i just hit 200k on my 99tl and was wondering if there is anything i should be aware of as far as maintenance...still runs great and just put 700+ miles on it over thanksgiving weekend....got about 31 mpg doing about 80mph on that trip...

 

All depends on what maintenance you have done already and in the past. Have you done any timing belt maintenance? spark plugs? We need more info as to what you have done so we can tell you what you should do.

 

yes, i've done the timing belt and water pump...use 91 or 93 octane and changed oil every 5k until recently when i switch to synthetic,put in new front struts when i bought it in '09 w/ 175k,use platinum ngk plugs and dont drive it hard until highway, starting to get a little shaky in front end,taking bumps really hard

 

Hey Twill220, so after three years and 25 thousand miles.....being presently at 200k, you probably know the car's weak areas which are showing the wear and tear of the age.

Having done the T-Belt service and plugs was a step in the right direction towards good PM. If you don't have the owner's manual.....you can download one, which will help you with the general required maintenance schedule. There are alot of basic problem items that tend to show a pattern with our TL's. They are all well documented on this site, check out the 2nd Gen "DIY" sticky.....it's really packed with excellent info.

When you bought the car, did the previous owner give you any repair history on the car ? The suspension should be professionally inspected for wear.....unless you feel comfortable checking it out yourself. Things like steering components, ball joints, bushings, bearings, and other misc suspension parts need to be all checked to maintain a safe quiet ride. Brakes and exhaust....same thing !

If the motor is running and idling well, that's showing with the mpg being returned. With the T-belt and tune up done, the main things to check would be the EGR passageways, run some fuel cleaner through the gas, clean the TB intake, have the electrical system load tested, check all connections and grounds.

 

would lucas gas treatment clean the TB and egr passageways or would i have to disassemble to both and clean manually?

 

Lucas, Seafoam or any top quality fuel system cleaner will primarily help with optimizing the injector's performance along with cleaning some residual internal intake parts.

But, for best results check our DIY section for the proper procedures of cleaning the EGR passageways and TB. If your car is running relatively well, you may be alright just running the cleaner through the gas for now.

Check some other threads and when you find the time, you can consider removing the intake for a closer look at the situation. The '99 gets a funky EGR passageway. It's unique to the '99.