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1990 3.0
Manual Transmission
About 300,000 miles.
SR5. It's loaded with all the goodies.
My truck is a daily driver and my work truck. It gets some serious use. It's been in the family for almost 30 years. My parents first bought it for my little brother around 1993 or so I believe, when he turned 16. After school he used it for work. He must have beat on it because I can't figure how it was so young back then and looked like it had so much more use. Because after that my Dad had it for a long time, and he barely used it, took it to go fishing, kept it maintained really well. Then my Dad gave it to me, I was borrowing it so much for work. I've basically had it since 2008. I put a lot of use on it. I tried not to beat on it. Changed the oil with Mobil 1 regularly. But almost never washed it. Or did anything else. And it got well used. Kept the interior cleaned. In 2019 I cleaned and buffed it up real nice though.
I never really cared much for it, it was just a truck. But I didn't abuse it. Every house I remodeled I just kept saying 'please don't blow up until I'm done with this house! I need the money! I don't want to buy a new truck yet!'. It just seemed like it was a temporary truck, where I'd get the last use out of it until it died. But the thing just kept going, and going, and going. One house after another, year after year. Changed an alternator and battery. Coolant hose leaked, got that fixed. Then eventually, I just decided, I want to just keep this thing forever. Especially after my Dad died in 2018. Maintenance has been way neglected, but that is being remedied big time now.
I've missed working on my own vehicles and fixing things up. I used to have a nice old 1974 Land cruiser in 2003. Oh man the prices on those went nuts now! Wish I kept it. I had an old 69 Camaro too. A lifted step side Chevy, and an old lifted 1964 Tuxedo park Jeep with a ford 302 in it.
I gotta tell you though, I haaaatttee all this extra crap they throw on these 90's Toyota truck engines. And I hate this IFS junk. I guess fine for stock, but horrible for any upgrades or lifts.
What I've just done:
I finally finished this current house. I've seen how awesome these trucks can look fixed up. I had all this free time now. So a few weeks ago, I've started working on it non stop. Polished the paint up real good (still got more to do). It badly needed some heavy duty leaf springs. I had that thing so loaded up the back looked like a low rider. It's been sitting under the car port getting worked on constantly, and being treated like a king now.
I changed all the fluids to Amsoil. Glad I found this stuff, I had no idea I was being lied to about mobile 1, it was not really full synthetic. Better than plain ole oil though, but Amsoil is the real deal, next level. Transmission, transfer case, diffs, engine, everything gets it now.
I just put some old man Emu heavy duty springs on, I think they are like 1 ton or something. They are thiiiickkk. They are supposed to be 2.25 inch lift. But they are like over 3 at least right now. Will take some time to settle, I don't think they are going to 2.25 though. Maybe 2.5 or more. We'll see.
I put some ball joint spacers on. 1 3/4 inch. But haven't turned up the torsion bar yet. It has a good rake on it. To tell you the truth, I like the rake. Plus I really don't like the idea of cranking the CV axles more. I like it where it is.
I put an MSD blaster 2 coil on it and new spark plugs. Let me tell you, I've never felt this thing so peppy! It went from sluggish to actually having some guts! I usually always throw on an after market coil on my vehicles, they really do make a difference. The throttle response and acceleration is really noticeable.
New valve cover gasket. That leak has been the bane of my existence. I thought it would be a lot harder, but it wasn't bad at all. So happy to fix that dang leak. The engine was coated in thick tar.
Pressure washed everything
Put on some manual warn hubs. I can't believe most of the front end has been spinning this whole time. What a horrible waste of energy and fuel and wear and tear. Manuel hubs for the win!
Fixed stuck parking break
Fixed non locking gas cap
Fixed a few coolant tubes when I had changed the coolant
What I'm working now or will soon:
I have a 2" body lift on the way
I have Bilstein 5100 shocks on the way
I have a new exhaust system coming, new flow master cat, flow master high performance muffler. I'm going to exhaust it out the side in front of the back wheel. Anything to squeeze out a little more power. And less pipe to worry about and little less weight.
