maintenanc questions

[VZN185]

I'm getting ready to work on my wife's truck and have a list of what to do. The '97 T4R has ~150,000 miles on it with little maintenance from previous owner. LMK if I'm missing anything important.

-ATF flush, (pan drop to clean filter)
-rear/center diff fluid
-grease driveshaft
-tune-up (spark plugs, COP wires?, PCV)
-coolant flush/thermostat/hoses
-clean MAF/IACV/TB
-fuel filter

I'm wanting to avoid the dreaded milkshake in the coolant, but my radiator shows no signs of the ATF coolant tubes leaking into the coolant. Would you still recommend replacing the radiator?

I'm not looking to spend a lot of money so gaskets will be fel-pro and the ATF will be OEM, diff fluid will be according to spec, coolant I was thinking of using the NAPA red.

 

[subiedrewbie]

I would consider the new radiator but that's your call. If original that 17 years old. Also my mechanic says drain and fill on trans, but on my old tacoma I did a new trans filter. It's easy but then you need to reseal pan

 

[VZN185]

Yeah that's what I was thinking as well. I don't mind dropping the pan and feel comfortable cleaning the filter myself. From my understanding it's just steel mesh anyways. I want this truck to last! lol

 

[nissanh]

If you have OEM spark plug wires... just stay with it. I replaced mine with NGK and feel I wasted my money.
Get spark plug (dual ground), Fuel filter, air filter, PCV, thermostat from the dealer. These are not expensive.

Grease the drive shaft every 5000 miles (onroad) or 1000 miles (off road). Don't put too much grease to the splines (aka slip york)

If you still have the original radiator...get it replaced.... this is priority!

When you are going to install the fuel filter, FIRST attach to fuel lines into the filter (don't tight it all the way) and then mount the filter to the truck.

 

[TheDurk]

Power steering fluid? Brake fluid? If they both are good and dark, as I expect they will be, this is a good time for a new baseline. Obviously check pads and shoes for life.

TB/WP history? If original, they need to be done along with idlers and aux. drive belts.

 

[jgue467]

To avoid the strawberry milkshake issue

its not so much about replacing your engine radiator, its about bypassing the transmission cooling radiator (that sits inside your engine radiator). So don't waste money/time on replacing your engine radiator (unless its got issues already) instead buy a new transmission cooler and Bypass the factory one. Run a new hose between the in/out of the factor cooler so if it does leak within your engine radiator the fluid simply goes into the hose and does not leak out. Look on ebay, cooler are inexpensive there $35 for the Hayden below.

Automatic Transmission Cooler Hayden Transmission Oil Cooler OC 1405 | eBay

oh I would also 1) flush/replace your power steering fluid w/full synthetic. 2) Use Shell's Rotella T6 w/Wix filters, 3) run Startron Always, you'll be glad you did from the start and 4) flush/replace w/synthetic brake fluid.

Down the road, I'd upgrade the front brake rotors to the larger one that is drilled and slotted. Woo hoo, good luck and enjoy! :thumb3:

 

[VZN185]

If you have OEM spark plug wires... just stay with it. I replaced mine with NGK and feel I wasted my money.
Get spark plug (dual ground), Fuel filter, air filter, PCV, thermostat from the dealer. These are not expensive.

Grease the drive shaft every 5000 miles (onroad) or 1000 miles (off road). Don't put too much grease to the splines (aka slip york)

If you still have the original radiator...get it replaced.... this is priority!

When you are going to install the fuel filter, FIRST attach to fuel lines into the filter (don't tight it all the way) and then mount the filter to the truck.

Very useful info thanks!! Will buy plugs, fuel filter, pcv, thermostat at dealership. Air filter replaced not too long ago.

Power steering fluid? Brake fluid? If they both are good and dark, as I expect they will be, this is a good time for a new baseline. Obviously check pads and shoes for life.

TB/WP history? If original, they need to be done along with idlers and aux. drive belts.

