I recently purchased a 1985 Toyota 4Runner with a 22RE engine, G52 5spd tranny, 4cyl dropouts, and 4cyl  T-case (in other words bone stock).

In Ontario Canada we are required to do emission testing. I am burning oil (blue smoke on startup) but threw in 15W40 Diesel oil (a little heavier, less blue smoke, valve seals?) , I ran the truck through twice, but it failed twice. So I was left with a decision, do I rebuild the engine, or replace it?

I think I've decided I will replace the engine with a 4.3L V6 Vortec (post '93). I was running through 4WOR back issues and in Feb 1998 they did an issue on 4.3 Vortec in to a Toyota but they also went with the 700R4 tranny. My questions are; will the 4.3 tear my G52 to pieces, what parts do I require for the swap(if anyone has done it), what are the fabrication/ customizations req for the swap, should it be lifted (suspension or body and how much), and am I an idiot...

This is just a stepping stone, to a wild Toy. All responses greatly appreciated. Thx.

As a fellow Ontarian, I have heard some ways of avoiding the e-test, plus in 2005, your truck wont even need an e-test anymore anyway as it will 20 years old!

4.3L V6 will go, but if you wanna make a bad ass 'yota, put a GM trans behind it. I think for the 4.3L you need a 3" body for hood and firewall clearance issues. A suspension lift of 2" also helps, but you'll be doing more than 2" if its gonna be a bad ass yota.

e-mail me at quyonmob@hotmail.com if you wanna know some ways to dodge the e-test 

in my opinion the 4.3 is a lot of hassel.  You've gotta deal with the computer and in my opinion a very underpowered engine.  If you're looking for power I'd go with a gmc 350 or if you could get ur hands on a 460 stroker that would be sweet.  But in wanting to keep ur already light pick up that way u could go with the 4.3.  I'd replace the tranny with one from a wrecked s-10 or blazer to match ur 4.3  

you can get carb adapters for the 4.3L if you are concered about having an extremely reliable EFI system that can handle steep inclines

I personally wouldnt carb it.

why not a 20r head on your 22r? i've heard this is a mod that toy guys do for more compression. i'm not a toy guy so it's just hearsay. if you still have good compression and the valve seals are the problem, you can probably get a kick ass head built for less than an engine swap, and maybe even a cam. check in with the the import tuner guys(plenty of them are posting on our 'board). they're pulling all kinds of horsepower out of their 4 bangers.

if the swap is in order, i would do a 350 over a 4.3. they can't weigh that much more and the parts are cheaper and more available.

personally if your immission testing is anything like we have in alaska your truck wont pass with a chevy motor in a toy but what you can do is find a wrecked toy get the motor swapped(make sure to find a newer toy so you know it will pass im swap it then do the conversion becouse any good mech will tell the diff between a normal toy motor and a chevy motor.  or just shop around to find one that takes bribes the guy i go too does the passing part for fifty bucks...   

The owner of this truck is in Canada. We have a motor swap clause in our e-tests, in Ontario at least.

If the truck is euipped with a motor that was never offered in that model of truck, the truck then only has to pass baseline 1980 emission standards, regardless of teh year of the truck or motor.

That is how the law reads, now pulling it off may be a different story.

A GM 4.3 was defiantely never offered in a Toyota.

Goodluck.

Hey guys. Thanks for all the help and ideas. I think I will still go with the 4.3 over the 350 or 460(yikes), because the 93-96 4.3L vortecs put out 190hp and 250lb/ft torque (not 100% but close) relatively cheap ($500Can) and enough people sell the pieces i would need to fab(I have limited access to a shop). As for the chev tranny, everyone seems to go with the 700r-4 but I need a stick. Any ideas? I still would like to pass my etest in the meantime. Yes, Ontario does have a clause to swap engines, It is then considered a hot rod. Slacker emissions...  Yes I am aware I'll have to lift it. I'm thinking 2.5" body and 3" springs, but... 33's will look tiny ha... Again a mighty thanks to all of you for your suggestions and ideas.  Brian