93 J30 Tension rod Bushing & inner Tie rod dust boot

[lfootmatt]

93 j30

Had it about a week. 83K, need Tension rod bushing and inner tie rod dust boot replacement on the passenger side. Pre- purchase engine oil and transmission fluid analysis was perfect!

Question is this:

Since I'm going to have to take the tie rod end off to do the boot can I get away with paint marking the threads and not doing an alignment? Or should I do an alignment anyway. If align, 2 or 4 wheel.

Timing belt was done at 36K in 98, is there any way I can tell if it is the updated kevlar belt? If I take off an upper cover will I be able to see the part number? I know it was done early, but honestly when I look at the service history printout it looks like it was either done under warranty or along with a bunch of other aggressive maintenance. Tech said it was cracking, given the way things made of rubber die early in Arizona it doesn't surprise me.

Other than these minor things, it rides like a lead sled. Drove it home from Phoenix to Tucson and it was a pleasure to drive.

I'm replacing our soon to be retired 86 Accord LXI Beater car(2 door hatch). In the family since new, 250K miles, never in side the transmission (manual) and never in the engine in spite of 2 snapped timing belts (1st over mileage, before I was responsible for maintaining it, 2nd was premature ~ 45K!). Still runs good but the AC died and all of the suspension grease boots have rotted out since getting to AZ. I'm not going to fix it any more.

I think the J30 will carry the family as faithfully as the Honda has, and in much greater style and comfort (Me 6'4 wife 6'4 and 2 boys) 4 doors will be nice! The J looks so nice! very lightly driven by a female driver. Sorry guys, but Testosterone kills cars!

Does this thing have 250K+ in it?

Thanks, Matt

[Q45tech]

Any Japanese car will last 300,000 miles as long as you replace wear items and oil and filter every 90 days, all other fluids annually.A Honda can be as low as 8 cents per mile [$24,000] a Q or Lexus Ls 400 can be as high as 14 cents [$42,000].........in 300k!

My guess is the J30 cost around 10 cents per mile to maintain WELL.

Tires are always the variable since type and balance and alignment frequency are up to the owners perfection level.

Some spend $1,000 a year, some a prorated $450 on tire and tire related expenditures.

[lfootmatt]

Q45 Tech,

Thats what I'm looking for! It is a sweet ride! Even a 93 seems very refine compared to a similar mileage Accord or Camry (1996+) for more money. Based on my calculations, a 4 door Camary or Accord running 87 octane is around $300 a year cheaper to run Vs. my J30 running 91 octane. That was based on an average mileage estimate and breaking it down to cents per mile in fuel cost for 15K per year. I can pay $300 a year for such a nice ride! I'm getting 22mpg so far. still way better that my alternative, a 2001, 3/4 ton, 8.1L, 4.10 gear having beast 10 - 12 mpg! However, The J won't be pulling my boat either.

What about the Timing belt. Would the dealership have put a 60K belt on in 1998? I feel like I need to know!!!

Thanks, Matt

[cweberj30t]

They would have replaced it with a kevlar reinforced one. I wouldn't worry about it.

[mersidoe]

You're both 6'4" and you fit OK in the J30? My boyfriend is 6'2" and he hates mine! (I drive it anyway.) He says he hits the roof. Does yours have a sunroof? Do they all?

[VimyJ]

With those adjustable seats, anyone should be able to find a comfortable driving position in a J. I tilt the seat and lower the seat back. More of an F1 driving positon than a NASCAR one.

All Js have the sunroof. Thinking of using yours so your boyfriend can keep is head from hitting the roof?

How is your anti vibration mission comong along?

[mersidoe]

Maybe it's not just the height - it't the fact he's more of a "truck guy." But he grunts and groans and complains when he has to "fold himself" into my car!

The vibration mission is on hold while I deal with the ailing Toyota, the missing washing machine (my old one died and we haven't been able to find a good one to fit in the small space) and other mundane, but very time consuming problems I have been experiencing lately.

I did, however, find a 97 J30 that I have been lusting over, but due to the problems stated above, I haven't been able to do anything about that, either. (Less miles and the possiblity of an extended warranty.)

[VimyJ]

Maybe you should let the boyfriend drive your J so he can see how much he's missing in his truck as the J slices through corners. The J is quite a low slung vehicle that's for sure.

If you get a well maintained J, I'm not sure that an extended warranty is worth it. The only thing that could go wrong might be the transmission but you would have that throughly inspected before buying, right? Otherwise, the J is pretty much bullet proof. Suspension components can be expensive but that wouldn't be covered under a warranty anyway. The engines are famously trouble free if maintained. I have never even heard of a J starter failing.

[lfootmatt]

mersidoe,

Yes we are both tall, I fit okay. Head room in not a problem, however, a true tilt sterring wheel would make entry and exit much easier.

I'm a truck guyas well, 01 3/4 ton Suburban With an 8.1L, but at 12 mpg on a good day I'll drive the J for a while!

Matt

[cweberj30t]

I have never even heard of a J starter failing.

Mine did. Flywheel stripped the gears right off it. Better the starter than the flywheel I guess.

[VimyJ]

Mine did. Flywheel stripped the gears right off it. Better the starter than the flywheel I guess.

Well, I stand corrected. In the years I have read posts both here and on the old Yahoo site, your's is the first case I can recall. I guess that's a good thing.

Sounds like the starter motor was working though in order to get the gears stripped off. The solenoid might have forced the gear into a running flywheel.

A typical starter failure occurs when the motor or solenoid wears out. If the solenoid starts to wear out, it may not fully extend the gear to the flywheel causing it to slip and stripping the gear. The gear is designed to fail before stripping the flywheel as it is made of softer metal.

[maxnix]

Now the big question: Was the starter and solenoid OEM?

[cweberj30t]

A typical starter failure occurs when the motor or solenoid wears out. If the solenoid starts to wear out, it may not fully extend the gear to the flywheel causing it to slip and stripping the gear. The gear is designed to fail before stripping the flywheel as it is made of softer metal.

You got it. It was OEM. I have the feeling the person that owned it before me turned the key a couple of times when it was running. After all it was a woman.

P.S. The ignition switch doesn't rebound very well, which probably didn't help either.