KKVs Rav4 project

Ded_Zebra

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

Brake fluid should be a pissy yellow colour, if it's black change it immediately! I cannot stress enough how tyres and brakes aren't just "grand" as you say. They are the most important thing to check regularly on a car and by the sounds of it yours have been neglected.

If the belt is squealing and can not be tensioned further replace it. If it breaks you'll be left on the side of the road.

The 'grand' remark was me just being a bit 'Irish' in a sarcastic sense.

The tyres are pretty fine on the car. I'd be relatively, mildly clued into them (as I can actually see them). I changed the wheels around on it not too long ago (front to back and back to front) and they were grand, but I do know the front ones will be on their way out soon enough.

They're not too bad at the moment (theyre fine, actually).


The belt is more a case of not really knowing what to do or how to replace it, so just taking it one step at a time.



That said, I don't know if ye guys can diagnose this, but I do have a problem with the back right wheel. When I'm moving very slowly (~5kp/h) the back right wheel squeals/squeaks on every rotation. It usually disappears after a bit of driving, but it's always there.

I said it to my mechanic before and he reckoned it could be dust or dirt trapped in the brake pad or such, so he used a compressor to blow air into it and belted it with a hammer a few times, loosened it etc. and it was, to be fair, gone for a couple of days, but it seems to be back now.

It's a minor thing and I wouldnt go to a lot of hassle over it, but if there's a quick fix for whatever it may be, I'd be tempted to try something.

toyotaavensis

Could be a back caliper sticking

toyotaavensis

toyotaavensis wrote: »

Could be a back caliper sticking

I'll have to take a wee look at it when I'm at it tomorrow. See, I've had the wheel off the car before and nothing looked out of place, but was always afraid to start interfering with anything that's down there (brake shoes, pads, etc.. mostly as i havent a clue what's actually going on in there at all).


I also have a squeaky clutch pedal. Would that just be a case of oiling something? (when i first got the Rav, it made a squeaky noise when changing gear stick around, whether car was running or not. Mechanic oiled up something in the engine bay and it hasn't squeaked since). Wondering if the same could be done for clutch pedal.

(I think im relatively lucky that those are my only real problems though).

toyotaavensis

My clutch has been squeeky for over 30000 miles and probably long before that when the previous owner had it. You can ignore it. I saw on forums lads saying to spray bits of the pedal and cylinder with wd40 but that seems like a bad idea to me.

toyotaavensis

toyotaavensis wrote: »

My clutch has been squeeky for over 30000 miles and probably long before that when the previous owner had it. You can ignore it. I saw on forums lads saying to spray bits of the pedal and cylinder with wd40 but that seems like a bad idea to me.

I'll try to ignore it, but i know that once i fix the belt and squeaky wheel, it'll eat away at me having a squelchy pedal.

I'll end up cracking up listening to it

toyotaavensis

I ll look up those links i found with lads suggesting fixes for it but like i said i am slow to recommend them.

toyotaavensis

i forgot to suggest you check the pressure in your spare and grease the jack

Right, so ive successfully changed the oil. And I have the wrong air filter. I can live with buying a new one.

However I'm stuck at the moment. The spark plug wrench (I think its called) is too big to actually fit down into the spark plugs. It's diameter is too big. It just gets stuck.

The socket set has the right size, but it can't reach the whole way in. It's about 50mil too short.

I've played with the different combinations in the set and ibe tried jamming a socket onto the wrench tool and I'm at a loss. I figure the socket set isiintentionally designed to give this problem (as it's a cheapo set?) and I must just have the wrong spark plug wrench for my car?

toyotaavensis

You should be able to take the air filter back and have it replaced.
How long is the wrench?

I got the filter online off micks garage so it'd be too much hassle changing it. I'll see if it fits a focus or megane (dad and brothers cars).

Socket has a piece that extends it's length by about 2.5 inches. But by luck, I managed to find the same piece again in the house (albeit older and rusted). So with the two of them together it fit. Thankfully.

toyotaavensis

I would email them and say they sent out the wrong thing put in a photo of what they sent you incl the part number so they know they sent it to you.
They will probably not bother asking you to send it back and just send out the right one.

I don't think they did send out the wrong thing though, I think I might have just bought the wrong thing.

I went back to the screen prints from micks garage and searched for the code off that air filter and they don't seem to have it anymore But, I'll live. I'll see if I can get it used in another car and if not I'm sure I'll find someone who could use it (once I figure out what car it actually does fit).

