'05 Tundra - 210k miles - Smart buy? (newbie looking for help)

Update: “new-old” engine has been running well but noticed a small oil leak. Turns out the valve cover housing has a crack in it. The shop that replaced the engine originally is willing to fix it all for free.

My question is about the steering rack. It needs to be replaced. I’m being quoted about $1,250 for the job including parts, labor, and alignment. It sounds like a job that’s doable on my own and would save me about $600+.

Could anyone help me identify all the parts I would need including the steering rack, bushings, tie rods, tools, etc? Sounds like I could even figure out the alignment myself with a tape measure.

 

Also, it sounds like my local shop (whom I trust a good deal) wouldn’t use OEM for the steering rack. He said it’d come with a 2 year/24,000 mile warranty. Just trying to weigh my options here. What do you guys think?

 

Why do they think the rack needs to be replaced anyway?
@bmf4069 just put in a rack among a million other things. He might be able to lend a hand on install difficulty and part sourcing. I know he said he hated doing it if that's an indicator.

 

I wouldn't recommend doing it unless you have another person and a deep hatred for them and yourself. That rack is a pain.

 

Ha! Yeah, as much as I’d love to bring some fun to the table for my friend and I, I think I’ll pass and have the shop do this one. Sounds like one of those jobs that YouTube makes look simple until you actually get under the hood.

 

Hey guys, my truck the last few months has been sometimes been putting out a puff of white smoke when I start it. I know this could just be condensation and I've had 3 shops look at it and say it's fine. One shop even checked the head gasket and ran some test.

My question is, if it's just condensation, then why didn't it ever do this before and why does it do this in the middle of the day and sometimes after it's already been running? It happens maybe 30% of the time I start it and then it goes away.

Any ideas?

Thank you

 

Could be the power steering air control valve failed. How's your power steering fluid level? Cheap part to fix. Check this thread for description in post 1, video of replacement in post 4: https://www.tundras.com/threads/finally-some-good-news.95760/

Beyond that, I'd check for oil in coolant and frothy oil of course. Rule those out first. Others have had similar problems, fuel injectors slowly leaking into the cylinder after driving, causing rich smoke at startup, and a few other cases.

It's been discussed a lot, smoke at startup.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/2000-tundra-white-smoke-on-startup.93967/

https://www.tundras.com/threads/occasional-white-smoke-at-cold-start-up-help.96161/

https://www.tundras.com/threads/4-7-no-start-exhaust-smoke-engine-question.74356/

https://www.tundras.com/threads/smoke-and-knocking.88892/

https://www.tundras.com/threads/solved-white-smoke-puffing-out-of-exhaust-after-brake-job.64182/

 

Thanks for sending over! I read each one,,, it's a bit over my head. Ideally, I'd have the shop take a look at the truck for me here. Anything specifically you think I should point to? I don't think a compression test is necessary as the engine doesn't overheat and that's already been done before

 

Right, if over head, the gist is this:

1. Two types of smoke: At startup only, or constant.
2. Something is likely accumulating in the cylinder and/or intake.
3. Sometimes color of smoke can be indicative of problem.

Like ...

If that stupid power steering air control valve is shot, you may be sucking power steering fluid into the intake, and at startup, that's your smoke: Power steering fluid mixed with gas. If so, after that 1st puff you won't see smoke again 'til next startup.

If you have an injector leaking, you may be leaking fuel into a cylinder after shut-down, and on next fire-up, that's your smoke: One or more cylinders has excess gas and is burning rich. But you shouldn't see add'l smoke 'til next startup.

On the other hand, if you have a cracked head gasket, you should technically be smoking all the time because oil (blue smoke) or water (white smoke) is being allowed to mix into the cylinder for combustion. The smoke color shows best when bright light is shone through it.

Replacement of that air control valve is stupid easy. I'm going to do mine proactively in the near term.

Tracking it down isn't always easy. Given your motor (IIRC) is used, it could very well be the injectors. But before you blow $200+ on new injectors, try swapping out that PS air control valve.

 

PS - I'm sure there's probably a test to check that damn valve but I can't find it in the factory service manual.

I did find the part page for it (here) where you can check fitment. The part number is 17630-16040 or alternatively stylized like 17630-16040.

Seems the price has gone up. I should've bought one when it was $35. I'm seeing them as cheap as $50 for Denso/OEM, but ... Toyota Parts site for my local dealer is in the $90 range.

 

Wait ... found the test procedure for it. Note the passenger side timing cover position in the photo to help you find the valve to complete the simple/basic test

 

This truck is in San Diego.....I highly doubt there is any rust anywhere.....

 

You'd be surprised. We've seen some real doozies.

