1. Home
  2. Toyota Trucks
  3. T100 story

T100 story

I beg you indulgencs for this long post. This is about the best vehicle I,ve ever owned.(58 years old) It's a 97 T100 4x4 SR5 extended cab automatic, bright red with 356,000 US miles. I bought it as a repo in 97 with 14000. This is what I remember: Charcoal canester under Warrenty and again around 200k. AC tubing through radiator cowl chafed(warrenty) and again just out of.Put chafing gearon the tube and it's been fine. Latel I have to recharge once in a while. Oil cange EVERY 3000 miles, AWAYS. No sludge in oil sump screen. Four timing belts, twice with water pump. Once the guy didn't tourque the pully bolt and it fell off out in Ohio. I put it back on as tight as I could and drove 120 miles to a littl dealer in Western Pa who took care of that nicely with a used pully and bolt One thermastat. One drivers side door lock solinoid. Two tonneau covers, I need a new one now. A couple of times cleaned tranny sump screen, never that new trans flush they now premote cause they don't clean em and other types of fluid gets mixed in(bad bad bad). Five complete sets of tires(always 4 at a time) and except for one set of Coopers, always the original Dunlap Grand Treks. Always 85,000 miles and still legal tread. The Coopers got vibrations early on but I had to live with them for their 85k, like that would never end, I hated them and LOVE the Grand Treks and have a recent set on now. I'm hard on brakes and warp them all the time. Gonna try crossdrilled this week.Can't remember how many brake jobs but remember rotors at least once, back hubs have nver been off the axle. Broke the plastic of ignition key a few years ago and the remote has to be held together with tape. Maybe 3 batteries in it over time. One complete exhaust and two converters(with new O sensors each time), I need one now as well. The only time it was on a tow truck was the gear ring of the flywheel/tourque converter broke. It gave me good warning which I couldn't figure out what it was until of course I couldn't start up. My mechanics changed it by just sneeking the tranny back just enough. Three windshields and many wiper blades. Can't remember about how many tune-ups but always by the schedule book. Drivers side idler arm. Got the recall paper for the steering rod relay whatever rod and might get that done. About six months ago had rear end noise and checked differential.DRY with no telltale oil anywhere. Now it's annoying me so am going to by used and install, hopfully this week cause gotta go to Ohio next. One battery(ten years now must be time for a new on) One starter, it just got weaker and weaker. It's been hit in the back twice which I never fixed other than to hammer out the bumper mount things. The bumper now has a small amount of peeling chrome. Original bulbs in every corner except where one got knocked in the back. I keep meaning to change the headlight bulbs.

I love this truck and don't hesitate to drive it anywhere.

Jack KB1KIA Take off takethisoff to email direct

Reply to
Jack
Loading thread data ...

Forgot to mention shocks, 2 sets front and one set in back, Monroe sensatrac but the problem is the drivers seat, it springs me to the ceiling on big dips. One steering stabilizer and I need another now.

Reply to
Jack

When I got it, 20 MPG solid, all the time. then some years ago, about 5 I think, the gas here in the NE changed and in winter down to as low as 16 but filled up in the south instantly back to 20. Now with what "they say" is only 10% ethanol I'm down to 18 summer 15-16 winter. Maybe it's old and that's why. Maybe I'll drive to Louisiana and find out how their gas runs.

Reply to
Jack

Ethanol has less BTU energy per gallon than gasoline. All other things being equal, your fuel mileage will drop.

-->--

Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

Hi Jack, Great note about your T-100. I have a 96, same as yours including the color, although I have a full cap, rather than a tonneau cover. I picked it up summer of 99, lease return with 70k. It's got 411k on it now, most everything's original. Even the timing belt. Now I'm to the point of just seeing how long the belt will last. I've had a lot of issues with the rotors, also. Now I just kinda live with it. Had to replace the AC condenser around 200k, changed out factory radiator last summer at 400k. Amazingly (to me), OEM was a GM (Harrison) radiator.

3rd exhaust system, but I had local dealer do it and has a lifetime guaranty. Oil changes every 3-4k, only problem now is that the threads on the pan are wearing out and the bolt won't seal real well. Unless someone knows different, it appears that you have to raise the motor or remove the front axle to change out the oil pan, though. Love the truck. I have a 2000 4WD Tundra, which is nice, but I probably would've have bought another T if a decent one was available then. Bill W

00 Tundra 4WD X-Cab 145K

96 T-100 4WD X-Cab 411K 95 Previa All-Trac LE S/C 207K 93 Camry LE 197K
Reply to
Bill Wolcott

My mechanic tells me that my valve train is "interlaced" and IF your timing belt was to break it would probably mean a new motor so don't wait to see how long it lasts OK

Reply to
Jack

Before you replace the oil pan for worn out threads on the drain plug you might want to try an " oversize" drain plug. These can be found at most auto parts stores. They are larger than the original drain plug and cut new threads when installed. It would be cheaper than a new oil pan and may last the remaining life of the truck, if not, you will need to replace the oil pan anyway. Just a thought.

Reply to
Mike

Great post, Jack.

We've got a recently acquired '95 T100 Extended cab 4x4, with 180K miles on it. I managed to buy it (with it's color-matched topper) for just $2500, knowing that it needed another $2K worth of repairs.

Now that those are done (new driveshaft, new clutch, tires, brakes), I absolutely love this truck. It runs great, drives great, can haul anything, is fantastic in the snow, and seems to get decent mileage.

Had a scare today, though. We've had a recent cold snap, with temperatures near zero for over a week. On our way home today, I heard a terrible sound coming from the rear of the truck. I simply could not figure out what it was, but it was an awful grinding, almost metallic sound.

The truck ran fine, so I had my daughter try to localize the sound -- I just couldn't figure it out while driving. She said it sounded like it was coming from the area between the cab and the topper, but she couldn't see anything. I gingerly drove home, and got out to look...

Only to find several chunks of ice, about the size of deck of cards, wedged between the topper and the cab. As we drove along, the ice would shift, making a terrible crunching sound between the metal and the fiberglass...

Live and learn...!

;-)

-- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA '95 T100 4x4 Extended Cab

formatting link
"Your Aviation Destination"

Reply to
Jay Honeck

Hi Mike, Thanks for the tip, but I already did that at around 300K. It worked for awhile, but no mas...... Bill W

Reply to
Bill Wolcott

Hi Jack, The Toyota 3.4 litre V6 5VZFE is a "non-interference" engine, meaning When the belt breaks, the motor spins but no damage occurs to the valves since they don't collide with the pistons. BTW, have you had your VIN run to see if you qualify for the head gasket SSC? I don't remember if the 3rd generation gaskets were installed from the factory on the 97's. Bill W

Mozart is a lot better than he sounds. -- Samuel Clemens

Reply to
Bill Wolcott

I f that post doesn't demonstrate how great Toyota trucks are, I don't know what will!

Reply to
I Hate Leather Seats

I hope the Tundra turns out to be as good!

-jeff

Reply to
Jeff

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.