BamaToy's Garage and Diagnostic Center.

Just a thought here, as I remember something I saw many years back on a GM truck. Have you checked all of the cab and bed bolts and mounts? Perhaps one has worked loose a tiny amount?

Doubtful that you blew the oil pump since normally it would have to run dry for a while before you would do that. I would consider, depending on the kit, temporarily removing it and going back to factory. Then start it up and see if the problem is still there. Things to check would be the oil pressure sensor to see if the connector came loose when the hose came loose. (I don't know how the kit was installed, or if it is even possible, but just a consideration) Double check oil level. Remove filter and fill with oil, then reinstall and restart engine.

 

Looks like im about to wire up my winch here in a couple of weeks..

I did your cable upgrade for my 3rd gen 4runner..i know i have to wire directly to my battery for best performance..

Just out of curiosity, will that digital voltage meter be okay with all that amperage going thru it when I winch?...

 

The amperage doesn't pass through the voltage gauge. So no worries there!

 

thanks!

 

Hi Bill,

I have an update for you ...

As a background i have an '05 V6 access cab 4x4 Off-Road that was making a fairly loud intermittent metallic 'click' ... usually a single click but sometimes a double click ... usually with the wheels turned fairly hard over and moving back or forward at low speed.
I took it to the local dealer and the mechanic told me that i had a bad wheel bearing. He replaced it and the noise did not go away.
Next he said that it was a cv axle. He replaced it. The noise did not go away.
Next he replaced the front brakes ... everything ... calipers and all. Noise did not go away. (brakes had less than 12,000 miles on them)
This is when i asked you for ideas and you advised me to have them check the tie rod ends and the power steering rack mounting bolts.
They did this and nothing unusual was found.

Luckily for me a second Tacoma came into the dealership with the SAME click noise but his was louder and was clicking more often than mine so they were able to zero in to the click noise fairly easy ... his fix also worked on mine!

You were on the right path with the steering rack bolts ... the problem turned out to be the front bumper sub-assembly bolts required loosening and re-torqueing! Click gone. OMG.

As a side note ... in the process of checking and rechecking all of the front suspension components trying to locate the source of the click one of my ball joint boots got damaged by a clumsy mechanic with a pry bar. The dealership is telling me that in order to replace the ball joint the bumper and fender has to come off.

Now i am no automotive mechanical genius but ... really? I have never heard of any car having to have fenders removed in order to replace a ball joint or any other suspension part. It doesn't make sense to me at all but then again i had a Ferrari 348tb that required the engine to come out in order for the major service to be performed.

Is it true that the truck has to be fenderless in order to replace the ball joints? Please say it ain't so!

 

Not true. Any of the Tacoma ball joints can be replaced without removal of any of the components they listed. It is a simple and easy job. Either way it shouldn't cost you a DIME since their mistake is what resulted in the ball joint damage.

 

How legit is this? @BamaToy1997

 

Thanks Bill and Door Ding.
It is nice to know people that know!
I don't know what is going on with this dealership's service department but it is extremely disconcerting and i have next to zero confidence in their mechanics.
The service advisor is supposed to call me tomorrow after he talks with the service manager as to the damaged ball joint.
Stay tuned!

 

Not really sure. Will have to check into it and do some research. Haven't heard of the company.

 

Oil level is just a smidge over the high mark, primed the filter before installing, and checked the oil sensor.

They are a smidge too small to insure a tight fit. Smaller hoses would increase pressure though; could it be the light is on because pressure is too high?

 

Never seen an oil pressure come on for too HIGH pressure. Most are simply a pressure switch that opens when pressure reaches a certain point. (Usually just 13psi) Try this: Disconnect the oil pressure switch and see if the light goes off.

 

What would that tell me? I'm trying to run the engine as little as possible incase the oil pump isn't functioning.

 

I can't recall off the top of my head, but I believe on the 1st gen the pressure switch is normally closed, and when oil pressure it opens, thus turning off the light. So if you disconnect it, the light should go out. This way you will test the wiring from the sensor. You have to realize that without being there, we can only make suggestions of things to check. You said you checked the sensor and that it is ok. How did you test it? Did you apply fluid pressure to verify? Or does it just "look ok". The only real was to know for sure is to get an oil pressure test gauge and hook it up. Not something everybody has in their garage tool box, so I am trying to have you check things that are simple to do. Disconnecting the sensor is easy, and doesn't require the engine to be running. Just the key to be on.

 

Just checked to make sure it was pluged in. Ill try to disconnect it and see if that fixes it. Besides the oil light, what would be signs of a bad pump? Noise, metal in the oil?

 

Noise of course and metal in oil filter. Give me a recap on everything that was done, and checked. I don't want to go back over myself. lol

 

So installed a Jegs oil filter relocation kit. Had no issues but a small leak that developed.

Leak was so small, I ignored it for a while but it started to get worse. Look everything over but couldn't locate the leak. I wiped down what I could and started the engine. As I was going to look into the wheel well, not even 5 seconds after starting the engine, the hose blew. The part of the hose that blew was closer to the block.

I immediately shut down the engine. I took all of the hose off, drained about another 2-3 quarts of oil from the pan (this makes me thing the oil pump is ok), and got some new hose and a new filter. Installed new hose and new filter (primed the filter) and started it up. Refiled the oil (went a smidge over the full tick line) and started it up.

Of note, removed the neg batt terminal while working on it which could be where the rough initial idle came from. Always has a bit rough idle after starting it up.

The oil light never turned off. I checked the oil sensor to insure its plugged in. It was right next to the oil blow out so it got soaked so I might clean the connector and see if that's the issue.

No unusual sound and no metal was found in the oil when I drained it. Checked hoses for kinks, none found.

 

Getting an oil pressure tester:

$45 Advanced Tool Design Model ATD-5550 Automatic Transmission and Engine Oil Pressure Gauge Kit

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-ATD-...&qid=1448580999&sr=1-3&keywords=oil+gauge+kit

Do you know the oil pressure sensor thread size by any chance? Probably need one of these too:

$15 Equus 9848 Oil Pressure and Electronic Temperature Metric Adapter Kit

http://www.amazon.com/Equus-9848-Pr..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=10NGJKZB06AJXQBPP461

 

Usually those oil pressure gauges come with what you need to connect in. I would suggest removing the OPS and screw in the gauge there, then check for ACTUAL pressure output.

 

Year: 2008
Make: Tacoma
Model:
Engine size: 4.0



Is a lift installed: yes
Aftermarket components: non
Is there an alarm system installed: no
When did you first notice the problem?: yesterday
How often does it occur?:
What have you ALREADY replaced to try and fix it?: checked the connections under the seats
Have you checked codes?: no


OK here's the problem. I had the spiral cable replaced under the recall last year. Well yesterday the stupid light came back on and I'm not really sure how to go about checking the rest of the connections to just rule them out. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Rob