Scheduled/preventative maintenance recommendations

[RedbeardPete]

Hey guys, this seems like a topic that must've been beaten to death, but I'm not finding it. I really think something on this topic should be a sticky.

I'm a new 2002 Sr5 2wd owner, got 170k and still shining and running like new. I love this truck! Anyway, I want to take care of it and make it last FOREVER

Are there any common problems with these trucks, things to look out for?

I think I'd mostly be worried about the transmission since I understand how everything else works and what everything else needs but not the black magic going on inside there.

I found the maintenance schedule from Toyota but honestly it's crap. http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms/MSTOY02_MS0003/pdf/01omsour/2002/schedule/2002sche.pdf

It doesn't EVER say to replace the auto trans fluid, it just says "Inspect" every 30k miles and on the same interval, it says to replace the fluid if you are using the truck under the "special operating conditions". So when the hell am I supposed to change the fluid based on normal operating conditions? Sorry, I'm mad at this lackluster document that doesn't even schedule beyond 120k miles. I'm 50k over that and the truck is new to me! So yeah, that schedule is garbage, does anyone have something better?

 

[gamefreakgc]

This will be a great place to start:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html

Biggest issue is the lower ball joints.

The transmission is considered a "sealed" transmission which according to Toyota never needs to be serviced. Which is balongne, which you already found out. Same as Toyota saying the fuel filters are a lifetime part!

You don't need to do anything, however, unless the fluid is any other color than red. If it looks brownish or black, then it needs to be replaced. Drain and fill is the best and cheapest method, especially on a high mileage vehicle. If it never turns brown, you are one of the lucky ones and you never have to service your transmission.

 

[RedbeardPete]

Thanks for that link! That's a fantastic wealth of info! I will be doing an external trans cooler and I'll check on recall status for the ball joints.

Definitely don't want a lower ball joint to fail! I JUST had my trans flushed and the fluid was a brown-red. I might take it to a trans specialist to get a recommendation on what the slight clunking could be, but hell, sounds like nothing to do until the trans fails, whenever that will be.

 

[3bears]

for my new to me yota ( 2 weeks) with 145k, I decided to change all fluids, even though the tranny looked good, also changed diffs and transfer case. I can tell you , that even though my tranny fluid color was good, after doing a flush and fill, it did shift smoother
( drain tranny, refill, drive in all gears for a few miles, drain and refill, drive for a few miles, drain and refill )
I also installed a trans cooler and bypassed the stock radiator for now

clunking could be many things,
when your doing your fluid changes make sure you grease the drive shafts

another hint, if your gonna be changing all your diff and transfer case, make sure you can open the fill plug before you open the drain, I always do, I have had a 4x4 where after draining a diff, we could not do anything to get the fill plug out. Luckily it was a dana44 that we could just remove the whole diff cover and replace it, wanted to anyway with a vented one