What to focus on in a major servicing?

[Metrocruiser]

Hey guys, great info here, thanks everyone!!

Ive got a 92 all trac that Ive owned since 95. Have not really driven it much since 2003 but now its time to use it again as a DD. I have a lot of faith in the van and I think it is prolly the best ever mini van made.

This van has never had a tune up...since I have owned it, just the regular oil, lube, filters etc. The dealership always said it does not need the plugs changed and I never questioned them. But back then I did not have children and now my wife will be driving the van to drive to school and activities so safety and reliability is a top concern.

I have heard about the SADS and head gasket are there any other major things that could break down on this van at about 250K ?

My plan is to tune it up, change all fluids, recharge AC, new all season tires, alignment?

Has anyone installed a newer LCD screen type media player in the dash?

Your thoughts and suggestions are appreciated!!

Have a great weekend

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[TheMAN]

your dealer is an idiot... lazy maybe, but idiots, yes... the spark plugs needs to be changed every 96000km as they're platinum plugs... ALL spark plugs wear out, it's just a matter of when
not changing your plugs results in bad gas mileage and less power

being that your van is 22 years old now, there's quite a few things you need to do:

-"tune up"... this involves changing spark plugs, and all the spark plug wires, and fuel filter... I recommend at least Toyota plug wires otherwise, NGK is a good aftermarket alternative... spark plugs, the Toyota branded ones are Denso, so you can get aftermarket Denso plug # PK16R11 which are the same platinum plugs as the factory ones, or upgraded to iridium tipped ones like I did which is good for about 175000km under Denso plug # SK16R11... spark plugs are only accessible under the passenger floor board, which involves taking out the seat and the floor panel
-PCV valve, grommet and hose change... by now it will be stuck full of carbon and won't work any more.... you're going to blow out seals and burn oil if it's like this... replace it with genuine Toyota parts... the Toyota PCV valve is metal so it will last
-valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seal gasket change... by now the rubber gaskets would have hardened to plastic... if it hasn't leaked yet, it will
-coolant and thermostat change.... coolant requires a 2 year or 50000km service interval, if you haven't been doing it, be thankful you had no rust, leaks, or overheating problems... use silicate free phosphate based coolant, not your good ol' parts store Prestone green stuff... you can buy "asian formulated" coolant or buy the Toyota red coolant... in addition to the radiator drain cock, there's also an engine drain cock next to the exhaust manifold.... this ensures as fairly complete coolant change without needing a flush... inspect water pump for leakage... it's easy to change out of it's leaking as it is driven balance shaft (I think) directly
-transmission and diff oil change... if neither have been changed before and you have a lot of kms now, be glad it's still working... auto trans requires Dexron II ATF but just any Dexron III will do... manual trans uses GL4 80W90 fluid and diff uses GL5 80W90 fluid... because you have a 4WD previa, there's a front and rear diff... there's also a transfer case which uses the same type of oil as the diff... I recommend synthetic diff and transfer case fluid for peace of mind, extra durability, and possibly better MPGs
-throttle body clean and maybe an idle valve clean depending on how dirty your throttle body is... after so many years, it will be dirty.... you may want to get an "induction cleaning" service done too which is to clean out the intake manifold and combustion chamber free of carbon... this improves power and gas mileage
-flush brake fluid... this is the most commonly neglected thing in any car... brake fluid is hygroscopic... lower BC is a wet climate area, and brake fluid full of moisture will boil easily and cause you to have no brakes after just one panic stop! This needs to be done AT LEAST every 2 years regardless of mileage... the owner's manual may not say it, but it is something mentioned in other makes of cars
-inspect and change belts as necessary
-inspect for any leaks and repair if major... the distributor o'ring can start leaking like any other old car and should be replaced if there's signs of leaking
-replace struts and shocks if still original... BC roads are not perfect and with 250k km on your van, the shocks need to be sent out to the pasture... I don't recommend genuine toyota replacements... they don't last long and are expensive... just get KYB GR2s which unfortunately are the best you can get for these vans... if you don't mind a firmer ride in the back, get KYB Gas-A-Just rear shocks... this will be good if you're hauling stuff or towing... they will last much longer than the GR2s.... inspect the front sway bar end links for looseness or bends and replace as necessary... replacement ones from toyota do not come painted so if you live in a snowy part of the province, you will want to paint/treat them first before installing... the front strut boots and upper strut mounts may fall apart after many miles, so don't be surprised if you need to replace them
-inspect suspension bushings and ball joints... ball joints are a wear and tear item and so are bushings... front lower control arm bushings typically wear out as do the rear panhard arm bushings... all of these are replaceable
-replace power steering fluid (totally optional)... the steering gear gets hot and breaks the fluid down, and old bad fluid accelerate wears of components and rubber parts in the power steering system... I replaced mine with synthetic ATF for the peace of mind
-replace the auxiliary oil reservoir's oil if never been refilled... if it's still the factory fill oil, it's old and probably the additive packages have broken down... get rid of it and use it in your lawn mower or a beater car... I refilled mine with mobil1 high mileage

