Hello All..!! My first post here. 1996 L/Cruiser 80 owner in Southern Oregon (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Oct 10, 2021
Threads
5
Messages
43
Location
Ashland, Oregon
My wife and I hit the road and met a fellow '96 Cruiser owner at Toroweap (Grand Canyon). Alia176 told me about ih8mud so here I am.
it looks great here... I can't wait to drill in deeper.
My machine is totally stock with 175,000mi. After talking to Alia176 I would like to do a few mods. The suspension is shot so I am thinking of a non-lift OME kit. The radiator is original as are the plug wires and the alternator. Replace? I will need a compressor system of some sort. And what else? I don't intend to be some hard-core off-roadie. I just am looking to get away from it all .... out of reach of the "touring hoards".
I look forward to talking to you all!

Charx
 
Welcome to MUD.

Start with search about baselining to make your truck reliable. Tons of baseline notes below.

There are lots of air compressor options. The ARB twin compressor is popular, but has been on back order for months. Wits’ End sells engine driven York compressors.

Post some pictures of your truck.

Here’s a long list of baseline notes I’ve taking from various MUD posts.

Baseline
Change all fluids so you know when they need to be changed in the future

Do front axle/knuckle rebuild/service if you don’t know its been done in less than 40K miles or you see sludge on the balls.

Potentially rear axle job

Change spark plugs and toyota wires

PCV valve and hose, vac hoses, radiator hoses, hose clamps.

PHH - Pesky Heater Hose

Check brake pads, air filter etc.

Brake lines, new calipers and rotors,

Fuel filter

Cooling system flush

Heater control valve on the firewall



Once you feel it is fully caught up, you can consider it baselined and then can schedule PM when its needed knowing its the right.


BASELINE LIST:

Change oil/filter.

Change diff/transfer oil.

Swap coolant...use the same coolant color.

Flush ATF.

Front-axle rebuild.

Rear-axle rebuild.

Differential breather relocation.

Brakes rebuilt/bled.

New rotors/pads.

Kickdown/Throttle cable adjuste

Change the fuel filter.

Universal joints change

Driveline grease

bushings change

Timing tensioner

All cooling hoses, PHH in silicone

Trans cooler lines..rubber part

New intake tube

O2 sensors

Fuel filter(it's a PITA)

Front end checkout/rebuild at least repack the wheel bearings and grease spindle shafts..

u-joints and prop shafts greased properly! and checked for wear..

Brakes service with 100 series toyota

Transmission filter ( not a flush just filter and new fluid..)

Power steering high pressure hose..

Lube window channels so power windows work well

Fluids

Motor Oil – Synthetic / Chevron Delo

Number of questions starting with an oil change - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/242258-number-questions-starting-oil-change.html
Motor Oil Guide

Oil Recommendations and Discussion Thread for FAQ - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/79305-oil-recommendations-discussion-thread-faq.html

Oil Filter – Toyota OEM 90915-20004

Differential Oil – Synthetic 80w-90 / Name brand dino

Transfer Case Oil – Synthetic 80w-90 / Name brand dino
Transmission Oil – Synthetic ATF / Name brand Dex IV

Transmission Fluid Exchange Writeup - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/19299-transmission-fluid-exchange-writeup.html

Power Steering Fluid – Mobil DTE 24 (highly recommended)

How to change Power Steering Fluid - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/78646-how-change-power-steering-fluid.html

Coolant Flush – Toyota Red

Coolant Flush Process Verification - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/107438-coolant-flush-process-verification.html

Cleaned my cooling system: the full scoop... - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/14891-cleaned-my-cooling-system-full-scoop.html
Brake fluid

Brake fluid replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/14685-brake-fluid-replacement.html

Lube

Grease Knuckles – Any Moly fortified grease

Grease Zerks – Any Lithium name brand grease

grease fittings on 97 lx450 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/201098-grease-fittings-97-lx450.html

Typical Wear Items
Pesky Heater Hose (PHH) - Silicone (good one @ index)

Slee - PHH (Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser)
OEM fuel filter

OEM in-tank fuel filter "sock" (mine was NASTY)

3FE valve adjustment

Vacuum hoses

Large hoses from intake to throttle body (like to crack where you can't see them)

Air Filter - Washable OEM

3x Drive Belts – OEM

Changing your belts in 25 minutes - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/185209-changing-your-belts-25-minutes.html
PCV Hose – OEM

PCV Valve replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/122133-pcv-valve-replacement.html
PCV Valve & Grommet – OEM

