Buying 2001 Tacoma with front end damage, good deal?

So i got the bolt out! Dremeled a slit just like you said came out very easy. I was so happy when i took the seal off and there was 1/8" of bolt sticking out. I ended up just getting a grade 8 bolt a Lowes the fastener place wasn't open Saturday and I'm getting impatient to get this clutch done! The bolt head was the same size as the others so it shouldnt be a problem. Went out to sears and got a beam torque wrench cause i don't trust any of my clickers at the moment.

Quick question what is the silver ball looking thing above the seal in between the freeze plugs on the block? Couldn't figure out what it.

So I got the flywheel and clutch installed on the truck. I spent an hour today trying to get the transmission back in and it just doesn't want to go the bolts look like the line up but the cheap harbor freight scissor trans jack I have doesn't want to roll straight and the trans keeps wanting to roll to the left. I'm about an inch and a half from being able to thread the bottom bolts. Very frustrating I think its a combination of the driveway not being the greatest the cheap trans jack and the soft casters on the trans jack. Everytime i push the trans from the back it just wants to move left or right.

I tried to find some 12x1.25 bolts about 7 inches long at lowes to line up the trans but they didnt have anything. So i got some cheap 3/8 X 8" carriage bolts and am just gonna use those as guides. I'm thinking im gonna cut the threads off tomorrow (or ill go get a steal rod haven't decided yet). Probably wont get back to the thing till Wednesday. Lol longest clutch change ever...

Thanks for the help man i really appreciate it.

 

stupid question but did you remember to take spline tool out? cause tranny wont go in with it there lol... I know what you mean though take some forward pressure to get them to go together... take and lay behind the tranny jack and pick up little by hand and wiggle it forward (should be able to get the input to start into clutch before doing this)

 

How do i tell if the input shaft is set into the clutch? I don't want to try to wiggle the trans to the engine if its not sitting right and break something. I figured if it goes in its set. any reason not to use the longer bolts as guides?

 

Most times when I replaced a clutch even useing a pilot shaft to align every thing I had to man handle the trans to get it to slide in flush with the bell houseing.

 

using bolts that are the right thread pattern as guides would be ok but using anything else can just mess the thread up in the holes... the input should be long enough for you to physically look and see its started in before the bell is to close together.. also it some times helps to wiggle the drive shaft flanges back and forth while trying to put it together incase the splines arent lining up. But trust me a little wiggling and push by hand is not going to break the tranny... also use some grease on the input to help it slide into pilot bearing

 

Got the trans in! Thanks for the help guys! I had to use a bottle jack on the tranfer case to raise it and hold it in between my attempts to get it in. I should have spent a few extra dollars on a better trans jack. I guess it was going in at an angle and not setting right before. Got everything done except the clutch cover and putting the shifters back in. Not really sure how they expect you to torque the clutch cover bolts might just be a hand tighten thing.

Started the truck up and no rear main seal leak hopefully i get to the truck on saturday to finish up and take it for a test drive.

 

good job man hope you get to drive it soon, still havent got mine on rd $$$ lol

 

Oh yeah whats up with your truck i thought it was all put back together?


So drove the truck around let it run for awhile no leaks clutch works well. Spent Wednesday taking out broken body bolts with a torch and vice grips got two out. Still have one stuck the bumper/fender bracket on the driver side i tried to get that thing out for an hour till i broke a drill bit in it and basically rounded off the little bit of bolt left. So screw it ill buy a new one cant be more than 30 bucks. Gonna order a fender tomorrow hopefully. Shooting for next weekend for the truck to be drivable and temp tagged well see

I'm pretty sure i cross threaded a clutch plate bolt the one right behind the slave cylinder (i hate that bolt and it should be so easy lol). I need to get a tap set anyway all those body bolt threads need cleaned out. Any suggestions on a good tap and die set?

Its all coming along slowly but surely lol

 

no suggestions on the tap and die they all suck lol... my truck is pretty much together

just finished tail pipes on it yesterday but $$$ to get it on rd is holding me up lol