2005 tacoma repairs

I have a 2005 tacoma prerunner 4.0L. It currently has 254,000 miles on it. But right now it needs new catalytic converters and also the airconditioner needs a new compressor and evaporator coil. I know the repairs will be costly. I am on the fence trying to decide whether to keep the truck and do the repairs, or just get rid of it and get a newer one.. In your guys honest opinion, do you think its worth doing the repairs with such high mileage on it??

 

In my opinion I would say keep it due to the current market, chip shortage, & war going on. You can get away with a decent Walker cat and aftermarket Denso A/C Compressor. The evaporator you will need to check out on your own but they are not that expensive.

 

You have to weigh what the truck is worth to you, what condition it's in otherwise, what it would cost to replace, cost of repairs, DIY vs having it done, etc.
If the truck is in good condition, runs good, and doesn't burn any oil I wouldn't be afraid to fix it and keep it, on the other hand if you are planning on trading it in for something else it would probably be better to trade it in as is.

 

Thanks for your opinion guys. I'll probably end up fixing it. For the most part it runs fine. I hope I can make it last to 300,000 miles after the repairs are done.

 

Curious to know how you plan to flush the refrigerant circuit during compressor replacement

 

Depends on how the compressor failed whether it's necessary to flush things, if it didn't grenade and fill the system with metal it's ok not to flush, if it did you have to flush all the lines and evaporator and replace the condenser and expansion valve.

 

I will have to bring it to a shop and have it professionally done. I don't have the means and the know how to perform that myself.

 

people replace receivers after flushes not condensers

Will you check if there is metal debris and that they do a flush
Or if there is debris and they don’t do a flush causing your expensive new compressor to fail in a year

 

The reciever/drier is in the condenser, if there's no metal contamination you can just replace the desicant bag but if there's metal contamination the condenser must be replaced as parallel flow condensers can't effectively be flushed like the old tube and fin condensers.

 

Fixing and keeping is financially the better decision than spending more on inflated new prices. The high mileage does scare me since wear/tear items will nickel and dime you. I would recommend having an emergency fund to cover those costs including enough to cover a possible HG failure.

 

Use the truck while you save for a new vehicle. Fix what you need to keep it safely running, that's it. Learn how to work on it and keep it running.