DJKOR

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This is correct in that all engines need to be run in, but this is done at the factory these days. There is no requirement to run in the engine on a new car that you have purchased. Some people just prefer to take it easy for the first few thousand kilometres or so, but in the end, it comes down to what you feel comfortable with. Some quotes for you, and a thread that is an interesting read: How To Break In Your Engine For More Power & Less Wear ! A lot of cars these days have effectively been run in before they even hand the keys over to you....so any "running-in" is irrelevant. However, it obviously does apply to freshly rebuilt engines. I visited a Toyota Engine assembly plant yesterday and saw every engine being run on the dyno (idle for a number of minutes to check for noises, then near max. RPM for an equal number of minutes). Not sure of the exact load pattern, but it would all be standard toyota practice.

Click on the link in the first sentence of his post. It is an aftermarket head unit, no particular brand.

Thank you so much Michael. Those photos are f***ing brilliant.

No Fault Found.

Roof racks?

Well, that entire service only cost me $250 so it was definitely worth it.

I probably should have been more specific. I'm aware of what those two are (thanks for explaining though), but from the looks of my intake, do you think it would be worth trying in the first place? Or it is something that needs to have something supporting it to get something measurable.

Okay, so if anyone out there decides to take on the task of changing the spark plugs on their Aurion, then here are some pointers to get you going. Detailed instructions can be found in the service manuals but for those that just need an push in the right direction, these photos may help. Like with my DIY oil pipe guide, these following guide is written with the assumption that if you are taking on this task, you would be able to figure out how to take parts of the car apart (ie. you would know how to search for nuts and bolts that hold certain pieces of trim on the car). Firstly, take the engine cover off and locate the intake surge tank (plenum) and the 4 bolts and 2 nuts that hold the front of it on: Then remove the upper intake resonator and disconnect any hoses (vacuum lines and coolant lines for the throttle body) and electrical cables that are connected to the intake plenum and throttle body: Now before the intake plenum can come off, there are two more bolts holding it to the engine. These are located at the rear of the plenum. The one located on the right side (first photo) can be removed easily by entering in from where the upper resonator was. The one on the left though (second photo) is in a pretty tight space blocked by the brake fluid reservoir: If you can't figure out a way to remove the second bolt, then you will need to perform the following steps. Firstly remove your wipers and the plastic trim underneath it: Then remove the wiper motor and undo all nuts and bolts holding the metal tray/trim in place. You will then be left with plenty of space to work with: From here, you can now remove that intake plenum: Then you just change your spark plugs as per normal, clean up around the intake etc (even clean the plenum out with throttle body cleaner because it will be dirty), put on some new intake plenum gaskets, and reverse the procedure.

I'd like to retract my statement from before and say that the chance of changing the spark plugs without removing the intake plenum (referred to as surge tank in the manual), is pretty damn slim. Hehehe, got mine for $118 a set. But yeah, the tips of my plugs were in great condition. It's good to know it was working well. Kudos to them for managing to get that bolt off without removing the windscreen hardware. I tried everything to get around it but just couldn't. I had to resort to the service manual method. Speaking of which, I will do a quick guide (a rough one) to show what to do to access the spark plugs on the rear bank. Refer to next post.

Nup. I liked it from the start plus I can barely use Photoshop, so modifying it wasn't my concern.

Changed her oil, oil filter, spark plugs, and brake fluid. Then cleaned out her entire intake with some throttle body cleaner. Then just had a good look around for anything lose or out of the ordinary. Then road tested her to make sure everything was alright. 90,000km service complete. Damn I love the feel of a freshly serviced car. Feels clean just seeing this:

Good effort there. Unfortunately I still prefer the one made by 'bok' in June 2008. I am still using this one to this date. As a matter of fact, I have even included this splash screen already installed into the appropriate folders in my iGO8 update download available in that thread as well. That way, anyone who downloads it won't need to modify anything. I even included a TRD background for the menus.

