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

Been working on a 5VZFE out of ‘02 4Runner from a Pull-A-Part for this blown-up S-Runner I got for the past couple months ago. It’s been a drag waiting/picking up parts. But the engine is almost ready to get mounted.

If I could of started over, I would of started with the intent to do a head gasket job and pre ordering parts versus thinking I can a quickly slap this engine in doing the least. I found out after changing the valve cover gasket that a spark plug was broken for cylinder 4 had to remove the head to extract it.

Doesn’t help that my brother has his projects stagnant inside our garage with the engine stands. Where I’m outside in a car port working on my engine w/ a chain hoist and tire on a dolly.

But I’ve changed the clutch/flywheel, u joints, front & rear main seals, head gaskets, valve cover/tube seals, exhaust flange seals, spark plugs, knock sensor wire, oil cooler seals, and water pump weeks prior. I just finally put the timing and accessory belt on tonight. Hoping to get this dog running this week, but realistically it’ll probably be next week.

 

need some better motor mounts haha

 

It does look that way. Which ones though. Bonzen are quite expensive and probably overkill. As far as I can tell, that leaves the ones from Trail Gear and RuffStuff. IIRC, you put something on Frank didn't you?

 

yeah i have them in my single cab right now and plan on taking them out to put new stock ones in. too much vibration for my DD at this point.

Think Bonzen is your only option for transmission mount anyways. Plus a lot nicer than the TG ones.

Have you inspected your perches too?

 

Which ones are in your single cab? The TGs?

Are you certain Bonzen makes a trans mount for the A340F? I'm pretty sure he only has one for the 5-speed.

I haven't yet looked super close at the perches since this incident. When we rebuilt her 3 years ago with new shock towers, DMZ Fab perches were installed. I'd be very surprised if there was an issue with them. I will however inspect for torn motor mounts even though they were new OEMs with the DMZ perches.

 

ah forgot you did the DMZ ones. They will be fine.

And no I'm not. But I thought he did. Might only be for 2wd though.

TG ones got pulled from Frank, Bonzen ones put on there. Then I put the TG and 4xinovations tranny mount in the single cab since the stock ones were super shot. Don't like the vibes though and bought new OEM ones for it just haven't done it yet.

 

So what happened when you were on the trail? Loss of braking? Intermittent? Was a temp trail fix necessary?

 

As you might imagine, space is at a premium in that area near the frame rails. On both sides actually.

Does anyone ever raise the height of the motor to get better clearances? Even raising it .25" would make a big difference.

 

The TG mounts do raise the engine a tiny bit. Can be a bit annoying though, the tolerance isn't there much as the bell housing will hit. At least that was my experience. Plus hood clearance on the 95-97 hood is tighter. That's not as big an issue for you.

But I think a few folks and I that had used the TG ones realized that it might just be on the 95-97's that it raises the engine since the motor mount perches off the engine block are cast iron on those years and are stamped steel in the newer models. So the thickness of the cast ones could be causing that. But I haven't proven that theory.

Can't remember if Brett accidentally lowered or raised his when he did his new perches @Squeaky Penguin

It's possible though your new perches are in fact a touch lower than they should be. But that is the place to do it is at the perch.

 

My first indication there was an issue actually came from both Zane and Dan after they drove my truck. We all swapped rigs for a while on White Rim. They both said that my brakes seemed a bit soft to them. The following day the dash brake light came on indicating a low fluid level. At that time I couldn't tell where the fluid was going and thought it might be a master cylinder issue. It wasn't until I got home that I found the leak.

 

I was wondering about hood clearance because I was thinking the SC sits a bit higher already.

Interesting to hear that the TG mounts might raise it a bit.

Do you think it is possible to add a plate between the perch and the motor mount?

 

maaaaaaybe. I've found the tolerance of the mounts to be not very forgiving. And since they are at an angle it might not work out. If the bolt holes were slotted decently probably be okay.

Could certainly try. Be easy to make with new mounts sitting there, just trace them out to cut out some plates and you're done.

 

Hmmm! Something to consider then.

And according to what he offers on his website, Bonzen does not have a trans mount for the 4WD auto.

https://solid-offroad.com/shop

 

ah bummer. Might have to do a homemade fabbed thing then. Though some would say you don't really need to.

 

I swapped back and forth between OEM mounts, and I can guarantee the TG mounts drop the engine 1". I had to cut them up and remake them to get the engine in the right place.

Do not recommend...

 

I'm really late to this

I fit a 12k winch behind my bumper of my 02 with this plate, but it doesn't look like an option with older face style.

https://www.ampdupllc.com/product-page/95-97-tacoma-winch-mount

 

I don't think a winch could fit behind the stock bumper of a 95-97, there's no room back there, the bumper isn't even 3" thick

 

Yea, the pictures in that link show everything all sorts of cut up

 

Yeah must be a difference with the engine mount brackets.

 

Mmm maybe but also maybe not. The TG mounts specify they're compatible between the taller and shorter Toyota biscuit mounts which means they have to be shorter to be compatible with the short biscuits. So in the case of a 3rz or 22re yeah it wouldn't raise or lower it, in the case of a 5VZ it could lower it an inch I'd think.