1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

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Kamren
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1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by Kamren »

Desperately, desperately looking for a distributor. By any chance does anyone have or know anyone who has a distributor assembly for a 1981 Tercel part number 19100-14031 3A?
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dlb
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by dlb »

The dizzy's from all tercel engines up till '86 will work in your car. They are all 3A engines. You just need to modify one wire, as I understand it. Here is a thread on that.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9956&p=73949#top

Swapping to one of the electronic dizzy's from the second gen tercels would be a good upgrade since you wouldn't have to mess around with adjusting the points anymore.
Kamren
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by Kamren »

Thanks for sending the link. I read them and it seems very complicated, from a female and non-mechanic perspective. And I didn’t know that I had to also do something with adjusting points. I have no idea what they are and I have never adjusted them whatever they may be. Is it something I should be doing?
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by xirdneh »

Points are kinda like spark plugs in that they need to be replaced now and then.
First ? Does it have points?
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MrWrench
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by MrWrench »

I have been using the CARDONE 31741 on my Tercel for about 4 months with no issues.
Picked it up from Rockauto for $150ish.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toy ... butor,7108
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irowiki
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by irowiki »

No, the 81 Tercel with the 3A-C didn't have points, but it did have a separate igniter from the distributor. (Canada was different)

First: what makes you think yours is bad? Have you replaced the rotor and cap?
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Kamren
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by Kamren »

Hello all, I know nothing of points. I don’t even know what they look like if I were to look at the distributor. And its a Canadian Tercel purchased on Vancouver Island and currently residing in Niagara Falls, therefore its engine is 3A (EXPORT) and not 3AC. And I still do not know if it should have or not have any points being a 3A engine, whatever or wherever points may be. And the reason that I have been looking for a distributor for about a year is that the distributor is leaking oil. I am told that it might be the O rings or the rotor that is allowing oil through where it should not be coming through. So, I have been desperately looking all over the world for a distributor part number 19100-14031 3A. I would appreciate any info, leads, or the part if anyone has one for sale.
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irowiki
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by irowiki »

Where is it leaking oil from? Give us a picture.

Also if it is imported from Canada and is a 3A then yes, it probably has points.
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irowiki
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by irowiki »

Allow me to introduce you to http://www.car-part.com


You put in year, model, part, choose which one on the next page, and BAM!

http://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search. ... ge=1&iKey=
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87 Corolla FX16, 105k
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dlb
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by dlb »

The most common source of an oil leak at the distributor on these engines is the rubber o-ring at the base of the distributor. It's a very cheap part (probably under $5 even from Toyota, and only a few cents at any auto parts store), and any good mechanic should be able to replace it in well under an hour. It's easy enough to do, if you are up for doing it yourself any of us here can walk you through it, step by step.
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by NWMO »

Kamren,

If the car runs well, but just leaks oil around the distributor, your distributor is likely fine and you only need the mentioned o-ring.

Chris
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rer233
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by rer233 »

I think the OP's problem is he's getting oil INSIDE the dizzy. If so, my brother had the same problem with his '96 Camry. He got a repair kit from KBOX engineering, and I installed it. Problem solved. KBOX lists a kit for '79-'82 Tercels for $35.

Hope this helps.
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by Petros »

Karmen,

you do not need a new distributor, you just need to have the oil seal replaced (called an ""oh-ring" or O-ring). where are you located? there might be someone on the form not far from you that can do it for you. it is not that difficult a job to replace the oil o-rings, but does take some knowledge.

A good mechanic can do it too, the problem is finding a good honest one. On a car this old likely they would be unfamiliar with the distributor and there is the very real risk that they will charge you money, make a mess of it, and than charge you again to fix it correctly (sometimes after several return trips to the shop).

good luck.
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Kamren
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by Kamren »

Hi Petros, I am in Niagara Fall, Canada. What you described about the distributor’s repair is what I am afraid of. The mechanic at Canadian Tire said that he would be afraid to open up the distributor to see if it’s the oh rings only to find out it’s some other part or piece that he does not have to replace and then not be able to put the distributor back together again and then I would car that does not work. I took her to another mechanic and he basically told me the same thing. I can’t blame them. They want to mess with something that they could make worse. I was told unless I could get a replacement part and as long as she is running I should leave it alone. But I don’t like the she is leaking oil and that something is broken and it should be fixed. I would send a picture of my car but I saw no where at this site that allows to attach a photo.
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Petros
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Re: 1981 Tercel Part Desperately Needed

Post by Petros »

you can find a used distributor and than either swap it out, or have a competent mechanic rebuild it. if he can follow directions, test each part, replace bearings and seals, should be good, and you do not risk the running car.

not sure how much trouble shipping across from US canada cost, but I am sure there are some on this forum that likely have a spare distributor assembly to sell you.
'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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