"All_Terrain_Turtle" LX Build Thread (1 Viewer)

[mceagle555]

As the fable says..."Slow & steady wins the race."

I've always thought of Land Cruisers & LX's like a turtle.

• Built rock solid
• Lives forever
• Not the fastest of the bunch, but you know it'll get there

While I was targeting a 2013-2015 LX570, I saw a 2008 LX570 pop-up on Facebook literally 3 miles from my house. One-owner, zero rust, Lexus service every 5k miles, w/ 157k miles. Messaged him 45 mins after listing, test drove it 30 mins later, met at bank the next day.

And so begins "The Turtle" build thread.

1. Facebook Marketplace Listing Pics (Previous owner dropped $3,500 on 22" Black Rhino Wheels & Michelin Defenders)

2. Radiator was already actively seeping (Radiator, water pump, etc... immediately ordered that night)

3. Fired up a new Google Sheet to track maintenance/upgrades/cost. Started baselining the following:

• New Fuel Tank Cap (Prevent against future dash warning lights)
• LED Interior Light & Backup Lights upgrade
• Wix Cabin Air Filter
• Rear Differential Fluid Change
• Exercised the credit card & my local FedEx guy with tons of packages on their way

4. Swapped the 22" Black Rhino Wheels for 18" TRD Pro BBS Wheels w/ 275/65/18 Michelin LTX AT2 Tires (Facebook Marketplace find)

• Added an identical 5th spare so I can do 5-tire rotations
• 5 x New Denso 550-0103 TPM sensors
• Discount Tire mount & balance

 

[mceagle555]

5. Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit (This is truly amazing...best $20 you'll spend on your vehicle. Plus an hour of elbow grease.)

• Pic 1: After 400-grit wet sanding

• Pic 2: After 1000-grit wet sanding

• Pic 3: After 2000-grit wet sanding

• Pic 4: After polishing compound

• Pic 5: Before & After UV clear coat (Mind blown...)

6. Items on order & things on the list to do:

• Oil Change (0w20 Synthetic, TRD Oil Filter)
• Fumoto F133N Drain Valve
• Replace Oil Filter housing with metal one from Toyota Venza
• 3D Maxspider Front & 2nd Row Mats
• OEM Engine Filter
• Front Differential Fluid Change
• Transfer Case Fluid Change
• New radiator, water pump, fan clutch, thermostat, belt tensioner, idler pulley, fluid coupling bracket, serpentine belt
• Powerstop Z36 K4117-36 Brakes
• New PCV Valve
• 8 x Spark plugs (90919-01191) and Tube Seals (11193-70010)
• GROM Vline 2 Apple Carplay adapter
• New Battery (Either 27F or 24F AGM from Costco)
• AHC new Fluid
• Brake Fluid Change
• Power steering fluid change
• Transmission drain & fill (Multiple times. Did this on my previous GX460 with ease
• New skidplate bolts (No rust, but just preventative maintenance)
• Hikari LED XHP50.2 (High beam & Fog)
• Hikari LED Ultrafocus (Low projector beam)

 

[mceagle555]

Completed the following this week:

• OEM Engine Air Filter
• Oil Change w/ Shell Rotella Synthetic 0w20, TRD Oil Filter
• Replaced plastic oil filter housing with metal one used on Toyota Venza (15620-31060)
• Added Fumoto F133N drain valve to make future oil changes WAY less messy
• 3D Maxspider front & 2nd row mats (Nicer than Weathertech, but I really wish Husky made the "X-act" line for LX/LC (Have them in my F150 and they are amazing)
• Temporary JB Weld patch for actively leaking radiator (Temporary stopgap until I get around to installing new radiator. All parts already on order)

 

[mceagle555]

Maxspider 3D Kagu Molded Floormats in Black

 

[mceagle555]

Added in the Bulldogology Dog Hammock for the backseat to carry the pups on road trips. Fits perfectly (56" wide) and pretty good quality.

Includes side flaps for seats and anchors to hold the back of the hammock to the seat.

Amazon product ASIN B01C83PBO6

 

[mceagle555]

The OG turtle #toyotaturtlespotting

 

[mceagle555]

Power steering flush using 1.5 qts of Valvoline Synthentic ATF. Probably the easiest fluid change you can possibly do. This is what you'll need:

1. Floor jack & stands
2. 1-2 qts of Dexron II or Dexron III ATF fluid (Most choose Valvoline Synthetic ATF or Mobile One Synthetic ATF)
3. Funnel w/ thin tip
4. Something to suck out old fluid (I used this giant syringe)

Followed the guide here: Power steering flush, any tricks or tips? - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/power-steering-flush-any-tricks-or-tips.1007054/post-13658736

 

[lx200inAR]

Guess I missed your intro. Congrats on the new rig. Seems like we are on similar paths baselining. I have a year headstart on you, but you are gaining on me, haha. My truck had low miles, but your's is in way better shape. I still need to do my other headlight after polishing the driver's side among a long laundry list of other items.

 

[mceagle555]

Front diff service (2qts Mobile 1 75w-90) complete....finally.

