not yet. too cold, no welder yet, saving for my bed. thanks though! i might have to incorporate the platform into the bed
hey mark! i'm fine on this end of things... still waiting on a response, but i'll hit up the local yards tomorrow to look for one. they list them as $400-$500, so i'll see if i can't talk them down. also picking up a few "new" wheels. not exactly the same design, but if i find 2 more of either style, i'll have a matching set. and the price is right
thanks for the heads up, but i'm not serious about air horns. first of all, i'd scare the bejesus out of myself. second, i ain't payin' $1000+ for a set. and lastly, i saw the dust shake off of a truck when the horns blew. i know something will break the first time someone cuts me off


naw, my bed will be the next big project, then painting it (i'm having someone else do it professionally, i just don't have the time to do it myself)

 

yay hahahaha...

exactly! that's the only thing i would do if i got horns

 

oh trust me, its fun!

 

picked these up today, courtesy of iselloil

 

nice! i think, if you want my opinion, you should paint them a dark dark grey, or something like that. if you are going to paint them that is

 

i was thinking about doing something like that. and if i got a new (set of) bumper/s, it would be easy to match



i need 2 more of the same generation (these came off of a 98) taco/runner to make the full set. then i can sell my other good wheels

also stopped by the junk yard on my way to richmond. they wanted $1000 for the bed
it is in great condition, but it also has a tailgate with a few dents and the tail lights, which i don't need. it's going to cost me ~$800 to have just the outside painted... so that would cost about the same as a fiberglass bed (bed alone, without shipping), but i want to customize the new bed a little bit, by adding an access panel to the top of the fuel tank, and maybe mounting points for the platform. dunno yet...

 

here's some video of my engine running with and without the battery connected, turning lights on and off

disconnected

connected

 

also made a hanger for my cb radio in the shop last week

 

Hey Ian.... the videos...???

Pulling the ground has always been the best alternator test.... Mine was still putting out around 12.08 at first, ...then 0! Yeah, zero is not very good! LOL.

Also, I'm running 8" Dick Cepek 150W Halogens and they give a lil idle drop, but not too bad with this Denso Alternator. Before this last Alternator really started giving up the ghost.... it still was giving a HUGE idle drop, around 250RPM, maybe more.

Nice job on the CB Mic Holder... Got pics of the CB rack installed? I'll look back again, maybe it's on the last page... Looking good, can't wait for that platform!

 

yeah, i can get some pics of it installed... oil change first

 

Hey Ian, ...cool, I hear ya, TRUST ME, ....especially when it's related to finding time for ANYTHING, lately! lol.(pics, etc.)

Also, .....I know some might say,"Hey, that dent is nothing,....drive it and put the money into lockers, etc., etc., etc.", lol... but having a gouge on a clean rig like that, .....yeah, it's SO bothersome, I can relate, lol.

 

honestly, it doesn't look too bad. it still bugs me a little, but it's not eating away at me anymore. i'm more than likely going to get a steel bed. seeing as how this one has held up so well (for 18 years) with no rust. i'll get it painted by the pros, and might get the whole truck painted while i'm at it. also looking for another 2 wheels, either my generation or a first-gen taco


i did a lot today, and still have time for yotatech. so i made time for pictures

here's my command center. still a work-in-progress, but it's a good start:














and i keep finding this in my old oil. it's like coarse sand. anyone know what it is?

 

Pieces of old timing chain guide?

 

That looks GREAT, man! You gonna give it a "red anodized" look? And, I hear ya on the dent....Honestly, it's really not that bad at all. You could probably put all the goodies into it, first, THENNNNNN worry about the paint and those inconsequential things, later, ....even much later, and be MUCH HAPPIER that you went "goodies first, looks later" hahaha.

Far as the oil... WTH? Have you cleaned that stuff up and taken a really good look? maybe take a magnet to it, etc? I wouldn't think you'd really get anything metallic to come out the drain, as it's recessed where the plug is in there. Hmmm, which means, most likely, that stuff is floating, right? Could it be some gasket material coming apart in there,...somehow? HAHAHA, not sure how that would happen. or timing guide material?...Just guessing. Hmmm, interesting. I would clean it up and really look at it under some magnification, maybe. Maybe you got some serious dirt through the filter, or something broke free from the AFM and wound up in the pan?(I know, unlikely). Just trying to inspire some outside the box thinkin! lol.

 

Looking at that pic again....... are those grains inthe bottom right, metallic? Just look a lil shiny. Just curious.

 

i dunno. i don't think so. it's got the hardness of salt, is clear/yellowish, and only appears towards the end of draining the oil. i know it's not plastic or metal
nah. i just built it 'cause i had some extra time. and i might sell it if i get a center console. but that would look cool!
yeah... i know.

i keep going over the oil system in my head... gaskets, filter, pump, strainer, bearings...

 

Ian, how fresh is that motor? Is it possible that there's some stuff that's just working it's way out of the oil passages, etc? Just really curious if you clean it up and find any metallic stuff mixed in with the kitty litter looking stuff. Only thing I could think that would wind up like that would be electrolysis particles, ....but how would that wind up in the oil? That's quite a bit of crud.... just very curious now, it's going to drive me NUTS!~ HAHAHA.

Possibly a bunch of crap came loose from a valve or two? How many times have you found it in your oil? Just think this could be really important to figure out, man....not good having 'mystery chunks' in the oil, yah?

 

Hey, I know ONE INSTANCE where this happened. NOT saying it's even likely to be related.

A buddy of mine had an old one, 80 or so pick up, 4x4. He rebuilt the motor and couldn't figure out what this crap was, lol. Well, it ended up that the Valve cover Baffle Gaskets were coming apart, especially under all kinds of new pressure, etc., and so this carbonized crap was ending up in his oil.... He changed those and they just crumbled, and they never showed up again in the oil.

My guesses would be, either;

1. RTV or Cork or otherwise Gasket Material
2. Timing Chain Guide chunks on driver side(really hope not....but they would float, right?)
3. Metallic something or another

 

jeeze, now it's going to bug me... thanks a lot!! haha

how fresh is my motor? it doesn't have a pleasant pine scent, if that's what you mean. never been re-built, no gaskets replaced, nothing done except fluid changes... 100% original...

someone on another forum found the same type of stuff, and thought it might be parts from valve stem gaskets.

hmmm...

 

Sorry man, ...just seems like something that you'd want to get to the bottom of.... and yes, sorry as well for causing overthinking to the point of ANEURYSM! lol... But honestly, Ian... don't you think this could be pretty serious if you don't figure it out? Just don't want you having some unnecessary drama, ya know? Still, really strange with such low mileage that you'd have valve seal materials droppin in there.