How long do key parts last? (1 Viewer)

[rstl99]

I've searched a lot and found bits and pieces of the answer here and there, but thought it would be useful to have some kind of list indicating, on average, how long key parts can be expected to last in a 100 series LC/LX. Assuming a caring owner who didn't skimp on service and preventative maintenance, because otherwise the part lifespan may be seriously shortened. And assuming a vehicle that has seen "regular" use (i.e. not off-roading or extreme expedition use).

Part of my motivation is I've been looking at a couple of 200k mile specimens with scant service records, so am trying to anticipate what PM or repair may be coming if buying such a vehicle and assuming that many or most of these parts have not been replaced before. I know buying a vehicle with that much mileage and little service records is crap shoot, but I'm just trying to better the odds a bit.

If this kind of list exists already, please point me to it. Otherwise if some long-time 100 owners can chime in on their experience that would be great. Thanks.

Engine: good for 400k service
Transmission: 300k
Brake rotors: 150k
Timing belt: 180k (though should be replaced at half that)
Water pump: ??
Brake calipers: ??
Steering rack: ??
CV's: ??
Diff's: ??
Starter: ??
Ball joints: ??
Springs: ??
Shocks: ??
Brake booster: ??
Alternator: ??
O2 sensors: ??
Other sensors: ??
AC: ??
Radiator: ??
Rad hoses: ??
Thermostat: ??
Belts: ??

 

[ponytl]

That is like asking what will the weather be here next year... I believe most of the parts on these trucks last longer than the recommended service point buy a factor of at least 50%, In general these were expensive trucks when new, purchased by people who can afford to take proper care of them, the majority of your list are items that are affected by driving style and local conditions, My current project is a 1998 Texas truck with 305k on it, shows a timing belt service done at 159k, other than that I have no idea what was or wasn't done, The engine was dead when I got it... don't know why (yet) but I have been all over the truck and it's 100% rust free, and no signs of leaks where there shouldn't be...
the point is... it's hard to ever get to a point these things are "totaled" they always seem to have a value above what it would cost to fix anything mechanical... and being toyota... so many parts interchange and are used across the brand and for years parts are usually reasonable and available...

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Waaaay too many factors. Follow the recommend service schedule and fix other things as they come up. Toyota also recommends the use of paragraphs and fewer ellipses.

 

[Sandroad]

For almost all of the components, there are FAR too many variables to come up with a number for useful miles. And, some could be more appropriately assessed by age. And even the oldest of the 100s, if driven 15,000 per year, most are only around 255,000 miles. So in most cases we don’t know anyway how long major parts will run before needing replacement. I think what you have is a list of things to check when looking for previous owners’ care and for replacement needs. This, along with the Slee list of things to look at in a used truck, could be useful for buying a higher mileage truck. However, coming up with a cut-off mileage for individual components does not seem valid or reliable, given all the things that affect part longevity.

 

[rstl99]

Yeah, I suppose it was too simplistic to hope to come up with such a ballpark list of parts lifespan, and there are indeed many factors.
As was stated, these trucks were way overbuilt in most aspects for the kind of soccer mom / home depot dad usage they get in most cases in NA.
I suppose I was hoping to get some inklings about what may come up and bite me in a 200k mile truck. I'll keep reading the various posts and build my own "cheat sheet". And in the end, it's a crapshoot anyway, and you just deal with what comes up and try to PM the rest. It's not like I'll be building an expedition rig that will be traversing Africa and Asia (in which case, a 200K truck wouldn't be a terribly good idea!

Well if a 100 is anything like my still-going 89 Cressida, there's a long life built into those vehicles by those japanese engineers.

 

[bctlex]

I bought a 98 with 200K a few months ago. The car has service records for the past several years. The plan is to slowly replace all fluids, bushings, shocks, springs and whatever else needed.

I just did a 2200 miles trip with the family, and the car drives solid, no problem at all. It will ride better when the shocks and springs are replaced - I didnt get a chance to do this before the trip. I am hoping I will get to 300K without too much problem.

Thanks
Chris

 

[rstl99]

Glad it's working out for you Chris, and that you found a good solid safe vehicle for you and your family. I much prefer buying used vehicles with service records, so the 95 and 99 I've recently looked at, neither of which have any service records and current owners not very knowledgeable (or at all) on the mechanical side, give me pause. Thankfully I have a Toyota dealership nearby who can do a PPI, but even though, how well do the mechanics working there really know the intricacies of these beasts? As someone said elsewhere, they may see 1 LC/LX for every 200 Rav4's and every 500 Corollas that come in for service...

