Just bought a 1999 Tacoma 4cyl 4x4

https://www.tacomaworld.com/media/albums/1999-tacoma-4cyl-4x4.64225/


Just bought a used 1999 Tacoma 4cyl 4x4
It has salvage title, 223K miles.

It had left front damage from what I can tell, but guy I bought it from, replaced fender, grill, lights, corner lights and bumper. And added 17” wheels and tires.
Pics are exactly how I got it.

This is my 3rd Tacoma.

( 1st was 2002 Quad cab OR TRD, 2nd is 2015 Quad cab Tx Edition 4cyl )


But this is my first 4x4. So, I have questions about that and lift.
I intend to use mostly as toy: mudding, beach sand, and small hills – I live in Houston, no mountains.)

As you can see, driver’s seat is rough.

Can you easily install seats from 2008 FJ cruiser, or would it require a lot modification on seat?

What should I check, as far as 4x4 function?

I do not plan to put in carpet, since it will be used mostly for mudding and beach, what spray-on is recommended for floorboard?

Thanks for answers!!

 

Grease the Ujoints, Double Cardon and slip yoke zerks. Brake flush. Change 75w90 in Tcase, diffs, MT.
Remove fill plugs 1st.
Replace fill and drain plug crush washer oil seals.
12 pack washers Amazon $7.99
Coolant change. Use long life red or pink.
Drain PS, clean strainer screen in pump resivour. Dextron 2 or 3 ATF.
Replace vacuum hoses with thick wall silicone kit.
Report back here when done.

Almost forgot
Welcome aboard new member

 

Thank you, Black Dog Lila

what is MT?
what is zerks?

drain plug crush washer oil seals. "crush"?


thank you for info, i'll definitely do some of those ASAP

 

this is a list of things i plan to do over next month or so:







223k miles


2.7L 4cyl - 4x4 -


new 12/2020:

K&N air filter

battery

alternator

starter



need to do:

tie down battery / check terminal posts clearences to hood

ignition key & door locks, gas door

fuel pump, filter, injectors (clean MAF)

replace floor rubbers

replace antenna

replace seat belts

secure front clip, corner lights, valances

stripped wires behind battery and to fuse box

spray floor board with bedliner - thick

maybe rubber mat carpet

rubber mats for 2015, old ones to 1999

alarm

new seats? (FJ Cruiser on Shepherd, measure)

check on radiator fan & coolant

check brakes

steps for doors

front bull bar/foglights/lightbar

roof light bar

gap guards for lift

new tires 285/70R17, maybe spacer

fender flares

check trans fluids, diff fluids, CV grease and boots

windshield washer liquid container

washer shooters and hoses

wipers motor rusted

cracked mainfold

power steering fluid

throttle body clean

replace all belts

spark plugs

pcv valve

grease u joints

hoses & thermostat

 

Valves are known to get tight on these engines. I'd recommend giving them a check at some point.

 

MT= manual transmission
Differential drain and fill plugs use crush washers or they seize.

$7 Rexka 12pcs Transfer & Differential Service Gasket Kit Compatible with Toyota Lexus 4Runner Land Cruiser Tundra Tacoma FJ Cruiser Highlander RAV4 Sequoia Sienna 1215710010 9043024003 90430A0003

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CJHTDVV
Tcase and transmission plugs are flat copper and flat alloy.
Zerks are the one way nipples used to attach grease gun tip to when using grease gun to lube Ujoints.

 

Suggest 3rd gen Toyota ForeRunner seats as replacement.

 

will those bolt right in?

i was at junk yard on saturday and saw an 08 FJ cruiser, i liked the seats. i was hoping those would bolt right in. But i am trying to go the least modifying route...so what ever works best and easiest.

