There are just some days I wish I didn't turn wrenches

[OR VietVet]

I was just checking and am surprised that all of this, in this thread, has happened since June 7, about 3 and a 1/2 months. I talked to the landlord today and let him know that when I finish with his son's Tacoma, in the next day or two, I will be out of work. He said, "Don't worry, someone he knows will either need some maintenance or will break something".

Sad day today. The lady next door, I worked on her 2010 Camry, had her parents move in the neighborhood, across the street from me and down one and they were helping her take care of her newborn little girl. All of a sudden, a fire house ambulance and fire truck and an incident commander truck pulled up in front of her parent's house and she was frantically saying, "he is unconscious on the floor". 30 minutes later they rolled the gurney out and her father was on life support, and he died on the way to the hospital. He was a retired US Marine and a nice guy. Him and his wife had just moved in 2 months ago.

 

[OR VietVet]

I promised pics of the 96 Tacoma new bumper fillers installed after painted. Here they are. They are the two thin pieces that run horizontally under the headlights. The outer edge is taller than the inner edge. The passenger side was completely missing and the driver's side had faded and was a lighter color. I wish I owned this completely straight truck. The 2.4 engine is strong and transmission is smooth and interior is great.

 

[OR VietVet]

Some pics of the teardown of the timing chain cover oil leak repair on the 2010 FJ Cruiser 4.0 engine:

 

[OR VietVet]

More pics:

 

[TollKeeper]

I dont know what it is about Toyota.. They make a good engine.. Now if they could only figure out a way to keep the oil in it!

 

[OR VietVet]

Here is a pic or two from this morning. I stopped by the shop to look at the knock sensor locations. Turns out, there are coolant tubes under the lower intake and above the knock sensors, that have to come out to remove the knock sensors. there is no rodent damage to harness and we are not gonna do the knock sensors at this time. Toyota says to remove passenger side cylinder head for the sensors access.

 

[OR VietVet]

Turns out that we are also going to do a new radiator and radiator cap. We got to looking and the core fins, aluminum, are partially ate up and chipping out and/or loaded in some areas with the silt/dirt from what looks to be desert dirt from Utah or eastern Oregon area.

 

[OR VietVet]

Been a few days since any work here at the house but tomorrow I am having a 2007 Lexus IS 250 dropped off for a complete inspection to see if they are keeping. If anyone has any personal knowledge or experience with these vehicles, please share the pro's and con's. Thanks.

 

[OR VietVet]

Well, turns out my preliminary research for the IS 250 was a waste of time. Is actually an IS 350. Totally different animal. Only has 103k miles on it. Started with the basics and found filthy air filter, MAF sensor and dirty throttle body. Cabin air filter very filthy. Half way thru the inspection, my AL friend, is his daughter's and fiance vehicle, calls me and said they have already, over lunch, decided to get rid of it. My friend is gifting his daughter his Bronco Sport and the Lexus IS 350 is staying here and both of us are gonna sell the Lexus. Has the 3.5 engine and is a strong runner and handles/brakes fine. IMO, just needs a complete brake sight inspection, sight inspection of the steering and suspension and a detail and polish out the headlight lenses. Only has 103k miles on it and is black in color. My friend has too much money. He gifted her the 2022 Bronco Sport. If anyone knows of anyone looking for a vehicle like this, let me know. Following are the pics of the engine air filter, the cabin air filter, the MAF filament and the solid dark ring inside the throttle body.

 

[iamdub]

Great car. Should be an easy sell. I'd jump on it if I were in the market.

 

[OR VietVet]

Great car. Should be an easy sell. I'd jump on it if I were in the market.

Yea, that 3.5 engine is a solid performer

 

[TollKeeper]

Awd or?

 

[OR VietVet]

Awd or?

I just did a test drive and looked under the hood so far and was going to see which it is and then got the call that they were going to sell it. At that time, I did not know that they were leaving it here and myself and my friend, her father, would be selling it and keeping the proceeds because he gave her the 2022 Bronco Sport. I will have it back here before the weekend and do a thorough inspection so we can see what we are going to do to it to prep for the sale.

Plans: New hood struts, new rear trunk lid strut(s), new cabin air filter, new engine air filter, throttle bore cleaning and MAF was cleaned today by me. Gonna have to detail it and polish up the headlight lenses. Need to get the TPMS light off, too. Plus whatever else I find during the inspection.

 

[OR VietVet]

Turns out that the IS350 is staying here and my friend's daughter took his 2022 Bronco Sport that he gave her. We are going to have a complete interior, exterior, engine compartment detail and headlight lens polishing done on the IS350 and I am doing the hood struts and the trunk struts and an oil and filter change, air filter and cabin air filter and gonna list it for sale.

 

[OR VietVet]

The 09 K1500 4x4 Silverado crew cab, that belonged to the guy across the street that passed away, was inspected by me and I started today and am almost done with the new spark plugs, plug wires, MAF cleaning, throttle body cleaning, new belts and I finally get to use my stretch belt tool for the a/c belt, oil and filter change and add a quart of ATF to bring to full. Found wobbly pulleys on the belt tensioner and idler and are replacing those as well. Then tomorrow I am going to di in and see what the owner put tape over the master switch window switches for. No matter which way I flip the window lock, no windows work. Gonna look for a relay problem or maybe an umbilical cord problem between the door and the body. The key fob only unlocks two of the doors as well. That could get interesting.

