150k+ mi 4th Gen 4Runner maintenance

[JohnnyTron]

Hello all, this will be my first posting to this forum as I just bought a used 2003 4Runner SR5/ 4WD Sport with the V8. It has a 158k mi and I can see from the carfax that it has been serviced the entirety of it's life at the same toyota dealership in KY up to 151k....this helped me with purchasing this one over some of the others for sale in my area because I was under the impression that the dealership could easily let me know what's been done and where they left off....however
i have just been dealing with incredibly poor customer service for the last week instead and am really need to just go ahead and start up the maintenance again (she appears to be in great shape both on paper and behind the wheel)...

So down to the questions....It seems like between the time it was sold and when I bought it potentially up to 8k miles over the course of up to 16 months have passed since any service done to it :tape2: ...so can anyone throw some recommendations as to what the safest oil to go ahead and throw in there is? If the tranny fluid looks fine but there is no way of telling if it's been changed should I change it anyways if i'm about to tow across country? any other high mileage basic maintenance tips since the manual seems to stop around 150 I believe (don't quote me on that, but it was around there when I looked at a few days ago)...I have plenty of other questions regarding my tow, but for the sake of keeping it simple I'll stick just to best high mileage tips and suggestions. Thanks!

 

[CXS]

8k/16 months isn't an issue, just change the oil and get back to routine maintenance. Was the transmission fluid changed in the past?

I have 160K on mine and just change the oil and do routine stuff w/o treating it with any special care due to mileage. It's a good motor and that's really all it needs.

I tow a 3500lb trailer during the warm months and the extra transmission cooler with the V8 does an adequate job. I plan to upgrade mine since I do quite a bit of towing in areas over 100 degrees.

Oh, congratulations on the truck and welcome!

 

[gshadow325]

click on link in my signature. you will see what i did in the last 15k from 164-179k as of today exactly 12 months. this will give you a idea what you could expect and what to replace

 

[HOJeepster]

@gshadow, was it really necessary to do the below mods? Did your transmission go out? Why did you replace the manifolds, did they start to leak?

-New OEM dealer installed transmission @ 145k
-All OEM red Toyota boxed -Timing Belt, water pump, tensioners, pulleys and acc belts done @ 165k
-Both manifolds replaced with Pacesetters
-O2 Sensor spacer mod after pacesetters were installed
-All 4 O2 Sensors replaced with Denso
-Maf Replaced with AutoZone Rebuilt one

Just curious as I'm approaching 150k myself

 

[gshadow325]

Transmission, some hose rotted out said the dealership. I think hose finally went because it was damaged in accident, lol. So it died, previous owner bought a new trans from dealer for $4000! His loss my gain.

Manifolds, tick tick tick and p420 code amongst others, and sulfur smell. How do you check? Open the rear window and sniff away on the highway, smell the rotten eggs? Cats are done. Probably sensors are OK. But cats are done. Don't kid yourself, bite the bullet and change them. Once one goes so will another.

Sensors, and maf. Chasing the elusive p420 code.

 

[CXS]

Open the rear window and sniff away on the highway, smell the rotten eggs? Cats are done.

Not necessarily, the sulfur smell is a byproduct of the chemical reaction and can be the result of the gas being burned. You cannot determine if a cat is bad simply by the smell. If a cat is bad you will get the PO420/430 code, if you have the smell but no code you'll throw away money by replacing them.

 

[Ginneta]

I agree with CXS, I had my traction lights and check engine light on. Just went in to Auto Zone to have the codes read and it's the suspected gas cap. I have the sulfur smell when my rear window is down, especially when accelerating or uphill, but no codes were thrown for the cats. Funk smell could be due the HP changes in the engines from '04 to '05 w/o changing the cats. Granted, can make them wear more quickly but a lot of people have experienced the smell in 05's with only 5K on em.

 

[gshadow325]

Not necessarily, the sulfur smell is a byproduct of the chemical reaction and can be the result of the gas being burned. You cannot determine if a cat is bad simply by the smell. If a cat is bad you will get the PO420/430 code, if you have the smell but no code you'll throw away money by replacing them.

Well thank you for clarifying what I meant to say [MENTION=60018]CXS[/MENTION]

Agreed, I had the corresponding codes to say, your cat is bad. My cheap @ss said let's change the sensor and hope that's it. $50 vs $500(parts and labor and time)..logical choice is sensor lol

I had the codes, I had the smell but I said naaaah it's the sensor kept saying that til all four were replaced and. ..... Still got the codes and the stink hahaha... ironically $1420 later after its all done, I still got a p420 code. Did a spacer o2 mod for $5 and is been trouble free for the last 7 or 8000 miles