[HDJ100] Toyota service: What to do?

[tibo123]

Hello,

I own a 2005 Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ100 (4.2 diesel).
It has 230,000 km and I plan to use it to go to Kazakhstan next summer.

I want to bring it to Toyota to service it and I would need some advice to have an idea of what to ask the mechanic what to do.

I plan to request them to do the following:
- Change oil (everything but the engine)
- Check the a/c (it is not working)
- Check the belts (it is noisy)

What else would you do if you need a reliable truck?

Is there any way to know whether the gearbox, torque converter, transfer case are in good condition (oil analysis)?

Would you change the engine coolant, time belt,...?

Thank you
Tibo123

 

[mgilvan]

Hey dude
Check your / replace your diesel fuel filter , clean the injection and check the injection pump. Also replace the hose like ( radiator , ets…)
Have a safe trip and Have fun on your trip

 

[tibo123]

Thanks for your tips, I will ask them to check the injectors and the fuel pump.
I think I can handle the hoses change

 

[mgilvan]

Hey tibo
I red on a magazine that you should do a major service at 150k km . if you haven’t done so you ‘re way pass due on your service

 

[PhrogsPhorever]

Have you owned since new? If not, documentation on maintenance?

This is what I'd to if I had no idea on the baseline maintenance and would be operating in an austere environment with limited maintenance options, disregard anything you may have done since you bought the truck. Auto gearbox, right?

-Replace all fluids, tranny, transfer, differentials, coolant, A/C, your call on the PS, clutch and brake fluid. Filters too.
-Re-pack, re-grease, or re-build steering parts as necessary, check all bushings and rubber bits on the suspension and sway bars if need be.
-Check all belts and hoses and replace as necessary.
-Replace Timing belt and tensioner if it hasn't been done recently.
-Replace brake pads, rotors of worn and won't last for the duration
-Have batteries checked and replace as necessary, same with the alternator.
-Have injectors and pump checked
-Maybe drop the water pump and take a look.
-Send engine and maybe tranny fluids for analysis if you think that the engine is suspect, and do a compression check. If you think the engine is good, skip it.

 

[tibo123]

Thanks mgilvan and phrogg4evr for your useful tips.

I don't own my LC for very long.
I bought it on Feb. 2012 with 226,000km from a Toyota dealer.
It has an automatic gearbox. I would have liked a manual gearbox but it is pretty rare.
I don't have any evidence on the previous service (I have however the service book which shows the previous owner went to Toyota, where he bought it new).
Toyota told me they serviced before the put it on sale.

I noticed the a/c wasn't working but I didn't know where was the problem.
The mechanic put a special coolant (he called it 'tracer') and it showed that there is a leakage on the liquid side (I opened a new thread on this problem: here.

I changed the fluids (except the engine oil which was changed earlier this year and the ahc hydraulic oil).
They checked the hoses and belts. They told me they are in good condition and don't need to be changed.
The brakes were changed before I bought it.

I haven't told (I saw your message a little late) them to check the pumps (water + fuel) and injectors.
I read on Ih8mud that injectors need to be changed only if there are signs which tend to show they may fail (actually there was a debate on this point). To be on the safe side, I think, I will bring some with me.

I will check the batteries by myself with my voltmeter.

Now, I wonder whether I will have to ask them to check the engine compression and the injectors... On the other hand, the engine seems to work properly.

Is there any sign that show there is something wrong with the injectors or engine compression values (may I check this using the 35-dolar diagnostic tool?)?

tibo123

 

[marshotel]

If the engine runs properly, then do not trouble with checking the compression on a 2005 Toyota diesel. It's fine.

As gilvan suggests: The three things to remember about operating a diesel in a remote environment are:
1) fuel, 2) fuel, and 3) fuel.

I'd replace the fuel filter, clean the injectors, bring spare filter and injectors on your trip. Beware bad fuel in Kazakhstan.

It's good to be cautious, but if it runs well, then don't go overboard fixing things that aren't broken. it is a 2005 Toyota diesel- as long as you have clean fuel, it is going to be fine.

Where are you located?

 

[tibo123]

Thank you marshotel for your advice
It's in my plans to change fuel and air filters (and to bring spare filters and injectors).

I live in France.

