96 3rd gen with 320,000 miles, when to pull the plug?

[JayRolla]

for us this will be a hunting road trip vehicle. not much fun if the TB breaks in the middle of nowhere in KS.

Well you asked what you think you should do and what we would do. You have made ever reason not to fix it. I think you made your decision before even posting this thread. Good luck on the part out. Its way more work than just swapping the flexplate. Im telling you, ive done it many times.

 

[shootmymime]

Well you asked what you think you should do and what we would do. You have made ever reason not to fix it. I think you made your decision before even posting this thread. Good luck on the part out. Its way more work than just swapping the flexplate. Im telling you, ive done it many times.

did you not see the "update" on the first post?

 

[bolt]

U know its history and maintenance, KEEP IT! I've seen them over 500k+, overseas there everywhere, primary in the USA do people "bow" to the next best POS for a continued car payment, full insurance, actuarily speaking financed cars are a deep gash in ones retirement savings.

 

[bolt]

U know its history and maintenance, KEEP IT! I've seen them over 500k+, overseas there everywhere, primary in the USA do people "bow" to the next best POS for a continued car payment, full insurance, actuarily speaking :bluejump:financed cars are a deep gash in ones retirement savings. :bluejump:Yes they are, run the numbers for decades.

 

[shootmymime]

so i got some more updates and pictures. we are trying to decide what to do with it? im planning on pulling the x case and tranny and fixing the flex plate and doing the TB/WP while im at it.

So quick questions- What would be easier? pull the engine and do the flex plate, TB, WP all in one with the engine out or pull the tranny and Xcase with then tb/wp with the motor in?

 

[shootmymime]

 

[shootmymime]

pictures added.

 

[eplanajr]

Sad to see a perfectly fixable rig be parted out.

 

[T4R2014]

Sad to see a perfectly fixable rig be parted out.

Re-read this thread.

 

[poleclimber63]

Wow!

Nice truck! I'd love to get my hands on something like this truck for one of my kids, if I was local! It's in way better shape than you discribed earlier!
I just did an engine replacement myself last year, and I've followed your posts on this forum in the past, so I have no doubt you could have the engine pulled in a few hours. It is soooo much easier doing the TB/WP out, and while you're at it, you could do the front and main seals, VCG's and even pull the pan and check for metal in the pan (new pan gasket!) all for <$100. All of this would take a fraction of the time out of the truck....
From other threads I think you said you moved.... so I understand the investment in time, travel and commitment that this project will take. This is definitely a full weekend project... This is the type of project that I probably would only embark on (with the work I stated above) if it was my truck or one of my kids.....and I was going to keep it. If I was intending to sell it, I may be tempted to do the flex plate and rear seal only.
If your Dad doesn't want it anymore, maybe you can make a deal with him, fix it and sell it, splitting the costs against the selling price. I believe if you sold it East of Idaho-- this truck will compare very well with those local trucks as far as rust goes- which will keep the value higher--- despite the mileage. Buff it up a bit, and I wouldn't be surprised if you could sell it for at least $4k... Please don't take offense but when you present it for sale, take the attitude it's a valued truck, not an old beater you're selling to unload it, which from what I can see, it isn't!
Good luck--- this would make a great project....

 

[absalom]

To those in a similar situation, don't be discouraged. We knocked out a complete drivetrain swap in less than 48 hours for ~$550 bucks. These trucks are stupid cheap to fix.

 

[shootmymime]

So I'm going to end up fixing it this summer. Then not sure what to do with it.

There is slight rust earl tying through the rocker panels under the doors. The running boards help hide it.

So would it be easier to pull the motor and fix the flex plate and TB/wp all in one with the motor out?

Or pull the x case and tranny fix the flex plate then do the TB wp in the truck?

 

[MandAtaco]

In my opinion, having pulled a 4Runner Trans out, and pulled a 4runner 3.4L out.... Pull the transmission! Much easier than the entire motor.

 

[Doc2012]

Dude, send that thing to [MENTION=59542]Singtoe[/MENTION] and have him do a V8 swap.

:clap:

 

[absalom]

So I'm going to end up fixing it this summer. Then not sure what to do with it.

There is slight rust earl tying through the rocker panels under the doors. The running boards help hide it.

So would it be easier to pull the motor and fix the flex plate and TB/wp all in one with the motor out?

Or pull the x case and tranny fix the flex plate then do the TB wp in the truck?

Those all sound so tedious and boring. May I interest you in a 2JZ swap? Perhaps a V8 conversion? Fancy a D4D?

 

[4Reak Show]

glad to see you took the high road. I was gonna offer to fix it for free if you could get it to Cali. Got a whole shop at my disposal. Let us know how it turns out. It's a yota. 10,12,14,17,19,21 mm sockets and wrenches and any part falls onto your face.
In our language giving up is not -Yoda (yota)

 

[shootmymime]

glad to see you took the high road. I was gonna offer to fix it for free if you could get it to Cali. Got a whole shop at my disposal. Let us know how it turns out. It's a yota. 10,12,14,17,19,21 mm sockets and wrenches and any part falls onto your face.
In our language giving up is not -Yoda (yota)

Yeah. We are going to fix it in about a month when I finish school, go see my sister in Cali then finally make it back home to Missouri.

 

[shootmymime]

So here is an update.

We power washed the truck off a month ago. Finally getting around to pulling it out from underneath the trees and get to working on it.

We took a peek inside and the whole front area was FULL of mold. Being trapped under the trees seeing very little sun light and water leaking in from the fire wall has caused all sorts of problems.

My wife and I did this in my lunch break but by the time the work started I had to go back to work and she took on the task of cleaning the whole interior with a bottle of bleach, garden hose and a scrub brush, not to mention looking like a brain surgeon all prepped ready to walk into the operating room fitted from head to toe with protective gear. SHES A TROOPER! (Not or storm trooper, but that would be cool)

So when I got back from work at 5 it looked like this.

She even took it upon herself to wash the exterior of it as well!

So this evening after dinner we ran to Home Depot and picked up some phosphoric acid etch and prep to convert the rust back to treatable metal. (If your going to do this don't use muriatic acid Which is also found at these stores, it eats away instead of converting. Basic chemistry stuff)

So while the interior was still drying we sprayed down the undercarriage a few times going around the truck with the pressurized bug and weed sprayer. I will probably do another coat tomorrow at lunch to get it all converted again. Then I'll slap some paint on it all and hope for the best.


So like I've said the worst parts of the truck is the rockers. They are rusted through and quite the eye sore to the actual truck. I may seem to find a way to clean it up best I can then paint that area black to try and hide it or put spray rubberized undercoating on it to get it that rough textured look.


So the best this truck has going for it is that it's a one owner. (Title probably says 100 miles on it) the worst is that it's got 300,000 miles on it and it's due for a TB/WP.


BTW ITS FOR SALE. KC MO. I am going to fix the flex plate then throw it up on Craigslist for $3,000 and see what happens.

Wish us luck!!

 

[T4R2014]

If you want to try a new project, fiberglass may be a good fix for those rockers. My mechanic is taking a shot at repairing the rockers using fiberglass on two Suburbans he got cheap to resell.

 

[Gadgetguy]

yay for fixing it!