Here's the one from the Rav and the one I got off Mick's:





I have to say though, that, all in all, the 'service' I gave the car, although frustrating in parts with the air filter not being right and the spark plugs/socket set giving me hassle.. it didn't really seem that difficult all in all. Scary initially as I was afraid of accidentally destroying something and it's always a bit nerve wrecking trying something new, but I don't think I'd ever be giving it to a mechanic to do in future.

I'd obviously still use a mechanic a lot for any other real issues, but for servicing from here on, if every car is as straight forward as the Rav, I'm laughing.


I do have to admit that getting under it was an enormous pain in the ass, so I'd advise anyone that would be considering doing their own service to spend a fortune on some car ramps from halfords or such, or a good jack to raise the car. Or do what I did, and use some rubber mats for under the wheels;




I had more put away in a different shed, so i just used what I had handy, and they helped raise the car an extra 4-5 inches (which, although a small amount, made a world of difference).


From looking in my engine bay, I could only really see two different fluids. Power Steering and Brake fluid. I also made a mistake, the brake fluid isn't black at all, it's the pissy kinda colour ye described. I was mixing it up with the power steering fluid. Both of them are just a small bit above 'max' on their respective bottles.





I also got oil all over the ground when I was trying to drain it:





And when I refilled it, I went to the 'max' on the dipstick, but, as a poster here advised, after running the engine for a few minutes, it went down a bit, so I filled it to max again. But I still had a tiny bit of oil left, so i just put it all in (and now it's above the max, but literally only by 3-4mm. Barely noticeable and Im sure it won't ruin the car.


The tyre pressure head thingy on the compressor is knackered. It works, but the needle on the psi markings is jammed a little, so i couldn't get an accurate idea of the tyre pressure. I did take off the front right wheel though and attempt to look at the brake pads/discs, but wasn't really sure what i was looking at really, so I gave up and moved on. I'll have to youtube that.


Can I ask, if I wanted to fill the screen washer i can pick up some readymade stuff in tesco, halfords, etc. for feck all.

What do I use to top up the radiator out of curiousity? I know I need brake fluid, power steering fluid etc. as that's what's wrote on them, but radiator doesn't actually have any content written on it. Just a warning saying not to open it when hot. It's hardly water (like a traditional radiator)?

toyotaavensis

Water will do for the screen wash. I get a little bottle of luminous yellow stuff made by holts at the motor factors and add it to the water. It is 1.50 a bottle.

I use antifreeze to top up the radiator. What is in your radiator is a mix of antifreeze and water. Note dont mix colours of coolants. Some bottles say you can but you will end up with a ****ty brown colour. If the coolant is dirty you wont be able to tell that it is dirty. Others will probably disagree with this statement though.

toyotaavensis

By the way, I think you should start posting what you are doing in the today I did something to my car thread for the jobs you are doing.

toastedpickles

toyotaavensis wrote: »

By the way, I think you should start posting what you are doing in the today I did something to my car thread for the jobs you are doing.

Agreed, everyone would be able to help you more, and give you more advice on what to do, that's mainly how i learned!

I was posting in there when I was first looking fir advice on servicing the car, but after a but if conversation and back and forthing, Colm moved the posts on here to see how the 'oriject' thread would develop (and, I suppose, to see if 'project' threads would become a but more popular/common?).

It can feel a bit restrictive, as obviously only a small amount of people will look At a Rav-specific thread, but in saying that, I've gotten help on pretty much everything so far, really.

That said, as soon as I mentioned servicing 2-3 posters suddenly appeared to offer advice, that I hadn't really talked to before. So maybe there are a few people randoming in and out of this thread out of the thread?

colm_mcm

Absolute work away on the other thread KKV, was more experimental to see how it would look/work

There is also a "how to service your car" thread.

Ah I'll probably skip and jump in and out of the other threads a small bit here and there, but overall I dont mind sticking to my own little thread, where I can put my feet up in comfort. Nothing like having your own thread to go to. Thread, sweet, thread. haha.

I have to be honest, though, and say the "how to service" thread made me feel a little more intimidated about doing it. I know it's a helpful thread and well intentioned, but I found the process easier than that thread made it look (if that makes any sense).

toyotaavensis

You'll be surprised how quickly you will go from being the lad looking for help to the lad giving out advice.

Well once I figure out how to do something I'd always be happy to help anyone else.

