More fun (new to me) Tundra Fix log.

Bought the 2003 in my profile for $5500. Found out already I need a new keyless remote, I purchased all the recommended parts here for new to you Tundras. Upon a longer test drive at night today, I also discovered my CEL doesn’t turn on when key is turned to run and performs the light checks. It also seems my airbag light also doesn’t pop up which makes me worried since the horn doesn’t work, if the horn and cruise don’t work and the clock spring is out, then the airbag is also more than likely not going to work.

I also found out I’ll need to clean the steering column to hopefully fix my horn with some dielectric grease, or a new clock spring :/ yay me! Cruise control also doesn’t work which is turning me towards the clock spring, or the ground in the steering wheel bearing.

Really hoping the gauge cluster light issues is just bulbs. I’d like to hope and pray the guy I bought it from didn’t disconnect the fuses or other items to hide the lights.

I’m posting these issues in this thread for my own sanity, to consolidate information, and log my troubleshooting. If this is wrong please let me know. I’m a newbie!

 

Throw up some pics broooooo

 

@jcrob33 added them as an album on my account

 

Sounds like a fuse with a few things not working,,, and that is just a guess??
Best of luck post up some pictures

 

Yeah, sounds like a basic clock spring issue with the horn and cruse control not working.

oem clock spring is recommended for this. I went with a cheap $34 rockauto clock spring from (Ultra Power) to fix my issue. The first one they sent me fixed cruise control and horn but not airbag light.

Decided to order another one (same part from rockauto, under warranty) because everything I read said clockspring still. I installed it and my airbag light went away and all problems fixed

install is very easy

 

Gauge cluster: It's possible the seller removed the CEL bulb and/or installed one that's burned out to mask codes. Be sure to scan for codes BEFORE you pop the negative battery cable off to investigate the horn issue. Maybe they upgraded to LED and they installed the LED backwards (many LED are polarized and only work installed one way).

Horn/Cruise: Left you with that link in the other thread to the TT forum, where a common no-horn/no-cruise fix lives, simply cleaning a ground, I know you know that. Definitely Try it before blowing the $$ on clockspring but also remove the negative cable 5min before starting. DO NOT buy aftermarket clocksprings, it could mean the difference between life and death if some aftermarket cheapo shit fails on you when the airbag is supposed to deply. OEM is $$ but your life is worth it.

We're all here to bounce ideas off when you notice other weird shit. You got this!

 

On the docket this Saturday

Ordered a replacement key fob today for the truck total TYD price: $26.90

Non OEM Link: https://www.remotesremotes.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=T_BAB-056

Picked up a Timing Belt Kit: Parts and numbers listed below

Timing Belt Mitsuboshi TB271M
1 Idler Roller NSK 13503-62040
1 Tensioner Roller Koyo 13505-62070
1 Front Crankshaft Seal KP/Stone/THO 90311-40022/13
2 Front Camshaft Seals KP/Stone/THO 90311-38051
1 Water Pump WPT-100 Aisin 16100-69398-83
1 Water Pump Gasket Aisin
1 Hydraulic Tensioner Toyota 13540-62021
1 Thermostat (82°c) Toyota 90916-03075
1 Thermostat Gasket Aisin 16325-62010
1 Air Conditioning Belt Bando 4PK-0870
1 Alternator Belt Bando 4PK-1050
1 Power Steering Belt Bando 4PK-1070

Genuine Door Sill Protectors (Couldn't help myself with a cheapy $20 "Mod") Part Number: PT747-34010

OEM Toyota Oil Filters for $4.99 a pop at my local dealer! (score!) Part Number:90915-YZZD3

6 Quarts of Mobil 1 5W-30 Full Synthetic High Mileage @ Sams Club for $35.

Oil Pressure Sending Unit (hoping I can fix my oil pressure gauge not working) Part Number: 83530-28020

2 Gallons of 50/50 Toyota Genuine Super Long Life Coolant for thermostat and water pump spillage while dropping those parts out for replacement from my local dealer for $28/29ish a jug (Gasp!)

Plan on picking up some dielectric grease from NAPA or some other parts store in town to tackle hopefully fixing my cruise and horn before shelling out the $400 for a clock spring.

