150,000 miles Maintenance Suggestions

[ntopliffe]

I'm going to hit this 150,000 mile mark this summer and thought I'd do some intensive maintenance over the next few months including:

1. Change rear axle fluid
2. Transmission fluid
3. Replace the coolant with DI water
4. Zirk fitting the drive train

I have a stock 2000 4cyl automatic.

Thanks for any suggestions!

I am also considering upgrading the breaks to Tundra and installing an aftermarket transmission cooler after reading about the pink milkshake syndrome, thoughts?

 

[shadow247]

Timing Belt and Waterpump
Check the steering and front suspension bushings, replace if worn or cracked.
Shocks

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Ball joints and tie rod ends. At least check them, can lead to very bad things if they break while driving.

 

[badattitude]

Plugs, wires, fuel filter, transfer case oil, front diff oil EDIT: are 4clys 2wd?

Personally, I chose to replace my OEM brakes with new OEM rather than the Tundra package. All new brakes are very nice. I just like to keep it stock and didn't want any surprises with spare tire wheel clearance or the brake dust cover. Reagarding the milkshake/tans cooler..I have not heard of it being an issue on the 4clys. A new radiator is a better solution IMO. I replaced my rad after the milkshake, no need for a trans cooler. I don't like the trans line are exposed when a cooler is installed. Unless you need it for cooling, it is just a potential leak.

 

[HCurphy]

all the fluids, air filter, pcv, fuel filter, bushings-as mentioned already, can of sea-faom, clean tb and maf, plugs, wires, brake service?, check your battery if its not a sealed one-clean up connections...probably more if you wanted to go above and beyond

without any known issues thats all i got off the top of my head

 

[TheDurk]

I'm going to hit this 150,000 mile mark this summer and thought I'd do some intensive maintenance over the next few months including:

1. Change rear axle fluid
2. Transmission fluid
3. Replace the coolant with DI water
4. Zirk fitting the drive train

I have a stock 2000 4cyl automatic.

Thanks for any suggestions!

I am also considering upgrading the breaks to Tundra and installing an aftermarket transmission cooler after reading about the pink milkshake syndrome, thoughts?

Everything I have done at the same mileage is listed in the posts above, except I did drive belts and thermostat along with WP, idlers, and TB at 120k and I have done both oxygen sensors. But are you considering using just water in the cooling system? Or did you mean DI water and anti-freeze? Just checking....you need real coolant with ethylene glycol and corrosion inhibitors.

 

[JohnsD90]

Plugs, wires, fuel filter, transfer case oil, front diff oil EDIT: are 4clys 2wd?

4cyl came in 2wd and 4wd, automatic and manual.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

I don't like the trans line are exposed when a cooler is installed. Unless you need it for cooling, it is just a potential leak.

What do you mean? They're not exposed any more running into a cooler than they are running into the radiator.

I'm a big proponent of running an external cooler, it's the only guarantee you'll never get the milkshake.

 

[quicksilvr]

What do you mean? They're not exposed any more running into a cooler than they are running into the radiator.

I'm a big proponent of running an external cooler, it's the only guarantee you'll never get the milkshake.

^100% true



Also, true story:

Friend hit a racoon in her Cadillac CTS. It cracked the front bumper, but didn't look like anything major. A week later, she's driving the car, and it starts lurching and then completely stops forward motion. Turns out little masky-face garbage eater hit her hard enough that it cracked the fitting where the trans cooler goes into the radiator. Pink milkshake big time.

Granted 4Runner's are taller than CTS's....so a raccoon won't do that. But, the premise is the same. Even with a new radiator, it's possible for the fluids to mix. With an external cooler, it's simply not possible.

 

[jreask]

Plugs, wires, fuel filter, transfer case oil, front diff oil EDIT: are 4clys 2wd?

Personally, I chose to replace my OEM brakes with new OEM rather than the Tundra package. All new brakes are very nice. I just like to keep it stock and didn't want any surprises with spare tire wheel clearance or the brake dust cover. Reagarding the milkshake/tans cooler..I have not heard of it being an issue on the 4clys. A new radiator is a better solution IMO. I replaced my rad after the milkshake, no need for a trans cooler. I don't like the trans line are exposed when a cooler is installed. Unless you need it for cooling, it is just a potential leak.

