Introducing myself

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dmcwhorter9974

New member
Hey guys-

I'm David- I'm a geologist and an Air Force vet currently attending UGA for my masters in geophysics. Happy to be here.

I found my way into a 2002 4 runner with 87000 miles on Tuesday. Actually got it at a Dodge dealership in south Atlanta- was upside down on a 5lug Tacoma for a while and got a good trade in price which left me at 4800 price out the door. I have always wanted a 4runner- had a land rover discovery 2 but always was envious of that back glass rolling down. Room for the kids now and much happier with payments. Only drawback is 2wd- but it seemed like a decent tradeoff since I couldnt find another under 120k within driving range in the last month. I noticed a humming sound coming from my drivers side engine bay when stopping today- so I have tracked down some forum posts and troubleshooted to a master cylinder assembly. I was fortunate enough to pick one up on here today for a couple hundred bucks that I am going to keep in reserve should the swap be necessary in the future. I took the 4runner to a local mechanic and had a full inspection done. Besides a cracked bushing and one rotor being slightly warped from heat- nothing major in the way of problems. Engine and drivetrain are solid. Hoping to get another 200k out of it. I know I have a task ahead of me in replacing my timing belt in the future. I've done some research on it on here already. Besides changing transmission and all other fluids- anything else you guys in the 200k+ range can offer in the way of maintenance? The low mileage convinced me to get it- and I know the V6's are reliable. I just want to keep this one as a daily driver for as long as possible. One other question- since I'm changing the timing belt- what else should I go ahead and knock out while I have all of that disassembled? Would rather spend the money now in preventative maintenance than have to deal with it later as a compounding problem when 2000 dollar mechanical problems could be somewhat marriage-ending.

Thanks in advance- look forward to wasting some time with all you guys and gals.
 
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In before anyone else: lower ball joints - OEM. replace them now

grab one of the full "timing belt" kits on eBay that have OEM parts and just replace everything there (runs $250 or so)

check the radiator. If it's original, it's time for a new one (they're $120 or so), to prevent the whole host of issues if it's breaking down inside.

Also, 2wd is just an excuse to go straight to long travel!
 
Since you are replacing the timing belt, replace the following:
timing belt
rollers
water pump
radiator (if it looks stock)
the 3 belts
upper and lower radiator hoses

While you are in there check the following:
valve cover gaskets
fan clutch
camshaft seals
power steering fluid
alternator
air filter
intake boots
spark plugs
spark plug wires\coils

I'm pretty anal about this stuff and typically replace everything at once, so i don't have to do it again for a long time.
 
NWFL4Runner said:
In before anyone else: lower ball joints - OEM. replace them now

grab one of the full "timing belt" kits on eBay that have OEM parts and just replace everything there (runs $250 or so)

check the radiator. If it's original, it's time for a new one (they're $120 or so), to prevent the whole host of issues if it's breaking down inside.

Also, 2wd is just an excuse to go straight to long travel!
Click to expand...


Alright- just purchased the lower ball joints- OEM and outer tie rods. Do you know the genuine part number for the bolts- dont want to reuse the same ones since the ball joints are so vital and will need lock-tite. I guess OEM radiator is the way to go as well? Since the radiator is coming off- new hoses on that I guess. Would it be best to just change the belts and radiator at the same time? Looking to be about a thousand dollar job for everything. Thats ok if I can figure out how to do it myself.
 
turbo8 said:
Since you are replacing the timing belt, replace the following:
timing belt
rollers
water pump
radiator (if it looks stock)
the 3 belts
upper and lower radiator hoses

While you are in there check the following:
valve cover gaskets
fan clutch
camshaft seals
power steering fluid
alternator
air filter
intake boots
spark plugs
spark plug wires\coils

I'm pretty anal about this stuff and typically replace everything at once, so i don't have to do it again for a long time.
Click to expand...

Alright bought the 17 piece timing belt kit OEM- guessing the OEM radiator and hose is all thats left after that and the lower ball joints and tie rods. I will save the spark plugs and plug wires for next month. This might be the second most expensive question I ever asked (after a proposal of course).
 
Welcome to the T4R forums! If you have an automatic and want to definitively avoid the "pink milkshake", I would install an external transmission cooler. That way you keep the transmission fluid and the coolant separate. The problem is that the barrier inside the radiator breaks down over time, allowing those two fluids to mix and destroying your transmission as soon as the coolant saturates everything.

If you did that, you wouldn't need to preemptively replace your radiator. I'm pretty sure the external transmission coolers are cheap (~$40ish) and easy to do yourself.

If you're on Facebook and you ever want to go on offroading day-trips, search for the "Atlanta 4Runners" Facebook group. It's pretty active and it's a great group of guys. Members there are always buying / selling / swapping accessories and parts, so if you need any used parts they're pretty easy to find.

Once again, welcome!!
 
