I plan to use as many of those miles in the next 3 years as I can.

4Reigner is now down for the count while I perform all of the aforementioned work. The p/s system should shine with a new Fragola custom-made-to-spec high-pressure hose, a new pump, and a new Trail Gear billet pulley.

Made my mpg-checking trip this morning. Despite driving into 20mph wind for half of it, I managed 29mpg. Going to do the brake swap next and get a test drive in. Then I'll rip the front end apart and I'll probably be down for a week or so. Things I noted during the extended drive. Well, first off, the fuel filter didn't blow out. I did some googling on that subject last night and it appears to be a phenomenon that others have experienced out of the blue, like me, and fixed simply with a new filter.

The truck will puke black smoke if I put it in D and take off. This is because the stupid transmission will shift into 3rd gear by 12mph!! I simply start out with the selector in 2 and hold 2nd gear till 3000-3300 RPM, then let her go into 3rd and lock-up. Lock-up comes on about 300 RPM too soon! If I could adjust that, I'd pretty well be set. But, when it comes on, if I shift out of 2nd too soon, it'll cause me to bog down and lose all boost. Same thing when shifting into OD. If I do it too soon at all, it'll drop below 2000 RPM and I'll lose boost and EGT's will spike instantly. With the 4.30's, 30.6" rubber, and .705 OD, I have to take it to about 70mph before I click OD on. Apparently, the TC unlocks just momentarily when turning OD on. If I could leave it unlocked and use that as another gear to keep me in the correct RPM range, that'd also help tremendously.

I think it may be worth fooling around with the TC lock-up controls moving forward, to see if I can manually control it easily enough. Obviously, if you opted for the automatic, you probably want full automatic operation. The Compushift should allow you to do this - it can control shift points and lock-up points as well as full manual control. But, you have to add a TPS for it, and it's another $1200 I really don't want to spend when the system is 90% good enough the way it sits factory. If this was my forever vehicle and/or I was planning to put 200k on it, I'd opt for the Compushift in a heartbeat (or better yet, something that does the same thing for half the cost!).

Rolled over 291,000 miles tonight. I thought I'd have all the kinks worked out by now and ready to rack up the miles, but unfortunately, I will have to pull 4Reigner into the shop and disassemble the front end entirely. I'm going to just knock it out all at once, so it will likely be down for several days. But first...

Tomorrow, I'm planning to drive to the zinc plater to pick up OM60x swap parts and test my mpg on a nice highway cruise with minimal wind. I hope I make it! I'm trying to avoid 2 major issues:

-My 1R-0750 fuel filter failed twice on me in the past 24 hours. I was just putting along, and all of a sudden, my hood had diesel drifting up it. The o-ring bulged out, and it appears to have swelled. I removed it, reinstalled the o-ring, and reinstalled gutentight! 30 miles later, it did the same damned thing 😡 Each time, I spent an hour power washing/hotsying off all the diesel since it coated every part of the vehicle except the roof. I don't have any spares, and the Napa Wix filters I've had on order since February still aren't here. I had a stock 617 filter, so I threw that on to get it used up. I'm hoping CAT can do an analysis on this failed filter so I know why/how it failed. I have several hundred miles on it, and it's been in use since 2020. The o-ring must have come in contact with an incompatible fluid recently, causing it to swell and pop out. I can't think of anything else.

-Despite my good smacks with the BFH to the oil pan prior to installing the engine, now that the motor mounts have settled, the pan is rubbing on the crossmember. I do feel that with more smacking, the pan would've cleared. But for as big of pain as it's going to be to remove the pan now, I'm just going to cut and weld some clearance slots. I realllllly didn't want to modify the frame in any way, but for future swaps, since the modification would be so simple/minimal, I believe that's the route I'll take. The crossmember actually tilts to the front. So the front has clearance, but the sides rub on the back. I will have to pull the 4 motor mount bolts, drop the trans xmem, and hopefully be able to jack the engine up high enough to remove the pan. For now, I've stuffed some rubber padding in between to prevent any metal-on-metal contact, and God willing, get me back safely tomorrow. The pan modifications are so simple that I don't think anyone should have any problems performing themselves. This is not something I plan to offer in my store, unless these swaps really takes off.