Just did power steering fluid when I replaced the contacts on the starter. Brake fluid also replaced along with new pads and rotors, these are of the autozone variety but so well have been doing fine. I'll step up to better pads/rotors when I do a tundra brake swap. TB/WP replaced at 100k and no cracks in acc. belts. Spot on info though!!

its not so much about replacing your engine radiator, its about bypassing the transmission cooling radiator (that sits inside your engine radiator). So don't waste money/time on replacing your engine radiator (unless its got issues already) instead buy a new transmission cooler and Bypass the factory one. Run a new hose between the in/out of the factor cooler so if it does leak within your engine radiator the fluid simply goes into the hose and does not leak out. Look on ebay, cooler are inexpensive there $35 for the Hayden below.

Automatic Transmission Cooler Hayden Transmission Oil Cooler OC 1405 | eBay

oh I would also 1) flush/replace your power steering fluid w/full synthetic. 2) Use Shell's Rotella T6 w/Wix filters, 3) run Startron Always, you'll be glad you did from the start and 4) flush/replace w/synthetic brake fluid.

Down the road, I'd upgrade the front brake rotors to the larger one that is drilled and slotted. Woo hoo, good luck and enjoy! :thumb3:

Thanks for the info! I see your point and will consider upgrading to an external cooler and looping the lines on the stock rad. That is a cheaper alternative but I'd like to do more research first. Have you done this to your own T4R?

I've been looking at radiators and a lot of the places I buy my parts online ie: Amazon, no longer stock the popular koyo replacement. I have read about radiators with metal endcaps and I wouldn't mind stepping up to that. Currently considering just a denso replacement though.

 

[jgue467]

Yup first thing i did was strawberry prevention!

The problem can be really expensive. So i took care of that first. Check this site out, there is a universe of info here: 3rd Gen 4Runner FAQs

Within this site I read this: any body ever crack-opened up OEM rad, if not, here we go! - YotaTech Forums It gives you a good idea of how this problem was engineered in by toyo.

I would determine how good an engine radiator you've got first - either stare inside now if its clear enough or flush it see what comes out then judge. But i would definetely bypass your existing tranny cooler. The strawberry problem isn't one of the engine radiator leaking externally, the tranny cooler is leaking where its lines come out of it, while its still inside the engine radiator. So as times goes on the fluids mix, the tranny sucks some back in and then you're out not only a radiator, tranny cooler but a tranny also. That sucks, so prevent it with a simply $35 solution. Later if you think your radiator is sucky, then replace it (i've still got my original at 235K!). anytime it goes out you have some warning, if the tranny sucks coolant you'll have no warning before it fails. Luck!

 

[VZN185]

The problem can be really expensive. So i took care of that first. Check this site out, there is a universe of info here: 3rd Gen 4Runner FAQs

Within this site I read this: any body ever crack-opened up OEM rad, if not, here we go! - YotaTech Forums It gives you a good idea of how this problem was engineered in by toyo.

I would determine how good an engine radiator you've got first - either stare inside now if its clear enough or flush it see what comes out then judge. But i would definetely bypass your existing tranny cooler. The strawberry problem isn't one of the engine radiator leaking externally, the tranny cooler is leaking where its lines come out of it, while its still inside the engine radiator. So as times goes on the fluids mix, the tranny sucks some back in and then you're out not only a radiator, tranny cooler but a tranny also. That sucks, so prevent it with a simply $35 solution. Later if you think your radiator is sucky, then replace it (i've still got my original at 235K!). anytime it goes out you have some warning, if the tranny sucks coolant you'll have no warning before it fails. Luck!

I actually just finished reading through that thread and check back here for a response. The stock radiator looks fine externally, no cracks on the end tanks and what not. Inside is still clean with the coolant being clear as well. Do you have an additional filter with the cooler? Are you using a temp. bypass valve?

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

best recommendation so far with regards to the strawberry milkshake issue!
done this myself. I use the TRD ATF cooler and the B&M supercooler.

with regards the brake rotors, i would recommend the slotted rotors, not the cross-drilled ones unless you do a big-brake upgrade. cross-drilled rotors have a significant reduction in weight which translates to less capacity to absorb heat.

its not so much about replacing your engine radiator, its about bypassing the transmission cooling radiator (that sits inside your engine radiator). So don't waste money/time on replacing your engine radiator (unless its got issues already) instead buy a new transmission cooler and Bypass the factory one. Run a new hose between the in/out of the factor cooler so if it does leak within your engine radiator the fluid simply goes into the hose and does not leak out. Look on ebay, cooler are inexpensive there $35 for the Hayden below.