PCV Valve replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/122133-pcv-valve-replacement.html
Spark Plugs (copper is fine) – OEM

Spark Plug Wires – OEM

Spark Plug Gaskets – OEM

Cap & Rotor – OEM

Valve Cover Gasket – OEM

valve cover+throttle body PM w/pics - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/225855-valve-cover-throttle-body-pm-w-pics.html
Pesky Heater Hose – OEM or Silicone (permanent fix)

PHH - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/6994-phh.html

Common "when time allows / as necessary / makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside" items

Brake Pads (80 or 100 series up front, 80 in back) – OEM

Clean Throttle Body

How To Take the Throttle Body Off For Cleaning - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/220474-how-take-throttle-body-off-cleaning.html
Throttle Body Gasket – OEM

Coolant hoses – OEM

Vacuum hoses - OEM

Thermostat & Gasket - OEM

Replacing Thermostat - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/2164-replacing-thermostat.html
Service fan clutch (replace silicone oil w/ 6k or 10k CST)

Fan Clutch Service - https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/167678-fan-clutch-service.html

Starter contacts & Plunger – OEM

Starter Motor Contacts
New battery (27F stock, 31M fits)

Install Success - Sears Diehard Platinum Group 31M - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/287241-install-success-sears-diehard-platinum-group-31m.html



First my thoughts on the coolant flush/fill:

There is no way I thought using the radiator plug was going to give me a good result. It is in a difficult location with plastic and foam packed all around it. Turning it without breaking the plastic plug did not seem likely. I switched to using the output hose on the bottom passenger side of the radiator. The OEM hose clamps really make life hard. Plan on replacing the OEM clamp with a screw type hose clamp after it is removed. You will be much happier especially if you are doing a flush and therefore removing it over and over.

The tip on this site to get a 2’ socket extension for the block plug was brilliant. Do not think about the fact you cannot think where you will use this 2’ extension again. I spent around 6 bucks on it and it is a no brainer. It does line up perfectly in the DS wheel well.

The draining process is messy. No other way to say that, especially from the block. I used a large plastic tub used to mix concrete and I still could not get all the fluids dripping off the block. Have plenty of shop towels handy. The good news is the more you flush, the more the mess is getting “washed” with hopefully hot water.

I was a little surprised that Mr.T’s black coolant bottles do not have a clear sight line down the bottle. That would make the measurement much easier.
Total elapsed time = 8 hours. I did the initial drain, 5 flushes and the final re-fill. Drove the truck with heaters on high for a good chunk of time then let her cool for ~ 20 minutes before each flush. Managing all the liquid involved is a large part of the process. I had to re-use all the gallon jugs from the distilled water.

Thoughts on the tune-up:

98% of this job is simple and straightforward. I started with the distributor. It is easy to reach and a very simple swap. I changed the rotor also, but my original looked perfect. The rotor pulls straight out, but I had to give it a couple gentle taps to move it. The cap looked pretty good too. My wires were stamped 1997 – so they were original. Now they say 2010.

To work on the plugs I used two 2’x4’s strapped together. I was on my knees a long time on these boards. At the end I put on my knee pads, probably should have had them on the whole time.

I removed the entire air intake from the cleaner over to the intake manifold. I also removed No.2 PCV hose and the cruise control actuator cable. Obviously the 2 covers over the plug wires, but that was it.

Removing plugs 1-5 were easy. 4 was a mild PITA because of the cables I did not remove, but not bad. The OEM spark plug tool is really the greatest thing.
#6 is as bad as everyone says. Take your time and keep your cool. Have plenty of beer on hand to give you a reason to stop and think. The heater valve hoses mounted on the firewall are the biggest PITA. I ended up squeezing the hoses toward the firewall with my right hand while I extracted the tool with my left hand.
I could use some help on this explanation. I took it out for a drive after finishing. I believe the acceleration is much snappier – more responsive. I also used to run at 2200 RPM when doing a solid 55 mph. Now it seems to be down around 1900 RPM again at 55 mph. All my plugs looked normal, in fact 1, 5 and 6 I thought looked great after comparing to other pictures I have seen. I am overinflating the benefit of the tune-up because #6 was such a PITA or is this actual?

Total time = 4 hours. #6 was an hour by itself. I think I have seen 2 hours on the site.
 
