How to make my toyota last; vehicle longevity

Maintenance/Repairs
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I would say to skip the valve lash adjustment. An engine that old isn’t likely to tighten up on the clearance. The valves are about as worn into the seats as they can get. That wear is what tightens the valve lash. Keep the four wheel alignment from going too far off and the car won’t put any strain on the engine or drive train. Check for battery cable condition.

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My issue with Toyota is its maintainability. Ours has developed an issue with oil pressure and, according to the book, engine removal is through the bottom which requires a hoist which few do-it-yourselfers can access.

Suggestions?

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" OK..OK...I for the K.....234K miles.... " Mike, I Think You Forgot The Got !

I must be getting old…

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My issue with Toyota is its maintainability.

I wouldn’t lump that as an issue with ALL Toyota’s. You can look back through years and find much worse examples…Late 70’s Chevy Mazda with the V8 you had to loosen the engine mounts and raise the engine to get to the back 2 spark plugs out…My GMC S-15…replacing the valve cover gaskets (which was an on-going task) was one of the worse valve cover jobs I ever did. My wifes 96 Accord…the fuel filter was so buried it was almost impossible to get.

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@kenberthiaume - I’d get the EGR fixed, including whatever passages need cleaning. Keeping the engine in great shape is step one in “How to make my Toyota last”. If you really want it to last for several more years, fix the problems.

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@hueco a very, very small percentage of car owners have the tools and knowhow to remove an engine, whether through the bottom or the top. Designing a car to make engine removal feasable for a DIYer would be a waste of time… There just aren’t enough of us out there to worry about such things.

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THanks. I want to, but I’m hoping for just a $100 repair or so. I thought they could take it off and “clean it”. Soak it in gasoline or something. That’s about my limit. I don’t want to spend big money on an 18 year old car.

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Hueco, allow me to suggest that you initiate a new thread. When two different threads are merged, the answers get crossed up. Include in your question the make, model, year, mileage, and maintenance history (if known) as well as any other symptoms or relevant history. We’ll be able to help yo much better that way.

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@MikeInNH
"Feel better…8*)"
What I do feel good about is knowing my 04 Runner with many fewer miles could have a lot more life left in it.