I have 33" x 12.5 tires on the way
New rims on the way (gloss black with the correct new backspacing).
Change out all the keyed locks, too many not working or too loose
New bumpers and valance panel
Fender flares
I have a sweet looking hood scoop on the way, it looks bad ass, and it will bring it nice cool air to the engine and intake.
Eventually paint the hood and front (bumper and such) matte black. I think it will look fierce.
Make the interior look nicer, looks pretty decent now but needs some finish work.
Install a nice amp and speakers, connected to my tablet that will have a mount.
I think I'm going to eventually get rid of the sliding rear window, it's old, doesn't slide well, and I've always hated it to be honest, I want a solid clean look, and then tint all the windows.
And probably a bunch more. We'll see as I go. I have quite a few leaks to hunt down. Some idiot didn't tighten some line coming out of the transmission either, it looks like it's been loose for quite some time, and shooting fluid out, I tightened it. Seemed tricky to line up, some clown at the lube store in the past probably tried and gave up and just left it. After a bit of fidgeting I got it line up correctly with the threads. They also stripped the diff plug, I fixed that.
Here are photos of my truck in use. And the car port photo is the most recent, right before I started working on it. But right after I started cleaning it up and got it all buffed and waxed. I have some really great wax and paint protectant now I'm going to use after I'm done with some more of the work. Needs a little more buffing too.
Below that are my old photos of my old land cruiser from back in 2003 or so. It had a chevy 350 in it. I bought it for $3100! Lifted it, cleaned the heck out of the paint by hand! Put some new rims and 33's on it, and just made it awesome. I sold it for like $4200! Ugh! And now who would have guessed these Toyota pick ups would sky rocket in price too!
My old Landcruiser. The first one was the original listing and how it looked when I got it from the previous owner. The rest are after I cleaned it up and did some work.
I got my new Bilstein 5100's on yesterday. And my longer U-bolts. The stocks U-bolts were only just barely long enough with no threads sticking out. So I got some slightly longer and meatier ones. I took some photos of the lift difference with my new heavy duty leaf springs on. There is a rake, but it looks more than it is because the back tire is sitting down in the lower gravel on that back tire.
Also my new 33" tires and rims come tomorrow! But I'm starting on doing all the brakes, new calipers, and putting new brake hoses on too before I put the new wheels on. And my new exhaust is here, I'll probably bolt that up and have the rest welded, and do the body lift, THEN the new tires and rims go on! The truck feels so much nicer already with the larger height.
That thing is gonna look sweet on some 33s and an alignment.
Glad you're keeping it and it's getting a bit pampered now after 33 years of working. And the sentimental value is definitely something that can't be overvalued.
I would make sure you don't have some weird emissions laws in your area restricting where the exhaust can exit. Even when I lived in Texas, it was supposed to dump behind the rear axle to pass the visual inspection.
Check out my build. I recently updated it with a full sound system build-out to give you a bit of inspiration for yours, and to see what my truck looked like with the bumpers and grill blacked out vs the stock chrome. This will be a good one to watch!
That's a good point, I never even thought of that, so many ridiculous rules for everything. Luckily my county doesn't have emissions tests. I just got my registration yesterday. We just pay $126 and do it online, and we're good to go. I suppose I should check to make sure there is no state law where I could get pulled over though and get a fix it ticket for the exhaust. Or if I moved. Although it would be real easy to just unbolt the last section and have them put on a longer one to the back if I got called on it some day.
I've looked at so many trucks and threads, I was probably already admiring yours at some point, I'll check it out again. I'm really looking forward to a good sound system and blasting some tunes finally. Be able to enjoy some road trips more, helps the time fly.
Tires and rims came yesterday!