-The ebay e-vac kit is complete garbage. I'm returning it and I've got the Holley one from Summit Racing ready to install. The ebay unit only sits at 25°. It needs to be at 45° to work. Once I get some actual vacuum flowing, I'll work on installing the catch can. I'm not going to risk installing the catch can without vacuum and blowing oil out my beautiful cerakoted expensive turbo. I honestly don't even notice oil drops from the 5/8" heater hose right now. My rear main leaks take all of my attention ☹️

-I will install a new trans mount when I do the oil pan mod. The old one still worked fine, but I stripped the threads out of 1 hole the other day when messing with the pan, and now I have a terrible vibration since the mount can move just slightly.

-I got my 2018 4Runner wheels for $200 with lugnuts, and the wheels are 95% immaculate. Got some brand new 265/65R17 Atturo AT's for $420 that someone ordered and didn't want. $100 to mount & balance, and the tire shop newb didn't even wipe the brake dust off before sticking the weights on. The wheels are back at the tire shop hopefully getting weights that actually stick this time 😒 The 17's were necessary to clear the 231mm Tundra brake upgrade. Powerstop has a $35 rebate right now, and Summit had a sale, so I got new KC2324 rotors, pads, and red calipers for a flat $350. These are 1 step down from the highest end they sell, which would've been $365, but are for heavy towing, which I don't plan to do with this. I'm sure the brakes will take me several days because that's just my luck with this rust bucket. Right now, when I touch the brake pedal, the whole front end shakes violently.

-I need to brace my aftercooler a bit more. It vibrates like hell. I'll get this figured out when I have to pull the downpipe. So far, I don't see the mandatory need for a hood scoop as my EGT's stay in check. But EGT's are considerably higher than with the cooler sticking out in the wind without the hood on. I may even consider louvers and an electric fan. The though of rain coming in a hood scoop scares me.

-Once the oil pan is kosher, I have a custom skit plate ready to be bolted on to protect the pan and radiator.

-I'm comfortable with how everything is working wiring-wise. So, I'll be completely removing the wiring harness and breaking it back down to strip out the rest of the unneeded wires. Then, I'll close the loom back up nice and tight so it looks factory, and secure it nice and tight with clamps and zip ties, with the intention to not touch it again.

-Lastly, the reason for stripping the front end down is to replace all of the failed parts. My chyna a/c clutch gave out after 3 minutes of use. I had brilliantly cold air for those 3 minutes 😀 colder than I ever had when the 5vz was in. But now I'll be installing a new drier, flushing the system, and installing a new USA-made compressor just for the peace of mind. The Dorman p/s pulleys have all been crooked. The first 2 were noticeable in my hand. I thought the 3rd would pass, but now the pump bearing is chirping. So, I'm installing a Trail Gear 4.5" billet pulley, and hoping the pump isn't ruined. If it is, I have warranty till December, and I should be able to just remove the battery to get the pump off. I'll be installing some new prototype parts while I'm in there, too, so it'll be much easier to just remove the radiator and have easy access to it all.

Once we're back up and running reliably, I'll be finding a permanent air cleaner housing, installing a painted valve cover, and this thing really needs a real front bumper with some KC's. I don't have any other plans except maaaaaybe a custom torque converter.

And my web browser crashed as I was just finishing up a novel of an update.... 😡 Determined my 4Runner A340 has 4.30's. Some 4cyl had 4.56's So you've got plenty of good candidates out there with proper gearing from the get-go. 4.30's and the A340 are ideal for 27-28" rubber. I tried some 29's and they transformed 4Reigner into an absolute rocket. I took it for a 78 mile trip across gravel with lots of stop/go and got ~24mpg. I imagine not having a hood really killed my aerodynamics.

The looks and off-road inability have me pretty set on staying with the stock tire size 17" equivalent - 265/65R17. Stock is 265/70R16. These are 30.6". And besides, 28" rubber and rock sliders don't make sense 😜. Hoping to pick up the new wheels/rubber this week.

I have to be realistic with my expectations for this project. I firmly believe I could net >30mpg with some skinny 28" highway terrains. I fully expect my 2wd Tacoma to when its time comes. But I'll be using 4Reigner off-road to get to the tree shredder, doing some moderate wheeling trips, and driving thru deep snow.

