2002 Toyota Sequoia build or adventures in deferred maintenance

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Broke

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116
Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
Yesterday we bought a 2002 toyota sequoia SR5 4x4 with 174k on the odometer. As I like to say, we paid 12.5 car payments for it, or $5,000. Got it home and commenced to figuring out what needed to be replaced. Sent in an order for 1 car payment worth of belt's, hoses, timing belt kit, valve cover gaskets, motor mounts, trans mount, front diff gasket, pcv valves, etc.
This will be my daily driver, as we see it, a comfortable and reliable vehicle that can go offroad and tow. But, if it gets bounced off a tree, or pin striped by brush, no big deal.

To start the rear window wouldn't move, and the hatch handle broke when I tried to open it after the test drive.
Ordered a new latch handle off Amazon with 1 day delivery.
Opened up the rear hatch this morning and after hitting the motor on the window a few times, cleaning the tracks and lubricating everything it started working, sweet!
The door latch handle was for sure broken, and not for the first time as I found broken bits from a previous repair.
I pulled it all apart in anticipation of getting the new one delivered and then the wife and I started cleaning the headliner, and wiping down the plastics. I found a fish cracker and some playing cards, collector value going up...

I had to leave in the afternoon, needed to get an oil change and I wanted to get the trans flushed. Also had to go pick up a soft top for the JKUR at a buddies house. So I rigged a piece of wood as a latch actuator and went to run errands. The oil was ok,but the trans fluid was nasty.

Picked up the top and my buddy and I admired how much room the sequoia has for activities, compared to the under hood space of a jk or jl it is incredible!

Got home and installed the new latch handle, had to epoxy some screw holes in the plastic, no biggie, the license plate surround is not load bearing...
Rear latch now works as designed, albeit doomed to fail as I ordered a stock plastic replacement from amazon. I do have a metal aftermarket version coming from ebay, and all the bolts to replace the 8 that were missing from the access cover panel... sigh.


Didn't get a lot of pictures today as it was damn hot. But here is what I have thus far.

Right now I am having issues with, suprise, an aftermarket alarm... everything works, except the doors don't want to lock. Remote start is wonderful though so I don't necessarily want to remove it.
I am ordering some ARB/OME stuff to replace all the suspension as it is possibly original. And I want to clear 285/75R16 tires without having to cut a bunch of sheet metal.
Started a dialog with a friend about bending some poop pipe for rock rail/step bars. Looking hard for a winch bumper and some day a dual swing out rear bumper.
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Pictures of the roof after cleaning and what the towels looked like.
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Broke

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116
Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
Sylvania headlight restoration kit arrived today, as did the LED conversion bulbs. Installed the bulbs, too hot to do the headlight and fog light restoration. Plus, it is supposed to rain tonight and the UV protectant needs 6 hours to cure before it gets wet.
No pictures as it is daylight...
Really impressed this truck has 3 sprayers per nozzle for a total of 6 windshield washer nozzles.
More to come...
 

Broke

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Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
Did the headlight restoration today, took far less time than the headlights on my wifes sienna. No before picture as I am sure we have all seen clouded headlights before. I will get an after picture in the morning.
First rock auto box arrived today, it is the struts for the wifes van... at least they sent a magnet!
 

Broke

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Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
Freshly shined up headlights:
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My neighbor originally told me about cleaning up older headlights, then I watched some videos on you tube, primarily the Project Farm video where he compared different kits.
Based upon his recommendation I bought the sylvania kit, at $19.95 on amazon it is a great deal.
Here are the pictures i took of my wifes sienna when i did the lights on it, really shows the transformation.
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The headlights for the sienna run about $150 each, the sequoia lights are cheaper at $50 each, but with a $20 kit and some elbow grease I can keep these out of the landfill, that is a win in my book.
 

Broke

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116
Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
Not much happening on the Sequoia, I have been working on getting my JKUR sold. I did go ahead and order some license plates today.
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I will be changing a sensor on the jk tonight, hopefully the last time I have to work on it, I have a guy coming to buy it saturday. Hopefully tomorrow I will be doing valve cover gaskets and plugs on the sequoia.
 
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Broke

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Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
Lots of projects today, replaced the blown front door speakers, and did spark plugs.

First the speakers, this is an SR5, without the JBL system. I was not 100% prepared for the difference as all the write ups I have found have been for the JBL systems. To start I ordered the Powerbass 700 7" speakers and the Metra wire harness adapters. What I found when I opened the door enclosure was a 1 piece speaker assembly with a 7" speaker. I have never seen anything like this before, but life is an adventure...
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So these new speakers have the same mounting depth as the factory speakers, but, they do not have a built in 3" spacer. A bit of studying and it occurred to me that I could make this work. First I cut out the old cone assembly from the housing, making a 7" speaker spacer.
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The problem then became that the spacer is hollow, saves material and makes it stronger. So I had nowhere to attach the new speakers.
Solution, fill the voids with 2 part epoxy and scrap nylon.
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Now I have a place to screw the new speakers on.
Once the epoxy set up it was a pretty quick and simple job to install the new speakers and mount them up.
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But... I left out what I found behind the driver side door panel...
After market alarm installed by drunk gerbils.

