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.