Toyota 4Runner: The 2nd Gen is Cooler Than You Thought - Everything You Need To Know

This is everything you need to know about Toyota's 2nd gen 4Runner plus my 12 years of ownership experience. We'll cover it all from it's history and specifications to it's flaws and qualities. Check it out if you want to know all about this awesome vehicle.

[Dilomski]

As a fellow owner of one (91 3VZE Manual) I truly agree with the message of this video. Long live the second gen! And btw, the tailgate design is the best one!

[augustooliveira]

I have a 94. I love its engine sound...I love its not so good headlights... I'm crazy about the rear window mechanism...and finally...I love its total absence of this modern electronic stuff of all nowadays SUVs.

[notabigfoxatall]

I picked up a '95 3.0 2wd 4runner about a year and a half ago for 400 bucks, did the plugs, replaced a knox sensor and it's been the funnest car I've ever had

[fightthelies]

I have a 93 4runner with a 3.4 from a 98 4runner. The best of both worlds...

[seanomeara]

As a fellow owner of one (94 3VZE Auto) I truly agree with the message of this video also. I'm the 2nd owner, have had for 4 yrs now. It is slow but I do not care, hard to get speeding tickets. I use mine for work 6 days a week as a Handyman. I had 300K on the engine and it was getting tired. So recently replaced it with a Krate Refab Jasper engine. WOW! It can now actually get out of it's own way. BIG Difference. Jasper Warranty: 4yrs or 100, 000mi Parts and Labor. Well worth it cause I Love my lil Runner. To me best part is the Rear Tail gate (Work bench, place to rest at lunch, or change my boots). Plus the rear window is awesome, keep it cracked 2 or 3 inches and there is No Air-Buffering in the Cab. Long Live the Gen 2...

[slimdusty]

Just picked up a 1990 with 122, 000 original miles from original owner. It’s spotless inside and out. I’m am so stoked to start playing with it on the beach and in the mountains!

[mopshot]

Hey man! I have a ‘91 inline 4 22re 4Runner. It’s my first car, I got it two days ago and I am in love with it. The five speed manual was easy to learn to drive, and it runs like brand new! This video educated me on things I didn’t know about it. I appreciate it!

[danielboughton]

The turning radius is excellent and the size makes it very handy on old logging roads versus a full sized truck or modern SUV. This is what really sold the little pickups in the 80's - you could get into places that you couldn't go with your full sized rig. Replacement motors are inexpensive as are most parts but some parts e.g. the plastic bits are no longer available.

[TR_MEX]

Buying my first car on Monday! A 3rd gen 1999 4Runner with 160k miles on it! It’s not necessarily a 2nd gen but watching this video got me super hyped and seeing all the adventures and amazing times you had in your 2nd gen just gets me all giddy and exited lmao. Great video !!!

[vanillathunder]

They're the perfect size, with adequate leg and headroom for even a bigger guy. I've owned 3 generations of 4Runners and 4 generations of Land Cruisers, this one is my favorite to drive. Stock suspension with Moog rear coils and 31" tires. With the V6, if you have oil leakage it's likely to be the valve cover gaskets. Desmogging really opens up the engine compartment, making it not such a hassle to get around. Besides the primary coolant hoses, there are 3 bypass lines that probably should be replaced as preventative maintenance if they're original. Two lead to the bottom of throttle body and one is at the back of engine. The first two years have a much more appealing grille, with Toyota lettering rather than the Sombrero.

[stonepa]

Absolutely loved my 1994 3L 4WD SR5. Zero options - no running boards, no roof rack, no tinted windows, cloth manual seats, manual door locks, no ABS, no airbags, etc. Bought new and drove it for 225k miles. Replace the head gasket (preventative, , user warranty) at 75k miles. Absolutely zero issues even though it lived in Fairbanks, Alaska winters. Plugged it in at 30 below or colder and it never failed to start.

[ratametaleramr]

I just bought a 1995, my 4th vehicle, It also became my favorite, I just fell in love with it

[detailing]

I have a 95 with the 1KZ. Absolutely love it. I looked at a 3rd gen and yes, it was more refined, but the 3rd gen is just too civilized looking and plasticky for me. The 2nd gen still has that truck look. I think in time, these will become extremely desirable. I see 3rd gen 4Runners all the time but get stopped all the time to talk about my 2nd gen. It’s all in what you like.

