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Toyota
Tercel Repair Questions and Answers

Question: 1990 Toyota Tercel -
Mileage: 182,000. How can I
replace the lower bowl (radiator tank) on my radiator?
Is there a special crimping tool?
Answer: Yes, there is a special crimping tool
to replace the radiator tank, but it is not a job for an
inexperienced person to try. In view of the fact that
your car is 14 years old, we high recommend you replace
the entire radiator assuming it is 14 years old. This
will save you a lot of frustration.
Question: 1991 Toyota Tercel
mileage: 91,000. At my recent oil change today, I was
told I had a "tear" in one of my CV boots. Wasn't told
which side. Told I could have the boots replaced and get
a transmission "flush" for about $550. This was at a
Toyota dealership. Is this a little high for replacement
parts and labor or is it right on the money? I think I'd
like a second opinion on the matter and so did not get
the repair work done.
Answer: The tear in the CV boot is
something that should be taken care of before problems
that are more serious occur (CV joint failure). As for
the price, check with other mechanics in your area that
are recommend by friends.
Question: 1994 Toyota Tercel
mileage: 128,972. A year ago I had a valve job done on my
car. A year later some rough driving. Took the car to
two different places told I needed another valve job.
Took the car back to the place that did the valve job,
valves are fine. Mechanic told me #4 compression 220 #2
compressions 75. States I need the rings to be replaced
parts $140 labor $650. Sound reasonable? States the
cleaned everything started the car and oil got on the
spark plugs again. Sound like a ring job? Reasonable
rate?
Answer: First off, the numbers for
the compression check are confusing. The best way to
tell if you need another valve job or the rings replaced
is by doing a cylinder leak down test.
Question: 1993 Toyota Tercel
mileage: 96,000. My water pump is leaking and I was
wondering on a Tercel, does the timing belt have to be
removed to change the water pump? I am a shade tree
mechanic and know how to change a water pump out but
have been told on a lot of foreign cars the timing belt
is attached to the water pump. It looks like it is an
external water pump. Can you help?
Answer: Yes, the timing belt does
have to be removed. It is an excellent idea to replace
the timing belt if it has not been recently replaced
along with the
water pump.
Question:
1995 Toyota Tercel mileage: 91,000. Dear Bob
and Ken: My problem concerns my 1995 Toyota Tercel, 91,000 miles, 4-speed manual transmission, most
recent oil change was about 1800 miles ago, and no major
repairs since purchasing the car at 40,000 miles.
I recently made a 1600-mile trip from Virginia to
Colorado; I had the oil changed, fluids topped-off, and
air filter replaced. Additionally, I had an
emissions inspection done a few weeks before, and the
results were excellent. Approximately half way
through the trip and some very bumpy interstate driving
in Arkansas and Oklahoma, my "Engine" light came on.
I pulled over immediately to check under the engine,
checked the oil level, belts, hoses, etc. and found no
noticeable irregularities, except that the overflow
container for the radiator fluid was empty. There
was still plenty of fluid in the radiator itself, but I
replaced the fluid/water mixture anyway. I noticed
no odd smells or drivability difficulties, so I
continued driving. I stopped overnight and the
following morning, I checked my owner’s manual and it
said that this light comes on due to a problem with the
engine's electrical system. Being that the roads
were rough, I suspected maybe a fuse had been knocked
out, so I removed, inspected, then replaced all of the
fuses. I started the car and the engine light was
off. I continued driving, but after about 6 hours
of interstate driving (70-80 mph) the light came on
again. Still, I did not notice any smells,
sounds, or drivability problems. I continued to
drive as I was in the middle of nowhere and arrived in
Colorado, still with the engine light on. I spoke
with a technician about this before and his
recommendation was that the oxygen sensor could be the
problem. I have researched the function and
possible problems of the O2 sensor and it seems like if
that were the culprit, my exhaust would smell like
"rotten eggs" OR produce a black smoke (depending on
lean or rich mixture). Is this correct? Or
could the sensor be malfunctioning WITHOUT a real
problem with the mixture? What type of problems
could develop with continued driving? Could there
be another cause to the engine light coming on? Is
there some way to check the sensor myself without having
to take to a mechanic? Could the missing radiator
fluid have caused something to go wrong (I have noticed
no leaks in the overflow tank since)? Could the
change in altitude cause something? I apologize
for the length of this, but wanted to make sure to get
all of the information here. Thank you in advance
for your help!
Answer: You probably do have a faulty
oxygen sensor. With 91,000 miles on your car, it
would be good practice to replace it anyway. If
your problem persists, then scan the computer for fault
codes. Oxygen sensors go out of range at
times, but still work.
Question:
1995 Toyota Tercel mileage: 82,000. I am
replacing the spark plugs in my Toyota Tercel. The
manual calls for twin ground electrode spark plugs.
The replacement from the charts says I can use Autolite
3924. My question is--If I use the Autolite 3924,
which is cheaper, will I hurt the car or its
performance.
Answer:
The Autolite plugs will not hurt your engine, however,
you will probably find the recommended spark plugs will
perform better.

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