SOLVED! Post 2853 Leaking Injectors, Dealer Techs Rock! Extended Cranking after Engine Swap 3.4L 5vz

Might be a little late to preserve the "mechanical marriage" by now though Keakar - after all, this IS the internet. A simple google search could easily show him how I feel about his statement in post #340, and how the "mechanical marriage" took a bit of a slow, steady nosedive since that post.

But I agree, rubbing salt in a wound when I could (but HOPEFULLY WILL NOT!) need their help with a warrantied issue is just kinda pointless, other than a perhaps brief moment of mild satisfaction. Probably not worth it in the big picture.

I just keep rereading what you said about "he might have your gas tank in his hands instead of his phone" and I swear, there are moments that reading that again is the ONLY thing stopping me from dialing. Glad ya posted it buddy! Forcing myself to stay busy with other stuff. Will be soooooooooo happy to get that call though, and judging by his character, I'd be very surprised if we didn't hear from him later today....will make sure to fill all the popcorn eaters in ASAP!

 

well keep yourself busy by sending me your home made cinamin roll recipe, that sounded good

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/clone-of-a-cinnabon/

Low cal and extra healthy!

Totally worth it though - those little wheel bearings (quoting Mod) are super yummy!! I did the dough in a bread machine, but you could just mix it by hand instead. Hmmm, maybe I should make them now........

 

Yikes, just noticed this post! I didn't realize there are different types of press machines.....so should I be asking our new mechanic what type of press he has, so he doesn't "nearly kill himself" trying to do the wheel bearing? I need this guy to live forever, my Taco's getting older!

We've got a machine shop very close by that does tons of wheel bearings, and they'd charge $55 to do it. Asked 'em who there best guy is, and got his name and days he works. The plan was to either have mechanic do the whole thing (including machine work on his press) or husband would pull it off, then use that machine shop, then button it back up, and we'd planned to just decide based on cost difference.

Really though, should we ask him what kind of press machine he has, to help us decide what's best?

 

low cal I though I was getting grandmas secret recipe

I don't do low cal, do you know how many healthy people die every year?

do you realize how many people get run over every day while jogging ?

I stay alive by avoiding doing anything healthy. being healthy is bad for you, unhealthy people live longer because they are happier

 

Hon, Please leave the Man alone. If he is a Toyota Mater Mech., he knows what he's doing, and pesterin him is a sure way to tick him off. Sit back and enjoy the anticipation.

 

There are many sizes of shop presses out there, a 12 ton with a bottle jack can be found for about $129 at Harbor Freight, a 20 ton with a remote pump and a moveable ram is about $500, and a 50 ton with a air/hydraulic and a foot pedal is a few thousand...

However, the real difference is the press TOOLING, spacers and bars, dies and plates...I have known machinists in production plants who have done nothing but work on press tooling for their entire careers. A buddy of mine runs a multistoke horizontal punch press known as a multislide...he spends 20 hours a week, every week on dies...

Personally, I have a 20 ton press with a remote hydraulic source, and I can always use more and better tooling...I wore out my 12 ton over a decade ago. And while my press doesn't operate more than every few months, it paid for itself the first year. I have often thought a decent engine lathe and a vertical mill (Bridgeport) would be really nice to fabricate and maintain press tooling.

While I haven't looked at what tooling is necessary for this job, I am sure I can either fabricate it myself or farm out the work reasonable.

Howard

 

You DID catch the sarcasm dripping off my recipe post, right Keakar?

Even if you didn't, you'll figure it out pretty quick when you see how much butter that recipe calls for.....

 

So what would you recommend for someone in my situation?

We've got a machine shop very close by that does tons of wheel bearings, and they'd charge $55 to do it. Asked 'em who there best guy is, and got his name and days he works. The plan was to either have mechanic do the whole thing (including machine work on his press) or husband would pull it off, then use that machine shop, then button it back up, and we'd planned to just decide based on cost difference.

Should we ask him what types of stuff he has to complete the work, to help us decide what's best? We obviously want it done as perfectly as possible......

 

actually no, in truth as soon as you said lo cal I didn't even look at it lol.

now Im gonna hafta go check it out knowing you were joking

you can never have too much butter

yum yum

 

Finally ripped myself away from the computer and got out my truck cookies and cinnamon roll recipes - gonna start some baking and blast some Waylon! Trust me Keakar, those things are freaking DELICIOUS - and NOT HEALTHY AT ALL. You'll love them!

Random question - do you guys know if Rock Auto calculates shipping costs based on weight, or amount spent, or ???? I was reading about it on their site, but it wasn't super clear. We're definitely ordering the wheel bearing crap from them the second the mechanic says, yep, it's bad, so if R.A. cuts you a break on shipping when you spend more, we'd consider ordering our shocks/struts from them now too. Anyone know?

 

I argued with them a while back about the cost of shipping for a brake pedal cover and rubber doo-dad (highly technical terminology)

the guy said they try to do the best they can to average it out so yes you pay too much on small stuff but you also get great prices on bug stuff so in some cases they even lose money to ship large items. I got the impression things were done by a recipe of price, size, weight, and distance.

he was very nice and explained to me that when you try to build in a price list for shipping costs for thousands of items of various weight and size, you have to round things off since its impossible to track the size and weight of every item. after talking with him I understand efforts to tailor shipping prices to each items size and weight just cant be done for that many items.

