engine running hot and dieseling

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applewew
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engine running hot and dieseling

Post by applewew »

Hello,

Today, on my way to work, I noticed the car was running hot (in the middle of the way), also, it has started to diesel more often.

Background:

- The car runs with no thermostat, and the radiator fan stars as soon as the key is on ignition. Because of this, the car hardly gets any hot (not good, I know). So this is why I'm concerned.
- The car has a broken TVSV and several other vacuum hoses are plugged/disconnected (see: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8069&p=58723#p58723 for pictures)
- Oil and spark plugs recently changed
Last edited by applewew on Tue Aug 31, 2021 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
xirdneh
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My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by xirdneh »

how is the radiator (clogged)?
are you losing water or seeing white smoke out the exhaust once in a while (headgasket)
how is the radiator cap (rubber gasket)?
any water leaking out of waterpump?
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
celtglen
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by celtglen »

Deleted duplicated post
Last edited by celtglen on Tue Jul 24, 2012 2:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
celtglen
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My tercel:: 84/2WD/Wagon-stock/311+K miles-original engine/original owner/ no mods

Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by celtglen »

Hello,

Today, on my way to work, I noticed the car was running hot (in the middle of the way)
This is not hot it is normal, also, it has started to diesel more often.Running hot and dieseling more often--IMHO..indicates timing..check and reset your timing

Background:

- The car runs with no thermostat, and the radiator fan stars as soon as the key is on ignitionThis usually indicates that the thrermostat switch (temperture switch) is unhooked-or burnt out-or the two wire connectors in side the plug in to the switch are bad..you may just have to strip them and reattach. The fan running the moment the key is on is sort of a fail-safe..I think. The switch is on the lower right corner of the radiator near the bottom water inlet hose..bottom radiator hose.. (PO had no mechanical skills at all, and Nicaraguan mechanics usually do this kind of stuff because they don't know any better). Because of this, the car hardly gets any hot (not good, I know). So this is why I'm concerned.
- The car has a broken TVSV and several other vacuum hoses are plugged/disconnected (see: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8069&p=58723#p58723 for pictures) OMG! Well the good news is it looks as though you would be able to remove the base nut which HELD the TVSV and they are easy to find and replace. The bad news is, IMHO, not much is working on this car esp. w/o the TVSV because it runs so much of the vacuum settings.

Have you downloaded the FSM yet? PLEASE do so, it is filled with how to test and what to test next information.

- Oil and spark plugs recently changed
applewew
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by applewew »

xirdneh wrote:how is the radiator (clogged)?
I really don't know, I guess I have to check. But I guess it is ok.
are you losing water or seeing white smoke out the exhaust once in a while (headgasket)
Not that I have noticed (head gasket), and I'm very paranoid about this after my truck had this problem.
how is the radiator cap (rubber gasket)?
No rubber at all, just the metal =/
any water leaking out of waterpump?
Not that I can notice

celtglen wrote:
Hello,

Today, on my way to work, I noticed the car was running hot (in the middle of the way)
This is not hot it is normal, also, it has started to diesel more often.Running hot and dieseling more often--IMHO..indicates timing..check and reset your timing

I will do this on the weekend, I don't have the required equipment, so I guess I'll have someone else do it

Background:

- The car runs with no thermostat, and the radiator fan stars as soon as the key is on ignition
This usually indicates that the thrermostat switch (temperture switch) is unhooked-or burnt out-or the two wire connectors in side the plug in to the switch are bad..you may just have to strip them and reattach. The fan running the moment the key is on is sort of a fail-safe..I think. The switch is on the lower right corner of the radiator near the bottom water inlet hose..bottom radiator hose.
. (PO had no mechanical skills at all, and Nicaraguan mechanics usually do this kind of stuff because they don't know any better). Because of this, the car hardly gets any hot (not good, I know). So this is why I'm concerned.
The switch is indeed burned, and therefore, disconnected, I've tried to looking for the part here, but no success. I do hate the fact that it never reaches good operation temperature, I hope to buy the switch and the thermostat online.

- The car has a broken TVSV and several other vacuum hoses are plugged/disconnected (see: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8069&p=58723#p58723 for pictures) OMG! Well the good news is it looks as though you would be able to remove the base nut which HELD the TVSV and they are easy to find and replace. The bad news is, IMHO, not much is working on this car esp. w/o the TVSV because it runs so much of the vacuum settings.

Have you downloaded the FSM yet? PLEASE do so, it is filled with how to test and what to test next information.


I'm currently waiting for a TVSV and Carburetor rebuild kit to arrive from the U.S., that will take at least two weeks, I'm hoping to reconnect all those lines when they arrive. But I'm a bit affraid that I will find something else broken/not working when I do that, and then I would have to wait for parts again.
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dlb
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by dlb »

how is the radiator (clogged)?
I really don't know, I guess I have to check. But I guess it is ok.
you can test a rad by doing a pressure test on it. requires a specific tool but it's better than replacing parts based on guesses.
how is the radiator cap (rubber gasket)?
No rubber at all, just the metal =/
that obv needs to be replaced ASAP.
Running hot and dieseling more often--IMHO..indicates timing..check and reset your timing

