My Official OM617 Toyota Pickup Repower Thread

[OM617YOTA]

Had an odd "clunk" in my truck somewhere. After downshifting to a stop, when I took off again I'd get a sensation of weight shifting and then a bit of a thud or a solid shoving sensation, with no noise. Only happened after downshifting. Did some googling, and then climbed under my truck with a grease gun. The slip joint in the rear driveshaft appeared to be completely dry. Half a tube of grease and half an hour with my grease gun later, every U-joint and ball joint and slip joint on the truck is lubed and much happier.

No more clunk.

[OM617YOTA]

A coworker referred to my truck as "adorable."

He seemed 100% deadpan serious. That truck has been called a lot of things, at least half unkind, but "adorable" has never been uttered before. It would probably be in my top ten list of adjectives which do not fit this truck.

[Dan Stokes]

And you're "adorable" too! I'm sure.......

Dan

[charmalu]

Originally Posted by OM617YOTA

A coworker referred to my truck as "adorable."

He seemed 100% deadpan serious. That truck has been called a lot of things, at least half unkind, but "adorable" has never been uttered before. It would probably be in my top ten list of adjectives which do not fit this truck.

If that was coming from a Girl I can understand a comment like that, but if from a guy... HMMM I would keep an eye on him. Adorable is not something a guy would mention.


Charlie

[Cadin]

What does your coworker drive?

[Dan Stokes]

My guess - a pink Prius.

Dan

[Cadin]

Or perhaps a giant 6BT; for folks in the country to use the "adorable" jibe for a diesel 'Yota.

[OM617YOTA]

Dude drives a Pontiac Sunfire. Pretty sure he was just giving me crap, just his pan was SO dead. He even mentioned that the truck looks beastly from the front and the back, just from the sides it looks "adorable." Go figure.

Even the Cummins and Powerstroke guys seem to think it's an OK project.

Got my valve cover gasket in, will probably install it today.

Took the truck to get it aligned, tire shop says I need a new idler arm and to repack the front wheel bearings. Quoted me $114 for the idler arm and $30 for the labor to install it, and $35/ea for the seals on the front wheels and over $100 for the labor to repack the bearings. I found the idler arm and the seals for $30 online delivered and can do all the labor myself. I'm glad I can turn a wrench and buy parts online. If I had to be at the mercy of a shop, a payment on a new car with a warranty would start to make sense in a HURRY.

[Cadin]

Amen to that, and you get to keep the tools!

[OM617YOTA]

The good:

Today I removed the electric in-tank fuel pump and extended the fuel pickup from where the fuel pump used to be down to the bottom of the tank. Re-routed some hoses in the engine compartment and removed the surge tank, and I now have what is essentially a stock Mercedes fuel system. Lift pump draws fuel from tank, return line vents fuel back to tank.

The bad:

The fuel pump strainer was pretty caked with gunk. Feeling around the inside of the tank revealed lots of rust - goody. While I definitely notice a difference in the way my truck runs depending on where I fuel up, it's looking like a significant portion of my fuel filter plugging has been generated in-tank.

Time to upgrade my filtration, and look into replacing or sealing my fuel tank.

[Stretch]

I'd tackle the source of the problem - the tank.

If you want a quickish cheapish fix have a look at the Eastwood tank sealer systems (I think POR15 also do something similar). These are essentially rust treatment products and then an epoxy paint - with luck it might give you a few years on the existing tank.

[OM617YOTA]

Originally Posted by Stretch

I'd tackle the source of the problem - the tank.

If you want a quickish cheapish fix have a look at the Eastwood tank sealer systems (I think POR15 also do something similar). These are essentially rust treatment products and then an epoxy paint - with luck it might give you a few years on the existing tank.

POR15 was definitely my thought. At the moment my time is short and my need for up-time on the truck is pretty high. I will probably be replacing the tank, as that's a much faster turn around than sealing what I've got.

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by OM617YOTA

POR15 was definitely my thought. At the moment my time is short and my need for up-time on the truck is pretty high. I will probably be replacing the tank, as that's a much faster turn around than sealing what I've got.

It might not be legal but a plastic jerry can in the back strapped to the flat bed would provide you time to tackle the real tank...

...and this is diesel not petrol (cue the safety brigade for an indignant outburst)

[mach4]

Check Craig's List - I'll bet you could find a suitable temporary tank to mount in the bed while you sort out the primary tank for not a whole lot.

[funola]

I'd not replace it with another metal tank.