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

I saw that! I used to have Farmers (had em since I was first licensed) and when I checked their site they were out. Costco's carrier as well. F-ing nuts!

 

I just tighten the bolts that I can reach once a year, and live with the drip. It is too much work for a little drip, and is just a part of getting old. Sometimes a spray the driver's side of the engine with Simple Green when I change the oil to clean it up.

Timmy has several videos demonstrating the amount of work involved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5fAXAuGozI

 

It's really not that bad. Timmy does good work and explains things well, but a lot of the time he gets way over complicated about it.

If you're not familiar with everything under the hood, just take pictures as you go and use some tape to label things.

You're right, it's normally not much oil leaking. But, the problem is if that is leaking, you may not realize something else is leaking. Example: the half moons in the back may be where the valve covers are leaking, but what if that is also hiding a rear main seal leak?

It's also a good time to thoroughly clean the plenum and the throttle body etc. And check the hoses in back to see if they are cracking or chaffing.

 

At 53 inch pounds, you can only tighten so much. I'm one to talk as I've been putting it off as well but just order the parts, suck it up and do it right.

 

It's not so bad, but I wish people wouldn't use a torque wrench for these bolts, just do em down snug with a nut driver, hell even if you reef em with a nut driver you won't have enough leverage to break em.

 

LMAO... I'm one to talk too. I did my Valve Covers about 4 years ago... they've been leaking again... for... like... a year lol.

 

100%

I did mine (the first time doing the VCs) with a torque wrench. I've done 2 other sets of VCs since then. I didn't use a torque wrench. Mine are the only ones leaking out of the 3 I've done. I'll never use a torque wrench on those again.

 

Thanks everyone.

So did use a 1/4" torque wrench to spec, but the advice is that's not tight enough and no concern about breaking a bolt or cracking the cover if go tighter? Thought I've read of folks doing that (cracking cover) instead of taking time to install new gaskets.

And the other advice is if bother replacing they'll just leak again? LOL.

It's doing fine after the recent snug and the burning oil smell from dripping on the mainfolds is gone after a good power wash so maybe leave well enough alone for now.

 

Yes. Inch Pound - 1/4 inch torque wrench.

Will never use it on the valve covers again.

 

If my plenum comes off, it is not going back on.
This will take its place:
https://magnusonsuperchargers.com/c...320-toyota-5vz-fe-3-4l-v6-supercharger-system

 

There's a whole more to it than bolting that on, but hey, it would be a good start to good things.

 

Not today but last Friday. Replaced oil pump, cover/gasket/seal. Changed oil while at it, removed and flushed radiator, new hoses and clamps. Studied hard here and a little elsewhere, thankfully had a couple here help with advice. Nervous as a whore in church there for a while but it went pretty dang smooth. Woulda never attempted it and a whole laundry list of other stuff if not for this site. Thanks fellas.

 

New steering wheel cover from redlinegoods.

 

I can do a good valve cover job in 3 hours. And that's mostly time to clean the heads up before applying new sealant and cam caps. Done right that should last 10 years-ish. Really not bad IMO

 

yeah, and my URO said he could fix my drip in 10 minutes flat with the mere insertion of a small tube...

 

The rubber washers lose tension overtime and cause them to leak. Aftermarket washers suck.

 

Saw a '99 Tacoma in Savannah with my same engine at LKQ. Got up early today drove down and came upon this... picked almost entirely clean gotta love it. Was able to pilfer some small things though.

 

It's good to see no one wanted the A340, left it there to rot like they should

 

I actually thought about taking it... mine is starting to give me issues

 

What kinds of issues, for all their wasteful tendencies regarding power they're still really stout transmissions.