Koko4 said:
Welcome to the T4R forums! If you have an automatic and want to definitively avoid the "pink milkshake", I would install an external transmission cooler. That way you keep the transmission fluid and the coolant separate. The problem is that the barrier inside the radiator breaks down over time, allowing those two fluids to mix and destroying your transmission as soon as the coolant saturates everything.

If you did that, you wouldn't need to preemptively replace your radiator. I'm pretty sure the external transmission coolers are cheap (~$40ish) and easy to do yourself.

If you're on Facebook and you ever want to go on offroading day-trips, search for the "Atlanta 4Runners" Facebook group. It's pretty active and it's a great group of guys. Members there are always buying / selling / swapping accessories and parts, so if you need any used parts they're pretty easy to find.

Once again, welcome!!
Click to expand...

Thanks alot man. I wish I could 4wheel this thing but its a 2wd. I'll join the group regardless just for the tips and whatnot. I went ahead and bought the new radiator- came with the hoses and got it for 200 (OEM) which seemed like a pretty good deal since all that has to come off anyways for the upcoming part-a-thon i will be having in a week. I will give the new radiator about a year then install the transmission cooler just as a preventative measure. My engine bay looks clean- but there is no telling what has been replaced and what hasnt. I am going to try and contact my local dealership in Athens that did all of my service work on my Tacoma (when it was free- I attempt to not pay and do things myself when possible). I am in pretty good shape- the father in law is a certified mechanic and has had 4-5 old classics he has built up and tore down and rebuilt, so he is a good source of knowledge. Never done a lower ball joint replacement though so that should be interesting. Maybe I can put a cooler of beer outside of the garage and the Atlanta crew can show up and help out. Thanks for all the info guys I appreciate it. I have a JVC head unit I will be putting in tomorrow to replace the factory tape deck and some replacement speakers coming in from crutchfield in a few days. Hope to get a write up done on that and posted. Going to run an under seat powered sub after I put some money back from the disaster that my bank account just became from this ebay shopping spree. Oh well. 1000 dollars now will save 4000 in the future. Learned that the hard way from my Land Rover when 200 in preventative maintenance ended up costing me all but the part out and scrap value of my Disco. I will try and post some pics of all of this if anyone is interested as I make my way through the replacements. I will probably have 1000 questions- but I'll make sure to do my research before asking them again. I want to post a pic of my truck- but I dont have a photobucket account- is that the best site to use?
 
dmcwhorter9974 said:
Thanks alot man. I wish I could 4wheel this thing but its a 2wd. I'll join the group regardless just for the tips and whatnot. I went ahead and bought the new radiator- came with the hoses and got it for 200 (OEM) which seemed like a pretty good deal since all that has to come off anyways for the upcoming part-a-thon i will be having in a week. I will give the new radiator about a year then install the transmission cooler just as a preventative measure. My engine bay looks clean- but there is no telling what has been replaced and what hasnt. I am going to try and contact my local dealership in Athens that did all of my service work on my Tacoma (when it was free- I attempt to not pay and do things myself when possible). I am in pretty good shape- the father in law is a certified mechanic and has had 4-5 old classics he has built up and tore down and rebuilt, so he is a good source of knowledge. Never done a lower ball joint replacement though so that should be interesting. Maybe I can put a cooler of beer outside of the garage and the Atlanta crew can show up and help out. Thanks for all the info guys I appreciate it. I have a JVC head unit I will be putting in tomorrow to replace the factory tape deck and some replacement speakers coming in from crutchfield in a few days. Hope to get a write up done on that and posted. Going to run an under seat powered sub after I put some money back from the disaster that my bank account just became from this ebay shopping spree. Oh well. 1000 dollars now will save 4000 in the future. Learned that the hard way from my Land Rover when 200 in preventative maintenance ended up costing me all but the part out and scrap value of my Disco. I will try and post some pics of all of this if anyone is interested as I make my way through the replacements. I will probably have 1000 questions- but I'll make sure to do my research before asking them again. I want to post a pic of my truck- but I dont have a photobucket account- is that the best site to use?
Click to expand...

Welcome & thanks for your service. All great advice given above. Looks like you're off to a good start. Photobucket is dead, it's all ads & they want you to pay a ridiculous yearly fee. Most people use Flickr now.
 
Welcome to the family, Dave and thank you for your service

The upper radiator hose is 16571-62070 and lower radiator hose is Toyota 16572-62090

If ordering the radiator from Camelback, add the hoses to your order, otherwise, they are on Amazon for about $21 each and dont forget a new OEM radiator cap (make sure the radiator comes with it) but if not, it's PN 16401-20353

The LBJ bolts you want should be sourceable from Camelback as well

Eventually you will want to look into suspension bushings, rubber wears with age as much as mileage, but I didn't do mine till 250K

With your 2WD you can actually do some off-roading, is a capable truck, but some modifications to suspension and drivetrain might be desirable.

Welcome aboard, good luck and have fun taking care of a truck that will take care of you to 400K if you treat her right
 
David, in my opinion am OEM radiator is not necessary.