Also, the TPMS light flashes and then stays on solid while staring and driving. The 20" tires were at 32 psi and one was at 26 psi. Filled all 4 tires to 35 psi and I looked and looked at the owners manual and it never says how to clear that light. I think they want me to go pay a stealership to reset or see a tire store to reset, because there is no mention as to what to do if have 1 low tire and then fix that one tire. Any help is appreciated.

 

[OR VietVet]

When it rains it pours. Landlord has a lawn maintenance helper for the rental homes and I helped her with a brake inspection on her Jeep. All still good there. She recommended a friend with a 2001 Escape 3.0 that overheats at highway speed, his words, but stop and go is ok. He has within the last two months had the radiator changed, thermostat, water pump, hoses and radiator cap changed. Has had to be adding coolant but never sees on ground. When does overheat, runs jerky, his words. A cold restart sees smoke out the tailpipe and after a hot soak sees the same on a restart. Has normal cranking after overnight but hesitation starting after hot soak. When problem happens has oil can light and radiator light come on at dash but never sees oil getting fuller.

Gonna do an inspection and see what happens.

 

[OR VietVet]

Almost forgot. The FJ Cruiser has progressed and the timing cover will not remove and clear the front of the oil pan. So, turns out the engine designation of the 2006 thru 2009 4.0 engines is 1GR-FE and the 2010 thru 2014 4.0 engines is 1GR-FE as well. The second generation of these engines says that the upper oil pan requires removal in order the remove the timing cover. The oil filter location on the older set up is at the front left corner of the valve cover and the oil filter location changed to the lower front edge of the oil pan and is blocking the timing cover removal, till the oil pan is removed. We have decided to remove the engine and do all the timing chain and oil pan/timing cover reseal on an engine stand. All of the hoses and harnesses are disconnected and held back with bungy cords anyway. Moving to a lift to get in the air for transmission separation.

 

[iamdub]

The 09 K1500 4x4 Silverado crew cab, that belonged to the guy across the street that passed away, was inspected by me and I started today and am almost done with the new spark plugs, plug wires, MAF cleaning, throttle body cleaning, new belts and I finally get to use my stretch belt tool for the a/c belt, oil and filter change and add a quart of ATF to bring to full. Found wobbly pulleys on the belt tensioner and idler and are replacing those as well. Then tomorrow I am going to di in and see what the owner put tape over the master switch window switches for. No matter which way I flip the window lock, no windows work. Gonna look for a relay problem or maybe an umbilical cord problem between the door and the body. The key fob only unlocks two of the doors as well. That could get interesting.

Also, the TPMS light flashes and then stays on solid while staring and driving. The 20" tires were at 32 psi and one was at 26 psi. Filled all 4 tires to 35 psi and I looked and looked at the owners manual and it never says how to clear that light. I think they want me to go pay a stealership to reset or see a tire store to reset, because there is no mention as to what to do if have 1 low tire and then fix that one tire. Any help is appreciated.

There shouldn't be any "resetting" necessary. If the light is on due to a low tire, and you inflate the tires properly, the light should go off. Did the DIC display the current tire pressures after you inflated them evenly? You might have to take it around the block for it to wake up the sensors as they go to sleep after inactivity.

The light blinking is what piques my interest. Also, the module for the TPMS is tied in with the door lock module, if not built together. IIRC, it might be the whole window and lock switch assembly with the TPMS part built-in. If so, this might be where the symptoms share a common point.

 

[OR VietVet]

There shouldn't be any "resetting" necessary. If the light is on due to a low tire, and you inflate the tires properly, the light should go off. Did the DIC display the current tire pressures after you inflated them evenly? You might have to take it around the block for it to wake up the sensors as they go to sleep after inactivity.

The light blinking is what piques my interest. Also, the module for the TPMS is tied in with the door lock module, if not built together. IIRC, it might be the whole window and lock switch assembly with the TPMS part built-in. If so, this might be where the symptoms share a common point.

Through all the reading, I got the "sense" that it should reset it self and turn out the light by driving it and maybe even going thru some ignition cycles. I drove it thru the neighborhood and on the highway and stopped and cycled the ignition about 6 times during all the driving and it made no difference.

That is real good info about the TPMS and windows and locks being tied together. I think I am going to look for anything obvious and then turn over to the owner if I get nowhere.

I had said earlier that I am adding a quart of transmission fluid, just to level off at full, and that I can see the transmission cooler lines leaking. If they are gonna keep the truck I will likely do the lines later but if not, then let the next owner deal with it.

 

[TollKeeper]

I personally would start by checking to verify that each wheel has a TPMS in it, and that its broadcasting.

In my area, you can take it to a local Discount Tire, and they will setup the TPMS for free, as long as they dont have to put it on a lift.