Thanks!
When I purchased it, I had no idea what I was going to do with it. Didn't even know if it would run, as was a field find that had to be towed home. But Emerald turned-out to be a good running very nice a DD for 3 years.
But, many things left undone on it. Mostly cosmetics. Like carpet, seat and interior in general. Body and paint never perfected. Mechanically, things like AC leak never found. Really I stopped looking as topping off AC each summer, was easy and cheap.
It did get some "special" stuff, as was also a secondary test vehicle for me. In which I could monitor how services I performed and product used, worked out. Like all new Denso coils, when nothing actually wrong with factories, other than being old and perhaps tired. New Fuel pressure regulator, just to see effect. I don't recall if I ever posting the engine compression results, but they were impressive. So much so, I wanted to re-test with my newer gauges, but never got the chance! Transmission was also impressive at ~557Km, adopting the full 12 qt. Mobil 1 full syn ATF flush very well. It had a rotation sound from rear when turning corners, at first. Over time the sound went away. Never knew what it was.
Prices have increased considerably, since you purchased the "King". Finding good ones has becoming very hard and expensive. It really blows my mind, at what 100 series go for today. Low mileage ones, like:
Merlot or
The Black Knight would go for the $50k to $60K price range in a heartbeat today. Which looks like the prices will not be falling back, at least not in near term if ever. So it's very good thing, your grandmother was so generous.
I have three 100 series currently.
06LC 255K gold, that engine was replaced by someone. Picked up about 6 months ago. It's not really derivable at moment, not sure what I'll do with It. I may just sell as is. I just don't know if I can get time to work on.
07LX 162K gray/gray "GrayGal". My test vehicle for more than 2 years now, which I've not posted a dedicated thread in mud for it. It had many issues, that we see only on the VVT. It's helped to understand why, how to spot and what we can do to correct these issues. Work in progress that now my GF drives as a DD, since Emerald gone.
Today I'm working an 03LX 315K Blue Vapor Metallic / Stone, I bought back in July. I just named "Sky" a few days ago. It needs a ton of work, but looks like it will be a nice one. First up is getting front end work done, so I can drive to emission test station. I'd also like to get the clear bra off ASAP, as it's nasty looking. Also I'll need to pull windshield molding and see whats what. Which has screws holding molding on, never a good sign.
I'm going to be testing a new transmission fluid from Mobil on it. The 03 last year with a transmission dip stick and first year of the 5 spd. It was the only year that called for Toyota IV ATF. In 04- Toyota WS was introduced. 98-02 uses Dexron III.
Whereas Exxon Mobil does make the Toyota ATF. They never had a full synthetic fluid sold in the USA, for Toy IV or WS. Only Mobil 1 has a full synthetic which is only approved for Dexron III of 98-02 transmissions. Mobil, which is second shelf to Mobil 1, their flagship synthetic lineup. Has reformulated their Mobil MV ATF blended synthetic, to a full synthetic. It is also now approved for Dex III, Toy IV and Toy WS. I've a few cases on special order now. Seems no one carries it yet. Or so any listing I see for it, still showed the old blended bottle. If I like the stuff, I'll be adopting its use in 03- up (100 & 200 series). I may use in the 98-02 also. Then I'd need only one ATF fluid to carry in my shop. But I do really like the M1 MV AFT, which I've used for ~ 15 years now.
Sky: Short for Sky Blue!
She was limping coming in the shop, with busted aftermarket FDS
Hard to say if it was aftermarket junk FDS. Or very improper wheel bearing service, one where wheel hub cavity not filled with grease causing bearings to over heat. Or combination of. That resulted in busted Front Drive shaft outer tulip (FDS, AKA: CV). The axle pulled itself from the outer CV. The outer CV bearing and cage feel frozen in tulip.
Grease on axle discolored. That brown indicates water entry. Not supersizing, as grease cap nearly fell off in my hand.
No grease was in cavity. I can see someone wiped out most of old grease, but failed to clean or repack cavity. Lucky it was older woman driver, that apparently was not or no longer going on cross country trips. Otherwise these wheel bearings would have gotten so hot, with HWY speeds. They could fuse the axle and hub flange together. Which we saw this happen in a mud posting a few years ago.
Bearing is a bit discolored from heat. I'd reuse but it a bit scored also. The outer bearings are made in Mexico. Inner are from Japan (Koyo) which may be factory installs.
That is small outer bearing side to side after I cleaned it. With back side look in wheel hub cavity and inner large race. Wheel hub cavity is just as I found it.
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