My new hood scoop came too. I set it on the truck where I want it, man it looked so good! It's going to be a poser now lol. At least it will look bad ass. It's just the right size, doesn't look like a race truck or anything. I'll post a photo when I bolt it on. I hope people don't start trying to race me at every light though or constantly ask what engine I put in it.
I changed out my fuel filter. Some clowns again at some shop had stripped out the nut, it was totally rounded off with some pliers. I managed to turn it some but then it just locked up. This is why I don't trust anyone working on my stuff. So that's the diff nut stripped out, a trans line half on, and now the fuel filter totally stripped (and now all fixed by me). Plus it's way too hard to get at the other side, I couldn't even reach it. I don't know why they put it right under the cross member and crammed next to the torsion bar housing, when there is a wide open area behind the torsion bar. That would be very easy to service. I decided to just cut the lines, seems like it would always be a pain. I don't mind having a little bit of soft line. Seems easier to work on and more convenient. I screwed on some hose connections, and attached the hose. It's a little sharp of a turn but it's not kinked so it seems fine.
Bolted on my hood scoop today. Gives it a whole different look. Looks fierce. I love it. I didn't cut the hole yet. I don't want water getting in until I'm ready to refinish the hood, and seal and paint it all matte black (same time I do the new bumper and grille).
I installed all new keyed everythings. I didn't have time to do the passenger side door though. Got to late. The drivers side door handle broke where the rod goes in when I was putting in the new lock. I hate plastic crap. How in the world is that not metal?? By luck I had some perfect piece of metal, I managed to make it all work and put it all together. Seems to be holding up fine but should probably buy a new handle.
I removed the old center console. That thing was ugly. I like that it's less cluttered now. Looks cleaner and more open.
And I cleaned the whole interior, and vacuumed up all the french fries that fell between the old console lol. Looks nice in there.
I got the 2" body lift done! I have to say, these body lifts seem really beneficial. There is so much more room between everything. The engine can breathe more, the transmission has more room, will keep everything running cooler, I can get my hands to work on stuff better, I can reach through the fender and reach way more stuff now.
I also put on the new grille, I know I'll get some hate but I really like the 2wd one piece black grille better than the stock one. Unfortunately I didn't know the 2wd bumper wouldn't fit, or the valance panel. That after market valance panel is cheap as heck though, I feel like the wind would blow a dent in it it lol. So I don't think I want to put one on either way unless I can find a good thicker quality 4x4 one.
So I hammered out the old bumper with a huge sledge hammer. It looks so much better. Sure you can still tell it's gone some damage but it's drastically nicer looking now without the huge bend. I'll have to eventually find a 4x4 bumper that is good quality.
I took off the old fender trim and that trim piece on the bottom rear wheel well. I have some of those Jungle Fender flares on the way. We'll see how those turn out. The truck looks so much cleaner now.
Getting closer to installing the new rims and tires. Just gotta do the brakes and exhaust. I might do what I can on the exhaust Friday, and then put a new seal on the oil cooler. Tired of that thing leaking.
I got most of my new exhaust on! What I could bolt on anyway. I need to have someone weld on a couple feet of pipe and weld the flowmaster muffler on. With just the Cat on I thought this thing would sound terrible, like one of the ricer cars, but it sounds more like a muscle car! Deep and throaty. Well as much as a V6 can. It's loud but not too much where I can't drive to a muffler shop. Should be fine driving around town. It actually sounds like a beast under that hood scoop lol. My new Boche oxygen sensor is working great! My check engine light went off finally! My old muffler wasn't even attached to the pipe, I pulled it right out.
I changed out the Transmission oil with amsoil. And rechanged my transfer case fluid, that had royal purple in it from a couple weeks ago. Kind of a waste but I wanted amsoil in everything now.
