Inv4drZm's Build Thread
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Inv4drZm
Senior Member
Thought I would just change the oil myself and not have to schedule a dealer visit, but my differential seal is leaking and I noticed my CV's boot ribs are rubbing themselves pretty good, guess it needs to be reclamped further down the shaft? I'll watch a youtube vid or two to gauge the time involved to fix all this stuff or just take it to the dealer.
Anyway, I've never changed oil before. I went with Mobil 1 full synthetic 5W30 and learned that it's a lot easier to just remove the RCI skid plate to start with. Between the oil that's bound to drip on the top of it from the engine and the filter and the clearance gained for a filter wrench its easier to remove it while it is clean to start off.
Also noticed this:
Must have been playing in the rocks too much!
Anyway, I've never changed oil before. I went with Mobil 1 full synthetic 5W30 and learned that it's a lot easier to just remove the RCI skid plate to start with. Between the oil that's bound to drip on the top of it from the engine and the filter and the clearance gained for a filter wrench its easier to remove it while it is clean to start off.
Also noticed this:
Must have been playing in the rocks too much!
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kcdehart
New member
If you plan to do more of your own oil changes, you might wanna look into the Fumoto F103 drain valve. You can hook a tube up to it, open the valve, and drain your oil without having to undo a bolt or anything like that. I've heard it's incredibly useful so that you don't have to remove a skid plate. I haven't had my 4 Runner long enough to do an oil change on it, but I plan to install one when I do the first change.
As for the diff seal leak, if you're mechanically inclined you can probably do it if there's a walkthrough out there for it. Basically remove everything, use something to get the old seal out, put new seal in (usually using a large socket or something like that to pound it in) and then reassemble, making sure to refill your diff.
As for the diff seal leak, if you're mechanically inclined you can probably do it if there's a walkthrough out there for it. Basically remove everything, use something to get the old seal out, put new seal in (usually using a large socket or something like that to pound it in) and then reassemble, making sure to refill your diff.
TrueBlue
New member
Decided to do my own oil change today but my truck had a surprise for me. Is repairing this something I can do on my own? Never taken out a CV before.
Doing a CV isn't too bad, hardest thing in my opinion is getting the axle nut off. In your case I'd look into doing the seal as well because that looks to me like what's leaking. There's a write up on here about doing CV's
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Inv4drZm
Senior Member
Went to Tuttle creek again this weekend. Freaking nice weather for November. My brother and I went with a buddy [MENTION=148426]J Rod[/MENTION] who drove the tan FJ. He tackled the Rock Garden without winch help.:hail:
There was supposed to be quite a few Toyota's there this weekend but they all flaked out, our 3 vehicles basically had all the trails to themselves. I keep telling myself to take more pictures but these are all the good ones:
More rock rash for me:
The Rock Garden trail changes all the time with all the rocks rolling around. On good days it can be tackled with stock suspension, on bad days, like today, you use both sliders and every skid plate. J Rod conquered it today, but had a mud flap casualty, a sheared bolt on his skid plate, and a bent tailpipe.
Bumper damage. I think I was backing up to turn around after chickening out from the Rock Garden when I scraped something. I'm due for a bumper upgrade anyway.
I need a gas tank skid. It keeps getting bashed in after every trip, and now it is really bruised on both sides now:
There was supposed to be quite a few Toyota's there this weekend but they all flaked out, our 3 vehicles basically had all the trails to themselves. I keep telling myself to take more pictures but these are all the good ones:
More rock rash for me:
The Rock Garden trail changes all the time with all the rocks rolling around. On good days it can be tackled with stock suspension, on bad days, like today, you use both sliders and every skid plate. J Rod conquered it today, but had a mud flap casualty, a sheared bolt on his skid plate, and a bent tailpipe.
Bumper damage. I think I was backing up to turn around after chickening out from the Rock Garden when I scraped something. I'm due for a bumper upgrade anyway.
I need a gas tank skid. It keeps getting bashed in after every trip, and now it is really bruised on both sides now:
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Inv4drZm
Senior Member
Was barely able to find time to replace that leaky driver side diff. seal this weekend. The right tools trump skill any day, unfortunately I don't have much of either. I installed the new seal by sliding it on the shaft first and then letting the shaft installation seat the seal like a member on here mentioned. I didn't notice until after I pumped the gear oil into the case that the seal was a bit crooked. WTH, I'll just drive it and see what happens. 20 mile drive it hasn't leaked but I haven't reinstalled my front skid plate because I don't really expect it to hold up. 
ray: If it leaks I'll just take it to Toyota like I should have done in the first place.:redbrick:
Also rounded the drain plug on the front diff, that sucker was torqued on there! Weld nut to the rescue. I'm was unprepared like usual and haven't bought new drain plugs and washers like I'm supposed to before I started.
New slightly crooked seal:
"Weld-nut Mod":
Scrape from wheeling last weekend and foggy fog light:
Fender misalignment:
Just noticed both of these fittings seem to be leaking behind the bumper driver's side:
So apparently a pack of gremlins destroyed my driver's side this week.
Oh, and all my traction control lights and check engine light turned on a couple days ago.
You win some, you lose some. Definitely lost this week.
ray: If it leaks I'll just take it to Toyota like I should have done in the first place.:redbrick:Also rounded the drain plug on the front diff, that sucker was torqued on there! Weld nut to the rescue. I'm was unprepared like usual and haven't bought new drain plugs and washers like I'm supposed to before I started.
New slightly crooked seal:
"Weld-nut Mod":
Scrape from wheeling last weekend and foggy fog light:
Fender misalignment:
Just noticed both of these fittings seem to be leaking behind the bumper driver's side:
So apparently a pack of gremlins destroyed my driver's side this week.
Oh, and all my traction control lights and check engine light turned on a couple days ago.