if you're thinking of topping off your A/C, you may want to check the laws in BC regarding this... laws in the east, such as New Brunswick does not allow top offs and requires conversion to R134a on repairs... there's a Toyota USA TSB regarding a proper conversion... look for AC-002/98... if it's illegal in BC, drive down to Washington state and see if it can be done there... it won't be cheap because your 92 takes R12 refrigerant, which manufacture of that has been banned since the mid 90s, so anything left has been recycled supplies and old stock... do NOT use anything but R12 or R134a for safety and cooling performance reasons... refuse anything that's not R12 or R134a even if offered at a "killer price"

remember if you're replacing tires to replace all 4 or you'll burn up the transfer case... this is an all wheel drive vehicle, all tires needs to be 3/32" tread depth of each other...

if you're not hearing any squeaking or rattling noise up front, then the SADS is probably still good and you can leave it alone for now... it is very hard to change out on the 4WD previa because you have the front wheel driveshaft and diff in the way

by the time you're done with all this, you may have wished you bought a new van, but only for a minute because you know'll know quickly that you have a van that drives better than any of the modern FWD vans and is a better engineered piece of machinery than those are... a testament to this is the fact that it's still running despite the incomplete maintenance it has been subjected through!


LCD screen is a cakewalk compared to all the other things you need to do
the dashboard has a standard double DIN hole and you can fit whatever you want in it pretty much... replacing a radio requires removing the whole trim bezel with the vents around the radio and all the storage bins underneath it... I'm sure there's a guide to this somewhere


good luck!

[timsrv]

Hi & Welcome to TVT! Very nice looking Previa considering the age & miles. Very awesome that it has the mini fridge. I've only seen one other Previa with that feature.........and that was in Canada too. I took pics of Toyota's recommended maintenance intervals from the FSM (Factory Service Manual). If you don't already have one, I'd highly recommend you get one. They come on eBay frequently for $50 or less & are worth every penny. Be sure to get the Toyota one (Haines and Chiltons just don't measure up). http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.X92+previ a+service+manual&_nkw=92+previa+service+manual&_sacat=0&_from=R40

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[Metrocruiser]

OMG TheMAN,

Thank you so much for your awesome write up, this is sure to help the resto and revival of this dearly loved van! (*prays that head gasket is ok*) My wife and I have had many wonderful road trips in it and the kids love the space it offers when the seats are facing each other.


if you're not hearing any squeaking or rattling noise up front, then the SADS is probably still good and you can leave it alone for now... it is very hard to change out on the 4WD previa because you have the front wheel driveshaft and diff in the way

I did a visual and as well took a photo because my eyes were straining to see in the shadows, upon blowing the image up on the computer screen I am certain I saw cracks in the black poly bushings of the coupler. So I will have to attack this issue sooner rather than later with an ebay aftermarket one.
I have heard squeaking in the front and it is quite peculiar, the noise is not grinding but an actual squeak squeak squeak ... ... ... and it comes from the drivers side. If I go straight it is a steady S...S...S...S and if I turn right it will speed up, if I turn left the squeak will not be as fast as when I turn right. I told the dealership about the squeak back in 2010, they test drove it and said they found nothing.. you are right, they are as dumb as a rock. I will be inspecting the cv joints as well.

Once again, many thanks to you, your post must have taken a considerable amount of time. Can you please send me your email via PM, I would like to send you a small e gift to show my appreciation to you.

