This is the way….Little yota build

Been wanting to log all progress past and present.

Purchased in June of 2021 in southern La. Totally rust free and was religiously maintenanced at the dealer. Bought with 141k and some change with some severely leaking valve cover gaskets. Orginally thought the leak was the rear main. Decided to buy it at 12k OTD being that it wasn’t my first rodeo with first gens.

truck was an older gentlemens truck and over the last two years before I bought it, owner put a total of 4k miles on it. Naturally after driving it for a few weeks, little things started popping up.

Truck info:
2001 prerunner
3.4 5vzfe
Auto trans
currently 156,xxx

Engine maintenance:
Timing belt replaced at 141k
Radiator replaced at 143k
Battery replaced at 143k
MAF sensor replaced at 148k

At 149k replaced:
Spark plugs
Valve cover gaskets
Cover bolt grommets
PVC valve
Plenum gaskets
Throttle body gasket

Replaced around 155k:

Trans shifter bushings
Front coils and shocks (OME 881 w/Billie 5100)
UCAS (JBA)
Rear shocks (5100) and AAL (pro comp)
Oem lbjs

Miscellaneous mods

23% tint front windows and a 5% brow
Interior led swap all around
Led headlights
Led reverse lights and license plate lights
2nd gen taco ac control knobs
2nd gen black door emblems
4Runner ac control faceplate
4Runner locking glovebox latch
4Runner map light with sunglass holder
Keyless entry
Boss Be62cp double din head unit
Short cut off antenna
Cap strip led lights
Rear bumper flush mount leds
seat covers
Of course the sticker window and roof patches


two weeks after purchase.


eventually looking to do 4x4 swap before being swayed by a 5th gen 4R. My first taco which was given to a family member has 370k and counting. Where the fever began.


how it sits now

 

After getting it running well mechanically and fixing oil leaks (For now), i began looking for a cap. Ended up finding a red cap from a fellow TW member (@Seebema) that I was able to drive 2.5 hrs to Wisconsin to grab. The back glass was busted so after calling around to dealers, I realized the cap was discontinued and there wasn’t any way to get a back glass made around me.

In the whole process, ended up finding through the grapevine, a truck cap honey hole. Picked up a black cap that same day for $100 and as I was driving out the yard, see an imperial jade cap w/ a roof rack. So naturally, i went back the next day and bought the other one from the guy for $100 in great condition. It was and still is missing the sliding window but am planning on putting the sliding window off of the red cap I bought in the future. Also took the roof rack off the first cap as well to put on the cab someday. Sold the black shell and now am left with the green which is mounted on the truck now.

 

Loaded the bikes up one day with the crew. Looked like I was driving to a scrapyard.

 

After the cap and moving to the Midwest, i quickly realized that highway tires don’t do well in the snow. After completing a 180 degree turnaround on ice on a major highway in a snow storm, went and got some KO2s in 265-75. Amazing tires that make my truck driveable in the winter. I do miss the gas mileage though. Dropped to 15.

 

Couple of weeks later, moved to the suspension. Had a bit of rubbing on the passenger side. And the suspension was original and needed a makeover.

ended up putting on OME 881s with 5100s on the bottom setting on the front.

Also replaced the LBJS on both sides and purchased outer tie rod ends but have yet to get to them yet.

in the rear put 5100s along with a pro comp 2” AAL. Really rides solid now. Original rear shocks would not extend they were so worn.

Brought it in to get aligned and they did a great job of getting it where it needed to be.

Overall up front, the setup gave me 2.5” and the rear 2”. Sits where I was hoping it would.

Also purchased CHEAP aftermarket UCA’s off eBay. Absolute POS. Seller was great though and refunded my money easily.



returned those obviously, and got JBAs. Tremendous difference and an amazing company.



Before the JBAs


After JBAs

 

It came with a spare copy of Jesus? Suppose that's why I rolled my first truck, I lost my Jesus card haha

 

Box of goodies I’m chipping away at.

 

Lol yep. The owner sends the dvd in all his UCA sets.

 

That's uh, odd product placement. But hey if the UCAs are good it don't make no difference I guess.

 

Did the 4 runner glovebox latch swap. Searched the pick a part and couldn’t leave with the key so ordered this one off eBay. Super quick install and great for keeping the heat safe.

 

Got everything done on the dash led swap. Just waiting on super bright to send me the correct blue bulb instead of the green.

Next, waiting on the 4Runner climate control faceplate to arrive and to install the 4 runner sunglass holder/map light to finish the interior swap completely.

 

I remember mine went out after about a year so best thing I've realized is just to have a spare in the glovebox they're cheap anyways

 

Yea same here. I keep a stash in there. Amazing what some white leds do for the interior

 

Got the replacement bulb in from super bright and the white faceplate. Back to the dash.

 

Super bright botched it again. Replacement bulb they sent didn’t work. Really bummed with their service and quality.

got all the dash done except the lingering green bulb. The blue should be in tomorrow. The blue looks great with the orange radio and ac outlets. 4 runner faceplate makes a difference too. Also am loving the aftermarket 2nd gen knobs. Really make it look good.

 

Ended up missing an important meeting earlier this week due to the key not turning off. Turns out it was the shifter bushings. The shifter had a ton of play and never knew why. Now I do….



went to Toyota and got the bushings and installed them myself. In disassembling it, the shift lock spring went flying and ended up being broken so truck is still on standby waiting for the spring to come in. All this for a .93 cent spring….



but the bushings are in and shifter is solid now.





currently how it’s looking

 

Ended up buying cheap leds powered by AAAs. I didn’t feel like running strip lighting just yet so thought this will do for now. Isn’t super impressive lighting but I like it. Fastened it all with Velcro.

 

Nice truck! What part of Indiana did you move to?

 

Last thing done this week was the 4Runner map light swap. Love not having to put my sunglasses around the rear view anymore. The angle of the lighting is not so in your face with the leds like it was with the original Tacoma map light.

Couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working when I first installed, ended up needing to be grounded. Interestingly the map light on the taco is a metal housing compared to the 4 runners plastic housing. thanks @unstpible

 

Thanks! I’m in south bend. Where are you?