1984 Toyota Camry / Vista with 1.8l turbo diesel 1C

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

TheBussman said:
yes that's the one, idling is not great for the motor but DI diesels take forever to warm up when it's cold out, I'm always shutting off and starting back up unless I have a really good reason to idle. Your IDI won't take as long but still a little longer then a gas engine. I havent seen many issues with truck or car motors but tractors and generators that idle all the time and only have light load often develop "wet stacking" issues.
Click to expand...
Ok cool so really no reason to just idle in the colder temps with this vehicle.

I managed to adjust my throttle cable, which tightened up alot of the slack / play I felt in my pedal . It was making for some rough shifting out of first since I was delayed with the pedal .

I'm pretty much maxed out with the adjustment though so hopefully it doesn't stretch any more. This setup goes through some sort of cruise control module and has two separate cables.
 
Ok so I was able to get eyes on the shifter cable on the transmission side. It does appear to be a new cable and there isnt any play at the cable ends. Seller claims he retrofitted something since the original wasn't available anymore .

Is the square rubber piece mentioned earlier in this area ? I cant really make sense of where to look based on parts blowout

Otherwise Im assuming all of my slop is up in the shifter ? I did a Google and saw a few videos where folks will pull and replace all the bushings in there but idk,i might just live with it

KIMG0726.JPG
 
Mike NXP said:
Otherwise Im assuming all of my slop is up in the shifter ? I did a Google and saw a few videos where folks will pull and replace all the bushings in there but idk,i might just live with it
Click to expand...

Slop generally requires two people to locate.. one to wiggle the mechanism and another to trace out its path and get eyes on the mechanism/linkages etc - its generally additive as well - small amounts in various points adding up.
 
Mike NXP said:
Ok so I was able to get eyes on the shifter cable on the transmission side. It does appear to be a new cable and there isnt any play at the cable ends. Seller claims he retrofitted something since the original wasn't available anymore .

Is the square rubber piece mentioned earlier in this area ? I cant really make sense of where to look based on parts blowout

Otherwise Im assuming all of my slop is up in the shifter ? I did a Google and saw a few videos where folks will pull and replace all the bushings in there but idk,i might just live with it

View attachment 3742854
Click to expand...
The square bushing should be right above the red arrow:
KIMG0726.webp
 
Ok cool, I was able to get my hands on it. So the goal is to turn it 90 degrees right ? It does seem to have a lot of play down there . But I can't seem to change it's orientation at all.

I assume I need to take apart that linkage to get after it? I can't tell what's holding it in, parts diagram makes it look like it's just pressed on place maybe
 
Mike NXP said:
Ok cool, I was able to get my hands on it. So the goal is to turn it 90 degrees right ? It does seem to have a lot of play down there . But I can't seem to change it's orientation at all.

I assume I need to take apart that linkage to get after it? I can't tell what's holding it in, parts diagram makes it look like it's just pressed on place maybe
Click to expand...
Taking the rubber cap circled should reveal a nut that holds that linkage on. After removing the nut, you might have enough room to remove the linkage.
Or see if there are bolts over to the left of the green arrow that you can remove to detach the linkage mount from the transmission.
KIMG0726a.JPG
KIMG0726b.JPG
 
BrickRunner said:
Taking the rubber cap circled should reveal a nut that holds that linkage on. After removing the nut, you might have enough room to remove the linkage.
Or see if there are bolts over to the left of the green arrow that you can remove to detach the linkage mount from the transmission.
View attachment 3742972View attachment 3742974
Click to expand...
I believe your green arrow is the only solution.

I removed the cables from the linkage . Then I removed the cap as you suggested along with the hardware but not enough space to remove the linkage.

The bolts holding the bracket in off to the left are sorta hard to get at , one is stuffed under a motor mount .

I'm going to give it another go to see if I can just maneuver it around with that nut removed but it didn't seem to have enough space
 
Mike NXP said:
I believe your green arrow is the only solution.

I removed the cables from the linkage . Then I removed the cap as you suggested along with the hardware but not enough space to remove the linkage.

The bolts holding the bracket in off to the left are sorta hard to get at , one is stuffed under a motor mount .

I'm going to give it another go to see if I can just maneuver it around with that nut removed but it didn't seem to have enough space
Click to expand...
Dang. One more option is to remove the other shift lever by loosening the bolt circled, but you need to be careful when you reinstall it that it is in the same orientation or you could throw off your shift pattern.

