When to do tune-up?

[jeep45238]

The lifetime warranty parts and term limited ones get replace often - not at any cost tome though.

But ya know what? The car isn't busted and keeping me from going to work or living my life.

[jeep45238]

Originally Posted by shatto

I can see how you could spend that long....if you had my Tundra. It has no transmission dipstick.

I never could understand the logic in this that manufacturers are using. Toyota, Izusu, and (if memory serves me right on this last one) BMW have done this previously or are still doing this. Not only is it impossible for you to know if you're low on fluid until your transmission has problems - but it's also impossible to refill it without tearing off the pan or finding some plug hidden like a spec of sand in a glass of water.

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by aalb1

Yea how about you give me your Royal Purple left overs?




This is the only thing that I think is not excessive. My father's friend has this philosophy. He runs his cars to the ground and has never had to replace a brake caliper. It's good preventative maintenance.

wait what? i think you contradicted yourself lol

but i agree with your error, weve never changed the fluid on some of our cars and have never had a caliber sieze. only ones that were siezed was because they sat for years.

when they do its from outside moisture in the air going around the piston and sliding surfaces not from moisture in the fluid...(just like rotors and drums rust over)

that and i believe the brake system is a closed system....

[Ford Man]

On the issue of tune ups, I have run many sets of Bosch platinum plugs over 100,000 miles and they weren't missing when I changed them, but just thought it would be a good idea to get new ones in. Even when running the plugs that long I didn't see any decrease in FE.

[shatto]

jeep45238
If the transmission leaks seriously enough that additional fluid is necessary, there will be clues, like those little oil spots all over the back of your vehicle.
By the way; leave the back down and roll up the sides. It's cleaner.

As to no dipstick on the Toyota; I have not checked but I'd guess there is a clever little sensor that turns on a dashboard light, like there is for the engine oil, when the level gets dangerously low.

VetteOwner
Check the filler cap carefully. All caps I've seen have a complicated valving system to allow air to enter as the fluid level goes down as the brakes are applied.

[GasSavers_GasUser]

Originally Posted by KU40

My Explorer has 172k on it, I bought it with 150k. It runs fine, only has a slight engine vibration/warble when idling. I don't have any idea what kind of maintenance the previous owners did on it. It seems well maintained, though, because of how well it runs, looks, and feels.

Should I just take a spark plug out and see how it looks? I forget if these need specifically torqued when put back in though? Or are there any other tipoffs to when it may need it?

I get 17-18 mpg on the 70 mph highway, 19-21 on the 55 mph highway I take to work (in the summer, it's down around 17 now in the winter). The EPA estimates 19 on the highway. I just kinda figured I'd get quite a bit better mileage on my trip to work since I drive at the supposedly great mileage speed of 55.

Just change them. Especially since you bought it with 150,000 miles on it and don't know when they were changed last. You will probably get between 1-2 mpg improvemrnt. Use OEM. Check the emissions sticker under the hood for the plug brand and # and gap.

Plugs are cheap and doesn't take long to do, and it is real easy to do on an explorer, and you will be glad you did it.

Just my opinion.

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by shatto

jeep45238
If the transmission leaks seriously enough that additional fluid is necessary, there will be clues, like those lottle oil spots all over the back of your vehicle.
By the way; leave the back down and roll up the sides. It's cleaner.

As to no dipstick on the Toyota; I have not checked but I'd guess there is a clever little sensor that turns on a dashboard light, like there is for the engine oil, when the level gets dangerously low.

VetteOwner
Check the filler cap carefully. All caps I've seen have a complicated valving system to allow air to enter as the fluid level goes down as the brakes are applied.

they don't, they have a rubber diaphragm that gets "sucked down" when the fluid goes down from the air on the non fluid side forces it down(pressure differences)

it cannot be vented, if it were it would attract moisture and be water in a year. That's why they say to never use old brake fluid if its been opened before or if its sat with the cap off it for a long time.

[shatto]

Originally Posted by VetteOwner

they don't, they have a rubber diaphragm that gets "sucked down" when the fluid goes down from the air on the non fluid side forces it down(pressure differences)

it cannot be vented, if it were it would attract moisture and be water in a year. That's why they say to never use old brake fluid if its been opened before or if its sat with the cap off it for a long time.

Don't know about rubber. I pulled the....rubber cap...off my resivoir and there was a nylon structure of some type in there. Some day I'll look closely, if I get bored enough to look again.
I've heard from the likes of Junior Damato and Click and Clack, that brake fluid should, ideally, be replaced every so-often.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Yeah, not flushing the brake fluid seriously screwed up the ABS system on my mom's old Century wagon. If my memory serves correct we had to replace all the ABS sensors and the master cylinder to fix the problem.

-Jay

[jeep45238]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

Yeah, not flushing the brake fluid seriously screwed up the ABS system on my mom's old Century wagon. If my memory serves correct we had to replace all the ABS sensors and the master cylinder to fix the problem.

-Jay

Flushing ABS systems in the traditional brake flushing method will NOT work at all.

Flushing them where you haven't done that for oh...10 years or so is not a good idea - the bits of rubber hoses can clog up calipers pretty damn good.