Downhill Spiral

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 6:31 pm

So great... My car has been driven in town for a good ways in 4wd. I had to buy a new gascap. I come back to a grindy 1st gear. I come back to a car that feels like a few cylinders are turned off, but I know they are running. I come back to a car that is lowering the fuel guage at 3x the rate of normal. I come back to a car that is overheating with the heater on full blast.
WTF is going on?!? She worked alright before I left!
The exhaust smells rich, the idle is rough, its down some oil, and the spray pattern in the carb doesn't look quite right...

Thoughts?

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:37 pm

I don't think the miles on the dry in 4WD would affect anything save the driveline/tires/f.axles.
Don't take this the wrong way, but does your Sister "feel comfortable" driving a stick? Does she know the shift points/does she want to shift at the proper shift points? I guess I'm asking if she flogged it?
If it never overheated before, I would guess that it would be more than a stuck thermostat or something simple like that. Is the coolant level OK/what does it look like?
If she can give straight answers, it might be time for a heart-to-heart with her asking some questions about driving practices/did she notice anything; maybe that will give a clue.
As mentioned in other posts, believe me, I know what you're going through with a Sister and a Tercel. It's a tricky situation.
Tom M.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:10 am

I know the 4wd wuldn't nuke the engine, but its possible she tried to shift with it binding and kept grinding things and refuses to tell me.

In reference to the heat. If I take load off the engine the temp drops rather quickly back down. Any load and she flies up. It gets pretty hot on level road, but hills are making her pass the temp insignia inside the temp guage and start heading for the red. Coolant is low because it keeps wanting to boil off.
Is it as simple as- Our cars need bigger radiators?
But why would it start sucking on fuel, feel gutless, has richer smelling exhaust, and soon? Is my carb already fried? I had the stupid thing rebuilt 15,000 miles ago...

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:52 am

I would think the heating-up problem, were it caused by the radiator size, would have manifested itself long before now, and with the other Tercels your family has had.
This next sounds kinda dumb, but as I have no altitude experience (STL is not up too high), could the CO altitude have a bearing on this? The radiator worked OK and now, for ? reason it doesn't? Could the thermostat be failing?
Have you checked the tension on the pump belt? It could be something as simple as that (I know-things never are...). I suppose maybe even a water pump problem (dunno how to check that)?
I can't hazard any guesses on the carb situation though-not smart enough.
Tom M.

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:01 am

Have you checked the timing? I don't know... it must suck to come back with your car messed up. Good luck finding the problem.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:25 pm

The front passenger side brake hose just stripped itself in the caliper...... Its dumping fluid now...... It had been leaking a bit before, but nothing bad.
Thank God it happened in the driveway..... Man a Yaris looks good about now.....

takza · Post by **takza** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:00 am

Sounds like a head gasket leak....where the exhaust is getting into the coolant. Can test it cold...by starting it up with the rad full ...cap off...and look for a stream of bubbles.