KIMG0726c.webp
 
Yeah I tried to remove that lever earlier when I was just blindly removing whatever I could reach. I removed the nut and tried to tap it off but couldn't get it to budge and I wasn't sure if it was even possible and was worried I would mess something up

Maybe I should soak it a while and try to get a better whack at it next time...

I just ordered the bushing since I have parts coming in anyway, $5... Figure I'll wait until that arrives before getting back into things and just ride it out for now .
 
So generally speaking what do I need to know about diesel fuel going into colder days .

Manual says run #2 diesel year round and switch to a blend when consistently below freezing , does that sound about right ? This time of year it usually dips below freezing most nights / for starting each morning , but then it's 50-60degrees F during the day still

Is there any need for additives into the tank or do you only add stuff if your fuel gels up / engines not starting ? I also saw my fuel filter has a drain on the bottom , apparently for draining water if the filter light turns on

>> I also have a block heater but that appears to just help with engine / coolant temps but I assume doesn't do anything in regards to the diesel freezing up in cold temps
 
Mike NXP said:
So generally speaking what do I need to know about diesel fuel going into colder days .

Manual says run #2 diesel year round and switch to a blend when consistently below freezing , does that sound about right ? This time of year it usually dips below freezing most nights / for starting each morning , but then it's 50-60degrees F during the day still

Is there any need for additives into the tank or do you only add stuff if your fuel gels up / engines not starting ? I also saw my fuel filter has a drain on the bottom , apparently for draining water if the filter light turns on

>> I also have a block heater but that appears to just help with engine / coolant temps but I assume doesn't do anything in regards to the diesel freezing up in cold temps
Click to expand...
your fuel station should be putting an additive in to reduce gelling although I've had fresh fuel gel on me at about 10 degrees before once. There are many additives for sale that reduce gelling, also advertised to have other benifits. When you say "switch to a bled" your talking about blending in gasoline right? Old benz manual says the same thing. However the 1985 diesel had alot more sulfur and lubricity in it then modern diesel. would prob be fine on an inline pump but gas is really hard on a rotory pump like you have. Also gas can cause vapor lock issues. Best to use an additive, the amount you need for protection is very small, a bottle might last you all season even if you use it every fill-up.
 
Ok good info.

When i said a blend , I didn't mean with gas. That's interesting I never knew some old benz call for that ......I see the pumps at the station ( some stations ) show a separate button i can push for a winter blend of diesel .

Sounds like i should either run that winter blend or get a bottle of additive and put a few splashes in once it gets colder

Its 28 this AM . I plugged it in for now just to see how she does
 
This car is growing on me for sure. I need to learn it's little quirks and get more time behind the wheel but she fired right up this morning and drove for an hour or so without any issues.

General feedback so far:
  • Very capable motor. Seriously quiet while driving and plenty of power throughout all of the gears. Seems to start really easy but it likes me to have my foot on the pedal a bit otherwise it sort of rumbles to life. Maybe due to sloppy linkage at throttle body / fuel pump
  • Miles per gallon are still varying, need more testing time but seem to be consistently over 35
  • On the flipside it does vibrate pretty good, I suspect mounts may be worn out a bit. After my long drive home when I purchased it my foot was going numb from the tingling, no bueno. Certain rpms are worse than others. At idle, the door panels shake pretty loudly. I stuffed some foam in the door pockets for now and that solves the problem lol
  • Sorta grinds going into reverse but doesn't pop out of gear or anything...yet...May just need a better technique for going into reverse OR that slop in the shift linkage may be partly to blame

    I've got it at the tire shop today. We're going to try and fit some 14' rims with a set of snow tires I had for my Corolla, instead of these 13" summer tires. I think it should work but not much space in the rear.

    Future work to be done
  • The sloppy shifter is kind of annoying. I suspect I'll get used to it but I want to remove that bracket and replace square bushing. Parts ordered
  • Timing belt + water pump. Honestly, I bet it's totally fine. Seemingly it was all replaced 5k miles ago and I don't hear any noises from that area. BUT it must be at least 8-10 years since it was done so I may need to dive in. Should probably do hoses, thermostat, etc..... Parts ordered
  • Shocks. Rears are bouncy but fronts are OK
  • Maybe motor mounts. Need to inspect closer
  • Fuel filter? Maybe if it's easy enough to get to. I did order the part just incase
  • Look into cruise control module / open federal recall


    Amayama was able to find more parts than Partsouq. They take a little longer but they seem to be a better source for these older vehicles.
    1728319187057.png
 
Tire shop was able to stuff some 176/65-14" tires on the Camry without any issues which was nice

BUT they said my bushings in the "torsion arm" are pretty worn so they didn't want to align it. Parts blowout below. I can't find parts in the US from Toyota but could order from overseas. Looking for aftermarket option but no luck. No exactly sure what to call these. Strut mount bushings maybe

I assume there are 2x bushings on both sides of this arm but IDK.