You win some, you lose some. Definitely lost this week.
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Inv4drZm
Senior Member
Borrowed a scan gauge today and read the code. P1445. Took a test drive and it stayed off after I cleared it. Fingers crossed it doesn't come back.
Still no leaks on the differential seal after driving another day.
The hose leak is the power steering hose and I actually have one that fits. Been meaning to do a PS flush anyway.
Things might be starting to look up.
Still no leaks on the differential seal after driving another day.
The hose leak is the power steering hose and I actually have one that fits. Been meaning to do a PS flush anyway.
Things might be starting to look up.
Inv4drZm
Senior Member
Front diff seal is still dry after a week!:cheer2:
I went shopping and bought:
In other news:
My brother took his FJ to Tuttle again this week, I stayed home to work on my front bumper drawings but long story short, he more than likely broke his rear diff. Had to drive up (1.5hrs) with my grandpa and his trailer to bring him home. Apparently the 2007 FJ's have a bad rap for weak rear diffs. Not sure if they switched to a solid pinion spacer after 2007 or what the difference is. He slowly went up some ledges he's been up a couple times, and my 4Runner has done once, and heard a pop from the back.
Probably will replace the 3rd member from ECGS. Stay tuned for rear diff carnage pics when we tear it apart!
This is from the last time we went, but the same ledges:
I went shopping and bought:
- A gallon of Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF for the power steering system. The old fluid in there looks terrible and that lower hose is leaking anyway so I'll just replace all of it while I'm there. (Slowly converting all fluids to Mobil 1 it would seem)
- A ton of diff plugs and seals from Toyota for my next couple engine and diff oil changes.
- AEM 28-20144 DryFlow Air Filter
- An engine oil drain valve
- @slyfox75 AIP bypass kit, dash is lit up for the second time.
In other news:
My brother took his FJ to Tuttle again this week, I stayed home to work on my front bumper drawings but long story short, he more than likely broke his rear diff. Had to drive up (1.5hrs) with my grandpa and his trailer to bring him home. Apparently the 2007 FJ's have a bad rap for weak rear diffs. Not sure if they switched to a solid pinion spacer after 2007 or what the difference is. He slowly went up some ledges he's been up a couple times, and my 4Runner has done once, and heard a pop from the back.
Probably will replace the 3rd member from ECGS. Stay tuned for rear diff carnage pics when we tear it apart!
This is from the last time we went, but the same ledges:
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Inv4drZm
Senior Member
Your CV angles in your other thread look completely fine, mine are quite a bit higher, even with the diff drop. (Are you sure you're at 3" lift? Maybe mine is more like 3.5"?)
The RCI skid plate should have came with 1/4" spacers for the back bolts and the Wheeler's diff drop kit I used came with 4 similiar spacers for the skid plates. I actually had to add a couple washers for each bolt to space it even further down. I couldn't have a Toyota tech take my skid plate off and expect it to go back on the same way with all those spacers stacked on there.
It has held up alright but I'm still seeking a more permanent solution. (I would take pictures but the skid plate isn't on my truck currently) I might need to machine a single solid spacer for each of the bolts .5" long. Or two solid bars .5" thick that run across the skid plate along each crossmember for more strength. Maybe machine down the diff spacers to .5" and find a compromise between skid plate spacing and CV angles.
Sorry for the paragraph, I just don't like spacing my skid plate down. I've actually though about selling my RCI skid and making my own skid plate .5" lower so at least I don't have to worry about stacking spacers.
I think I'd add a bar across the bolt holes, weld it on for strength and so it isn't falling when you remove the plate for any reason. It would stronger, no parts to loosen and fall out, and generally better overall. Making one would work, but why? All that extra time and material when you already have a plate that just needs a small modification.
Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.
Inv4drZm
Senior Member
Instead of doing my Calc. 2 hw I decided to work on the 4Runner.:flipoff:
The old gears look horrible. They drug the FJ halfway across the park to get it to the parking lot on a trailer. Every tooth had at least a chip in it. You can even see where it chewed up right below the ring gear. ("I think we found your problem!"):
Hooray for the internet! Without it I would have no idea how to do this stuff.
- Changed out the PS fluid and swapped that leaky lower line. I only used 2qts before it started looking clean. I bought 4qts so I guess we can do the FJ with the leftovers.
- Changed out the transfer and rear diff fluids.
- Installed the AIP bypass kit. Full set of instructions with color pictures made it super easy. Hopefully I don't get another code from the pump again.
The old gears look horrible. They drug the FJ halfway across the park to get it to the parking lot on a trailer. Every tooth had at least a chip in it. You can even see where it chewed up right below the ring gear. ("I think we found your problem!"):
Hooray for the internet! Without it I would have no idea how to do this stuff.
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4thgenblake
New member
Damn. Writeup for flushing/refilling power steering fluid PLEASE
Heard something that it's tied in with the power stop brakes or something.
And how about a transmission fluid flush/refill write up. I want to change all my fluids so lemme know what I should do. Don't think they have ever been swapped [emoji52]
Heard something that it's tied in with the power stop brakes or something.
And how about a transmission fluid flush/refill write up. I want to change all my fluids so lemme know what I should do. Don't think they have ever been swapped [emoji52]
Inv4drZm
Senior Member
Mobil 1 synthetic ATF.
Inv4drZm
Senior Member
It was easy except I had to replace a leaky lower hose and those barb fittings are so annoying! Maybe the hose I used was smaller.
As for writeups, I just followed the ones on the forums:
Writeup to replace PS pump, but a flush is after step 11:
https://www.4runners.com/threads/ho...steering-pump-replacement-and-fluid-flush.18/
3rd Gen but same process:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/66337-diy-power-steering-flush.html
1 more just in case:
Power Steering flush? - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum
