If he works for a dealer and he says $5k is "cost" he's lying or the dealer is ripping him off. Dealer value on an 01 is probably in the $1500 cash range. That being said biggest issue with the 3.0 V6 is oil burning. See my thread about oil consumption and PCV system reversal. I can say my own car has reduced oil consumption to what is now almost nil. Less than a qt between 5k oil changes. Also be aware Toyota changed the wheel bearings in I think 2005. If you ever need to do rear wheel bearings expect to spend between $500 and $800 PER SIDE. Yeah they're THAT hard to do. On the later ones it's almost "easy" but on early ones it's a nightmare. That being said they're pretty much bulletproof otherwise. Our own has just over 190K. Big ticket stuff to date. AC condenser, right rear wheel bearing, all front engine seals, new water pump, timing belt, idler and tensioner, new accessory belts, coolant flush. We bought ours a few years ago with similar miles and this is the stuff we've done. So we have spent about $2500 in repairs and maint on it most within the last year. Also my PCV mod brought oil consumption down from a qt every 300 miles to maybe 1 to 1.5 pints in 5000 miles. At just over 190k miles it still has all original parts in the front end (except for brake items). It still rides drives and handles solidly. I actually prefer the drive experience of it over my 2011 HL SE. Mostly because of the electric power steering of the latter. It's VERY numb feeling. Though I do love the performance difference of that 3.5 over the 3.0 plus it's more economical as well.
$5k seems a bit on the steep side also.

 

He got it for somewhere in the 2500 range, he needs to make something off of it. I've been looking online for similar, and 5800 would be a good asking price, he's looking to make 5500-6000 off of it, but I can buy it from him for 5.

Good to know on the repairs, thanks for the info.

This is the best current option in my $5K range; the other things out there are well over 200K miles; or they look like someone used it as a dumpster. I mean, there's a "nice" 2010 volvo v50, but it's a volvo... talk about expensive repairs. I really don't have a lot of options, figure a Toyota is my best long-term ride.

 

Agree sludge causing oil burning, stuck rings, dead cats, and clogged intake valves is biggest problem. Look for heavy black soot around the outside of the tailpipe. It may still run a long time, but is a sign of less than stellar maintenance.
Also look for oil leaks around the center and rear differentials which may mean they were run dry. Whine from them is a bad sign.
The center diff is a viscous clutch, so any difference in actual tire diameters can kill it.
Seems like a lot of money for a car that old. Parts are starting to go obsolete, but readily available in U-pull yards.

 

The center diff is a viscous clutch, so any difference in actual tire diameters can kill it.
Seems like a lot of money for a car that old. Parts are starting to go obsolete, but readily available in U-pull yards.

This is NOT true. It is a plain old open differential. It uses 80W 90 gear oil

 

Argue with TIS. It states The 2001 to 2003 are viscous coupling. The 2004 to 2007 is open differentials. Check the 2004 AWD notes

 

Too much money. Keep looking. Or don't go over $3 grand, so he makes a little money. He doesn't sound like much of a friend, actually. If he thinks he can sell it for more, more power to him.

 

I own a 2001 and there is DEFINITELY no fluid coupling. I used to have a 2006 and it and the 01 were interchangeable. Hell even my 2011 does not look different from my 2001. In 3rd gen HL they went to some type of viscous coupling for fuel saving

 

Look it up in the service manual. I have a as well, and I looked it up in the Toyota Factory service manual for the 2001. It identifCente

 

Believe what you like. They did not switch the driveline until 2013 or 14 and then put a different coupling so it could be "turned off" or "locked on". But 1st and second gens are full time AWD with no clutching of any kind just simple open differential and same goes for the Lexus as well

 

