New 100-Series Owner Looking for Advice (1 Viewer)

[Hodence]

I took the plunge and bought myself a 2004 100-Series LC with 189,000 miles on it. The vehicle has been reasonably well maintained mechanically, but has lived its entire life in New England and was a daily driver for the previous owner. Aside from typical New England rust, the vehicle was used to launch a saltwater boat, so the rear end got a good dip in the ocean twice yearly. It has its strengths and weaknesses. Fortunately, I have 21 pages of service records on the vehicle going back to 2009 and have been able to go through them and see what has been done. The car received a fresh exterior paint job (meaning it wasn't fully stripped, just masked and painted) about 14 months ago, along with new bumpers and fog lights. I've been reading forums and have previous mechanical experience, but mostly with '70s vehicles (my current daily is a '74 VW bus, but I needed something for NE winters), so I'm eager to dive in and fix it up but I'm afraid of all the computers and the significantly greater complexity of nearly every system.

As far as maintenance, its timing belt was changed about 30,000 miles ago, so I'm all good there. Ithink the heater T's need to be replaced, 1 appears to be leaking and I think they're original to the car. The brakes have been replaced recently. The paint job was done by an iffy shop, so some trim was broken and others are missing entirely, so I am curious to hear recommendations for online parts stores. I currently have the check engine light, "RSCA OFF" and "VSC TRAC" lights on in the dash, but I have an OBD2 reader on its way. (If anyone knows a common cause of this mix of lights, please let me know though). Oil was changed fairly regularly along with fresh tires in 2019. I'm aware that far and away, the biggest issue is the rust plaguing the bottom of the vehicle. I've attached photos below. Like I said, the previous owner maintained the vehicle mechanically, so any rust on mechanical components is surface only as far as I can see. Since I'm headed into a long and cold New England winter, I'm planning on coating the underside in cavity wax to get me through the snow and road salt season and I'll address the rust more in the warmer weather.

One piece I desperately need to replace is the pannel that sits under the gas tank and protects it from rust. Mine is about 80% gone. If that is sold aftermarket, please let me know where I could find one, and if its not, I'll start searching the scrapyard. Additional missing/broken pieces are the third brakelight, side windshield screw trim and most plastic covers for the roof rack.

Really all of this is just to get everyone up to speed on where I'm at so I can ask the question of what should I replace/look out for? I've gone through a lot of the "new car" forums already, but I thought I'd post some photos of mine (including a radiator hose leak) so people can offer some advice since I'm pretty new to cars made in the last 30 years.

 

[Hodence]

I decided to write a TLDR version of this since I realize I got excited and wrote way too much. I also thought of a few more things and added them below.

The Good
- I bought a 2004 UZJ100 Land Cruiser!
- Has had extensive mechanical maintenance (21 pages of records included) and an exterior repaint recently
- Only 189,000 miles
- Mechanically solid (I think)
- Warm heat and cold A/C
- Fairly new tires
- Mostly leak-free
- Timing belt changed ~30,000 miles ago
- Brakes re-done recently

The Bad
- R U S T
- Aesthetically great, but lots of surface rust and some deeper rust underneath (will be addressed in warmer months, for now just cavity waxing to protect)
- Small coolant leak
- Dry (but unripped) interior leather. Please recommend a leather conditioner
- Dry and cracked rubber bushings in suspension
- Cracked third brake light and some missing trim
- CEL, "VSC TRAC", and "RSCA OFF" lights on in dash
- Spark plug stuck in cyl.5, previous owner's mechanic notes cyl. head "may need to be repaired" if there is an issue
- Heater T's need to be replaced

 

[T4R2TLC]

Welcome! I too am a new owner in New England with an 04, so happy to read through your intro thread. While a little rusty, that undercarriage doesn't look bad at all IMO. Definitely Fluid Film it and stay on top of any areas that get worse, but that looks very clean for the age and location.

Gas tank skid plate: no direct aftermarket options on this. Victory 4x4 makes a bolt on one which goes directly to the frame rather than between the tanks and straps. You can also remove the factory skid and run without one if you prefer. Factory ones are $$$! I would recommend inspecting the tank itself carefully, they are metal tanks and prone to leaking after 20-years in the New England salt. If replacement is needed, RockAuto has a good aftermarket option that fits well.

CEL: in my experience, Toyota just turns the TRAC/VSC lights on with the CEL for fun (I am sure there's a reason). Pull the code and find out, but I suspect it is only one code/issue. For some reason the additional lights come on even if it is just an O2 sensor of something.

Hope that helps a little!

 

[SteveH]

I feel for you living in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - for many reasons . Go drown the underside in Fluid Film.

My suggestion is to read all the threads (and links inside) on Mud that start with phrases like 'I just bought a Land Cruiser with a billion miles on it...' - such as this one - 100-series at 253k -- what else may need replacing? - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/100-series-at-253k-what-else-may-need-replacing.1301357/

Your truck will need all the same stuff as the rest of ours.

 

[Ma son]

Heres the part numbers for the hoses that connect to the heater t’s. Makes the job ALOT easier. Replace the t’s asap if not replaced

The part number for the third brake light is
8157060061
I would highly recommend you spray from fluid film at the bottom of the upper hatch before it rusts out. That is a problem area.

