Looking for Good Shop in South Bay Area, CA

Hi all-

I've been getting a noise that sounds like a bearing going out (or already gone) in my A/C pump, perhaps (sounds like it, maybe the A/C motor clutch or something?), though the A/C is still turning and working. Since the pump belt is connected to the other drive belt setup, I don't want it to fail catastrophically and really mess something up (worst case I can think of is the thing seizes and the A/C stops working, however that is just a guess).

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knew a reputable shop with decent rates (if there is such a thing anymore) that specializes in Toyota trucks? It is a 2.7L Tacoma 4x4. Looking for a shop in the South Bay, preferably around Mountain View/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara or somewhere close. Thanks. Alternatively, if someone says, "don't be a cheap ass and just take it to a factory shop/dealer", then I will probably accept that, too. It seems to me the sound is very localized and should be easy to diagnose, just don't want some bastard to charge me $100 for 5 mins of time, especially if I am going to get the work done there...

Zach

Reply to
zach
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Its likely the bearing inside the tensioner pulley on that belt. Fairly easy to test yourself, loosen the tensioner, pull the belt off and see if the noise is gone, if so, proceed to test the pulley. Give it a spin, if it feels gritty, or turns very hard or is wobbly and loose, the bearing is gone. I have replacement bearings available for most of the Toyota tensioner pulleys, if you can get me the ID or OD of the pulley, its easy to match up.

Stevens Creek Toyota is fairly decent, but I know if it is that bearing, Toyota will sell you an entire new pulley and tensioner bracket to the tune of $150 or so instead of replacing the $20 bearing.

Reply to
Roger Brown

to test yourself, loosen the tensioner, pull the

Give it a spin, if it feels gritty, or turns very

available for most of the Toyota tensioner

Toyota will sell you an entire new pulley and tensioner

That is good (and, in retrospect, obvious) advice. I'll probably do it this weekend. I hear you on the parts issue. I replaced the fan blower motor in my '98 with a new one from Toyota. The original had the squirrel cage molded onto the drive shaft of the motor (the cage coming apart was the problem, not the motor), so I had to replace the entire thing to a tune of about $130. I noticed that the new unit is made in such a way that one can now replace the squirrel cage (probably a $20 item) separately.

Reply to
zach

If you can get over to Fremont, have Ron @ ASAP Auto have a look at it. He won't charge you a ton of money to give it a quick look over. He once charged me $10 to find and fix a vaccum line that came loose.

Cheers, - Jeff Gross (formerly Fremont, now in Ft. Atkinson, WI)

Reply to
Bubba Kahuna (only 1 'J' in my address)

Thanks, might do. So how is WI compared to CA?

Reply to
zach

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