Planned on getting some gasket seal as well to glue those gaskets down for the water pump.

Anything I'm seeming to be missing?

 

So, the timing belt change turned into some more rearing issues. So fun! My savings was excited it’s getting utilized!

went to start the timing belt change. As soon as I dropped the fan and fan clutch, saw some radiator seepage. Started looking for a radiator and figured “it’s not tooo bad, I can wait for an OEM from Toyota and swap later. As I got deeper and got the clutch off, the harmonic balancer was also cracked. Oh shit. Stop and wait for parts it is. It wasn’t tearing the belt up or anything but it was one slip away from ripping the belts all to hell and grenading.

I found a denso radiator an hour and a half away from me. And this one store, also happened to have the ONLY Doorman branded harmonic balancer in the state of Indiana. So I got in my car and drove the route there. $497 later and in my haste and happiness to maybe get the job done today, I open the balancer and guess what? The shit is cracked in the same spot. A BRAND NEW balancer. So I stop for the night, borrow dad’s car and go home. I found another one that orielly can get to me today thank god, so I’m going to pick that Harmonic Balancer up today and put it in. I’ll have some pictures to post up today as well. I didn’t get many taken as I was driving to the parts store while dad was ripping things out. Fun times with the Tundy.

 

@shifty` i do have one question before I get started. Could you by chance tell me if the 2003 Tundra V6 engine came with an oil cooler from the factory? I’m trying to see if the original owner bypassed it. When I pulled the water pump there was a bypass for the oil cooler, same as the one I bought here. But the PO had it welded shut and plugged. I’m wondering if he “deleted” an oil cooler.

 

Looks like it’s 50/50

 

Post photos of the water pump, the oil filter area, the front of the radiator and the rear lower tank of the radiator.

 

This! ^^

I've been AFK at a charity food event, then had to help a friend with wiring up his house w/cat6. Attics when it's 93° out suuuuuuuuuck.

 

@bfunke ended up calling in the big guns. Dad. No oil cooler. We're plugging the outlet to the oil cooler and getting it sealed. I'd have had to return the entire kit, and then re-order. I trust his input on the situation honestly since he knows what he's doing. Went to O'Rielly to pick up the harmonic balancer, and they gave me a power steering pulley instead. SO. Ordered a different one from rock auto and am waiting on parts. My Trucks still in pieces and waiting on parts. UGH. Also have a slight leak in the valve cover gaskets so I might be tackling those as well. Fun times here at Ridgemont High. I'll be updating later on in the week with findings after I get the correct parts in.

 

Valv cover gasket leaks are pretty normal for these trucks, and it's a process between changing the valve cover gasket, the spark plug tube gaskets, removing and cleaning both half moon plugs at the back of each heads, and re-FIPG'ing the half moons and cam tower corners before reinstall.

tl;dr - before tackling the gaskets make sure the bolts are tight, by first trying to back them out a bit. They should be 53 INCH POUNDS (not foot pounds), which is barely more than hand tight. The bolts, which you should replace when changing the gaskets, have a rubber+steel washer attached. The rubber compresses over time and lets the bolts back out a bit. Many people have found theirs hand tight, tightened up, cleaned up the mess they made, then found no more leaks.

 

I would replace all the pulleys. Those bearings go out and it's a pain to deal with down the road.

Also if I remember correctly there's a special tool for installing and removing the cam and crank seals

 

The idler pulley is the very first part I replaced on my truck, it sounded like hell during my test drive and inspection.I used it to further negotiate the price down, and It completely failed on the drive home

I used a Lisle tool 58430 for removal of each. In reality a hook shaped pick would do the job just fine. I lightly tapped the crank seal in with a large (30mm?) socket as a seal driver. The cam seals are huge/rigid and easily pushed in with some focused force through your thumb tips.

 

I think I used the old seal to drive in the new one

 

Finished the timing belt today. Drove 100+ miles on it and everything is checking out nicely! No issues at all to report. New radiator, and all above parts mentioned. Sending unit did not fix my oil pressure gauge but I’m not toooooo terribly concerned about the “idiot gauge”.

here’s the break in the balancer. It got rusty from all the rain we got in Indiana after the hurricane; because we left it in our “scrap pile”.

