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Old 09-17-2009, 01:28 PM
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Suggested Maintenance for New Toyota Owner

So if you've read my other post, I just got a new to me 4Runner. For those that haven't...

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f151...ck-guy-191821/

I'm trying to compile a list of items I should take care of right off the bat. Things that may or may not have been done before I purchased the vehicle. If there's anything I'm forgetting, or that you think might be going a bit to far please let me know!

Also, feel free to recommend any particular brands, shops, items that I should get. I come from a performance car world and most everything I buy through online shops. Not only that but most of the stuff I've done have been bolt-ons. I'm afraid to break my car... Anyway, I don't know how people go about finding which stuff performs better, or where to find good deals. I'm reading the forums, but unfortunately some things are still going over my head.

I'm creating this list here to update as I find/figure stuff out. I figure my research can benefit the next newb that comes along from having to sift through the wealth of information.

Please don't take this as me looking for handouts to my questions. I just want to have a single place to consolidate all my findings for myself and the next person!

I have the 1985 Factory Service Manual. I couldn't find the 1986. I figure they're close enough for my purposes.

List of information to help me...
  • Compression Tester
    • Coming Soon...
  • Oil Filter
    • Mobil 1
  • Oil
  • Air Filter
    • K&N Drop-In
  • Spark Plugs
    • NGK G-Power (Part #: BPR5EGP)
    • Permatex Anti-seize (Make sure to use anti-seize!)
    • Spark Plugs Galore!
  • Spark Plug Wires
    • NGK Wire Set (Part #: NGK9799)
  • Injectors
    • Coming Soon...
  • Transmission Oil
    • Mobil 1 SAE 75W-90
  • Transfer Case
    • Mobil 1 SAE 75W-90
  • Front & Rear Differential
    • Valvoline DuroBlend 80W-90
  • Power Steering
    • Valvoline Max Life ATF Dex/Merc
  • Brake Pads
    • Wagner Pads
  • Brake Fluid
    • Wearever
  • Coolant
    • Prestone Antifreeze/Coolant
  • Throttle Body Cleaner
    • Valvoline Carb & Throttle Body Cleaner
  • A/C Recharge
    • Coming Soon...
  • Random Cleaners
    • SeaFoam

Edit: My thread got moved to the Newbie section. So I guess that tells you how rudimentary it is. No matter how complicated it all seems to me!!

Last edited by Saiba Samurai; 09-18-2009 at 01:04 PM.
Old 09-17-2009, 01:44 PM
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For those of us who haven't seen your other post - what motor/tranny, miles, etc.

Generally, when I buy a used car, I like to bring all the maintenance items up to speed, so I know when and how they were done last:
ALL the fluids - engine oil, tranny, tcase, diffs, power steering (it takes ATF!), brake fluid, coolant - EVERYTHING

Personally, unless you know it had synthetic in it before, I would run dino or blend for the first oil change, and I would get it on a schedule that works for me - I like the odometer to be divisible by 3. Make sure it's not burning or otherwise losing oil before putting the expensive stuff in.

Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, timing - use NGK or Denso, do not use Bosch

Search on "seafoam" for how to clean the throttle body and injectors. At the minimum, I would run a bottle of fuel injector cleaner through the first couple tanks.

I wouldn't worry about the compression tester if it runs fine. Same with the A/C.

I wouldn't worry about the air filter "upgrade".
Old 09-17-2009, 03:31 PM
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Thanks for the reply tc. I've updated my post with some of the items I didn't already have on the list. Some of the other things you listed I have no idea what they are yet.

Also I went to sparkplugs.com which has a ton of spark plugs for sale, here's the list they pulled up for my truck.

I'm not sure which NGK to get. http://www.sparkplugs.com/results_ap...1&AAIA=1272169

Last edited by Saiba Samurai; 09-17-2009 at 03:43 PM.
Old 09-17-2009, 05:17 PM
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Bump for updates! Let me know what I'm doing wrong!
Old 09-17-2009, 05:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Saiba Samurai
Bump for updates! Let me know what I'm doing wrong!
I don`t think your doing anything wrong, just do the normal maintenance that was posted above and you should be good to go. As for the spark plugs, NGK or Denso plugs work the best in our trucks. If your truck has a manual transmission the transfer case uses the same gear oil as the transmission, it doesn`t use ATF. Also to make things easier, you can use the same Mobil 1 75w-90 gear oil in the transmission, transfer case, and front and rear differentials, its all the same and thats what i use in my 86 4Runner, and ive never had a problem.

Last edited by myyota; 09-17-2009 at 06:00 PM.
Old 09-17-2009, 06:03 PM
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Be sure to check timing chain guide on driver side. I have bought 2 trucks thad had busted guides. Hope you are loving your toy!

