Truck with Neglected maintenance. Most of the work done now.

Surprisingly I really haven't had and bad tread issues till recently (the past year?) and the Rack is stock right outer tie rod looked like it had been popped off before idk why.

Got a OEM rack with inner tie rods for a good price, thinking about keeping or selling the other one maybe someone can give it a second life. Not me tho got enough work on my hands.

 

Got everything disassembled now to prepare things while I wait on parts because I shipped one of the big kits to the wrong address and decided to switch things up because of that.

 

Not sure where you're mechanical ability level is, but in the future, consider doing 1 side at a time. Having 1 side still put together to use as a reference has saved me a few times.

 

Boy this guy doesn't mess around. Nice to see some motivation for a change.

You are correct, but there's another way. pics! Take lots of pics with your phone before you tear apart.

 

Definitely a good idea. I thought this job/work on my truck was pretty simple and after watching lots of videos I know it well but was still sure to bag and lable all of the parts and bolts.

Yep I'm not messing around with anything other than my bank account. Thanks!

Photos are definitely a great way to remember. I'll be using flash cards and the pictures on the service manual to make sure I get all the bolts torqued properly and then check them again after I get some mileage on everything.

 

After struggling to get the front lower control arms bushings out my Dad thought of a great way to get them out. (With a potential risk of bending the control arm)

Two people did this though maybe one could do it and it was pretty easy. Get enough pressure on the bushings and it will pop out, use heat on the control arm if the bushing is stubborn and it will pop out. Hearing and eye protection is a good idea.

We had the bottle jack vertical as it wouldn't lift otherwise.

 

:-D This is a pretty common approach, it shouldn't bent the arms but heat from a small torch makes it move a little easier. I just swapped the arms but then had the welded nut for the bump stops, inside the a-arms, break loose, had to cut a hole in the backs of them.

 

Here is a stock timing belt at 250k miles.

Looking into doing the head gasket and every related part that should be replaced at this mileage if it is still stock.

Tldr below

Definitely have some leaking going on. My lower coolant hose is backwards.

I have a transmission solenoid code that's been on for years now... and the check engine light has been on for 10-12 years now to the point where I thought I fixed the solenoid code but in reality the bulb died.

Now that I found out bulb was dead. I have two new check engine codes (battery is out of my truck so I don't have the code) but if I remember correctly they were relating to the throttle body. (So I cleaned it)- probably will tighten the cables a bit.

Over all I don't know why this truck has given me so few problems despite the "if it's not broke don't fix it" that my dad had on the truck.

Transmission was rebuilt some years back due to a new radiator that was bad being put in and creating a mess. Which is the biggest thing done only because of a failed radiator.

I've done small maintenance like diluting the trans fluid and changing the filter.

Had the alternator fail on me 1 hr away from home (IN) driving back from NC, got jumped like 3-4 times and luckily the alternator worked here and there. 4 hrs later got back home. 3 months later my starter died, 3 months later my battery died.

Just with the steering and suspension, I'm definitely been doing more than I've done before. I want this truck to last and while longer before I Replace the heads, rebuild the engine or replace the engine. So looking into maintenancing the heads and the surrounding area. I hope the truck doesn't blow up suddenly after. That would be lame. Thus I'll have to check the heath of my engine. Really before I do anything. Yay more learning and research before actually doing work ignorantly. |:

I watched Timmy The Tool Man's videos (the ~5 hr series geez but also beautiful) still have to, understand my engine and the whole process more fully and in detail since he skiped our some things, watch it again, gather a parts list, cry in a corner, make a post at some point, prepare a space and process for everything I take out, HOPE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO VISIT STORES 30 TIMES TO GRAB SOMETHING I NEED and then get some chill music on, some tea, a peppermint fragrance or anything to get myself to take my time and relax while I do this work. Shoot me this is so much work and so time consuming but yet so valuable in so many ways.

when i get the head gasket job done i will 1000 yard stare for an hour before limp over to the driver door to hesitantly crank the truck and hope that I didn't frick anything up because I do not want to have any mistakes. Second time isn't the charm.

TLDR #1: Enough yapping. I'll make a post soon asking advice on kits, what parts to not use on the kit I have, what else might be a good idea to maintenance in the engine bay and what else might I need to know so I don't frick up my engine/ what I the general consensus on what should be replaced when doing this job.

