NC LX450

[NC LX]

Hey Guys, Well I pulled the plug last night and ordered an extensive list of parts for my HG job on my LX.
I thought I had started a build thread last year when I purchased my 1997 LX450 but apparently it was just when I did some improvements to my center console.
Console Overhaul

Since the head job is pretty in depth i wanted to start documenting it and any other tech or improvements in the future. Ive spent many hours reading on here learning so hopefully I can pay it forward for all the free help and information I've received.

I met a few of you at the monthly meeting I think in September. I was the guy with the baby at the bar. Yea, yea, I was that dad. Anyways if i haven't met you I look forward to it.

-Austin

 

[NC LX]

LX450 Maintenance Log

9/26/2014 213,230
Oil Change 5w-30 Mobil1 Synthetic High Mileage
Installed Quick Drain Oil Plug
New PCV valve
Repair Battery Ground Connections
Replaced Bank 1 O2 sensor w/Denso oem

9/27/2014 213,308
LEDs lights installed in hvac controls.
PCV hose replaced.

10/2/2014
CDL switch added.

10/9/2014 213,611
Front Ceramic pads
Front drilled/slotted rotors
Front wheel bearings
Trunion bearings re packed.
All Knuckle/ outer axle seals replaced, Marlin Crawler 80 series seal kit.
Drivers knuckle replaced. The original one has stripped caliper and upper trunion bolt holes stripped.
LED interior lights installed in headliner and doors.

10/28/2014
Pioneer Appradio3 Replaced with a Kenwood DNX6190HD
Rear Camera installed.

12/11/2014 215,776
EGR Valve Denso OEM
EGR Vacuum Solenoid Denso OEM

12/18/2014 215,944
Front Leather on seats replaced. Kia Soul Seats Installed

2/24/2015 218,xxx
Toyota OEM Dual Battery tray installed
Washer Bottle Relocated

3/15/2015 218,874
Oil Pressure sending unit replaced. Denso OEM

4/1/2015 219,150
Replaced Emissions Vacuum Switch Solenoid

7/24/2015 221,576k
Replaced Belts.
ACDelco 17360 x1
Goodyear 15456 x2

9/13/2015. 224,911k
P0401 Code Defeated
Removed the throttle body and found carbon buildup in the upper manifold. All EGR vacuum lines were replaced. Carbon was cleared and throttle body was thoroughly cleaned. Pressurized air was blown through all hard lines with Carb cleaner
VSS was installed in OEM Location.

9/20/2015 225,139k
Distributor O-ring replaced.

10/28/2015 226,206
Headlight Low Beams Replaced with Led Bulbs

12/25/2015 229,771
Stinger 80 amp Battery isolator installed
Aux Battery digital gauge installed.

2/15/2016 230,939
3x Radiator Hoses Replaced - Gates
Water pump Replaced -Aisin OEM

2/16/2015 230,939
Crankshaft seal Replaced
Oil Pump Seal Reaplced
Torx Screws Installed in Oil Pump cover

6/2016 235,286k
1. Toyota thermostat and gasket
2. Fuel Filter
3. Samco silicone PHH hose
4. Toyota timing chain set
5. Alternator Brushes
6. Toyota Head resurfaced at cylinder 5&6, pressured tested and valve seals replaced
7. OEM NGK spark plugs and wire set
8. Bosch Rotor cap and Button
9. BECK/ARNLEY head gasket set,

• Includes all needed gaskets and sealing components required for a cylinder head job

10. Heat tape wrapped around main harness
11. Removed Oil pan, steamed cleaned and replaced with new gaskets
12. PCV Valve and grommet

8/19/2016
Expansion Valve, Dryer, compressor, and all new o rings.

10/17/2016 242,400
Front pads replaced.

1/18/2017 245,273
30mm Spacer Installed

1/22/2017 245,470
Oil Change, Rotella 15w-40

1/25/2017
Replaced Rear axle Lugnuts and Wheel studs

2/8/2016 246,446
5-285/75/16 Patagonia A/T installed
Alignment

2/23/2017
Replaced Rear Inner/Outer Wheel Bearings, Hub Race's, and seals. New rear Rotors and Pads.

