Truck Troubles

As some of you may know, my 1990 Toyota pickup doesn't like me. Or at least the 22re engine doesn't. Last year I ran out of gas because there is no idiot light. I was poor and wanted to wait as long as I could before filling it up again. Bad call. The truck hasn't run properly since. Early on the problem manifested itself as a cooling issue and I was actually able drive it to New York and back without any apparent problem. But, a some point the cylinder head cracked. Once winter let up, I replaced the cylinder head only to have the new head gasket blow right away. After putting on another gasket, it still doesn't want to run right and is continuing to overheat. I can't figure it out, so I'm having a pro look it over right now.

Recently, with all the truck trouble getting me down, I've been watching a lot of World Rally Championship (WRC) on YouTube. That got me thinking: 1) I want a rally car, but 2) I want to rally the truck. Not in the WRC way, but in a Paris-Dakar or Baja 1000 fashion. Rather than trying to win anything, I'd just like to run either race and put the truck to the test. I may be fantasizing here, but right now I need fantasy to keep me motivated on getting this thing fixed.

I want to keep the truck after I finish school, because as I see it, spending even $2000 to rebuild the engine would be money well spent. I've only ever owned $2000 cars, and they all have problems. I could spend the money on a new $2000 car, but it's going to need work. Why not just put the money into the truck and have it run great for another 100,000 miles?

Previously, I've always demanded that any car I own have all the power options and a sunroof, but having a bone-stock, no options truck has been liberating. I don't have to worry about non-essential options kicking the bucket and costing an arm and a leg to fix. I don't even have power steering. Where's the benefit in that? I don't have to worry about power steering fluid. One less thing. I don't mean to get all philosophical, but when it comes to cars, I'm starting to believe that simple is beautiful. That of course only has limited application when it comes to racing. For a rally, you better believe that I want power steering, an F1-style sequential gearbox with paddle sifting, and outrageously expensive suspension. Half the fun of a rally would be preparing the truck.



Update: I was just about to post this when the mechanic called and said the only thing he found wrong with it was an air bubble in the cooling system. Once that was out the truck drove fine and didn't overheat. Sweet deal right? Wrong! On my way home it started overheating. I went back, and as we sat there talking about it, it stopped overheating. Hun. Well, we thought, maybe there was another air bubble. But as I got back in I spotted coolant underneath my pedals. "There you go," he says. "Heater core." I've got the dash completely ripped out and am hoping there's a new heater core in town. This is the last thing in the heating system that's not new, so this better do it. Oh, and everything else is in good shape. The new head gasket is holding solid and my oil is clear and coolant free. So, that part is pretty fresh.