Last edited by jsn_stockard; 09-17-2009 at 06:07 PM.
Old 09-17-2009, 06:16 PM
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Originally Posted by jsn_stockard
Be sure to check timing chain guide on driver side. I have bought 2 trucks thad had busted guides. Hope you are loving your toy!
Good point, do have the timming chain checked out, and if its bad replace it as soon as possible, because bad things can happen when the guides break or the chain stretches out.
Old 09-17-2009, 06:24 PM
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As for the coolant, you need to check and see what it has in it. If it has Toyota red, you MUST use that with distilled water. DO NOT MIX OTHER COOLANTS WITH THE TOYOTA RED. (regardless of whatever "mix with any color" is on the bottle)

The tranny, tcase, and diffs are all specified by Toyota to be 75W90 GL4/5, but most of us have found that a GL5 is too slippery for the synchros to work right in the manual transmission and recommend a pure GL4 for the tranny.
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/index.sh...ntheticGearOil
Old 09-17-2009, 08:19 PM
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Myyota where did you get the information about the manual not using ATF? I found 2 guides that told me that's the stuff to use. I'm not saying you're wrong I'd just like to see why these other guides are saying to use it.
Old 09-17-2009, 08:36 PM
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It's in the owner's manual - what "guides" are you using and are they for Toyotas?
Old 09-17-2009, 08:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Saiba Samurai
Myyota where did you get the information about the manual not using ATF? I found 2 guides that told me that's the stuff to use. I'm not saying you're wrong I'd just like to see why these other guides are saying to use it.
All Manual transmissions and transfer cases use gear oil, if you had an automatic transmission then you would use ATF in the transmission and transfer case. Everyone here will tell you the same thing, so if your truck has a manual transmission DO NOT put ATF in it at all. I think i read that you bought a manual for your truck, read through it and it will tell you the same thing. One thing to remember is that our trucks from 84-88 are all the same except for a very few minor things, and all of the specs are the same.

Manual = Gear Oil

Automatic = ATF
Old 09-17-2009, 08:43 PM
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Okay good to know! It's late now but tomorrow I will recheck them! I musthave misread! That's why I posted here!

Haynes for Toyota and the 1985 Factory Service Manual.
Old 09-17-2009, 08:44 PM
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BTW - here is the FSM for a '93 - mechanically, yours is identical
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-buchanan/93fsm/
Old 09-17-2009, 09:11 PM
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So when should I do the SeaFoam? Before or after I do all this maintenance? If I do it after the maintenance, should I do anything additional like change the oil after 200 miles?
Old 09-18-2009, 08:36 AM
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I would do it first.
Old 09-18-2009, 12:56 PM
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I'm a bit concerned. I did the SeaFoam like I saw on a video of another 4Runner. And smoke starting pouring out right away! I mean TONS OF IT! I thought it wasn't supposed to smoke until I did the SeaFoam in the gas and oil.

I did it like this guy...

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeshI74mbek[/YOUTUBE]

except I also did it in the gas. I poured just under half in that first line then I split the rest between the gas and oil.

It didn't smoke much at all after I turned it on, but it smoked like hell when I did it in the first line.

Last edited by Saiba Samurai; 09-18-2009 at 01:01 PM.
Old 09-18-2009, 01:08 PM
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Must have had a lot of crap to clean out - mine hardly smokes at all when I do it!
Old 09-18-2009, 01:15 PM
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Also, as for my parts list. I'm not sure I got the right spark plugs & wires. I'm also not sure I got the right brake pads. I'm looking at my receipt here and it looks like he pulled up the 4Runner Turbo. instead of the base 4Runner.

It appears there's a difference for the air filter. As the air filter I got was the circle one, but my vehicle needs the box. So it got me checking the other stuff.

Any feedback you guys can give on the plugs, wires, and brake pads? Are they the same between turbo and non-turbo?
Old 09-18-2009, 01:36 PM
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Originally Posted by tc
Must have had a lot of crap to clean out - mine hardly smokes at all when I do it!
Should I get another bottle and do it again before I start the maintenance items or is there such a thing as over doing it?
Old 09-18-2009, 04:21 PM
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if your truck is running it will start smoking as soon as the seafoam gets into the cylinders, thats normal. Start pouring the seafoam into the engine while its running and when it starts smoking have someone turn the engine off and let it sit for about ten minutes and then start it up again, at this point it will smoke like crazy for a while and then eventually stop.

I just watched the saefoam video, the 22RE in that 4Runner sounds like crap, it sounds like the valves have never been adjusted on it.

Last edited by myyota; 09-18-2009 at 04:29 PM.


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