3/23/2017 248,615
Oil Change, Rotella 15w-40

4/5/2017 248,703
Full Knuckle Service.
-https://www.marlincrawler.com/axle/front-axle-parts/front-service-parts/service-front-fj80/fj80-knuckle-service-kit
-Sand Blasted Knuckles, Hubs, Spindles, Etc.
-New Timken Wheel Bearings and Race's
-New Toyota Dust Caps, Caliper Bolts
-Rotors Turned, 100 Series Pads

259,106
Slees 4" Castor plates Installed
OME steering stabilizer Installed

256, 210 10/14/2017
-Installed new front rotors.
-Repacked the front wheel bearings and reset the bearing preload.
-Inspected my winch cable and rewound it with correct tension.

11/3/2017 256,680
Installed the new reman Toyoda steering box
Installed Marlin HD steering upgrade. All tre replaced with 555 tre

1/12/2018
Replaced Both Front Calipers w/Toyota remans
EBC Green front pads
Slee extended SS Brake line kit of 7 installed
New OEM Asin Master Cylinder

2/3/2018 260,104k
Replaced both rear Calipers with remans, new pads and rotors

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Hey Austin!! Can't wait to see the head off of your motor

 

[NC LX]

Hey Austin!! Can't wait to see the head off of your motor

Me either!
Boxes started showing up today. Work has been busy the past few days so I haven't got started on the dis-assembly yet.

I know this thread is worthless without pictures. "Patience grasshopper," they are coming.

 

[NC LX]

So parts are piling up. Still waiting on a few more things. Distributor cap, rotor button, wires, air filter, PHH kit, cool tape, etc. I'm sure I've ordered stuff and forgotten.

On a side note I did order Trico winter wiper blades from Rock Auto for less than $3 a piece on close out. It's one of those things that get neglected until you really need to depend on them.

 

[NC LX]

After close inspection I started seeing some bubbling paint around the edge on the rear wing bracket. Took care of some rust issues underneath. Removed the rust with a flap disc, prepped the metal, primed and the applied a thin layer of grease before reinstalling.

Future plans are to weld up the holes with the roof rack holes. Until then this should buy me some time.

 

[NC LX]

Well I'm sitting south of Knoxville in bumper to bumper traffic, 6 hours from Chapel Hill, its raining and I have to be at work in the morning. To some this may sound miserable.

9 days and 1800 miles ago I packed up the LX with the family and left for the week ahead. We've been across North Carolina over the appalachian mountains and down into Alabama for a week of bouncing around the state to see family and catching up with old friends.

So as I sit here in silence with the family asleep, thinking about the past week, it amazing that this 18yr old truck with 228,774 miles on it, is still tight and running like a top. It just keeps on going. I can't wait for the adventures over next 200,000 miles the LX is going to take me with the family.

So to some it may sound miserable, but to me I wouldn't trade this moment for anything.

I know, with out pictures, this thread is worthless so here are a few from the week.

 

[tgadd]

Sounds like a great road trip.

 

[NC LX]

I took advantage of the Christmas Day warm weather and finished my dual battery set up. I wired in my battery isolator. A big thanks to my wife for letting me have the few hours to work. Best present ever.

Also added a digital gauge for the aux battery.

I got everything done except the ignition wire for the isolator.

Does anyone know a good spot to grab ignition power under the hood? I haven't looked yet and ran out of time yesterday. I'd like to avoid running wires through the firewall.

 

[NC LX]

I took advantage of the day with the weather and started doing some PM on the LX. I was the only one that showed up at the office today due to the weather, so I took advantage of a couple of ours and access to the lift.
Ive noticed Im constantly adding oil and after looking under the LX, I can see why, it's on everything. On a positive note, My car has zero rust anywhere underneath.

I bought the parts several months ago for the HG, and everything for PM, including the cooling system. I don't have time for the head job right now, so I've decided to break it up into smaller steps. Today I decided start addressing everything below the head.
Radiator hoses, Water pump, the oil leaks from the crankshaft seal and the oil pump gasket.

As of this afternoon when I left, i had everything disassembled, the radiator hoses had been replaced, water pump installed.

