How does DIY compare on 4th gen to 3rd gen?

[repo]

I'd like to get a 4th gen v8 one day and I have done A LOT of work on my 3rd gen, which has been surprisingly doable as a regular joe with some jack stands and a few tools.

How does the 4th gen compare for DIY maintenance like spark plugs, ball joints, shocks and springs, fuel pump, wheel bearings, brakes, valve cover gaskets, etc, etc? I'm considering a higher mileage one (140k+ miles), but if it's going to be much extra hassle or need all sorts of SSTs, or to have a shop do the work to keep it up to snuff, I think I would look for lower miles.

Browsing the 4th gen forum it seems like many 3rd gen weaknesses were addressed in the 4th?

 

[unevolved]

So far, my V8 4th gen has been fantastically easy to work on. Then again, most of my wrenching has been on old BMWs and (smaller) racecars. The engine choice affects the ease of maintenance somewhat, but by and large they're very easy to work on.

 

[RonJR]

I've been thinking about the same thing, and I don't have all the answers yet, but here's what I know so far.

- Spark plugs are way easier on the 4th gen V8 than on my 2nd gen V6. Not even close. About 2 hours on the V6 vs. 15 minutes on the V8.
- Valve cover gaskets look to be easier as well, just because access is better. Not sure about hidden secondary issues, though.
- Changing front brake pads is about the same. Rears are easier than the drums on the older vehicles. I hate working on drum brakes.
- Shocks, springs, and ball joints should be about the same, since both use front struts and rear coils. If you can do a 3rd gen safely, you should be able to do the 4th gen.
- Don't know about fuel pump.
- From what I read, front wheel bearings are sealed and pressed into the hub, so require special tooling to disassemble. It looks like entire pre-assembled hub units are available as easily replaceable parts, and that appears to be the way to go when you need to replace a bearing.

There are more electronic and electro-mechanical gizmos on the 4th gen, so more potential issues there. Plus the ECU monitors more stuff, so you have to get things back together the way it wants them.

All in all, though, it looks to me like the stuff you mentioned is quite doable by anyone who has successfully maintained a 2nd or 3rd gen runner.

 

[JackIs]

They are both wonderful to work on. However, the newer the vehicle the tougher it gets to work on.