My 84

[perryt]

Hi all, new member here.

I have an 84 4x4 wagon that has started doing a few odd things.

1. If I do NOT have in 4wd when I go around a corner with the clutch engaged I get a knocking sounds from the front end. The goes away when I have it in 4wd.

2. If I am at a stop and I try to accelerate too fast I get a bounce in the front end.

3. It has started to idle very rough.

I just recently took it to a mechanic and told me that their best guess on items 1 and 2 where the transfer case. Does this make sense to anybody else ? I personally and thinking the half axles. I did replace the chocks and struts about 2000 miles ago.

On item number 3 I am thinking that I need to check the o2 sensor and air filter, make sense?

Thanks for the help/advice.

[splatterdog]

1-2 sounds like front axle(s). See recent threads in parts forum. Inexpensive brand new ones are available these days.

3 I would look for vacuum leaks first. Many times it's very easy to find a broken hose. Harder leaks can be found with a can of carb clean. Give short bursts around all the vacuum plumbing and the base of the carb. The additional "fuel" combined with the leak will cause a change in running. Usually an increase in rpm's.

I fixed my 84's idle problem with a new weber carb kit.

[Petros]

almost certainly 1 is the cv joints in the front axles. No reason hurry on that one. I would also look for a vac leak for item 2. Also might spray some carb cleaner down all the openings in the carb too.

Good luck.

[splatterdog]

If you are having axle shimmy I'd take care of it soon. That can be hard on many other parts. You will likely free up some power as well if it's that bad.

Or... drive like a granny indefinitely

[keith]

1 & 2 are most likely the axles, but one or both could be the end bushings on the sway bar. 3 is most likely a vacuum leak somewhere in those miles of vacuum tubes.

[takza]

Good idea to change out the gear oil whether it needs it or not....

[Petros]

woops I typoed my last post: item 3 is likely a vac leak, or the need to clean out the carb.

item 2 could be related to bad CV joints, or it could be worn out bushings on the sway bar end, or other rubber parts in the suspension, or bad ball joints or perhaps shocks. Check the ball joints at the bottom of the strut, the test is simple. You jack that tire off the ground, grabe the tire and shake it in and out a the bottom (it helps if you can have someone watch the ball joint). If it has any noticable movement you MUST replace this ASAP. If it fails you will lose control of the car. best identify the cause before you drive it any more.

Worn and noisy CV joints generally are not a problem until they get really bad, at which point they could fail all at once. Usually they just slowly get more and more worn until you can not stand the noise and roughness anymore. Unless you want to, there is no hurry to replace them because of the klunking in turns (mine are doing that now and I know I will need to replace the front axles perhaps by this fall).

[perryt]

Wow, thanks everybody for all the great advice. I will certainly go thought the axles, cv joints, etc. right away.

As I mentioned I had a mechanic tell me that it was the transfer case which did not make sense to me.

Thanks again for the help.

[Petros]

Mechanics are like anything else, some are excellent and know what they are doing, others should not be allowed anywhere near a car, and everything in between.

The front end bounce could be another thing that just occured to me: bad engine mounts. When you accerate the load transfered to throuh the trans causes the engine to jerk around. You inspect these and use a lever bar to put pressure on them in different directions. If there is too much play, they are shedded or broken then you need a new engine mount. These are pretty robust in the Tercel and rearly go bad, but they can still fail if abused or if some chemical damages the rubber parts. If you have a failed mount you should not have any issues if you drive easy on it until you replace it.

[Typrus]

Run some SeaFoam. Look my writeup up in the Repair forums. I'd recommend running it in the tanks of your diesel's. Our 7.3's love it and our TDI Passat loves it. (Also, Schaeffer Oil Supreme 7000 is a great oil for the TDI's, our 96 Passat consistantly gets 5mpg better and runs smoother with it versus Mobile 1, Rotella, or Valvoline)

How are your struts and shocks?
Bounce... Dunno if this was cleared up, but a surge of power kind of bounce or justit suddenly bobs up and down?

[perryt]

Ok so I am ready to order the 2 new axles and get to work. Are there any other parts i should be replacing at the same time.

Thanks again for the help

[splatterdog]

Check ball joints and front diff seals.

[ARCHINSTL]

Ditto on Petros' mention of the motor (and transmission) mounts.
I replaced mine - they were OE and the d/s was an oil-soaked sponge - and their replacement eliminated most of the bounce and twist of the engine. The little shock absorber on the p/s is no longer available, though.

There are threads I started in the Repair Guides and Repair Questions sections on this - and a link to Butler Toyota in Indianapolis - its pricing was the best (not cheap for OE parts, though; however, the pricing is as good or better than AZ or ADV or NAPA).
Tom M.

[takza]

2. If I am at a stop and I try to accelerate too fast I get a bounce in the front end.

Could be the OEM 13" 80 series tires...but even with the 14" 60 series tires I have...if I wind it up in 1st and hit second...I have to hold the steering wheel for sure due to wheel hop and torque steer.