I agree with the radiator solution. I always replace the radiator around 100-110K miles to avoid any milkshake problems. Change the antifreeze with genuine Toyota 50/50 from the dealer. No need for any cooler if you swap out the radiator every 100K. Every radiator I've replaced looked very good but it's better safe than sorry for me.

 

[jreask]

^100% true



Also, true story:

Friend hit a racoon in her Cadillac CTS. It cracked the front bumper, but didn't look like anything major. A week later, she's driving the car, and it starts lurching and then completely stops forward motion. Turns out little masky-face garbage eater hit her hard enough that it cracked the fitting where the trans cooler goes into the radiator. Pink milkshake big time.

Granted 4Runner's are taller than CTS's....so a raccoon won't do that. But, the premise is the same. Even with a new radiator, it's possible for the fluids to mix. With an external cooler, it's simply not possible.

Isn't it also possible for the transmission fluid to gel under extreme cold conditions? That is my main reason for not using a cooler.

 

[quicksilvr]

Isn't it also possible for the transmission fluid to gel under extreme cold conditions? That is my main reason for not using a cooler.

I suppose it's possible, like in the Arctic circle. But it wouldn't matter if you had an external cooler, or a stock cooler. When you first start the vehicle, the fluid is what it is. It doesn't really warm up until you drive. That's the whole point. If it's cold enough to gel the fluid (which is damn cold), it's going to gel no matter what.


Oh, and for the OP. All the suggestions listed above are good things! Keep your rig maintained, and it'll treat you right.

 

[iowajosh]

I'm going to hit this 150,000 mile mark this summer and thought I'd do some intensive maintenance over the next few months including:

1. Change rear axle fluid
2. Transmission fluid
3. Replace the coolant with DI water
4. Zirk fitting the drive train

I have a stock 2000 4cyl automatic.

Thanks for any suggestions!

I am also considering upgrading the breaks to Tundra and installing an aftermarket transmission cooler after reading about the pink milkshake syndrome, thoughts?

You can't replace antifreeze with water, if that is what you mean. You should really have your valve clearances checked. I bypassed the radiator w transmission cooler. Not many people have the 3rz so you get weird responses from people who don't know them.

 

[jreask]

I suppose it's possible, like in the Arctic circle. But it wouldn't matter if you had an external cooler, or a stock cooler. When you first start the vehicle, the fluid is what it is. It doesn't really warm up until you drive. That's the whole point. If it's cold enough to gel the fluid (which is damn cold), it's going to gel no matter what.


Oh, and for the OP. All the suggestions listed above are good things! Keep your rig maintained, and it'll treat you right.

This is from the Hayden site:

Q. Can you over cool the transmission fluid?
A. Transmissions are not highly sensitive to cool operating temperatures. However, in 20-30° F weather conditions transmission fluid can actually gel up in an external cooler and cease to flow, causing damage. Use of the radiator cooler actually helps warm the fluid under these conditions. It is critical in extreme cold conditions to use the original equipment cooler in series with the auxiliary cooler and allow the vehicle to warm up before driving.

 

[quicksilvr]

This is from the Hayden site:

Q. Can you over cool the transmission fluid?
A. Transmissions are not highly sensitive to cool operating temperatures. However, in 20-30° F weather conditions transmission fluid can actually gel up in an external cooler and cease to flow, causing damage. Use of the radiator cooler actually helps warm the fluid under these conditions. It is critical in extreme cold conditions to use the original equipment cooler in series with the auxiliary cooler and allow the vehicle to warm up before driving.

I assume that's because Hayden does not use an LPD design. But, the 20-30 degree F statement seems totally bogus. In 0 degree weather, the ATF easily runs 90 degrees cruising down the highway, and warmer in town. That's fully bypassed. I cannot imagine the ATF being cold enough to gel while you are driving the vehicle unless it was like -40.