It's also hard to accelerate gently with the 7.5mm Dieselmeken pump on this setup. A hair up on the throttle and you've quit accelerating. A hair further down and you're thrown back into the seat. It's easier to just mash the pedal halfway down and let er rip. This will certainly negate mpg, though. A stock pump or a pump with smoother tuning would both likely yield higher mpg. Some interesting maths.... At $4/gal, if I drive 20k miles, if changing tires from 30.5 to 28 would net me a difference of 3mpg- With a difference from 27 to 30mpg, I'd only save $296.

20 to 23mpg would save me $522.

But going from 7 to 10mpg would save me $3429.

So, for where I'm at efficiency-wise, going more economical on my tire choice won't even save me the cost of a new set of rubber. So, I'm not going to hold efficiency high on my criteria for picking out rubber. I'm gonna grab what will perform and look good. And I'll save the efficient rubber for my big rigs that get ~10mpg.

Awesome project! Can't go wrong with 4x4 and 30mpg potential.

Did I miss the post with info on how you wired your tachometer?

Wow, not a single comment or question!? Anyone even reading this??

Took 4Reigner out for its maiden voyage this morning. The top-end power is just un-freakin-believable. Starting-off and the shift points both suck, though. I accredit this to 3 major factors:

-4.10 gears when I should have 4.88

-Incorrect torque converter stall speed

-The fact I'm running a larger turbo which doesn't spool as soon as the HE221 7cm²

The gears are really a must-have for a swap to work correctly. For now, I will just drive it with OD disabled all the time, unless I'm on the interstate going 80 (at which point it could be very useful).

Improper stall speed is going to make for sluggish take-offs. The torque converter is not locked up during take-off, so you want it to stall closer to the torque peak. I have no torque below 2000 RPM, so the 1400 Stall or whatever it is, is not a good match at all.

The larger "secret" turbo I'm running will have some lag down low, but this is exacerbated by both the differential gearing and TC stall speed. A proper stall speed will help spool the turbo before you start moving. A properly matched torque converter and turbo is a truly impressive thing to experience. Giving your truck the leverage to turn the tires will also help to get that turbo spinning quicker.

So, I do have some spare 4.88 diffs kicking about that I could swap into the rear. I'd lose my e-locker (would gain a lunch box) and I'd have to pay to re-do the front. At this point, I would only possibly swap the rear just to see if the difference is worth it. Since this 4Runner is going to scrap once the frame fails, I can't foresee justifying to pay for a gear change. If I get lucky enough to secure a "clean" 4Runner to transfer the drivetrain over to, then I would certainly consider it. Same thing goes for the torque converter.

For now, I'm going to contact HGM to see if the Compushift will give me full control over shift points and lock-up. If it does, and I don't burn the TC up, I might just roll with it. If I can't hit 30mpg, I will probably be tempted to start making changes, because this should undoubtedly go to 30+ beings the 5VZ was hitting 23.

Incase you're following along and wondering where the updates are, I've got about 12 major tasks left, and each one is about 90% completed - so I won't have any updates till they're 100% done. At this point, everything is scheduled to arrive this week by Wednesday. So I should have this swap completed by the end of the week other than 3 things:

-Air filter setup, which I'll be doing some scientific testing on to find a cleaner housing that supports the 600+ CFM

-Hood. I'm looking for a factory hood-scoop hood that I'll convert to be functional, to feed the TMIC.

-Driveshafts - they were dropped off on 9/16 to be modified, but they haven't given me an ETA. Hoping to pick them up when I take parts to get zinc'd later this week.

Got 4Reigner fired up on Sunday. Can't run it for more than a few seconds till the thermostat fittings comes in around 9/23, so that doesn't give me much to work with. The tach is working but I need to calibrate the signal output. I'll give a write-up on that once it's calibrated. The alternator is an AD230 and wires directly to the Toyota harness, which is AWESOME! All of the Glowshift gauges I got are amazing - the only thing I don't like is they freak out if you're cranking and kill the battery. Had to full the fuse to reset them, and that removes all the alerts you program into them. So I'm going to look into adding a backup battery for them so I never lose my alert settings.