The leaky hose you show in the picture is a transmission fluid line that runs from the radiator to the transmission cooler just behind the grille.

I would highly recommend getting on Partsouq.com and familiarizing yourself with the parts catalog for your vehicle. Type in your VIN and all parts listed will be compatible with your cruiser. Best of luck!

 

[Hodence]

Thank you for all the input guys! I was confused about why the fluid drip looked greenish, and there is a little viewport in front of the rad that shows green fluid. I know the coolant is pink, should the trans fluid be green? I was under the understanding that ATF was always red, but up to this point, all my mechanic experience is with manuals.

The PO said that the car liked to light up the dash for the smallest of reasons, and the service records confirm that, so that's why I haven't been terrified of the codes thus far. Thank you for the advice to just replace the hoses while I'm at it. I tend to try to save a buck and regret it later, this time I won't do that. Also, I'm including photos of the worst rust on the vehicle since it's certainly not all sunshine and rainbows down there. The worst is definitely around the rear bumper since it got that aforementioned saltwater dip yearly.

Everybody on the forum seems to recommend fluid film, is there a particular reason for that? I've heard really good things about the PB Blaster Surface shield, but I have no experience with cavity wax, so I'm curious to hear others' opinions.

 

[Hodence]

Rust pictures

 

[Mike NXP]

I may have missed it but do you mind if I ask how much you paid?

What about your end use, daily driver? weekend warrior? off road rig?


My thought is to not throw a lot of money at this rig and just enjoy it. You mentioned replacing gas tank skid, sure maybe one day but that's not going to cause you to breakdown and doesn't deserve money being thrown at it yet.

Wild to see the front is really not all that bad and just gets worse and worse closer to the back end from that salt water.


Some thoughts based on your previous comments

• Transmission fluid should be red and not look burnt
• Coolant should be pink / red but sometimes people use the green
• The window in front of radiator you mentioned I believe has to do with your air conditioner not coolant
• Fluid film is a lanolin based product, keep it off rubber but metal likes it a lot.
• PB blaster shield, never used it. Probably something very similar to fluid film.
• Both options are probably fine and wouldn't hurt to soak a rag in one and wipe down some parts.
• Remember - metal like petroleum based products, rubber does not. Silicone lube on rubber if necessary.
• That exhaust mount looks like it's ready to drop, I'd want to address that
• Gas tank skid can wait
• Stuff involving extremely corroded bolts probably shouldn't be touched unless you have to.

I can chime in some potential next steps once I make sense of what you paid and how you plan to use it.

 

[Hodence]

Thanks for the input. I paid $7500 for it and plan to use it as my daily driver with some light offroading, but nothing meriting purpose-built off-road equipment (at least for now ). Really the purpose is to be a safe and comfortable winter driver. We get some solid snow here in New England, so I want something that can handle it all.

My thoughts about the gas tank skid mostly revolve around rust prevention. The skid would keep a lot of moisture and salt off the tank, and since it is about 90% gone, I'm starting to see a little rust on the tank. Nothing I'm worried about, but certainly something I want to prevent in the future. And thank you for the advice on the Fluid Film. I didn't know it wasn't good on plastics and rubber. Is it a bad enough effect that I should be careful to mask off all plastics and rubber before spraying?

And as far as the rust, I'm planning on hitting a lot of it with a wire wheel to take off any scale and see what the metal is really like under it. The exhaust hanger looks more bent than it really is in that photo, but definitely something I'm keeping an eye on. Also, I'm assuming fluid film would just burn off of my engine block, so what should I do there to address rust? If anyone has any advice on rust repair with these 100 series, let me know. Currently, my plan is as follows;

- Wire wheel rust to remove scale and inspect metal cond.
- Coat with fluid film to last me 'till better weather
- Come spring I'll do a better job stripping rust (will the coat of fluid film make this difficult?)
- After rust is mostly stripped, address any parts that need patching/welding
- Spray with rust preventative, then primer, paint, and then an undercoating
- Cross my fingers and check intermittently

 

[Rhetoric]

Undercoating rant begin!

In my experience FluidFilm comes off pretty easy. At least here in MN underbody car washes or the wet spray from driving on warmer days will take it right off. A buddy of mine applies FluidFilm throughout the course of winter as it washes off. He buys in bulk and uses a compressor.

After I bought my one-owner NC truck I meticulously coated the frame and suspension with RP-342 (cosmoline). I went with this over FluidFilm because it does not wash off and has self healing properties. Blaster Surface Shield did not exist when I bought my case of RP-342, but I've since bought some and use it to fill the frame rails with an extension hose and 360 nozzle every fall. Surface Shield seems to flow like FluidFilm when you spray it, but stiffens up like RP-342 once it cures.

Mind you, I had a pristine truck I was spraying. I think you would want to treat with FF this winter to try and stop any progression, then do all your wire wheel work and decide what you wanted to coat with after that during the summer months.

 

[Hodence]

That's what I'm leaning towards. Don't wanna be fighting through a thick layer to get back to the metal. Maybe after some proper repairs and paint, I'll give it the surface shield coating.