Down the road, I'd upgrade the front brake rotors to the larger one that is drilled and slotted. Woo hoo, good luck and enjoy! :thumb3:

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[jgue467]

Yeah they're decent OEM radiators

meant for the long haul, not pretty but they work. as far as filters, yeah forgot to mention, i added a Magnefine magnetic inline (3/8) filter before the cooler. But that probably isn't much of an improvement over the stock. You thinking of adding a more serious tranny filter?

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

i thought about it before after reading a post in YT about it and here's my stand on it:

the tranny already has a filter. Am pretty sure normal wear and tear particles can be handled by the OEM a/t filter. If in case there are more particles than normally present, then that means that there's a problem with the tranny and that must be addressed directly by fixing the source of the abnormal increase in wear & tear particles, not by adding another filter. the additional filter MAY postpone the effect of the additional particles but it does not solve the root cause of the problem.

meant for the long haul, not pretty but they work. as far as filters, yeah forgot to mention, i added a Magnefine magnetic inline (3/8) filter before the cooler. But that probably isn't much of an improvement over the stock. You thinking of adding a more serious tranny filter?

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[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

The B&M supercooler has a bypass valve that allows direct flow when the ATF is below a certain temp.

Not sure about the TRD ATF cooler though.
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[VZN185]

Thanks for the help everyone. So far I have opted to run with an external cooler and keep the OEM radiator for now. I'm going to be ordering B&M 70268 as that seems like a popular choice here in the forum.

 

[VZN185]

when dropping the transmission pan, do you guys use RTV or a fel-pro gasket? I bought a fel-pro gasket but have doubts using it after reading a few threads,

 

[jgue467]

Tend to agree-magnefine is probably overkill

i thought about it before after reading a post in YT about it and here's my stand on it:

the tranny already has a filter. Am pretty sure normal wear and tear particles can be handled by the OEM a/t filter. If in case there are more particles than normally present, then that means that there's a problem with the tranny and that must be addressed directly by fixing the source of the abnormal increase in wear & tear particles, not by adding another filter. the additional filter MAY postpone the effect of the additional particles but it does not solve the root cause of the problem.



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Its been on there about 25k, I will do a fluid change when it gets above 50 here in central texas, will remove magnefine (probably not replacing) and cut it in half to see what is inside. Will post on that later to inform all.

 

[VZN185]

So in doing my shopping list, I have compiled my list of OEM parts I will be using. I hope this helps someone else in the future!

(For the diff and transfer case gasket, I updated the transfer case dran and fill part numbers as they were something different on tituswilltoyota.com OEM parts catalog. I credit top4runners.org for the first 6 part numbers and some of the others from the ih8mud.org 3rd gen FAQ)

Transfer Case Fill Gasket 90430-A0003
Transfer Case Drain Gasket 90430-A0003
Front Differential Fill Gasket 12157-10010
Front Differential Drain Gasket 90430-24003
Rear Differential Fill Gasket 12157-10010
Rear Differential Drain Gasket 12157-10010
T-stat 90916-03075
T-stat gasket 16325-62010
Fuel filter 23300-62030
PCV valve 12204-62010
Orange FIPG 00295-01281
spark plug x 6 90919-01192
IACV gasket 22215-62180
TB gasket 22271-62040

 

[VZN185]

Also like to mention that I just lubed the driveshaft today with NLGI-2 Multi-purpose lithium in all zerk fittings.

I'm going to using Valvoline Maxlife Dex/Merc for the transmission flush and Zerex Asian for the coolant flush. Will also be using valvoline 75w90 in both front/rear diffs and transfer case. These fluids will have to do until we can afford to buy quality stuff (I really really want amsoil once we buy another vehicle.) Tight budget. I figure any new fluid is better than very old worn out fluid.

The vehicle hasn't been serviced in a very long time as far as I can tell so I'm hoping this will help make the T4R last longer as well as keeping up with maintenance.