Some of the best news is the factory 5VZ wiring harness works well enough to start the motor. The old Pickups/4Runners had much thinner gauge wire that wouldn't spin the starter fast enough. I'd leave mine stock but the positive terminal is broken and the 34R I got is the taller version that doesn't fit my battery tray. I've got a million 34's and 34/78's kicking around, so I'm switching to a Red Top 34/78 for the added benefit of side terminals to connect the fan controller and glow plugs to. Stacking connections on one lug is very poor practice. Ideally, you only want 1 connection per stud. For a bolt/nut style (military) terminal, you can put 1 on each side.

I've got a bit of welding to do for mounting brackets - then I'll be rolling this thing towards the door of the shop so I can finally have a work bay opened back up (it's been over a year!). Waiting on a bunch of parts otherwise. Picked up some 3" exhaust (7.5' for $85!!) and am still waiting for the 2000 Silverado 2500 6.0L tailpipe to come in that I think will fit like a glove over the axle and out the RH side. Also waiting on all of the catch can stuff to arrive.

Couple random tidbits here. I found out my 2.5" downpipe adapters will work with 3" too if you just slide the 3" over my adapter. The trans dipstick sits right in the way of convenient exhaust routing, but a manual swap would leave ample room for a 3" system.

My ac condenser at 291k looks like a greasy cat went thru it. I had to wash it up, and I think it'll work much better now!

When I bought this thing, it was WRECKED! (Not literally, but man it was gross!) I vacuumed it all out for the first time ever and found several dollars in change 😁 Then I remembered why I never vacuumed it - because it looks like an Irish Car Bomb went off inside 🤢🤢 The rear window was also LIQUID NAILED into place! When I drove it thru the car wash prior to pulling the engine, the back window fell down 😱 And it was about 10° out that day. Made for a very miserable trip home to say the least! Anyway, I got it torn apart and found that the hardware holding the window to the regulators was simply just missing. Put some new M8 bolts/nuts in and it works just fine. Not sure why they tore it all apart to "fix" it the wrong way. Not sure I'll ever use it as I find it to be a weird thing (but who knows!) but i'm excited to not have it leaking dust in going down gravel roads anymore. A little window cleaner and it don't look too bad.

If you're sub'd and following along, here's the tentative schedule for the rest of this project. It's Wednesday. I'll get most of the rest the parts I need by Friday except the turbo drain which comes Saturday and is holding me up from starting it. I'll be out Sat and will plan to get it installed Sunday and ideally fired immediately after. I've got the front driveshaft installed with ~1/4" engagement so I can hopefully drive it out of the shop and play with the trans linkages. Waiting for the custom Meziere fitting so I can fill the radiator. And will have to wait for d-shafts to get modded. I'd think within the next 2 weeks I'd be daily driving again. I think I have the wiring all figured out except for cruise, so I'll wait till I'm 100% done before I post anything on wiring/gauges.

So the AD230 fit without a lift, but I could tell that it'd be hitting the hood once the engine started rocking, so I notched the hood support. You'll either need a 1" body lift or a hood support notch. The AD244 will be even worse.

I'm running a Ford vacuum pump with the large ~5" GM pulley since the Ford 4.1" pulley didn't give enough belt contact. It works great! I haven't had any issues with braking.

I'm also going to switch to flanged hex bolts for the water pump pulleys moving forward after having a bad day getting a button head out. Here you can see the extra clearance the button heads give, which is why I've been using them. But I have plenty of room for my fan here. Speaking of which, my favorite 16" Spal fan fits! But I'll go into depth on that more once I get it all wired up.

Lots of updates to upload on here... So the trans x-mem is not straight. It actually humps up from the factory. So, to combat the problem my x-mem bracket was inducing, I flipped the factory bracket and stacked 2 of my brackets (3/8" thick total now) and that fixed my problem for the height (didn't prep real well so it looks like poo but oh well)

. Now to address the oil pan rubbing, I did have to notch the factory x-mem. I'll be offering a weld-in notch piece if this gains popularity. So now, I can drain the trans pan without removing the x-mem. As for driveshafts, I royally screwed up by not marking where they sat bone stock. I moved the trans back ~71mm, but I also bumped the trans up. So although it still doesn't make perfect sense to me, 3-1/8" appears to be how much I need to modify the shafts based off the grease mark on the front.

Found this extremely helpful post while troubleshooting my wiring issues. Posting here for future reference.