Last edited:
My wife and I hit the road and met a fellow '96 Cruiser owner at Toroweap (Grand Canyon). Alia176 told me about ih8mud so here I am.
it looks great here... I can't wait to drill in deeper.
My machine is totally stock with 175,000mi. After talking to Alia176 I would like to do a few mods. The suspension is shot so I am thinking of a non-lift OME kit. The radiator is original as are the plug wires and the alternator. Replace? I will need a compressor system of some sort. And what else? I don't intend to be some hard-core off-roadie. I just am looking to get away from it all .... out of reach of the "touring hoards".
I look forward to talking to you all!

Charx
Where in Southern Oregon? I’m here in Medford. How did you like Ali’s turbo? 😜
 
Where in Southern Oregon? I’m here in Medford. How did you like Ali’s turbo? 😜
I'm in Ashland! Ali's machine rocked! We had a good, long conversation... he helped me get inspired to "upgrade" this stock machine of mine. What are you driving?
 
Welcome to MUD.

Start with search about baselining to make your truck reliable. Tons of baseline notes below.

There are lots of air compressor options. The ARB twin compressor is popular, but has been on back order for months. Wits’ End sells engine driven York compressors.

Post some pictures of your truck.

Here’s a long list of baseline notes I’ve taking from various MUD posts.

Baseline
Change all fluids so you know when they need to be changed in the future

Do front axle/knuckle rebuild/service if you don’t know its been done in less than 40K miles or you see sludge on the balls.

Potentially rear axle job

Change spark plugs and toyota wires

PCV valve and hose, vac hoses, radiator hoses, hose clamps.

PHH - Pesky Heater Hose

Check brake pads, air filter etc.

Brake lines, new calipers and rotors,

Fuel filter

Cooling system flush

Heater control valve on the firewall



Once you feel it is fully caught up, you can consider it baselined and then can schedule PM when its needed knowing its the right.


BASELINE LIST:

Change oil/filter.

Change diff/transfer oil.

Swap coolant...use the same coolant color.

Flush ATF.

Front-axle rebuild.

Rear-axle rebuild.

Differential breather relocation.

Brakes rebuilt/bled.

New rotors/pads.

Kickdown/Throttle cable adjuste

Change the fuel filter.

Universal joints change

Driveline grease

bushings change

Timing tensioner

All cooling hoses, PHH in silicone

Trans cooler lines..rubber part

New intake tube

O2 sensors

Fuel filter(it's a PITA)

Front end checkout/rebuild at least repack the wheel bearings and grease spindle shafts..

u-joints and prop shafts greased properly! and checked for wear..

Brakes service with 100 series toyota

Transmission filter ( not a flush just filter and new fluid..)

Power steering high pressure hose..

Lube window channels so power windows work well

Fluids

Motor Oil – Synthetic / Chevron Delo

Number of questions starting with an oil change - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/242258-number-questions-starting-oil-change.html
Motor Oil Guide

Oil Recommendations and Discussion Thread for FAQ - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/79305-oil-recommendations-discussion-thread-faq.html

Oil Filter – Toyota OEM 90915-20004

Differential Oil – Synthetic 80w-90 / Name brand dino

Transfer Case Oil – Synthetic 80w-90 / Name brand dino
Transmission Oil – Synthetic ATF / Name brand Dex IV

Transmission Fluid Exchange Writeup - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/19299-transmission-fluid-exchange-writeup.html

Power Steering Fluid – Mobil DTE 24 (highly recommended)

How to change Power Steering Fluid - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/78646-how-change-power-steering-fluid.html

Coolant Flush – Toyota Red

Coolant Flush Process Verification - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/107438-coolant-flush-process-verification.html

Cleaned my cooling system: the full scoop... - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/14891-cleaned-my-cooling-system-full-scoop.html
Brake fluid

Brake fluid replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/14685-brake-fluid-replacement.html

Lube

Grease Knuckles – Any Moly fortified grease

Grease Zerks – Any Lithium name brand grease

grease fittings on 97 lx450 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/201098-grease-fittings-97-lx450.html

Typical Wear Items
Pesky Heater Hose (PHH) - Silicone (good one @ index)

Slee - PHH (Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser)
OEM fuel filter

OEM in-tank fuel filter "sock" (mine was NASTY)

3FE valve adjustment

Vacuum hoses

Large hoses from intake to throttle body (like to crack where you can't see them)

Air Filter - Washable OEM

3x Drive Belts – OEM

Changing your belts in 25 minutes - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/185209-changing-your-belts-25-minutes.html
PCV Hose – OEM