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[Metrocruiser]

Hi Tim,

I just caught your reply, thank you!! That is a for sure on the manual. I was out and about yesterday looking for something better than Haines. The Blue 91-95 book does not have any AWD references.
Thanks for that link, would you recommend the yellow or orange one? Ill bet you have all of them already :)

TG for auto spell correct, im falling aslepp.

Have a great day guys

[timsrv]

The $70 dollar one includes the Electrical Wiring Diagram manual. As for the big book, they're both the same, just different colors on the cover. The EWD manual isn't necessary, but can be nice if you're chasing electrical issues. The FSM has diagrams too and is enough. The EWD is more detailed and for some is easier to follow. I have EWD's, but seldom use them. I'm more familiar with the schematics in the FSM & they work fine for me. Therefor, I would go for the $41 FSM, but that's just me (others may prefer the set). Tim

[TheMAN]

looking at the pics, your valve cover gasket IS bad and needs replacement... looks like your exhaust manifold heatshield is falling apart too.... break it off if it rattles... you can't buy the heat shield alone, it is part of the manifold and it is expensive

but dude, get rid of that fram oil filter! they are junk junk junk! If you have ever looked at one cut open, you will see how poorly constructed and how questionable it's abilities are... I use the Toyota V8 filter, meant for the V8 trucks and the Lexus LS400 V8... it fits and gives me extra filtration ability and oil capacity.... it's more expensive than the standard filter, but it's worth it to me.... I don't use anything else but Toyota filters... you can buy Denso aftermarket filters too, they come from the same factory and is a bit cheaper

I DO NOT recommend aftermarket SADS couplers or shafts, especially since you have a 4WD... it is so hard to replace the SADS that "time = money" couldn't be more true... do you want to replace this a year or two from now because the cheaper aftermarket crap just flakes out on you? I wouldn't! Go find yourself a 94+ SADS from the junk yard and replace the couplers.... you can buy the coupler kit from Toyota which is far less than the entire shaft (I bought a new 94 SADS... very expensive)... the updated SADS couplers are beefier and lasts longer.. they were redesigned for the higher powered S/C engine in mind... when buying a used SADS, make sure the shaft is straight and no evidence of the couplers being bent during removal or handling.... this is very important because if it was mishandled, the life expectancy of it could be diminished or break the shaft out right!

judging from the pics of your SADS couplers, it doesn't look bad right now.... personally I'd leave it alone since your repair bill is going to be quite high for all the other things at the moment

I forgot to say, check the condition of the radiator hoses too.... if they're soft, they're bad.... I replaced mine at 220000km I think... I'm at 330000km now and the rear end took a dump at around 310000km, so I upgraded it to a limited slip diff I imported from japan off a different toyota.... last summer it was so hot down here that the cup holder locking clip broke... I replaced it when I fixed my speedometer last year... easy to do if you're going to replace the radio

speaking of radio replacement... keep an eye out for disintegrated foam gaskets around where the registers connect to the air ducts from the dash.... when you pull out the dash panel with the radio, it may tear up the foam because it is so old now.... I went down to home depot and bought some medium density foam strips of similar size and replaced the entire foam gasket... just a couple of bucks and your time.... cheap fix


what happened to your tonneau cover? if you still have it, you can modify it to support a cargo net, which is what I did... I did it as non invasive as possible without messing it up... it can support a fair amount of weight... will be good for groceries

check out the threads I posted, and perhaps you may get some ideas of some other non-essentials you might want to do ;)

[Metrocruiser]

The $70 dollar one includes the Electrical Wiring Diagram manual. As for the big book, they're both the same, just different colors on the cover. The EWD manual isn't necessary, but can be nice if you're chasing electrical issues. The FSM has diagrams too and is enough. The EWD is more detailed and for some is easier to follow. I have EWD's, but seldom use them. I'm more familiar with the schematics in the FSM & they work fine for me. Therefor, I would go for the $41 FSM, but that's just me (others may prefer the set). Tim

Thanks for the info Tim,

Id love to have one..... soon hopefully.

