PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

I'm putting this in here just for the hell of it; I called the dealer (Thompson Toyota in Doylestown, PA) to get a quote for replacing the head gasket just for grins, and do you know they told me?!?!

$4,500!!!




My dealer offers a discount for higher mileage vehicles (10% for 100K or more, 20% for 200K or more, and 30% for 300K or more; It caps at 30%/300K), so it would have been a roughly $450 discount (my truck has over 134K miles as of this post and thus qualifies for the 10% discount), but still...

$4,500?!?!




If my truck had 300K or more and needed a new head gasket, then I might have gone to the dealer and gotten a roughly $1,350 discount, but at this point based on what I've been told I am pretty sure that the head gasket is NOT the issue here...

 

Was watching this, i mean 224k not a big deal, auto and rwd not a great seller in 4 cylinder reg cab but decent deal last night: https://www.ebay.com/itm/284328480554?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

Crazy. a 2wd going for 8k. I got my 4x4 reg cab 2.7 in 2019 for 5k with 140k mi on the clock.

 

$8K? Says it went for $5,800...?

 

whoops. not as bad then

 

Like stated. Just dont even bother with the dealer.

Clean out the rez, put new coolant in it and drive. Dont even bother with changing coolant at this point. If you get more sludge in the rez. THEN flush the cooling system and put new coolant in. Drive some more and only then if you continue to get sludge, go from there. Until then dont fret over it.

 

Also, it's a Prerunner, so it's got the 6-lug bolt battern and beefed up axles and suspension; Could be converted to 4WD if someone really wanted to...

 

First gens are only going to get more expensive and 2nd gens are still a few years from bottoming out before going back up the curve again (time extended due to covid shortage)

 

Actually, it's a wee bit overdue for a coolant change (just a wee bit), so that's why I want to get that out of the way...

 

Which is why I wouldn't buy one from some random chucklehead; My friend gave me "right of first refusal" on her 2004 model, but then totaled her Subaru a few days later, and the Taco is her only transportation right now...

 

In a perfect world, there never would be. But you might be surprised at what winds up in the nooks and crannies in an engine blocks jackets/galleries during production that takes years to fully work out.

Don't fret over it just yet. Clean it out, monitor it. Get samples tested. If you want to learn more, take classes at your local JC or vocational school.

 

I'm just glad that I don't have to park my truck until practically the end of July, because two of the four mechanics I talked to "don't take apart engines anymore" and the other two are totally swamped until the last week of July due to being understaffed!

 

At $4500........you may be better off with a crate engine for just a bit more $$

 

Exactly what I thinking; A friend of mine was looking at low mileage engines out of totaled insurance auction trucks, and the 4.0L is actually cheaper than the 2.7L! I was considering giving my truck a little extra grunt under the hood, but that would require replacing a perfectly good 4-speed auto with a 5-speed auto, and from what I've seen and heard the 4.0L is not as durable as the 2.7L...

 

Maybe I missed it but it doesn't sound like a HG issue has been confirmed yet? They sell those home chemical testing kits that are easy to use and fairly accurate, that reveal whether or not exhaust gases are present in your coolant. Or have a mechanic verify with a leak down or compression test

 

Having this done...

 

Interesting.....

I've got an '06 4L 1GR-FE with 113 kmiles. No problems with anything at this point or in its service history.

Pulls a 12-1300 lb load in the box without trouble. Delivers 18-21 mpg on highway at 72 mph.
Haven't towed with it, but I don't expect any issues.

I'm sure this isn't the only 1GR-FE like this. Be careful, many times the "judgement" of poor reliability is swayed by a few on a forum.

 

I recently met a guy who inherited a 2007 AC 4.0L with over 400K miles on it and the only thing the truck has ever had replaced is the frame (of course)...

 

Yup all the time. You just need to learn how to use all four limbs on steep hills. Not hard to be honest. Maybe the first time it will be "interesting.

 

I was born in Northern California, but I spent a total of three years of my entire life there; 1989-1990 and 1996-1998; My dad was in the Navy); There are numerous reasons I would never want to live in California, but one of the biggest ones is a certain 4-letter word...

S-M-O-G​

California has got to be the least friendly state to live in for car enthusiasts! My uncle has a 1977 Volkswagen Westfalia camper that had the original engine replaced with an older engine prior to him buying it; The Bus was fuel-injected from the factory, but I believe the previous owner blew up the original engine, and replaced it with a carbureted engine from and older Bus. In any other state, I'm pretty sure nobody would care, and a 1977 anything could be registered as an antique and thus be exempted from emissions testing in states that require it. NOPE! Not California! All vehicles 1976 and newer have to pass smog regardless of how often they are driven. My uncle registered his camper at his brother's home in Texas in order to avoid smog testing and got antique plates.

Have you ever had any trouble getting through smog with your truck?