Mechanic Portland Vic

Cant help with your question but a bit of advice if you have a 5sp auto and you are getting it serviced. Make sure they know what they are doing and use the right oil.

It is Toyota WS and NOTHING else. As per in the manual.

It should be filled from underneath until it overflows the drain hole. NEVER filled from the top like a so called expert in Adelaide did and nearly ruined it.

If you are talking about vehicle servicing in Melb, then I drive past 3 Toyota dealers to go out to Nunawadding Toyota as they have a number of mechanics who own and use 4WD's. As for the oil in the auto trannie. Toyota say the oil is for the life of the vehicle - do not believe them. If you have done a few kays, and you tow, get it changed every so often. I do not tow but have done plenty of sand driving and had the oil replaced at 150,000. The oil was brownish and should be bright red so was definitely in need of a change. It cost $350 to change but when you consider a new transmission is worth over $8,000 its cheap insurance. As for "routine mechanical service" I would suggest that with what you are planning your want a major service. If you want a trouble free holiday I would strongly suggest that you take your vehicle to someone very experienced and tell them exactly what you are planning to do, and to service the vehicle so that it can undertake the task with confidence. While nothing guarantees that you will not have a mechanical breakdown having a proper service with what is planned in mind is the best you can do. Toyota's are very good, but they can breakdown, and if they are going to breakdown it will be when there under the most stress. And you guessed it, the most stressful time is towing in the outback where mechanical service are patchy and expensive.
Don't know your experience but also suggest for your planned trip that you have at least a satphone and a PLB.

No help with the rig service, but seeing you've already worn a groove in the Nullarboring why not use the GCR from Alice to WA?

Not familiar with Portland area in terms of mechanics and I note that there is no Toyota dealer in the town. If heading north, you might be better off having the service done at Horsham or Mildura where there are both 4x4 specialists and Toyota dealerships. It's only a few hundred km.

Safe travels

Mick

Cleary Motors service my 4b and are o.k

Cleary Motors service my 4b and are o.k

as you're a twitcher have you been to Gluepot , if not drop by on you're way