Engine Safeguards + Mods

I recently purchased a 2012 DCSB TRD-OR Tacoma with 107k miles. With my luck in previous vehicles and engine problems, I wanted to ensure that I can keep it running optimally and prevent any future mechanical issues.

Any Tacoma veterans out there have recommendations for keeping a healthy running Tacoma? From my research I've found the "Unifilter Breather Mod" for the secondary air pump already but was seeing if there were any other tips for maintenance or additional parts. And also just general recommendations for best type of oil, gas, filters, spark plugs, general maintenance.

Thank you!

 

UNI mod is a good start.

The rest is simple maintenance. Go ahead and start over with maintenance and just do everything so you know it has been done, use quality fluids and you're in business.

Engine oil
Transmission
Transfer case
Front and rear axles
Grease U joints
Plugs, I used Denso K20HR-U11
Change your PCV valve (its cheap and easy to access)
Change coolant
Get your cabin filter changed. I did mine today, had about 20k on it and it was nasty. It's simple and located behind the glove box.
Get some good wiper blades, you get what you pay for with the cheap blades.

Check around for any rust starting to come up and take care of it. I've only done it once with this truck but I'll wash the frame and touch up spots as needed. Doing this really kept my Dodge looking great.

Don't forget the exterior. Check for chips and address them, then at minimum give it a good hand wash and wax it. Clay barring, etc will go a long way too.

 

IMO, I've never really been in love with the aesthetics of the 2nd gen platform (especially the interiors) but for me, the beauty lies in the low-maintenance per mile of the 1GR-FE. Timing chain instead of a belt, spark plugs every couple years, lube and fluids at reasonable intervals and if you keep the rest of the truck clean and from rusting away from you, you've got a durable, capable and dependable vehicle for many, many years. Knock on wood, but the only thing our 2006 with nearly 200k on it has needed beyond normal wear items (like the items listed in the above post) are some replacement headlights due to UV damage and will need new hood and roof paint soon. I wish the previous owner had taken better care of the paint, so I'm making sure to clean, clay and wax our 2014 obsessively.

Since yours is a 2012, Toyota will cover your Secondary Air Injection if it should fail, so I would not mess with the UNI filter mod. The dealer could easily claim that as the reason for failure and not honor the repair.

 

Good point @DesertRatliff , there appeared a post somewhere here that a dealer has already denied coverage for SAI failure due to someone doing the UNI filter mod.

 

The failure comes from the foam filter deteriorating. If you do the mod you pull the filter before it's deteriorated. Then the SAI shouldn't fail. I suppose if it fails for some other, less likely reason, they could point to the UNI Filter. I did the mod.

 

A lot of us are running synthetic oil at any where between 5-10K mile changes (some more, some less).

Get your Toyota filters by the case, Mobile 1 when the rebates on and your oil changes (DIY) will be well under $20.

Search here for whatever questions you have.

When it comes to replacing sensors- stick w Toyota, don’t go non-OEM.

Document what you do, keep records.

If you have a compressor, a pneumatic grease gun is good for your U-jointss but certainly not mandatory.

In your profile, consider adding your vehicle info (similar to mine and many others here). Helps when you ask questions about your vehicle.

Run your VIN through the websites below.

Get and READ your Owners Manual.

Welcome to TW!

 

I’d do the UNI mod and keep the crappy brittle sponges that are removed. Put them back in if you have trouble w the SAI.


Reasoning- why subject your vehicle to a system that is known to fail????

 

That why I kept the OEM foam filter just in case I need to reverse the mod for dealership work.

 

I would follow the factory maintenance schedule.
Use the fluids and parts it says.
You should probably change the Transmission fluid every 60k-75k.

You could swap fluids to synthetic if you want?
I haven’t yet, I may do synthetic when I do the diffs and transfer case.

 

Everyone else seems to have it covered.
I personally believe in using quality parts, fluids and filters.
I know people that get an oil change every 5,000 to 10,000. But never bother to check anything in between oil changes.
I usually give everything a quick check every week or so. That way l can catch things right away, and prevent a small issue into turning into something bigger.
These are hardy trucks. All they really need is regular maintenance and common sense.

Congratulations and Welcome