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

Definitely old...

 

Call an authorized dealer. Leer keeps a running log of all serials in some system, somewhere, which dealers can apparently look up. Weird the Leer logo isn't on the badge, but ... I'd still give it a shot.

 

Well, I think my starter is going—217XXX miles. The truck struggled to start yesterday morning and then got progressively worse during the day; I just dropped it off at the shop because I didn't want to get stranded and need a tow. I'm not sure what else it could be; it's just having a hard time turning over. The battery was replaced last year.

 

That hole looks like it’s been there for well over a year. How’d you pass inspection like that?

 

Could still be the battery. It’s incredibly rare for the starters in these to actually go bad, as in the windings failing. The contacts eventually wear down, but that results in an occasional “click” instead of starting when turning the key that eventually happens more often as it wears. But it starts normally otherwise. Mine is occasionally clicking again 170k miles after changing the contacts out. Still original starter with 273k miles on the truck. Still starts strong.

 

2nd. I'd be looking at corrosion and contacts. Like @shifty` says, "It's never the starter or fuel filter. Except for when it is then it IS the starter or fuel filter".

 

Great, thanks. I might have bought supplies using a mix of internet sources, I don't remember now. I'll grab some acid brushes. I figure it would be smart to random-orbit/polish my truck's chalky paint before doing this touch-out work, but...I will absolutely find the motivation to fix these rock chips before winter. I can't guarantee I'll find the motivation to buff the entire truck before then.

 

If it were me, I'd fix the chips first, knock the high spots down on your chip repair, then DA/RO the entire panel with an orange correcting pad and a good polish. This is my preference, Meguair's Ultimate Polish. It's what got my truck so clean and polished after looking like a stick of chalk.

 

You must consider, given the quality of almost everything since mid-2020 has gone to complete and utter shit, it could be the battery. I feel like i'm seeing 10x as many cases of batteries dying within 1-2 years than I saw 20 years ago, but maybe it's just the "internet effect", i.e. more communication.

And the reality is, the shop @Openbaffle takes it to probably won't give a fuck. They'll realize the starter is under the intake which means they get to bill out 4hrs worth of work. They'll install the cheapest part they can find, aftermarket of course, knowing it'll last 2-4 years, so he'll be back within 3 months for 4 years when starting problems kick off, if they're lucky enough to get a non-DOA product the 1st time.

I'm beyond fed up with the state of aftermarket parts these days.

 

You'll be replacing it again in a couple years. Mine went maybe 3 years before it rotted out, the Quietflow comes in stainless and will last longer for not a lot more $$.

 

I need to figure out a way to prevent mine from rusting so quick. I replaced the entire system (minus cats and manifolds) but couldn't swing for OEM or fancy stainless.

I've seen people use grill paint but I'm unsure. Also- the stupid exhaust shop that installed it welded everything together. It won't come apart without cutting.

 

I was gonna recommend grill paint. I bet it's better than nothing.

 

Not a whole lot you can do unfortunately other than stainless. IIRC you can get most of the piping from Walker in stainless for not a crazy amount of money.

 

I used walker's quiet flow. Couple winters she still ok. I used high temp stove/grill paint as well.
Have the "SoundFX" on our civic.... sounds like a teenage stupid tuner car lmao. BwwaaaaaaaaBwaaaaaa

 

My NAPA Lifetime muffler is going on 12 years on my 4Runner and it just passed PA state inspection again so it's still good to go.

 

Hey!! Good news. Battery. Shit battery from 2 years ago but working fine now.

 

My Tundra lives another day

 

Inspection? Who needs an inspection...

This is a project truck and is parked in the back of the house, so it's been without a sticker for a while, lol.

 

Damn... I was contemplating that QuietFlow for being SS.

 

Back in business.



Also had to top off my coolant as it was low. So going to keep monitoring that...

 

Now pull out that battery hold down, wire brush, Naval Jelly it, and hit it with some rattle can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD7BV-z5GsE​

 

I had that record on vinyl, and I remember looking at it about 5 million times, and here 40 years later I'm just now realizing why the peephole is there. "fl(eye) on the wall". Wild.

 

I appreciate my truck more than ever. I've been driving grandpas 3rd gen taco back & forth to the houston medical center.



When i get some time i'm cutting my resonator out & plugging my intake baffles.

 

Well, this was yesterday, but I disconnected the DRL cable and TRIED to find my RS3000 ECU. Pulled the lower dash panel, looked up over the gas pedal, but didn't see it anywhere. I DID find the Glass Break ECU dangling above the Emergency Brake.

 

For 2003, you should have RS3200, and it would be up between the gauge cluster and radio, up inside the dash. A picture of what the RS3200 black box looks like, with its distinct purple sticker is here. IIRC, we've even seen some late-2002 manufactured trucks with RS3200 instead of RS3000. Find the black-taped-up white box in the dash and look for the distinct metal dogleg bracket holding a black box up deep in the dash. Pull to ensure it's correct part number.

If you did have RS3000, @FirstGenVol shows a pretty good pic of the RS3000 location here in reply #115, and a more-zoomed-out pic in reply #117 (reply # is in the right corner of each comment box) and sometimes RS3000 is wrapped in foam like this, if you see the black-taped-up white box again, I think it's just above that, looking for a grey box with grey or beige foam around it. More helpful details here.

One thing worth adding here too, both the RS3000 and RS3200 supported the in-dash 'security' light with embedded glass break sensor.

 

What you going to use on the intake tube?
Chop and seal with some PVC stuff?
I bet you could chop up that CAI tube I gave ya to fit to the air box.

 

That might be it. If not, they're connected for sure.
My rs3000 had a glass break sensor, but I don't recall the glass break sensor having its own ECU. The sensor was like a microphone.
On my 99 Tacoma the rs3000 ECU was behind the drive kick panel.
On my 03 Tundra the rs32000 ECU is behind the gauge cluster. Hope this helps.

https://www.parksoffroad.com/tacomamods/alarminfo/alarminfo.htm

 

Discovered just how affordable OBD2 dongles have become. My brother has this one from Walmart for about $50. You have to download an app to your smartphone and connect the dongle to the phone using Bluetooth. Running it on the 2002 AC yielded the exact sames 2 codes as the nicer tool used by the tech at AutoZone. This tool can also display and record real time telemetry from the vehicle, which might prove useful if you were troubleshooting or verifying a performance enhancing upgrade.

 

Yup, I'm using the OBDLink MX+ and love it. More powerful than some of the cheapies you can get at Wallyworld etc. and the smartphone app is loaded with features, hook-ins, and they're constantly updating it to unlock other new/cool features. Has the ability to hook into every ECU in my truck just about, including TMPS.

 

The 3D printed mount was so warped after this summer I tossed it and bolted the auxbeam inside the sun glass holder. Don’t even know where I put the factory one haha.