 

I just picked up my '05 Tundra and found out the original owner has NEVER replaced the timing belt. The truck has 216K on it. So... it's either doing really well... or a time bomb ready to snap. Ugh. So... I'm trying to find the best bang for buck and quality service to get it changed. I watched a Youtube video last night on how to do it, and that's a job I don't have the time or patience for. lol

 

It is easier than you think....timing belt kit about $200....

 

It's the latter, a time bomb that will literally destroy the engine if it snaps. FWIW, mine has no service record of having it done when I looked it up at Toyota Owners website and at CarFax. But it has the service sticker and belt looks healthy, so someone musta done it?

First thing I'd do is pop off whichever timing cover is easier and inspect the belt to see how bad it is. I'd use that info to decide whether I want to drive it or tow it for service. Unless you're comfortable with wrenching, there are several videos on YouTube for 2UZ-FE timing belt change. Order the Aisin kit with TB & WP here. RockAuto is a family owned business and a vendor on the forum, they give discounts to forum members (code is around here somewhere).

You'll be pulling out the radiator for this service - now would be a good time to replace that also if never done before. Be sure to refill with Toyota red coolant, unless a PO f'ed up and put another color in there already, don't want to mix, flush first and then put the Toyota red in.

 

I appreciate your information and feedback. I don't see any sticker in the engine compartment, and there's no mention of it ever being done in the Carfax report. I know the previous owner did not touch the engine as he said "I don't know to fix them, I always pay someone else to do them". So yes, I will have to find the easiest way to take a peek under the hood and timing cover to see what the belt looks like.

I don't want to wrench it myself. I honestly don't have the time to do it, and would rather have someone else do it. One of the local Utah forum guys said he could do it for around $750. I called the dealer and they said it would be $1400. I know I can buy the belt and water pump for around $250. So... I'll have to figure this one out.

 

Timing cover is only held on by four or five 10mm bolts and requires nothing special to back a couple off, then pull back the cover. Easiest way to look.

$1,400 at a stealership is actually not that bad. A lot of that is them upcharging for OEM parts. My nearby stealership was a couple (few?) hundred more. Be sure to look carefully at your crank position sensor harness after to make sure it was tucked away properly and won't get tapped by a pulley or belt after the work is done.

Cheapest I've found at a shop with actual Toyota techs who know the 2UZ inside and out is $1150. I think anything in the $950-$1150 range that's guaranteed work, that's worth it. Knowing the cost to replace the engine if not done properly by someone that you have legal recourse against ... I'm OK with paying a couple hundred extra.

 

I would 100% do it if I were you. If you read back on my older posts here, mine snapped. The guy I bought it from said it had another 40k miles before it'd need replacing. Listening to him was a big mistake. Mine snapped on the way back to SD from LA in the left lane of a big highway. That was interesting. Had to replace the engine and that's never fun. Definitely do it ha

 

Wow! I'm late to the responses here but this is great and why I love the Yota community so much. Thank you for all the help, I'll look into it this weekend.

 

I found a Toyota certified guy here in the greater Salt Lake area who offered to do it for me. $250 in parts is better than the $500+ in parts from the Toyota dealer. Much appreciated for him offering to squeeze me into his schedule.

 

Timing belt and water pump completed, as well as cam seals, spark plugs, and new fluids. He says rear seal looks good. Serpentine belt and radiator (and hoses) were done last year. So hopefully I'm good for awhile engine wise. . Has new shocks all around, new tires and rims, but brakes are a little soft. I might need to pads and/or rotors.

 

Adjust those rears

 

hey not sure if you solved this or not, but i saw it wasnt mentioned. I was having my oil changed by a shit shop and they over filled my oil, by a quart. Every so ofter i would start the truck and a big white puff of smoke came out. no one could figure it out until i checked the dip stick and the damn oil was 1" past the full line. like an idiot i took it to them to fix it, which they did, and it went away. may want to check there also.

 

interesting,,, I'll have to check that out. That'd be a nice easy fix

 

Same here! Very late on finding this out. Mines been smoking at cold start and right after I did valve cover gaskets, starter, spark plugs, air intake cleaning! I hate that. **Also, heads up to anyone with a salvage vehicle!!**if your hood was replaced from a sequoia and sticker for AC refrigerant wasn’t swapped you’re in for a treat when working on the AC system!! Overfilling the refrigerant will give you super high pressure and if the AC mechanic sucks he’ll tell you there’s a blockage and you’ll spend weeks swapping every component to only find out that the actual refrigerant required was half of what was on the sticker!! ASK ME HOW I KNOW!

 

I replaced my power steering control valve (it was leaking) and I still can't get the idle rpm to increase to help with the steering. It turns like the engine is off unless. My hoses all look decent and are connected. Should I buy an OEM PSCV or how do I look for the vacuum leak?

 

Bumping old threads isn't going to help, it may only serve to get folks to ignore you. I'll go answer on your original thread.