 

Don't be skeered to drill a couple of holes.
I used Datsun 280Z buckets that I had reupolstered in my old Toyata pickup.
May have been a 240Z
It was a moonless night

 

so, i've been tackling my list of things to do on truck.

so far i've done this:


tie down battery / check terminal posts clearances to hood
replace floor rubbers
used tires 285/70R17- bought, haven't installed yet, they have about 80% tread on them.
pcv valve & grommet
cleaned throttle body, vaccum modulator filter, MAF sensor
sanded & painted intake tube to throttle body

(what exactly does that big box do? is there supposed to be a filter in there?)[yes, i did run search on 1999 2.7 intake, no i didnt find anything]
https://www.tacomaworld.com/media/img_3649.676259/



so i ran into an issue:
when i was securing the battery, i smelled gas. smell is coming from radiator coolant bottle. I removed radiator cap...it smells like gas too.
any mechanical idea as to why that might be?

the guy i bought it from, he bought from auction, he fixed and got it running.
i'm noticing he took a few shortcuts in fixing some things. so, could gas smell be from using gas lines from another car?
i guess what i'm asking is, is there any way that the fuel system can leak into the cooling system? or vis-a-versa?

i see he used an electric fan from something else and wired direct to fuse box.

 

Gas in coolant may be head gasket.
Remove radiator cap, start engine, look for bubbles at radiator fill.

 

For your sake I sure hope the previous owner didn't try to fix an overheating issue by installing electric radiator cooling fans.

 

Maybe, but i think it had more to do with being cheap, not wanting to spend $$ on parts, that he could cannibalize from other cars on site.
I imagine the OEM fan was damaged in wreck, one of the lower pulleys is a little bent.
The fan looks like it came off a smaller compact car.

 

That is a resonance chamber to dampen and smooth air impulses and 1. quiet intake noises 2. increase midrange torque. It's a super neat engineering thing kinda like expansion chamber tuning on 2 strokes. But on a 4 stroke. And intake side.


Edit: on a spec miata we used to run we did back to back dyno runs with 2 versions of the miata box/pipe. One had cheaty plates glued in to 'remove' the chamber and create a straight smooth shot for the air, the other was stock. We lost 3 HP from 3,000-5,000 with the cheaty pipe...


Oh, and put a good quality air filter back in and change it at the stated intervals. There is no gain in going to a K&N and lots of loss. Their 'filtration' is rubbish.

 

That's a good list. I would first check out if your head gasket is OK. If it's leaking, and on its way out, it could strand you and do a lot of harm to the engine.

BTW- I have never bought a vehicle with a salvage title. My concern would be licensing and insurance. Can you get the title changed to a regular one if you get it inspected by HP or DMV?

 

thanks!! great info!

As for K&N, when I opened box, it was already in there, so I'm just going to clean it and re-oil.

i've often thought about getting an old miata for weekend fun, but now i got this 4x4. So all play money goes into this for a while...

 

check? how?
the valve cover is pretty clean. but the lower part of head is super dirty, i figured from 21 years of neglect...
when i drove it home last week and on weekend, engine sounded great, no abnormal knocking or ticks.
i've driven it about 70 miles in total.

as for salvage, in Texas, as long as vehicle passes normal safety inspection, it can be registered and licensed.
only effect is value drops in re-sale, and title is pink instead of blue. (I dont plan on selling this, I bought so grand-kids and I can have fun when they visit, and when they aren't here, with my friends)

 

Oil evident in the top of the radiator, and/or the overflow tank. Referred to as the "pink milkshake" since Toyota brand coolant is pink.
Water in the oil. Drain and check since oil floats on water, the water will be on the bottom. Watch for it when you first pull the drain plug.
Loosing coolant but no leak is evident.
White smoke from the exhaust.
Compression check.

 

work done this weekend:
spark plugs, spark plug wire set, PCV Valve & grommet, radiator cap, battrey terminal(old one was marine type that sticks up with butterfly nut.





how do the old plugs look?






bit of an issue with one spark plug: the last time someone changed plugs, they left in the little rubber ring part that goes in socket, so now my socket couldn't reach hex of plug... had to tear out old rubber ring...hopefully all rubber pieces made it out and nothing fell into cyinder.

But if a small piece did go into cylinder...what would damage be?

Wouldn't it melt in there, become part of carbon deposits?

 

replaced coolant temp sensor: (passed inspection after this. YAY!! we are legal now!!)



replaced washer reservoir:



and air filter box for one slightly less broken: