22r-e the legendary turd... testimonies, stories, problems, BS, etc.

HELLO. I recently picked up an '86 4runner with a SAS and a bunch of other goodies. I absolutely love the thing. It's rough and abused but has a lot of good parts in it. It has a 22re with... who knows... 300k miles?? hard to say. It consumes oil more than I'm comfortable with but besides that it seems healthy and goes vroom. Cold starts like a champ! I started it in -22 degrees the other day.

I guess I'm curious your guys' experience with these little mills. High miles, cool stories, abusing them, building them, maintaining them, common problems... everything! It's a neat little engine and I'd like to enjoy it for as long as possible. thanks!

 

I've always considered it the best Toyota engine ever produced and the 3.slow the worst. No stories, they just work.

 

back in the day I took this thing from San Jose to Carlsbad on 1 tank of gas ….back when the speed limit was 55, so I was most certainly under 70 mph (3 pit stops with the gen 3 v6 doing 90+). The ticking. Oh, the ticking …I think I had the valve covers off more than on trying to make the ticking stop. Good motor, but was happy when the v6 came, that is until the day the head gasket blew up.

 

Super cool! I've heard that the valves need to be lashed every now and again... that and timing chain guides can be a problem. How I'd love to go back in time and order a new vehicle at a dealership. Beautiful truck!

 

About 20 minutes before the picture was taken I had an 87 regular cab 4x4 deluxe with the bench seat …then I met the woman that would eventually become my wife, all 5'-0” of her and she loves to drive ….traded the 87 in for the pictured truck with buckets. Wasn’t long after the photo was taken that I built out an 80’s version of an overlander, snug top with carpet kit, and we were off to many uh road trip. Fun truck! And yes, those were the days.

 

I don't mind a healthy 22R-E, they do a good job at making a couple lethargic horsepower nearly indefinitely. I still swap them and 3VZ-E out equally because, well neither of those two make any power and they both have their issues. But if I have to drive around a pre-taco for a bit with a stock engine, I'd rather hear the 22R-E struggle to maintain 60mph than the 3VZ-E. I want to say they just work... but usually they've got bad head gaskets or ruined chain guides, or someone has messed up the intake tract "simplifying" the vacuum or the VAFM or O2 feedback is broken. It's a good engine, but I think a lot of folks look at it with rose colored glasses too just because it the R engines have been in something or another in the USA basically from 1974-1995.

 

I had a 80's truck with the 22r-e. Really don't remember the exact year or if it was even the original engine. Man that thing was something. I bought it used off a car lot in Van Nuys after my Vette was totaled & drove the shit out of it. I remember it had manual steering and turning that wheel was a bitch when stopped but ok when rolling. It was green w/ a stripe & burned & leaked oil like crazy. It was so bad I carried several quarts on board. Wife wanted to name the car so I picked "Shit Stain" because it marked its place. We settled on "The Green Burrito" for the same reason and it was green. LOL It's the only vehicle I've ever named. I gave it to my son with 300k+ miles on it. He drove it & gave it to a cousin with 550k miles. A couple of other family members had the car & then it was sold to our gardeners son. One night, we were driving home & came across a horrible accident between a green truck & a 18 wheeler. The semi ran a red light & broadsided the truck. As we drove past, we both said- that looks like The Green Burrito! Turns out it was. The kid loaned it to a friend to move & he was badly injured in the truck but survived. Sad end for that truck, always wondered what the final mileage on it was. Maybe 700k? All of our family has fond memories of that truck. All you have to say is Green Burrito & the stories flow. Even carrying oil on board- there was always that story of checking oil & nothing on dip stick or changing oil & only a quart or less drains out. It took a semi to kill that truck.

 

I feel that way too. Every engine, brand, etc. has some bad years or flaws/defects no matter how prolific. Like the killer dowel pin on the 5.9 Cummins. The guy I got mine from put all new vacuum hoses on the engine and it runs fine so I don't want to "delete" it. Hopefully it stays that way. The check engine light comes and goes without any upset on the gauges. I just ignore it anymore....

 

lol that's awesome! I love hearing those stories. The way machines can create a personality for themselves. My grandpa talks about having an early 70s toyota pickup 2wd when he worked in a machine shop for the navy. Also logged stupid miles on it and gave it to a coworker for cheap. and it still lived many more years with an ass-ton of miles on the clock. I'd like to think it's sitting in a yard somewhere long retired but more than likely I bet it was crushed 20+ years ago. Hard to say.

 

Wanted this truck since I was 8yo and saw the movie. Got it in ‘19. It’s an ‘85 with the 22RE and solid front axle. Only had 89,xxx miles when purchased. Now has 93,xxx. Runs strong. Unfortunately, it does have the automatic transmission. Maybe I’ll swap it one day.

 

My 2000 Tacoma I’ve owned since new. This has the 3.4L V6, with almost 300k mi’s. Added a few things to make it look like the Marty Truck in 2014 when I thought I’d never get the ‘85. This truck (& motor) has been fantastic.

 

FUCKIN SICK!! It's crazy that the pickup is almost as famous as the Delorean when at the time I'm sure it was a pretty mundane/typical 4X4. Seems like as the movie gets older people want that truck more and more. I'd personally take the truck over the DMC any day! Not that the opportunity would ever present itself... How much did you pay for that '85? If you don't mind me askin

 

I like those years of the 1st gens most, before the final face lift for sure! What wheels are those?? NEVERMIND. saw the wheel info in your profile.