What have you done to your ride lately?
- Thread starter jdmcq
- Start date
tex
That's Mr Asshole to you
Changed the spark plugs on the Camry. They didnt look so good. Had more fouling than I would like to see. They were those 4 prong Bosh plugs and have heard those are garbage so hoping the Denso iridium plugs I put in work well. It already starts easier and idles smoother.
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
I got a pamphlet for a $30/mo unlimited wash at the carwash nearby. I'd probably do it if I had a vehicle that I would put through an automatic wash...
tex
That's Mr Asshole to you
Those automatic washes are the worst for your paint.
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
tex
That's Mr Asshole to you
You know the old saying. If you want something done right then you have to do it yourself.
CowboyTaco
Well-Known Member
Truth. I was looking at my sister-in-law's 3rd gen Redd Tacoma yesterday. She has one of those monthly subscriptions at the local car wash. It's clean seems looks good from a distance, but looks like shit up close. It is in DESPERATE need of a good polish and wax.
On a positive note, her undercarriage (the Tacoma, not the SIL) is the cleanest I've ever worked on. It looked like it was fresh id the showroom floor when I did the 30k service. She also lives in an area where they treat the roads in wintery conditions.
Reconditioned my Odyssey batteries. As soon as it gets down to 32°, the cold just drains them. I also hate that there's no warning with them. The batteries either give you all the charge or none of it. Day before, my secondary battery ran just fine, next day battery is completely dead.
PSU Taco85
Well-Known Member
Finally installed the HKB voltage booster I had laying around for the last few months. My idle charging voltage is now around 14.5 volts and startup at 14.7 volts. Prior to this I was only around 13.9 volts. That should be better for keeping this optima batteries at full charge and improve the lux output on the headlamps 
. For people that had complaints about optima, my batteries are almost 8 years old now and still work great, maybe I got the last two before quality went to shit 
. For people that had complaints about optima, my batteries are almost 8 years old now and still work great, maybe I got the last two before quality went to shit 
TacoXpo
HOAX DENIER
That's a beautiful ride.
TacoXpo
HOAX DENIER
That gets me thinking. I wonder if we could tweak our alternators (of which I have a second one on my shelf) so that we would be putting out optimum voltage for our batteries.Finally installed the HKB voltage booster I had laying around for the last few months. My idle charging voltage is now around 14.5 volts and startup at 14.7 volts. Prior to this I was only around 13.9 volts. That should be better for keeping this optima batteries at full charge and improve the lux output on the headlamps
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PSU Taco85
Well-Known Member
That gets me thinking. I wonder if we could tweak our alternators (of which I have a second one on my shelf) so that we would be putting out optimum voltage for our batteries.
you sure can. This device is nothing more than a variable set of diodes that are placed in the circuit with the dip switches. It lowers the sensed voltage to the regulator and will raise the output the amount that the senses voltage is lowered.
If you read your battery manufacturers specs you can adjust accordingly. The yellow top charging voltage is 13.65-15VDC.
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PSU Taco85
Well-Known Member
a resistor would work to but you’d have to make sure the wattage on the resistor is sized correctly. Ford also makes a diode that can take the place of the alternator sensing fuse.
This morning the weather was good for some maintenance on the Tacoma and 4Runner. Both vehicles got oil changes, hinges sprayed with lithium grease, and the zerks hit with grease as well. I was surprised to see the Tacoma is just 500 miles away from rolling 300,000 miles. Not bad for a truck I bought almost 10 years ago at 100,000 miles. It does need the valve cover gaskets changed as they are both weeping on the front causing what looks like some oil seepage.
The 4Runner has a full day coming up soon - radiator change, coolant flush, and re routing the transmission cooler hoses.
The 4Runner has a full day coming up soon - radiator change, coolant flush, and re routing the transmission cooler hoses.
Taco Loco
Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Before changing gaskets, I would tighten each bolt 1/8 to 1/4 turn on a cold motor.
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Good call. If I can get another couple of years out of these gaskets the truck will probably out last my time with it.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
You will have 500k on that 4Runner before you get rid of it.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
So yeah, a couple years.
You will have 500k on that 4Runner before you get rid of it.
Maybe; will depend on what happens with work.
I was pretty surprised that I did not even put 10,000 miles on it last year. I will be surprised if it get 10,000 miles this year even with the Death Valley trip. I am spending more and more time in rental cars right now. Plus I can work from home a couple days a week now when not traveling.