Help!! Repair Manuals - hardcopy only

my first auto · Post by **my first auto** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 7:12 pm

I just bought a 1983 Tercel 4WD Wagon, with 255K, I'm the sixth owner.

I received:

1) Toyota 4WD Tercel 1983 Owners Manual

2) Haynes #636 Toyota Corolla Tercel 1980 thru 1982
All models 1.5 liter
ISBN 0 85696 636 3

3) a thick folder of receipts for perhaps all parts and service for this vehicle

What I've learned:

1) this particular vehicle has received more parts and service than I'd like to admit

2) repair manuals seem to be very difficult to obtain

What I'd like:

direct links to sources of printed repair manuals I may purchase. these may include Toyota Factory Service Manual, Technical Updates, Chilton, Haynes, Clymer, etc. please, no online manuals nor computer files; I want published hardcopy manuals.

I tried http://www.tercel4wd.com/ and selected ARCHIVE and selected REPAIR GUIDES but the website only displayed a Test Page.

Then I tried FORUMS and then TECHNICAL: REPAIR GUIDES "Here are some good repair guides for your Tercel : ) Look here for help first!"

but aside from one thread "PDF Factory Manual" and another thread "A source for some online FSMs...." there were no thread titles to help my request. (i don't want .pdf or other online guides)

Aaargh! My first auto and no where to lay my hands on some repair manuals!!!!!!!! HELP!!!

Why can't I find any 1983 Tercel 4WD publications???!!!! Aaaargh!!

Gasoline Fumes · Post by **Gasoline Fumes** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:47 am

There are a few of the factory manuals on eBay right now.

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:58 am

my first auto -
If you want the FSM, you can order it direct through any Toyota dealer. I ordered mine through your friendly Barnes & Noble or Waldenbooks type (or any book store, I would presume). I ordered mine through B&N simply because I had some gift certificates. There was not a price advantage however; it still cost $90 +/-.
The FSM will be year-specific, and that is good, as the early years were slightly different in several areas than the later models. If you order through a dealer, be certain to give your VIN number and/or date of manufacture - on the plate on driver-side B-pillar.
An excellent aid I've found is the Autozone on-line manual; it has not only the official Toy stories and schematics, but it more importantly has specific , non-generic photos, and is in several ways better than the FSM. All one must do is enter the vehicle into the site's memory and click on "Repair Manuals".
A caveat on the FSM; in some ways it is a POS, of which an example is the binding, which certainly deserves that assessment; it will fall apart and you wind up using a 3-hole punch and inserting into several ring binders. This is disappointing, considering its cost. There is no relief forthcoming from the vendor, regardless of source.
Additionally, it is quite weak on diagnostics; while it is good on testing a component, it does not tell you what happens when widget "A" misbehaves. This fault is particularly vexing when dealing with the emissions/carburetor components; a lot of interrelationships there!
Tom M.
P.S. Welcome to the Forum ! What is your location ?

takza · Post by **takza** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:49 am

I have a Bentley manual for the '83-'84...considered to be as good as the FSM....can find used.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:26 am

Heh... I have the Official Toyota Motor Sales CO.,LTD A Series engine, Corolla Terc Body, and Corolla Tercel Chassis manuals, print Aug. 1979. The Chassis and Body ones are useless to me, but the engine one has some pretty good break-down/build-up instructions on anything from alternator to water pump. It has useful diagrams and pictures as well.

my first auto · Post by **my first auto** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:16 pm

takza : I have had no success with online searches for the Bentley '83-'84 repair manaul for the Toyota Tercel 1983 4WD. If takza or anyone else might provide me a link to a used copy I would be most appreciative.

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gasoline fumes : I have had no success with ebay searches for the 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD Factory Service Manual. If you might provide me a direct link to the specific manual I'm searching for, excellent! I _did_ find many other Toyota FSM's on ebay but not for the 1983 Tercel 4WD.

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ARCHINSTL : If I can't find a FSM used, then I'll consider the $90 new price. Ouch! Thanks for the specific information on where you obtained yours. I'm not overly concerned about the binding quality; 3-ring binders sound nice in that it will lie flat. The lack of information beyond "remove" "test" "install" is understandable, I guess, because it's original audience was professional automobile mechanics. I'm hoping to have other hardcopy sources for "diagnosing" and related educational topics to repairing my venerable Tercel.

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typrus : your 1979 manual likely does not contain the specific information I so dearly want for my 1983 Tecel 4WD.

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brianp · Post by **brianp** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:12 pm

Maybe others can verify this, but the tercel didn't change all that much when it was produced, except for some changes between the 83-84 and the 85-87 years, so I think any of the manuals for those cars will work well.

Gasoline Fumes · Post by **Gasoline Fumes** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 2:22 am

my first auto wrote:gasoline fumes : I have had no success with ebay searches for the 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD Factory Service Manual. If you might provide me a direct link to the specific manual I'm searching for, excellent! I _did_ find many other Toyota FSM's on ebay but not for the 1983 Tercel 4WD.

I don't remember if I found an '83 manual or not. Right now there are 2 '88 manuals and 1 '87 manual on eBay.
Try searching for something like this:

tercel +(4wd,wagon) +(manual,book)

Or you can leave out the +(4wd,wagon) part and see all the tercel manuals. Or replace it with +(1983,83) and only see 1983 Tercel manuals.

And you will see "Save this search to Favorites and get an email when new matching listings appear on eBay." under the search results. If you use that service, you will get an email every time a Tercel wagon manual is listed on eBay and you can wait for a 1983 manual to show up if you want.

Here are the current ones:
number 1
number 2
number 3

takza · Post by **takza** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:44 am

my first auto wrote:takza : I have had no success with online searches for the Bentley '83-'84 repair manaul for the Toyota Tercel 1983 4WD. If takza or anyone else might provide me a link to a used copy I would be most appreciative.-

There were several on Amazon when I looked. There are also some used book dealers online. Also Ebay? Deep search.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 2:34 pm

I downloaded the 85 FSM from this site. I have it on CD. If anyone needs/wants a copy let me know and I can send it to them. I have heard some people are having a hard time downloading it now for whatever reasons.

As mentioned before there is not much difference between the model years of the 83 to 88 Tercels so the 85 FSM should suit you fine.

I have a copy of the 83 FSM. If you need any specifics from it let me know.

sandshadow · Post by **sandshadow** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:05 pm

There's a place here in Seattle that sells automobile repair manuals online: http://www.books4cars.com/3way.htm

I had a copy of the Bently manual for Tercels and I don't remember it including the 4WD. That was back in the early 90s though and I only had FWD Tercels at the time, so I may have forgotten.

I've been thinking of picking up one of those Bently manuals again. Even if they don't include the 4WD, they still had some great info about the engine.