What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

@turbodb

I'm seein your write ups on Poker Flat area (good stuff btw). You still in CA? Or, have your adventures taken you elsewhere?

 

Sway bar is long gone, have about 4 years on the replacement OEM rack and used poly bushings when I replaced it. I'll go poke around there and see what state they are in.

 

LCa bushings?

 

@DethSpork

That would be one the first places I'd look. (LCA bushings)

If you already replaced the rack, and the bushings with poly 4 years ago, they should still be good.

Popping though... sounds more like ball joints I.E. LBJ, OTRE, UBJ... but those, you say are recently replaced


I'm just working this through my head in steps... from what you describe, yes, I'd start by looking at the LCA bushings. (Also the alignment cam bolts, maybe the alignment tech left one loose? LBJ bolts? Maybe one of them is loose?)

 

Was the clunk there before all this work was done?

 

I have. Issues seems to be with tightening the (8) screws through the top of the hangar into the tank. By the time they start to snug up, the gasket is deforming and squeezing out from under the lip of the top plate. Haven’t been able to find that happy-medium where they’re tight enough and the gasket stays in place to form the proper seal.

 

I had an extra grille so I thought I would attempt a satoshi. I was hoping to change the look up a little without losing that old school feel.

 

Nailed it.

 

Well, I don't think it is that my limit straps need adjusting...

Mike @Digiratus

Thanks!

Not in the area anymore - we ran through Plumas, then through Lassen - all at the tail end of July. Just takes a bit of time to process photos and get the story written. Definitely want to go back though, so if you have suggestions, I'd love them (even if via PM). I'm mostly looking for awesome views/old historical stuff to explore, as opposed to the bashing trails that I've seen in your recent vids. As a single vehicle, I've gotta be a little bit careful, hahaha.

 

About that single vehicle... Was gunna suggest you run some trails with us.

Yes, it may be a bit of bashing, but it's a good group, and we always make sure everyone makes it out alive

Swamp Lake Trail (last one we did) has some mines on it we just didn't really stop at them. The one we did stop at, I was busy fixing my rear locker, so I didn't film any of it.

We're doing Dusy next week (probably a little more bashing than ya want, but spectacular views and something like 12 lakes along the trail)

Red/Coyote Lake trails are end of Oct (also, maybe a bit more bashing than ya want)

But Oct 14/15/16 we'll be doing Niagara Rim Trail. That trail can be as tame as a 5 of 10 if you take bypasses. That's in the Sonora area, LOTS of History down the hill from there. NRT is on Forest Service Rd 5N01 which has the Bennett Juniper (one of the oldest trees in the world, and, I guess, a silver mine I've never been to)

 

I did notice one of the seals I had was bit too small I'm trying to remember if I used the gasket that came with the Delphi fuel pump hanger assembly or if I used the Spectra one that came with the new gas tank. There was definitely a difference in quality of fitment, I want to say the Spectra was better

 

Yup, looks like you did a good job on that one.

I haven't had one tear completely across like that one, but I have had them start yo tear. Usually in the middle though, where they fold at full compression.

 

Well.. the old man and I tackled the timing belt and water pump yesterday. What a nightmare. I was not ready. Took us literally all day and I didn’t even put in the new coolant until this morning. Followed by an immediate 9 hour drive back to San Diego. Needless to say, it runs flawless. Maybe even better. It hasn’t misfired once yet and the p0300 hasn’t shown up yet either. Temps stayed around 185-194. I’ll probably try to burp it one more time but so far I’m happy with everything.

 

U joints and carrier bearing. U joints were kind of a pain, as it was my first time doing them. I also suffer from, “I bet I don’t need that” syndrome, when I see a specialty tool. I guess I like shit the hard way.

 

Replacing the ECT fixed my cold start issues. Still chasing a hard start at temp. Pulled the plugs, they all look good. #3 was super loose. Forgot to gap them while they were out

 

Clearly I need to clean all the plug holes up, and it seems I have a (hopefully) valve cover gasket failure on #1, but I'm not too concerned about that for now.

 

That job takes a while the first time you do it. You'll get faster next time

 

ES poly bushing don't last a year for me. Noticeable witness marks on the rack of it sliding in the D bushing. Going to try TC next time I care to replace them.

 

LOL... I'm going on 4 years with my ES poly bushings. I just looked at them when I was eliminating my alignment cams and installing the LCA skids. They've seen work, no doubt, but don't look at all like they need replacement.

 

I replaced both entire LCA's a year ago, had some cracks in the originals. The clunk was there before I took it to the shop, that's what pushed me to change the other parts initially. I'll get a chance to go in and check torque on the steering rack bolts and everything else this weekend and get an update in here.