I'm in over my head

N

NWRunnin

New member
Alright so I recently bought a 99 Limited (119k) from a guy in Portland, and I got a good deal. (Or so I thought)
I thought I did a good job checking everything when inspecting it, but apparently I didn't.
I drove it home and had no problems. While inspecting I noticed the death wobbles which I was prepared to have fixed, (warped rotors, etc.)
What I didn't notice was what came along with it when Les Schwab inspected it. :ybrick:
They told me I had a bad rear axle leak, my rear shocks were toast, and my back brakes were toast (and the front like I said before) . I took it to my mechanic and he confirmed the info. I had him do the seal and the back brakes (beyond saturated in gear oil) and spent $1k on that alone. I still haven't fixed the rotors because I still got a hurt wallet from the axle repair. While driving to see my parents in Eastern, WA, my check engine light came on and so I stopped at an Autozone to have the codes read.
It read a p0420, which I thought was just the oxygen sensor, until I visited O' Reily's and they printed me a list of the code readings where it could be any of the problems listed (repairs regard cat converter, even replacement)
I also need 4 new tires. (Tread looks like 15-20% left)
I have a 99 Sentra I'm trying to sell but haven't had any luck which would help with some of the costs of repairs. And on top of all this, I calculated about 14mpg city which is really a killer.

Here's a list of things I need to replace or fix on my 4Runner
-Front brakes
-Possible Catalytic Converter (or oxygen sensor)
-4 new tires
-AC recharge (Not in a hurry to fix by any means)
-Alignment

I'm 19, in college (where they don't allow car maintenance on campus), married (almost a year), new to a city where I don't know anyone who can help, and actually scared of the situation.
* Any advice would be much appreciated. *

Here's some pics
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/80591205@N08/17325514546" title="20150502_122544 by james2perez, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8779/17325514546_e3a75e5191.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="20150502_122544"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/80591205@N08/17325514446" title="20150502_122525 by james2perez, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7681/17325514446_97a121659a.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="20150502_122525"></a>
 
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I don't personally have experience with that code but there are plenty of threads on here about it.

Do a search on the code mentioned. How to do a search easily? See my signature.

I would not worry too much, the problems you describe do not sound very major.

Although a bit of topic ...Removing the running board is always a plus.
 
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NWRunnin said:
I'm 19, in college (where they don't allow car maintenance on campus), married (almost a year), new to a city where I don't know anyone who can help, and actually scared of the situation.
* Any advice would be much appreciated. *
Click to expand...

You're good, no need to be scared at all. That's all stuff that's really par for the course when buying a used vehicle. When I buy used I always budget an extra couple thou to cover situations exactly like yours.

So, first off, ignore the p0420. It's just emissions bullcrap, deal with it later. Tires are important though, so if yours are shot then buy a used set on Craiglist, or check with your local tire place or junkyard, they frequently have used tires kicking around. Get your alignment right after. If your tires have a little life left in them, then just run 'em while you save up for new ones.

Front brakes are important too, and you can do them yourself and save a whole grip of coin. If they won't let you do them in your parking spot on campus, check to see if you've got a rent-a-garage near you. Check to see if your university has a car club that might have space you can use. Does your school have mechanics or auto repair courses? Check with them to see if registered students can borrow or rent a corner of their garage. If none of those work out, post up in the PNW regional forum here on the board and trade somebody some beers for the use of their driveway. Or even tuck into the far corner of a Walmart parking lot and do it there.

You've got lots of options, you don't have to sell a kidney to afford a mechanic. As a bonus, the wimmins love a guy that can keep the family vehicle on the road. Your sweetie will be stoked, and I'm sure you can see the benefits that come along with that. :naughty:
 
The AC Recharge is easy. Go to walmart, in the automotive section, and buy the $20-25 AC recharge canister. Hook it up, and fill it. Usually this resolves the problem. It did for me last summer.
 
