AnotherOldJeepGuy

Thanks for the Dorman number just in case. I did try to find it from RockAuto, but could not. Maybe will have better luck with the number if Napa falls through.

Got a a call from the local Napa, the reason it got cancelled last time, and the reason they could not fill it as ordered this time was because the only place that had it was in Colorado and the website could not handle the order, because there was a shipping charge to add. Perhaps if I had selected ship to me in the first place rather than pick up in store the order would have worked. Solution was that I had it cancelled again, and stopped in the brink n mortar store and they could process it. It did add $10, which was not optimal but given it might be the only one left in the US, I decided I could cough up the freight charge this time. Of course, until I see it in the flesh I won't be 100% confident the 3rd time was really the charm. To be continued....

I'll play the game then, just ordered it again....

Arg, Easy come easy go. My order at Napa was cancelled. No reason given but I would assume the only reason they would cancel an order is because they don't actually have it.

Well other than the rubber at the valve cover possibly falling in and forcing me to pull the cover to get it, the risk does seem to be low since Napa sells the hose end to end for $15. https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NOE7151365

Well, I tried to take that off and clean it out, but the connection at the other end, into the intake I think, was very stuck and after a while I stopped trying for fear that the recoil from pulling hard enough to get it off was surely going to break the plastic hose. Perhaps I need to try again...

So in another post I noted replacing the plastic hose assembly to the left. I am now wondering why there is so much oil crud built up in the areas circled? Doesn't seem like oil should be over in those areas. I found a possibly related post here, but I don't know it applies. My engine seems to be running fine, I don't hear ticking, the biggest problem I have that I know of anyway is oil leaks below that I plan to work on in the future. I found a post on another forum noting "oil squirting issues". I don't think I want to take off my newly re-gasket-ed valve cover to see if this is happening, I really don't want to invent work to do, I have enough things I know I need to do! Here is a snapshot from that forum link that was interesting, but I was not able to find the MADXJ info or even the MADXJ site. So any commented on the original point here, the accumulated crud? Thanks!

Looking for "all sales final at this location" doesn't work anymore on the web because it looks like they have removed the stores that are/were closing, perhaps they have now closed. I didn't score as well as @strictlyxjs, but I did get a water pump for under $10 and a bit of oil and antifreeze at big discount so I can't complain .

I was able to find on Toyota Nation how to read the ABS codes by putting a jumper across pins on the diagnostic port and watching the ABS dash light blink, and also how to reset ABS codes with that same jumper to see if any thing done is successful. So I can start there without a meter. Now if I can dig up some other secret method to cycle the ABS to bleed it, I'll be a step closer.

I like that idea. I have hunted around a bit but so far what I have found, Bluetooth or not, don't seem to fully support 1997 Avalon

Well it is raining today, might be enough in the local closed school parking lot. Not crazy about trying to trigger ABS but we'll see. Planning to take a good look around the wheel sensor wires just in case something got bumped during the first flush. Also hoping I can get to the wheel sensor connection and check the resistance at each to see if any stand out. Any recommendation on a OBDII reader that is good enough to exercise the ABS and point to the real trigger?

Yeah my reader is the low cost variety, just basic codes (see response to Pete above). Sounds like the hard stop on loose surface may map to the "stomp hard" Pete was talking about. Not a lot of gravel roads here in the city to simulate ice, it may be just as hard to find that as it is turning out to be finding the root cause!

I'll take a look around the ABS unit...

There was a speed sensor code of some kind but I don't have it handy, I'll read it again. My reader isn't high tech enough to tell me which wheel :(. I'll post back if the car makes it here today as potentially scheduled. Still seems to be a standout that the original bleed was the only thing done before the problems came up, but who knows on a 97 especially. Never hear of the "stomp hard reset"!

