As far as preventative maintenance goes, what else
- Thread starter xBa380
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Door hinges.
Carwell on the under carriage and cavities.
If the CV joints are making noise it would be time to replace them.
As a hobbyist auto-detailer, my 2008 xB black sand pearl paint looks better than 95% of cars on a showroom floor! Always clayed, corrected and protected with a sealant. As well as dressing all the hoses in the engine bay, making sure all that is clean and lubricating all the hinges and anything else I can lubricate!
No noise with the CV joints at all... Tires are balanced and alignment is great, no play in the steering and drives straight as can be.
I use Shell gas 95% of the time, and I run V-Power as a fuel injector cleaning along with dedicated products once a year or so.
No timing belt or power steering fluid on my car (chain and electronic).
No noise with the CV joints at all... Tires are balanced and alignment is great, no play in the steering and drives straight as can be.
I use Shell gas 95% of the time, and I run V-Power as a fuel injector cleaning along with dedicated products once a year or so.
No timing belt or power steering fluid on my car (chain and electronic).
Originally Posted By: xBa380
I just want to make sure I am not missing something that would be good to take a look at and keep up with. Or if I seem to have done what I could with a modern vehicle.
At this point you're just waiting for something to break.
I just want to make sure I am not missing something that would be good to take a look at and keep up with. Or if I seem to have done what I could with a modern vehicle.
At this point you're just waiting for something to break.
Adjust e-brake, clean throttle body.
Flush & fill blinker fluid and repack muffler bearings.
DIY rustproofing.
Grease your wiper arm mechanism linkage.
This can be horrible to access - but you only do it once.
This can be horrible to access - but you only do it once.
BTW I put a set (all 4) of Goodyear assurance comfortred tires on the 2001 Impala (and had it aligned as I always do with a new set even though it probably did not need it).
I am really impressed with these tires. The do absorb quite a bit of the bumps in the road. I had to run them near maximum pressure so they would not feel too soft, but they still absorb bumps in the road, and they are quiet, great in the rain, all season (you could run them in snow but I have Blizzaks on another set of rims for that) and track very well at ALL speeds though the maximum they see is about 70 MPH.
These tires are by far the nicest tires I have ever had on ANY vehicle and I have been driving for 41 years now. The car is now a pleasure to drive, even on long trips.
So if you want to do something that will improve the enjoyment of driving that vehicle you can not go wrong with a set of Goodyear assurance comfortred. There are two versions of the comforttred tire. The touring has a harder wall and cost more. I went with the lower cost softer wall. Got that set from discount tire direct on the internet.
However I did see some post that these softer tires may not last as many miles as some other tires. We only put about 5500 miles a year on the Impala so even if they only last 30 K like some people posted that would be close to 6 years for us, and at 6 years the rubber is getting old enough to get rid of any tire just because of age. In Britain a tire over 6 years old will not pass inspection, they scrap them just because of age.
To the OP, with the high miles you put on your vehicle and the good possibility that a set of comfortred may only give you 30 K or possibility less, you may want to consider if the life expectancy is too low for your vehicle. But I can tell you if you get a set of Goodyear assurance comfortred you will enjoy driving with them as long as they last.
I am really impressed with these tires. The do absorb quite a bit of the bumps in the road. I had to run them near maximum pressure so they would not feel too soft, but they still absorb bumps in the road, and they are quiet, great in the rain, all season (you could run them in snow but I have Blizzaks on another set of rims for that) and track very well at ALL speeds though the maximum they see is about 70 MPH.
These tires are by far the nicest tires I have ever had on ANY vehicle and I have been driving for 41 years now. The car is now a pleasure to drive, even on long trips.
So if you want to do something that will improve the enjoyment of driving that vehicle you can not go wrong with a set of Goodyear assurance comfortred. There are two versions of the comforttred tire. The touring has a harder wall and cost more. I went with the lower cost softer wall. Got that set from discount tire direct on the internet.
However I did see some post that these softer tires may not last as many miles as some other tires. We only put about 5500 miles a year on the Impala so even if they only last 30 K like some people posted that would be close to 6 years for us, and at 6 years the rubber is getting old enough to get rid of any tire just because of age. In Britain a tire over 6 years old will not pass inspection, they scrap them just because of age.
To the OP, with the high miles you put on your vehicle and the good possibility that a set of comfortred may only give you 30 K or possibility less, you may want to consider if the life expectancy is too low for your vehicle. But I can tell you if you get a set of Goodyear assurance comfortred you will enjoy driving with them as long as they last.
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Originally Posted By: surfstar
Flush & fill blinker fluid and repack muffler bearings.
I am SO GLAD the guy at the garage installed permanently lubricated muffler bearings last time he replaced them. That way I won't have to pay him to repack the muffler bearings next time the car is in for service. You know, these little savings DO add up.
Flush & fill blinker fluid and repack muffler bearings.
