Nice, looking good!
Andy's 2010 Tacoma
- Thread starter Andy
- Start date
Now that I’m done with school and work for a bit I can catch up on the To-Do list. First up: building a switch panel for new goodies and to clean up the existing stuff. I’m putting a 6 switch mount in the junk area forward of the shifter and under the cigarette lighter. Cardboard mock up, cardboard patter and cut mount out of 22 gage steel sheet I had lying around along with wings to attach to the center console.
Next the wings were screwed to the center console with self taping screws (the final product will be riveted). Then the 6 switch panel was placed in the mount and screwed in place.
Last, a test fit to check for clearance before painting and building the harness.
Next the wings were screwed to the center console with self taping screws (the final product will be riveted). Then the 6 switch panel was placed in the mount and screwed in place.
Last, a test fit to check for clearance before painting and building the harness.
Wired up and installed. Now to wait for the weatherproof relays to arrive to finish getting the lights up and running.
The left switch is for the backup lights (labeling be damned!) and is up for lights on, middle for off and down for working off the reverse lights. The others are SPST up is on/down is off. The blank is wired and ready for use when I get a new idea for it.
The left switch is for the backup lights (labeling be damned!) and is up for lights on, middle for off and down for working off the reverse lights. The others are SPST up is on/down is off. The blank is wired and ready for use when I get a new idea for it.
It’s been a while since I updated this! Since the last post I’ve switched to a Go Fast Camper and moved to Virginia. I was considering switching to a new vehicle but instead I've spent some time repairing some minor (but extremely annoying!!) issues and worked on planning the next round of upgrades based on the switch in environments and my use. Some upcoming projects:
1: Re-wire everything to completely isolate vehicle and house systems.
2: Move house battery to the bed, investigate going to a lithium battery chemistry.
3: increase solar charging capacity (at 100 watts now).
4: look at water tank vs Jerry cans.
5: 270 degree awning upgrade.
6: General maintenance and upkeep (last on the list but the primary goal!)
I will start some threads on my ideas and progress as I get into the weeds
1: Re-wire everything to completely isolate vehicle and house systems.
2: Move house battery to the bed, investigate going to a lithium battery chemistry.
3: increase solar charging capacity (at 100 watts now).
4: look at water tank vs Jerry cans.
5: 270 degree awning upgrade.
6: General maintenance and upkeep (last on the list but the primary goal!)
I will start some threads on my ideas and progress as I get into the weeds
The biggest annoyance I had was a check engine light. While easily cleared with the scan-gauge, it came on every day without fail. A simple P0456 code (evaporations system small leak) won't cause any drivability issues but a lit CEL will result in a failed state inspection. This code is notorious in Toyotas for being a money pit, as there could be any number of causes and most of the repairs involve throwing parts at the system until the code goes away.
The Toyota emissions system conducts a test after the vehicle is stopped for a set length of time (usually overnight) by pressurizing the fuel tank and starting a timer. If the pressure goes below a certain threshold too quickly it will trigger a code. Two codes and the CEL comes on. This can be as simple as a loose fuel filler cap (or a worn gasket on it) and as complex as a bad pump and charcoal canister (up to $1000 to replace!). The most annoying cause is a leak in one of many fuel vapor lines around the vehicle. These lines vent pressure changes in the fuel tank (due to temperature change) through a charcoal canister then into the engine where the fuel vapor is burned off. Lines run from the tank to the canister and pump system to the engine. A pinhole leak in a hose will trigger the fault.
In my case, I changed the filler cap first, with no effect. Checking the lines from the tank to the engine showed no apparent problems leading me to believe I was in for a shit show of replacing hard to reach lines until I found one that was bad, or failing to find one having to replace a $1000 part. Then the fault code changed to a large leak instead of small. While even more annoying this meant that the pinhole had opened up to a noticeable tear and I found the leaking hose, easy to see in the engine bay where it goes into the engine. I simply cut the last inch off the hose and reattached it. CEL gone, has not come back in 3 weeks now!!
The Toyota emissions system conducts a test after the vehicle is stopped for a set length of time (usually overnight) by pressurizing the fuel tank and starting a timer. If the pressure goes below a certain threshold too quickly it will trigger a code. Two codes and the CEL comes on. This can be as simple as a loose fuel filler cap (or a worn gasket on it) and as complex as a bad pump and charcoal canister (up to $1000 to replace!). The most annoying cause is a leak in one of many fuel vapor lines around the vehicle. These lines vent pressure changes in the fuel tank (due to temperature change) through a charcoal canister then into the engine where the fuel vapor is burned off. Lines run from the tank to the canister and pump system to the engine. A pinhole leak in a hose will trigger the fault.
In my case, I changed the filler cap first, with no effect. Checking the lines from the tank to the engine showed no apparent problems leading me to believe I was in for a shit show of replacing hard to reach lines until I found one that was bad, or failing to find one having to replace a $1000 part. Then the fault code changed to a large leak instead of small. While even more annoying this meant that the pinhole had opened up to a noticeable tear and I found the leaking hose, easy to see in the engine bay where it goes into the engine. I simply cut the last inch off the hose and reattached it. CEL gone, has not come back in 3 weeks now!!
This weekend I took care of another annoying problem; the backup camera keeps going out. I initially thought it was ice getting in the connector since it always happened in wet winter weather. Recently it’s been going out no matter the weather. I added an aftermarket camera to the rear of the camper wired into my head unit. Now I have rear view on demand
Next I added a string of LED lights to the inner frame of the camper. No more trying to locate stuff in the dark! Hard to see in this photo, the lights are the whit strips on the orange upper frame
Edit: at night with lights on.
Next I added a string of LED lights to the inner frame of the camper. No more trying to locate stuff in the dark! Hard to see in this photo, the lights are the whit strips on the orange upper frame
Edit: at night with lights on.
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