Zach's 1985 Toyota Tercel DLX Hatchback

[irowiki]

Yeah, I figured, use the best one out of the lot for the spare rim, unless you're going to go right for the larger wheels!

[lannvouivre]

I pulled the oil pan and its gasket was so bad I couldn't tell whether it was cork or rubber. It definitely wasn't silicone bead like the service manual recommends. It was just totally chewed up. Crankcase also looks good. Thick layer of metal powder at the bottom of the pan and the strainer had stuff on it (no metal shavings or chips, thank god).

[Petros]

the metal powder is likely from an oil additive (perhaps in an attempt by the PO to stop it from burning oil).

[irowiki]

Might explain why the oil kept instantly getting dirty after I changed it!

[lannvouivre]

If that's what was making the oil dirty, that's good, because I can't do anything but a compression test to check and see if there's blowby past the piston rings at this point.

I got the valves out of the head and sprayed it down with my last functioning can of carb cleaner. I will need to clean the intake valves and seat the new exhaust valves and the old intake valves tomorrow. Old exhaust valves will be used for something eventually, like my 1ZZ's old pistons.

I am still impressed at the lack of carbon on the decks of the pistons.

I still need to get a picture of the camshaft because I have never seen one that looks like this, and I think it's from incorrect wear. I will have to get a performance regrind for it, I guess.

[lannvouivre]

Got the oil pan siliconed and installed today, and also lapped valves and reassembled the head. Now I just need a torque wrench. Honestly, wow, I'm pretty close to being done.

The second steering rack boot gaiter is here, so I can install inner tie rods and replace the boots soon. I also got tons of flanged metric bolts and nuts.

I still need to key the new locks, install them all, and replace the struts as well. Oh, and pull the crank pulley so I can clean the lower part of the timing cover and verify I didn't damage the belt or anything.

So the list now:
Modify and install head gasket and head
Add oil and filter
Replace inner tie rods and rack boots
Pull crank pulley and clean timing cover
Install pulley
Install water pump and stuff, after flushing the block one more time
Replace rear shocks
Install carburator
Reinstall radiator
Replace upper radiator hose
Fill with coolant
Get the exhaust done
Replace front shocks
Install mirrors

[Petros]

It needed that many things fixed? that is quite a list, I hope you did not pay much for it. Since you had the pan off and the head off, it would not have been too much more work to remove the pistons and install new rings, the set is only about $20 from rockauto.

there will not be much to replace when you are done, good for another 100k miles I would say.

You really should get a torque wrench, doing that kind of work you will need it a lot. check the calibration, many of the store bought ones are way off. I check three from OReiley's, by putting them in a vise and hanging a known weight on the handle and calcuating true torque (43 ft lbs for the Tercel head bolts). one was 17 ft-lbs off, another was 8 off, way way too much.

[lannvouivre]

I don't know if the head gasket did need it, but the valve seals were definitely no longer rubbery and the exhaust valves had tons of deposits on them. The A/C compressor is locked up, which is unfortunate in TX. The heater hoses were swollen from oil on them, the radiator hose was previous-owner'd (kinked), the vacuum lines and fuel lines are all old, stiff, and cracked, and the exhaust has nothing from the back of the cat all the way to the muffler LOL. The oil pan gasket definitely wasn't sealing at all as well. I also need a picture of the 40 mm freeze plug so I can show you the tap-water deposits on it.

Also, the EGR valve is completely plugged and will take time to clean out. The shift cable's boot was totally rotted open, the steering rack boots were in tatters, and Irowiki said the inner tie rods were bad. I will be checking the old ones out, but see no reason to doubt it since they would normally covered with boots. The rear shocks are totally blown, the back bounces and bucks hard and the negative camber is glorious. I don't think the front shocks are out, but my BF wanted to replace them anyway and I failed to talk him out of it.

It's honestly been very expensive, so I do regret the front shocks a lot right now. I also think the front axle seals may possibly be leaking, but I want to wait and be sure.

Anyway, here's how I knew the rear shocks were bad even before I ever drove the Tercel:


Here's the head reassembled and ready for torque. I will need to tear it back down and oil it because um...I stupidly did not do so. I don't usually do engine work, this is the first time I have taken a head apart. I will borrow the torque wrench soon, possibly today.


I need to take a picture of the cam wear, it's very interesting and probably very horrible.

One thing that concerns me is that the piston decks are completely clean of carbon deposits. I don't know if that means the bottom end has been rebuilt or if it's from coolant getting in and steam-cleaning the decks. The driver's side CV axle also has a deep groove in it on the tripod housing on the inboard side. ...The bracket of the air injection pipe there was LOOSE AND HANGING OFF so I'm worried it was digging into the CV housing! Right now, it has too much oil and dirt in the groove and I only discovered this issue last night. I would really rather not buy an axle

[Petros]

as long as the axle housing is not penetrated likely it will be okay. yes, the only thing that will clean off pistons is "steam clean" from leaky head gasket. Unless the PO tired some sea foam or gum out soak before he sold it.

If the rear is sagging usually means the springs are shot, even without any dampers (shock absorbers) it should still sit level. Unless it uses pneumatic "airbag" springs. High mile cars often have weak and saggy springs. you either have to replace the springs (not too costly if you can find them), or put spacers to get it level. It may also need rear shocks, but that will not level the car. Also inspect the rear suspension for badly damaged bushings or rubber parts, that could cuase the sag as well.

what I can see on the cam, that kind of wear is normal. Caused by driving with gritty oil. When you get a torque wrench you might as well remove the cam bearing caps and put some assembly lube on it and than carefully torque these caps down properly, they do not take much torque or you risk ripping the threads out of the head. be espcially careful torquing down the rocker arm towers to the head, they are tiny bolts and very easy to strip out of the soft AL head. Put assembly lube on the cam lobs as well so you dont bugger up the cam further, or the rocker arms either. On first start, unplug the distributor and crank the engine with freash oil until you can see it around the cam shaft (you have pressurized the oil galleys and have oil on all the moving parts that way), than plug in the distributor and give it a start.

[lannvouivre]

Well, the back end is very bouncy. I did see on newer Toyotas that blown shocks will impact rear camber. However, the shocks were blown for a long time, so I don't doubt the springs are also worn as well.

Unfortunately the outer tie rods won't detach from the knuckle even with the help of an air hammer and tie-rod tool attachment. I think I will have to put the castle nuts and cotter pins back on, then go borrow an air hammer with balls.

[rer233]

When i bought my '87 fwd wagon, the rear end was VERY bouncy and had so much camber that the top inside of the tire would rub on the inner fenderwell- there was a LOT of play between the strut piston and housing. Replaced the only the struts- no springs, mounts, or anything else. Camber's fine now.

Hope this helps- Good Luck!

[lannvouivre]

Here's an old freeze plug, note the interesting deposits and corrosion.


What is this part I'm pointing to on the front end of the intake manifold?
Is it this filter http://www.villagetoyotaparts.com/produ ... 11023.html ? If so, can I substitute something else similar before I shell out $30 for it?

[dlb]

that's the 'gas filter' but the name is misleading since there's no filter. it's just a few ports for manifold vacuum. don't waste the money on an overpriced new one, get one from a wrecker or a member here. i think i have a spare you can have but shipping from canada might be a couple bucks.

[irowiki]

I told her she could seal the broken port and use a T on the other too.

[lannvouivre]

I pulled it out to go find a T for it and now it makes a lot more sense, although I still think the amount of vacuum lines on this thing is absurd.