What's next? New 1st Gen Taco Owner

After a owning an 11 TRD SPORT AC, 01 4x4 Reg Cab, 17 TRD PRO DC, and now a 2004 TRD DC! Yes I like the 1st Gens Better!

So I picked her up for 8k has had the frame replaced and has been well taken care of over the years. I'm the 3rd owner, clean car fax. As this is my 2nd car I'll be doing a lot of tinkering...

So far here's my list of work done...
Oil Change
Trans Fluid Change
Air Filter
Air Fuel Sensor (due to CEL)
PCV Valve
LED Headlight Bulbs
LED Reverse Light Bulbs
New Black Headlights, Corners, and Blinker housings
Replaced broken AC Panel Knob
Replaced one missing Red Headlight Filler with 2 Black Headlight Fillers
Front Brake Pads and Rotors (to be installed)
AC Condenser and Drier (almost fixed the AC, not cold enough when stopped, thinking it might be the Fan Clutch)
New Denso Plugs and Toyota wires (to be installed)
Fuel Filter (to be installed)
18" XD 820 Grenade Wheels
Nitto Ridge Grappler Tires
Tinted Front windows
Trailer hitch (to be installed)
New Battery

Coming soon -
Bilsteins 5100s in the front

First pic of when I got her-

After I got her home and cleaned up-





What I had to buy my wife to let me do my thing to the truck... (Yes I bought myself a wallet)


Latest Pics - -

 

I'm keeping my eye out for a good deal on a new bumper...

 

How many miles on the timing belt? I noticed the new belt kits come with a water pump gasket that is an improvement over the earlier RTV type water pump sealant.

The reason I ask, is I just replaced the timing belt, water pump, and related items from the kit on an engine with 70,000 miles due to age -- not due to miles. So in the process of changing the water pump, I could see the original liquid gasket sealant had started to break down and it was beginning to weep a small amount of coolant. Not a lot and certainly not enough for an overheating condition at that point. I just surprised to see some small seepage at that mileage.

If your year model initially used a liquid gasket for the water pump seal, and it is still running the original, keep an eye out for that. We start to see rubber/sealant based items begin to age after 15 years.

 

Yes the timing belt is on my mind. How big of a job do you think that is too do, well how complicated do you think it is, i.e. DIY or Shop job? This truck has 179k and supposedly had it done around ~120k but for piece of mind it's on my list. Also I've noticed that in working on a few things already I've had quite a bit of rusty bolts that have fought me... any tricks of the trade for that? I've been using PB Blaster spray however still had one break on me... Thanks for the heads up on the water pump gasket.

 

Great looking truck!

You need to somehow get away from that equal spending mentality otherwise you’re going to have a half modded 1st gen and a closet full of Louis Vuitton shit.

 

Conrad - she's already got a closet full of it!!! LOL

 

Craig - is this a good Timing Belt Kit with Water pump? (on Amazon)

$205 Aisin TKT-025 Engine Timing Belt Kit with Water Pump - Compatible with Select Toyota 4Runner, T100, Tacoma, Tundra

Aisin TKT-025 Engine Timing Belt Kit with Water Pump

 

Well you're on here, so I guess you're doing ok. I got a little 2014 Scion FR-S and that meant my wife had to get a 2019 4Runner TRD-OR Premium.. I'm not sure how she was allowed to spend triple the amount of money, but hey.. I'm happy.

 

I see a lot of members buy the kit on eBay from a seller named aircabinman. I paid a little more and got a kit from a seller named toyolec. I didn't know about aircabinman when I bought mine. Just search on aircabinman in the forum. I'm sure it's all good.

 

Timmy the toolman has a great video on the belt process. I'm on my mobile phone at the moment. When I get home to my computer I'll show you some lower cost tool alternative s. Former NJ resident here - so I know how to improvise

 

Not to forget @turbodb has a good write up on the belt change job.

 

how is the highway road noise on those tires?

have you attempted the fuel filter change?

 

Here's the step-by-step (literally) that you can print out and follow. Includes all parts and tools needed. Also includes a link to Timmy's video that @CS_AR mentioned.

Happy to answer questions as well if you have any.

Step by Step Toyota Tacoma Timing Belt Replacement for 3.4L V6 5VZFE (also 4runner, Tundra, and T100)

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The tire noise on the highway is pretty good, meaning quite. My friends have all switched to the Nitto Ridge Grappler from other brands as these are aggressive looking and quiter on the road then others. (Terra Grapplers for example)

No I have the fuel filter but haven't got to it yet... any gotyas? Of course I always search here for instructions prior to installing anything... I've learned the hard way!

 

Thanks Dan!!! That's very helpful!!! I'll definitely have to think this one over as those tools are pricy...

 

Please do share... just looked at Dan's tool kit, impressive and $$$!

Thanks everyone for the tips so far!

 

Might want to read over this thread, see you put LEDs in your stock headlights. I can't tell you how many times I've been blinded the last few years from people putting LED bulbs in stock housings, occasionally some will adjust them down but it doesn't do much good. Reminds me of what my dad used to say when someone had their brights on 'I'd like to take a ball bat to his headlights'

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/why-leds-should-not-be-run-in-halogen-reflectors.454371/

Personally my OCD kills me having a couple LED bars on my truck and then having 'yellow' halogens. I only run the bars on the country back roads when no other vehicles are around so I can see the deer, coon, opossums, etc better. Some day when I have extra money laying around, I plan to retrofit to protecters and HIDs

 

Yeah, not cheap for parts+tools, but for me still much less - by $1000 or so - than taking it into the dealer. That will vary by locale of course.

 

any clue if the fuel filter is original never been changed?
they stopped changing this for me on the big all-inclusive maintenance packages in 2oo1 or perhaps 2oo3 (need to dig out records still and check) claiming it to now be a Toyota 'Lifetime part' ... many here beg to differ
it might have some torqued on type of issue if not a weathering problem from the wintery stuff, Timmy the Toolman has a good video on the 3.4 process