What is this?

Found this small black tube in my engine bay... followed it all the way down to the undercarriage of my engine.

What is this? And should the tube be attached somewhere on the top side of the engine bay?

 

Are you the original owner? Could that be for an air locker? I've never seen one, just guessing and didn't go crawl under my truck.

 

100% look like an air locker line.

Super lucky if it's still installed and wasn't gutted from the clamshell before being traded in like the air comp most likely was.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. I'd be figuring out a way to test it and see if it's in there. If the previous owner wasn't planning on moving it to another Tacoma, it would likely be more trouble than it is worth to remove it.

 

Judging by the amount of sealant gooped around the diff, I would say 100% air locker that was never removed when they traded it in.

Get yourself a compressor and try it out.

 

Just read your intro, welcome to TW. Since this was a salvage from a theft, I am pretty sure you have an air locker in there unless the previous owner took all the good stuff off and faked the theft. Might be a switch on the dash somewhere.

Anyway, looks like it might be a spacer lift since your other pics show stock suspension components. Nothing to worry about, I was just looking to see what kind of a find you had. I would expect a truck with a front locker to have Kings or Fox or something.

As far as bumpers, most aftermarket high-clearance bumpers would have you removing a little more of that front fascia. So, lots of stuff would work. I went with a Backwoods Adventure Mods front since they are local and have a nice, light, hybrid bumper.

 

Check the back 3rd member also. Do you 4x4 guys only instal air lockers in front? Or do you run a mix match, airil lock in front, stock locker in back?

 

No, it’s a salvage theft.

 

Being green with air lockers, where would it be located if it was still there, and how would I test it?

 

So the open ended tube connects to an air compressor that should be installed inside the bay? There aren’t any additional switches installed in the cab.

 

Damn, looks like an air locker to me, if it is, you reallllly lucked out

 

How would I go about seeing if I had one?

 

OP… What the said on a possible air locker. You can test it and see with a small home air compressor that has an adjustable air output regulator.

Jack up the front end with the tires off the ground. Spin one tire and observe the other to see if the other spins the opposite way or moves at all (open diff). Add air to the line, re-spin the tire by hand and the other should follow suit the same direction. IF, that happens, you have an airlocker. After that, I would wonder what kinda shape it’s in being a salvage. Don’t quote me but I think an arb needs a minimum of 80psi to activate (lock) the locker. Do a search to double check the required air pressure for it. Damn sure don’t go 125-150psi.

if the above proves you have a locker. Get a small compressor and a switch and wire it up.

 

Thank you for the detail brother. Super helpful. The salvage was due to theft, not accident/damage, so most of everything has been in great shape. I’ll definitely check this out.

 

Just to add to this, the truck needs to be in 4x4 so the ADD is connected otherwise the diff will act like an open regardless of locked or open. Just note, in this scenario with the diff unlocked, the wheels will spin in opposite directions when one is spun. When locked, neither will spin because it will be locked to the rear, through the transfer case.

 

Cools. Get you a rubber tipped air chuck that steps down in nozzle size to mate to the hose on the truck end. Hold it on and see if she works. If not at 80… step it up to 90psi. And let us know.

 

Take me to school, I’m hear to learn.

I haven’t dug into this new toyota tech stuff, I’m an old schooler. But like older 4bys. Throwing the x-fer in neutral with the front off the ground. locking the front axel, the tires should spin the same way no matter the direction you spin them if locked.

 

Def an air locker...trust me, if you have them, you made out like a bandit..lol.

Is there onboard air anywhere on the truck?

 

Yes, for a transfer case with neutral. 3rd Gen Tacoma's do not have neutral, only 2hi, 4hi and 4low.

The other part of the equation for these trucks is the front diff. They use a disconnect on the right side of the clam shell to unlock the front diff, vs a hub lock. This disconnects the right hub and axle shaft from the centre section.

All of this is electronic, and you lock everything through the 4wd controller and selector switch.

 

Cools.. I have been skooled. This would explain why mine is still stock.