But sure that's the circle of boards

On the nudge bar front, it would appear that there aren't two different nudge bars at all!

I took a stroll into my local Toyota Dealer to ask about it (and to also see if I could get a lend of a jeep to shoot). Turns out that the nudge bar with the steel at the bottom aswell, isn't actually a nudge bar at all.

It's just a single strip of steel along the bottom that you can buy separately. Part number PZ415-XO951-01 and it's called a 'Lower Chrome Garnish'.

Their computer system (which the guy showed me) has a seemingly never ending list of accessories on it for the car, but it doesn't seem to be available online anywhere unfortunately!
You'd think that Toyota would still have these on their main site, considering they're still selling them. Madness.

Anyway, it turns out it's about €80 all in for it, and it is affixed by double sided tape (like the chrome covers.. the strongest tape in the world!)


I wont be getting it for a few weeks as I've a few bills here and there, but I will definitely be picking it up along the way, that's for sure.

Anyone any idea where I'd need to go to to see this:

Is that looking up from the ground under the car? (I also have the squeaky clutch of doom).

I also have two separate annoying rattles from the dash that I need to sort out. One is (apparently) likely to do with the cowl on front of the car having a clip broken on it somewhere or such, so I'll take that off, I reckon, and take a mooch under it. It's like a 'chirp' (as its been described on another forum). A high-pitched squeak that only seems present when the front left (wheel?) of the car hits rough terrain.

The other i cant seem to figure out what it could be. It's like a dull, slow grinding kind of noise (poor description of what its like, i know) and seems intermittent.


I've had these before and they went away for about 6-8 weeks. Now they're back and annoying me again. They must die!

Just popped into my local Toyota Dealer and ordered the lower chrome garnish. Said he'd have it on Friday. Looking forward to sticking 'er on (well, actually, I'm dreading the application process, but looking forward to having it on the car already).

toyotaavensis

post up a pic when done

I will indeed.

I have myself convinced that I seen some wheel spacers that were about 1" in size, for around €60 somewhere. It was a set of two (I won't touch the front wheels, not at the moment, anyway), but i can't seem to find something like that again.

Everything I'm seeing is over €130 or so now, for a set of two at 1" or so. Hmm.. I think I screwed myself out of something along the way there.

Toyotafanboi

200mm spacers for €70, but you'd need extended studs, so probably over €100 by the time you're done. had to get 4 studs for a yaris from toyota, they were €2 each so probably little more for a rav.

Where are you getting that price, fanboi? (and presumably you mean 20mm? I doubt your wheels were 7ft out from the car? :P )



Without the Lower Chrome Garnish:





With the Lower Chrome Garnish:






In the photos it ain't too great looking (though still an improvement). In person, though, it's fantastic. Very eye catching, for such a small piece. Because it's so shiny, and directed upwards, it catches the sun/sky really well, and looks like it's gleaming as you pass the front of it. Very pleased with it, all in all. Was afraid I might regret getting it, but definitely a noticeable improvement.



I think a grill, with a small little bit of chrome on it, would be a nice investment now too, to really pull the whole look together at the front. I found one before but can't seem to find it again. Will have to have a mooch through this thread again (pretty sure it was posted on one of the previous pages).

colm_mcm

Badgeless black mesh grille.
Too much chrome isn't a good thing.

Looking class now with the painted bar and all that.



....type stuff

To be honest, I don't like the look of the plain black mesh. I think it looks like there's something missing from the car, or that the owner broke something and fired some mesh in to keep him ticking over til he gets it fixed or something. I know a lot of people love it, but I just don't see the appeal, in my completely honest opinion.



I was thinking something more along the lines of this kinda grill:





Can I ask you, though, Colm... The diesel and petrol Ravs seem to have slightly different variances on them (wheel arches, for example). Will a diesel bonnet (with the scoop/flare/whatever it's called) fit a petrol Rav, do you know? They look the same, but hard to tell.

colm_mcm

Diesel bonnet will fit no bother. You'd have to block off the intake or you'll have a wet engine
The diesel scoop feeds into an intercooler for the turbo.

Diesels have wider wheels so have wheelarch extensions .

In some obscure specs you'll get 1.8s with wide bodies and diesels with narrow bodies.


Those grilles you like look gack though.

My logic is that the focal point of the front of your rav is the chrome bits on the A-bar and the "Rav4" script. Chrome on the grille will just take from that.