After deciphering all the wiring problems, I spent the rest of the afternoon installing the old oil filter/cooler setup from my rock crawler Yota. It's been around since 2012 and I know it works, so I've repurposed it for this rig, for now. Once I've gotten my testing done on my stock-pump-Yota's liquid/liquid heat exchanger, I'll possibly be adding one to the 4Runner to test its capacity with the 7.5mm pump. If I don't go that route, then I'll probably re-do this air/liquid setup to tidy things up, as it's all crammed in there very crudely for now just to get it going sooner. One thing I've learned from making tons of cutsom hoses is: Summit's reusable hose-ends suck! Only plan to install them once, because reusing them creates an extremely high chance for a leak. Even when installed the first time, they like to leak. I stick to Fragola, now. Yes, it's expensive, but they don't leak.

After beating my head against the wall for the past 9 days, I've finally got the wiring sorted out to where the 4Runner will start. I feel at this point as if I am nearly intimately familiar with the 4Runner wiring. The bad thing is - the 4Runners and Tacomas changed wiring throughout the years between 96-04, as did they for auto vs manual. The problems I had, in case it helps anyone is, was my AM1 30amp fuse was blown but wasn't visible. My ground wire going to the neutral safety switch came loose. My BCM master harness plug was not fully seated. And I forgot I had stolen the 10amp fuse from the STOP for a different project. And on these, with the STOP fuse blown/removed, the security lock for the auto shifter will not release. So now, my shifter works as it should, the key fires the starter, and as far as I can tell, all of the non-5VZ related functions will work. I am going to remove the sensor for the AT temp idiot light and replace it with an actual gauge. I'm not using the oil pressure idiot light since my new gauge also has an idiot light. And because Glowshift, for some very stupid reason, does not offer their water temp gauge in 10-color White Elite, I'll be adapting the Toyota sensor and utilizing the stock gauge. The gauges on the 84-95 are so unreliable that even with my sensor disconnected on my 86 and 87, they would both randomly move the needles sometimes. Sure hoping this 97 is more reliable.

At this point, of course Glow Shift is back-ordered, so I'll be waiting on them and the custom Meziere fittings before I can actually fire this thing up and drive it. Going to finish everything else I can in the meantime, though.

Modifying the auto trans shift linkage proved to be incredibly simple. I was really dreading this. I simply took out the 71mm from the shift linkage that I moved the trans back. Put the selector in high gear (D) when setting the linkage on an auto trans. I then cycled thru the gears with the selector to ensure things were syncing up correctly. Before the swap, the shifter would go beyond D and would get caught up there. This will burn the trans up quickly if it is between gears. Just push the little white plastic spring security device on the front right if you can't get it out of park. So, the trans shifter is complete, and if you have a 2wd, your interior would remain factory!

As for the tcase, the shifter gets moved back far enough you'll have to cut sheet metal from the tunnel and modify your center console trim pieces. I actually opted to flip my shifter 180° to move it even further back and over to the right side so that I wouldn't have to cut the trim around the trans shifter. It also removes it from hitting my knee while I'm driving and relaxing my leg, which I've always hated about 90's Toyota interiors. I have no idea what the cover is on the front, but it reminds me of my 22R's transfer case, where I could convert back and forth from "forward shift" to "top shift". If it is possible to convert this to forward shift, then there's an extremely good chance that the interior could remain stock for 4x4's, too!

I should have taken my time to cleanly cut the plastic trim around the tcase shifter. Now that this project is driving and the ants are out of my pants, my OCD is kicking in on the finer details.

There was a tremendous amount of heated air and noise coming up thru the hole I'd cut, so I ordered some $$$ heat & oil resistant rubber from McMaster. It'll do 2 vehicles and cost about $30 total. This seals off the old shifter hole. I also added carpet underlay. I got enough to do 10 vehicles for $3 at Menards. The difference in air, heat, and noise is 5:1. Very comfortable now. But again, just wish I'd taken the time to cut the console cleanly. I plan to 3D print a cup holder for the old tcase shifter hole since it's the perfect spot and I need a good cup holder.

And oddly enough, I just stumbled upon this factory Toyota "modified bracket" for 2WD's, so apparently they didn't have to move their 4x4 crossmember.