[MaskedAvenger-ym]

OMG! I have the exact same one as the author’s! I love my 4Runner as well! I got mine from a former coworker who hardly drove it. I got mine with 86k miles on it! The following is some advice:
Don’t delete the EGR valve as it prevents preignition by cooling the intake charge (this info was from a former designer of the vehicle), also keep the stock exhaust. Even though it looks funny and seems counter-intuitive, the stock set-up provides for a good scavenge-effect and was designed as such to squeeze some more power out of the poor little engine that could! In fact ive spoken with and have read reviews on guys who replaced the stock exhaust with headers of which they concluded didn’t help at all and reduced power in some setups! Again this info was taken from one of the designers of that car (i wish I could find those white papers on the truck). Here are some tricks: i got some heads by LE engineering that really helped out a lot! It’s a night and day type of install! My engine just loves those cylinder heads! When you do the head swap, install tappet spacers for the greatest amount of valve lash which prevents some issues with the heads. Every 60, 000 miles it’s good idea to recheck valve lash of which i think has something h to do with head gasket failure. Only use MLS head gaskets, which has either solved the issue or delayed it something fierce! It also makes the engine sound very cool (I tell my truck, named Warner, that he sounds like half of a Ferrari!). The other modification that I have yet to do is to replace the intake manifold for one that actually flows. If you look at it, the air must make several flow reducing turns before the air gets to the cylinder! It’s a terrible design that is also seen in Ford Mustangs with the 5.0 engine! Anyhow, I estimate serious horsepower gains with the design I have made for it. The less obstacles and turns a charge has to make the better! On some of the other Toyota engines with a 3.0 v6 found on Lexus is a manifold and throttle body design which induces sonic tuning, of which creates a greater than 100% volumetric efficiency, or in layman’s terms is like having a blower hooked up! Either that or a sort of tunnel ram! The greatest issue is that fuel delivery nose dives upon closing in on 3500 rpm. Anyway, I should have something g up and running in a few months or so. The last item is to install a capacitive discharge ignition box for the primary and secondary transformer (coil). The stock one is ok, but really needs some serious joules to ensure 100% combustion. That alone should improve things all around. The last mod I would do is to increase compression ratio which is anemic 9.0:1! I would bump that up to as close as 11 as the engine would allow and with a hot ignition, better flowing heads should be able to run just fine! That engine has a forged crankshaft and connecting rods! It seems like it was originally designed with way more horse power. The block shows reinforcing webbing throughout! It was made for more power! Last, but not least is to install a higher volume fuel pump. The injectors are not too shabby. Any increase in volume would be beneficial!
Do not install the 3.4 twin cam setup! That is an expensive mod with very little gain. People who do this swap have paid a huge price in time and for meager increases. If you have to go crazy I would get their inline 4 cylinder engine, either turbo, super charged, or both if tons of power is what you want! They even come in crates ready to go and outproduce the 3.4 all around! But, I’m sticking with my unappreciated 3vze as I think it has great potential! I love my second gen 4Runner (so much so I named it) and plan on never giving him up!

[.colorado]

I am currently getting mine running again. The AFM freaked out and fried the efi relay among other problems…. It’s been absolutely great for years until the random issue. I also have a 1st gen and love them both.

[grayson]

always been one of my favorite looking 4Runners. Classic.

[matbrown]

Great video. I've had a couple tacoma's now, but I am getting a 1993 4Runner soon from a family member. I'm really mechanical so not much worries me, but researching this car is seems like 99% of people are swapping in the 3.4. This video gave me some more faith that the 3.0 will treat me good. I already drive a slow car so the speed won;t bother me!

[RonaldChapman-jgxu]

I love the body style the best on those over the new ones.

[fmayson]

95 3vze here. Got it at 290k, engine was already replaced. Its the best daily driver and adventure truck I have ever owned.

[trentonhollandsworth]

Finally some love for an amazing gen I got a 95 3.0 and I absolutely love the thing it’s so much fun