Another first time Tercel 4WD owner from Idaho!

[SLICKPOO]

Hello everyone, I've been enjoying reading a lot of useful stuff on this forum the last few days!
Seems there are some very knowledgeable owners here and this is the absolute best forum that I've found on the web! Not only for Tercel's, just in general. Great forum!

I just picked up a 1986 SR5 4WD wagon with 130,000 on the ticker. Its in great shape and runs well, but I would like to address known issues before they arise. This isn't my first toyota and definitely not my last, however it is my first with a carburetor. Ive read a lot of people talking about setting the timing 10* BTDC and it appears to be the first thing to do. Ive only had the car one day and already have a bad case of tinker-itis! Next will be a full service (all fluids) and a tune up with cap rotor plugs and wires. I have worked as a parts manager at a local Honda/Yamaha/Husaberg shop for almost ten years and am fairly sufficient in repairs and maintanance. We stock NGK spark plugs and was curious whether or not these are a good choice for the wagon? Any input on inexpensive fixes or repairs would be more than welcome. Really looking forward to hearing some opinions and excited to have this great little car! Thanks in advance!

Matt

[GotToyota?]

Welcome to the board!

I recently installed Bosch cap/rotor and NGK plugs/wires. I personally recommend the NGK coppers (R-Power I believe).

[SLICKPOO]

Awesome! Thank you I appreciate any help/info anyone is willing to toss my way. Seems like everyone here on the board is really helpful. Where by chance did you purchase your parts. Rockauto has been pretty good to me so far but my work has a couple accounts (discount) at auto parts stores where I live. Less expensive items I will purchase locally. Big dollar items I will get from the web.

[TURTCEL]

I always lean towards NGK spark plugs for my import vehicles as well as some of my domestics too.

BOSCH is a great brand and specializes in keeping very high OEM matching standards, especially the German car market. I have come into only one problem with a BOSCH oil filter that I installed new on my Terc. The BOSCH oil filter is designed with an anti drain back valve to keep the filter full while the car is not running to help with initial oil at start up. Great idea but my oil light came on after oil change and my pressure was low. Thought I might have another issue but I have heard one other story from a friend that had the same prob with a BOSCH filter. Seems that it restricted oil flow too much. Swapped to a FRAM and all is well. I prefer to use TOYOTA filters from the dealer though...about $6.

Peace

[TURTCEL]

Another first time Tercel 4WD owner from Idaho! Matt

Hey Matt,

I just moved out of Idaho about 8 months ago. I lived in Twin Falls for 7 1/2 years. Where about do you reside in the state?

Peace

[SLICKPOO]

Born and raised in Twin Falls! Except for a small stint in Boise to work and party as all high school graduates do! Small world! Where about did you live and work in twin falls turtcel?

[TURTCEL]

Born and raised in Twin Falls! Except for a small stint in Boise to work and party as all high school graduates do! Small world! Where about did you live and work in twin falls turtcel?

I was ridiculously busy while I lived in Twin Falls. I lived on an 80 acre farm that I worked as well...8 days a week farming I always said. No day on the farm with out work. The farm was on E3800N between Twin and Filer. Where in Twin were you at?

At the same time I worked at the coffee shop Java by Albertsons on Blue Lakes and Addison. I went to CSI at the same time (5 years for a 2 year degree...farming interferes with school). I also worked at restaurants: Von Scheidt Brewing Co., The Local Dish, and had my own Bicycle shop on the farm. Whew...I also did all the side work of any type I could rally up.

Peace

[GotToyota?]

I got a majority of my parts from RockAuto, with the exception of fluids and spark plugs locally.

I preferred using Bosch ignition parts because they are made in Japan.

[SLICKPOO]

I got a majority of my parts from RockAuto, with the exception of fluids and spark plugs locally.

I preferred using Bosch ignition parts because they are made in Japan.

I agree, after being in a parts department for a couple Japanese brands I'm certain some if the best stuff in the world comes from Japan. Not to discount things made in other countries, just seems they have a tendency to design and build a lot of excellent products. Thanks again for the help opinions and experience are both needed.

Matt

[dlb]

welcome, matt. i agree that this is not just a great forum for tercels, but a great forum in general. i think this forum is actually part of what makes 4wd tercels so damned great. it's an invaluable resource.

not sure if you've seen it but i wrote a FAQ a while back that covers a lot of important and common topics. it's a good place to start for new t4 owners, if i do say so myself.

https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7442

[TURTCEL]

Maybe I am mistaken but isn't BOSCH a German brand?

Peace

[Petros]

welcome the forum,

I have had very good luck with NGK spark plugs, the standard low cost ones, on all my Japanese cars over the years. I have used bosch on volvos and some German cars I have owned and they worked well, but for some reason they did not seem to hold up very well in the Japanese cars I have owned. None of the other plugs I have tried over the years have held up as well as the NGK.

[ARCHINSTL]

I - and many others - second Petros' recommendation of NGK.
The first plugs I used on Goldie in '05 were Bosch, and they worked OK - but - when I switched to NGK, there was an honest improvement.
Tom M.

[SLICKPOO]

Thanks everyone I appreciate the input! Have a friend in the local Toyota dealer parts department who will sell me oem parts at wholesale. Any recommended websites who do oem Toyota parts on the cheap? Not that I'm a tightwad, (I AM!) Would prefer oem for a respectable price to compare. Thanks again in advance.

Matt

[ARCHINSTL]

Butler in Indy, Conicelli in PA, and Village in FL. These are real Toy dealers with less-than-retail pricing, but your deal sounds better at wholesale.
I stay with Butler, but others have had similar luck with the other two.
Review the Part Numbers - OE and Aftermarket here - when anyone orders OE, they tend to list the Toy numbers, pricing, and sourcing here.
Tom M.