Just a high quality aftermarket should be sufficient. Maybe others can chime in, but when i replaced mine I went aftermarket and had no issues.
 
Yes, I agree as above^^ but the OEM radiator is like $119 at camelback (call and check with the VIN) use TWpartz to receive 3% additional discount.
https://parts.camelbacktoyota.com/p...siteid=214329&vehicleid=84053&diagram=8414045

Due to the mileage I think the cam and crank seals should be good. If those are not leaking, leave it alone. If you plan to replace those, STAY with OEM cam and crank seals.

Some sellers on ebay sells OEM parts but those are NOT OEM. It is a brand called OEM. Just make sure you buy from a reputed seller.
The water pump MUST be toyota or AISIN (which is the toyota parts supplier for mechanical parts) Read letter to letter to see all matches.

Timing belt should be OEM or Mitsuboshi. Bearings are NSK or KOYO or NACHI. Those are the OEM toyota bearings.
 
dmcwhorter9974 said:
Hey guys-

I'm David- I'm a geologist and an Air Force vet currently attending UGA for my masters in geophysics. Happy to be here.

I found my way into a 2002 4 runner with 87000 miles on Tuesday. Actually got it at a Dodge dealership in south Atlanta- was upside down on a 5lug Tacoma for a while and got a good trade in price which left me at 4800 price out the door. I have always wanted a 4runner- had a land rover discovery 2 but always was envious of that back glass rolling down. Room for the kids now and much happier with payments. Only drawback is 2wd- but it seemed like a decent tradeoff since I couldnt find another under 120k within driving range in the last month. I noticed a humming sound coming from my drivers side engine bay when stopping today- so I have tracked down some forum posts and troubleshooted to a master cylinder assembly. I was fortunate enough to pick one up on here today for a couple hundred bucks that I am going to keep in reserve should the swap be necessary in the future. I took the 4runner to a local mechanic and had a full inspection done. Besides a cracked bushing and one rotor being slightly warped from heat- nothing major in the way of problems. Engine and drivetrain are solid. Hoping to get another 200k out of it. I know I have a task ahead of me in replacing my timing belt in the future. I've done some research on it on here already. Besides changing transmission and all other fluids- anything else you guys in the 200k+ range can offer in the way of maintenance? The low mileage convinced me to get it- and I know the V6's are reliable. I just want to keep this one as a daily driver for as long as possible. One other question- since I'm changing the timing belt- what else should I go ahead and knock out while I have all of that disassembled? Would rather spend the money now in preventative maintenance than have to deal with it later as a compounding problem when 2000 dollar mechanical problems could be somewhat marriage-ending.

Thanks in advance- look forward to wasting some time with all you guys and gals.
Click to expand...
With only 87K on the clock I'd inspect the timing belt before replacing it, they're good for more than double that. My current I have 235K on my 99 original timing belt, I just inspected it about 5K miles ago, still very good. I'll be replacing it with an oem kit this Summer. I hear a lot of guys going over 200K on them. Inspect for sure, cause its a critical component, but why replace far prematurely.
 
My daughter is a 3rd year finance major at UGA, go Dawgs! Welcome to the forums and thank you for your service! Can you post a pic for us?
 
Hey David, welcome aboard, and indeed, thanks for your service. My pop was a blue suiter...

Following-up on what was said earlier, and Mike with respect to Camelback, you'll be getting free shipping from them with the radiator purchase, and the entire order. So, get the upper and lower hoses and radiator cap and get everything else that makes your list to take advantage of the free shipping.

I had reason to call them, I think to confirm something, and spoke with the owner. A really nice guy. During our discussion I had mentioned that I just purchased the 3rd gen, and with that this was my first order with Camelback. He took a discount off that first order. I imagine they might have a military discount, if interested...

At the time I was speaking with him back in November, he directed me another website he had just set-up. He said that it's easier to use and that he can see the orders better and process them faster. Here it is:

https://partsfactory.camelbacktoyota.com/

Other things to consider.... Seafoam treatment: fuel, oil and vacuum. I personally like to doing this first, a good internal cleansing. Then new fluids, filters, plugs, wires, etc...

Along those lines, and something appropriate to do while doing the spark plugs and wires would be a thorough cleaning of the air intake path, from the air box to TB, which includes the MAF sensor and IAC. TB and IAC gaskets can be added to your Camelback shopping list...

Enjoy!
 
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Looks like a really nice 4Runner, David! Congrats on the purchase [emoji1360]
If it comes down to it- and you're handy with a wrench- a 4WD swap isn't TOO crazy involved. The 2WD chassis/suspension is the same as the 4WD, so it's just a matter of swapping the trans/tcase/drivelines, front diff/axles, and front knuckles. There is also some wiring involved. Again, nothing too crazy if you're mechanically inclined. There are members here who have done the swap.
If you're using a smart phone, the Tapatalk app makes uploading images a breeze [emoji1360]
 
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