Questions: Replacement Shock/Strut? Gas Mileage? Top Speed?

[jammin1911]

I'm wondering what kind of mileage you guys see per tank in your SR5 wagons...

I've got an 86 SR5 - I'm still on my first tank on gas (only had it on the road a few days) but I'm at about 120 miles of driving and its at a half tank on the dot.. seems really low so I'm wondering if something might be wrong maybe its running a little (lot?) rich.

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Also curious about top speed in 5th gear... My car is 20 years old now and its only 62hp at crank when it was new so I don't expect it to be even decently quick but in 5th gear I max out at 86mph, 4th gear will pull past that pretty easily but I didn't pull to redline so I'm not sure if/when it would stop acccelerating.

This is on the highway on a level surface as far as i can tell. I have 15" wheels so this probably has some effect.

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I want to replacement Springs and Shocks and I'm wondering what manufacturers are common for this. I'm probably just going to go with an OEM replacement equivalent from CarQuest or NAPA or something if either of them have something for me but if I should be looking for something specifically then let me know! I need a nice smooth ride because my girlfriend gets car sick easily, damn her!

[Mickey_D]

The absolute most I've ever gotten out of a full tank was 240 miles before my "Hey, idiot. You're gonna be walking soon" light was at full intensity.

I generally average about 180-190 miles before I stop for a refill. I get EXACTLY 20mpg out of mine running regular unleaded. Mind you, I think mine has more vacuum leaks than a 60 year old Kirby. And I also make someone who's driving it like they stole it look like a granny. If I actually drive like a human being (BORING) and put some half decent fuel in it (OUCH, my pocketbook) I have pushed it to 24mpg before. But I just can't stand taking 25 minutes to do the same drive I normally do in a little over 15. So I can't really complain when my mileage drops through the floor.

I've also got slightly over stock size 14" tires on mine.

You've had yours at 85+ mph?? Brave man. I let go of the loud pedal on mine before I hit 80. Mind you, I mounted my tires myself and they've never been balanced. And the only things not original factory editions on my car are consumables like fluids and filters. I know the rear drums have never been off and there's never been a bolt out of the engine.

Do these things have a timing belt or chain?

[takza]

Except in winter...I can usualy go 350 miles to a tank...with a little left over.

It's hard to find the rear springs new. Avoid boosters if you like smooth. Just go with regular struts/shocks?

Should see a little more power by advancing your timing some.

The T4WD...it's not a car...it's an adventure.

[Typrus]

Yes they have a belt....

I average 230-250 miles before I guess I'm about out. My idiot light stopped working. I guess it got tired of me running out of gas even with it on and pushing it several miles to the next station.

I get 26mpg, and considering I hit over 90mph almost every day.... hehehehe....

86 is brave? Come on, don't tell me you've never gone 110+ in a Terc? hehehehehe.... I'm going to crash and burn one of these days...


Part of the roughness issue comes from the springs. They get tired. Especially in the front. If you simply replace the struts up front, the bad springs have a tendency to make the shiny new struts bottom out and blow through the valve, ruining them. Luckily, the fronts are the ones people still sell. I think its $75 or so, and I'm fairly sure they come in pairs.

My Monroe Sensa-Trac shocks in the back, despite shot springs, have lasted about 10-15,000 miles. They are still in great shape, however I don't receive gentle ride benefits because of my front setup. Advance Auto has bought me 3 new sets of Sensa-Trac struts, let me put it that way. I really need new springs.... Don't get me wrong, I'm sure their struts are just fine, but the issue is that they keep punching out valves.

Back to speed, I think that 86 is pretty good. There were car magazines that claimed they couldn't get any faster than that new. Me, I have the advantage of being more or less psychotic and living in the mountains.

[jammin1911]

Hahaha, well this makes me feel better knowing eveyrone else isnt getting the *claimed* 30mpg city and 39mpg highway.

The terc was comfortable at those speed 85mph+ but if your tires arent balance then I could see it not being so comforting heh.