I will note from what I've experienced with my engine I haven't had any problems.

 

"Over all I don't know why this truck has given me so few problems despite the "if it's not broke don't fix it" that my dad had on the truck."

Toyota definitely did Not make a lemon with these trucks!

that belt sure has them cracks after 23 years

 

I don’t know 1st gen; but I don’t think it would ever do a head gasket as preventative. Is that common on these?

 

No.
Why would you risk a problem when there's nothing wrong with the gasket?

 

I'll be doing compression tests later today or tomorrow. More so regardless of the compression test I'll be taking care if a lot of gaskets, and other things inside the up to the engine block. (If I'm speaking correctly) So I figured I'm at 250K miles rather than wait for the head gasket to fail at a very inconvenient time and having to dig just to do one gasket, I'll take care of it while I'm taking care of everything else on the engine.

From what I read I am risking putting in a new head gasket to risk it failing. So I will be taking my time and researching to make sure I do everything right and avoid causing problems and consider if I even want to mess with it. But that goes with everything if my truck is out of spec, I will take the painful slow route.

Still learning here.

 

A very late update.

Compression tests were good all cylinders, we're sitting at 210-215... thank God. I touching the heads. It just seems so complicated that I'm just going to leave it alone. If the head gasket fails then I'll have the knowledge, tools and resources to do it all again and it will be less work because I'm not doing so much. (My last post will be a long list of everything I did and used... I'm doing a lot and I mean A LOT... A LOT possibly more as well)

 

Here's some photos.

 

Cleaning about everything I touch. Probably going to spray paint some things but got to make sure I do it properly. Thinking of painting the head covers blue.

Been a, take a section out, clean it, bag it and put it on the organized parts table. This engine has a bunch of gunk all over it so I'm cleaning that up so that I can tell if I have leaks because right now it's a definitely but not sure where. (The heads-head covers definitely leaking)

Total cost so far (guessing)

+$1400 tools and equipment. (I had a fair amount but not enough to complete job and make life easy, harbor freight FTW)

+$1,200 engine bay parts (not including the timing belt kit that I already had)

~+$3,000 on front suspension and steering (and trans mount, drive shaft mount and rear shocks) (knuckles are expensive, if my passengers wasn't bad I wouldn't have done them.)

Probably could've unknowingly sold my truck to a sucker and bought a newer one but I think this is simpler, I personally get more value out of it and I have the time since I'm in FL in between moving from IN to NC.

 

Where did you get those knuckles? They sure do look sharp
I did get one new knuckle for mine (bad wheel bearing) but the Miami yota dealer parts shop sent me the wrong one or I entered the vin verification # incorrectly so it is currently sitting in it's package unused looking for a new home

And I also wish I could just rip my oil pan off like that for a good inspection... Lots of removal on the 4wd to do that unfortunately

 

I might be tagging him wrong but,
@zippsub9
Does them on this forum/TacoWorld.
...
If you buy from him there's a few options. The jist is (all oem-with some flexibility), sandblasted, eched, painted. He's definitely done the type I had quite a bit, I would say he's the best in the business if not, then a VERY good option as his rebuilt knuckles should LAST and at least for me, he had a quick turnaround time.

I didn't know that with the 4wds. It's definitely a perk with a pre runner to not have all that extra stuff but i do lack 4wd. I did have to remove the wiring harness that goes to the starter to get the pan in/out without struggling. However my suspension components are off the truck and from what I remember from changing my starter, it's a lot better with that access.

 

Full rebuild of steering and suspension (front)
And rebuilt engine bay (didn't remove heads)

I've done SO MUCH FRICKEN WORK and so much more work than what you see here. (And a crap ton of cleaning)

She damn near purrs. Need to adjust a few things and fix my low idle. (~600-680 rpms)

Still have plans to do more work after this segment and I am finishing up replacing trans solenoids and charging my AC.

I'll post a list of everything I've done and most of what I've replaced latter when I'm done with this VERY LARGE segment of work. This has been my work/job for almost 3 months and I've learned A LOT.

After the list of everything I'll talk about this and that and my thoughts on specific stuff.

For now enjoy a few photos. I'll probably post the take apart and put together photos in a bit.