Also is there a high-heat fluid film equivalent? I'd really like to figure out how to protect the engine block since it's starting to rust and I don't want to try to replace my engine block any time soon!

 

[RND1]

Welcome to Mud from a fellow New Englander! I've been on here for quite some time and have dealt with most if not all of the issues you'll be dealing with. Keeping rust at bay is the number one challenge. My rig came out of CA, but spent 3 yrs in Newport RI before I picked it up and that salt air alone did it's thing. I've been treating mine with Krown, NH Oil, and Fluid Film for the last decade. It's not perfect, but it's certainly helped. Biggest thing to look for is rot. Drop the spare tire (if you can the mechanism is typically very rusty) and get a good look at the rear end. Look at the entire frame for rot (holes). If the frame is all good, then you can start treating with Fluid Film or PB Blaster. I'm going to try PB Blaster next as FF smells awful.

Overall, looks like you got a nice rig that was well loved by it's prior owner. These trucks are built like tanks and once you baseline it and take care of the surface rust, you'll have years of (s)miles left. If you're not too far from me, I'd be happy to take a ride over to take a look.

Oh and that dent in the lower tail gate is from someone backing into the tongue of the boat trailer!

 

[Hodence]

Welcome to Mud from a fellow New Englander! I've been on here for quite some time and have dealt with most if not all of the issues you'll be dealing with. Keeping rust at bay is the number one challenge. My rig came out of CA, but spent 3 yrs in Newport RI before I picked it up and that salt air alone did it's thing. I've been treating mine with Krown, NH Oil, and Fluid Film for the last decade. It's not perfect, but it's certainly helped. Biggest thing to look for is rot. Drop the spare tire (if you can the mechanism is typically very rusty) and get a good look at the rear end. Look at the entire frame for rot (holes). If the frame is all good, then you can start treating with Fluid Film or PB Blaster. I'm going to try PB Blaster next as FF smells awful.

Overall, looks like you got a nice rig that was well loved by it's prior owner. These trucks are built like tanks and once you baseline it and take care of the surface rust, you'll have years of (s)miles left. If you're not too far from me, I'd be happy to take a ride over to take a look.

Oh and that dent in the lower tail gate is from someone backing into the tongue of the boat trailer!

I'm hoping to drop the spare soon and investigate. Just orders a bunch of fluid film, so after some investigation and wire-wheeling that'll go on.

I'm in Newburyport, MA, so a little distance from you, but not too far. I think I want to try to approach these first few problems on my own, but I really appreciate the offer, and if I run into anything way over my head, I'll be sure to reach out.

And I don't doubt that a boat trailer could have made that dent!

 

[cmw]

Hello from another MA guy.

Nothing much to add to the general consensus - all good thoughts.

Now that the weather is cold I'd start by spraying just about any liquid oil on the rust to get good penetration, followed by the thicker product of your choice; FF, WoolWax, PB, etc (bought in bulk if at all possible).

For spots, corners, and random connectors I love CRC Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor 06026 - used to be called "CRC Marine" something or other. It sets up to a very firm and waxy surface.

@RND1 - Bet we pass frequently around town!

​

 

[RND1]

@cmw What color and year? I rarely ever see another Hundy around.

 

[cmw]

@RND1

Black '99 - but lately my daily is a blue Outback that goes completely unnoticed

 

[T4R2TLC]

Hello from another MA guy.

Nothing much to add to the general consensus - all good thoughts.

Now that the weather is cold I'd start by spraying just about any liquid oil on the rust to get good penetration, followed by the thicker product of your choice; FF, WoolWax, PB, etc (bought in bulk if at all possible).

For spots, corners, and random connectors I love CRC Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor 06026 - used to be called "CRC Marine" something or other. It sets up to a very firm and waxy surface.

@RND1 - Bet we pass frequently around town!

​

I was going to recommend CRC Marine Corrosion Inhibitor as well—it gets used on connectors, high spray areas (more waxy and resistant than Fluid Film), grounding points, and engine bay hardware for both autos and marine outboards a few times per year. One of my favorite products and available cheap at Ace Hardware. Another rust tip I haven't done yet on my LC but typically use on vehicles is WD40 in the rocker panels, it flows better than FF and reaches every crevice for those internal areas that will not be washed off.

In the spring if/when you want to clean up the existing rust, a needle scaler is easier and more comfortable for most frame rust than a wire wheel typically. I find I get 2x more use out of a needle scaler and welding/slag hammer than brushes, plus no risk of wires imbedded in your skin!

 

[RND1]

@Hodence, NH Oil Undercoating used to offer a "Rustoration" service where they would spend a few hours with a needlescaler taking off as much surface rust as possible before coating in their version of fluid film. It was around $600, but not sure if they're still offering it.

 

[Hodence]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll definitely look into the CRC stuff, sounds interesting. I don't have a compressed air setup currently since my garage is a glorified shed (can't even fit a mini cooper), so for now the needle scaler will live in my dreams. That Rustoration sounds interesting. I'll do some digging and see what if find. Thanks for the input guys!