NWRunnin said:
Alright so I recently bought a 99 Limited (119k) from a guy in Portland, and I got a good deal. (Or so I thought)
I thought I did a good job checking everything when inspecting it, but apparently I didn't.
I drove it home and had no problems. While inspecting I noticed the death wobbles which I was prepared to have fixed, (warped rotors, etc.)
What I didn't notice was what came along with it when Les Schwab inspected it. :ybrick:
They told me I had a bad rear axle leak, my rear shocks were toast, and my back brakes were toast (and the front like I said before) . I took it to my mechanic and he confirmed the info. I had him do the seal and the back brakes (beyond saturated in gear oil) and spent $1k on that alone. I still haven't fixed the rotors because I still got a hurt wallet from the axle repair. While driving to see my parents in Eastern, WA, my check engine light came on and so I stopped at an Autozone to have the codes read.
It read a p0420, which I thought was just the oxygen sensor, until I visited O' Reily's and they printed me a list of the code readings where it could be any of the problems listed (repairs regard cat converter, even replacement)
I also need 4 new tires. (Tread looks like 15-20% left)
I have a 99 Sentra I'm trying to sell but haven't had any luck which would help with some of the costs of repairs. And on top of all this, I calculated about 14mpg city which is really a killer.

Here's a list of things I need to replace or fix on my 4Runner
-Front brakes
-Possible Catalytic Converter (or oxygen sensor)
-4 new tires
-AC recharge (Not in a hurry to fix by any means)
-Alignment

I'm 19, in college (where they don't allow car maintenance on campus), married (almost a year), new to a city where I don't know anyone who can help, and actually scared of the situation.
* Any advice would be much appreciated. *

Here's some pics
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/80591205@N08/17325514546" title="20150502_122544 by james2perez, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8779/17325514546_e3a75e5191.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="20150502_122544"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/80591205@N08/17325514446" title="20150502_122525 by james2perez, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7681/17325514446_97a121659a.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="20150502_122525"></a>
Click to expand...

Baby STEPS young grasshopper Tech can scare the sh** out of u at times about work that needs to be done. I would get the codes fixed first at some point cause gas ain't cheap and go from there. Nice ride by the ways.
 
Looks good. A nice find with low miles.

Remember there is always a reason why the PO sold it. I guess they knew about the axle seals. To offset future costs you will need to get some wrenches and a place to wrench on it. So you and your wife live on campus?

As Kid stated the front brakes should be the first thing addressed. A DIY cost to replace rotors and pads in the front is $120. Even being on a budget I would only use OEM shoes for the rears (you will find that the 4runner only like OEM replacement parts or replacement parts under that name).

Also, if your mechanic did NOT replace the breather in the rear axle housing, replace it sooner than later.
 
Fix the problems one at a time. If you're fixated on every single issue, you'll get overwhelmed.

I bought a 4Runner sight unseen from Seattle last summer (same color as yours). I found out quickly after the initial test drive (after I bought it, hah), that it needed brakes, shocks and a deep cleaning. A year later, I have fixed the brakes, replaced the radiator, coolant, ATF. My tentative plans this summer are to replace the shocks, differential fluids, and maybe the timing belt.

See it as the glass is half full; You have a rust-free, uber low mileage 4Runner that requires a little reasonable maintenance.
 
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It doesnt sound bad considering the car is 15yrs old. Slightly under maintained but considering low miles, it should be ok. There are a lot of write ups on 3rd gen t4r so begin searching/reading. That's how I have learned and done own works on my car.
 
Dude.... I've been there, done that. I've been in the same spot as you, and trust me... Stress isn't your friend. Everyone on here is.

I picked mine up when I was a single parent of two little girls. Just moved to Kenai to get my kids closer to family, and had to do a career change to make a living. It (as well as I) has come a long way in around 6 years. So as everyone stated, baby steps. Make it safe and reliable first. For me, when something wore out, I upgraded. My thinking was pay extra now to upgrade so I don't have to do it again later. I knew I was going to keep this for many years so I didn't want to fix something over and over again.

Front Brakes, many on here upgrade to Tundra Brakes. I think it cost me $500 total. It was rotors, calipers, and pads. Besides trimming the dust shield with tin snips (only needed to take about 1/8" off) they are a direct bolt on. and it only takes about 45 minutes per side.... I know that's a big difference then $120 or so as someone posted before. I lived in the Seattle area in a past life... (actually was a contractor for a rather large software company in the Redmond area).... If you explore a lot (or plan to) the mountains could heat up your stock rotors pretty good. I used to explore a lot of mountain roads down past Puyallup on the way to Mt. Rainier a lot. Wonderful Country!!

