TOP 5 UNNECESSARY 4x4 MODS 

Top 5 1. Extra fuel filter 2. Catch can 3. Auto transmission cooler 4. DCDC charger 5. Diff breather

I decomissioned my 2nd under-bonnet battery after constantly destroying batteries. I now use an Ultima yellow top as my starter battery and a lithium Solar King 150Ah mounted in the back of my 120 via an Enerdrive DCDC40. Highly recommend this setup.

Thanks for this info mate. Don’t own a Prado, or even a Toyota for that matter, but a lot of your advice applies to any 4x4 diesel. 👍

I found the fold out "blanket" style solar mats are awesome, can pack away easy and whip it out over the bonnet when in camp, don't have to take up room by permanently fixing it to the roof, also avoid damaging it if going through tough bush by that same principle. Only thing I did to mine was poke a few holes down the side of the cover and cable tied the lead up, the cable entry isn't very secure, didn't want a broken wire and have seen a few people do that.

mate i love how you are honest in your vids and say it how it is thank you for that. you dont push products and if you do recommend something its australian made. if i could keep your vids playing on repeat i would so the views go massive.

Totally agree about catch cans had my EGR valve changed at 240000ks it only had a light coat of soot, not clogged up like most images you see with people trying to sell something, deisels are made to be driven

Got a manual 150 and so 4 out of 4 mods, do I win a prize haha. I do enjoy the sensible argument that you put forward Rationale, used to be in the Pilbara Catch-can - probably don't need but I got deal with the 2nd fuel filter. Fuel filter - dodgy fuel is everywhere in the Pilbara, my filter has the water trap and has saved me once (but do need to remember to check after a few days. Dc-dc - i do have solar, used to park up on a distant beach for the whole weekend and just fish and fish, never moved the vehicle (good spot lol) Diff Breather - got it and only doing the front and rear diffs because of the above comment that I'm putting in a set of lockers for beach driving and running around my new place of living.

Such good info Anthony. I think too many of us are brainwashed by the channels who are sponsored by aftermarket accessory makers. You have saved me some money. Thanks. Keep the videos coming.

Great video and refreshing to hear what’s not needed

Ha! I've only got 2 outta 5 - so I've only made a few mistakes! Love your videos, Anthony.

Just had breathers fitted to my new N80 Hilux. I have had an issue before with water ingress into the auto transmission. My vehicle is a work vehicle doing trips to remote communities in the Top End. I had to do several deep water crossings in my last N80 that had diff breathers fitted but nothing for the transmission. I did need to have the transmission oil flushed on my return back to Darwin. I was experiencing very 'lumpy' drive. For remote work i would honestly recommend it for peace of mind

Hey anthony ive searched your videos and cant find anything on it,what are your thoughts on top mount - front mount intercoolers and heat soak?

do you think converter lock up kits are a good idea or do you see damage in the long run ,cheers

Great info I was going to get a catch can until I watched Auto expert who basically said the same as you.

Hi Anthony, love the videos. What are your thoughts on a torque converter lock up kit? If you we're to get one, who would you go through? I have a 2019 SR5 Hilux.

Excellent! Just bought a 2018 Prado: 1. Doesn't have an additional fuel filter. 2. Doesn't have a catch can. 3. Doesn't have a transmission cooler. 4. I fitted a dual battery and the exact Redarc controller you mentioned (out of my old 80 Series). 5. Has standard diff breathers.

Just a quick question, why do all V6 prados have a standard external cooler where as diesel doesn’t ??

I think you hit the nail n the head , you have to use a Prado like a Prado not like a patrol. Keep it within its limits and all will be well 👍🏻

Always use a fuse close to both the cranking and auxiliary batteries except maybe a very short protected run to an under bonnet aux. A short to ground in a heavy charging circuit will very likely burn your vehicle to the ground. No amount of cable protection is a substitute.

Hi Mate my question got nothing to do with transmission. I'm from South Africa, Cape town , I'm driving a 1kd 30 D4d 2008 . Ive experience my engine management light came on during driving and slight drop in power so I pull off the road , switch my van off and restart then light is gone .What can the problem be , it happened about twice in your month intervals . Would appreciate if you can tell me .