PCV Valve replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/122133-pcv-valve-replacement.html
PCV Valve & Grommet – OEM

PCV Valve replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/122133-pcv-valve-replacement.html
Spark Plugs (copper is fine) – OEM

Spark Plug Wires – OEM

Spark Plug Gaskets – OEM

Cap & Rotor – OEM

Valve Cover Gasket – OEM

valve cover+throttle body PM w/pics - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/225855-valve-cover-throttle-body-pm-w-pics.html
Pesky Heater Hose – OEM or Silicone (permanent fix)

PHH - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/6994-phh.html

Common "when time allows / as necessary / makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside" items

Brake Pads (80 or 100 series up front, 80 in back) – OEM

Clean Throttle Body

How To Take the Throttle Body Off For Cleaning - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/220474-how-take-throttle-body-off-cleaning.html
Throttle Body Gasket – OEM

Coolant hoses – OEM

Vacuum hoses - OEM

Thermostat & Gasket - OEM

Replacing Thermostat - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/2164-replacing-thermostat.html
Service fan clutch (replace silicone oil w/ 6k or 10k CST)

Fan Clutch Service - https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/167678-fan-clutch-service.html

Starter contacts & Plunger – OEM

Starter Motor Contacts
New battery (27F stock, 31M fits)

Install Success - Sears Diehard Platinum Group 31M - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/287241-install-success-sears-diehard-platinum-group-31m.html



First my thoughts on the coolant flush/fill:

There is no way I thought using the radiator plug was going to give me a good result. It is in a difficult location with plastic and foam packed all around it. Turning it without breaking the plastic plug did not seem likely. I switched to using the output hose on the bottom passenger side of the radiator. The OEM hose clamps really make life hard. Plan on replacing the OEM clamp with a screw type hose clamp after it is removed. You will be much happier especially if you are doing a flush and therefore removing it over and over.

The tip on this site to get a 2’ socket extension for the block plug was brilliant. Do not think about the fact you cannot think where you will use this 2’ extension again. I spent around 6 bucks on it and it is a no brainer. It does line up perfectly in the DS wheel well.

The draining process is messy. No other way to say that, especially from the block. I used a large plastic tub used to mix concrete and I still could not get all the fluids dripping off the block. Have plenty of shop towels handy. The good news is the more you flush, the more the mess is getting “washed” with hopefully hot water.

I was a little surprised that Mr.T’s black coolant bottles do not have a clear sight line down the bottle. That would make the measurement much easier.
Total elapsed time = 8 hours. I did the initial drain, 5 flushes and the final re-fill. Drove the truck with heaters on high for a good chunk of time then let her cool for ~ 20 minutes before each flush. Managing all the liquid involved is a large part of the process. I had to re-use all the gallon jugs from the distilled water.

Thoughts on the tune-up:

98% of this job is simple and straightforward. I started with the distributor. It is easy to reach and a very simple swap. I changed the rotor also, but my original looked perfect. The rotor pulls straight out, but I had to give it a couple gentle taps to move it. The cap looked pretty good too. My wires were stamped 1997 – so they were original. Now they say 2010.

To work on the plugs I used two 2’x4’s strapped together. I was on my knees a long time on these boards. At the end I put on my knee pads, probably should have had them on the whole time.

I removed the entire air intake from the cleaner over to the intake manifold. I also removed No.2 PCV hose and the cruise control actuator cable. Obviously the 2 covers over the plug wires, but that was it.

Removing plugs 1-5 were easy. 4 was a mild PITA because of the cables I did not remove, but not bad. The OEM spark plug tool is really the greatest thing.
#6 is as bad as everyone says. Take your time and keep your cool. Have plenty of beer on hand to give you a reason to stop and think. The heater valve hoses mounted on the firewall are the biggest PITA. I ended up squeezing the hoses toward the firewall with my right hand while I extracted the tool with my left hand.
I could use some help on this explanation. I took it out for a drive after finishing. I believe the acceleration is much snappier – more responsive. I also used to run at 2200 RPM when doing a solid 55 mph. Now it seems to be down around 1900 RPM again at 55 mph. All my plugs looked normal, in fact 1, 5 and 6 I thought looked great after comparing to other pictures I have seen. I am overinflating the benefit of the tune-up because #6 was such a PITA or is this actual?

Total time = 4 hours. #6 was an hour by itself. I think I have seen 2 hours on the site.
Wow! Thank you for all this information..... what a great place to start the project. I'm going to print this all and get started Road Apple.... !!!!
 
