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

Even the I4s vary. Some can pull it out the wheel well, some can't. Just one of those things

 

HORSEY!

 

pooper. dooper. I guess Toyota has a bad design day here and there.

Wilbur!

 

NP!

And welcome!

 

I understand that some things get over looked every once and a while, but the starter was just plain criminal. Of all the things that Toyota engineers spent so much time perfecting, this is something that they just screwed.

But sitting around and complain about things is for old ladies... You have two options when it comes to repairing/replacing your starter.
1) Take it to some one and pay them what every they want.
2) Go get your knuckles bloody and your "workin" jeans covered in PB blaster. Get the job done, drink a beer, and come back here and boaster as you're now a TW Starter Expert.

Either way the important thing is to get your truck back on the road.

Mine is still not, damn delivery driver doesn't understand how a gate and call/speaker box work. I hate On Trac more than I would hate driving a chevy.

 

Damn, that looks like fun Jason. Gonna have to show me around up there!!!

 

The good thing is the starters tend to last a bit. Mine wasn't even bad, but looking down into the dark well in which it lived I saw exposed wire. Mice and rabbits and other critters had been chewing up the electrical wires on the truck at the original owner's place, so when I bought it I saw wire and went "uh oh, better fix that before I an stranded somewhere". So I brought the pain on myself

Once I said "fug it" and worked it out the top it wasn't a big deal - was a tight fit between the manifold and all the other crap, but it did come out as long as I pushed around those fuel lines. The new one went in the same way without too much trouble, it just took me 3 days to get to that point. If I really wanted to do a beneficial mod on mine, I could mod out those brake lines to bend them out of the way for future repairs. We'll see.

For certain I will be relocating that fuel filter. I plan on removing the manifold to paint it, so when I do that fuel filter gets moved to a reasonable location. But yes, that design of the starter location and fuel filter is....aggravating

 

I will have to give the top approach a try. Hopefully I will have the parts and be able to do this tonight after the kids go to bed.

 

The top should work no matter what. You should have two flexible fuel lines that are connected via a plastic clip kind of thing. That was evil and unwilling to release for me, but my arms and hands don't fit into tight places very well. There was enough play in them to squeeze that thing out and the new one back in. Once in the well there is enough room to turn it, so no worries about which end you push down first on the replacement- just wiggle it around once down in there. Once it is past those fuel lines you are home free. I did move the breather for my front diff - it clips to the side and was partially in the way, but easy to move and get out of the way.

 

here

 

great looking shots of your truck man

 

Sold my Tepui Kukenam Sky that has been on my truck.

 

Are these all preds 01s that are difficult? My fuel filter is along the frame rails.

 

I have a 98 V6 and my fuel filter is also along the frame. So I will be interested to get in there and see what these guys are referring to.

 

Replaced the tiny stock P265/70R16 highway tires with some new 265/75R16 LT BFG AT KO2's. Have some frame and a little plastic rub near the pinch weld.

Also, this made it VERY clear that my rear is sagging a LOT. I knew the original leafs were sad before, but now it is obvious.

Thoughts on the tires
After the new tires went on, I made a 350+ mile trip over this past weekend with 95% highway.

• The tires are not noisy
• America's Tire put 35psi in... That seems a bit high.
• I did not notice any difference in power - but I'm sure there is as these new tires probably weigh at least 15lbs more each tire than the previous ones.

 

I really need to change my fuel filter speaking of it.

 

Indeed, probably time for a new pack