Search found 650 matches

by The Professor
Tue Aug 24, 2021 12:46 pm
Forum: Cars for sale
Topic: Looking to buy a 4WD in good working condition
Replies: 25
Views: 4249

Re: Looking to buy a 4WD in good working condition

Your licensed opinion is great and all, but as a mechanical engineer and journalist, I want to make an informed decision for myself. The only thing presented here is opinion and an unattributed graph. Where's the data to support your position?
by The Professor
Wed Aug 18, 2021 10:02 am
Forum: General
Topic: I still have a few shirts
Replies: 6
Views: 2307

Re: I still have a few shirts

If you have a large, I'll take one.
by The Professor
Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:51 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Mistakes TOYOTA made or LIES in Identifying OUR CARS
Replies: 16
Views: 13908

Re: Mistakes TOYOTA made or LIES in Identifying OUR CARS

splatterdog wrote: Sat Aug 07, 2021 9:07 pm 2 inches can add a lot of self esteem for those that need it..
:lol: :lol: :lol:
by The Professor
Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:28 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Mistakes TOYOTA made or LIES in Identifying OUR CARS
Replies: 16
Views: 13908

Re: Mistakes TOYOTA made or LIES in Identifying OUR CARS

As someone who worked for 5 years in the Technical Publications department (read: manuals and recalls) of an OEM, this is not what recalls are for. In addition, this was probably a copy/paste error using the 2WD ride height. There are literally hundreds of internal documents, marketing materials, se...
by The Professor
Thu Jul 29, 2021 9:59 am
Forum: Tercel 4WD Parts: New and Used
Topic: Looking to buy rear speaker
Replies: 5
Views: 1992

Re: Looking to buy rear speaker

I replaced my failed (yes, tested with a 9V battery and they were DEAD) rear speakers with some 4 -in. Kenwood component speakers. Even with the stock head unit, the sounds quality is much better.
by The Professor
Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:33 pm
Forum: Repair Guides
Topic: Repairing that awful fuel sender unit
Replies: 53
Views: 49273

Re: Repairing that awful fuel sender unit

I spent the better part of 6 years on the aftersales side of a domestic OEM vehicle manufacturer, and was tasked with writing tech tips for our dealer mechanics. I've got loads of this sort of thing stored away, hahaha. WD-40 does wonders for removing butyl rubber, for example... :wink:
by The Professor
Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:22 am
Forum: General
Topic: Which Gear Oil or Differential Oil should I use? Personal Conclusions and discussion. Molybdenum additive use?
Replies: 16
Views: 5963

Re: Which Gear Oil or Differential Oil should I use? Personal Conclusions and discussion. Molybdenum additive use?

I have no idea if RP-MTF is a different viscosity or has different properties than MT90. Google Search is a powerful tool... :wink: The MTF was noticeably leaking from my trans, I could see the purplish drips under the trans, but when I used 50/50 mix of conventional gear oil and MTF, it reduced th...
by The Professor
Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:17 am
Forum: Repair Guides
Topic: Repairing that awful fuel sender unit
Replies: 53
Views: 49273

Re: Repairing that awful fuel sender unit

First, use some form of penetrating oil. Find a phillips socket and use a ratcheting wrench to remove the bolts. This allows you to put WAY more downward force onto the phillips bit, preventing it from ramping out of the bolt head. Plus, a lot more torque can be applied versus a normal screwdriver. ...
by The Professor
Mon Jul 19, 2021 12:35 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Which Gear Oil or Differential Oil should I use? Personal Conclusions and discussion. Molybdenum additive use?
Replies: 16
Views: 5963

Re: Which Gear Oil or Differential Oil should I use? Personal Conclusions and discussion. Molybdenum additive use?

Interesting data point from GoWesty. I'm deep into the vintage Subaru world and our transaxles are basically mirrors of the air-cooled VW transaxles. Advantage Subaru, as they were designed for GL-5 since at least the 1980s. The shifting in my Tercel hasn't degraded since I started using the MT90. A...
by The Professor
Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:33 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Which Gear Oil or Differential Oil should I use? Personal Conclusions and discussion. Molybdenum additive use?
Replies: 16
Views: 5963

Re: Which Gear Oil or Differential Oil should I use? Personal Conclusions and discussion. Molybdenum additive use?

OP, the PDF you linked to doesn't take any position petroleum-based oil being more "cushy" than synthetic gear oil. The main difference between the two oil types is that (while both petroleum-sourced base stocks) "dino" oil is less consistent in the uniformity of the molecular ch...
by The Professor
Mon May 24, 2021 10:14 am
Forum: Tercel 4WD Parts: New and Used
Topic: OEM SR5 White Steel Wheels (Qty. 5)
Replies: 0
Views: 2818

OEM SR5 White Steel Wheels (Qty. 5)

I've got a set of five white steel SR5 wheels, without tires, that I no longer need. I found five early alloy wheels and run those now.

Located near Seattle, WA, willing to ship on your dime.

Make an offer.
by The Professor
Thu May 20, 2021 9:22 am
Forum: Cars for sale
Topic: ISO Tercel 4WD In Or Around Utah
Replies: 10
Views: 4019

Re: ISO Tercel 4WD In Or Around Utah

kpetey wrote: Tue May 18, 2021 7:46 am
Alltrain wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 9:18 pm Are you still looking? I am in St George, Ut. I have a 87 SR5 4WD...
I’m from st. George originally and looking for one. Anyone know of anything in the western us or anywhere for that matter?
I sent you a message about a Tercel.
by The Professor
Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:59 am
Forum: Tercel Gallery and Projects
Topic: Texas T4WD 7AGE Project
Replies: 43
Views: 28360

Re: Texas T4WD 7AGE Project

Dropping the crossmember is not a good solution for this swap. It will leave your control arms at an inclined angle that will hurt handling, unless you lengthen the ball joint and tie rod ends. A sheet steel box on the hood, or a custom crossmember are the non-bandaid fix for this problem, anything ...
by The Professor
Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:52 am
Forum: Cars for sale
Topic: 1987 Tercel 4wd For Sale
Replies: 7
Views: 2951

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd For Sale

What was the sale price, if you don't mind my asking?

Thanks!
by The Professor
Tue Apr 20, 2021 11:38 am
Forum: General
Topic: Manual Steering?
Replies: 25
Views: 6808

Re: Manual Steering?

“PS” = power steering can steer someone the wrong way. Need to drive them into automatic transmission fluid which tercel racks require. I'm no authority on this but I used regular power steering fluid on my tercels (I never knew they required ATF) AND never had a problem with it. ATF is much less e...