New LC 100 Owner- Intro/First Post

[HTXFLY]

Hey everyone. Been searching for months and finally purchased my first ever Landcruiser! Lot of awesome information on here that has helped me make my purchase. I’ve been an F-150 guy my whole (short) driving career so I’ve got a lot to learn on these rigs. I’ve always loved these cars and I couldn’t be more excited to finally own one!
I believe I’ve picked up a pretty clean vehicle for its age and mileage from Georgia. It’s a 2001 with just over 200k miles. It’s got a great service record (majority done at a single Toyota dealership), but I got it inspected anyways at a Lexus/Toyota specialty service shop and everything mechanically checked out great.

Few issues I keep noticing:
1. There’s a rattle coming from the front drivers side at a cold start for about 5 minutes until it warms up. I don’t hear it when I get to work. I checked all the heat shields and any other parts visible that may be loose. Need to remove the skid plates and get underneath on a cold start to try and locate it.
2. Bad wobble in the steering wheel at 55-65 mph. Getting an alignment and tires balanced today, I hope that takes care of it.
3. Bad clunk sometimes going from P-D, P-R and R-D. Seems to be normal after extensive searches?

Questions:
1. Given it’s great service history, should I worry about going through the car and “baselining“ it for peace of mind? If not a complete baseline, what are the major items I should go ahead and check/service regardless of its history to be safe? This will be my daily driver for a little bit.
2. Any other recommendations are appreciated!

 

[HTXFLY]

She looked good towing the skiff on Sunday as well!

 

[trdcorolla]

Welcome to mud! See my comments below

Hey everyone. Been searching for months and finally purchased my first ever Landcruiser! Lot of awesome information on here that has helped me make my purchase. I’ve been an F-150 guy my whole (short) driving career so I’ve got a lot to learn on these rigs. I’ve always loved these cars and I couldn’t be more excited to finally own one!
I believe I’ve picked up a pretty clean vehicle for its age and mileage from Georgia. It’s a 2001 with just over 200k miles. It’s got a great service record (majority done at a single Toyota dealership), but I got it inspected anyways at a Lexus/Toyota specialty service shop and everything mechanically checked out great.

Few issues I keep noticing:
1. There’s a rattle coming from the front drivers side at a cold start for about 5 minutes until it warms up. I don’t hear it when I get to work. I checked all the heat shields and any other parts visible that may be loose. Need to remove the skid plates and get underneath on a cold start to try and locate it.

If your spark plugs are not loose you probably have the exhaust manifold tick, most of us here on mud leave it alone if it goes away in a few minutes, the repair is labor intensive.

2. Bad wobble in the steering wheel at 55-65 mph. Getting an alignment and tires balanced today, I hope that takes care of it.

Not sure if your alignment/tire balance fixed it, if not you may have bad tires or you may have to lower the front on your LC, LC like rake, your caster might be really low.

3. Bad clunk sometimes going from P-D, P-R and R-D. Seems to be normal after extensive searches?

Greasing your drive train might get rid of it, if not, it could be your diff bushings or a worn axle/flange.

Questions:
1. Given it’s great service history, should I worry about going through the car and “baselining“ it for peace of mind? If not a complete baseline, what are the major items I should go ahead and check/service regardless of its history to be safe? This will be my daily driver for a little bit.

The default recommendation here on mud is to replace your heater t's. I would also leave a OEM or Denso coil pack in your car.

2. Any other recommendations are appreciated!

The use of new OEM parts is recommended (like axle/steering racks/sensors/bearings/pulley's)


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[jLB]

Few issues I keep noticing:
1. There’s a rattle coming from the front drivers side at a cold start for about 5 minutes until it warms up. I don’t hear it when I get to work. I checked all the heat shields and any other parts visible that may be loose. Need to remove the skid plates and get underneath on a cold start to try and locate it.
2. Bad wobble in the steering wheel at 55-65 mph. Getting an alignment and tires balanced today, I hope that takes care of it.
3. Bad clunk sometimes going from P-D, P-R and R-D. Seems to be normal after extensive searches?

Questions:
1. Given it’s great service history, should I worry about going through the car and “baselining“ it for peace of mind? If not a complete baseline, what are the major items I should go ahead and check/service regardless of its history to be safe? This will be my daily driver for a little bit.
2. Any other recommendations are appreciated!

It would depend on what you consider a rattle…. Catalytic converter shield? Engine cover? Exhaust manifold leak?

Wobble - Bad bushings? Steering rack? Tie rod ends? Ball joints?

Clunk - CV axles, drive flanges, front differential bushings.

It’s at least 21 years old, no matter how well it was maintained, yes, it should be baselined.

What general area of Houston are you located in?

 

[WeCruise]

Looking good! I picked up my first LC about a year ago. Georgia owned, white, 219k, great history. It had some bad steering issues/wobble. Toyota misdiagnosed it and wanted about $5k to replace a steering angle sensor and a skid ecu. I knew it wasn't that so I put in a new steering rack and CVs and got an alignment. It fixed all my steering issues! Check those out and your bushings!

 

[waynegro]

The clunk is a notorious issue with the 100 series that I believe comes from the rear differential and from what I have seen no one has solved it. Which is hard to believe considering how long this platform has been out and all the smart people on this board.

I will say from my research most 100 series owners don’t seem to flat out replace the unit and just tear them apart and replace parts. Now I had the same issue on my 05 GX470 and I replaced the rear diff and it solved the problem completely.

I’m not sure if the gx and LC/LX share the same rear diff but someone here will know for sure.

 

[araco100]

Welcome and nice LC! My recommendation is to flush any fluid you don’t have records for when it was last done, change air filter and change fuel filter if you don’t know when those were done. You could clean the MAF sensor also. If you don’t know the last time the notorious heater tees were done you could do those as well.