I've been running through my head if I had any spare parts for you, but I can't think of anything that you could use. On a side note, because you're close to California, might check to see if you have one or two cats under your truck. If you do need a cat, I was just looking at some for when \ if my exhaust ever wares out...

Don't jump on this without confirmation, but I THINK a few people are using these High Flo Cats without any problems. If you need sensors, ONLY TOYOTA OEM parts!!!!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VX96IS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1GR0NNX7KNPQE&coliid=I3MF6LA4P5I3V7

I have to second what another said,... USE OEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Plugs, don't experiment or go cheap.
T-Stat... Trust me. OEM... I bought my truck years ago. Changed everything out because my Scangauge always ran temps a bit warm. Nothing changes. I just figured sensor was a bit off. Finally it bugged me so much I dug into it again... Turns out, once I put a OEM T-Stat in, my temps dropped to where they should be. If you take into account two past T-Stats, ECT Sensor, Gallons of Toyota Red Coolant, and a pile of stress.... I spent several hundred dollars over the years because I didn't want to spend $42 on a OEM T-Stat from Anchorage years ago.

I think I rattled on enough for a Sunday Morning... My coffee is now cold... :doh:
 
baja1 said:
sure looks like a nice car! hey guys what causes the rear axle leak? common issue?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about all the ways they might start leaking but I think a common reason (or at least a contributing factor) is because the rear differential breather plug gets blocked. Then when the rear diff oil gets hot and expands, it creates positive pressure inside the diff that cannot escape through the blocked breather plug. This pressure eventually causes the seal to leak and your brakes to become saturated with gear oil.

Many run extended breather plugs to keep water and dirt from getting in there.
 
You have a '99 Limited 4WD! AND is has only 119k??!! That thing is a gem. The only thing that could possibly make it any more desirable is if it had the E-locker. You do whatever has to be done to keep that girl running, otherwise you can put it up for sale and you'll have a long line of people ready to help rid you of your heap. :)

Here's some info on the 420 code P0420 - TTORA Forum
 
My order of addressing these issues would be...

Rotors (Pretty cheap)
Tires (Not as cheap, but just as important, in my opinion)
Alignment (If you need one for some reason... I'll admit I mostly scanned your thread)

If I decided I need it...
AC Recharge
THEN I would check out the p0420... It's not a very important code. I masked (not fixed) mine with a URD o2 Simulator... You can make one yourself for like $5 I think... There's a thread on here somewhere.

If you buy rotors I can help you throw them on. Unfortuntely I can not mount/balance tires or provide an alignment.
 
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I don't mind giving you a hand at all with any of this. Let me know if I can help. I have access to all the tools and equipment necessary to complete it all, and I can get you great pricing on parts and tires. let me know. I can get them mounted and balanced and aligned.
 
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Oh man, you don't know how much help you guys are. Thanks for everyone's input. I love the truck and I just want it to run well and be our dd.
Thanks again guys!
 
BrianSD_42 said:
I don't personally have experience with that code but there are plenty of threads on here about it.

Do a search on the code mentioned. How to do a search easily? See my signature.

I would not worry too much, the problems you describe do not sound very major.

Although a bit of topic ...Removing the running board is always a plus.
Click to expand...
I've been searching a bit although some of the answers seem a bit all over the place considering the code sort of entails a few things, I will be removing those as soon as I can find the tools! Thanks again!

Rocky5000100 said:
The AC Recharge is easy. Go to walmart, in the automotive section, and buy the $20-25 AC recharge canister. Hook it up, and fill it. Usually this resolves the problem. It did for me last summer.
Click to expand...
I've heard of this! Any recommended brands that work well for you?

ToyotaBrah said:
Fix the problems one at a time. If you're fixated on every single issue, you'll get overwhelmed.

I bought a 4Runner sight unseen from Seattle last summer (same color as yours). I found out quickly after the initial test drive (after I bought it, hah), that it needed brakes, shocks and a deep cleaning. A year later, I have fixed the brakes, replaced the radiator, coolant, ATF. My tentative plans this summer are to replace the shocks, differential fluids, and maybe the timing belt.

See it as the glass is half full; You have a rust-free, uber low mileage 4Runner that requires a little reasonable maintenance.
Click to expand...
Yeah for sure. I know I'm blessed. I keep reminding myself it's a great car that just needs some TLC.

psraff said:
Dude.... I've been there, done that. I've been in the same spot as you, and trust me... Stress isn't your friend. Everyone on here is.