I'm in Ashland! Ali's machine rocked! We had a good, long conversation... he helped me get inspired to "upgrade" this stock machine of mine. What are you driving?
These three 😜

DD4D9767-1D08-4F7D-A532-5829EFE5B035.jpeg


25C5CC91-4C08-49FE-BDFF-7C515723DDCA.jpeg


6B63D679-27B5-44DE-AA52-9A6EEC6BD6C6.jpeg
 
I'm in Ashland! Ali's machine rocked! We had a good, long conversation... he helped me get inspired to "upgrade" this stock machine of mine. What are you driving?
You have to be careful around Ali, he'll definitely help you empty your wallet! I've got a triple locked 95 that I did OME stock height springs with 10mm spacers. My original stuff was pretty bad and this really helped in handling and gave about an inch and a half of lift. This truck is a lot more capable than I am as a driver as it is. I've spent most of my time and money on baselining and doing repairs in the name of reliability and piece of mind on longer trips and driving in the backcountry.
 
Welcome to MUD.

Start with search about baselining to make your truck reliable. Tons of baseline notes below.

There are lots of air compressor options. The ARB twin compressor is popular, but has been on back order for months. Wits’ End sells engine driven York compressors.

Post some pictures of your truck.

Here’s a long list of baseline notes I’ve taking from various MUD posts.

Baseline
Change all fluids so you know when they need to be changed in the future

Do front axle/knuckle rebuild/service if you don’t know its been done in less than 40K miles or you see sludge on the balls.

Potentially rear axle job

Change spark plugs and toyota wires

PCV valve and hose, vac hoses, radiator hoses, hose clamps.

PHH - Pesky Heater Hose

Check brake pads, air filter etc.

Brake lines, new calipers and rotors,

Fuel filter

Cooling system flush

Heater control valve on the firewall



Once you feel it is fully caught up, you can consider it baselined and then can schedule PM when its needed knowing its the right.


BASELINE LIST:

Change oil/filter.

Change diff/transfer oil.

Swap coolant...use the same coolant color.

Flush ATF.

Front-axle rebuild.

Rear-axle rebuild.

Differential breather relocation.

Brakes rebuilt/bled.

New rotors/pads.

Kickdown/Throttle cable adjuste

Change the fuel filter.

Universal joints change

Driveline grease

bushings change

Timing tensioner

All cooling hoses, PHH in silicone

Trans cooler lines..rubber part

New intake tube

O2 sensors

Fuel filter(it's a PITA)

Front end checkout/rebuild at least repack the wheel bearings and grease spindle shafts..

u-joints and prop shafts greased properly! and checked for wear..

Brakes service with 100 series toyota

Transmission filter ( not a flush just filter and new fluid..)

Power steering high pressure hose..

Lube window channels so power windows work well

Fluids

Motor Oil – Synthetic / Chevron Delo

Number of questions starting with an oil change - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/242258-number-questions-starting-oil-change.html
Motor Oil Guide

Oil Recommendations and Discussion Thread for FAQ - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/79305-oil-recommendations-discussion-thread-faq.html

Oil Filter – Toyota OEM 90915-20004

Differential Oil – Synthetic 80w-90 / Name brand dino

Transfer Case Oil – Synthetic 80w-90 / Name brand dino
Transmission Oil – Synthetic ATF / Name brand Dex IV

Transmission Fluid Exchange Writeup - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/19299-transmission-fluid-exchange-writeup.html

Power Steering Fluid – Mobil DTE 24 (highly recommended)

How to change Power Steering Fluid - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/78646-how-change-power-steering-fluid.html

Coolant Flush – Toyota Red

Coolant Flush Process Verification - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/107438-coolant-flush-process-verification.html

Cleaned my cooling system: the full scoop... - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/14891-cleaned-my-cooling-system-full-scoop.html
Brake fluid

Brake fluid replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/14685-brake-fluid-replacement.html

Lube

Grease Knuckles – Any Moly fortified grease

Grease Zerks – Any Lithium name brand grease

grease fittings on 97 lx450 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/201098-grease-fittings-97-lx450.html

Typical Wear Items
Pesky Heater Hose (PHH) - Silicone (good one @ index)

Slee - PHH (Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser)
OEM fuel filter

OEM in-tank fuel filter "sock" (mine was NASTY)

3FE valve adjustment

Vacuum hoses

Large hoses from intake to throttle body (like to crack where you can't see them)

