Need advice on parts & such

Just picked up a 2000 v6 4x4 TRD. It has 150,000 miles on it and I plan to drive it to work (60ish miles round trip) and do some light work around a horse farm. It needs some work but I haven't had a Tacoma since 1999 and I'm unsure where to start. I know I am within 10,000 miles of timing belt time and would love some advice on what to put on this thing. Spark plugs are needed, a fuel filter, other odds and ends. The parking brake doesn't work, the brake doesn't release ( was quoted $100 for the cable, sounds high) and the check engine light just came on! Where is a good place to go for parts? I used to get performance Products catalogs...can't find them online...any help would be apprieciated!

 

Plugs and filter can be purchased from a local parts store. Please don't get fancy plugs...they do no better than our OEM ones.

As for parts, Rockauto.com has heaps of parts at good prices, and we get 5% off as TW members (not much but it's ok). Go to the Rockauto forum in the vendor section.

 

Depends what work you can do yourself.

If you don't have a code reader then you can go to most auto part chain stores and get the code read free for you. Autozone, O'reilly etc. Just call in advance to make sure whatever stores you have local will do it for you free.

If you can do all the work then a couple of sources I use for parts are:
Rockauto.com Good range of parts in varying degrees of quality. Gives you a good choice on a repair to fit your budget. Also you can get codes to get a 5 percent additional discount. Not much, but all helps.

I've saved quite a bit off on parts using them. Some parts I do buy locally though if it is something I am concerned about the warranty. I'm sure RockAuto is fine with warranties, but would just rather walk in a local and get things taken care of right then on some stuff.

If you are after genuine Toyota parts then I've had good luck out of http://parts.tituswilltoyota.com/oempartscat.html

I tend to have my part numbers ahead (using a part listing), but just using the reg look up is fine too. I've contacted them also on some items to have them check them/look them up and not had a problem that way also. I look around on the truck and combine orders for all the bits I need. Even with paying shipping, in my instance, I come out way cheaper that way.

As far as parts it needs really comes down to you having a good look. I'd change all the fluids, check out the suspension and brakes, get it aligned, clean the maf and throttle body and generally give it a good going over.

Hope that helps!

cheers

 

Thanks! Unfortunately I cannot do it myself and think I got scammed abit last week on the brakes...looks like I will be searching here first! On to rock auto, thanks again!

 

If your parking brakes are not releasing (dragging the shoes on the drums) then you can temporarily disconnect the cable at each drum. Just need pliers for the cotter key (doh't lose those little parts). The bell crank lever thingy is springloaded and should move freely and back the shoes off from the drum.

 

You don't need to disconnect the cable, usually. Just make sure there is slack in it, then hammer (gently) the arms back out and don't pull it again until you get it fixed. They corrode to the point that the springs don't pull them back as they are supposed to.

$100 for the cable is high to buy, not far off to buy and install at typical labor rates. There are two (or three) cables - a front cable, a rear cable, and perhaps a third cable between the wheels. If one rotted away replace both/all three to save time replacing the other one/two when they break later. I got the back with the new frame and just had to do the front one 15 months later. That was $29 shipped from rock auto (somewhat less if combined with other items so there's less shipping) which was a good deal less than the local "discount auto parts" places wanted ($45-50)

Cable won't cure (has nothing to do with) the usual sticking emergency brake problem, which happens because Toyota made it happen by using an aluminum pivot for a steel arm in a wet location - designed to fail. Cost me about $350 to have it done by someone else, but I did not have time to mess with it myself at that point.

Supposedly the guy who repaired mine packed it with silicone grease so as to slow down the repeat failure - the other method to keep it from failing, once repaired, is to use the thing (but not if the truck will sit for days/weeks) - I don't set it in the driveway, but do set it when I'm out shopping or whatever where it will only be a few hours.

While the free readings of the CEL are well and good, I'm a recent (and this forum is the cause) convert to the ultragauge, which does code-reader duty and considerably more, though it's a bit limited by what's actually there for sensors on the older trucks. There are other options in the same line.

 

Timing belt (and water pump) are done at 90,000 mile intervals FWIW

 

Went to advance auto and the code came up for evaporation system leak and the gentleman instructed me to get a smoke test. I have never ran into this in all my broken car misadventures! The timing belt was changed at 95,000 miles, I am taking car of that this month. I am hoping this truck will be as awesome and dependable as my '98 but it looks like its gonna take abit! Thx for all the info!

 

Try a new gas cap - the cheap fix for many evap problems. I found that my old chevy/ford locking gas caps fit the Toyota, but the evap system did not like them (they were evap, but the pressure was wrong, I think). Simply having the stock cap loose, or with a worn seal will give an evap code. It's worth a try since a new gas cap is often cheaper than a test, and frequently (but not always) is the cause of the problem (look around for broken or disconnected hoses while you are at it, of course.)

 

That is brilliant. It came on about 20 miles after my second fill up...it would make sense to me that it wa the gas cap...