Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

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lannvouivre
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by lannvouivre »

I'll need to drop by one, in that case
But...did you try hitting it with a hammer?
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lannvouivre
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by lannvouivre »

I decided to get an atomic fuel pump since the tercel spends a lot of time sitting. Because of this, I have been having to jump-start it when I can work on it, because it doesn't mechanically pull up the fuel fast enough. Once I can check timing and get it running right, I'm going to set it up. Hopefully I haven't ruined the battery by discharging it so far and being unable to recharge it since I can't drive the tercel yet.

Aww, my kitty just carried in the other cat's stuffed rat and cried.

Anyway, my BF likes how the impala fires up right away, so this will also help with that so that I don't have to worry about getting a battery charger stolen or anything.

What can I do about the HIC valve and vacuum advance diaphragm being bad? Will I have trouble from capping them and their lines? I only capped the steel lines "to" the advance, the nipples on the distributor, and left the HIC's nipples alone as it's just a switch anyway as far as I can tell.

Also just picked up a timing light from Harbor Freight.
But...did you try hitting it with a hammer?
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dlb
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by dlb »

if you plugged the lines going to the HIC valve and distributor advance unit, that's all you need to do.
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lannvouivre
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by lannvouivre »

I decided today to experiment with the ignition timing. I had no one else with me, so this consisted of me turning the dist, getting in the car, starting it, and then getting out and adjusting it some more because it would stall after about a second of running unless my foot was pushing the gas. Over and over. I then pulled off the fuel hose to the carb, retrieved the clamp for it from between the manifolds, then put the clamp back on it.

After I did this, it started and ran horribly, but didn't stall, so I went to adjust the distributor again and it shocked the absolute hell out of me. I turned it off and pulled the cap off to see if anything was inside of it that didn't belong, since the plug wires are seated all the way (I confirmed this after I got shocked). It looked fine. I put it back on and tightened it. I then got back in and the car ran perfectly fine for almost an entire minute with no gas pedal action from me. I texted Irowiki "it's running fine now..." and as soon as I hit send, it died. It then resumed its "die within a couple of seconds of being started" routine. I am still shaken from getting zapped and haven't tried touching the distributor again with the engine running (not an issue since it can't run without pressure on the gas pedal right now).

When I have it running and give it a certain amount of partial throttle, it also "idle hunts"...except only at a certain position, not while merely idling. If I give it more gas, it runs evenly, and if it successfully idles without stalling, it runs evenly. I think it's either a vacuum leak or there are bubbles of air in the fuel hoses.

Today, I also replaced the brake booster hoses.

I will need Zach's hand to do more diagnostics at this point, I can't test for a vacuum leak on the car if it's not running.

Other things I need to do are tighten the lock on the outer tie rod end, the strut camber bolt, and replace the water pump (which is now weeping through the weep hole). I also need to pull the freeze plugs and reseal them with some shellac or something; should be much easier with the front not twenty feet in the air :) Then I need to replace two more heater hoses as one is leaking and the other is just as mangled so...no sense wasting time later.
But...did you try hitting it with a hammer?
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irowiki
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by irowiki »

Sounds like the idle may be too low? Are you engaging the choke/fast idle when you start it?
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Petros
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by Petros »

a malfunctioning vac switch over on the passenger side wheel well, with the vac lines running into it, will cause the surge at a middle rpm range. Check the FSM, one of those servos engages at a specific rpm, and if it does not work it will surge right at that rpm. you can stop the surge by unplugging the vac switch, but your fuel economy drops off to about 30 to 40 percent lower.

you might try advancing the spark to see if it will idle properly. retarded timing will cause it to idle weakly and stall. You might also have a bad condenser on the side of the distributor, also giving you the shock. If that condenser is bad it will not run properly, it is a minor, but important part. usually they are reliable but I have seen them go bad. they break down internally and short out. Also a bad cap, with nearly invisible burns or carbon tracs on either the inside or out side could also give you a zap. A close visual inspection of the inside usually indicates it has carbon tracks that cause it to short out. they almost look like tiny spider web tracks on the inside of the cap.

Good luck.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
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lannvouivre
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by lannvouivre »

I'm probably going to replace the cap and rotor. I will look at it as well.

Should the distributor condenser just be dangling off to the side? And where can I get a new one? I'm having to balance costs against my intense fear of the very uncomfortable shock I got. I have never received such rude punishment for touching a running engine before.
But...did you try hitting it with a hammer?
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dlb
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by dlb »

if the condenser is the part i'm thinking of, it is fastened to the dizzy by one of the screws that holds the cap on.
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irowiki
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by irowiki »

that might be why it shocked you. It should be screwed down with one of the dizzy cap screws
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Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
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95 Camry Wagon, 170k
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lannvouivre
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by lannvouivre »

irowiki wrote:that might be why it shocked you. It should be screwed down with one of the dizzy cap screws
It doesn't have any place to screw down with. Will a cable tie work, or does it need some kind of metal-to-metal contact? I really do not wish to be shocked again!
But...did you try hitting it with a hammer?
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irowiki
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by irowiki »

There's a bracket attached to it that fits into the screw that holds the cap on!
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87 Corolla FX16, 105k
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Petros
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by Petros »

yes, it must be screwed down with a metal screw so it grounds to the housing through the screw. It is essential this component be present and grounded or it will not run correctly. could be the source of your problem, or contributing to it for sure. and likely why you got shocked.

Usually you should not get shocked when touching the distributor IF everything is working properly. I am always leery of handling the distributor while it is running because I have been zapped more than a few times (that could max out as 12,000 volts btw, that is why it hurts, fortunately it is only for a few milliseconds). Bad contacts, bad ground, bad components, cap or wires can all allow electricity to "leak", or ground through your body if anything is wrong with any of those components. When I am manually adjusting the timing with it running I slacken the bolt and turn by pushing on the vacuum advance, holding it by the vacuum hose. I will not put my hands around the distrubort and rotate it. BTW, Never put more than one hand on it at a time, so you do not make a circuit between both hands.
'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)
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Sorta OT, but perhaps wearing rubber gloves would help in avoiding a shock?
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lannvouivre
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by lannvouivre »

I'm 4'10" and what happened was I grounded the electricity across my forearm. I will probably wear gloves next time, but because I'm so short, I will still have to be pressed against the car so I hope my gloves are sufficient.

I inspected the cap for carbon tracks and did not see any (I have seen them before, so at least I know how they look), however the inside is dirty with sand. I took the tercel for a drive around the block and it went well. The only problems were from my inexperience driving stick and my leg being slightly too short to control the clutch pedal well.

I replaced the mangled heater hose. I had to cut it off because it had corrosion sticking it down. I did this from below the car after draining the coolant...unfortunately, some was still in the hose and it poured all over my face and up my nose. Luckily, I can now confirm that Toyota red coolant does have a bittering agent, which I tasted several more times afterwards because it was still all over the inside of my nasal cavities. I need to replace the hose with a molded one soon, but the scrap I had in the garage will suffice to get the Tercel three blocks to Zach's gparents' until I finish it.

I plan to probably replace the dist cap. I hope I did not screw up the ignition coil or anything. I will adjust the timing at his gparents' house probably. I was going to test for vacuum leaks around the carb, but alas, I am out of carb cleaner.
But...did you try hitting it with a hammer?
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Re: Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Perhaps those long "dishwashing" gloves? They don't give much of a feel for things, but...
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
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