Also, the bigger wheels would help a bit.. Im sure the guys on 13's arent going to want to be hitting 90mph ;]

[jammin1911]

Hmm, Question..

When I'm buying suspension for this beast (SR5 Wagon 4WD 6-Spd) is it the same as other cars or unique to this car...

Can I just go get some tercel (coupe or whatever) fwd springs and shocks or are they specific to this car?

Thx

[Mickey_D]

The terc was comfortable at those speed 85mph+ but if your tires arent balance then I could see it not being so comforting heh.

Actually, my problem isn't so much the tires as the brakes. I'm pretty sure my rears are original. And the fronts have probably only been changed once. I drove my wife's Neon the other night and about kissed the windshield when I hit the brakes. I'm so used to the ineffective brakes on my Terc that when I get in a car with REAL brakes they tend to surprise me the first time now.

[keith]

When ours had the original engine, I got 29 mpg going across country (192 k on the odo at the time). My son regularly got 26 in rural driving, and he drives hard.

30/39, not in the 4WD SR5, that would have been in the FWD hatchback. The 4WD had a highway rating of 32 mpg, I don't remember the city.

Advancing the timing did not help, in fact it performed worse. I think someone here needs to confirm that their mechanical advance is working correctly. I did put a new distributor in it recently and I did confirm that both mechanical and vacuum advances were working.

As for top speed, son claims 95 mph. I wouldn't do that. We are near sea level, I know that when I crossed the continental divide in New Mexico (or Arizona), it would only go 75. Thats the curse of carburetors, unless they are re-jetted. Since you are using 15" tires, chances are you were going a bit faster than indicated, would need the complete tire size info to determine how much. OEM rubber was 175/70-13

Hoping to get a 4ac by next week, the 3ac has blown something in the #4 cylinder and all the coolant is leaking into the oil.

[tercel4wdrules]

We drove the Terc today. Hooray for a flat tire on my dad's Corolla! Everytime I ride in it after not riding in it for a few months I really enjoy it. It's kinda like an adventure... rough idle, clunks, etc... it's hard to elucidate.

I think I figured out why it seems like the clutch doesn't disengage... it's because the throttle sticks.

Whoops... still needs to be smogged. My dad drove it for a few miles, but I know it's better for it to be moving than sitting.

Back to the topic... on the '83 we used to have we would get about 24 mpg with a crappy engine and Los Angeles traffic. I don't know how much the '84 gets because it is driven intermittently and I don't keep track of how many gallons are put in. The previous owner said it got about 28 mpg mixed between freeway and hilly driving.

So far 75 mph is the fastest I've seen on this car but it still had plenty more to go... it has the stock 175/70 R13 wheels/tires. On the '83 it was about 82 mph downhill... something was wrong with that car... it was going 80 mph and the rpms were about 3.6k but it wouldn't pull any more. I don't have the desire to exceed 75 mph for my safety and that of others.

The ride is very different on the Tercel than the Corolla; it's stiffer in a sense, but more pavement inconsistencies are transferred through the suspension than with the Corolla. However, the Corolla's springs are softer and that becomes uncomfortable sometimes. Or maybe it's the struts... they have 68k miles...

[brianp]

I usually get around 32 MPG, for mostly highway driving. I had the fuel system cleaned out a week or two ago, and my most recent tank of gas got me 42 MPG I'm waiting until my next fill up to see if it is just a fluke or something.

[xirdneh]

[quote="jammin1911"]I'm wondering what kind of mileage you guys see per tank in your SR5 wagons...


my wife and i have three 4x4 wagons
she drives the best one
it gets 39 mpg on trips
and averages 35 going back and forth to work
18 miles each way on country roads
has a re-ringed engine (about 14,000 miles on it)

i mix it up with the other two
one averages 30 mpg for daily driving and 33 on trips (190,000 original miles)
the other one is the problem child
only 25 mpg at times for daily driving and lucky to get 29 on trips
i monitor the two i drive very closely
and am always trying to figure out what makes my wifes car so special

i have replaced the cam and vac advance and distributor on the problem car
it has a re-ringed engine with about 60,000 miles on it
also tried several carburators and cleaned the EGR
the milege has changed several times
for a while it was averaging 29 mpg on daily driving
but it fluctuates wildly
unlike the other two which are very consistant

[Typrus]

Hahahaha.....

