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

Also combustion chamber size... If it were smaller you'd get more power and be more efficient but would probably bend valves if a timing belt snapped

 

its a truck motor. torque was priority. remember back when this engine was introduced, it was actually pretty powerful compared to competition

 

cast crank same as the old 3vz-e

the 92-93 camry 3.0l 3vz-FE had forged crank

 

i had the 5vz and 3vz-fe cranks side by side. the 3vz easily weighs 10 more lbs and you can clearly see its forged vs the clear casting marks on a 5vz crank

 

to start i'll be running the TRD blower. but eventually turbo is the plan.

 

considering 95% of the people who bought them wanted a no frill vehicle with ok power. they didnt need to do any more than they had. the 5vz is a fine motor stock for the era its from. and its proven to be hard to kill.


honestly looking back i should of put a modern Toyota motor in this truck. but the challenge of building a 3.4 was too much to say no to.

 

valve adjustment? i did my first valve adjustment at 280k. i had one valve that needed adjusting. LOL theyre good engines. far better than anything from the domestics at the time.

 

thats just age catching up with it.. its still a man made vehicle. but hey, its still running aint it?

 

cracked heads, yes. valve adjustment technically is ever 30k per the manual. but ive never seen one actually out of adjustment before the 200k mark.. hell this abused 260k mile engine out of a 4runner that rolled over and i got for free had no valves out of adjustment and it was still on the original timing belt.

 

p0420 i fought for a while eventually it was just obvious it needed new cats. but i started with new DENSO sensors (Anything else doesnt work)
graphing the cats on a scan tool showed the full story though. after 270k my cats were shot. new magnaflows and it was code free for 4 years before i tore it down for this restoration

 

LOL yea i had to do both.

 

i'd say o2 simulator. buy you're in California. i think thats punishable by death out there

 

Got tired of the dangling trailer wiring connector so i installed a $2.00 bracket.

 

Valves getting tight is an issue for the 3rz

 

I was just looking at mine last night and thought, “Damn, that’s just ugly”. I’m gonna have to find one and clean that up for sure now. Nice job.

 

It's so cheap, it's silly not to. I am not sure if you are going to do the jute padding underneath but if you aren't def hit that shit with some MLV. Even with some of the vinyl work I added, the cab is significantly louder.

Here is some of the shit I learned in the process of installing mine. Wish I did matting on the back wall and doors at the same time but that can be a project for the future.

How to remove your carpet in a first gen tacoma

 

Anyone wanna try to help diagnose a noise for me over the interwebs?

When I start my truck, especially on cold days, it sounds like a kazoo under the hood. Noise disappears as it warms up. Gets louder when I give it gas. I thought power steering pump but I have full fluid and power steering seems to be working well...

 

Hers it is

CURT 58300 Vehicle-Side Trailer Wiring Harness Mounting Bracket for 4-Way Flat, GLOSS BLACK POWDER COAT

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049CGJAU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Got the new tank into place and reconnected everything. Truck started up on the second crank and seems to be running well. I replaced the tank, tank gaskets, hoses and fuel pump. Hoping that I fixed the gas smell and P0456 for good.

 

Id put money on a pulley bearing going bad. Water pump, idler, alternator etc.