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2002 RAV4 with 147000 miles, how to keep it going.

1.5K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  ErnestT  
#1 ·
Greetings rav4 enthusiasts, I have a 2002 RAV4 L with 147000 miles on it. It runs great, and It has had regular oil changes, fresh battery, brakes last year, a new ECM, a new gas tank because the old one rusted out, replaced the exhaust system twice (and I can see that another replacement is coming soon) and has relatively new tires. The serpentine belt was replaced at 90K and trans fluid was replaced at 75K.
It’s currently driven about 100 miles a week, by this could increase to double that by the summer. All local driving, little to no highways.

I’m trying to baby this thing along so I can get it to 200000 miles and am looking for opinions on the most important maintenance items to have done to it. I’m on a budget, and have no idea how to prioritize what needs to be done. What do you folks recommend as the most important things to do now to get me to 200,000?
 
#3 ·
If ATF filter has not been replaced, I would do that, then drain/refill every 30K or a flush every 70K.
Coolant should be replaced every 50K. And if hoses have not been replaced, I would do that at next coolant change, along with thermostat and radiator cap.
A brake and PS fluid flush is not a bad idea.
 
#5 ·
If you have the 2AZ-FE you might look into using full synthetic oil and keeping intervals no longer than 5,000 miles. The later versions of this motor were notorious for oil consumption, but the earlier ones are not invulnerable. Good quality oil and short intervals go a long way to preventing issues.

You should also look into replacing or cleaning the oil control valve strainer. These typically have a service interval of around 100,000 and many, many owners do nothing to maintain them. They filter oil being pumped into the head to actuate the VVTi phaser. The catch is, some of the camshaft bearings rely on this oil supply. So if this strainer is clogged, not only does VVTi not work, but bearings experience oil starvation.

If it is the 2AZ-FE, the OCV strainer will be on the firewall side of the motor near the front (serpentine) end of the motor. It is behind a plug that is found in the block behind the PS pump. It is a pain to replace, but it is vital to the longevity of your motor. It's safe to assume that any motor from any manufacturer with hydraulic VVT will need this taken care of.

I failed to maintain the OCV strainer on my 2AZ-FE RAV4, and am currently in the middle of a full rebuild to correct the carnage that resulted from this failure. I know on mine the PS pump was also leaking, so it's a good opportunity to replace all the internal seals since it has to come of anyways.