[Metrocruiser]

looking at the pics, your valve cover gasket IS bad and needs replacement... looks like your exhaust manifold heatshield is falling apart too.... break it off if it rattles... you can't buy the heat shield alone, it is part of the manifold and it is expensive

but dude, get rid of that fram oil filter! they are junk junk junk! If you have ever looked at one cut open, you will see how poorly constructed and how questionable it's abilities are... I use the Toyota V8 filter, meant for the V8 trucks and the Lexus LS400 V8... it fits and gives me extra filtration ability and oil capacity.... it's more expensive than the standard filter, but it's worth it to me.... I don't use anything else but Toyota filters... you can buy Denso aftermarket filters too, they come from the same factory and is a bit cheaper

I DO NOT recommend aftermarket SADS couplers or shafts, especially since you have a 4WD... it is so hard to replace the SADS that "time = money" couldn't be more true... do you want to replace this a year or two from now because the cheaper aftermarket crap just flakes out on you? I wouldn't! Go find yourself a 94+ SADS from the junk yard and replace the couplers.... you can buy the coupler kit from Toyota which is far less than the entire shaft (I bought a new 94 SADS... very expensive)... the updated SADS couplers are beefier and lasts longer.. they were redesigned for the higher powered S/C engine in mind... when buying a used SADS, make sure the shaft is straight and no evidence of the couplers being bent during removal or handling.... this is very important because if it was mishandled, the life expectancy of it could be diminished or break the shaft out right!

judging from the pics of your SADS couplers, it doesn't look bad right now.... personally I'd leave it alone since your repair bill is going to be quite high for all the other things at the moment

I forgot to say, check the condition of the radiator hoses too.... if they're soft, they're bad.... I replaced mine at 220000km I think... I'm at 330000km now and the rear end took a dump at around 310000km, so I upgraded it to a limited slip diff I imported from japan off a different toyota.... last summer it was so hot down here that the cup holder locking clip broke... I replaced it when I fixed my speedometer last year... easy to do if you're going to replace the radio

speaking of radio replacement... keep an eye out for disintegrated foam gaskets around where the registers connect to the air ducts from the dash.... when you pull out the dash panel with the radio, it may tear up the foam because it is so old now.... I went down to home depot and bought some medium density foam strips of similar size and replaced the entire foam gasket... just a couple of bucks and your time.... cheap fix


what happened to your tonneau cover? if you still have it, you can modify it to support a cargo net, which is what I did... I did it as non invasive as possible without messing it up... it can support a fair amount of weight... will be good for groceries

check out the threads I posted, and perhaps you may get some ideas of some other non-essentials you might want to do ;)

Hi TheMAN

Thanks for the additional info, its all very helpful. Its nice to hear that my sads can wait. Now Ill tackle the VC gasket and hoses. Do you know how many hoses are accessible ad can be replaced without engine removal? Id like to replace my rad hoses and when calling for prices the parts guy told me there are 8 more hoses.
My cup holder lock is MIA as well.

I bought this van in 95, it was a lease return and there was no tonneau cover. I just saw one on CL for $50. hmmmm I think I gotta visit some JYs soon

[TheMAN]

the only hoses I replaced were the radiator hoses and one heater hose because this shop I went to hacked it up to fit one of those prestone radiator flush adapters.... the rest are still original *knocks on wood*
did you inspect the SADS coupler up front where the accessories are? that's is where it typically goes bad

[Metrocruiser]

the only hoses I replaced were the radiator hoses and one heater hose because this shop I went to hacked it up to fit one of those prestone radiator flush adapters.... the rest are still original *knocks on wood*
did you inspect the SADS coupler up front where the accessories are? that's is where it typically goes bad

Aha!!, nope, I think Ill go check that soon *hehe* thanks again for the steering in the right direction!!

[Metrocruiser]

Hey guys,

I took the previa in to a shop today to have the squeak assessed. The shop told me it is a shot wheel bearing and a loose lower ball join on the front drivers side. He quoted me $650 to replace the lower bj and the wheel bearing on one side only.

I called up a parts place and got a price of $368 for
2x lower ball joint
2x inner seal
2x outer seal
2x wheel bearing 3pc kits

And the parts guy told me to take out the axle shaft assembly and go to where he goes and say that he told me to come here and the shop will just charge me straight shop labor to hydraulic press the wheel bearings off and put the new ones on. It seems like I could do both sides for about the same cost or lower plus my labor.

Any idea how much time and money this part of the process could cost me?

Have a great weekend!!

Edit: The cost for 2 new cv joints are $75 each...Im thinking now would be a good time to replace for only $150 more.