Air Filter - Washable OEM

3x Drive Belts – OEM

Changing your belts in 25 minutes - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/185209-changing-your-belts-25-minutes.html
PCV Hose – OEM

PCV Valve replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/122133-pcv-valve-replacement.html
PCV Valve & Grommet – OEM

PCV Valve replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/122133-pcv-valve-replacement.html
Spark Plugs (copper is fine) – OEM

Spark Plug Wires – OEM

Spark Plug Gaskets – OEM

Cap & Rotor – OEM

Valve Cover Gasket – OEM

valve cover+throttle body PM w/pics - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/225855-valve-cover-throttle-body-pm-w-pics.html
Pesky Heater Hose – OEM or Silicone (permanent fix)

PHH - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/6994-phh.html

Common "when time allows / as necessary / makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside" items

Brake Pads (80 or 100 series up front, 80 in back) – OEM

Clean Throttle Body

How To Take the Throttle Body Off For Cleaning - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/220474-how-take-throttle-body-off-cleaning.html
Throttle Body Gasket – OEM

Coolant hoses – OEM

Vacuum hoses - OEM

Thermostat & Gasket - OEM

Replacing Thermostat - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/2164-replacing-thermostat.html
Service fan clutch (replace silicone oil w/ 6k or 10k CST)

Fan Clutch Service - https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/167678-fan-clutch-service.html

Starter contacts & Plunger – OEM

Starter Motor Contacts
New battery (27F stock, 31M fits)

Install Success - Sears Diehard Platinum Group 31M - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/287241-install-success-sears-diehard-platinum-group-31m.html



First my thoughts on the coolant flush/fill:

There is no way I thought using the radiator plug was going to give me a good result. It is in a difficult location with plastic and foam packed all around it. Turning it without breaking the plastic plug did not seem likely. I switched to using the output hose on the bottom passenger side of the radiator. The OEM hose clamps really make life hard. Plan on replacing the OEM clamp with a screw type hose clamp after it is removed. You will be much happier especially if you are doing a flush and therefore removing it over and over.

The tip on this site to get a 2’ socket extension for the block plug was brilliant. Do not think about the fact you cannot think where you will use this 2’ extension again. I spent around 6 bucks on it and it is a no brainer. It does line up perfectly in the DS wheel well.

The draining process is messy. No other way to say that, especially from the block. I used a large plastic tub used to mix concrete and I still could not get all the fluids dripping off the block. Have plenty of shop towels handy. The good news is the more you flush, the more the mess is getting “washed” with hopefully hot water.

I was a little surprised that Mr.T’s black coolant bottles do not have a clear sight line down the bottle. That would make the measurement much easier.
Total elapsed time = 8 hours. I did the initial drain, 5 flushes and the final re-fill. Drove the truck with heaters on high for a good chunk of time then let her cool for ~ 20 minutes before each flush. Managing all the liquid involved is a large part of the process. I had to re-use all the gallon jugs from the distilled water.

Thoughts on the tune-up:

98% of this job is simple and straightforward. I started with the distributor. It is easy to reach and a very simple swap. I changed the rotor also, but my original looked perfect. The rotor pulls straight out, but I had to give it a couple gentle taps to move it. The cap looked pretty good too. My wires were stamped 1997 – so they were original. Now they say 2010.

To work on the plugs I used two 2’x4’s strapped together. I was on my knees a long time on these boards. At the end I put on my knee pads, probably should have had them on the whole time.

I removed the entire air intake from the cleaner over to the intake manifold. I also removed No.2 PCV hose and the cruise control actuator cable. Obviously the 2 covers over the plug wires, but that was it.

Removing plugs 1-5 were easy. 4 was a mild PITA because of the cables I did not remove, but not bad. The OEM spark plug tool is really the greatest thing.
#6 is as bad as everyone says. Take your time and keep your cool. Have plenty of beer on hand to give you a reason to stop and think. The heater valve hoses mounted on the firewall are the biggest PITA. I ended up squeezing the hoses toward the firewall with my right hand while I extracted the tool with my left hand.
I could use some help on this explanation. I took it out for a drive after finishing. I believe the acceleration is much snappier – more responsive. I also used to run at 2200 RPM when doing a solid 55 mph. Now it seems to be down around 1900 RPM again at 55 mph. All my plugs looked normal, in fact 1, 5 and 6 I thought looked great after comparing to other pictures I have seen. I am overinflating the benefit of the tune-up because #6 was such a PITA or is this actual?

