Archive for August, 2009
Are Diesel Truck Engines Doomed?
For as long as I can remember, truck enthusiasts have been clamoring for a half-ton diesel. Diesel engines offer a lot of advantages over gasoline motors, many of which truck owners find particularly appealing.
Diesel truck advantages:
- Diesel is more efficient. Depending on who you ask, diesel engines are about 30% more fuel efficient than a gasoline engine of comparable size.
- Diesel engines are heavy on torque. Diesel engines provide gobs of torque at very low RPMs – much more than a typical gas motor.
- Diesel engines run a very long time. Your typical diesel truck engine will run 200k miles minimum before a problem develops. For gasoline engines, 120k miles is a more realistic “no problems” life span.
Of course, it’s not all roses and horsepower with diesels – here’s a few reasons diesels aren’t better than gasoline:
Search terms people used to find this page:
- tundraheadquarters
2000 Tundra With 415k Miles On Original Motor
Here’s a good story about a 1st-gen Tundra that will get your motor going. Mark, who is from Northern Minnesota (the land of extreme conditions) has a 2000 Toyota Tundra with 415k miles on the original motor and transmission.
62k mile 2003 Toyota Tundra Shows Frame Rust
UPDATE: As of May 2010, Toyota has extended the warranty on 2000-2003 Tundra frames. Please see Toyota Tundra Frame Replacement Program for more details.
UPDATE (10/7/09) – NHTSA has begun investigating 2000-2001 Tundras for frame rust issues.
Last week the owner of a 2003 Toyota Tundra contacted us about significant rust on the frame of his 2003 Toyota Tundra. If the pictures aren’t shocking enough, the owner says the vehicle only has 62k miles:
“Have 2003 Tundra with rusted out frame and 62,000 miles. I can’t adjust alignment because the frame has fused with those parts. So much for my new tires. Cross members are also shot as well as rear bumper attachments. I love the truck, it’s just that it is now worthless and dangerous in this condition. Two years ago the gas filler pipe rusted out – what gives?”
This 2003 Tundra has 62k miles and significant frame rust.
The stark contrast between the rust on the frame and the nearly rust-free underside of the body panels is quite telling.
Search terms people used to find this page:
- tundraheadquarters
- Toyota tundra rust
Truck Bed Liners: 7 Tips For Buying The Right One
Bed liners might be the most popular truck accessory of all time. Truck owners love them for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is their role in protecting the shiny factory finish inside the truck bed. If you’re a new truck owner thinking about getting a bed liner, here are 7 truck bed liner buying tips for you:
Search terms people used to find this page:
- tundraheadquarters
WTF NHTSA? Toyota Tundra Crash Test Results Shenanigans
When the 2nd generation Toyota Tundra debuted in 2007, Toyota was quite confident that the Tundra would be the safest pickup in it’s class. With standard ESC, side airbags, and Toyota’s latest and greatest crash test technology, Toyota had every reason to be confident.
Then NHTSA’s results (that’s National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration) came out. 4 stars. Toyota was devastated.
Time passed and the IIHS (that’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) issued their first ever Top-Pick rating to a pickup when they declared the 2007 Tundra to be the safest truck in it’s class.
IIHS crash test of 2007 Toyota Tundra
NHTSA said 4 stars, IIHS said top pick – and anyone shopping for a Tundra was (understandably) confused.
However, yesterday NHTSA released the results of a “re-test” of the 2010 Tundra and guess what – it got 5 stars. Great news right? Except the structure of the 2010 TUNDRA DIDN’T CHANGE!
Search terms people used to find this page:
- tundraheadquarters