My 2008 LX570 had the drain plug stuck on like a bear. A 36" breaker bar wouldn't move it. Also stripped the Allen bolt.

After cold chiseling for 45 mins one day, here is what worked for me:

1. Overnight soak with PB Blaster penetrating oil
2. Cold chisel notch (Use an actual cold chisel, not a wood chisel you have laying around)
3. Mark bolt and diff housing with permanent marker so you can tell if it is spinning.
4. 3lb Hammer
5. Have replacement Lexus HEX plug on hand - 90341-24016

Friendly reminder to not only wear eye protection, but also EAR PROTECTION. Hammering metal against metal in an enclosed space can cause ringing in your ear. (Ask me how I know)

Came right off.

Also took her on her inaugural trip to a National Park. Great Smokey Mountains.

 

[80and100cruisers]

What LED interior and back up light kits did you use?

 

[mceagle555]

What LED interior and back up light kits did you use?

I used JDM Astar previously in my GX460. Used them in my LX570 as well. High quality and super bright.

Interior/running board/door puddle lights: Amazon product ASIN B01DE7UC6C
Backup lights: Amazon product ASIN B01CRGU91Y
Rear Cargo Area: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013TWUVMM

 

[mceagle555]

Cheap $6 mod courtesy of Rustoleum rattle can spray paint. Front tow hooks:

 

[kwelhand]

Cheap $6 mod courtesy of Rustoleum rattle can spray paint. Front tow hooks:

View attachment 2968207



View attachment 2968208

Interesting build thread! I like your simple approach.
How hard is it to remove the factory tow hooks?

 

[mceagle555]

Interesting build thread! I like your simple approach.
How hard is it to remove the factory tow hooks?

Super easy. Remove 2 17mm bolts.

Use wire brush to clean off any rust, paint, let dry for 48 hours, reinstall.

Obviously don’t paint the bolts themselves.

 

[kcjaz]

Added in the Bulldogology Dog Hammock for the backseat to carry the pups on road trips. Fits perfectly (56" wide) and pretty good quality.

Includes side flaps for seats and anchors to hold the back of the hammock to the seat.

Amazon product ASIN B01C83PBO6
View attachment 2961178

View attachment 2961177

Does the dog cover allow access to the seat belts? We clip our dog in with short bungie leash that clits to his harness and attaches to the seat belt buckle. Our curry over allows this with a Velcro slot but the cover itself kinda sucks. This looks a lot better.

Sorry, probably not the thing you wanted questions on in your builds thread…

 

[mceagle555]

Does the dog cover allow access to the seat belts? We clip our dog in with short bungie leash that clits to his harness and attaches to the seat belt buckle. Our curry over allows this with a Velcro slot but the cover itself kinda sucks. This looks a lot better.

Sorry, probably not the thing you wanted questions on in your builds thread…

Yep. There is a Velcro access cover so you can get to the seat clips. Mine actually came with a bonus harness clip.

 

[mceagle555]

Completed spark plug change this weekend. Plugs #1-#7 are pretty self explanatory.

Took a few pictures to help people with Spark Plug #8 (Passenger side near firewall) since that is the tough one:

Based most of my work off this video:

• Step 1: Remove airbox cover & fuse box cover on passenger side (Yellow arrows)
• Step 2: Detach wiring harness clip from mount (Green arrow)
• Step 3: Wedge wiring harness under mount to give additional room (Green arrow)
• Step 4: Remove 3 bolts holding hard lines engine (Red arrows) - Be careful not to drop them, they are shorter than the coil pack screws
• Step 5: Gently wiggle the hard lines, push them down 3/4", and wedge the mounting bracket from the middle screw under it's own engine mount to give you additional room (Red arrow in second pic)
• Step 6: Remove coil pack & change spark plug, using various extensions (Purple arrow)
• Step 7: Install new plug & replace coil pack
• Step 8: Reinstall front 2 bolts holding hard lines from Step 4
• Step 9: For last hard line bolt, nearest to firewall, lightly wrap bolt in socket using electrical tape. You want 1/8" inch of tape lightly holding the screw in the socket. (Red square in 3rd pic)
• Step 10: Reinstall 3rd hard line bolt. Once it has "caught," you should be able to pull the socket back and the electrical tape will give way
• Step 11: Reattach wiring harness from Step 2
• Step 12: Replace fuse & airbox covers.

 

[mceagle555]

Also upgraded from squealing stock rotors/pads to PowerStop Z36 kit. Waiting on parts for the rear brakes, but did the front ones. Initial results are much better stopping power!

Don't forget the break-in procedure!

 

[kwelhand]

Looking good!

 

[mceagle555]

Plugs are from 2008 LX with 158,000 miles.

While it had impeccable Lexus service history every 5k miles, I didn't see a specific entry for spark plug change. They could have been done under the 90k, 120k, or another major service interval, but it isn't specifically called out in the Lexus service records. All were still gapped around .44-.46.

I had a little bit of oil in bottoms of #2 and #8 (Passenger side), but definitely not a substantial amount. Coil pack tubes were bone dry with just a small amount of residual red "scorching" that wiped right off with a dry paper towel.