These are all pretty easy and are a really good start to keeping it healthy!

 

[HTXFLY]

It would depend on what you consider a rattle…. Catalytic converter shield? Engine cover? Exhaust manifold leak?

Wobble - Bad bushings? Steering rack? Tie rod ends? Ball joints?

Clunk - CV axles, drive flanges, front differential bushings.

It’s at least 21 years old, no matter how well it was maintained, yes, it should be baselined.

What general area of Houston are you located in?

I found the bad rattle i was speaking of. It sounds like it is inside the left catalytic converter. The heat shields around it have no play in them and when i grabbed them (with gloves on) to make sure that wasn't what was rattling, the noise was still happening. It's nothing major just annoying when driving through a parking garage at 7 AM lol.

Alignment and balance got rid of most of the wobble in the steering wheel. The rest of the items you listed, I will be going through in the near future.

I am in the Rice Military area. Are you located in Houston as well?

 

[HTXFLY]

Looking good! I picked up my first LC about a year ago. Georgia owned, white, 219k, great history. It had some bad steering issues/wobble. Toyota misdiagnosed it and wanted about $5k to replace a steering angle sensor and a skid ecu. I knew it wasn't that so I put in a new steering rack and CVs and got an alignment. It fixed all my steering issues! Check those out and your bushings!

Thanks!

My CV's are starting to throw a tiny amount of grease. The boots look good though. See pics below. Are those of any concern for now?
Sounds like the next item on my list is the steering rack.

 

[HTXFLY]

Welcome and nice LC! My recommendation is to flush any fluid you don’t have records for when it was last done, change air filter and change fuel filter if you don’t know when those were done. You could clean the MAF sensor also. If you don’t know the last time the notorious heater tees were done you could do those as well.

These are all pretty easy and are a really good start to keeping it healthy!

Air filter and fuel filter are brand new, so we're good there. He just had the oil changed before i picked it up. Other then that I need to go back through the maintenance records and see about the rest. Thanks for some direction!

 

[jLB]

I am in the Rice Military area. Are you located in Houston as well?

Yep, West Houston.

I sent a couple of PMs with pointers to some local resources.

 

[HTXFLY]

Yep, West Houston.

I sent a couple of PMs with pointers to some local resources.

Great, thanks jLB.

 

[okoverland]

Thanks!

My CV's are starting to throw a tiny amount of grease. The boots look good though. See pics below. Are those of any concern for now?
Sounds like the next item on my list is the steering rack.

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At some point you will probably want to re-boot/re-grease them. Toyota makes a boot kit (part # 04427-60120) that will run you about $50-60 per side. Its a messy PITA job but a great way to service a perfectly good CV.

In the meantime, there are a couple options if you want to stop the grease leak without taking the CV out. You can re-clamp it with the NAPA CV clamp (I don't have the part # but its on this forum) or you can use McMaster-Carr clamp #5574K16 for the small clamps and #5574K25 for the large clamps. They have a smooth edge on them and will be less likely to cut into your rubber boot.

There will be others that come along and say you need new CV axles and these are trashed. Unless they are popping, grinding, vibrating, or otherwise causing you issues, they are most likely 100% fine. Just need new boots and grease.

 

[JAntosch]

Thanks!

My CV's are starting to throw a tiny amount of grease. The boots look good though. See pics below. Are those of any concern for now?
Sounds like the next item on my list is the steering rack.

View attachment 3001262View attachment 3001261

Could be the grease, but looks like the clamp is missing where grease is leaking. @okoverland 's suggestions on re-clamping are spot on!

 

[HTXFLY]

Could be the grease, but looks like the clamp is missing where grease is leaking. @okoverland 's suggestions on re-clamping are spot on!

You may be right. I don’t remember but I thought they were present. I’ll have to get back under and check em.

 

[Photographer]

Welcome, I'm also a new owner from Houston.

I would definitely baseline it as others have said.

 

[HTXFLY]

At some point you will probably want to re-boot/re-grease them. Toyota makes a boot kit (part # 04427-60120) that will run you about $50-60 per side. Its a messy PITA job but a great way to service a perfectly good CV.

In the meantime, there are a couple options if you want to stop the grease leak without taking the CV out. You can re-clamp it with the NAPA CV clamp (I don't have the part # but its on this forum) or you can use McMaster-Carr clamp #5574K16 for the small clamps and #5574K25 for the large clamps. They have a smooth edge on them and will be less likely to cut into your rubber boot.

There will be others that come along and say you need new CV axles and these are trashed. Unless they are popping, grinding, vibrating, or otherwise causing you issues, they are most likely 100% fine. Just need new boots and grease.

Perfect. Thanks for the parts references. I’ll probably go ahead and reclamp them for now

 

[okoverland]

Perfect. Thanks for the parts references. I’ll probably go ahead and reclamp them for now

Just a warning, don't over tighten the clamps if you go with the McMaster-Carr ones. Even with the smooth edge you can still cut the rubber if it is tightened down too much.

I would clean all that grease/dirt away real good, then re-clamp with not too much force. Monitor for grease and then tighten up a little if you still see leak. Just take it slow so you don't split the aging boot.

 

[Chrisek]

Welcome and congrats! As others have said baseline just because of age. One thing non-enthusiasts tend to skip is lube the driveshaft. Meant to be done every 5k with oil change and brings its own assortment of clunks when not done for a while.

 

[HTXFLY]

Welcome and congrats! As others have said baseline just because of age. One thing non-enthusiasts tend to skip is lube the driveshaft. Meant to be done every 5k with oil change and brings its own assortment of clunks when not done for a while.

Thanks! I will put that on the to do list this weekend