I put on new seals on the oil cooler. Real great designing Toyota team, have an oil cooler and then place it right next to the exhaust lol. Anyway, another clown strikes again....so the seals looked really good, like new, so someone probably charged my Dad a bunch of money to change it out a long time ago. But the clown never used a washer seal on the bolt. So it was draining out there and all over my truck and underneath everywhere. Well that means I didn't have one to put back on, and I didn't have a new one. So I ended up taking the old small seal that was inside, and using that for the washer under the bolt, hey it worked great! No more leaks. I cleaned up the oil cooler to look like new.
Man my truck is screaming with power and torque now. I can't believe the difference, with everything I've done, and now the new oxygen sensor maybe and only half the exhaust, flowmaster cat, really makes it scream. It was always such a slug before, the entire time I've ever had it. Now it's actually got throttle response and jump.
And a photo of my new coil I had already put on a while back.
I'm SO angry at the muffler hacker that hacked up my exhaust! It couldn't be an easier job. I told him TWICE how I wanted it. Once on the phone and once in person. Then I told him I'd show him on the truck and muffler so there is no doubt he knows exactly what I want but he goes 'nah I got it'. I should have walked out right then.
So I wanted the muffler to just bolt on to the cat. And the two foot pipe after the muffler to bolt onto the muffler. Just weld some connectors on and use the old hanger, easy right? So I didn't really look at it until I get home. He CUT my beautiful cats connector, with that perfect weld from the factory. And the exact size for my truck. And he welds the muffler to the cat and welds the back pipe to the muffler also. Not at all like I told him! And the small last pipe section is two pieces and different sizes! Like he didn't even have a pipe bender or something?? The hangers are absolutely hacked on and look horrible too. This is why I do everything myself. It's so hard to find people who take pride in their work, or who don't outright screw it up. The one thing I don't do is welding or have a pipe machine (I did take some welding in school but I wouldn't need it enough or do it enough to be able to keep sharp at it).
I mean is it really so much to ask that people take pride in their work or even just do it right and how the customer asked??
Now I have to take it down to the muffler guy in another town, the one I wanted to go to in the first place. But he couldn't do it soon enough, plus I didn't want to drive to far until I get my new tires and an alignment, so I called hacker mc hack in town instead unfortunately. Hopefully this other guy can unhack this mess. Probably cost twice as much to fix it all now. He's going to have to cut and reweld a connector on the cat because I want that to the trucks standard size.. Hopefully they can get that back to the right length. Seriously I hate letting anyone else touch anything I own, it's so hard to get good work, or if you do they are backed up forever and it the cost gets outrageous. I don't have to have the cheapest price but I don't want insane prices either. Just good work at a fair price. Seems like it's harder than ever to find that these days.
So I ripped off that garbage exhaust work that the clown did. I cut all the pieces off. Then I had a ton of grinding to do. The clown welded hangers onto my new muffler, like bent around it and welded on the actual muffler. Not the pipe even. Looked like garbage. Took a lot of grinding but I got it too look nice again. I gave the clown an earful and then he yells to come get my 'f***** money'. So I went down and got my money back. So I go to make an appointment with the only other muffler guy around, he's in the next town. I get there and yet another clown. He says he's behind and I'll have to come in Friday. Thanks for wasting my time and gas. His place is a total dump. Just crap crammed everywhere. No where to even sit. I tell him what I have and how I want it. He starts trash talking flowmaster mufflers. First he says they aren't loud enough, Borla are louder. And he says Borla make more power. Borla go straight through but flowmaster are crap because they are chambered. Yeah no crap I know it's chambered, that's why I bought it. He's comparing it to glass packs. I don't want glass packs. I don't want it that loud and don't like fiber glass in my mufflers or straight through. And a chambered 2.5 inch flowmaster isn't going to hold back a V6 at all. Then I tell him I want it out the side. He starts telling me I should pay to have it out the back. It would be too loud out the side anyway. .....Um the moron just told me two seconds ago to get a Borla because it's louder and now he's trying to talk me into paying more to add more pipe all the way to the back so it won't be as loud. Plus he sounds half retarded or something. I swear to God I don't know how any of these morons stay in business. They count on taking advantage of people and dealing with ignorant customers. So yeah I never went back.
