parts recommendations for 87 JTAL35W2H0262665 rebuild

[North of 64]

Greetings All
This is Elizabeth aka North of 60 reregistered as North of 64. I'm the third owner and have had my beloved 87 SR5 since November 2000. This is my daily driver and I have to have the 4wd to get home. In the past 3 weeks my car has received; new front axles, new alternator and new front brakes, new wheel bearings. Rear brakes done a year ago. Enough money that it looks like I have already embarked on a slow but sure mechanical rebuild. I am getting a bit better than 16 months on a Napa Alternator and a Napa Starter. I will be replaicng the starter next and would appreciate your recommendations. Not sure why I am eating these parts as my battery is not top notch but not poor enough to be the culprit according to my mechanic. However I will replace the battery just in case. Did a compression test a week ago at 224,000 km and all is well there.

This vehicle also needs a new windshield, complete exhaust system, front headlight, rear view mirror and will shortly need R&P steering. What I would like from you is your list of "stay away from....." OR "had great success with ....... parts" or make sure to check the ? while you have the exhaust system off or...................you get the idea.

I'd be happy to still be driving the SR5 when she turns 30 and if my financial picture improves I would be interested in buying her new fenders which are looking a bit chewed. Wondering if we/you have a source of metal fenders.

I have spent some time lately on the forum but don't have decent internet from home so my research time is limited. Appreciate your suggestions/links/opinions/expertise and enthusiasm

e

[dlb]

hi liz. are you saying that you replaced your starter and alternator 16 months ago, then replaced the alternator again 3 weeks ago, and plan on replacing the starter again as well? if that's what you're saying, then something is not right there. a dying battery won't kill your alternator or starter, either. the only effects it will have will be not being able to fully charge from the alt. and, if really dead, not able to power the starter. the symptoms of too low a charge to power the starter are slow cranking, clicking, or no sound at all. those don't necessarily indicate that it's definitely a dead battery but it can manifest in all of those ways. so what is your starter doing now that has you concerned? do you have a volt meter to check the charge on your battery? if so, check it with the car off and also with the car running. a good battery will be at 12.5 volts or higher when the car is off and 14 when the car is running indicates your alternator is putting out the right amount of juice.

best bet for new fenders is finding a rust-free donor car in a scrap yard.

check question #4 in this thread for things you should do for your terc if you haven't already: https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7442

[Petros]

Welcome to the List!

You have come to the right place! AS DLB says, you should not be going through starters (nor alternators) like that, usually NAPA is pretty good parts supplier, but DO NOT BUY the rebuilt parts. NAPA sells new starters and alternators with lifetime guarantees on them, and they do not cost that much more, well worth it. Used to be rebuilt was okay, but not any more (usually rebuilt in third world), and the NAPA new or "gold", usually is the same parts supplier as the factory. My factory stater lasted 24 years of many hard miles, the alternator was a a few years longer. So buying a new one should last you a long time, the lifetime guaranteed parts are well worth it.

It is most important to make sure it was actually the starter that was bad, often a bad ground, or bad contact can make it appear your starter is bad. Not possible a bad battery will harm a starter, do not just replace the battery because of the starter issue, unless you know the battery is really bad (most places like NAPA, Autozone, etc will test it for free for you).

If you are going to replace the exhaust system I would install a 2" exhaust, and do it in stainless. It will last forever and should improve the power and economy a bit too. Rear view mirror will be wrecking yard parts only (one good thing is the '83-87 rear view mirrors from all models of Tercels, and the corollas are the same and interchangeable), there was a style change in '85, but they can be interchanged.

The other stuff you mention is just what ever you can get. I think a good used factory rack and pinion would actually be a safer bet than a rebuilt one because the factory racks are very durable. You should have the composite head lights, if one of those housings are broken you will have a hard time finding a replacement, wrecking yards are your best bet.

Make sure you keep up on the gear oil changes in the transmission. They are durable but will wear out, and rebuilds are very costly (replacements are almost non-existent). If you change the gear lube regularly they will last much longer and save you big bucks. If you have the manual transmission you might consider having the mechanic do a trans flush: Drain the trans oil and fill with 50/50 mix of cheap ATF and gear oil, drive for a day or two at high speed (like on the hwy to get it good and warm), and than drain it all out and refill with quality gear oil. It will clean out the sludge and grit. There are lube additives that should reduce wear as well, but regular changes with quality gear oil should make it last forever if you do not abuse it.

Where are you located? Canada? How far north?

[Highlander]

It's definitely not normal to go through the electrical parts that quickly.
If the starter is not tight to the bell housing, it will just spin sometimes and not engage, if it is just clicking, then the contacts in the solenoid are the typical culprit (~$6 US), but do make sure that you have a good ground to the frame both from the battery and the engine.
I agree that new vs rebuilt is usually better, if you're not doing the rebuilding yourself (like some of us) as some of the 'rebuilders' just open things up and if things look OK to the eye, they won't replace them-the key point is how bearings look and feel is different from how they perform under load.
Do you need the inside or outside rear view mirror? I was going to replace one of my inside rear views, and then found that it was just shaking because it had been removed and not replaced tightly -simple fix, but sometimes it's the anticipation of what could be, that stops us from opening things up to find the root cause. Anyway, I have an extra inside, but I'm in Colorado- a fair distance away from you.

[North of 64]

Thanks for the help gents.

DLB I am on my second alternator since November 2010 . Also replaced the starter at that time. Does sound ridiculous doesn't it? Will be checking output on the alternator. Currently the starter which is on its way out just won't catch, especially when it is cold. I'm told it is not the contacts. Thanks for the link, I'm on it.

Petros - I'm near Dawson City, Yukon, thus my username; North of 64. I commute daily across the frozen Yukon River, well for another 5 weeks or so until it gets too warm. My SR5 is a Canadian 4wd model. I am nowhere near an Autozone store. All parts need to be ordered in from somewhere. We have a local Napa parts supplier and I have a parts/price request in now for the exhaust system you mentioned and an upgrade on the starter and the rad hoses which I have never replaced.

Highlander, I'll take your inside rear view mirror if you are willing to just put it into the US Postal system regular mail and let me know what you want for it. Colorado is just a bit south of me! Same time zone and everything.

I'm not much of a do it yourselfer and i'll post again when I have some updates. Wish one of you lived a little closer.
elizabeth