Builds Hokie's 2003 LX470

[Hokie LX]

Finally got to test the rig in some snow. Got a decent bit in Buffalo and had some fun bombing around.





I've also been having trouble getting Techstream to run on my old Window's 7 64bit college laptop so tonight I was able to get Techstream up and running on my Macbook Pro thanks to @labcab and his thread HERE! No more license issues or connectivity issues!

 

[Hokie LX]

Had a CEL come on the other day. Techstream gave me the following:

P0171 – Powertrain System too Lean (Bank 1)
P0174 – Powertrain System too Lean (Bank 2)

I cleaned the MAF sensor and also cleaned the throttle body while I was in there. No luck, code was back the next day. Given that both banks are showing a lean code simultaneously, I assume it is not an O2 sensor as it is unlikely that one on each side failed together. I ordered up a new MAF and fuel filter to try and fix the issue. Also got a set of 8 new OEM Denso plugs coming just for good measure!

 

[rjsimz]

I like what you're doing in here. Sub'd!

 

[Hokie LX]

Had a CEL come on the other day. Techstream gave me the following:

P0171 – Powertrain System too Lean (Bank 1)
P0174 – Powertrain System too Lean (Bank 2)

I cleaned the MAF sensor and also cleaned the throttle body while I was in there. No luck, code was back the next day. Given that both banks are showing a lean code simultaneously, I assume it is not an O2 sensor as it is unlikely that one on each side failed together. I ordered up a new MAF and fuel filter to try and fix the issue. Also got a set of 8 new OEM Denso plugs coming just for good measure!

So I poked around today and I think the lean codes were self-inflicted. I found a vacuum line was unhooked underneath the intake silencer. I plugged it back in and so far no more lean codes.

While I was in there though I replaced the fuel filter (5 minute job) and spark plugs with new Denso Iridium plugs. Truck seems to run a little smoother now! I think the fuel filter was original and the truck currently sits at 174,xxx miles!

Plugs weren't bad but didn't know how long they were in there so a fresh set was put in:


Old filter:


New filter!

 

[Hokie LX]

Gave the LX her first wash since December when I applied the paint coating. Held the NY salt and winter elements off nicely and is still beading well! Here's a cool time lapse video of me washing her. I had already done the wheels/wheel wells, undercarriage and windows prior to this.

Video: Click to view



Shining nicely once again:

 

[Hokie LX]

Replaced a front height sensor. The front of the truck went sky high at full pressure and rode like it was on bricks. Luckily I noticed it when I started it in the morning so I left it at home and took another car for the day. I've now replaced 2 of the 3 sensors so I ordered 2 this time in anticipation of the other front sensor failing in the near future. Using Techstream, I found which sensor was bad.

New sensor was put in and all is well again! I opened the old one up and sure enough there is some corrosion on the bottoms of the springs causing them not to make good contact.

 

[viducce]

Nice truck, very clean... any plans for the bumpers?

 

[Hokie LX]

Nice truck, very clean... any plans for the bumpers?

Thank you! Unfortunately no plans for bumpers.

May even be selling the truck in the near future but that is yet to be determined...

 

[Hokie LX]

More PM done today. Flushed my AHC fluid per Paddo's instructions listed here...

Props to PADDO's AHC fluid replacement method!

Went smoothly except I wasn't anticipating the pressure the fluid would come out on the front accumulator so the bleed hose popped off and sprayed fluid everywhere for a solid 5 seconds before I could get the wrench back on the bleed screw! Other than that it went well. Old fluid looked disgusting! I put in 2.5L of new fluid into the reservoir after draining all of the old fluid and after it was all said and done, at N height, the level is right at the MAX hash mark.

I haven't driven it yet but I will report back how the ride has changed if at all.

Old fluid from reservoir. The electrical tape marks 1.5L so when I was draining the accumulators I wouldn't go above that.


New fluid:

 

[bozncsurf]

Nice job and what a difference in fluid color!

 

[Hokie LX]

So after changing my AHC fluid the other day I was still getting a pesky "OFF" light flashing. Techstream showed me a code for the rear sensor so I took it out and opened it up and it was dirty. Springs looked fine but there was some grease or moisture on the contacts. Cleaned it out and works perfectly now!

