Picking up my first Tercel next week!

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
User avatar
MrWrench
Top Notch Member
Posts: 252
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:10 pm
My tercel:: 1985 Tercel SR5. aka Spud
Location: Michigan
Contact:

Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by MrWrench »

Hello everyone, my name is Luke. I'm from a small town in Michigan. I found this forum through a Facebook page and through this page, found a Tercel for sale. I am flying out to New York next week and picking it up and driving it approximately 800 miles home!
I plan to take a lot of pictures during the trip home to share (if you guys don't mind. I'll keep them all in this thread.)

Before I head out, is there any recommendations on parts I should bring with as spares? I'm torn between packing lightly (phone charger, FM/Bluetooth transmitter and a few extra dollars)
And bringing a handful of car parts in a small suitcase.

I am beyond excited for this road trip! It'll be my first time on an airplane and my first time driving/owning a Tercel!

Thanks for having me guys! Hope to someday be a good contribution to this forum!


Edit: I should mention that I do plan on picking up a cheap set of tools at HF (or something equivalent.) Some jumper cables, a lot of caffeine and some oil/gear oil.
1984 SR5. Lifted offroader with a snorkel. Aka "Thunderbucket"
1985 SR5. Daily driver. Aka "Spud"
1986 SR5. Dakar Rally clone build.
User avatar
splatterdog
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1623
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:26 am
Location: Minnesota, USA

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by splatterdog »

Being a NY car make sure to take a hard look at front and rear control arm attaching points on the unibody.
User avatar
ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Welcome!
Do you have a link to the car's ad (or info on it from the seller)?
► What splatterdog wrote, esp. on the front arms! Not to be an alarmist, but that is about the only Achilles Heel of our cars. 'Course, the rear is not unimportant!
See ESP viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3171 and viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3203&hilit=bushings and viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7108&hilit=control+arm
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
User avatar
irowiki
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 3463
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:02 am
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by irowiki »

I think he bought the Tercel from CT that was actually from TX...so in that case should be good rust wise.

The only spare part I think you might need is the mechanical fuel pump. Maybe a distributor, but I've had worse luck with the fuel pump on otherwise mystery tercels.

Make sure you pick up a metric set, not an american set.
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by Petros »

A set of metric sockets, handel w extentions, and open end/combo wrenches, Phillips screwdriver, pliers, some duck tape, zip ties, work gloves, tube of form a gasket. Scraper can be useful.

As far as parts go, you want to bring spares for what could leave you stranded. Fuel pump, fan belt, valve timing belt, an alternator if possible, bring a new thermostat and consider installing it befor you hit the road. If running temp seem okay, that can wait. But bring a good one in case you need it. A distributor assembly has the coil, and igniter built in, if you can get a used one from a wrecking yard, it is a good spare to have. Alternator from a wrecking yard ls also a good bet, they are reliable. But really, the fuel pump, alternator and distributor are all reliable, it is just with a car this old, anything can go out and leave you stranded. local auto parts store may take 4 or 5 days to get one for you, they rarely stock parts for a car this old.

Rarely do carbs fail to leave you stranded, might run rough, but will still get you home. Carb trouble usually is,a vacuum leak in a hose, so check all the vac lines.

If the battery or starter gives you trouble, you can roll start it. Always park so you can roll start it if you have a bad battery or starter. I drove home a tercel with a bad battery over 1000 miles by always roll starting it at each gas stop. I would pick the gas station based on if they have a down hill slope from the pump island. Got it home that way.

Good luck. Have fun.
'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)
User avatar
MrWrench
Top Notch Member
Posts: 252
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:10 pm
My tercel:: 1985 Tercel SR5. aka Spud
Location: Michigan
Contact:

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by MrWrench »

That is correct. I am picking up the one in CT next Friday! I absolutely cannot wait!
I think I'll hop on rockauto and pick up a small set of spares.
Thank you all so much for your advice!
I can't wait for next weekend. I'll definitely snag up as many photos as possible!
1984 SR5. Lifted offroader with a snorkel. Aka "Thunderbucket"
1985 SR5. Daily driver. Aka "Spud"
1986 SR5. Dakar Rally clone build.
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: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by Petros »

BTW, you will not need a complete set of sockets or open end wrenches.

On a Tercel you will only need 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, and 19 mm sockets and open end wrenches. You will never use a 9 mm, or 15 and 16 mm. they do not exist on a Tercel (and I think not in any other toyota either). A unversal joint for the socket is useful too, and several length extensions as well.