There is a significant difference between 5VZ starters (and probably 3VZ). The 5VZ manual has at least 1 thru-hole. The Auto has 2 threaded holes. This means a manual starter can't really be used on an auto (unless you can clamp with bolt/nut), and to use an auto on a manual, you'd have to drill the threads out of the starter. So just pay attention when ordering a new one. I like to always go with the highest KW rating, which for these, is the 1.8KW "Cold Weather Package". This cheap TYC tested out at an actual 2.1KW. It's a #*$* to bolt in the auto starter (manuals are easy) with the trans and engine mounts installed, so this is better done before final installation of the trans x-mem. The nice thing about the trans dipstick is that it swivels out of the way.

The A/C lines fit, but the firewall line is super tight. If you have luck like me, you'll be able to bend the line to fit. Otherwise, you'll have to have this one remade at an AC shop.

I slid my 617 all the way back towards the firewall with the intention of cutting the lip off the firewall to be able to remove the valve cover. I'd rather do that and fit my favorite large 16" Spal fan than have to run 2 small 10" fans that cost even more per piece than the Spal (nuts!). This is the kind of clearance I have up front with this setup:

Now that my engine and trans are bolted down, I can mock up my battery relocation tray to see where it will clear the P/S and coolant reservoirs as well as leave room for Group 78 connections should I decide to go that route. The factory hold-downs in the 96-04 Toyotas suck, and even when tightened down to the point of damaging the battery, the battery still moves around. This solves that entirely. I installed (2) 6mm riv nuts to utilize the same mounting holes as a 22R 84-95 Toyota, and it's as simple as that! I am going to test the factory wiring first with the group 34R since I have one, and if it doesn't perform well enough, I'll install custom wiring and switch to a normal 34/78 so I can have the additional terminals.

Other items needing addressed before you put the 617 in include:

-Flip the 2 bolts going thru the crossmember that will hit the pan otherwise. You reduce the height considerably having the nuts on the bottom of the frame.

-Unbolt the heater hose valve and remove the heater hoses if not done so already

-Remove the gas vapor box on the LH fender

-If you didn't remove the TC, make sure it's seated all the way and put a light coat of white lithium grease on the pilot stub

-Of course I like to hotsy the engine bay, so I cover all electrical and bellhousing with plastic bags and have at it till I don't see any more grease. Then I do it again because I know I've missed spots

-I split the alternator/starter harness to separate the starter exciter wire from the 3 alternator wires, and this gives me enough room for the factory starter wires to reach the starter. I will be testing this factory wiring out before I spend the $$ on a new 1/0 starter wire and ground

-Put all of your bellhousing/starter bolts in the bellhousing before putting the engine in, as some of them are too tight to install once everything is mated together. When you have a bolt and nut, I put the nut on the rear side, so if it falls off, the G-forces will keep the bolt in place.

I do everything I can to the engine before installing it. Obviously the rear hoist mount and motor mounts. These motor mounts are slotted so you can decide how much radiator fan clearance you want vs. how much valve cover removal clearance you want.

I put the oil filter relocator, manifolds, ALDA Delete if applicable, alternator/PS/AC/vac pump brackets and accessories on but I leave the serpentine tensioner off. I leave the turbo off since it gets in the way of the starter and motor mount. I use an old spare valve cover since the chains would otherwise destroy my nicely painted cover. Make sure to get your flexplate on 100% (or flywheel/clutch), and you should be ready for installation. I leave the rubber isolators off the motor mounts to give me those couple extra inches to get things lined up. The radiator and serpentine tensioner/belt won't get installed till we're sure things are not coming back out again. You will have to remove the trans x-mem bolts or remove the x-mem completely and have the trans/tcase on a mobile jack as the assembly gets shifted roughly 71mm towards the rear. You'll want to uncouple both driveshafts, too. In my case, I went ahead and welded on my trans x-mem extension, only to later find out that the rear end of the pan was sitting on the heads of those (2) 10mm bolts. I dropped the x-mem to remove them, only for the pan to then rest on the extension bracket. I can't space the trans up as it'll shove the oil pan down, and it's already at min. clearance from the frame x-mem. So, I'll either have to drop the trans x-mem or notch the pan. I'll just modify my x-mem to work for this project, but if this swap becomes popular enough, I'll likely just fab a completely new x-mem since this thing is so crusty and disgusting anyway.

