Just found the first thing I really hate about my Tacoma

Getting the starter out. It's been clicking (not engaging), so I bought the little kit and happily tore into the project this morning thinking I'd easily back on the road by afternoon. Uh, no.

This is a '98 SR5 4X4 with the 3.4 V6 and automatic trans. I perused several YouTube tutorials over coffee and then, tools in hand, headed out. Piece of cake.

By about 2 p.m., covered in grease and blood, I took a break. The starter was free of the block, but I could not for the life of me figure out how to get that sucker out. Removing the little bracket didn't do it. Removing the downpipe didn't do it. (Although those things did give me much better access to it in the first place.) WTF?

I cleaned up, watched a couple of the vids again and realized - with a fair amount of horror - that they all dealt with trucks with manual transmissions. While I would have loved a manual, I got a deal on this auto truck. And guess what? The auto tranny dipstick tube is a solid, nonremovable tube that comes out of the tranny pan at an angle and routes up through the gap between the engine and frame. It is right, dead in the way of that starter coming out. It is non-bendable, and, as noted, you can't remove it from the pan.

So tomorrow I drain the tranny, remove the pan, get that %*& starter out, fix it - and as they say 'reverse the process' to put it back together. Maybe I should make a video of THAT.

 

Lol. Everyone knows to pull the tranny and passenger side suspension for this job. What the hell is wrong with you?

Seriously, it's a pain but how'd you get bloody?

 

I believe it rotates horizontally, then vertically, then it should slip out below around the lower control arms.

You shouldn't need to touch the tranny, but I don't have a front diff.

 

Ooooofffff

 

Lets see how the 4-runners do it....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB0GXj5s4Ag&t=2s

 

I've done it before. It takes a long time, and is a pain in the Ass, but it does (Eventually) come out. Keep tryin.

 

Shouldnt need to take trans out to change starter

 

I recently just did this job, I have a 2004 4x4 auto and was convinced I’d have to rebuild the contacts with the starter floating inside the engine bay. Nope! If you have one, try removing your anti sway bar, the starter in theory can come down and out from “behind and below” past the steering rack. Small rotations and tilting the aft end downwards until it’s almost vertical on it’s way passing through. It required much finagling, but I didn’t have to remove anything else or bend or push anything aside to get the sucker fully out.

 

Easy.

Getting to the top bolt, without stripping it was the real concern.

Everything else is cake. Removing the dipstick tube on the transmission pan is easy too.

Here are a ton of pics when I did it.

 

Never considered this trick. I'm going to go try it right now. HEre's a pic to illustrate the issue underneath. The black tube is for the tranny dipstick. It is the main thing in the way. If I can get it out up top per O'Silver_Taco (and I think a couple others) I will owe you guys a six pack each! LOL

 

I’m tellin ya ditch the sway bar and she will come out. I don’t even own a sway bar anymore, took it out for off-roading and when I got back on the pavement the extra roll feel never bothered me enough to put it back in. I do drive like an old lady though, if you rip into turns maybe it’s worth the added safety…

 

I have a 4 banner 2wd auto, and my tube comes apart at half way point.....o-ring in there....
when I replaced PS hoses I had to remove top and swing lower a little bit....

 

I'm more impressed that you were able to get the exhaust apart. For sure replace those gaskets while you're there.

 

I was thinking the same damn thing. My only “oh shit” moment working on my truck was years ago on the upstream AF sensor (also my only ever CEL still at 161,xxx). My naïve self back then thought the bung nuts were stiff but I was getting them …nope. Sheared one stud clean off. Slowed down for the other one and had a new bung welded in at a muffler shop afterwards. Live and learn. Or is it learn and live..? Hehe

 

Did you not see all the pics I provided?

 

You can lead a horse to water.

 

I just don't understand how the transmission dipstick tube can be difficult for anyone that's working on something even more tedious already.

It's a single bolt, beside the manifold.

Plops right up after undoing the bolt.

 

They said it does not come out are your pics from a manual or auto?

 

Read my post above please.

But to answer your question, because only auto's have a dipstick tube, yes it is an auto (just like the OP).

Post even stated auto, just for the OP which is why I quoted it with all my pics.

I've owned both an automatic Tacoma and automatic 4Runner and have removed the dipstick tube on both vehicles the same way; both were a 5VZ.

 

Going back to the other post, I'm realizing the OP is wanting to remove it from the bottom. Most everyone removes it via the wheel well.

Only way for that to work is by dropping the transmission pan.

Why is he fishing it out the bottom again?