I picked mine up when I was a single parent of two little girls. Just moved to Kenai to get my kids closer to family, and had to do a career change to make a living. It (as well as I) has come a long way in around 6 years. So as everyone stated, baby steps. Make it safe and reliable first. For me, when something wore out, I upgraded. My thinking was pay extra now to upgrade so I don't have to do it again later. I knew I was going to keep this for many years so I didn't want to fix something over and over again.

Front Brakes, many on here upgrade to Tundra Brakes. I think it cost me $500 total. It was rotors, calipers, and pads. Besides trimming the dust shield with tin snips (only needed to take about 1/8" off) they are a direct bolt on. and it only takes about 45 minutes per side.... I know that's a big difference then $120 or so as someone posted before. I lived in the Seattle area in a past life... (actually was a contractor for a rather large software company in the Redmond area).... If you explore a lot (or plan to) the mountains could heat up your stock rotors pretty good. I used to explore a lot of mountain roads down past Puyallup on the way to Mt. Rainier a lot. Wonderful Country!!

I've been running through my head if I had any spare parts for you, but I can't think of anything that you could use. On a side note, because you're close to California, might check to see if you have one or two cats under your truck. If you do need a cat, I was just looking at some for when \ if my exhaust ever wares out...

Don't jump on this without confirmation, but I THINK a few people are using these High Flo Cats without any problems. If you need sensors, ONLY TOYOTA OEM parts!!!!

Amazon.com: Magnaflow 59956 Universal Catalytic Converter (Non CARB compliant): Automotive

I have to second what another said,... USE OEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Plugs, don't experiment or go cheap.
T-Stat... Trust me. OEM... I bought my truck years ago. Changed everything out because my Scangauge always ran temps a bit warm. Nothing changes. I just figured sensor was a bit off. Finally it bugged me so much I dug into it again... Turns out, once I put a OEM T-Stat in, my temps dropped to where they should be. If you take into account two past T-Stats, ECT Sensor, Gallons of Toyota Red Coolant, and a pile of stress.... I spent several hundred dollars over the years because I didn't want to spend $42 on a OEM T-Stat from Anchorage years ago.

I think I rattled on enough for a Sunday Morning... My coffee is now cold... :doh:
Click to expand...
Haha, thanks so much man, what a story. I really appreciate your transparency! Thanks for the tips!

Mgyver1 said:
You have a '99 Limited 4WD! AND is has only 119k??!! That thing is a gem. The only thing that could possibly make it any more desirable is if it had the E-locker. You do whatever has to be done to keep that girl running, otherwise you can put it up for sale and you'll have a long line of people ready to help rid you of your heap. :)

Here's some info on the 420 code P0420 - TTORA Forum
Click to expand...
Thanks buddy! I love the truck, I really do, I had a 96 4cyl 2wd so this is a day and night difference.

A.Wilson013 said:
My order of addressing these issues would be...

Rotors (Pretty cheap)
Tires (Not as cheap, but just as important, in my opinion)
Alignment (If you need one for some reason... I'll admit I mostly scanned your thread)

If I decided I need it...
AC Recharge
THEN I would check out the p0420... It's not a very important code. I masked (not fixed) mine with a URD o2 Simulator... You can make one yourself for like $5 I think... There's a thread on here somewhere.

If you buy rotors I can help you throw them on. Unfortuntely I can not mount/balance tires or provide an alignment.
Click to expand...
Thanks man, I do appreciate that. Now that summer is here I'll have more time since I don't have classes, so I'm looking forward to hopefully start the repairs.

TheToyotaGarage said:
I don't mind giving you a hand at all with any of this. Let me know if I can help. I have access to all the tools and equipment necessary to complete it all, and I can get you great pricing on parts and tires. let me know. I can get them mounted and balanced and aligned.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much, I will definitely take you up on that. You're at Toyota of Bellevue right?
 
Believe it or not. Our 4runners are easy to work on. I'm not much a mechanic but so far I've changed by myself is the Lower ball joints,CV axle, and front calipers! All in a parking lot haha! My next step is the Upper Control arms! That one I might try to find someone to help me with! All this work has been done with bottle jack and jack stands haha
 
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