TWT -- The Wrenching Thread (15 Viewers)

[FJ60Cam]

Just do it!

This is the same pump kit that Stan linked to. It’s a “drop-in” as you can get.

 

[NCFJ]

Just do it!

X2!!

If you look on the interior mirrors of most of my vehicles you will see a little sticker that simply says "Nike" Years ago they ran an ad program "Just Do It"

 

[lt1fire]

The friggen celica lives!!!!

Not having much time or money to throw at it hindered a speedy fix once it was discovered the advertised problem wasnt the only one.

After getting it and gutting the cat I found that the exhaust hosuomg in the turbo had eaten itself away around the turbo. After 5 different used turbos i finally got one that wasnt cracked on. The exhaust housing dual entry design on the early CT26s are known for this. Finally getting it all together I wasnt happy to find it still doing exactly the same thing.

At this point the cruiser had just been taken out of commission with a bent control arm so I needed something fast for andrea. Found a mint little zx3 01 jetta 5 speed for her. $1k later it was hers and the celica sat for a while. Work got busy so my time was cut down on it. There isnt much info out there on the 1st gen 3sgte in the ST165s as they were only put in the celica all trac which means not that many out there. The mr2 is a 2nd and 3rd gen 3sgte as is the st185 celica.

Lack of a port to tap in to on the fuel rail meant I put that off. All threads I read and people I spoke to said it was either timing or an electronic sensor anyway. Tested the AFM, came out good. Tested the TPS came out good but a shop that specializes in these told me that can still be bad so I replaced it with an OEM unit. No change.
Swapped out ecu with known good one no change. Checked timing, it was right.
Disabled the turbo pressure sensor to see if it was activating the cut. No change
Checked spark it was good.
Went through the list of new parts the PO and PPO put on.
Plugs, wires, cap rotor, fuel pulsation damper, fuel pump, all air hoses.
Checked every vacuum line 80s toyota here so think a turbo 3fe. That took forever since many run under the intake manifold. All looked good and no change when running and checking with carb cleaner.
Couldnt find the SST needed to check the fuel pressure from the cold start injector anywhere. So finally just got one that replaced the banjo bolt on the filter. First 3 the shop sent me were the wrong thread.
Finally got a good one and the pressure was super high. 70 psi at idle over 100 when reved.
Didnt act like it was flooding and running rich though.
Changed out the FPR, no change and pressure still the same. Hmmmm
Ran a return line from the FPR to a fuel can. No change.... so not a clogged FPR or return line. Could there be a clog in the rail?? Most likely not and dint feel like tearing that out until last resort, not easy to get to.

I pulled the fuel pulsation damper instead. Not really having a way to test it and the thing looked brand new I pulled it out of curiosity. After getting it off i thought i had lost the washer for it but didnt see one come off with it. Strange as that would almost certainly cause a fuel leak i looked at it closer only to see a small copper crush washer jammed up in it. Essentially blocking fuel flow. Anyone that has installed one before knows this washer isnt a copper crush washer but more of a washer with sectioned cut out to allow the fuel by. Ordered a new one since there was no way I could get the washer out of where it was jammed.
Took 2 to get the right one. Installed it yesterday and put the car back together. Runs amazing for a 30 year old. Not the fastest car on the block with 200hp and 200tq but drives like new. Except the exhaust leak because i snapped two studs removing the cat/down pipe.

5 cent part was the cause of all of this.

If Toyota had put a port to check fuel from the factory it also.would have made the diagnostic easier LOL. Bit you live and learn.

Now the question is I have 3 cars that are "mine" and I need to cut it down to one. Cruiser, LS430 and the all trac. Which one do I keep?? Or do I sell them all and get a 4x4 van? No really I need to sell two and use that money to pay debt.

 

[S4Cruiser]

@lt1fire that sounds like a s*** ton of work. I bet it feels good to have solved/fixed it!

 

[lt1fire]

@lt1fire that sounds like a s*** ton of work. I bet it feels good to have solved/fixed it!

