What have you done to your 1st gen Tundra today?

Just used the hand pump lever model with the skinny needle (bends easy). Its a tight fit between the rubber and the metal side of the shackle, but its doable. You have to pick the right spots by probing with the needle to feel for the gap. One pump per insertion. Do a couple around the perimeters of each bushing (where accessible) and you will notice a difference in the rear handling.

I assume once the grease works its way in farther it will be better. Might try a couple squirts or PB Blast to facilitate the grease movement.

 

AS far as what I did on my tundra I changed oil , used mobil 1 synthetic , bled brakes with a vaccum pump , got a lot of solid pedal. Yesterday wife and I tried unsuccessfully to bleed fronts several times. I thought was odd. Weak pedal after several attempts. Thought to my self I would get a vaccum pump ( old one been missing for some time) Hooked it up started on back, did both including proportioning valve . Got all sorts of air , was a bit baffled as to why all this air since I only changed rear shoes and never messed with rear cylinders then it hit me . When I removed front calipers I had to go to town for something job related and although I had put a rubber cap on the front brake line that I disconnected from rotor a big puddle of fluid was under the front wheel well when I returned so I refilled the master and then a couple of days later when I actually was ready to drive truck I forgot about that spill which no doubt effected all four brakes not just front because master reservoir was really low at that one time.

 

I like this greasing the shackles idea. Gotta make it react smoother. Def doing tomorrow. Thanks PHM

 

I don't understand - where's the rust?
Why is the only rust on the underside on the muffler.
Does not compute, does not compute - Danger Will Robinson!

 

Confirmed. 4.88's and 32's = ample grunt for towing.

The only question I have at this point is can I get away leaving it in OD mode - at least when I'm on the flat. I usually tow at around 60-62 mph. That's a very comfortable cruising speed when towing for me. Now after the re-gear, with OD on, I'm at about 2500 RPMs @ 62 mph. If I give it gas, it doesn't downshift - it just keeps revving and accelerates smoothly. I don't know if that indicates the torque converter is staying locked or not. For climbing the mountain passes, I did turn OD off, and it jumps up to about 3200 RPMs - but instead of slowing down to like 50mph, I can maintain 60-62 mph. So that's great. But I wouldn't want to tow with OD off 100% of the time. Constantly revving that high just feels a little unsettling. So for now, I plan to turn OD off just for hills and getting going from a dead stop.

On the mpg front, I don't think there was much of any improvement. I burned about the same amount of fuel on this trip to the lake as I always do. Of course, increasing the pulling power was the main goal anyway. There's no doubt that worked out.

 

If you can turn OD on and it doesn't shift in and out it'll be fine. The repeated shifting is what builds up heat.

 

Anybody run premium gas in their v8?
I've only run regular since I bought it about 7k miles ago. Wondering if there's any benefits to the higher octane.
I know on TW people would say higher octane on the 3.4L tacos was a waste unless it were supercharged.

 

Wa$te.

 

There was some rust along all the welds and some slight bubbles at the rear cross member for which I created a grease patch at the tee. The box frame had some going on inside (again at the welds) if you really popped your head up and looked down the hole. Rear bumper has surface rust on the inside, but I guess thats normal for most vehicles. All in all not bad. This thing could now be submerged in saltwater and not rust for a long time.

 

Why would you want to turn OD off when on the flat? I tow all the time with OD on with no problems on the flat. Only time problems come are with steep grades/high head winds and thats when the OD gets switched to off by me. Also, no cruise control when towing ever.

Stoked on your report. Sounds like success! The grunt helps on the steeper roads for sure.

Hows the regular street non-towing driving going with the new gears, again?

You tried them in 4wd mode?

 

It's the unlocking of the torque converter that builds up heat. If you feel the revs rise a couple hundred RPM, it's not shifting between gears, it's unlocking the torque converter, and in doing so building heat. That is why it's not good to run O/D while towing (especially heavy loads or on less than completely flat ground)...while in O/D, the TC will lock and unlock continually trying to maintain speed because the hwy rpm range in O/D is best for mpg, not power and when it needs power to maintain speed, it unlocks to raise the engine RPM to get more power...rinse and repeat.

This is a good read on TC and how them locking and unlocking is the source of the heat, not shifting between gears.

https://www.motor.com/magazine-summary/torque-converter-lock-may-1999/

 

Replaced the crusty headlights and installed some 4x4 cube lights in the fog light hole on '05.

