1999 Tacoma Rebuild Over the Years

I didn’t know they made the X3 in a 33/1050 now. How do you like them so far? Pics?

 

I’ve only gotten maybe 40-50 miles on them so far but they are quieter than the same sized BFG KM2s they replaced. They look like a mirror image of he BFGs with a little bit of flair.

 

I’ve got maybe 30-40k miles on these tires. So far so good for wear, wet weather, and general road goodness. Granted I have a set of 5, they still look good.

 

I’ve got some posts here but will consolidate soon enough.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/hoping-a-valve-adjustment-will-suffice.640858/page-2

 

I don't give a shit about tires. I want to know about the engine/valve train.

 

So, the ol’ gurl lost power and had a shudder. It made a 1000 mile trip to limp home though. Pulled compression and got 50psi on #1. Pulled the head and had a burnt exhaust valve. Got the head reworked with new valves, seals, and guides. Shop made some seats and set the valve lash.

On the list to do this coming week as well is a new clutch and plate. And delete the balance shafts.

 

Nice truck, I’m looking to do a slight lift and go with some pro comp wheels as well. Would I be better tire choice wise with a 15x8 or go up to a 16x8?
Gonna stay with a 33/10.50 tire.

 

Price wise, the 15” wheel. The 16” has benefits as well and I think a wider range of choices. 33/32 overall diameters and 1150 width equivalents can be found easily.

 

Did those come with centercaps? The ones I looked at said they DO NOT. Looks like you have some.

 

No centercaps. These came from Jegs or Summit. Don’t remember which but these two sites usually have the better prices. Check DiscountTire.com also.

 

Oh ok my bad, guess it just appeared they had them in the one pic.

 

No, the wheels did not come with them. I purchased a set online for them.

 

Started unbolting the tranny today. Not a fun task getting at all the bolts but I did OK. I need to buy a 1/2” breaker bar this afternoon to get the 2 uppermost bolts and the tranny is ready to come out. So likely tomorrow morning this’ll happen since I have just been informed a second time that today the fam is loading up for the new Star Wars movie. With or without me.
Hopefully I’ll be able to drop this with an ATV jack in the morning and have it back in after lunch if the flywheel is in good shape.

 

I used to live 3 miles from Pacesetter. I have their 2.7 3rz header also. I recommend that you exchange their header collector gasket for an aluminum one, available at some auto parts or any speed shop. Otherwise, the header is durable and works fine. Good luck.

 

The thread is lacking. I finally ditched the Pacesetter header because I couldn’t keep gaskets in it. I bought one off of fleaBay from Australia for a 3rz powered Prada. It looked good but had a 1/2” smaller flange. I made it work but it eventually rusted in two where it was welded together. Now I’m running another fleaBay special that so far is killing it. It’s a 2 part but uses a donut gasket like for some Honda exhausts. Cheap and plentiful but I’ve only replaced one.

Aussie header.



China header

 

Luk clutch, pilot bearing, and throw out bearing are in. Pulling and reinstalling the tranny alone almost cost me my sanity. The reinstall went smoother than the pulling though. The 160k OEM clutch wasn’t bad looking at all. I didn’t caliper them, but the Luk was maybe a few MM thicker than the old one. Flywheel still was raised slightly and even had the circle grooves visible like on the new clutch basket.

I used a half sheet of plywood and an ATV Jack. I pulled the flywheel and there wasn’t a drop of oil coming off the rear main seal. With the flywheel off I could see where it was leaking at on the oil pan. Drove the pilot bearing out with a slice of bread was a first for me. Worked like a charm, too.

On the reinstall I floorjacked the tail all the way til it touched the floorboard. Dropped a ratchet strap through the shifter hole and suspended the tranny off of a ball joint pickle fork. Rolled the ATV jack underneath, leveled it, and took the weight. Slid the jack/tranny across the plywood to the engine and stabbed it. Had to roll the flywheel a couple of times to line up the splines but it wasn’t too bad. Hang on to the carrier bearing support and heel stomp the transfercase until it goes in.

Putting the driveshafts back in tomorrow and maybe pull the radiator for the front end work. Need this running by the weekend.

On a side note, #3 cylinder wall had one spot of surface rust. I was able to steel wool this off and I found my thick engine build lube and coated them again until I get finished. Also, starting to think my oil pump cover is the leak on the front side. If this is the case I’m not pulling everything off and not pulling the balance shafts this go round.

 

Forgot about this tidbit. When I reinstalled the flywheel, I wasn’t 100% sure on the torque. My .pdf wasn’t very helpful but TW was. I found several threads about it and it looks to be an odd way to do it. 2rz was 65ft/lbs but the 3rz was 20ft/lbs and then a 1/4 turn. So I did the 20ft/lbs and made the 1/4 turn with my torque wrench set at 65ft/lbs and got basically the same thing.

 

So I’ve lost the 2 bolts that go from the head to the timing cover. If anyone knows their size and thread it’d be greatly appreciated. Otherwise I’ll be guessing at what I need and buying a sack of various bolts.

 

m8x1.25 by about 75mm long. Found some 80mm bolts this morning and stacked 2-m8 washers to get it just right. I had ordered some new injector spacers but didn’t realize the O rings were separate. I tried using some I had from an old O ring kit and broke one of the cups. Ordered 4 more from Toyota yesterday and they had them this morning. Always time for a first. My local stealership never has or can get anything I’ve needed. The O-rings though, 6 weeks out. So off to every parts house and ended up at Harbor Freight. Bought a large O-ring box and was able to use some for the spacers. Although they’re nitrile....

Fast forward most of the day and I’ve got everything on and mostly plumbed in. Pulled compression for S&G and got 120/120/115/125. Finished the plugs, wires, and intake then made a good look around. Whined on it for a good 1.5 minutes off/on until the fuel rail primed and she sputtered. I gathered my thoughts and fired it up. Lots of blue smoke but that was to be expected.


Everything looks good thus far but I have, for some reason, worry about the coolant getting somewhere it’s not supposed to go. I also have a p0115 and do have a dangling plug by the dual coils that I can not find it’s home for just yet.

Vacuum lines are troubling me also. No leaks, just spare stuff I’ve forgotten where hoses go. Some apparatus in the intake mani roundabout with dual ports?? And one rather large one under the throttle body on the backside and not related to the valve cover. Been a long day wrenching in the rain and my brain wasn’t comprehending the vac diagram on the hood.

Thinking of having a few ice cold Yuenglings.

 

That last line is the key.