175/70R13..... SNOW TIRES. Thats what I used to hit my record. And guess what... I live over a mile above sea level. She's a trooper.

Highest I've seen was high 40's on a trip. Doing 80-90MPH for 2 hours non-stop. Same reading both ways too. Shocked me, thats for sure.
And guess what? Engine has over 200k on it. Body will roll over 200k within the week (I'm at 199884 or so)

Like I said, I'm an idiot.

I own 3 Tercs. Mines the only one that runs. An 84 (runs) 86 (screwy frame... thanks Colorado hills...) and 87 (fried tranny for the 2nd time)
One from each generation.

Averaged 28 with the 86 when she ran. Her heart is in the 84 though. Before she decided it didn't need oil, the engine in the 84 got my sister mid-30's (so she says)

87, well, we got it with less than 10k on it I believe. (I can never remember the number mom gave me for that) Had it till maybe 150k, then handed it over to a friends daughter who disrespected it thouroughly and she now rests at... I think 177k, snugly back in my driveway waiting for my wrench. She's blown a tranny twice, the first time around 100k, the last time at the mileage shes at now. She's sat for maybe 4 years now and hasn't been run at all, so I'm a little worried...


The springs and shocks are unique as far as I know, though Cherokee springs can be cut to fit.


The brakes aren't that bad so long as they are mainatained..... Get new rotors and pads, drums and shoes. Maybe new calipers and wheel cylinders. flush the crap out of your brake system. Then it ought to stop pretty well for you. Mine does quite well. In fact, she stops very well from 90mph, despite the dark-blue tinge to the rotors. Yes, again, I'm stupid. And yes, I do check for cracks.

[jammin1911]

When ours had the original engine, I got 29 mpg going across country (192 k on the odo at the time). My son regularly got 26 in rural driving, and he drives hard.

30/39, not in the 4WD SR5, that would have been in the FWD hatchback. The 4WD had a highway rating of 32 mpg, I don't remember the city.

Advancing the timing did not help, in fact it performed worse. I think someone here needs to confirm that their mechanical advance is working correctly. I did put a new distributor in it recently and I did confirm that both mechanical and vacuum advances were working.

As for top speed, son claims 95 mph. I wouldn't do that. We are near sea level, I know that when I crossed the continental divide in New Mexico (or Arizona), it would only go 75. Thats the curse of carburetors, unless they are re-jetted. Since you are using 15" tires, chances are you were going a bit faster than indicated, would need the complete tire size info to determine how much. OEM rubber was 175/70-13

Hoping to get a 4ac by next week, the 3ac has blown something in the #4 cylinder and all the coolant is leaking into the oil.

Thanks for the input and stock tire size, i wasn't sure what that was. I just did the calculation and my speedo is reading about 6.9% too slow, so if I was at 85mph I guess technically I was around 90mph.

[tercel4wdrules]

Hmm, Question..

When I'm buying suspension for this beast (SR5 Wagon 4WD 6-Spd) is it the same as other cars or unique to this car...

Can I just go get some tercel (coupe or whatever) fwd springs and shocks or are they specific to this car?

Thx

The suspension components are unique to the Tercel 4WD. If you put FWD springs and shocks you would lower the car if I can recall correctly.

[xirdneh]

The suspension components are unique to the Tercel 4WD. If you put FWD springs and shocks you would lower the car if I can recall correctly.[/quote]


i salvaged shock and spring sets off a tercel sedan
they were about 1 inch shorter than the tercel 4x4 wagon
i used them anyway
work fine
i do not use mine off-road