I said eff it. I went and bought a welder. I haven't welded since freshman year in high school. I bought some flanges. And a 90 degree pipe. I welded it all up and it looks great! It's exactly how I wanted it. I'm really loving this wire feed welder, it's so easy to use. I think I'm going to actually get a lot of use out of it since I have it now.
I did all my brakes. Put on new brake calipers and pads on the front and back. New hoses, and springs and those pistons on drum brakes too. I kept the drums and rotors, they seemed fine. Everything is working great.
I also adjusted my torsion bars. One side was way off and it was leaning a lot from it. It looks so much better now.
I greased up every u joint. So they have all new grease in them now. And just cleaned it all up and got all the grime off. Degreased my whole truck too.
So it's all ready now and I go in for an alignment and to mount the new wheels on Thursday!
Check out my welds on the flanges, not bad for 5 minutes of practice lol. So starting after the first catalytic converter flange it's all 2.5". It sounds fantastic, more rumble but not too loud. I painted the muffler after I welded the flanges on. I might get a chrome exhaust tip.
Man this truck is purring nice now. Engine sounds great. I used to slow down a lot when going up those big hills on I-5. It would get slower and slower until I got to the top. With all the work I've done I can actually accelerate up the hill! I was going 68 mph by the time I got to the top, and I could have gone faster if I wanted. Pretty awesome for an engine with 300,000 miles on it. I keep hearing people say these aren't like old Chevy engines or something and they don't react like that with upgrades. But I've found everything I do has been making great improvements and rewards me well.
Anyway, can't wait to see it with my new tires and rims soon!
I got the new tires and rims on! Looks beautiful. I feel like my vision is coming together now.
I feel like now people will see it and think 'hey great ole truck!'. Where as before I always got the vibe that people just thought it was a crappy old truck and I must be poor or something, and they put no value on it. Especially when taking it in to get worked on for anything, like they just figured it was a bucket of bolts and didn't care if they scratched it or did bad work, just get it done cheap and out of there. And it bothered me they didn't respect my stuff. Like I'm starting to paint a beautiful piece of art, and I'm doing each stroke of paint just right, and taking pride in it, with a vision, but some clowns just come in with spray paint and throw it around like it's a garage sale item. Know what I mean? One of the customers at Les Schwab really appreciated it though, he said he had one with a 350 Chevy in it. We talked for a bit about our trucks.
Anyway, I took it to les Schwab to get the tires mounted. I won't be going back there again. Place is a rip off, charged me $240 just to mount them and for some chrome lug nuts. But I didn't have time to shop around. Plus they didn't even put them on the truck! They said they can't put them on anything with a body lift for legal reasons. So lame man. So I had to haul them home and put them on myself. And they wouldn't do the Front end Alignment. He said I need new ball joints. And said the bearing is a little loose. But I looked and the bearing seemed fine. Anyway, it mostly sounded like they don't like to try to mess with anything with a lift anyway, he said he's really not supposed to do it. I think he was worried about even trying and being liable. I see he tried something though because he put a huge flipping gouge to mark where it was. Like you can't mark it real nice and straight line?? A big chunk was taken out, this is what I mean it pisses me off when people don't respect your property. I mean I doubt he'd do that to a new BMW or something.
I'll have to find a local independent shop to do an alignment or something. I'll put some new ball joints on first though. I wish he'd at least got it as good as he could though, instead of doing nothing. I don't want to wear down my tires, it's pretty far out of alignment. I have to drive out of town to visit family for the Holiday weekend, it's about a 3 hour drive each way. Hopefully the new tires will be ok. After I get back I'll do the ball joints and bring it in some place else.
I got a new rear bumper on the way, an after market one that I like better than the original style. And a tow bar that mounts the below the bumper. So It will be lower and I can use different attachments on it. My fender flares arrived so I need to put those on too.
03-13-2023, 11:00 PM
