Help needed! Never Maintenanced until 244k Miles

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impervious17

New member
Hello, I have owned my toyota 2004 4runner since the age of 18. I have taken really good care of it with just the regular 3500-5000 mobil1 syn oil changes, transmission fluid, O2 sensors replaced, spark plugs, & water pump replaced at 200k. + seafoaming. Thats all the maintance i've done.


What would you guys recommend I do next? Car fluids has never been flushed. I really want to get new suspensions since the front of the car is so low now :(


I have a weekly budget of about 200-300 to put towards my 4runner.


LETS GET IT
 
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Replace ALL the fluids as soon as you can, in fact, I'd do it twice to flush as much build-up as possible. Spark plugs, air and cabin filters, serpentine belts. Check brake pads and rotors. Check battery condition. I think that's about all.

By all fluids, I mean:

Transmission
Front, center, rear differentials
Brake
Power steering
Coolant
 
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Any and every fluid, filter, plugs, hoses, boots, bushings, belt.

Basically, refresh everything you can to "reset" your rig.
 
Here is a link to the maintenance schedule from a Toyota dealer.

https://www.toyotaofsantabarbara.com/4runner-recommended-maintenance-oil-change.htm

Read through and see if there is anything that you have not yet had checked or serviced. Best to get in the habit of routine maintenance, rather than waiting for a part to fail.

Two things that often get overlooked are (1) the lubrication of the propeller shaft, and (2) the replacement of the rear differential vent.

I'd also recommend a brake service, and also checking out the age/wear on your tires.
 
Radiator hoses and transmission lines are a must. At that mileage they are probably pretty soft. Maybe the thermostat, and fan clutch
 
Bossman said:
Here is a link to the maintenance schedule from a Toyota dealer.

https://www.toyotaofsantabarbara.com/4runner-recommended-maintenance-oil-change.htm

Read through and see if there is anything that you have not yet had checked or serviced. Best to get in the habit of routine maintenance, rather than waiting for a part to fail.

Two things that often get overlooked are (1) the lubrication of the propeller shaft, and (2) the replacement of the rear differential vent.

I'd also recommend a brake service, and also checking out the age/wear on your tires.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I've just had my brakes, rotors, & wheels replaced. I am going to start routine maintenancing my 4runner. learned that the hard way when it died on me two weeks ago.

I'm taking it into a local mech today to do a brake fluid, power steering, and coolant flush.


Should I replace the radiator hoses as well?
 
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Sounds like you are now keeping on top of most of the major wear/tear parts.

At least you've learned a valuable lesson - having your 4Runner die is no fun.

I would certainly ask your mechanic to check all of your engine bay hoses for signs of wear (deterioration/cracking).

You may also want to have your mechanic check for wear on your engine bay drive belts as well.

How about the battery - is it original?
 
Today I am replacing the radiator hoses, new thermostat with gasket, flushing the coolant + power steering.

Manage to get the sll coolant from a Toyota dealer for 18.99 and thermostat with gasket for 42.78


Mechanic is just charging me $100 for labor with the ps fluid.

I'll ask him to check all the hoses for me.


Update: mechanic said all the hoses are still good, but the sepertine belt looks like it needs to be replaced. $80..


OMG. After mechanic parked it outside the car would not start up.. He said the stock alarm is causing it to not start. Told me to tow it to the dealer or back home. How much is this going to take to fix?

What should I do?
 
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I have never heard of the alarm causing it not to start if you unlock the vehicle with the key or remote which also disarms the alarm all should be good and it should start.
 
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Hmm ... see my post above re: age of battery.

I suspect that your no start is directly related to a discharged battery. I would get the battery tested.
 
Bossman said:
Hmm ... see my post above re: age of battery.

I suspect that your no start is directly related to a discharged battery. I would get the battery tested.
Click to expand...

So triple AAA came and was not able to start my car as well....


Tried jumping my car and also ran battery test said it was fine. But he did say the crank power was around 50? Doesn't make any sounds when trying to start the car ��. Any suggestions?

Brand new starter in the car.

Currently waiting for the AAA tow truck to tow me home...
 
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Do I understand correctly ... AAA says your cold cranking amps was at 50?

On a new battery, this number should be in the 600 to 700 cca range.

Battery sure sounds dead to me :(
 
Bossman said:
Do I understand correctly ... AAA says your cold cranking amps was at 50?

On a new battery, this number should be in the 600 to 700 cca range.

Battery sure sounds dead to me :(
Click to expand...

This is correct. I am going to AutoZone right now to get a battery. Crossing my fingers that is is.
 
Thanks guys. New battery and a fuse replaced and shes back to life!! Seems like the mechanic I want to didn't do a proper flush on the coolant. I had 3 quarts of coolant and he only used 1???

If I'm correct the whole flush on the coolant takes about 2 1/2 quarts?
 
impervious17 said:
Thanks guys. New battery and a fuse replaced and shes back to life!! Seems like the mechanic I want to didn't do a proper flush on the coolant. I had 3 quarts of coolant and he only used 1???

If I'm correct the whole flush on the coolant takes about 2 1/2 quarts?
Click to expand...
cations

If you completely drain the radiator and engine, the total coolant capacity for the V6 is 8.6 quarts, this is straight out of the owner's manual under "Specificatons", but even if you do open the drains on the engine as well as the radiator I doubt you would get all 8.6 quarts out but you would definitely get way, way more than 2 1/2 quarts out!

If I were doing it I would have 2 gallons or 7 to 8 quarts on hand, if it's premixed, if you have full strength anti-freeze, which I don't think you can get with the SLL, then 4 quarts, your coolant should be a 50% mix.
 
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Rather than creating a new thread, and I think the rear differential breather was mentioned here and the thread seems to be pretty general in nature, I will just post my question here.
I am ordering a few things from RockAuto and was thinking to throw a new breather to the pile but I cannot find one there. Am I blind or do they call it something else? Or they simply do not carry it? I looked through every single item in the drivetrain category and just don't see it.

Also, any recommendations on brake fluid?

Appreciate the responses.
 
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