Jacaranda

Hi All, I'm looking to upgrade to a reasonably priced head unit which is Android Auto compatible with a reversing camera. I would appreciate recommendations and DIY installation tips.

Got it thanks! Great video. 👍😊

Well I'm confused. The guy in the video is pointing out the difference between the pulleys. The upgraded water pump pulley sure looks like a petal shape to me. As I said, I have no mechanical experience 🤔

Just had a look and I got the petal pulley. I hope they didn't put a petal pulley on the old style water pump. 🤔🤣

Replacing the water pump would have been way beyond my capabilities 😬 Plus I don't have the tools or a trolley jack to lift the engine. I'm a DDIY - don't do it yourself - type of guy 🤣 I heard some years ago that Lube Mobile was acquired by Bridgestone but I don't know if that is still the case.

Back on the road 🙂 and for anyone interested, these were the prices I was quoted in Adelaide to replace the water pump: CMI Toyota which services my car quoted $1,230 using genuine parts. Serpentine belt extra subject to inspection. Unfortunately, they were not able to look at the car until next week. Two independent workshops quoted $1,000-$1,250 using non genuine parts but were booked out until next week. Ultra Car Care SA quoted $900 using a genuine water pump and a compatible SLL pink coolant. They were able to take the car immediately due to a covid cancellation. On inspection the serpentine belt needed replacing for an additional $140. Total job cost $1,040. They are a RAA approved repairer and road service contractor, so I was confident that they would do a top job. A special mention goes to Lube Mobile which quoted an astonishing $1,525 using non genuine parts. Serpentine belt extra subject to inspection. 🙄

Thanks Tony. My Aurion went in for a diagnosis and repair yesterday. It wasn't easy finding a workshop which could take it so soon. For example, my local Toyota dealership is booked solid this week and understaffed due to covid. When you say Toyota made an upgraded water pump, would that equate to better reliability? It appears that mine failed at 112,000 kms. I'm the second owner and the Aurion has always been serviced on time at a Toyota dealership. I'll post the outcome and pricing later today.

Good to know! Many thanks for your help 👍

Thanks for the information! Clever you, I had to ask the forum about replacing a radiator hose when I first thought that was the problem 🤣 I'm in Adelaide and will post my quotes tomorrow in case they are of interest to anyone.

Yes I believe you are correct. I idled the engine to normal operating temperature as per Lebo's recommendation. I detected a fine mist of coolant spraying from the vicinity of the water pump. When I turned the engine off, I could see coolant running from the vicinity of the water pump. So tomorrow I'll phone around for quotes and hopefully I won't need a second mortgage to pay for the work 😬

Thanks again! I'll try that when I get up today considering that it's Sunday and I can't get hold of a mechanic until tomorrow anyway.

Thank you so much for your reply. I removed the engine splash guard but couldn't see or feel any leaks around the bottom radiator hose. The bulk of the lost coolant appears to be directly under the pulleys and belt, so I have a horrible feeling that it is the water pump ☹️ Anyway, I will take your good advice and get a mechanic to diagnose it. Thanks again!

Hi Guys and Gals, A week or so ago I noticed that the coolant level in the overflow tank was a little low, so I topped it up. Usually it doesn't need topping up between 15,000 km services. Today I was driving and got a beeping and warning light on the instrument cluster. I noticed that the temperature gauge was in the hot zone. Fortunately, I was only 100 metres from home so kept driving. I popped the bonnet and noticed that the overflow tank was empty. The engine bay wasn't particularly hot and there wasn't any steam coming from the cooling system. An hour later, I filled the overflow tank with the engine running. The tank quickly emptied so I filled it again. I then noticed coolant dripping onto the garage floor from the engine splash guard. Looking into the engine bay, I could see coolant on the top of the splash guard where the bottom radiator hose is clamped to the radiator. Strangely, I couldn't see coolant actually dripping onto the top of the splash guard with the engine running. Assuming that the bottom radiator hose needs replacing, is it DIY? If not, approximately how much would I expect it to cost in a workshop? Could the leak be coming from anywhere else? I am praying that it's not the water pump because I believe that it is a mongrel to access and replace. 😬

Fantastic, thank you. They look great!

Correct Henstepper! Also there's the cost of removing the tyres, delivery and pick up from the powder coater and refitting the tyres. Not to mention the car being off the road for days. A new set of black alloys is looking like the cheaper and quicker option.

Thanks Tony, it never occurred to me that I could get the wheels powder coated. I'll get some quotes today 👍

Hi All, Just wondering if anyone has painted their Aurion alloys black with spray cans. I saw a 2010 Touring model parked with original alloys which had been sprayed in gloss black. It looked awesome. There are lots of videos on YouTube about the subject but I am mainly interested in getting some feedback on the brand of paint and its durability.

Hi guys, I have a 2008 Touring. My job often involves long periods sitting in my parked car. Is it a DIY job to rewire the stock radio so that it operates without the ignition switch being in the accessories position? The reason I ask is because I also have a dashcam which has a parking mode. When the ignition switch is in the accessories position, the dashcam operates continuously which is not what I want when I am parked and listening to the radio.

That looks awesome! Very happy with mine too, especially the parking lights.

They look very similar to the bulbs from Superior Vision and also have 2 years warranty, so good find. I couldn't justify paying $30 per bulb from Stedi. Time will tell if we have both bought reliable products for a fair price. Good luck with the installation and keep us posted.

UPDATE I bought the T10 bulbs from https://superiorvisionaustralia.com/ at one third the price of the Stedi bulbs. They have a two year replacement warranty and I'll keep you posted on how long they last. Replacing the reverse light bulbs was easy peasy and the LEDs have made a big improvement. Replacing the front parker bulbs is quite a task but thankfully I had excellent guidance from forum members. I would have found the job impossible without removing the wheel. The bulbs from Superior Vision fit perfectly and are bright enough to use as a DRL.

Thanks Donnot. I have been waiting for the Stedi LEDs to come on sale (probably won't happen) but I guess I'll just buy them.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10x-T10-194-168-SMD-5050-LED-Car-Wedge-Tail-Side-Parking-Light-Globe-12V-WHITE-/143360514721?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286 Just wondering if these are compact enough to fit into the parking light housing 🤔

Thanks Matt. I think I'll get two sets and do the reverse lights as well. The standard globes are useless.

Thanks Tony. Removing the wheel sounds like the way to go.