[TheMAN]

the front axles are bolted to a stub shaft on the front diff... so you don't have to pull any axles out of the diff...
in order for you to remove the front axles from the spindles, you will need to either use a very long breaker bar (say, 8 foot?) or use an impact wrench (recommended) to take the nut off, then having to muscle the axle off
lower ball joint is an easy replacement... it is 100% bolt on in these vans

you can buy these parts much cheaper from rock auto

[timsrv]

If you take in the axle removed, it should only take about 1/2 hr to press out the old bearing and press in the new.

[Metrocruiser]

the front axles are bolted to a stub shaft on the front diff... so you don't have to pull any axles out of the diff...
in order for you to remove the front axles from the spindles, you will need to either use a very long breaker bar (say, 8 foot?) or use an impact wrench (recommended) to take the nut off, then having to muscle the axle off
lower ball joint is an easy replacement... it is 100% bolt on in these vans

you can buy these parts much cheaper from rock auto

Hi TheMAN,

Do you know if the whole axle cv joint has to come out, is the bearing pressed onto the shaft or into the steering knuckle?
Will I need some type of puller to disassemble this in order to take it all to the shop to have the bearing removed and replaced?

Thanks

[TheMAN]

the axle must be separated from the spindle assembly before you can press the bearing out of the spindle

[ghostbuster88]

Hey don't mean to get off topic but what kind of running boards are those and where did you get them? Need some new ones and those are pretty cool. Lemme know

[Robertino]

When you replace the Spark Plugs..replace them with Iridium plugs. They last longer (100000 miles , but I'd do them again a little earlier like 90000) Lets face it, doing the plugs on these vans is a pain in the butt and this way you wont have to do them again for 6yr/90000 miles.

[TheMAN]

I already mentioned the iridium plugs earlier, but thanks for the reminder :)

[Metrocruiser]

Hi again everyone, I hope you are all having a nice spring into summer!

I want to thank The Man, Tim and all of you for your help!
I have not done the work yet but will be setting time aside for the servicing soon. I have to borrow a few tools here and there. Jack stands for sure.
Going to also rent that gizmo to do a pressure test to try figuring out if my Head gasket is unhealthy before tackling all of this.
I just read tims thread about the replacement of a HG and the scope of all the work and skills required frightened me a lot.

Have a great day!!

[Metrocruiser]

Had the wheel bearing a hub replaced. No more squeaking hurray!!
I am surprised how easy it was to take out the pass seat and open up the access. I took off the spark plug cover and checked the plugs, started to work on the 10 bolts that hold on the valve cover and lo and behold........3 of them were less than finger tight. So I wiped up all the oil mess, tightened them down, fished out the rats nest...yuck!!! and then let her run for 10 minutes and woohoo...no more burning oil smell. Saved some cash on the valve cover gasket, the rtv sealant and acetone.

Next is the fluids

[TheMAN]

the bolts were loose because the gasket shrunk and hardened.... it will only get worse, you should've replaced it to have a peace of mind
my time is not worth nickel and diming, I don't know about yours

[Metrocruiser]

the bolts were loose because the gasket shrunk and hardened.... it will only get worse, you should've replaced it to have a peace of mind
my time is not worth nickel and diming, I don't know about yours

Hi TheMAN, Hope you are doing well.

BAMM Exactly!!...... before I read your post just now. I had been thinking the same thing. I have still not put the pass seat back, so I will be changing the plugs, plug tubes and valve cover gasket when time offers itself up to me.

[tbkilb01]

hi, I did my 92 head gasket and was really quite simple despite the pictures. I took a week off from work and knocked it out. I used lots of carb cleaner and degreaser to clean all around really good before starting the job, just to keep clean. Since theres allot of oil and dirt all around after 20 years. I kept cleaning all thru process. jb blaster is amazing on bolts and screws, gasoline/diesel work great too. Try to read all you can and check websites. timsrv and TVT site are an amazing wealth of info and guidance. Be sure to take lots of photos before every dismantle, label parts, keep em seperated too. when i was done all nuts and bolts were accounted for. it was my first head gasket job ,but research and patience prevailed. I just lowered engine off motor mounts and worked low to ground. A bit uncomfortable but doable. I just got lucky that head and valves were in good shape. No warping head or leaky valves. Good luck :yes: