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

Is the Ridgeline AWD?

 

Also, I am really attached to my current truck. My dad bought it for me brand new in September 2009 not long after I got my learner's permit and it's been with me ever since...

 

Of course it is!

 

I didn't sleep well last night and I slept most of Sunday because I'm so depressed about the truck...

 

It is just a truck and it can be fixed. Sounds like you should make a deal for the Ridgeline and use it as a daily and retire your Tacoma and start working on repairing and restoring to keep for sentimental reasons.

 

That’s understandable. Just remember, the truck can fixed.
No need to get too upset about it.

 

Very true. Even the 2nd gen single cabs were almost exclusively fleet vehicles in terms of what they would up used as.

I can only speak to a Chevy Colorado forum I was on from about 2008-2012 (as I owned a 2006) and there wasn't a lot of issues but there were a lot fewer users and lots less activity. Here you can ask a question and get an answer pretty fast, there it would be usually days if not weeks.

I stamped my hellride many years ago, I'm sure I sealed it with one of my tattoos. Fortunately I like hot weather...

 

Would love to, but don't have the money or the space for two vehicles right now...

 

All this is speculation still correct? You haven’t confirmed a blown head gasket, correct?

Is your mechanic doing a leak-down test? That’s not a difficult thing to do and should definitively tell if there is a blown head gasket.

Air leaking into and adjacent cylinder or bubbling in the radiator=blown head gasket or cracked head

As others mentioned, milky oil isn’t the only sign to look for. In some cases (you mentioned white smoke) coolant leaks into the combustion chamber and burns off (smells sweet). Sometimes don’t see any sign other than losing coolant, though a lot of times you’ll see your coolant reservoir get black residue on the inside from the exhaust gases

Not uncommon for a crack in between the valves to leak coolant either, so possibly a bad head if you’re not seeing other symptoms. A lot of times the crack can actually seal itself after the head expands as the engine gets hot and stops the leak, stopping the white smoke. Cools off as the truck cools, crack opens back up

 

Exactly this. I actually prefer the second gens- I would’ve been able to actually find one in manual too. But, with me buying in 2020, and the prices of 2nd gens being absurd, I went 3rd gen. But I also put up to 40k miles on a years (high is 60k miles, low is 20k) it just didn’t make sense. Sometimes a newer vehicle, despite being more expensive on initial purchase, will save you more time and hassle than that 10-20k could ever be worth….

 

Leak-down and pressure tests...

 

Strongly considering pulling the trigger on a used 3rd Gen after fixing my current truck; I really want an access cab with a manual transmission, but there's only one within fifty miles of me...

It's a 2022 TRD Sport at Sloane in Philly, but for some reason it's listed as used despite only having 106 miles.

 

100% being driven as a demo right now. But, I love my 3rd gen. No regrets. Manuals are awesome too, autos aren't bad, TW greatly loves to overexaggerate the shifting issues. 76k km on it right now in about 20 months and no issues.

 

My uncle taught me the art of the third pedal in his 1991 Toyota pickup just over eight years ago. I've driven stick shift Tacomas before, but only a 1st Gen (2004 V6) and a 2nd Gen (2012 4-banger); I've driven a 3rd Gen before, a 2017 AC TRD Sport 2WD currently owned by the same uncle who taught me to drive stick! I would buy this truck if it was a 4x4.

 

3rd gen manual is very much like the 2nd gen- truck like lol. It's not a sports car, but it is fun in its own way. When I worked at Toyota I drove a 3rd gen manual sport across Ontario to deliver it to a customer. Very nice manual. Makes the high powerband of the 3.5 more accessable than it is in a non tuned auto.

 

What's your opinion of the 3.5L? I've heard mixed reviews...

 

I love it personally. My dad had the transverse version in his venza, it’s at 200k miles in the hands of my brother and has had NO issues. I’ve worked at a dealer and we had little to no issues with them ever- and we saw some fleet trucks with 200k + miles on the early ones. I personally like how the power comes on, a gradual rush that peaks at about 6k rpm. I tow 3-6k regularly and I’ve never had an issue with it. ECT keeps it in a sweet spot for revs (whilest destroying fuel economy, but oh well) and it’s been bullet proof for me. I’ve averaged about 18mpg over the life time of the truck (hand calculated) which is about 50/50 city/hwy. I own basically what you’re looking at- TRD OR ACLB, V6, 4x4. Only difference is mines auto. I beat on this thing pretty hard- I love it. I’m never selling it.

 

I think I might be buying a 3rd Gen soon...

 

Join the dark side

 

Probably gonna be a newer one though; I actually want all of the safety features like blind spot monitoring, automatic braking, and lane keep assist...