Total time = 4 hours. #6 was an hour by itself. I think I have seen 2 hours on the site.
Easy on the new members Ron we don't want to scare them off!!
 
You have to be careful around Ali, he'll definitely help you empty your wallet! I've got a triple locked 95 that I did OME stock height springs with 10mm spacers. My original stuff was pretty bad and this really helped in handling and gave about an inch and a half of lift. This truck is a lot more capable than I am as a driver as it is. I've spent most of my time and money on baselining and doing repairs in the name of reliability and piece of mind on longer trips and driving in the backcountry.
It looks like you and I are on the same tack. I'll be baselining for awhile and I am looking to replace the suspension with the OME "slight lift" (0.5 to 0.75in) kit. It comes with a steering damper, too. Ali recommended the original Toyota rubber bushings, instead of the poly ones that come with the kit.
 
Welcome to MUD.

Start with search about baselining to make your truck reliable. Tons of baseline notes below.

There are lots of air compressor options. The ARB twin compressor is popular, but has been on back order for months. Wits’ End sells engine driven York compressors.

Post some pictures of your truck.

Here’s a long list of baseline notes I’ve taking from various MUD posts.

Baseline
Change all fluids so you know when they need to be changed in the future

Do front axle/knuckle rebuild/service if you don’t know its been done in less than 40K miles or you see sludge on the balls.

Potentially rear axle job

Change spark plugs and toyota wires

PCV valve and hose, vac hoses, radiator hoses, hose clamps.

PHH - Pesky Heater Hose

Check brake pads, air filter etc.

Brake lines, new calipers and rotors,

Fuel filter

Cooling system flush

Heater control valve on the firewall



Once you feel it is fully caught up, you can consider it baselined and then can schedule PM when its needed knowing its the right.


BASELINE LIST:

Change oil/filter.

Change diff/transfer oil.

Swap coolant...use the same coolant color.

Flush ATF.

Front-axle rebuild.

Rear-axle rebuild.

Differential breather relocation.

Brakes rebuilt/bled.

New rotors/pads.

Kickdown/Throttle cable adjuste

Change the fuel filter.

Universal joints change

Driveline grease

bushings change

Timing tensioner

All cooling hoses, PHH in silicone

Trans cooler lines..rubber part

New intake tube

O2 sensors

Fuel filter(it's a PITA)

Front end checkout/rebuild at least repack the wheel bearings and grease spindle shafts..

u-joints and prop shafts greased properly! and checked for wear..

Brakes service with 100 series toyota

Transmission filter ( not a flush just filter and new fluid..)

Power steering high pressure hose..

Lube window channels so power windows work well

Fluids

Motor Oil – Synthetic / Chevron Delo

Number of questions starting with an oil change - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/242258-number-questions-starting-oil-change.html
Motor Oil Guide

Oil Recommendations and Discussion Thread for FAQ - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/79305-oil-recommendations-discussion-thread-faq.html

Oil Filter – Toyota OEM 90915-20004

Differential Oil – Synthetic 80w-90 / Name brand dino

Transfer Case Oil – Synthetic 80w-90 / Name brand dino
Transmission Oil – Synthetic ATF / Name brand Dex IV

Transmission Fluid Exchange Writeup - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/19299-transmission-fluid-exchange-writeup.html

Power Steering Fluid – Mobil DTE 24 (highly recommended)

How to change Power Steering Fluid - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/78646-how-change-power-steering-fluid.html

Coolant Flush – Toyota Red

Coolant Flush Process Verification - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/107438-coolant-flush-process-verification.html

Cleaned my cooling system: the full scoop... - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/14891-cleaned-my-cooling-system-full-scoop.html
Brake fluid

Brake fluid replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/14685-brake-fluid-replacement.html

Lube

Grease Knuckles – Any Moly fortified grease

Grease Zerks – Any Lithium name brand grease

grease fittings on 97 lx450 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/201098-grease-fittings-97-lx450.html

Typical Wear Items
Pesky Heater Hose (PHH) - Silicone (good one @ index)

Slee - PHH (Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser)
OEM fuel filter

OEM in-tank fuel filter "sock" (mine was NASTY)

3FE valve adjustment

Vacuum hoses

Large hoses from intake to throttle body (like to crack where you can't see them)

Air Filter - Washable OEM

3x Drive Belts – OEM

Changing your belts in 25 minutes - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/185209-changing-your-belts-25-minutes.html
PCV Hose – OEM