If you expect to remove the big nut on the CV axle, you will need that, but you can rent/borrow one from an auto parts store if you need to replace a CV axle on the road. Not likely, so do not worry about it. It is like 27 or 32 mm (don't remember which).

Also, I find a pair of those long pliers they call "brake pliers" or "long reach pliers" really useful. you do not need the whole set, either a straight one or the one with a 45 deg angle at the tip (like in the picture below). it comes in very useful for all kinds of things, last of which is to retrieve a dropped bolt from somewhere down deep in the engine compartment where you can not get your fingers on it. They do not cost too much.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
'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)
User avatar
MrWrench
Top Notch Member
Posts: 252
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:10 pm
My tercel:: 1985 Tercel SR5. aka Spud
Location: Michigan
Contact:

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by MrWrench »

Thanks Petros ! I really appreciate it!
I found a harbor freight which should be in route home. My plan is to stop at a nearby Harbor freight (to finally use my gift card I received for my birthday) first thing after picking up the car. I plan on giving it a more through inspection. This way I'm not in the driveway of the seller for a long time.

I ordered a spare fuel pump, spare distributor, some spare belts and I have a battery powered jumper pack. I don't know which alternator it has so I didn't order one. Hopefully I don't have any issues with charging or any issues with bringing car parts on a plane.

It looks like the weather isn't going to be perfect, but it'll probably be nicer than it's been here these past few weeks.
I can't wait! I've been hunting out cool scenic routes and spots to stop along the way home!

Edit: distributor, not carb***
1984 SR5. Lifted offroader with a snorkel. Aka "Thunderbucket"
1985 SR5. Daily driver. Aka "Spud"
1986 SR5. Dakar Rally clone build.
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: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by Petros »

you can bring clean car parts as luggage (watch your weight limit) as well as tools. I do not think they will let you bring the battery booster. you should not need one, just bring (or buy there) jumper cables. Tools over 6" long have to be checked in luggage. I bring the sockets and shorter tools in zip lock bags in my carry on (they will want to inspect them because it will show up in the carry on scan). Nothing with a point on it on carry on either, needle nose pliers, knifes, scrapers, scissors, etc. those needed to be in checked luggage.
'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)
User avatar
irowiki
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 3463
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:02 am
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by irowiki »

spencercat wrote: Fri Feb 15, 2019 11:07 am SOLD! to MrWrench, who's now on his way back to MI in "Spud". Godspeed and good luck!
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
User avatar
MrWrench
Top Notch Member
Posts: 252
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:10 pm
My tercel:: 1985 Tercel SR5. aka Spud
Location: Michigan
Contact:

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by MrWrench »

Spud has been cruising along quite well! I'm currently somewhere up the Ohio turnpike. Going to get a few hours of shut-eye before the last leg of the journey home. She's been averaging low 30s for MPGs which isn't bad considering the mountains in PA and NJ we're quite hard on the poor old 1.5.
IMG_20190215_205448.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1984 SR5. Lifted offroader with a snorkel. Aka "Thunderbucket"
1985 SR5. Daily driver. Aka "Spud"
1986 SR5. Dakar Rally clone build.
User avatar
irowiki
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 3463
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:02 am
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by irowiki »

Low 30's is actually very good, I only had one Tercel to ever do that.
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
User avatar
MrWrench
Top Notch Member
Posts: 252
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:10 pm
My tercel:: 1985 Tercel SR5. aka Spud
Location: Michigan
Contact:

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by MrWrench »

I'm happy to announce that Spud successfully made it to it's new home with zero faults or failures! It was a very fun trip.
I have a few new parts and just ordered a timing belt kit for it.
She needs a little love here and there. But I can't wait to get it titled and go cruising this spring!
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1984 SR5. Lifted offroader with a snorkel. Aka "Thunderbucket"
1985 SR5. Daily driver. Aka "Spud"
1986 SR5. Dakar Rally clone build.
User avatar
NWMO
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1615
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:08 pm

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by NWMO »

Fantastic,

I can’t wait to roadtrip mine some this year. I’ve driven 30,000 miles to work and back, but never far from home.

Chris
Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"

In remembrance of my friend ARCHINSTL:

T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
spencercat
Advanced Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2018 1:27 pm
My tercel:: '84 SR5

Re: Picking up my first Tercel next week!

Post by spencercat »

Glad you had a good trip, Luke!
Post Reply