 

[GregLCA]

I've searched a lot and found bits and pieces of the answer here and there, but thought it would be useful to have some kind of list indicating, on average, how long key parts can be expected to last in a 100 series LC/LX. Assuming a caring owner who didn't skimp on service and preventative maintenance, because otherwise the part lifespan may be seriously shortened. And assuming a vehicle that has seen "regular" use (i.e. not off-roading or extreme expedition use).

Part of my motivation is I've been looking at a couple of 200k mile specimens with scant service records, so am trying to anticipate what PM or repair may be coming if buying such a vehicle and assuming that many or most of these parts have not been replaced before. I know buying a vehicle with that much mileage and little service records is crap shoot, but I'm just trying to better the odds a bit.

If this kind of list exists already, please point me to it. Otherwise if some long-time 100 owners can chime in on their experience that would be great. Thanks.

Engine: good for 400k service
Transmission: 300k
Brake rotors: 150k
Timing belt: 180k (though should be replaced at half that)
Water pump: ??
Brake calipers: ??
Steering rack: ??
CV's: ??
Diff's: ??
Starter: ??
Ball joints: ??
Springs: ??
Shocks: ??
Brake booster: ??
Alternator: ??
O2 sensors: ??
Other sensors: ??
AC: ??
Radiator: ??
Rad hoses: ??
Thermostat: ??
Belts: ??

Rstl,

The search term you are looking for on this site is "baseline".

There are plenty of threads that talk about getting a LC up-to-date on services, which gives you a "baseline" for more regular maintenance in the future.

I just went through a "baseline" on my 2001 (with 134,000 on the clock). Did all sorts of maintenance work like timing belt, waterpump, wheel bearings, shocks, sway bar mounts, spark plugs, fuel filter, air filter, pcv valve, oil/filter change, O2 sensor....etc, etc.

The truck runs awesome now, and I picked up 2 MPG on the highway... Knowing that everything is in perfect condition now gives me a lot of confidence to just jump in and drive any amount of miles without worry.

-G

 

[rstl99]

Thanks Greg, indeed it's really a matter of baselining, and in doing so, figuring out what should be replaced as a matter or course given age and mileage, and otherwise just assessing condition of components as best I can, monitor and preventatively replace in due course. Glad your 2001 is working well for you. I've heard that replacing the timing belt can result in significant increases in MPG, as used belts affect engine efficiency.
Cheers!
R

 

[GregLCA]

Thanks Greg, indeed it's really a matter of baselining, and in doing so, figuring out what should be replaced as a matter or course given age and mileage, and otherwise just assessing condition of components as best I can, monitor and preventatively replace in due course. Glad your 2001 is working well for you. I've heard that replacing the timing belt can result in significant increases in MPG, as used belts affect engine efficiency.
Cheers!
R

Hmmm.... Not sure the timing belt gets you much in terms of MPG. I will say that the old belt still looked pretty nice even though I let it go to 133,000 instead of swapping it out at 90K. It had a little bit of wear visible on the underside where the gear teeth make contact but overall there was no cracking or splitting on the belt at all.

My personal feeling was that the fresh sparkplugs probably made the biggest difference. The old ones were pretty rounded-off at the electrode and conductor....kind of what you'd expect for a 14-year old set of original plugs!! From what I've read the fuel filter (which isn't even part of the normal Toyota service intervals) can get pretty nasty with today's lousy quality fuels....and given how easy it was to replace myself (and cheap!) it was another one of those peace-of-mind repairs that I'm happy to have completed now.


-G

 

[rstl99]

Sounds like the baseline you did yielded great results Greg, well done. I'll keep that in mind, if and when I acquire a 100 needing the same. Indeed, fuel filters sort of get neglected and it's a good idea to replace it once in a blue moon!
A guy I know was telling he experienced a 2-3 MPG increase after replacing the timing belt, tensioner, water pump, drive belts. He said that even slight stretching of the old belt can reduce engine efficiency, which I assume makes some sense. Tolerances can be pretty small in such a finely tuned engine.
Anyway, any improvement is better, no matter what the cause (and you're right, new spark plugs sure can't hurt!!)