 

Now that the grenade in the engine is taken care of, I will be looking for new shocks. I am not happy at all with the rough country lift kit that the PO installed on the truck. She rides real rough compared to the spoils I've had riding in my dads newer GMC Sierra. I'm shopping around for a Bilstein 5100 coil kit, top hats, and an add a leaf. Will need to save for a while for that price tag! Sheesh! Also going to save $ to redo the entire suspension, UCA, LCA, LBJ etc.

 

The suspension on these trucks is going to be a bit rougher than what you'll have in that Sierra.

Depending which route you go and what you want for an end result, what you put in may not be better. Have you got any baseline measurements to get an idea of how tall the truck is currently lifted - i.e. measure from center of hub to top edge of wheel well, and from ground to top edge of wheel well, where you at on both?

And are you happy at that height?

Are you able to assemble your own struts?

 

I am not able to assemble my own struts, or even know much about suspension work. I do however know that there is a rough country lift kit on it. It has been "leveled" however it does seem to be slightly lifted. I pulled next to a Ford Raptor today and me sitting in the drivers seat I could see I was a good 4 inches or so taller. I'll do as always, get some pics and submit them here. Just looking for improvement that may even be just reverting to stock. I don't really see the point in lifting up a 2WD truck. I'm not going to do any excessive off roading. Most of it will be road miles getting to and coming home from my hunt locations. 90% of the properties I hunt have designated parking areas and require you to park in them and walk in from there. Graveled or even in some lucky places paved. I'm not taking it to the Dunes or the Badlands and throwing it all over.

 

Pics will deffo help.

Specifically, pics of the rear axles where the leaf springs are u-bolted, and pics of the front struts (to see if there's a spacer at the top of the spring) at top and the lower mount (only one is necessary)

 

Got the truck up on a lift today and treated with Krown. Here’s some more photos of the undercarriage.

 

@shifty` So, got the steering wheel off today. When I went in there I tried the dielectric grease like you mentioned first but I had my doubts. There was a 19mm hole through the clock spring. Upon further investigation, turns out someone had replaced the steering wheel with a Sequoia or Tundra wheel from 01. So me thinks when it was pulled from the old car, or pulled off originally to be replaced someone wayyyyy over torqued the puller and punched a hole through the clock spring. The manufacturing stickers were still on the inside. Luckily I had already bought a new clock spring in the event I did need it with the intention of returning if not. So I popped the new one in and greased it up. Took my AC compressor to it and blew out maybe 15 years of cigarette dust, and then re-assembled the wheel. Someone must have been horny in my driveway because they were honking like crazy! WFH today so I'll take her on a spin during lunch and test out the cruise.

 

I presume you just found the issue and got it resolved. Good on ya!

 

I have the Bilstein shocks and im pretty happy. It's very soft ride

 

The saga continues! Got in the truck today to get ready for a deer trip this weekend and something felt off when idling... So I turned it off and pulled the trigger on an ODB2 reader (the ones that send the data to your phones)
After reading the codes - misfire - cylinder 6. Recommend replacing spark plugs.

NGK Iridium plugs for $9 a pop. Went and pulled the plugs from my local parts store and replaced them. The wires and coil packs looked to be in good order. I'll know more later. I'll probably end up shooting myself in the foot later. Oh well, thankfully if they do burn out because of the coil packs or wires the parts store has a warranty on the plugs. They all looked great to me. I'll upload what my plugs looked like that I pulled out of the engine. (20 gauge slug for scale LOL) and some of the trash I still haven't pulled outta my truck. The yellow is due to a failure of a smog test. There is some EVAP codes due to the tiny exhaust leak mentioned earlier.

 

Can't go wrong with new plugs...however next time swap the #6 coil and plug with another to see if the misfire follows the swap

 

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That frame looks pristine considering it’s from Indiana. What’s it coated with there?

Looks like the outside frame rails were painted with the same paint used for the exhaust.

 

It looks like it may be wool wax or fluid film