Update to a wonderful radiator upgrade...... triple core Full aluminum.......

That trip up Mount Lemmon last month with me smashing into a 4 foot deep snow drift 3 times(at 20 mph) seems to be related to the top plastic tank losing its seal and anti-freeze starting a very slow drip down the radiator. So I found a Champion 3 core Radiator all aluminum and decided to go for the gusto and spend some decent money on a good one. Took only 2 or 3 days to come(Ebay listing) and I was very satisfied with the TIG welds. Quality was there and the fitment was just fine.. 204 plus taxes.....I seem to recall these aluminum radiators were about costing about $500 five or ten years ago. This was a direct fit for my 01 Tacoma with 3.4L and auto.

So, the install went well and also topped off the water in the plastic reservoir tank and started truck up and looking for any leaks.....found another leak on the 20 year old plastic reservoir...imagine that. Windex bottle to the rescue. Got a new oem tank coming from megazip.net (Japan direct) for 78 bucks out the door. More on the aluminum radiator from Champion soon.

 

The reason why the 3 core aluminum radiator was installed today on March 18, 2021.....

It was Jan 26th....30 feet from the top of the mountain.......just was not worth the potential damage that almost happened so backed off after ramming it 3 times. Right headlight and grill had no apparent damage! But I think the plastic tanks on the radiator got too stressed and started to leak a little.




Jan 26 2021

 

Aren't you supposed to have a plow when you do that? Ha Ha. Thanks for the review of the radiator.
Scott

 

LOL........ No more of that for me.................
The tranny mount only made it 20 years. New genuine one from Japan is now in its place.
Wouldn't surprise me if the driver side motor mount is also ready to go.

 

Chain down the driver side motor mount, and all of your mounts will last longer...
Hi ZUK!

 

Hey Stace!

Oct 21 22 23 24......if you can make it.......I plan to be out there at Charouleau Gap just past the cabin ....camping out 2 or 3 nights I think.....no deer hunting for me but plan to just hang out. You are welcome to show up. Scott and Eric are good guys and are excellent company.

 

Scott and Eric are great! Not sure if a full size Tundra can get through the Gap. - Oracle to camp a few years back was a bitch in the 4Runner.

 

Hey Stace! Been awhile. I moved away from Chandler AZ and now in Beautiful Prescott AZ. Just checking in .....The 2001 Tacoma with the SAS is still on the road....still mine....did not sell it to anybody.....not much camping out lately but it is still in the plans. Moab is calling to me, I hear it.

 

The SAS with the FJ60 flipped housing is working good. Almost 11 years on the SAS and still daily driving it. But just now got a red charging light with only 269,000 miles on the original 25 year old alt.
I did tap the alt casing and it started to charge again so that tells me worn out brushes. Of all places, I got the oem part number brush kit on Amazon for about $35 27370-75060 Access to the bolts and wires is good. Battery cable is 1st removed. By the way,,,,Finished the job in just over 1 hour and good now for another 200,000 miles I hope.

 

No rust on any of the 2001 bolts and removal was easy.

 

The thin tin cover came off easy and exposed is the brush set. I will remove the 2 phillips and that will fall off.

 

wow....got my money's worth out of that brush set.

 

I used a thin .004" feeler gauge to get the inner brush to seat deep down in there. Place feeler in first then slide the brushes down then remove feeler!!

 

Went back in pretty good.

 

Nice, love these older threads coming back to life 😁