Need Preventative Maintenance Advice

[00GTvert]

Hello Everyone -
I'm looking for a bit of advice. I've got a 05 4runner SR5 V6, 3rd row with 195K on it. Being that I was laid off a year ago and am just getting back to work next week money's been tight. Needless to say a replacement vehicle just isn't in the budget at this point. I really like my 4runner but it's getting a bit long in the tooth.

So far here's the maintenance history of the truck:

- replaced alt, right front caliper, right front wheel bearing, water pump, left rear shock, front sway bar links/bushings, trans flush/fill, reg oil changes every 5k

Car is running strong for the most part. I'm really impressed. I had to flush/fill the trans due to the "rumble strip" issue that's common with runner's of this age but man it did the trick completely resolving the issue.

It's my wife's daily and she mentioned the other day when she tried to start it the car didn't want to stay running at first. This is the first time it's happened. There's no CEL lit but I'll try to pull the stored codes off today and will post them here.


My questions is what can I do that won't break the bank to keep this thing as reliable as possible in the near term?

Maybe fuel pump/filter? Timing chain?


thanks!

 

[Wardbird]

I think it would be very unlikely the timing chain suddenly moved teeth. Anything is possible, but that would be down the list of possibles for me.

Filters, spark plugs (or their electronic components) would seem more likely. You would think any significant failure, of sensors or components, would throw a code, but perhaps not.

 

[waypoint]

You didn't mention spark plugs in your maintenance history, if they haven't been replaced that would be my next move after checking for Pending error codes via a scantool.

edit: and since it's a 2005 and likely prone to head gasket failure, check the coolant level for low reading, listen during initial startup for a waterfall/gurgling noise under the dash.

 

[00GTvert]

and since it's a 2005 and likely prone to head gasket failure, check the coolant level for low reading, listen during initial startup for a waterfall/gurgling noise under the dash.

I've been doing a lot of research since making this post and after talking with my wife (waterfall noise) along with the fact I've noticed the coolant res has been low I'm convinced I've got a leaking HG.

I just bought a bottle of BG Universal Cooling Sealer per Gixxer's reco with expedited shipping (here tuesday) and am leaving in a minute for some toyota coolant to top it off for the time being. So far it hasn't overheated despite it being really hot here lately but I'm not taking any chances.

I may have dodged a bullet here thanks to this forum!

 

[waypoint]

I've been doing a lot of research since making this post and after talking with my wife (waterfall noise) along with the fact I've noticed the coolant res has been low I'm convinced I've got a leaking HG.

The symptoms make sense...only having problems on initial startup, after it's ingested coolant via the failed head gasket.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[CookieRoe]

Saying the 2005 models are prone to HG failure isn't accurate. Mid cycle 2005, the HG was redesigned. Hopefully your rig isn't affected and you don't have to go through that.

I have a 05 V6 and noticed my radiator fluid slowly loosing fluid. I got scared and thought my HG was failing. Turns out it was leaking but I didn't see where. It would leak when it was at operating temp (see pic below) and not leak when it was cold. Anyway, got a Denso radiator and all is good.

Difficult to tell, but that wet spot was pale red.

What is not mentioned are the brakes. Our rigs are prone (that is accurate unfortunately) to seized calipers, so "maintain them " (check the slider pins and lube them, check for crud build up behind the pads and clean as needed).

Good luck

EDIT: didn't read the startup issue, nevermind. Good luck anyway.

 

[Bossman]

200k Maintenance for 4th Gen T4R

Anything I'm forgetting? Preventative maintenance at 200k miles...

Approaching 200,000 miles

Recommendations on preventive maintence at 200K?

180k Interval Service?

 

[waypoint]

S

What is not mentioned are the brakes. Our rigs are prone (that is accurate unfortunately) to seized calipers, so "maintain them " (check the slider pins and lube them, check for crud build up behind the pads and clean as needed).

Slider pins on the front calipers are located where?

 

[00GTvert]

The symptoms make sense...only having problems on initial startup, after it's ingested coolant via the failed head gasket.

