Can you make it to 400,000? 3.4l V6 FSM

First gen. 3.4l 4x4
If you have made it to 400, what have you done for repairs, and what should one expect to repair or replace on the path to 400?

I bought mine at 280,XXX, so for anyone with high mileage or anyone thinking about high mileage purchases, I feel this could be a good thread to see what is realistically going to need to be replaced to keep 'em running and hopefully you guys can help add to the list some things that myself and others should do or beware of needing to do on the 400 path.

The 3.4 engine a champ, but there are plenty of things that ARE going to wear out on the truck and will need replacement, no matter how good the engine. Electronics get old and plastics and rubbers get brittle, vacuum lines break, gaskets and bushings get old, and plastic clips are easily broken, etc.. The sooner you address these issues, the better chance that your engine is at optimal performance for longevity. But high mileage means your engine is nice and broken in, so long as POs kept up on fluids and such.

Im currently at 343,XXX and counting. I've had her for 2 years or so and I've done a few things, lets see if I can remember off the top of my head....these have all been done over the course of my owning, not all at once and the PO did things I can't remember/ am unaware of.

- K&N air filter(opinions? are these better or worse?) do they mess with airflow on 3.4l?
- spark plugs
- transmission mount
- upper ball joints
- lower ball joints
- CV axels, I think PO did small lift and its been wearing the driver side CV, I've done this once for each side, twice on the driver side. Not sure how its lifted i'm not savvy with those things.
- stabilizer bar links, these were shot.
- new ignition lock cylinder, while chasing down a starting problem, also
- replaced bad ground wires to engine block,
- replaced battery terminal connectors with OE replacements, and one of those or combination of all fixed my starting problem.
- brake rotors and brakes
- New clutch, throw out bearing, and another small bearing I forget what its called, the tip of the transmission spindle sets into this small bearing.
- fuel pump
- fuel filter
- alternator and belt
- new drive shaft (https://www.wholesaleimportparts.com/)
- replaced catalytic converter shortly after purchased
- plenty of oil changes. I use 10w-40 and gold filter, next oil change to 5w40
- going to be doing radiator, thermostat, and hoses soon still have OE on truck
- going to be doing leaf springs
- eventually I will put in some new seats (Anyone have AM-seats they have used? looking for good ones that fit well)

- Also 3.4l V6 valve clearance adjustments are done on cold engine.
COLD ENIGNE-valve clearances should be:
INTAKE= 0.006 - 0.009in (0.13 - 0.23mm)
EXHAUST= 0.011 - 0.014 (0.27 - 0.37mm)

The FSM later references 0.007(.18mm) as intake and 0.013(.32mm) as exhaust in the formula for finding out what size shim needs to be put in to make the proper clearances. so maybe go with those... My guess is that this would be the clearance the factory sets.

I've got FSM pics for people who are looking, are there any rules against posting FSM pictures?
I don't ever see them posted here so i'm just making sure, I don't want to break any rules!!
If so, I'm happy to email pictures or type out FSM details for anyone.

- My EGR hose broke, I replaced the original with OE replacement, that broke, and once again with another OE replacement, that also broke..... FML (this is NOT easy to get on with the engine in, for me at least). I currently have the EGR hose ends cut and welded shut to prevent there from being a massive hole in my exhaust so that I have power, but this is throwing P0401 code (fixed with 10ohm resistor in EGR plug, blocked off EGR on exhaust manifold and egr valve.) But i'm not to keen on buying another $100 or more EGR hose again for it to break.

I’ll see if she passes emissions with that mod.





Im sure there are a few other things I've done that I am forgetting but you folks can help make this a worthy thread...if its worth it....

Happy Tacos make happy people!
Take care everybody!

 

@BartMaster1234

 

Yes

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...8-tacoma-5-lug-v6-manual-build-thread.534120/

 

A solid 100,000 more than i'm running now, thats awesome! I hope I make it to that!

Bad ass man, I just peaked through your thread, that whole licensing thing was pretty brilliant, never would have thought you could do that. And the bed-less truck pictures made me laugh, looks like such a goofy little thing with no bed.

I saw that you had your oil analyzed... was that at a local place near you? or did you send that out? I would love to get that done and see what mine looks like but ive never even heard of that.

 

Lots of members have more miles than my truck. @1997tacomav6 has 575k I think? And another member has 998k.

The oil was sent out to be tested by Blackstone Laboratories. They send free test kits you can order from their site.

 

my god....

Awesome, thanks for that info i'm gonna be doing that soon for sure.

You have any advice for egr problems? Im at a loss as to why my hose keeps breaking

 

Pretty simple, increasing airflow will increase amount of airborne particulates to the motor. I don't care how good their marketing team says the 'filter' is!
Some may disagree with this. It will also depend on where you live and what type of roads you drive on. I use the standard filter because I know it's working.
I mean hell if you want that tiny power boost just take the filter off!!

 

Which hose?

 

Oh no not the stink bug. I have two 1998 Tacomas. My daily driver PreRunner 4x4 conversion is the stink bug, only has 99k.

The other truck with 450k is my 1998 Tacoma SR5 v6 5-Lug.

 

This is what I figured. The NAPA I went to when I need a new filter only had K&N in stock so I figured id try it, this is the first truck i've tried one on. I have just always wondered if the oiled filter was restricting a little too much air flow? i'm gonna pull my filter and see if my idle stays the same...

i'm gonna go ahead and keep 'a' filter in it tho

 

Correction *EGR Pipe

And now im looking at a it little closer, I definitely didn't ever remove or have any of those brackets that the diagram shows. hmmmmmm

 

It keeps breaking you said? Have any pics?

 

Not much to add but I was listening to a car show and a dealer said he's seen Tacomas with 1million miles with no internal engine parts too worn out to replace. I had to start replacing little things at 200,000, tension pulley, alternator, one fuel injector. At around 200,000 I also had to replace a Ujoint, forgot about that. It was causing a horrible embarrassing squeak in reverse, took me a while to figure that out.

 

I have the EGR and never had an issue, its a steel pipe, how can it break?

 

yep....
the first time it broke, it took me forever to find where my exhaust leak was coming from, it would show up as I increased rpms and disappear at lower rpms. I found it cracked in the ribs on that pipe and it completely broke shortly after. im almost certain that I kept my last broken pipe, ill check and post back with pics.

 

Have you tried changing or cleaning the EGR?

 

Great question i've been trying to answer myself!

mine broke in those ribs

 

I still can't understand how that steel pipe can get a crack in it it just makes no sense maybe there's a possibility that there is defective EGR pipes in your area or a batch was made maybe you should order one from the other side of the country

 

the valve? no I haven't, I didn't think of that causing a problem. I never had a check engine light until it broke, so I didn't think it needed to be cleaned, but I will try doing this and i'm gonna see how to test it in the FSM.

Ill post the results, i'm also gonna call Toyota and see if I can find those brackets that hold it in place. Im starting to suspect that it could just be from the movement of the pipe without having those brackets.......i'm just really not wanting to buy a new one and have it break on me again but I need it for emissions in Colorado, or at least i need to figure out how to get the CEL to go away.

It passes the emissions in CO by a mile so i'm not worried about it not passing the actual test without the EGR but its the CEL that will prevent them from 'passing me'

 

I had thought that as well, but now those brackets are catching my eye.....