 

[Green Hell Mustang]

After close inspection I started seeing some bubbling paint around the edge on the rear wing bracket. Took care of some rust issues underneath. Removed the rust with a flap disc, prepped the metal, primed and the applied a thin layer of grease before reinstalling.

Future plans are to weld up the holes with the roof rack holes. Until then this should buy me some time.

Austin,

How bad was the bubbling on the rear wing before you yanked it? Was it very noticeable? I have the same wing and have had a few trouble spots on the truck already. BTW I have the exact same truck you do, same color too.

 

[NC LX]

Austin,

How bad was the bubbling on the rear wing before you yanked it? Was it very noticeable? I have the same wing and have had a few trouble spots on the truck already. BTW I have the exact same truck you do, same color too.

If you look at the first two pictures I posted, that was the extent of the rust. Not to bad for 18 years. One side was worse that the other. Some pitting had started in the middle like maybe water was getting trapped. After I had seen it though I couldn't just ignore it.

With the wing on it wasn't noticeable. I was reading a post were somebody had rust from the roof rack and it made me paranoid. I just happen to remove it to check.

Right now I'm not ready to tackle the roof rack, and I know if I find some rust, I won't be able to leave it alone. I hoping to get everything removed this summer and welded up.

How long have you had your truck? Where were the spots you had problems with.

 

[Green Hell Mustang]

If you look at the first two pictures I posted, that was the extent of the rust. Not to bad for 18 years. One side was worse that the other. Some pitting had started in the middle like maybe water was getting trapped. After I had seen it though I couldn't just ignore it.

With the wing on it wasn't noticeable. I was reading a post were somebody had rust from the roof rack and it made me paranoid. I just happen to remove it to check.

Right now I'm not ready to tackle the roof rack, and I know if I find some rust, I won't be able to leave it alone. I hoping to get everything removed this summer and welded up.

How long have you had your truck? Where were the spots you had problems with.

I've had my truck since 2005. The rust that I found was in the corner of the passenger side rocker panel, close to the rear wheel. Fortunately the driver's side still looks okay. The roof clear coat of mine is starting to look worse for wear and will need to be addressed soon too. I guess it's to be expected.

 

[NC LX]

The Toyota gods were watching over me today. 7/7 Oil pump screws came out with out a problem.

 

[Green Hell Mustang]

The Toyota gods were watching over me today. 7/7 Oil pump screws came out with out a problem.

Be sure to send some of that karma my way when I do this chore later this year.

How tough was the crankshaft pulley to take off for you?

 

[NC LX]

Be sure to send some of that karma my way when I do this chore later this year.

How tough was the crankshaft pulley to take off for you?

Will do!

Not bad. I just unplugged the distributor and used the bump starter method.

 

[stevezero]

Send a dose of that karma over here too.. I'll be doing that soon too.

 

[NC LX]

Finished it up this afternoon. I wouldn't want to do it everyday but it's nice It's done and I won't have to worry about it again for another 200k

I had the bumper off for ease to work around. I can't say I hate the way it looks. It has my wheels turning. I'm thinking there's a winch and a low profile bumper in the future.

 

[Green Hell Mustang]

Finished it up this afternoon. I wouldn't want to do it everyday but it's nice It's done and I won't have to worry about it again for another 200k

I had the bumper off for ease to work around. I can't say I hate the way it looks. It has my wheels turning. I'm thinking there's a winch and a low profile bumper in the future.

Did you use torx screws for the oil pump access cover? Where did you source them from?

I'd heard of people using different screws for the oil pump cover, so I'm curious to see how this worked out for you.

 

[NC LX]

Did you use torx screws for the oil pump access cover? Where did you source them from?

I'd heard of people using different screws for the oil pump cover, so I'm curious to see how this worked out for you.

@Green Hell Mustang Yes I used the torx screws from the guys at www.phhkit.com. Shipping was fast and the screws seem to be a much needed up grade when this job is tackled.

As most of us do, I don't plan on selling LX anytime soon. The screws seem to be the thorn in our sides when we think about doing the oil pump cover seal. Its nice to know when ever I do this job again the screws wont be an issue that keeps LX down any longer than than expected.