Good luck and keep us posted.

The only stored code was a P0304. From what I've read it's cyl 6 which springs the leak but cyl 4 is still the same head and near 6 so it's consistent with the HG problem.

 

[TheUltimateBohab]

Now I may not have a clue what I'm talking about but just having issues on Startup and not while running does not sound like a head gasket at all to me. If I had to guess I would say something fuel related maybe go through the easier stuff change out your spark plugs maybe pour some injector cleaner in there change your fuel filter things like that clean your intake sensors air filter shit like that will help I would go through all that before pouring that nasty stop leak in there or ripping the top of your motor apart to find out it's not a head gasket....

I bought a Subaru off a friend who poured that head gasket stop leak into the motor it plugged up everything I had no heat because it plugged the heater core it plugged up the radiator so tight I had to replace it. it plugged all the little ports inside the motor to the point where it would create a vacuum and suck the cooling hoses flat. bad business stuff under no circumstances would I ever use it in anything.

 

[CookieRoe]

Slider pins on the front calipers are located where?

Pics are better than words I always say.

When you take your wheel off, you'll plainly see the caliper. I highlighted them.

Taken them out (usually get a small screwdriver and lightly hammer it out) and lube them as so:

hope this helps ya


Ed

 

[djpope09]

The only stored code was a P0304. From what I've read it's cyl 6 which springs the leak but cyl 4 is still the same head and near 6 so it's consistent with the HG problem.

I have an 04 V6. The symptoms for my headgaskets failing were a misfire on cylinder 2, rough idle at startup for ~10-15 seconds and low coolant level in the reservoir.

Yours sounds similar, but before tearing into the engine I would get a borescope camera and stick it in cylinder 4 through the spark plug hole. If that's where your coolant is going you should see a small pool in there if the vehicle has been parked for at least 8 hours.

 

[djpope09]

Now I may not have a clue what I'm talking about but just having issues on Startup and not while running does not sound like a head gasket at all to me. If I had to guess I would say something fuel related maybe go through the easier stuff change out your spark plugs maybe pour some injector cleaner in there change your fuel filter things like that clean your intake sensors air filter shit like that will help I would go through all that before pouring that nasty stop leak in there or ripping the top of your motor apart to find out it's not a head gasket....

I bought a Subaru off a friend who poured that head gasket stop leak into the motor it plugged up everything I had no heat because it plugged the heater core it plugged up the radiator so tight I had to replace it. it plugged all the little ports inside the motor to the point where it would create a vacuum and suck the cooling hoses flat. bad business stuff under no circumstances would I ever use it in anything.

When my headgaskets were failing the engine would misfire at startup in the morning and then run smoothly after 10-15 seconds. It was misfiring because coolant was pooling in one of the cylinders over night. His sounds similar, but I agree that he should consider all possibilities. Replacing the headgaskets isn't cheap even if you do it yourself.

 

[ZiaMan]

Before adding stop leak or replacing the headgasket, get an oil analysis to see if there is coolant in your oil.

Blackstone Labs - Hardcore Bodybuilding Supplements is the go to place for BobIsTheOilGuy.com oil forums.

 

[waypoint]

Pics are better than words I always say.

Not sure about your use of "slider pin" terminology, which is why I asked. The front calipers don't slide during brake actuation, they are monoblock design and therefore do not have slider pins. The rear calipers do slide.

See shop manual pics below. The front pins are "anti rattle" because, again, the front calipers do not move during actuation. The rears are "slide pins".

 

[CookieRoe]

Not sure about your use of "slider pin" terminology, which is why I asked. The front calipers don't slide during brake actuation, they are monoblock design and therefore do not have slider pins. The rear calipers do slide.

See shop manual pics below. The front pins are "anti rattle" because, again, the front calipers do not move during actuation. The rears are "slide pins".

I call it a slider pin b/c EVERYONE (dealer/CarPartStores/etc) calls it that. Now that you cleared things up, I'm intrigued.

Thanks for the clarification.