What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Yea valve cover gaskets are pretty good and don't fail to often. I check mine every oil change since the engine is over 100k now

 

I'm at 260k and have been chasing stupid maintenance items that have neglected since I bought the truck in December 2016, but I paid $750 and have put 23k on the truck so no complaints.

 

Main leaf spring is no longer continuous. Broke it at Rock Therapy.

Going to order a custom leaf pack, just not bothering right away.

 

A few pages back a few of y’all were talking about led work lights! I have three of them for sale! I’m trying to raise money for some new tires. I will let all 3 of them go to someone on this thread for $300 pm me if interested 2 40W and 1 50W

 

FedEx dropped off the second mirror.
Nice weather out, time to work on the Taco

 

Well I bought my tacoma about 4 days ago. Soooo I put a new air filter in. Still count?

 

Well I don’t think it’s the filter or the drain plug

 

yeah. Time to do the valve cover gaskets!

 

Picked up a scan gauge II. Still trying to figure it out how it all works.

 

Yeah it appears so but I just realized I check the oil this morning on a slanted driveway and that’s why it wasn’t showing any oil on the dipstick... I change the oil every 3k and there isn’t a significant loss of oil ever so it must be super slow. Might call Toyota tomorrow to see how much they would charge to do it since I don’t really have the time to mess with it.

 

I had the valve cover gaskets replaced last year by Toyota. Wasn’t cheap. I still got the invoice somewhere.

 

yeah that won't be cheap. Be a 4 hour job minimum id bet. Have to take the entire intake off.

Might as well do the TB and Water pump if your due.

 

I’m not sure what Toyota is charging per hour for labor but I think you’re on track with “4 hour job minimum” estimate. I found my invoice from last year. Labor for that was $554.95.

I had the TB and WP done as well.

 

I would clean the engine off real well with degreaser and try to pin-point where the leak(s) are before paying someone to throw parts at it. Also, try tightening the valve cover bolts slightly, they tend to loosen up and allow some weeping. Don’t go crazy though, torque spec is only 53 in-lbs for those.

 

Just did the timing belt and water pump right before winter. I figured it’d be like $550. This truck is a love hate deal: love that it’s reliable and seems to go forever, hate that with high miles comes with maintenance costs. I’d do it myself but my garage is filled with two mustangs and a motorcycle that are all put up for winter and school just started back up so that will take a bunch of my time. I keep telling myself “You only paid $750. You only paid $750.”

 

Valve cover gaskets were what prompted me to start doing the maintenance on my truck. Local mechanic (who I had been going to for years, not a shyster at all) quoted me $450 to do them. And because we were in a bit of a financial pinch at the time, I just didn't have $450. So I said to myself, "You used to work on nuclear power plants, for Pete's sake! Why can't you do it?" Bought a Haynes manual, bought a couple extra tools that I needed, bought the parts, all came up to about $150. Took a long time because I was being slow and paranoid, but I got it done. Haven't been back to a mechanic since, saved thousands of dollars.

 

Yes, that’s the plan for tomorrow. Gonna be taking some time and cleaning everything and figure out where it’s coming from.

 

Reminds me to call toyota tomorrow for a price check on the steering rack and outer tie rod ends might as well buy the valve cover gaskets as well

 

You might want to check with @gunny1005 on pricing, he can probably get you a better deal than your local dealership.

 

Yea more than likely thanks. Especially since the nearest one is about 40 miles from me and I hate driving in that town lol. Bunch of idiots and people who just don't care until your right on there bumper.