Love these videos Anthony.

Pretty sure Toyota engineers know what their engines need more than any local diesel mechanic who sells aftermarket products

All makes sense. If and when I upgrade my 4.8 petrol patrol to a diesel, and it’s a big if, whatever I buy must be stock standard and unmolested. I’m even swaying away from bull bars now and would opt for just the steel bar so I can mount decent spotlights. I think spotlights are a must because of Roos etc, but, only incandescent, not LED which I think are too severe on our retinas. The boating fraternity is exactly the same, all the ad ons you must install. I run twin outboards with a dedicated battery for each engine, that's it. No house battery, refrigerator, domestic tv size GPS / Sounder, deck wash, tank aerator etc etc. I just run dedicated sounder/gps which are conservative in size, eskys with ice and a bucket! 4wd should be the same.

Agree agree except for split convoluted tubing. It looks good when new but deteriorates and falls apart over time. I run 8mm twin core sheathed cable inside a water hose down to the rear-end of the vehicle through the chassis. For caravan stuff. PS Most excellent vids mate.

Maybe not Toyota but some vehicles are notorious for coolant mixing with gearbox fluid and bang one new gearbox required. I know, one Falcon and one Benz. Separate gbox cooler is good insurance and keeps temps down.

Received this from Wholesale Automatics just now: Hi there, it's Rodney from Wholesale Automatic Transmissions. Without doubt the transmission oil cooler is our most popular product. We sell hundreds of coolers every year. There is a very good reason for this - inadequate cooling is the number one reason for transmission failure. Very few vehicle manufacturers get it right when designing their transmission cooling systems. This is because manufacturers concentrate on building a vehicle for the widest possible worldwide market. However, here in Australia we have vast distances, extreme climates and our need to upgrade the vehicle with offroad tyres, chips / tunes, bullbars / winches and the list goes on and on. Fitting an upgraded oil cooler system is essential for all vehicles that tow or venture offroad to explore our vast country. These set of circumstances are not found anywhere else in the world. If you are thinking about upgrading your cooler, consider these points: • There is no such thing as too much transmission cooling here in Australia. Using a proper transmission oil cooler increases the life and performance of your transmission and protects the longevity of your transmission oil. • Vehicle manufacturers are looking to reduce manufacturing costs. To achieve this some manufacturers have cut corners by removing or downgrading transmission oil coolers. I am sure that many manufacturers think we only ever intend to carry a bucket and spade wherever we go. • Many vehicles do not come with an adequate cooling system if you are planning on towing or venturing offroad. Don't be fooled by anybody telling you that you don't need an auxiliary cooler. I liken this to someone recommending you don't fit a bull bar simply because they have never had an altercation before. • The number one killer of automatic transmissions is heat. This could be a once off event that has damaged the transmission or the heat range in a normal heat cycle. What this means is the greater the difference between the oil when cold and the normal running temperature, the more you can do to reduce the difference between them the longer the seals and oil will last. Heat also greatly affects the longevity of transmission oil. Our coolers are a premium Australian made product that will improve the transmission cooling system of your vehicle significantly: • Years of experience and research go into the design of our range of Wholesale Automatic transmission auxiliary coolers. • Each cooler is designed to suit a specific vehicle. • The coolers are designed and made using the very best materials. • We use a heavy duty one-piece mounting system with a thick 3mm zinc plated steel mounting bracket which is then Mannex coated for maximum corrosion resistance. Don't get caught out with flimsy mounting brackets, stainless steel, or even worse, multi-piece brackets. We cannot emphasise enough the importance of using a one piece mount, especially on corrugated roads, where the mount must absorb all the vibrations and shock and not be pulling or tugging on any part of the cooler. • We stand behind every product we sell with excellent technical support. • The cooler can be fitted for you by any one of our Dealers around the country *or* for those who are handy with the tools each kit comes with full colour step-by-step DIY installation instructions that includes every nut, bolt, hose, clamp, etc you need to fit the cooler. Act now to improve your transmission cooling system. The key to ensuring your transmission's reliability and the oil's life span is to install a quality auxiliary oil cooler. Having a transmission overheat or break-down in the middle of nowhere is not something you would ever want to experience.

