Hey guys I have inherited an 2006 tribute v6 ... I have been researching like crazy and ultimately I have a few questions that hopefully you can help me with!

I live in PA just FYI so rust is a thing here, the vehicle has rust on the inner rear fender wells, it may go under the rocker panel.

Ok so the vehicle has never had anything done to it besides oil changes and brakes/rotors. I bought a haynes manual and spent all night reading it. This vehicle will be used as a DD and also to tow my jet ski.

Here are my current questions:
1. does this vehicle have a transfer case? or is it just the transaxle and the differential?
2. do I need to replace the water pump or thermostat or thermostat housing?
3. my dad took the car to a mechanic, he said it needed a "fuel pressure regulator" however all I could find was a pulsation damper? and I'm not sure the exact part number. My dad said the code was either P0153 or P0193 he can't remember, but it caused a check engine light and it definitely looked like a mechanical pulsation damper.
4. also we have a rear diff axle seal leak - is this worth doing? the mazda dealer said it could be very difficult b/c of rusted parts

Aside from the points above this is my planned maintenance for it now please let me know what you think:
1. replace spark plugs & ignition coils
2. replace intake manifold gaskets
3. replace brake pads & rotors
4. replace front struts and rear shocks
5. replace stabilizer links
6. replace accessory belt
7. replace water pump belt
8. drain & fill coolant
9. replace brake fluid (bleeding)
10. replace power steering fluid
11. drain & fill transaxle fluid
12. drain & fill rear diff fluid
13. replace fuel filter

Other replacement - pending feedback here
1. replace PCV hose?
2. replace water pump/tstat/tstat housing?
3. replace fuel pressure damper?

thank you in advance

 

Your list looks pretty comprehensive, I’d add a good inspection of the front brakes hoses before changing the fluid as they are prone to cracking. I replaced all mine with braided hoses.

Personally I wouldnt replace the water pump until it fails in some way - they can run for years and years. But fine to do so if cost isnt an issue.

there is no real transfer case as such, instead there is a PTO (power takeoff), attached to the RH side of the transaxle that takes the differential drive and transfers it through 90deg and then to the propellor shaft to the rear diff. The prop shaft turns with the front diff, the RH front driveshaft goes through the PTO housing and into the diff. That assumes you have a 4WD, if you dont then you wont have the PTO, prop shaft, rear diff or rear driveshafts :-)

one point is the PTO has both a drain and a fill/level plug, the rear diff only has a fill/level. I removed the rear diff oil by suction through the fill hole, otherwise you have to pull the diff cover to drain it.

the transaxle cant be fully drained vi the drain plug, I drop what is there (about 4L), spin the hydraulics through the gears and repeat, that makes about a 65% change and I do that every 20k km or so. Alternative is to empty and draw in new via the cooler pipes on the front of the trans which will give you a better replacement %.

 

Thanks for this response very helpful. They haynes manual isn't super clear on the PTO ... I have the 4WD model. Haynes states the transaxle takes mercon fluid and that the "transfer case" takes gear oil.

Is this correct?

 

Yep - the PTO is more like a diff so I think I used 70-140 gear oil, 90 EP in the rear diff.