PCV Valve replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/122133-pcv-valve-replacement.html
PCV Valve & Grommet – OEM

PCV Valve replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/122133-pcv-valve-replacement.html
Spark Plugs (copper is fine) – OEM

Spark Plug Wires – OEM

Spark Plug Gaskets – OEM

Cap & Rotor – OEM

Valve Cover Gasket – OEM

valve cover+throttle body PM w/pics - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/225855-valve-cover-throttle-body-pm-w-pics.html
Pesky Heater Hose – OEM or Silicone (permanent fix)

PHH - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/6994-phh.html

Common "when time allows / as necessary / makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside" items

Brake Pads (80 or 100 series up front, 80 in back) – OEM

Clean Throttle Body

How To Take the Throttle Body Off For Cleaning - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/220474-how-take-throttle-body-off-cleaning.html
Throttle Body Gasket – OEM

Coolant hoses – OEM

Vacuum hoses - OEM

Thermostat & Gasket - OEM

Replacing Thermostat - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/2164-replacing-thermostat.html
Service fan clutch (replace silicone oil w/ 6k or 10k CST)

Fan Clutch Service - https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/167678-fan-clutch-service.html

Starter contacts & Plunger – OEM

Starter Motor Contacts
New battery (27F stock, 31M fits)

Install Success - Sears Diehard Platinum Group 31M - https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/287241-install-success-sears-diehard-platinum-group-31m.html



First my thoughts on the coolant flush/fill:

There is no way I thought using the radiator plug was going to give me a good result. It is in a difficult location with plastic and foam packed all around it. Turning it without breaking the plastic plug did not seem likely. I switched to using the output hose on the bottom passenger side of the radiator. The OEM hose clamps really make life hard. Plan on replacing the OEM clamp with a screw type hose clamp after it is removed. You will be much happier especially if you are doing a flush and therefore removing it over and over.

The tip on this site to get a 2’ socket extension for the block plug was brilliant. Do not think about the fact you cannot think where you will use this 2’ extension again. I spent around 6 bucks on it and it is a no brainer. It does line up perfectly in the DS wheel well.

The draining process is messy. No other way to say that, especially from the block. I used a large plastic tub used to mix concrete and I still could not get all the fluids dripping off the block. Have plenty of shop towels handy. The good news is the more you flush, the more the mess is getting “washed” with hopefully hot water.

I was a little surprised that Mr.T’s black coolant bottles do not have a clear sight line down the bottle. That would make the measurement much easier.
Total elapsed time = 8 hours. I did the initial drain, 5 flushes and the final re-fill. Drove the truck with heaters on high for a good chunk of time then let her cool for ~ 20 minutes before each flush. Managing all the liquid involved is a large part of the process. I had to re-use all the gallon jugs from the distilled water.

Thoughts on the tune-up:

98% of this job is simple and straightforward. I started with the distributor. It is easy to reach and a very simple swap. I changed the rotor also, but my original looked perfect. The rotor pulls straight out, but I had to give it a couple gentle taps to move it. The cap looked pretty good too. My wires were stamped 1997 – so they were original. Now they say 2010.

To work on the plugs I used two 2’x4’s strapped together. I was on my knees a long time on these boards. At the end I put on my knee pads, probably should have had them on the whole time.

I removed the entire air intake from the cleaner over to the intake manifold. I also removed No.2 PCV hose and the cruise control actuator cable. Obviously the 2 covers over the plug wires, but that was it.

Removing plugs 1-5 were easy. 4 was a mild PITA because of the cables I did not remove, but not bad. The OEM spark plug tool is really the greatest thing.
#6 is as bad as everyone says. Take your time and keep your cool. Have plenty of beer on hand to give you a reason to stop and think. The heater valve hoses mounted on the firewall are the biggest PITA. I ended up squeezing the hoses toward the firewall with my right hand while I extracted the tool with my left hand.
I could use some help on this explanation. I took it out for a drive after finishing. I believe the acceleration is much snappier – more responsive. I also used to run at 2200 RPM when doing a solid 55 mph. Now it seems to be down around 1900 RPM again at 55 mph. All my plugs looked normal, in fact 1, 5 and 6 I thought looked great after comparing to other pictures I have seen. I am overinflating the benefit of the tune-up because #6 was such a PITA or is this actual?

Total time = 4 hours. #6 was an hour by itself. I think I have seen 2 hours on the site.
Sounds more like the baselining checklist for a 777 😆
 

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