Going to just ride it out for now while I hunt for parts.
1728332753562.webp
 
I'm not familiar with the transmission you have, but generally shifting into reverse is not as smooth as shifting between forward gears. There is probably no reverse synchro in that box, and reverse gear is selected by moving an idler gear (which is usually straight cut, as opposed to helical forward drive gears) rather than a shift sleeve on the fine gear splines. Therefore, there needs to be a degree of alignment between the reverse idler and the reverse gear / counter gear for the idler to slot in. So it can need either a good shove or a second de-clutch to get it in. If it really is always a grind, meaning something is still moving, then perhaps the clutch hydraulics (or cable if it has one) need checking.

The way Amayama and Partsouq work is like this:

-Amayama in Japan can supply you with almost any part from Japan, so long as it is still in production. If Amayama in Japan say the part is no longer in production, that's final. Your only hope then is old stock somewhere or used. There are some exceptions (in terms of what they can supply to you from Japan) for occasional JDM parts which cannot be exported, and for parts which are not for sale in Japan (export only). They are an order service, they do not have inventory in stock (apart from caceclled order items sometimes).

-Partsouq, or Amayama's UAE business, supply high-demand parts, which is a limited range. They supply from a huge stock warehouse in Sharjah (I believe). The website shows the stock their supplier(s) have on hand and is pretty accurate. If Partsouq cannot supply a part, it means there is no stock in the UAE. It does not necessarily mean that the part is no longer available.
 
I always use #2 diesel, has served me well down to about -27ºF, but if there is a sudden cold snap in the fall the stations might not have put winter mix in yet. Running a fuel additive might be a good idea due to the lower lubricity of modern ULSD. My brother uses Marvel Mystery Oil on occasion, there are a lot of diesel specific lubricity and anti-gelling additives to choose from in all the auto parts stores.

My 1975 Mercedes 300D would always idle super low on a cold start, I usually had to give it a little throttle for a minute to help smooth it out and bring the idle speed up enough for it to stay running. My brother's 1HD-T does the same on a really cold start (below 15ºF or so) but he has deleted the ACSD (automatic cold start device) so that probably doesn't help.

Not going into reverse right away is pretty common on older manuals, it helps to give it a second or two after depressing the clutch before trying to shift into gear. My Prado sometimes doesn't like to go into reverse the first time, usually what I'll do is hold the shifter gently against the gear and ease the clutch out until the gears rotate just enough to line up, then it slips right in.
 
Interesting. So you would opt' to just run the #2 year round but would consider using an additive if the temperatures call for it.

I guess now I'm curious how that compares to using the "50/50 winter blend" at the pump. It says its a mixture of #2 and #1. I assumed I would just start running this once winter hits but I don't know.


1728396257644.webp
 
Ok I got to dive into some more maintenance today.

I decided to drain and fill the transmission fluid. Old stuff was pretty dark but didn't smell burnt.
- This vehicle takes just under 3qts. It calls for DexII which nowadays is DexIII/Mercon. Valvoline makes this. Multi vehicle ATF would probably work but I prefer to opt for the dex3
- The drain plug needs a 24mm wrench. The fill plug is a 17mm

Ok so I went in for another oil change and was able to get at the filter too
- This vehicle takes about 4.4 quarts of oil with a filter change
- The preferred oil filter is Mobil 1-204A. The inner thread diameter is larger than what I'm used to on other filters. The filter is under the turbo and you can get at it from the passenger side but it's tight. Coming from underneath prob way easier

Now heres where it got sort of interesting. The oil drain plug is sort of smashed on one side and the surrounding area of the frame tells the tale of someone who must have bottomed out pretty hard at some point

So I ordered a new engine oil drain plug from Toyota direct and I received this monster plug with a 24mm head and like m18 threads, similar to transmission drain plug but no magnet built in.... This is way bigger than what's in there but I do believe that's what it's suppose to have...I called auto parts store and they also confirmed replacement plug is a m18, too big for my current situation

I can just go match up this drain plug locally but I find it weird that it's installed. Could this be a different oil pan from stock ? Did someone possibly strip it out and maybe there's like a thread-insert thing on there ? I'm doing all this on the gravel driveway just reaching around underneath so I can't see s***

KIMG0731.JPG
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom