First tacoma with many issues need help !!!

And I might be speaking some heresy here, but if you're short on cash, I wouldn't turn my nose up to aftermarket LBJs. OEM cost for those are stupid. I say that because this is a street truck, it doesn't look like you'll be doing any hard off-roading with this. Just keep up with preventative maintenance once you've made the repairs.

 

Yes, your 1997 Tacoma truck is a 25 year old lemon of a car.



Really?! Lemon stuff is discussed with brand new vehicles. Are you the 2nd 3rd or 6th owner here?

 

First, you don't know cars so stop deluding yourself into thinking you do. It's making your challenges worse. If you did "know cars" you would've been able to identify things like the cracked header and be able to swap them yourself. If you are unable to fix the problems yourself using parts you pull from the junkyard yourself then it's likely going to be decently expensive to get and keep the truck reliably on the road. You can choose to invest in the tools and time to do the work yourself, to pay the mechanic to do it or move on from the truck. I'd happily take it off your hands, fix whats wrong and sell it in a couple weeks for $3k.

 

Why come in here so hostile?

 

Isnt that the F150s that have the cam phasers going out, costing my boss like north of $3K....
just because the guides go bad....on the back of the engine.....shame on you henry ford.....

 

Nothing about my statement was hostile, OP made contradictory statements which I noted in an attempt to make them realize that pouring money into the truck likely isn't the best avenue for them. Heck, I'd even be open to helping them wrench on it a bit, or point them to NorCal truck work parties. As a general statement, if you are taking your $1700 ride to a mechanic to fix it, you are gonna have a bad time.

Mine doesn't have cam phasers, so I wouldn't know. I do know, however, that it gets better fuel mileage on 35s + VO Nomad than my '10 DCSB did stock, and ~40% better mileage than my old supercharged/geared/35s/VO Drifter '15 DCLB did while also having more space and payload capacity. It's hands down a better truck on and off road than a 2nd or 3rd gen. Only thing that beat that was my long sold '88 4-Runner or my '22 250 Tremor diesel.

 

He ain't trying to put 35s on it. And its a 1st gen for $1700. In here flexing a ford over 2nd and 3rd gen tacomas in a 1st gen forum. Pshh, unreal

 

Yeah the old ones, with out the turbos, and the vvt, did get poor milage....
but that's what u get with tight rings and a design thats easy to work on, and one that last the ages....with simple maintenance...

All the ford owners around me have had wierd head problems of late....
not the rangers, but the 150's and 250's......
not bashing.....just saying....

It will interesting to see those 9 and 10 speed ford truck trannys over time....
Are you getting higher milage only to have to throw tranny away at 200K....
Those probably cost more than the engine.
And require some computer wiz/mechanical engineer to repair.....so replace will be favored over repair.....

 

I mean, you were the one who brought up what I drive when it had no bearing on any of the discussion regarding OPs predicament. Good job bein tiny, Pahweenis.

 

I rebuilt the 5-speed in my '88 4Runner at 175k and 96' FJZ-80 at 220k. Transmissions are a wear item, ultimately. If the 10 speed lasts 150k, great. Initial signs are generally positive with a few 2nd gen Raptors having done >50k miles on dirt in Baja on the stock transmission with no issues. Additionally there are a bunch of trucks pushing >1000rwhp through the stock 10 speed and running in the 9s without issue. Ultimately I fully expect to kill a stock as it will be behind a supercharged 5.0 on a truck running big tires and lots of travel. There are quite a few places that can do competent trans builds due to the popularity of the platform for drag racing.

 

Judging by the pictures you posted you did not purchase a garage queen that was in pristine condition. The truck looks like it has been used but it is hard to tell if it has been abused. Multiple dents indicate a truck that has been used for more than just getting groceries on Saturdays. The front bumper looks pushed in to me. I might be wrong but the evidence suggests that the truck may not have been treated gently, may not have been maintained regularly and will probably require more attention to repairs than to simply updating the maintenance items on the truck. Your comment that you have driven it mostly to your mechanic indicates that you are probably not doing the repair work yourself so paying a mechanic can get expensive quickly. I would recommend that find a Toyota dealership that will either perform a free inspection or you pay a dealership to tell you what the truck needs. Toyota dealerships absolutely LOVE to figure out what your vehicle needs for repairs, are familiar with the vehicle and will provide you a very comprehensive list of items that need attention, maybe even providing you with a repair order that lists part numbers. Do not actually take the truck to Toyota to have them repair anything but at least then you will have a detailed list of what you have for problems and you can determine if it makes more sense to take the journey that results in repairing the truck or if the work required is just too much time/money/hassle and it would be better to sell the truck(to @O'Silver_Taco)....

 

Making fun of my tiny Pahwheenis now huh? Some peoples kids...

 

The comma is important. It means you are tiny, Pahweenis. Now, the way you interpreted it might mean you have some insecurities but were mostly all humans here and that is a common thing for us to experience.

 

On top of that the dealership will probably also recommend additional things it doesn't need. They like getting my other half that way. Honestly though, not a bad idea. Either its pay money to fix this up and make it reliable or pay money for a more fixed up vehicle. Pick your poison.

 

My point exactly, everybody wrenched on the old rides....
new vehicles you need a $1000 scanner to see everything.....
and they're always gonna be ghosts in machine for things unnecessarily complicated....


My mom and brother drive a new prius and a new ridgeline......
now they're stuck in dealer repair land, and no hope of escape......forever....

I wouldnt trade even with my 25yr old for either of them

 

Agreed, this is a good approach.

 

I said the same thing in just a different way!!

 

AnomalyTRD hope you weren’t just bs ing about helping me wrench on it I live in Oakland to when you coming over to help me fix this thing ?

 

I personally don't find anomalyTRD's post to be rude. Direct? Sure. Rude? No. We need more directness in this world instead of beating around the bushes worrying about what triggers people. It's clear that the OP could have done more research before paying for the truck. How did you not know those issues if you did your due diligence? I feel like even Ray Charles could have seen some of those problems. And if you don't know what you're doing, you hire a professional. AnomalyTRD is right though. The OP states that he knows cars but don't turn a wrench. That doesn't even make any sense. $1700 isn't bad at all and the price reflects the condition of the truck so he did get a fair deal.

My advice to the OP, if you have to pay a professional to fix everything, I feel you would be better served buying another vehicle.