For those of you that do your own maintenance

How often do you change your fluids in your 2nd gen? Differential, automatic transmission, coolant, and brake fluid? I have 60K on my truck and other than oil changes every 5k I've only changed my differential fluid myself. I've heard you should change your diff fluid every 30k or so. How often do you change your trany, engine coolant, and brake fluid? One dealer told me the transmission fluid should only be changed at 100k, and another said 50k.

While we're on the subject, what about spark plugs? Thanks!

 

30k maintainence: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/4-cylinder/37648-complete-30k-maintenance.html

 

X2

 

Diff- I changed it at 15k, but for now on I will be changeing it at every 30k. If you tow at all or cross creeks I would do it every 15k
Trans- Every 100k
Brake fluid-I am not sure, haven't changed it yet...I guess when the resvior tuns black
Coolant- I fill has needed w/the toyota coolant 50/50 (water/coolant)

 

I've checked the manual, but I get conflicting things from the manual and the dealers, and even between dealers.

Some people say a flush at 100K is good for the tranny, other dealers say a drain & refill every 30k, or a flush every 60k. What auto tranny fluid do you use for a '05 tranny? Dextron or t4?

Plugs I hear are at 30k, but I've never touched mine so far and no problems. I will check them later to see what the gap is. What kind of plugs are the best?

For coolant I've heard a flush at 100k or a drain/refill every 30.

For diff oil, I hear 30k if towing or 60k if just highway/street driving. I've already done a drain/refill at 30k and am thinking about holding off until 90k.

BTW, I decided to check my cabin air filter yesterday and guess what, I don't even have one! Went to kragen and they wanted like $35. I think I'll try to find one somewhere else...

 

how do you check the cabin filter?

 

you can make your own cabin filter for pennies man. buy a home a/c filter from walmart and cut it to fit.

its behind the glove box.....disconnect the small plunger to the right and pull sides of glovebox inwards, and it'll drop down. you have an 05....so you may not have one in the slot back there.

 

05's have a place to put a cabin air filter but they don't come with one from the factory!(stoopid)

 

If you go to the following link and enter your mileage interval, you can avoid all the "hear say" which is quite often wrong and get the correct facts. And you'll want to change your ATF before 60K miles as the fluid is already dark and burnt at that time even without towing. Fluid is "Type WS" not Dextron or Type IV. All this info and the associated mileage is located in your maintenance booklet that accompanies your owners manual.

http://smg.toyotapartsandservice.com/index.php

 

thanks im gonna check it out. I bought my taco used so i have no idea

 

real STOOOPID

 

For the rear diff (LSD), I had the dealer change the fluid around 55k miles.

Service manager said from what he's seen if you only tow every once in a while and not in much heavy stop-go traffic, it's fine to go til around 80k miles on it. If you hauling loads or towing frequently or drive in stop-go traffic daily, he said 40k-60k seemed like good timing.

 

LOL that would explain it. Bought 3 filters for 3 bux each. Hopefully they will arrive soon. I wonder what the air in the cabin will be like filtered? Smell like roses???