 

I think I may be the only one, but I prefer the grill "face" area on 2000-2002 Tundras better than the 2003+....

 

I kinda agree, I also prefer the metal bumper

 

I like the 02’ grille face with the ‘Grill Master’ inside it, too. Makes for good hamburger lines.

Today, I backed up the truck on a Mobil1 Oil sale at wallywuurll. With the Mobil1 Rebate of $12 off per 5 qt. jug = about $13 total per jug (high mileage synthetic!) after rebate. Thanks to @FirstGenVol for the tip off.

 

I use mobil 1 in everything. where do I find this rebate?

 

Mobil1 website has it. Its a score of a deal. Lasts until September.

 

Sorry. I meant to say, "leave it in OD mode" when on the flat - not turn it off.

The regular street driving (non-towing) with the new gears is great.

I have not yet had a chance to try it in 4WD. I am going to do a trail run with a local wheeling club in two weeks. Will report back after that.

 

You're definitely not the only one. I like the early grille much better also. Now I find myself perusing CL for early white hood and grille.

 

Thanks, I read that article, and now it's making more sense. Prior to the regear, I always religiously towed with OD off. But a few times, when I was cruising along on completely flat highway, I'd experiment by turning OD back on just to see what happens. The RPM's would drop a bit initially, followed by a rise of a few hundred RPM's right back up again. I take it that was the TC unlocking/locking, not a downshift. Apparently, that's the source of the heat build-up that can kill our first-gen trannies. So I'm glad I always left OD off when towing for all those years.

After the re-gear, I'm not seeing that same thing happen. When towing with OD on, it just cruises along happily at 60-62mph, around 2500ish RPM, right in the powerband. I'm not seeing any change in RPMs unless I hit the gas. And even then, it just revs up like it would normally when accelerating. It's not as rapid a change in RPM's like I used to experience when experimenting with towing in OD before the re-gear. But according to that article, it can sometimes be hard to detect when your TC is locking and unlocking purely by seat of your pants feeling, so I'm still a little leery about towing in OD. I will keep playing with this, and keep paying close attention to what's going on.

Question - Would it be wise for me to change my trans fluid, just as a precaution? It was changed at 65K, and again at around 120K. I'm at about 153K now. Most of the miles I drive are towing these days.

 

According to this you should be changing it every 60K miles...if I was only using it for towing, I'd do it a little more frequently than that...

https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms-s/MSTOY02-MS0003/pdf/MSTOY02-MS0003.pdf

 

I've done it befofe and got better MPG. No where near enough to justify the cost. No even close.

Does anyone else remeber when 93 octane was only .20 more per gallon than 87? I sure do.

 

Just ordered a new Denso radiator and OEM cap. Decided to order from Amazon since their return policy is the best. We'll see if it arrives without damage. A lot of people reported they received it with shipping damage.

 

Like Speedtre says, you should change it. I’ve had full fluid changes every 40k miles (at shops$$ usually $200). Now that I’m doing my own service work, I’ve been doing a DEXIII drain and refill of the approx. 4 quarts per drain off. This is at every engine oil change interval of 3k. Its easier to drain and refill the transmission than doing an oil change and since all the tools are out why not? Keep it fresh is the motto.

You can buy Regular DEXIII Valvoline at wally wuurrll for about $14 a gallon jug. Just enough to fill the transmission and you’ll have a little extra to suck and fill your Power Steering Reservior once or twice. Win win!

 

@bmf4069

The Whistle Stopper (in addition to bolt tightening and some tender bending of the window frame). The pollen is gnarly here right now as evidenced by the yellow layer.

 

Trans fluid has always been "inspected" every 30K, but most times the shop tells me that the trans fluid looks too good to warrant a flush/refill. I don't know if that was accurate or not. I will change the trans fluid now, and will step up the interval on trans fluid changes too.

 

Any ideas on overlap on up and down?
My wipers are hitting the bottom and going over the edge and getting caught. Plus it makes a terrible noise!
Any ideas? It's been like this since iv got it a year ago

 

You may have to take off the cowl and investigate inside. Maybe an arm/bracket from the motor is loose/off?

 

Maybe the arms have been taken off before and put back on misaligned? I have never taken mine off but imagining a spline drive.