Just Bought 1995 sr5 6cyl 4wd - WHERE TO START?

[iamburanto]

Hello - Recently bought a 95 4runner 6cyl 3.0 4wd. 230K miles.

I want to use it regularly around town and to always keep it ready to take on longer trips.

Cosmetics are not important right yet.

I need a starting place for maintenance.

Already done:
Leaked oil so I replaced the valve cover gaskets +PCV.

Still leaking some oil somewhere else - cleaned off engine to find out where.

Changed oil, lubed the drivetrain.

I will likely do a tune-up soon.


Set up and condition:

Oil filter has been relocated to a place high under the hood. Also has after-market K&N air filter and intake.


No rust or body issues.

What maintenace do you guys recommend doing first.



Issues:
Runs great but Pwr steering leaks a lot.

Brake light comes on most of the time.

Timing belt was done 40K ago.

Checked the recall on Headgaskets - Toyota says mine was never part of the program. I AM eligible for the steering recall, though. I will probably have it done next week.



Thanks for any help and ideas!!

 

[regularguy412]

Congrats!! And welcome to the board.

Flush and fill the cooling system. You probably have about 40,000 miles left until the next timing belt change. You 'could' do the other accessory drive belts now, but hopefully they were changed at the last timing belt change.

You might also want to consider changing the other fluids,, auto tranny, diff oil, etc.

Get a bottle of power steering stop leak,, mine leaked quite a bit too, but now hardly at all.

Even if yours was part of the headgasket recall, I believe Toyota has stopped doing them. By '95, Toyota may have had the 'new' style headgaskets already in the 3.0's. Mine were done by the previous owner at about 30,000 miles. I now have 185,000 miles on my 92 model.

Make sure you get a committment from the dealer on a toe-in alignment before they perform the steering linkage replacement ( to be performed AFTER the linkage is in place) . It's part of the recall notice.

Be sure to use NGK or Denso spark plugs when you do the tune up. Also make sure the AFM (Air Flow Meter) door is lubed and is within spec. The TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) is another item that should be checked for proper operation and adjustment. Replace the rotor cap and button. Check to see that the base enging timing is correct (5* BTDC with the T1 and E1 diagnostic pins jumpered).

The brake light could be low fluid in the reservoir,, OR,, the Master Cylinder float that checks the fluid level could have a hole in it, is filling with fluid, and is sinking. Disconnect the wires on top of the Master Cylinder cap from the harness to check to see if the float is causing a 'false low' report.

Others will have some great suggestions, too. This is a great board.

Mike in AR

 

[Red3.slow]

good info. As for the break light mine does the same thing. It tured out in my case to be loose wireing.