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I patched and soldered the broken wires, made sure everything else was connected and put it back together. Alarm/keyless entry still won't lock the doors, but it unlocks them most of the time.
Whoever installed this system had no clue what they were doing, yes, those are wire nuts and speaker wire...
So I may end up hiring a professional to un-fornicate this mess, hopefully I can keep the remote start.

Oh, stereo sounds way way better, tweeters are pretty well toast but new ones will be here in a few days. I also have replacement rear door speakers coming.
 

Broke

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116
Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
The next project for today was new plugs, I went with NGK because they are cheap and oem replacement according to rockauto.
A couple were nasty tight, a couple were finger loose, but they all came out and the new went in smoothly enough.
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The electrodes were pretty worn, these have been installed for quite a while.
I now need to watch my size 14 boot when accelerating, way more vroom vroom.

Next project is doing a sensor swap on the jk, then it goes away. Next project for the tree is valve cover gaskets and inspecting the timing belt. Then timing belt change, water pump, pulleys, serpentine belt, thermostat.

Then transmission filter and pan gasket.
Then I need to address the less than stellar braking performance of this thing. And replace the U-joints, and and and and...
Overall it runs and drives great, i got some used Yokohama geolanders with no miles on them for $400, they are 31" tall, so fill the huge wheel wells a bit better. Once i get the check for the JK i am ordering a budget boost/spacer lift, awning, snorkel and debating wheel spacers.

I also have LED lights coming for the gear indicator dash lights and all the interior lighting.
More to come.
 

Smileyshaun

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I love how you are breaking things down into car payments . I think a lot of people don’t realize what a rig actually cost in the long run and the fun you can have if you can turn a wench or two . Had a 07 sequoia and really liked it took it on a lot of fun trips in amazing comfort .
 
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Broke

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Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
So far I am indeed having fun. Haven't tackled the timing belt yet though, so that may change... lol!

I did the shift indicator dash cluster lights after the sun went down. Took about 15 minutes, and I now have a light telling me when I am in park, and another when I am in drive. I am debating replacing the backlights with red LED so it will be less obnoxious at night.
It is for sure a comfortable rig!
 

Broke

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Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
Timing belt, day one...

Started with a pile of parts, ended with an olde English bulldogge puppy... have to finish reassembling it tomorrow. New water pump is on, belt, hydraulic tensioner, idler. Tomorrow is the last of the covers/pulleys and reattach the accessories. New serpentine belt, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses and topping off the fluids.
Had to make 1 trip to the store for a harmonic tensioner puller. Thought I had one, I do now...

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Broke

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Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
Timing belt is done, fluids topped off, good to go.
I think, based upon service records, that this was the original timing belt. The belt had surface cracks but looked okay otherwise. The hydraulic tensioner and idler felt fine, but the water pump was weeping and the bearing was sticky/dragging. Now has new everything, job was not incredibly difficult. Took me about 8 hours or so, working at a mellow pace.
Should be good for another 175,000 miles...
 
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JollyJCobbinator

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Timing belt, day one...

Started with a pile of parts, ended with an olde English bulldogge puppy... have to finish reassembling it tomorrow. New water pump is on, belt, hydraulic tensioner, idler. Tomorrow is the last of the covers/pulleys and reattach the accessories. New serpentine belt, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses and topping off the fluids.
Had to make 1 trip to the store for a harmonic tensioner puller. Thought I had one, I do now...

View attachment 165243View attachment 165244View attachment 165245View attachment 165246
Nice electrolytes!
 
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persquank

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Timing belt is done, fluids topped off, good to go.
I think, based upon service records, that this was the original timing belt. The belt had surface cracks but looked okay otherwise. The hydraulic tensioner and idler felt fine, but the water pump was weeping and the bearing was sticky/dragging. Now has new everything, job was not incredibly difficult. Took me about 8 hours or so, working at a mellow pace.
Should be good for another 175,000 miles...
Always good to breath new life into a vehicle and keep it on the road.
 
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Broke

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116
Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
I have new loaded struts and rear shocks inbound from rock auto.
And I ordered a 100 series snorkel, 3" front 2" rear spacer lift, back up camera, dash camera with front/rear cameras, new tweeters for the front doors, an 8" slim powered subwoofer and some other comfort stuff.
Hope to get all that installed next weekend, this weekend is time to clean the garage.
 

Broke

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116
Blue Springs, MO, USA
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Adam
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G
Started working on sorting my communications setup yesterday. Installed a compact HAM where the ash tray was, and going to install a compact CB where the 3rd and 4th cupholders are, who really needs 4 cupholders for 2 seats???

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More to come, going to work on it this morning while it is cool out. Hoping to try my hand a destroying a fender tomorrow...