I will do this on the weekend, I don't have the required equipment, so I guess I'll have someone else do it
timing lights are fairly cheap and i use them frequently on my cars. another good tool to have.
I'm a bit affraid that I will find something else broken/not working when I do that, and then I would have to wait for parts again.
this is the reality of fixing up a neglected car. it sucks but it's better to find and fix all the problems now so they don't get worse and cause greater damage in the future. my first car was an '87 dodge omni. it was a great car but i wrecked the engine because the rad had a leak. at 17, i didn't realize what a big deal a leaky rad was and wound up overheating the engine and warping the cylinder head. i didn't know enough about it at the time and my dad had no interest in fixing up a "beater" (although it was actually in very nice shape) so that was the end of that car. moral of the story: deal with problems sooner than later.
applewew
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by applewew »

dlb wrote:this is the reality of fixing up a neglected car. it sucks but it's better to find and fix all the problems now so they don't get worse and cause greater damage in the future. my first car was an '87 dodge omni. it was a great car but i wrecked the engine because the rad had a leak. at 17, i didn't realize what a big deal a leaky rad was and wound up overheating the engine and warping the cylinder head. i didn't know enough about it at the time and my dad had no interest in fixing up a "beater" (although it was actually in very nice shape) so that was the end of that car. moral of the story: deal with problems sooner than later.
Yeah, I really want to get the car to the best shape possible. I even considered buying a master rebuild kit, so I can make sure everything is tip top. What concerns me, is that it temporarily ends in a state that I can't use it until new parts arrive, since this is my daily driver.
celtglen
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by celtglen »


Yeah, I really want to get the car to the best shape possible. I even considered buying a master rebuild kit, so I can make sure everything is tip top. What concerns me, is that it temporarily ends in a state that I can't use it until new parts arrive, since this is my daily driver.
Just be prepared that this MIGHT happen..though the good news is that these little buggars are as tough as nails! I swear the car has a soul..over the decades I have talked to "her" and asked her to PLEASE keep on running until I could fix her properly. The CV AND rack and pinion bellows on both sides split one year. I wrapped duct tape around them--fancying bellows as I did--and drove her carefully for TWO YEARS until I could get them replaced.

I am certain ALL OF US have stories of our tough Toyotas coming through for us!

I am an old Scout..BE PREPARED! :D

I'd get that rad cap replaced, I just replaced mine (this week) and this time opted for the lesser expensive one..that is w/o the "safety" lever on the top..7 bucks..its a china made one that is to OE specs..kinda looks like the Toyo one just lighter weight..and a 16 buck savings. When I get my car BACK to being road worthy (Thanks Petros!)--I will be able to start working again and will buy the Toyo brand..maybe :wink:
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Petros
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by Petros »

If you always want to have the car running, I have found there are only a few spares I need to carry when I go on cross country trips. I considered what would stop the car from running if it failed. The fuel pump, the alternator, the distributor assembly, that is about it short of throwing a connecting rod in the engine or bundling up the trans. You can drive home with leaks, without a starter (roll start it, happened on one trip, I just always got stopped at gas stations with down hill runs from their pumps). Most other failures will still allow the car to run, even if poorly, like a vac leak, exhaust leak, mushing brakes, etc. all will still get you home, even if running poorly. The distributor contains coil, ignitor, pick-up, etc. in all one unit, it is also useful for diagnosis, if spark trouble you just swap the whole assembly out to test everything in the system.

I also carry a complete tool kit as well. I have never been stranded except when the trans failed, I have even done head gasket replacement during a cross country road trip.
'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)
celtglen
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by celtglen »

Petros wrote:If you always want to have the car running, I have found there are only a few spares I need to carry when I go on cross country trips. I considered what would stop the car from running if it failed. The fuel pump, the alternator, the distributor assembly, that is about it short of throwing a connecting rod in the engine or bundling up the trans. You can drive home with leaks, without a starter (roll start it, happened on one trip, I just always got stopped at gas stations with down hill runs from their pumps). Most other failures will still allow the car to run, even if poorly, like a vac leak, exhaust leak, mushing brakes, etc. all will still get you home, even if running poorly. The distributor contains coil, ignitor, pick-up, etc. in all one unit, it is also useful for diagnosis, if spark trouble you just swap the whole assembly out to test everything in the system.

I also carry a complete tool kit as well. I have never been stranded except when the trans failed, I have even done head gasket replacement during a cross country road trip.
Great suggestions P :D
applewew
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by applewew »

Thanks a bunch for the tips, I'm definitely going to keep that stuff in stock.
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Petros
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by Petros »

I also carry a tube of Permatex form-a-gasket sealer, some fuel line, a spare fan belt and a timing belt, sometimes a water pump (but they seldom fail, and even than usually starts as a leak). And a tube of hand cleaner and a roll of paper towels! ;-)
'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)
xirdneh
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My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by xirdneh »

Paper Towels
Never Leave Home Without Them!
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
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Petros
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Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by Petros »

My wife actually prefers the baby butt wipes (moisten towels), called "Wet Ones". When we are on the road and I need to wipe my hands off, I lean over and say to to her "lay another Wet One on me momma!"...she is not amused.

I prefer plain paper towels.
'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)
celtglen
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My tercel:: 84/2WD/Wagon-stock/311+K miles-original engine/original owner/ no mods

Re: engine running hot and dieseling

Post by celtglen »

Petros wrote:I also carry a tube of Permatex form-a-gasket sealer, some fuel line, a spare fan belt and a timing belt, sometimes a water pump (but they seldom fail, and even than usually starts as a leak). And a tube of hand cleaner and a roll of paper towels! ;-)
Of course IF you carry a part--you won't need it--- :shock:


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