Excellent video

What about the dpf back exhaust and intercooler mod is there any negative things about this 2 mods? cheers mate.

I agree with all these if you have a Toyota there built to last and built well, as for Nissans like the patrol I think they do need these things unfortunately. What do you think

Definitely would recommend a catch can after many diesel engines I have worked on

Do Japanese grey imports run less oil than Aussie models? Would it make sense to run a trans cooler in a Jdm?

Great vid thanks mate.👍

what is a good diesel catch can then?

#6 Front recovery points?

Agreed with most of what you said but, if you have an inside battery you need agm because of venting hydrogen in your car and you need a dcdc. No manufacturer puts a lead acid inside. Besides that an agm will save you money if charged with a dcdc and a quality lithium is the cheapest when considering output and lifespan.

A properly designed catch can , extracting oil from the sump fumes , whilst not restricting the flow / pressure is nothing but a great thing 👍👍👍

1) Hydraulics dont need to be hot to work. Autotrans lifespan is increased by lower temps. Seals stay soft at lower temps ( inout/ output seals) If the cheap plastic "cooler" tank in the O.E. Rad split or cracks, coolant will go into your transmission and destroy the clutch packs- a transmission rebuild necessary. Bypassing the cheap O.E. Solution, and fitting the biggest air to air cooler is the best way to increase transmission life, a large cooler will give extra oil capacity. Lower trans temp= longer translife. O.E. Use the cheap method as it costs less, less parts to warranty. Cars are made to pass the warranty period at a price point.

Fair enough, all 5 of these depend on the condition of your vehicle and what you're doing with it. My mate had his nephew's D-Max in the shed, on the hoist the other day, it has a 2" lift and was almost pulling the rear diff breather off, the whole axle was being held up by the breather - Now I realize you would have to get in some serious situations to have axle droop like what you'd get by lifting the frame on a hoist, all the same its possible and I reckon you'd break 'em off in time. Some lifted utes will need to extend those diff breathers.

For the transmission cooler - I have a switch so it does not use the cooler unless its above a specific temperature. Its in my Lexus sedan but yea I’ve done it right

I love how this video directly targets people like the flogs over at Berrima Diesel in NSW. Which is directly everything they sell, love your work mate. I had a catch can & secondary fuel filter fitted in my mn triton. After watching all your videos I’ve since removed them both. Wish I’d watched your videos when I was a lot younger and got my car. Problem is these turkeys target the ignorant such as myself

Yes mate, the only benefit to all the "strap on" crap they sell for four wheel drives is the massive profits the big accessories companies like ARB make. Stock is king!!!

Any thoughts on a throttle controller? The 2nd hand 120 i bought recently has one installed and I'm not convinced it brings anything worthy to the table. Particularly when it comes to fuel efficiency.

No voltage boast diode available for the late model 150's

people fit transmission coolers separately so they won't get water contamination from the radiator,, not for heating problems. What's your view on this, please.

So who makes the bracket?

I wish this video were around five years ago🤦‍♀️; I would have saved a whole heap of money. I had all five now i only have two.

Wish I saw this before I decided to put diff breathers on my rear and transfer

My Transmission over heating light used to come on every time I towed our caravan, so I fitted a transmission cooler and since then has never over heated. So a cooler does work !

I knewit. great advice.

Well there you go , a mechanic that knows that the manufactures are very smart and have durability tested everything, and that most mods actually reduce reliability. Cheers

What are your top 5 necessary 4x4 mods worth doing, just for engine longevity and reliability?

Please where s the emplacement of pcv valve ?

Bcdc charging is far more efficient then an old school voltage sensing solenoid. Yes having a solenoid will work, but poorly in comparison. Especially on modern cars. You’ve got the advantage of a constant flow of current and the correct charging profile. Especially for lithium.

So if you do need a tranny cooler put it before the radiator? I tow trailers through sand in CQ and NQ and I've had the light come on.

I have had a Radiator failure on the Transmission side. It filled the Automatic Transmission with coolent and destroyed it. I now run a separate radiator system for that reason only. It cost me a Radiator and a New Automatic Transmission for a late model Fairlane. Every Automatic Vehicle I have owned since gets a $200 transmission radiator kit fitted.