 

For a one time job, let the shop do the press work, your husband can pull and replace...if they do wheel bearings on a regular basis, they have the tooling.

Howard

 

Thank you hetkind! What you're saying makes sense, I like it. Appreciate your input.

For some reason I just can't call you guys by your real names, I guess I just get so used to seeing your Taco World names, it makes it weird somehow!

And thanks for the info on RA's shipping policies Keakar! Sounds like there could be some savings if we beef up the order, which wouldn't be tough for us to do.

You guys would've laughed at me at the auto parts store last night - I went racing in their like a kid in a candy store, all ready to pick up my fuel pump!! After SO MANY people have discussed replacing that damn thing, then FINALLY getting a mechanic to look at our Taco and say with confidence, YOU NEED A FUEL PUMP, it felt like I was buying a diamond ring or something - GIMME MY FUEL PUMP, HURRAY!!! Felt compelled to fill the auto parts dude in on my life story - how I have this old Taco that we're never gonna let die, blah blah blah - dude was like, mmmmkay lady, chill out!

Cinnamon roll dough in breadmaker, fave Waylon blasting, starting truck cookies next!!

WILL NOT TOUCH MY PHONE WILL NOT TOUCH MY PHONE

 

What do you guys like for shocks? I've heard Bilstein 5100s are good. Not seeing them on RA though. Wonder if local stores have them....

Hmmm, not sure if those would work with our truck. When I found 'em on Amazon, then filtered results with our specifics, the 5100's went away....do you guys know if they'd work on our truck?

Now another site is saying they won't fit our truck, that's weird?

OK, now I really wanna know what you guys recommend, cuz those were my only idea!

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/104971-99-sr5-shocks-struts.html - HA! I know this guy! Sweet, picking his brain on shocks!

Argh. Really tempted to call. A little nervous that we haven't heard from him, hoping he didn't discover some badness in there. NO RUST NO RUST PLEASE!

Wanna have a nice glass of wine to help not think about it, but there's always a chance I might drive it home this evening (how cool would that be?!?)......this is slightly torturous.

Screw this, I'm having me a whiskey, so I guess Taco's not coming home tonight! No word yet guys.....starting to look like we might not hear til tomorrow at this point. I'm sure I'll sleep like a baby tonight....

 

Rock Auto typically ships based on weight and distance, as well as method. (overnight, express, ground, air, etc...) I have more than once found excessive shipping charges that were higher than I would expect. I contacted them and they double checked and found that an incorrect number was entered under weight. They quickly fixed it, then proceeded to ship my order express for standard costs as an apology. I spend about $20,000 a year with Rock Auto.

As for talking to the guy who said he checked everything; I wouldn't be too hard on him. I have seen times myself where I have tested a part over and over again, and it passed every time, only to have it fail later on. It happens.

 

GUYS! Mechanic just called and said he got the pump in, wants to keep it til tomorrow to be sure everything's good, but so far NO MORE HARD STARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO RUST IN TANK!!!!!!!!!

NO CHARRED WIRES!!!!!!!

EVEN SAID WE CAN WAIT ON THE BEARING, SHOCKS/STRUTS, AND RACK & PINION!!!!

Will post more details tomorrow, food's getting cold now, but wanted to share the update as promised! I LOVE THIS GUY!!!!

Have a good night Taco World!

 

So it was a worn out fuel pump all along...I was guessing leaking injectors

On the shocks, Rock Auto does not carry Billstiens, and they carry some Rancho shocks...You can also even get the "quick struts" for your truck which comes with the strut fully assembled with a new spring and hardware. Do not feel that you have to get the fanciest shocks and struts, they all wear out and need to be replaced every so often...

Howard

 

Howard speaks the truth.

On my '98, I went thru 8 sets of shocks and struts in 300k miles.

Once you buy the first set with a lifetime warrenty, it is no big deal to change out the struts and shocks. I tried all different brands and honestly, I thought the plain old Monroe shocks were the best ride for the price. I figured after I paid for the shocks the first time, that the cost was around $7 to do a change out.

I tried heavy duty shocks and struts one time and absolutely hated the ride. I yanked them off in less than 5k miles. Yes the ride was that bad.

I got where I just accepted the fact that I would change them out every 18 or so months.

When you do those shocks and struts, do yourself a favor and antisize all the nuts and bolts. It will make changing them out in the future a breeze.

 

Just recently replace a new faulty alternator that would test out good every time it was quick checked. Had it in and out and on the test stand several times to check operation and it always checked out,,just didn't test it running longer than a few minutes, as everyone does. Found out that after 10-15 min of run time it would stop charging until it cooled down overnight (battery was getting recharged off the wall overnight). Lesson learned and one to remember for everyone. Alternator worked fine for 6 months,,then decided to heat soak fail one day. Now if the car would have had a true numbered and needled voltage or amp meter gauge, like they used back in the day, it would have been easier to spot.