For sure..... one thing about old OBDI yotas. They are pretty smart with a million sensors but not smart enough to tell you what's wrong. No CEL and the only stored code was for the TPS which is another reason I replaced it even though the one in there checked out fine.

Now besides the exhaust leak the only things needed are gaskets as it leaks some oil from the back of the valve cover and the pan.

 

[ROBsSON]

Strapped in and ready to go waiting on the gasket set now.

 

[MBest75]

Reinstalled the water pump and burped the cooling system again. Started up great and ran cool so that’s all a plus. Now there’s a nasty whistle coming from somewhere behind the carb. Not clear if it’s the break booster, PCV or an exhaust leak though as squirting water didn’t change engine rpms or even change the whistling. Ear plugs, R2.8 swap or 2F rebuild look better by the day.

 

[roadstr6]

View attachment 1840090
Reinstalled the water pump and burped the cooling system again. Started up great and ran cool so that’s all a plus. Now there’s a nasty whistle coming from somewhere behind the carb. Not clear if it’s the break booster, PCV or an exhaust leak though as squirting water didn’t change engine rpms or even change the whistling. Ear plugs, R2.8 swap or 2F rebuild look better by the day.

Probably between the carb and the intake manifold. Try tightening the carb down a little tighter and see if it goes away. That is the whistle problem 99 percent of the time with the factory carb. I know you have a weber, so it could be something different, but that's a good place to start.

 

[40LandCruising]

So while I have yet to determine the extent of the damage in my engine. I’d like to tell myself it’s just going to require having the head machined and replacing the headgasket. If my bottom end is toasted though I might be doing a full rebuild.

If it is just a headgasket though, I’d like to try and figure out what parts I’ll need to get in the meantime, won’t order yet but would like to have an idea. I’ve heard Toyota HG, and bolts if they are out of spec, I’d also assume valve cover gasket, not sure past that. I’m trying to visualize the engine in my head.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Plenty of threads outline the parts required. Most come in a toyota parts kit to service the top end of the motor.

 

[stevezero]

@40LandCruising , Ive got the top end off my 97 that I had the head gasket completed on it. I bought Rice's old head, and had it machined, and just did a swap on my engine. I've got the head(head has been on end since I got it back), cams, valve cover, head bolts (i went with arp studs), timing chain, and some other misc doodads off the old engine.

The head should be good (not cracked), and would probably need a trip to the machine shop.

I'd sell you everything I have top end related for 300.00.

 

[ROBsSON]

Work has begun during some downtime at work on my quarter panel protection. Seemed like a good project to start doing some welding practice on something that I could use.

 

[40LandCruising]

@stevezero If my head is a mess I'll let you know! Thank you!

 

[uzj100]

Highly recommended $30 dollar mod. See last post from me.

ARB 4" Bumper Fog Light LED Upgrade

 

[lt1fire]

Well get to replace a part i've never touched before.

Lexus lit up like a christmas tree over the weekend. Just found my scanner packed away last night. Its the VVT control solenoid.
New one should be here on saturday.
I would have though something that helps control the VVT system going out would make the car run rougher but it still idles smooth as silk. Was hoping to put it off till after christmas but its not recommended to drive too much with it like that.

 

[fourtrax]

I doubt that solenoid does anything till you get a little higher in the RPM, and the powerband kicks in.

 

[jfz80]

Tactical patience at its finest. 2.5 yrs later i finally have a passenger seatbelt.

 

[weejub]

I'm sure this thread is for people who do their OWN wrenching, but had to post up @NC LX work on the top parts of my engine compartment for the '96 LX. This thing was a hot mess before. Thanks Austin!!

BEFORE:

 

[JohnVee]

@weejub Same angle for before/after pics, man. Most of us confuse too easily.

 

[little_joe]

I did the front upper control arms on the GX last weekend. Used the SPC's with the SpecRide bushings. It honestly transformed the suspension, the old bushings were worn and binding. Now, the front suspension actually works and it drives like a dream (finally! - but why did I wait?). Looking for take-off LCA's so I can rebush them...