The only thing I am really disagreeing with is the DCDC charger. but here is a list for the next video. Bash Plates Shopping mall bulbar Brush Bars 4" lift or anything more than 2" Shopping mall winch Shopping mall MTs Mobile signal boosters 6db Antenna for UHF Diff guards

Good info 👍

Catch-can/secondary fuel filter is almost like selling snake oil. You could also add #7. Snorkle. It's is also unnecessary, just depends on how you drive it. If you want to go through deep water crossings or want to avoid sucking in dust sitting behind your mates in the outback, it's probably a good idea. If you have air diff lockers the last thing you want in your diff is any water. The slightest bit of rust will stuff the inner air seals that activate the lockers, causing them to leak, then it's a massive job take the whole diff out just to replace a $10 set of seals. Better to add a $100 diff breathers than deal with that headache. Just saying :-)

What about a snorkel if you don't travel through deep water?

Mech engineer here. Generally solid advice. Most DIY'ers dont understand or cant see the rationale or constraints behind the OEM design decisions. some comments: Rule 1: 'touching' a car in any way will always reduce its reliability. repair/fitout workshops can never achieve the quality of the toyota (o most other OEMs) quality control systems - some of the best in the world. This rule applies to me too. Rule 2: dont buy a car with modifications. never ever buy a chipped car Oil cooler: Better advice on the oil cooler if needed is to run the aftermarket air cooled unit in series with the factory unit, but from a flow perspective installed BEFORE the radiator exchanger. Engine breather: Provents are factory fitted to volvo penta marine engines which are running at 80-100% rated hp output (duty) compared to car engines which operate at a measly 10-20%. The lesson here - look at what other OEMs are doing to rationalise your decision (no your 4x4 isnt running at 80% duty all day)

No catch can, give me a spell!

Never understood why so many people make so many modifications to their vehicles. Engineers designed these for optimum performance & economy. People will argue they design them to need extra maintenance and repairs to help out the dealerships with service/repair visits etc but I think that's a bit paranoid. Modify something that's proven by professionals to be a design flaw by all means, otherwise leave well enough alone.

I have a n80 hilux with 255,000 km. No catch can. No pressure under the rocket cover and still pulls hard

Anthony, I know this is an old video, I agree with most of what you are saying, BUT! I'd love to educate you a little better on battery charging profiles and voltages, when using an AGM or Lithium battery, a DCDC charger is required, no alternator will ever boost the voltage enough or safely to charge lithium! No hate, I just want to be able to give you a good reasoning!

Why does every aussie 4x4 engine bay i've seen has 2 batteries?

Extra fuel filter I agree is pointless. But a water alarm is worth it. The OEM ones are too slow. Yes , catch can is pointless. Tranny cooler pointless I agree. Get a better suited vehicle if you overheat it towing. BCDC is absolutely necessary for a second battery. Saying go ahead without a fuse is completely irresponsible and bad advice. Diff breather kit is useful mainly due to being less maintenance. I've dealt with many blocked breathers covered in mud and never cleaned. Blocked breather ends up giving you leaking seals. Not so much water ingress seen either unless you park you lr car in knee deep water after highway drives

I don't have any of those so I'm all good. I always suspected they were useless anyway.

I have 5 of 6. Do I win anything?

All heavy road diesel vehicles have primary and secondary fuel filters!! Two are better than one and are way safer on injectors. I’m a qualified diesel mechanic not a RU-vid mechanic.

Your seriously against additional protection against dirty fuel in the bush, seriously 😲

This is top 5 video I didnt need to watch

A lot about battery charging can be learnt from the yacht cruising people. standard equipment is external alternator regulator. The standard regulator on any vehicle alternator is not designed to fully charge a battery . Fortunately you can research this if interested.

You lost me at not using a dcdc. These vehicles need one, I own one myself and I can tell you when I tried to cheap out at the start and use a redarc sbi12 the auxiliary battery was consistently at 50% charge rate. Dcdc fixed this immediately. 2011 prado

Top 5 unessery mods Electric blankets Air fryer Bbq 2 gas bottles Extra undies

A good catch can is good for an older car I think this is very bias