Suggested Maintenance at 83K?

[OSUCowboy27]

My 2003 3.3L has about 83K on it. At 76K, I change plugs & wires. I have been changing oil and filter about every 5k miles, air filter every 20K. I am getting ready to change fuel filter and have front alignment. I am going to change the coolant and belt at 100K. Any suggestions on when to change trans. fluid and does my van require a 4 wheel alignment or just the front 2?

[Bernard Feltzer]

Your van should not require any alignment unless front struts were changed.
Transmission fluid and filter should be changed every 30,000 miles. use atf-4 only, some say they have good luck with Amsoil synthetic.
Change your power steering fluid. Lubricate lower ball joints.
Check rubber boots on CV joints and tie rod ends.

[OSUCowboy27]

Originally Posted by Bernard Feltzer

Your van should not require any alignment unless front struts were changed.
Transmission fluid and filter should be changed every 30,000 miles. use atf-4 only, some say they have good luck with Amsoil synthetic.
Change your power steering fluid. Lubricate lower ball joints.
Check rubber boots on CV joints and tie rod ends.

Well, I have not changed struts but it has gentle pull to right. I have new tires and do not want to ruin them.

I have added ATF-4 to both PS and trans but both look good. Trans fluid smells fine but will change in the future along with PS. I think my manual says that the Trans fluid never needs changed but I would have to look again.

I check boots on CV joint every oil change but how do you lubricate lower ball joints. I do not have any zerks to grease.

[RIP]

Here's the recommended maintenance schedule. You may need to redo your data to get the correct info: http://www.edmunds.com/maintenance/maintenance.do

I would think you have 100K mile platinum plugs installed. Shouldn't have to change them till then. I changed mine at 106K. They looked like they could have gone another 106K. Still has original plug wires at 197K miles.

I'm in the "Always get a 4 wheel alignment no matter what car you have" crowd. That said, you should only get it aligned after any suspension component changes or if you notice pulling or bad tire wear patterns. You said your van is pulling right. Move to the left side of the road. If it still pulls right then consider an alignment. Pulling right in the right lane could be caused by the hump built into many roads to aid drainage. It makes the van lean slightly right in the right lane.

I make a habit of rotating tires every other oil change which is around every 10K miles. Helps even out treadwear.

Nearly all ball joints these days are permanently lubricated and don't require additional lubrication, hense, no zerks.

EDIT - When you change the coolant I would change all the hoses and the t-stat and rad cap too.

ANOTHER EDIT - If you live in a rainy or high humidity area, you might consider changing the brake fluid. It traps moisture and can lead to binding calipers and master cylinder, ABS problems. More often than every 5 years is too often (in my very humble opinion).

[vgb14]

I make it a practice to change my oxygen sensor every 80k miles as they tend to start getting "lazy" with age

[Bernard Feltzer]

Nothing wrong with getting your aligment checked if it is pulling to right after new tires. I have never had that problem yet.
The only car I know that needs a 4 wheel alignment is a Corvette.
I have taken that car, had it aligned at the dealer on their computerized alignment machine, driven the car to another place, had them check alignment and they say it is off so much it ain't funny.
The dealer's machine must be screwed up, tires wore out 500 miles later.
Had new tires and alignment done by some redneck goobers in S.C. where all the high school dropouts watch NASCAR their whole life, they did a good job, but I wouldn't want to live there in Baptist hillbilly alley.
Most ball joints have a hole to screw in zerk fittings.

"Trans fluid never needs changed on a mini van with the 4 speed tranny?" Now that's funny !

[Stretch58]

Originally Posted by OSUCowboy27

My 2003 3.3L has about 83K on it. At 76K, I change plugs & wires. I have been changing oil and filter about every 5k miles, air filter every 20K. I am getting ready to change fuel filter and have front alignment. I am going to change the coolant and belt at 100K. Any suggestions on when to change trans. fluid and does my van require a 4 wheel alignment or just the front 2?

Hope that the belt has been changed at least once already, if not I would do it now, not wait till 100K.

[doratheexplorer]

Originally Posted by Stretch58

Hope that the belt has been changed at least once already, if not I would do it now, not wait till 100K.

I believe Stretch is referring to the serpentine belt as the 3.3L is timed by chain.

How are the struts? Mine went at 89K miles with a bad bearing and rusted upper strut plate: bump stop traveled right through it!