Novice 77 Toyota Hilux owner
09-12-2016, 03:29 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Novice 77 Toyota Hilux owner
Hi,
First off, I just want some honest opinions. I love this truck, but it's an oldie and I am very inexperienced at working on vehicles. Is it worth trying to learn and keeping this baby alive? Or will I just overwhelm myself.
I am capable and just bought a manual, but it's already somewhat overwhelming to work on the heater core. Opinions? Emotional support?
-mustard77
First off, I just want some honest opinions. I love this truck, but it's an oldie and I am very inexperienced at working on vehicles. Is it worth trying to learn and keeping this baby alive? Or will I just overwhelm myself.
I am capable and just bought a manual, but it's already somewhat overwhelming to work on the heater core. Opinions? Emotional support?
-mustard77
09-12-2016, 09:07 AM
#2
Super Moderator
Staff
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Anderson Missouri
Posts: 11,788
Likes: 0
Received 21 Likes
on
19 Posts
Heater core is a pain on several different makes and models. You got to start somewhere. Is this a truck you have wanted for several years or just one to get started on? You start going to newer trucks and you get into electronic fuel injection and those have engine codes that you start dealing with and then comes emissions. Make sure this is the truck that you really want or I would move on to one that you do like. Welcome to Yotatech.
09-12-2016, 10:36 AM
#3
Welcome to Yotatech!
I have a 1975 Hilux that I love. LOTS of information to be found here on this site regarding Toyotas and especially 4wd, but for your older 2wd Hilux there isn't a whole lot on forums like there is for the newer trucks. If you haven't found it yet, ToyotaMinis is another great site, one I have found significantly more info for my Hilux on.
Good luck!
I have a 1975 Hilux that I love. LOTS of information to be found here on this site regarding Toyotas and especially 4wd, but for your older 2wd Hilux there isn't a whole lot on forums like there is for the newer trucks. If you haven't found it yet, ToyotaMinis is another great site, one I have found significantly more info for my Hilux on.
Good luck!
09-24-2016, 05:19 AM
#5
Registered User
I didn't do the heater core on my 78, but on my 83 it was pretty easy. On later model trucks it's much harder, since taking apart the dash is really complicated on newer vehicles. On my 83 there wasn't much that needed to come out, so it was actually not bad at all.
It will really just depend on your level of commitment. Your truck is easy to work on, but will probably need a lot of work. When you're fairly new to working on vehicles, that can be frustrating, because every "little", "simple" job is actually a pretty big, frustrating learning curve. Where with a newer vehicle that just works, you can decide to do little preventative maintenance jobs at your leisure, building skill and confidence. This truck you bought may not even run or drive until you fix this or that, which gets more frustrating.
If this is not your daily driver, that takes the pressure off. If you're committed to learning how to work on it, then just always take your time. Watch youtube videos, check the manual, read up on the repairs online. Buy good tools. Having the right tool makes a HUGE difference. Prepare yourself for a "simple", hour long job to take the entire weekend, if not multiple weekends as you hit obstacles, go back and research more, figure out why this part or that part won't come off like you expected, then you break something and have to order it and wait another 5 days for it to show up in the mail if it's not at a local store.
When you start getting frustrated, take a break. Often if you walk away and don't come back till you feel your motivation build back up again, then suddenly things just work, or the fresh perspective makes it all make sense.
I bought a 1975 Honda motorcycle this spring. Figuring I've got some experience working on vehicles, and hey, it's a '75, so it'll be simple and easy to work on. Well..all it's been is work, with very very little riding. I've gotten frustrated and given up on it multiple times. But as time goes by, with help from online forums and research, more and more is starting to make sense, and if I let it sit a few days when I've given up and decided to just trailer it to a mechanic, I find I've got the motivation to dig into it again and see if I can get it working right. But it's been seriously frustrating.
Know that all manuals assume some level of familiarity with how vehicles work. They actually assume a lot. There are giant, gaping holes in descriptions of how to do repairs. So use the manual and search online for people's write-ups on doing jobs.
It will really just depend on your level of commitment. Your truck is easy to work on, but will probably need a lot of work. When you're fairly new to working on vehicles, that can be frustrating, because every "little", "simple" job is actually a pretty big, frustrating learning curve. Where with a newer vehicle that just works, you can decide to do little preventative maintenance jobs at your leisure, building skill and confidence. This truck you bought may not even run or drive until you fix this or that, which gets more frustrating.
If this is not your daily driver, that takes the pressure off. If you're committed to learning how to work on it, then just always take your time. Watch youtube videos, check the manual, read up on the repairs online. Buy good tools. Having the right tool makes a HUGE difference. Prepare yourself for a "simple", hour long job to take the entire weekend, if not multiple weekends as you hit obstacles, go back and research more, figure out why this part or that part won't come off like you expected, then you break something and have to order it and wait another 5 days for it to show up in the mail if it's not at a local store.
When you start getting frustrated, take a break. Often if you walk away and don't come back till you feel your motivation build back up again, then suddenly things just work, or the fresh perspective makes it all make sense.
I bought a 1975 Honda motorcycle this spring. Figuring I've got some experience working on vehicles, and hey, it's a '75, so it'll be simple and easy to work on. Well..all it's been is work, with very very little riding. I've gotten frustrated and given up on it multiple times. But as time goes by, with help from online forums and research, more and more is starting to make sense, and if I let it sit a few days when I've given up and decided to just trailer it to a mechanic, I find I've got the motivation to dig into it again and see if I can get it working right. But it's been seriously frustrating.
Know that all manuals assume some level of familiarity with how vehicles work. They actually assume a lot. There are giant, gaping holes in descriptions of how to do repairs. So use the manual and search online for people's write-ups on doing jobs.
Last edited by 83; 09-24-2016 at 05:21 AM.
09-24-2016, 11:52 AM
#6
Registered User
What helped me gain enough confidence to start wrenching was Larry Owens 'How to keep your Toyota pickup alive'.
It's long-winded, but describes what the systems in your truck do with clear step-by-step instruction. It's more of a detailed maintenance guide than repair manual, though. It doesn't touch major engine or trans work. Copies show up once in awhile on eBay for the right price and there's a free PDF that's easy to find.
I learned 99% of everything I know about my 85 runner only in the last year. From my own experience I think you should keep it, unless you're very impatient!
It's long-winded, but describes what the systems in your truck do with clear step-by-step instruction. It's more of a detailed maintenance guide than repair manual, though. It doesn't touch major engine or trans work. Copies show up once in awhile on eBay for the right price and there's a free PDF that's easy to find.
I learned 99% of everything I know about my 85 runner only in the last year. From my own experience I think you should keep it, unless you're very impatient!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