I would like to go to Kazakhstan because I used to participate in the 2011 Mongol Rally (UK to Mongolia) in a used ambulance:

Unfortunately, the gearbox leaked (we didn't notice that the oil spillage came from the gearbox because another system was leaking on the same time and we thought everything was coming from this last one) and failed in Astana.

For 1.5 years now, someone I met there is keeping an eye on my ambulance and I promised I would come back to fix it and to bring it somewhere else...

I wasn't able to do it during last summer so I try to prepare everything for next summer.
My plan would now be to go from France to Astana (via, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia [as far as I can go]) and then to bring and leave the ambulance to Tajikistan (via Kyrgystan) before heading back to France (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine,...).

On the way to the capital city of the Tajikistan there is a mythic road I would like to go: the M41 Pamir Highway.

So this is why I try to get a LC in good working condition

 

[marshotel]

Wow! this will be an epic trip!



I think the diesel land cruiser is a much better choice for you than the opel ambulance-

You'll have a wonderful time- aside from the things already mentioned, maybe check the wheel bearings and make sure the battery is good.

If the truck is running well and you are comfortable with it, you should be able to do ~10,000 miles through eastern europe without stopping, no problem.

I think the 4.2 diesel is a very reliable design- make sure your fuel is clean and you'll be good to go.

Keep us posted on your progress!
AND POST SOME PICTURES OF YOUR 100.

 

[uHu]

At over 200 k km, you would want to check ball joints up front and rubber bushing all over.
Nother thing is: Expedition vs AHC. The AHC can not handle much extra weight, and as the car is already over 7 years old, the ahc is already carrying more than its designated weight. You have to know how much equipment you will carry, and check the neutral pressure.

If you drive on salted roads, the calipers and hand brake would need annual service.

Another place to check is front wheel bearings and the spindle bearings. Both are easy to check, and crucial for a long trip.

 

[tibo123]

To check the ball joints and the bearings, you take the wheel apart and then, how do you proceed to check whether they are ok or not?
The bearings aren't noisy.

I checked the AHC pressures with the 35-dollar diagnostic tool well known on ih8mud. It turns out the rear pressures are slightly higher than the specifications (the 3rd row seats were in place, but the LC was empty).
I have to tighten just a bit the torsion bar and it should be ok.
The accumulators seem to be in good condition (the oil level changes significantly between, L, N and H positions).

 

[uHu]

To check the ball joints and the bearings, you take the wheel apart and then, how do you proceed to check whether they are ok or not?
The bearings aren't noisy.

I checked the AHC pressures with the 35-dollar diagnostic tool well known on ih8mud. It turns out the rear pressures are slightly higher than the specifications (the 3rd row seats were in place, but the LC was empty).
I have to tighten just a bit the torsion bar and it should be ok.
The accumulators seem to be in good condition (the oil level changes significantly between, L, N and H positions).

There are a few threads in here on ball joints and bearings, but you generally check the ball joints for slack or noise, and check the rubber boots for holes. (a hole would kill the joint quickly).

The wheel bearings you check for smoothness. If you don't know positively when the last quality repack was done, you take off the front hubs and clean and repack. Easy job - just takes a bit of time (That's the reason the t0yo service center doesn't like doing it). In any case you check and adjust the hub nut tension.

For the spindle bearings, you can normally just take off the C-clip holding the stub axle and press the axle shaft in so that you can see the spindle bearing grease behind the hub.

For any kind og front hub job, always change the hub inner seal.

If you want to be sure that all is ok for a trip like that, you take the hubs apart and check and repack the hub and spindle bearings, change the dust-seal behind the hub, the hub inner seal, the spindle seal, and also check the brake disk.

If you are going to bring more than a toothbrush on your long trip, you should worry a bit about the rear springs. The higher the ahc pressure is (above normal), the sooner the ahc will fail. If you are bringing camping gear, spares, fuel and water; you will need stronger coils, or air bags.

 

[tibo123]

Thanks uHu!
What kind of reinforced springs would you go for?
What do you mean by 'air bags'?

 

[uHu]

"Search" is your friend... both here and on lcool.
Here's one example tho'
http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6278

 

[tibo123]

I thought the 'air bags' were a sort of black humor (AHC fails, I crash the car, I need air bags... :whoops: )