andyf0722

I am planning on taking my 4Runner on a cross country trip. It is a:

2000 Toyota 4Runner SR5
3.4L V6 with manual transmission
162,000 miles

I am the first and only owner. I bought it new in 2000 and I will keep it until it dies or I do. I'm trying to figure out what I should have done to it before I leave. I will be hitting the Rocky mountains, but I won't be towing anything.

I've recently had some brake work done, rotated and balanced tires, had an alignment, and oil change. Battery was replaced this winter. Coolant was flushed about 10K miles back. Timing belt and water pump were replaced at 148K. Rear shocks were replaced last summer. Tires have 43K on them.

Items that have been recommended by mechanic include transfer case and diffy fluid flush which were done last at 90K. I'm leaning towards doing these. They also recommended a transmission fluid flush and power steering flush. Both of which some seem to say never need to be changed and I'm pretty sure I have never changed them. They say my front struts and stabilizer links should be replace soon. I'm leaning towards a wait and see approach with those.

Does my approach sound valid? Anything else you would recommend? Thanks.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

What ever maintenance you would do in the course of normal driving for a month .Then I have never been at the mercy of a mechanic putting 5 kids through Law and Medical school.

Not real sure how one flushes a 5 speed transmission but always learning new things .

Belts in good shape ??

The thing is heat soak can cause mechanical things to do strange and interesting things.If your 4Runner is not normally driven 12 plus hours at a time.

No matter it is mechanical things tend to fail at the worst place and time

I would not hesitate to jump in my Tacoma and leave for Texas in a few hours.

Please try not to hit the Rocky mountains they are quite a bit more solid just be satisfied to drive over and through them.

ThorInc

If you are going to make frequent pit stops, I would say you have done (and yes, change the tranny and diff fluids) all you can. I sometimes run 3-4 hours stretches without issues on my stick 97 and that's towing a bass rig.

83

Yeah there's no flushing, really, just change all those fluids. Yeah I think it's a good idea to have all fresh fluids for a long trip.

Make sure the alternator output is good and everything is well tuned and you'll be as safe from breakdowns as anyone can be. It can happen, but probably won't.

I always keep up on routine maintenance so there's no "catch up" I need to play before a trip. I just make sure all my fluids are good, tires are good. But that's not anything I'm not always making sure are good.

It's tough because you're a long way from home and risk breaking down in the middle of nowhere instead of in your home town. But once you get out on the highway you'll be surprised how most problems melt away and your truck starts just eating up miles, with no complaints.

I put 30,000 miles on a '78 Toyota pickup over the last 3 years, and it always ran best out on long stretches of open highway. But it never once broke down.

coloyota1023

Just drain and fill the trans and rear differential, probably the front one too. When's the last time you did plugs or changed the air filter? Clean the throttle body and mass air flow sensor too.

coloyota1023

Here's your recommended miles on maintenance items:
Auto trans: 5 years 60k
Manual trans: 3 years 30k
Differentials and transfer case: 30k
Power steering and brake fluid: when the fluid is dark. Brakes usually when you get the brakes done, have the fluid flushed.
Plugs: 30k
Hvac service: (cleaning of the evaporator) 2 years or when the a/c starts to smell.
Throttle body service and mass air flow sensor service: every 2 years or 20k

83

Careful with the throttle body! Not a huge "BE CAREFUL" but a small one. Many people, myself included, end up with a slightly high idle after doing this. Sometimes it's wear on the body itself, sometimes a weak park in the spring or pivot...but often there is something which has worn, and would leak, except that the built up carbon is keeping it from leaking. You clean the carbon, and it lets some air by.

Also when cleaning it, gunk tends to run down and gum up other stuff.

Not saying "don't do it", just saying be methodical and careful, and if you end up with a high idle, searching will find you some good threads on this site dealing with that issue.

I solved mine by just cleaning things under the throttle body...sorry can't remember what off the top of my head but a search will turn up some stuff.