Also got a 30mm socket and gave the T-Bars 1.0 turn and the front pressures are now back at 6.9, dead on spec.

 

[Hokie LX]

Rolled 180k today. Roughly 15k miles since I brought her home a little over a year ago. Still runs like a top!

 

[desertzuk]

Well I went down to Virginia for Thanksgiving and a friend of ours was kind enough to let me use his lift to POR my truck. Took approximately 6 hours of wash, prep and application time (plus drying time) to do 2 coats on the chassis, rear axle, braces, front suspension arms, skid, etc. I still need to top coat it but I'll do that over Christmas break maybe. Came out well though! Prepped and cleaned the entire underside and then used metal etch to prep.

She's ready to take on Buffalo now! Here are a few before and after pictures of it.

View attachment 1357946

View attachment 1357947

What paint did you use?

 

[Hokie LX]

What paint did you use?

POR15

 

[tacoduck]

good looking truck... I'm in chapel hill with 2 ujz100's... we should get together and talk shop...

 

[Hokie LX]

good looking truck... I'm in chapel hill with 2 ujz100's... we should get together and talk shop...

Definitely, I just moved back to the area from NY. I’ll message you and we can meet up sometime.

 

[Hokie LX]

Bit of an update maintenance wise...at 183k she got another timing belt. Replaced the following:

-Timing belt
-Pulley's and tensioner
-T-stat
-Hoses
-Cam and crank seals
-PCV valve
-Water pump
-Air filter
-O-rings

I noticed some coolant residue on the radiator and remembered the level had gone down some so project went on hold and I ordered a new Denso unit. The Denso unit was 1/4" less in overall width so that I had to space the lower mounting bracket out 1/4" so the holes would line up. This added the following parts to be replaced:

-Complete drain of the coolant system and refill with new Toyota SLLC!
-Denso radiator
-Upper and lower radiator hoses
-Radiator Cap


Everything came apart great. No corrosion evident on any of the rad hose connections or in the WP/T-stat housing which is always good!


Previous belt interval. Went a little over...


Old belt looked decent though with 116k miles on it!


Everything was going great until I went to take out the timing belt pulley tensioner and the threads came out with the bolt. So I got to say some of my favorite 4 letter words and got to do this...


Tapped and put a helicoil in and it's as good as new!

This is the old radiator vs the new one. Old one may have been original...not sure. It weighed about 3x as much as the new one though!


Grafted the foam pieces onto the new radiator...


And wallah! She's all back together.



While I was in there and had the coolant completely drained, I replaced the Heater-T's. Original and yes...they did fall apart in the hoses when removed. Luckily I had removed the hoses from the truck prior to removing the heater t's so no issue there!
Old:


New:




She runs great now and ready to go for another 90k! One thing I noticed was that the truck warms up faster now than it did prior...never overheats and sits right in the middle of the gauge but it does get there faster...anyone know why?

 

[snoname]

Bit of an update maintenance wise...at 183k she got another timing belt. Replaced the following:

-Complete drain of the coolant system and refill with new Toyota SLLC!

While I was in there and had the coolant completely drained, I replaced the Heater-T's. One thing I noticed was that the truck warms up faster now than it did prior...never overheats and sits right in the middle of the gauge but it does get there faster...anyone know why?

It may well just not be bled well enough. I still had air in mine and it was doing something very similar. Did you make sure to run the rear heater full blast as well when you were bleeding it, and did you have the front elevated enough?

 

[Hokie LX]

It may well just not be bled well enough. I still had air in mine and it was doing something very similar. Did you make sure to run the rear heater full blast as well when you were bleeding it, and did you have the front elevated enough?

It did bleed a little more after that where I added another little bit of coolant to the radiator. Had front and rear heaters on full while filling. Front wasn't elevated at all...

 

[snoname]

It did bleed a little more after that where I added another little bit of coolant to the radiator. Had front and rear heaters on full while filling. Front wasn't elevated at all...

Try it again with the front elevated (at the very least on ramps or a steep driveway) so that the radiator is the highest point in the cooling system