Think I diag. cold start-clatter...

...Its unlikely I'll ever buy another new one...

Actually, there are 2 conditions that might sway me....
1. Taco/Hi-Lux Diesel released to US market would be too cool for me to resist
2. My wife has commented a few times, "I like the look of those new tan 4runners - they look more rugged and off-roady than mine"...

I'm still keeping the ones that I have, would just be adding to the stable. If by some incredibly unlucky chance something happens to my 07 again, I'll do a DieselToys conversion this time around.

 

My mom is on her second 5th gen 4runner, she had a 2013 sr5 premium, and now a 2016 trail premium. They are sweet rigs and get decent mpg for a heavy 4x4 body on frame SUV. I will say that they are the squirreliest vehicles I have ever driven in a crosswind on the interstate, that's my only complaint with them. The 2013 and the 2016 were/are both that way, nature of the beast I guess. I've read on the forums that you can turn the caster up some and put heavier tires and alleviate a lot of the instability, but we haven't actually tried it.
As far as the diesel swap, have you seen the 2.8 cummins crate engine swap kit? It's pricey, looks pretty cool though.

 

Good to know about the new 4runners. That 2.8 crate looks interesting indeed.

 

I understand exactly what you are saying. I thought the same thing until I looked at my bills for this. Once they reached the amount that was greater than that of me purchasing and installing a new 1GR-FE myself...

I love Black Jack... I love Roulette... I absolutely hate thieves... I love Aaron Tippin's music... (you have to stand for something!)

I already lost more than I should have. If I see it through, I will go home suffering an extreme loss (which has happened) or spend my last $20 and win several thousand dollars. (which has happened). In other words once I hit about $8,000 on this, I was all in on this! At that point, if I give up, I am screwed, if I lose I am just worse screwed, if I win, I am ok.

Once I discovered the EXACT problem, and had a recorded phone call of the service manger admitting that that gasket was not changed and set up GoPro's to take video of the upper oil pan still being sealed with factory GRAY gasket in place, never stopped the recordings... kept recording while the upper oil pan was removed in an EXTREMELY delicately fashion where no prying was used .... and then found the problem...


Naw, I am going to see it through. If all else fails, I literally have someone who is willing to help me pay to purchase add space on the big interstate billboard in front of the dealership...


I may not be the most hard headed Cajun every born, but I am I Cajun and I am hard headed. I am all in, better or worse.


---- edit ----
BTW, my first settlement offer was the dealership buy me a certified rebuilt 1GR-FE long block. Deliver it to my house, I install myself. They refused. Could have saved everyone a whole lot of money. To date, I have never asked for ANY compensation, not even for diag. cost (about $3,000) only asked for the truck to be fixed properly by another dealership or myself.

Still, dealership refuses. We are not at the point where court date has been set, but if we do go that far I am going to amend, and seek compensation for negligence! I have several recorded phone calls with the dealership's service manager stating my Tacoma was 100% safe to drive. It has been VOLUNTARILY parked for months (I have pics of odometer) strictly because I recognized a safety risk. When it was brought to another dealership for tests, it was towed.

I owned a 3.0. It seized on Interstate 10 at 75MPH in heavy traffic due to the sludge problem caused by poor circulation. I had all service records. It was a lease. Dealership did all maintenance, we ended up in the grass on the side of the interstate facing the opposite direction of the flow of traffic because I had to steer through heavy traffic, with no power and no power steering, etc... that case is 100% in Toyota's records!

I will present the above as documented example of what would happen if the engine would have seized on the interstate and site the probability of physical harm. Amend to $1,000,000!

 

I completely understand, I just wanted to say thank you for sharing and thank you for the good wishes.

 

did someone say one million dollars?

 

Attorney got a letter, have a meeting to disuss an "amicable" settlement in regard to botched head gasket replacement.

 

Nice. Good for you bro.