NSR summer project in garage...car not scooter

[Iahawk]

picked up another older vehicle in need of some TLC for my 16 year old daughter. 2001 Toyota Rav4 with 202,000 miles and a lot of neglected / deferred maintenance! Guess I'm a sucker for an old vehicle in need of some love.

Body and interior look very good for age...but undercarriage looks like it was on the Titanic. All rubbers need to be replaced (rad / heater hoses, serpentine belt / tensioner, pwr steering hoses, pcv and vacuum lines, etc.), all fluids, filters, rear shocks, inner tie rod boot, plugs, fog lights.....and much more I'm sure that I'll find.

Sometimes the problem with used Toyotas is people think they are so reliable they neglect to do any maintenance (other than occasional oil changes)!

I restored the headlights and removed and sent out the ECU (engine computer) for refurbishing as that is a known problem on these...computer goes bad and trans shifting goes to h*ll.  Plenty to keep my busy for a while.

[Stig / Major Tom]

An ECU can be refurbished?!
Pricey?

Stig

[Iahawk]

$239 + shipping at circuit board medics. They can either send you a refurbished one (more expensive) or fix the one that you send in (less expensive). I guess over time the circuit boards (which control engine and trans shifting) can have parts burn out or even separate and come loose. It apparently was originally a TSB issue with Toyota and they extended warranties for this known problem.

This company has circuit boards for all kinds of years, makes and models so it is an issue. After I found these guys for this problem I faintly recall using them for a new circuit board for my washing machine years ago. Also a known problem...circuit board burns out and gives fault codes / washer stops working. Any repair person would charge enough to probably convince  you to buy a new washer...but if you could follow a youtube tutorial, remove your circuit board and send it to them, they'd send you a refurbished board. I think it was under $100 9 or 10 years ago (vs $1200+ for a replacement washer). washer is still going strong today after 23 (?) years!

Easy to remove in the Rav4...behind the glovebox. 2 10mm bolts, 6 screws, unplug 5 plugs from it and pull it out! I should have it back Tues or wed.

[Neil955i]

10mm bolts? There's your problem. Who can find a 10mm socket? 🤣

[Iahawk]

10mm bolts? There's your problem. Who can find a 10mm socket? 🤣

haha, right? Lucky for me I bought the ultimate 10mm socket set a few years ago..standard, deep, swivel and impact in both 1/4" and 3/8" drive size!

[Iahawk]

and I received the refurbished ECU today. Installed it this afternoon and took the car on a shakedown run...ECU has to relearn the shifting so 5 runs from 0-60 mph at a normal pace so the car can shift through all 4 gears. Trans shifted perfectly, I was relieved. (car previously had a horrific 2-3 upshift...chugga, chugga, CLUNK!)

This makes about 5 things completed on the car with about another 50 to go!

[Neil955i]

Great progress Hawk, I'm impressed.

[Iahawk]

update on the crusty Rav4... took it to the shop last week to have both radiator hoses and heater hoses replaced (upper radiator hose had a bulging soft spot..), also replaced serpentine belt and tensioner and drained and refilled center diff (or power takeoff unit).  The center diff was very difficult to get to without a lift so I outsourced that relatively easy job.

Replaced the pcv valve and one of the 2 pcv hoses last week, too. PCV valve was not operating correctly, big surprise...

This morning in my garage I replaced 2 of the 3 rubber exhaust / muffler hangers (old ones cracked and dry rotted). 3rd one should arrive this week. Very easy job but something the shop would probably charge me $100 USD for. I bought the 3 rubber hangers for about $15 USD.

Also changed the fluid in the rear differential. It was a challenge to break both overtightened, rusty fill and drain plugs loose. It helped to continually hammer in the 10 mm hex bit to help break the bond. Lots of 'muck' on the magnetic drain plug.

Still on the 'to do' list: trans fluid change, replace spark plugs, replace valve cover gasket, replace power steering fluid, oil and filter change (was recently done by previous owner but I always want to do my own). VVT solenoid o ring change...probably intake gasket replacement....and then start working through all the old, hard vacuum lines and other hoses underhood.

Oh, new tires will be coming this Fall...and I'm sure more things that I'll discover need fixing.

car still needs a full exterior detail (clay, polish, wax) and rusty underside parts will need a good wire wheel cleaning and then will get soaked down in Fluid Film to slow the future rust.

[Iahawk]

few more updates on the Rav4 (or the Ravioli, as I call it).

Polished the acrylic sunroof (not glass, who knew?)  with a headlight restoration polish so you can see through it, again. Ceramic coated it. I'm sure no one has done anything to it in 26 years.

Replaced the original fog lights in the bumper, under the turn signals. Pass side one had been filled with water at one time, rusty and broken bulb. Replacements from eBay look and fit like the originals. Originals and replacements both have metal housings, that surprised me. (see pic)

Drained and refilled transmission. Old fluid wasn't terrible.

Changed oil and filter with my current favorite, Valvoline Restore and Protect, 5W-30.

Replaced 4 spark plugs with new NGK iridiums. I did it with the engine hot, which made plug removal very easy. (see pic)

Replaced driver door check (the part that holds the door open in various positions, they wear out on old Toyotas) While I had door card off I also fixed a rattle inside door. Prev owner gave me a bolt his daughter had found on the ground below the door, they knew where it went but not how to fix it. It bolted from the outside of door into a part of the window track? I put that back and no more rattle from inside the door!

Replaced the other crankcase breather hose and also the hood (or bonnet) prop rod grommet. The Rav (and also my Vibe) were both missing the grommet so the prop rod was loosely fitted into a hole in the fender. It could easily come out and also put additional stress on the hole when used. Cheap 5 pack of grommets for Toyotas on Ebay...fixed both Ravioli and Vibe.

Think that's it so far....but best part is coming today....new wheels and tires! I didn't want dedicated snow tires but got the next best thing, tires rated for 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS). I think that may be a US DOT approval? Not sure if it is a thing in other countries?

More pics to come with the new wheels/tires and hopefully a full detail, which I haven't gotten around to doing, yet.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Toyota makes the Scion. (Nagasaki)
Priced dealer for new plugs while my daughter's Scion xB was in for tire warranty (she had TWO Michelins replaced free under road hazard warranty two months apart! Cut and screw in sidewall)
Price was something like $176.00
I asked does the car require a special sparkplug?!
Nope.

I bought 4 NGK's and carefully installed them in 30 mins - being careful first time.   Pd @$24 for the plugs.
Her xB is 14 yrs old. @78K miles. Looks and runs as new, inside and out. I installed Philips led DRL's yrs ago. Toyota discontinued them 2012. They are on unless lights switched on. Only complaint has always been the mediocre spyglass headlights on low beam. Brake pads and rotors one time. Batteries.  No engine work. Comfy seats - much better than my wife's newish and much bigger Equinox. Entry is absolute hell getting in that car. I avoid it all costs. The little xB has a normal human size door opening and better seats!
My daughter will tell you that I sound like I'm back in the Navy every time I  have to enter or exit that d__ned Chevy. And I was never in the Navy.

Stig

[Iahawk]

mmmm, mmmmm, love the smell of new rubber in the morning!