Another fuel system modification is to add a proper vented diesel cap, like Stant 10819D. The gasoline caps are sealed so the vapor can be sent thru charcoal canisters, etc., before being released wherever (in the case of this 4Runner - INTO the frame! Probably why it's rusting there). You'll need to seal the vent line either in the engine bay, or better yet, at the tank.

While the engine is out, several things need to get cleaned up in the engine bay. The power steering lines will get modified/cut down for our TC pump going on the top left of the engine. I cut the return line and added (1) 90° bend to point it in the general direction of the reservoir and added a bubble flare. Some new 3/8" return line, and it's as easy as that! The pressure line gets 2 special fittings + a -6AN hose. ICT Billet F06ANPSM1615 and Allstar ALL48210 convert the Jeep XJ TC pump and the Toyota outlet to -6. A 43" hose, preferably with a bend greater than 90° at the pump and straight at the box gets it done. I try to always route hoses so they touch nothing other than the isolating clamps holding them, otherwise they will eventually chafe thru, whether it's in a month or a 10 years. Since I'm not adding a lift/bigger tires, I don't see why I should need to add a fluid cooler since there wasn't one from the factory. If this was a manual truck, I would simply use the auto-trans cooler as the P/S fluid on the return side, as the line sizes are the same. Although all 3 radiator manufacturers I've spoken with said they'd void your warranty if the P/S caused a radiator failure, all 3 said that it should work fine as long as you're not sending the high-pressure side thru.

Automatic are certainly more challenging than manuals. When it comes to pulling your gasser, start by draining all of your fluids as completely as possible. I like to use the cheap kiddie pools as a catch-all, and 5 gal buckets to try to catch most of the fluids. The 3.4 loves to hold coolant well after you think you've gotten it all out. It is a popular opinion that if your trans fluid has been neglected and not been changed at regular intervals, it is best to leave it in there. In this case, be VERY careful not to get any dirt in your drain pan if you decide to drain it. Draining it, however, isn't necessary.

The removal of the 3.4 is a bit of a pain. Make sure you remove the torque converter bolts and leave the TC on the input shaft when you pull the engine, as to not damage the pump/seal or drop fluid everywhere. The most critical part of the engine-pull is to completely disconnect and save your wiring harness. The harness plugs into the ECU behind the glove box, as well as the BCM right next to it. Although over half of the harness will not get re-used, there are some very critical parts of it that will keep your truck from working if you remove it. This is more sever with automatics than the manuals, but A/C is one feature that is controlled thru this, as well as cruise control. The harness unplugs with quick connectors everywhere, so DO NOT CUT ANYTHING!!!

I will break down the wiring modifications at a later point. I'm still working thru it myself, right now. The good news is - if you buy a truck that's already been gutted, you can buy new harness plugs from Toyota. Automatic's have different ECU plugs than Manuals. Once I determine the minimum wires needed, you'll be able to build your own simple harness, if so desired, as the factory harnesses can be sold for over $200.

The fuel tanks on these didn't always come with drain plugs, WHICH REALLY SUCKS!! Mine had the tank replaced at some point, with a cheap aftermarket unit without a plug. I did my due diligence to drive the 4Runner down to empty before beginning the swap, and only had 1 gal left in the tank. To remove the fuel, I removed the fuel pump solenoid (located below the fuse panel and behind the trim panel (4 10mm bolts)), put the supply line into a bottle, and fed the blue/orange wire with 12v from the battery. This manually powered the pump and quickly spit out the rest of the gas. I then added 1 gal red diesel to the tank at a time to slowly dilute/purge the rest of the gas out. Adding 3 gallons all at once would dilute it less overall. Keep in mind that after putting the red diesel in the tank, it only took 5 seconds of the pump running to see it at the supply line. That's pretty fast! I pumped 3 gal. total of red diesel thru. Once I get the rig back outside, I will drop the tank, remove the fuel pump since it restricts fuel, modify the filler neck opening, and dump the red diesel out to replace with hwy legal fuel. For now, though, the fuel pump makes effortless work of priming the engine and removing all the hidden air. Mating the 617 fuel lines to the 4Runner couldn't be much easier! 3/8 for the feed and 617 cigar hose for the return. The 3/8 feed flare may cut thru the hose long-term, so either re-doing a bubble flare here, or getting a flare-to-barb adapter is probably a better solution.