I would let this go but it may cost someone their car or an expensive repair. Unfortunately, it it a long explanation. This is the downside of crowd-sourcing auto repair information. The responses are not always grounded in documentation. First it is important to realize that there are major differences between the 1st Generation 2001-2003, which I call Gen 1A, and the 2004 to 2007, which I call Gen1B. The engines and transmissions changed. The power transfer in the AWD (which Toyota still called 4WD at the time) also changed in that the viscous coupler was removed.
There is much confusion around the transfer case on the 1st generation HL, probably because they changed it from 2003 to 2004. This fact is clearly stated on the Toyota Technical Information System (TIS). The last time I checked you can purchase a $20 2-day subscription online and check it out yourself. On page 556 of the "Highlander - New Features" in the 2004 New Features technical document it states:
"The 4WD model of the ’04 Highlander has discontinued the viscous coupling in the center differential."
I also have a 2001 and a 2005. I have the Toyota factory service manuals for both.
The 2001 manual exploded view on page 31-3 shows the transfer case ring gear mount as "center differential control cupring assembly."
The 2005 manual exploded view on page 31-3 shows the similar part as "transfer ring gear mounting case".
Clearly, there is a control in the first that is not mentioned in the second, which is consistent with the New Features documentation.
Further, the new features documentation states that the 2003 uses the MF2AV transfer case, and the 2004 uses the MF2A transfer case (notice the missing "V"). It further shows that the MF2AV has a viscous differential restrictor for the 2003 (and, by extension, the prior years) and no differential restrictor for the 2004 (which continued in later years). It also states that they are the same exterior case. That is why no one would be able to tell the difference looking on the outside. That is why some people who don't look at the documentation would believe there is no change. The viscous coupling is small a sealed unit inside the transfer case. Unless you disassembled both side by side you might not be able to tell the difference.
Both transfer cases use SAE 80W-90 API GL-5 gear oil. The viscous fluid is inside the sealed coupling. The small viscous coupling is the part which is not considered serviceable.
Toyota adds to the confusion by describing the center differential part of the AWD system separate from the ring and pinion rear transfer part. The center differential is lubricated by the automatic transmission fluid as is the front differential. The transfer ring and pinion in the transfer case are separately lubricated by the gear lube. Thus, the center differential is not independently serviced, but the transfer case is. There are 3 plugs in it.
Don't take my word for it. Pay your money and look it up for yourself on Toyota TIS. And don't feel bad about not knowing. The very large Toyota dealership I sometimes go to did not know until I showed them the Toyota documentation. Good luck.

 

fyi, I have an 04 v6 awd and it has the easy bolt on rear wheel bearings. I know it doesn't matter if you're looking at a 2001 but maybe this will help someone else.

 

That engine is one of Toyota's "sludge monsters" and should be avoided. Read this:

Vehicle Engine Sludge | Consumer Reports

 

So then riddle me this. (and BTW every parts breakdown I have seen on actual Toyota parts sites bare this out) why would this part fit all these vehicles going all the way back to 2001 Highlander AWD? 2007-2009 LEXUS RX350 2001-2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER TRANSFER CASE ASSEMBLY | eBay
And when I looked up parts breakdowns all they listed were basic hypoid gears (ring and pinion) with no locking mechanism. I truly think you're confusing 4 Runner with Highlander. When I changed the fluid in mine as well I peeked in there with mirror and flashlight and all there is are gears.

 

First, I do not use EBay as my authority for truth - for anything.
And even that reference does not call out the 2004-2007 HL, so they know it is different.
Next, looking at McGeorge Toyota parts online the 2001 to 2003 transfer case is 36100-48021 and the 2004 to 2007 transfer case is 36100-45012.
Not the same.
I don’t know what “Toyota parts site” you may be referencing. Can do send some representative links?

I have Highlanders and the Highlander manuals. I am not confusing the Highlander and 4Runner.

And as I stated above, the MF2A and the MF2AV look identical on the outside and almost identical on the inside. They both have bevel ring and pinion gears to transfer the power to the rear. The viscous coupling is a part of the ring gear carrier. Look it up in the manual. I think you may have a misconception about viscous coupling devices. Do some research. They are small sealed units which do not have external clutches that are visible.
If you are doing a part interchange for recycled auto parts the two transfer cases possibly interchange in a pinch. But they are not the same.
I usually agree with you but in this case you are not doing the work to find the facts from the official Toyota documentation.