So a 97 Avalon is far from a Jeep anything, but the expertise on this site well exceeds limitation to Jeep. About a month ago my son decided he would like to flush out his coolant and brake fluid since he really has no idea how old either might be. Seemed reasonable to me so we proceeded. I have done coolant flushing before, and although I have never done a full brake flush, I had bled brakes before. Neither of these jobs have been problematic in the past. Coolant flush went smooth. Brake flush seems to be fine based on the fact that the brakes work. But very soon after this flush the ABS light now comes on a lot. It doesn't stay on and seems to come on sparatically, relatively close to using brakes. And also the parking brake light does the same thing although not necessarily at the same time. We are going to try bleeding again, since that's the only thing that was done between when the lights didn't come on and when they did. The brake fluid add point is a small plastic reservoir, and we can only add very small amount of fluid at a time between bleeding cycles at each wheel. We have been careful to make sure it doesn't go empty or close to empty. Any insights? Thanks

I'll post this add on just for fun. My pass side window crank is stripped out starting about 2" from full down. Once you go past that spot you have to pull the glass up. So if you, or your unsuspecting passenger should happen to fully lower the window, you are a bit stuck. So my solution to date is a trusty piece of 2x6 in the bottom of the door to prevent any accidental full lowering. Far from stock, and I didn't even use an OEM 2x6, but it does keep my window "roll-upable".

Thanks for the tip, I'll be paying them a visit today!

I may go this way, I generally have good luck with NAPA parts. Yeah they are $6 more than the ones on Amazon for 2, at first, but the Amazon shipping fee is $6.99, so Napa is actually about a dollar less on the bottom line.

Great. Thanks for that confirmation. I think I'll see if I can clean the lens and then give these a try.

@pizzaman09 so these are this just plug-n-play? It appears that is the case so just confirming . @gogmorgo yeah I was wondering about code issues but figured as long as I only had these on when backing up I could get away with it. And I agree hanging from the bumper does ask for them being taken off unexpectedly but I don't do much off road anymore! My bulbs are not all that old and come on they just don't provide much useful light (perhaps they did when my eyes were 34 years younger...), but the other tail lights seem to be as bright as they ever were for what that's worth. Thanks!

I see multiple posts about making headlights better / brighter, and I will probably do that sooner or later. But the lights that are even more weak are the backup lights. Unless it is pitch black out, the reverse lights might as well be off! So I expect something following the relay plan would work well for adding some backup lighting that actually lights up the area! I am envisioning something like add on fog lights, mounted under the bumper, powered directly from 12V through relays that are activated by the existing backup light 12V signal. I figured before I tackle this I might as well plant a seed here in case someone else already did this and wants to share what they did and how it worked out. I'll also add on once I get motivated as to what I come up with.

I have the same dimmer issue. Good info here. I am really replying so I can get back here easily since I was not able to find how to select "follow topic" without posting some comment! I guess since I am posting, I'll ask if anyone can recommend a good new replacement switch?

Here's an ebay listing of the heater control where you can see what connections are back there. https://www.ebay.com/itm/283916101108 The radio comes out pretty easily. There are about 6 screws to remove the faceplate that mounts in front of the gauges and the radio area. It comes out easier if you tilt the steering wheel down. I only do this when it's hot, less likely to break the plastic faceplate than when it's cold because you do have to deform it slightly to get it out. But I have done it about a dozen times and being careful I have gotten it out in one full piece. Once that is off you can pull the radio and see what kind of slack there is for the connections. The difficulty will be if you have slack in the connections. The above doesn't exactly tell you what you might run into, but short of that perhaps it's a starting point.

It's possible you just a noise sensitive radio. You may be able to eliminate that noise with one of these filters although the success of these is sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120ANR1000/Axxess-AX-ANR1000.html If I remember correctly from many years back, one test for this noise being external is hooking power direct to the battery and see if it goes away. If it dose then you at least know noise free is possible and the filter is more likely to work. Or you could just leave the power coming from the battery as a solution but then you have to always turn it off/on manually (unless you want to rig up some kind of relay solution) so not that user friendly.