Bought my dream truck.. and it shakes like CRAZY. Help me!!!

Ya right like Friday's are normal. Can I quote you on that.

 

Spray carb cleaner on your hoses. If the engine revs you have a leak.

 

There's some good advice here Kate. It must be incredibly frustrating to have this happen, and it might be painful emotional ly and financially to have to do so much work. But remember that the first gens were the last of a breed in many ways, and will last at least 300,000 miles if well maintained, whereas many cars are done at 150k, like my wife's now deceased 02 VW Jetta (may it rot in hell). When I had to sell my 01 Tacoma with only 150k miles, I was heartbroken.

First, so you have the owners manual and maintenance schedule? If not, you can download from Toyota. Do this. This is your baseline info for the rest of its life.

For example, the V6 has a timing chain, not a belt. It should be replaced every 90k miles, and can be about a $500+ job. So plan for that, and it is common practice to replace the water pump at the same time, because of all the labor involved to access it down there. It is cheap insurance.

Now you have to consider the low mileage sitting for a long time factor as others have mentioned, and the fact that the dealer was happy to sell yours with a substantial driveability issue. It's safe to assume they spent no money or effort flipping that truck. So be diligent and proactive, especially with a long road trip coming up. Others have mentioned aged rubber, for one.

Have the brakes thoroughly services with a good change. When the time comes for pass and especially rotors, I highly recommend Centric.

Coolant. Have it flushed now, and have Al the hoses carefully inspected, even the very small crooked one under the throttle body. Have them put on a new radiator cap too. Only use the Toyota specified coolant.

Fuel filter. Another cheap and easy maintenance item that is not even on the service schedule. I did mine At 120k miles, and the fuel that came out of the upstream side looked like weak coffee.

I'm assuming you've found the 1st gen how to thread. Goldmine. Even if you be doing the work yourself, the information and videos will make you an informed owner when having others so the work for you, and give you confidence.

 

Can I move in next door to you? This is so much helpful info. Thank you so much for taking the time to lay this all out so clearly, I am truly dying to take amazing care of this truck and the list you sent is SO helpful. I think you’re 100% right that the dealership didn’t put any energy or money into the truck, and the guy who owned it before was in his 80s and probably just drove it around his neighborhood in Phoenix... until he died then it sat in his wife’s garage for 2 years. So it’s seeming pretty likely not much work has been done on this truck.

Im going to get the service records from the Toyota site today. Also just wrote down everything you said into my little notebook of things to bring up at the mechanic.

THANK YOU!!!! So much.

 

its not a belt


....

weak coffee does not sound good!
the toyota mechanics have told me for over 15yrs that this filter is a lifetime part hahah

 

Yea it’s a belt!,
Not a chain

 

1st gen v6s are a belt. every 90k miles. replace it. do the pump at the same time. if its original after 15 years id consider replacing it anyway because it is rubber.

 

come to the 1st gen section on a Friday and see for yourself I guess

 

Timing belt, water pump, cam seals, antifreeze, thermostat , belts, idler pulley, pulley, etc

A complete timing kit should be done at 90k in 20,000 miles because probably none of this has be done before and will cost more like 1000 if the dealer does it.
Use OEM parts.

 

I will for sure plan on doing this at 90K.. I’m up to 80K now so this gives me a little time to budget for this.. Thank you!!

 

Welcome to Tacoma World. It looks like a nice find. With that low of mileage, it just needs some TLC to make a come back.

Just take your time and hopefully you can find some good advice from other Tacoma owners in your area to help assess any issues.

 

Thank you thank you!! Definitely excited for the journey of taking care of this beautiful little truck!!

 

Just spent a while reading threads on the slip joint... definitely sounds like one of the things I’ve got going on for sure after reading about it. Thanks again

 

although its recommended doing the timing belt at 90k miles I let mine go over to 110k miles and it really probably could have gone further than that, the 3.4l engine is a non interference engine that means that if the timing should snap(hardly ever happens) the engine would NOT be destroyed by it. so don't sweat doing the belt exactly at 90k miles although its recommended by Toyota, that service would cost a little over $1000 plus if done by a Toyota dealership

 

Keep an eye on the upper and lower ball joints as well, just replaced my dad’s at 150K.

 

Since I am not a Tacoma Expert my guess would be dry brittle rubber pieces someplace. You talking a lot of heat in a Garage during the summer in Phoenix. Maybe a tranny mount or other kind of bushings. Maybe the video below will help you. Congrats on the new truck I know it sucks but the shacking sure beat,s electrical problems.

 

Okay, awesome.. that gives me a little leeway to deal with whatever I’m going to have to pay to deal with this steering rack bushing/shock whatever jitters situation before paying for the timing belt!! But so good to know what work to expect in the not too distant future. Thanks so much

 

Cool I’ve been reading about those a bit... hopefully I don’t have to have those replaced yet but will add it to the list to get checked out! Thanks a lot

 

Sweet! Definitely will watch the video, I’m feeling like there’s a steering rack bushing situation going on. Thanks so much for the link

 

the jitters really sound like a tire balance whats the tires brand name on that truck some cheaper Chinese knockoff tires have all kinds of issues like that or try rotating the tires see what happens. yeah don't sweat the timing belt although its good to do the recommended maintainence intervals this is one case where cost really factors in and in reality a little premature to do it at 90k miles, I mean if u got money to burn than do it if not id say max to 115k-120k miles do it. I read instances where some peeps waited to 200k miles not really recommended