Yet another stupid question from me. I keep hearing about a port and polish etc and how it can possibly give gains depending on the situation. I was just curious, is it worth doing something like that to the Aurion? It looks a bit rough in there, but that's just how I see it:

So usually when exploring new territory with my car, I like to think of ways to do it myself. If after a while of thinking, I can't figure it out, I will look at the service manual. If the procedure looks un-necessarily lengthy, I will try to think of shortcuts. Unfortunately in this case, the service manual wins. There are two bolts holding the intake plenum to the engine at the rear. One of these I managed to remove thanks to my tiny hands and wrists. The other one however has no shortcut. For those wondering what is involved just to change your spark plugs.... this should give you an idea. I kid you not: Then you can finally take the intake plenum (surge tank) off:

Despite being the same paint code, there tends to be some variations I have noticed. For example, I have noticed the Wildfire Mica on a Camry has a different look to it when compared to the same colour on the Aurion.

My theory is that is has to do with having load on it while it is cold. I'm no expert on the subject, but I would imagine that when the engine is cold and the clearances are greater in the engine, having a load on it will make everything run more balanced reducing wear. I dunno, just a theory.

Message acknowledged.

For future reference, we have this forum on the board: Wheels & Tyres This would be a better place to ask such a question. There has been some discussion on this nitrogen thing already, but someone didn't name the thread appropriately. It can still be found by doing a board wide search for 'nitrogen'. You will find good answers like this: Helium in tyres A couple of sites which compare nitrogen vs air for tyre inflation: http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2007...-nitrogen-.html http://www.toyo.com.au/TechInfoPDFs/TTT-17...20Inflation.pdf http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive...to/4302788.html Reasons used as arguments for nitrogen are: Nitrogen bleeds through the rubber slower than oxygen so pressure loss over time is less with nitrogen than air. Nitrogen has a higher specific gas constant than oxygen and therefore exhibits less pressure change with increased temperature (volume and mass being equal). Nitrogen also has a higher specific heat than oxygen so it therefore takes more heat energy to increase its temperature. Combining these two properties means that pressure in nitrogen filled tyres will increase less than air filled tyres. The pressure will still change in the tyre due to increased tyre temperature from rolling friction as described by Gay-Lussac's Law Nitrogen fills use equipment that minimises water vapour in the gas, whereas most air fill stations don't filter water vapour and may not properly bleed air lines of water. This can result in water in the tyres. Having water in tyres is more weight to move around therefore increased fuel consumption. Reduced oxygen content inside tyre reduces oxidation of rubber and extends tyre life. Bottom line of argument is all of the above reduces variation in tyre pressure and therefore provides better tyre life and fuel consumption. However the practicality of using nitrogen in the tyres of everyday cars I would think is pretty limited. Every time you want to fill your tyres you would need to go to a specific nitrogen fill station and pay for the privilege. Compare that to air where you can just go down to the local service station and fill for free. Also if you need to change your tyre pressure regularly, for example when going off road, you would need to carry a nitrogen fill station with you, which I imagine is going to be far more expensive than a small portable compressor from one of the discount auto outlets. If you are racing where every little bit of performance counts, or your own a fleet of vehicles with your own facility for nitrogen fills then it is probably worth it. As an individual with one vehicle that is your daily drive then it will probably cost more than what you would save on tyres and fuel. Best bet is to check the air pressure in your tyres regularly and fill up for free at the local servo.

Ive made a reply to this before, so I will repost: Cold Start This is also what others on this board have recommended in previous threads. Here is a thread started in 2007 as well which contains about the same idea: V6 Engine REVS When Cold

Go to an auto store and ask if they can order in tools from 'T&E Tools'. Repco is one place that can do this. The part number is 'HC6567'. Essentially it is a cap/cup style oil filter wrench which covers 65 & 67mm. You will be looking to pay about $20-$30 for it. unique: Great to hear your issues have been fixed.

So will you be there so I can get rid of my springs? Don't you have an Aurion you can drive?

Drove here around for a bit. Made her cough up some error codes. Had them cleared then picked up some goodies (spark plugs, oil, oil filter, brake fluid, intake gaskets, sump plug gasket, throttle body cleaner) all in preparation for her big 90,000km service tomorrow. Then gave her a nice bath ready for tonight's meet. Dealer service quote: $650 (with me supplying oil and brake fluid) Service parts cost: $250 Labour: Free thanks to a day off tomorrow.