1985 SR5 Wagon...looking for interest/offers

This forum is for cars that run, or at least are close to running. This isn't for parting out complete cars.
Post Reply
siebzy
Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:37 pm
My tercel:: 1985 Tercel SR5

1985 SR5 Wagon...looking for interest/offers

Post by siebzy »

Hey all,

Looking to see what the interest level might be in my 1985 Toyota Tercel SR5 wagon. Its a manual transmission, shifts great, 4x4 works, 207k miles.
Has good snow tires on it right now. Everything as far as I know is original.

Interior and exterior are far from perfect, but generally solid. A few dings and scratches on the exterior, a few rust spots but overall straight body.
Some rips in the interior, especially drivers seat, and door and window seals are pretty shot.

Radio and heat work, mostly.

It runs and drives out nicely, but takes a LONG time to warm up, and until its warm has an issue with dying at intersections or when being taken out of gear. Also feels pretty sluggish going up hill, but just fine once you get rolling. Not getting the greatest mileage currently.

The car is my daily driver currently, and what i really need is a commuter, not a project. Let me know in the thread if you are interested and I can try and upload some pictures.

Located in Seattle, WA.
User avatar
Mattel
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1788
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2004 12:11 am
My tercel:: 1988 Corolla 4wd Wagon (AKA Corolla All-trac) 5speed, AC, Power Sunroof, Windows, Mirrors, Steering, Locking, Diff Lock, 14" Corolla SX Alloys with Silica Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, 210,000kms
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: 1985 SR5 Wagon...looking for interest/offers

Post by Mattel »

If you upload some photos then you might get some interest.
Previous: 83 Tercel SR5 4wd, 84 Tercel SR5 4wd
88 Corolla 4wd Wagon 5speed, All power options, Fact Sunroof, Diff Lock, 14" SX Alloys, Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, Tow Bar, 210,000kms
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: 1985 SR5 Wagon...looking for interest/offers

Post by Petros »

Do you have a price in mind?


Bur really, it sounds like you have a vacuum leak, which is an easy fix. the tough part is tracking it down, but not that difficult if you do it systematically.

Either a vac leak, or some of your vac hoses are improperly routed. It is not an unusual mistake for even supposed "professional" mechanic to make...seen it many times, they are not familiar with cars this old and do not want to take the time to verify proper routing.

Really, it is not a "project", it is just a matter of finding the malfunction and correcting it. Likely it can be fixed without any new parts, just either patching or replacing a leaky vac line, or routing it correctly.

Properly adjusting the carburetor linkage is also something that will help greatly, nothing fancy, just correct adjustment.

I know the frustration when faced with an unfamiliar problem (particular if your local mechanic, after charging you money, just tells you to sell the car... meaning he does not know what to do, and does not even want look at it...I hate those kind of selfish and incompetents). You may have already been a victim of randomly replacing parts to see if the problem goes away. this did not work of course, because you never try to fix a problem without diagnosing it first.

diagnosis is easy if you just follow a few simple steps: first careful trace each vac line from one end to the other, comparing it to the vac diagram for your year/version of your car (in the service manual available for free down load from this site), and check that each one is not cracked or leaking, and routed properly. this only takes about 15 min. You can also look for a vac leak by spraying carb cleaner while the engine is running at various parts of the engine, when it changes speed (up or down) you have found the source of the vac leak. Most likely a vac line, but could also be a gasket, cracked plastic part, etc.

Once that is done, follow the carb linkage adjusting procedure in the service manul, and properly set the spark timing with a rented or borrowed timing light.

one of those things will solve the problem, once familar with the emissions and carb, this whole process should only take 30-40 min. or so.

Don't give up on it.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Post Reply