Maintenance level of difficulty?

[oceanside78]

Hey guys, my runner, at 167K is due for some work. I don't know the previous history but I bought it at 135K in pretty darn good shape. The Valve cover is leaking and upon some looking around on here seems like a common issue. So, I need to replace the gaskets. While the top end is pulled off, I figure I might as well do the timing belt because I don't know when (if ever) its been done. I figure I should to a t-stat and water pump and while I'm at it, since summer is coming I might as well do a coolant flush. How difficult is a timing belt replacement? Is there any special tools I'll need to purchase prior to install?? I have a Haynes manual but have ran into stuff before that it didn't cover.

Also, before I did the tundra brake swap, I had severely warped rotors, shaking the steering wheel when braking. It has left me with lose-ish steering. Would that be tie rods? I'll need to replace those as well.

I also would like to do a T-Case fluid change, power steering flush, brake fluid flush, rear diff fluid.

I know it sounds like a lot, but me and my wife and kids have only had this since I have gotten back from deployment so we cannot afford to have a vehicle down for days at a time. We are getting a CR-V from her mother and I will be able to finally shut this thing down for a while and lick the wounds of my runner.

Thank you in advance for any and all help/suggestions

 

[LittleCaesar]

Valve cover gaskets: not too hard but can be laborious. Make sure to get a tube of Toyota FIPG oil pan gasket maker as well as having a torque wrench that reads in in/lbs. There is a thread on such posted two or three days ago.

Timing belt: I have never done one. This DIY covers most but I would not cut the belt and would replace the tensioner, thus no need for the special tool:
here is a link:Timing Belt and Water-Pump Replacement

Tie rods: not too hard. Another member, BFAD did an excellent DIY on changing out his inner and outer tie rods. Use the search engine and you should be able to find it.

Fluids:
Coolant: you should be able to see how to do such from the TB DIY. Use Toyota red coolant or Zerex Asian.

PS: there was a thread on such three days ago, check for it. Make sure to use Dex ATF (just read the cap).

The others are pretty straight forward, but do loosen the fill plugs first before loosening the drain plugs to avoid being SOL.

 

[Brilliant]

try tightening the bolts on the cover, you'll probably find they are loose so its leaking. Stopped my seepage by tightening 2 loose bolts.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

^ me too. I've done this on multiple vehicles including both of 4Runners, stopped leaking right away.

 

[brian2sun]

I can't sleep right now so I figured I'd write you a small novel, lol. Your "loose-hish" steering could be a lot of things.. TREs, rack bushings, UCA/LCA bushings, ball joints, or even the rack itself could just be starting to wear out. I hate to say it, but I've found that usually when you replace one old steering/suspension component, the stress seems to transfer to the next old part and then wears it out before long. In other words, say if you do the TREs and LBJs, those will be nice and tight now so the old rack bushings may get a little more abuse and wear out faster. So it's best to replace everything at once. That's expensive though, so the next best thing is to inspect each component...

Rack bushings: With the truck idling in P, take a knee with the D/S door open and look under the truck at the rack. With one hand, grab the steering wheel at the bottom and rock it back and forth a few inches. If the rack itself moves at all, the bushings are toast.

Ball Joints (upper and lower): Jack up each front tire separately and grab it at 12 and 6 o'clock and shake it. If there's play, the BJs are going out. The uppers don't see the stress that the lowers do. And LBJs are known to fail on our trucks and can cause catastrophic failure. There are many threads about this so read up.

TREs: While you have the tire off the ground and checking the ball joints, grab the tire at 9 and 3, and wiggle it again. I've noticed that a little sideways play in the tire/steering is normal on 3rd gen 4runners and 1st gen Tacos. I know both my 4runner (even after new LBJs and TREs) and my Taco have a little. And I've noticed it on a few of my friend's 4runners and my GF's Tundra.

You can visually inspect the outer TREs and the inners too (it's east to unclamp the boot and move it out of the way). If you don't see play in them, I'd probably move on personally.

LCA/UCA Bushings: With the tire still off the ground, grab the tire and try to move it front to back. Make sure the arms' bushings don't have any play (where the arms attach to the frame).

Rack: Unless it's leaking, or making noise it's probably ok. Mine seeps a little fluid out of the outer seals and into the boots that cover the inners TREs. It's not enough for me to worry about though because the boots keep the fluid from leaking on the ground and The fluid level stays full for a long time.

Hope that helps you out a little.

 

[brian2sun]

Oh, and the steering rack guide is also a fairly cheap and easy thing to replace and that may help too. I don't know how to test those though.

 

[oceanside78]

Thanks a lot for the heads up guys. The thing I'm worried about the most is the timing belt. And, I'm trying to avoid 30 runs to the auto parts store mid way through working on it

 

[fightman80]

I would say that write up is most likely gonna be your best tool.....take a read...and it should be pretty simple to do.

I chickened out, and had my friend do it for me.....but would most likely do it myself....if the opportunity arose again.

Btw, if you are handy at all, and like to McIver your own stuff...you can make your own Tensioner tool with some exhaust pipe, a threaded bolt, and a few nuts....

Here's the one my buddy made for me:

Saved me $50.00 by making this one!

Good luck!

 

[oceanside78]

^^pretty crafty!! I need to lube my driveshaft as well. I'm getting the notorious 'clunk' when coming to a complete stop and then letting off the brakes. It's annoying and worrisome.