I am SO GLAD the guy at the garage installed permanently lubricated muffler bearings last time he replaced them. That way I won't have to pay him to repack the muffler bearings next time the car is in for service. You know, these little savings DO add up.
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Originally Posted By: surfstar
Flush & fill blinker fluid and repack muffler bearings.
Where is that located? (blinker fluid?)
I kid I kid...
Thanks for all the suggestions everybody. After I do my detail next week for a few days I will pick up some MAF sensor cleaner and throttle body as well and get that cleaned. Everything else seems to be good to go otherwise!
Thanks again!
Flush & fill blinker fluid and repack muffler bearings.
Where is that located? (blinker fluid?)
I kid I kid...
Thanks for all the suggestions everybody. After I do my detail next week for a few days I will pick up some MAF sensor cleaner and throttle body as well and get that cleaned. Everything else seems to be good to go otherwise!
Thanks again!
Question... I have been having trouble finding more recent (proper) throttle body guides online in regards to modern toyota vehicles. It is easy enough to get to, but read conflicting things on the throttle-by-wire system and the butterfly plate inside the TB. Once exposed, I plan to wipe down the exposed side with the TB cleaner and a lint-free shop rag. But what is the best method to open up the TB to clean the other side without taking it completely off? I read that you are to never try to open the plate yourself or it can damage it, yet I read others that do move it out of the way, etc...
With these types of cable-less throttle bodies, do you just put the car in the on position (not started) and jam down the pedal to open it up? Then do it that way?
I don't want to spray directly on anything with the risk of it running into the engine later on, so I plan to just saturate the rag and wipe away without spraying anything directly.
What is the best way to go about this with the throttle-by-wire systems?
With these types of cable-less throttle bodies, do you just put the car in the on position (not started) and jam down the pedal to open it up? Then do it that way?
I don't want to spray directly on anything with the risk of it running into the engine later on, so I plan to just saturate the rag and wipe away without spraying anything directly.
What is the best way to go about this with the throttle-by-wire systems?
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Well I just tackled the throttle body today... Decided to just go for it based off what I have read.
I removed the intake to expose the throttle body. The plate and around the plate exposed was not too bad at all. I used a lint-free cloth and saturated it with the TB cleaner. I wiped down the walls exposed and plate lightly. Very little blackness came off it.
I took a 2x4 and a 25lb weight and placed this on the throttle to open up the throttle body with the car in the on position.
I now saw a bit more dirt back here... Wet the cloth I was using and start wiping everything down. Got a tiny bit of gunk off the one lip of the plate and down in the nook quite a ways in there. Used a little tool with the cloth wrapped around it to get the dirty stuff down in there.
After about 10 minutes of carefully wiping everything down, it all looked very clean. Cloth had quite a bit of black gunk all over it. Did one final wipe to make sure I got everything along with both sides of the plate. I took the weight off the pedal and let the TB close. Reattached everything and reset the ECU by disconnecting the battery.
After 30mins or so I started it up and there was a little hesitation and shudder for about a second but it started up with no check engine lights or codes or anything of the sort. Let idle for a while and took it gently around the block and freeway for a few miles. All appears to be just fine!
Appreciate the suggestions for the upkeep stuff! Throttle Body would of been something I would of never thought about.
My last task is a coolant change and I think I am all set for some time.
Thanks again!
I removed the intake to expose the throttle body. The plate and around the plate exposed was not too bad at all. I used a lint-free cloth and saturated it with the TB cleaner. I wiped down the walls exposed and plate lightly. Very little blackness came off it.
I took a 2x4 and a 25lb weight and placed this on the throttle to open up the throttle body with the car in the on position.
I now saw a bit more dirt back here... Wet the cloth I was using and start wiping everything down. Got a tiny bit of gunk off the one lip of the plate and down in the nook quite a ways in there. Used a little tool with the cloth wrapped around it to get the dirty stuff down in there.
After about 10 minutes of carefully wiping everything down, it all looked very clean. Cloth had quite a bit of black gunk all over it. Did one final wipe to make sure I got everything along with both sides of the plate. I took the weight off the pedal and let the TB close. Reattached everything and reset the ECU by disconnecting the battery.
After 30mins or so I started it up and there was a little hesitation and shudder for about a second but it started up with no check engine lights or codes or anything of the sort. Let idle for a while and took it gently around the block and freeway for a few miles. All appears to be just fine!
Appreciate the suggestions for the upkeep stuff! Throttle Body would of been something I would of never thought about.
My last task is a coolant change and I think I am all set for some time.
Thanks again!
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that will be different for each person. mine has changed cause i moved from a house with a garage, to an apt. so now i have be sure the battery and starter are in good shape. cause my repair shop is only 3 miles a way. i can allways walk home, and walk back. next year the battery and starter will have been in 4 years, thats when they get replaced.
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