Archive for the 'Toyota' Category
Shant’s question:
I have a 2000 toyota camry le v6. the front left wheel bearings need replacement. i would like to do the job myself. Your instructions or advice is appreciated. thank you much.”
Answer:
Taking the hub off the car is a pretty straight forward job, BUT removing the old bearings and putting the new bearings in required special tools And/Or a fifteen ton machine press. Many guys will remove the hub themselves, and then have a machine shop or professional garage press the old bearing out and the new one in. Here’s the basics on how to remove things:REMOVE FRONT WHEEL Torque: 103 Nm (1,050 kgf.cm, 76 ft. lbs.) CHECK BEARING BACKLASH AND AXLE HUB DEVIATION Remove the 2 bolts, brake caliper and disc. Support the brake caliper securely. Using a dial indicator near the center of the axle hub and check the backlash in the bearing shaft direction. Maximum: 0.05 mm (0.0020 inch) If the backlash exceeds the maximum, replace the bearing. Using a dial indicator, check the deviation at the surface of the axle hub outside the hub bolt. Maximum: 0.05 mm (0.0020 inch) If the deviation exceeds the maximum, replace the bearing. Install the disc, 2 bolts and brake caliper. Torque: 107 Nm (1,090 kgf.cm, 79 ft. lbs.) REMOVE DRIVE SHAFT LOCK NUT Remove the cotter pin and lock cap. With applying the brakes, remove the nut. Torque: 294 Nm (3,000 kgf.cm, 217 ft. lbs.) Remove the brake caliper and disc. w/ ABS: REMOVE ABS SPEED SENSOR AND WIRE HARNESS CLAMP Torque: 8.0 Nm (82 kgf.cm, 71 inch lbs.) LOOSEN 2 NUTS ON LOWER SIDE OF SHOCK ABSORBER Torque: 211 Nm (2,150 kgf.cm, 156 ft. lbs.) HINT: Do not remove the bolts. At the time of installation, coat the nut’s thread with engine oil. DISCONNECT TIE ROD END FROM STEERING KNUCKLE Remove the cotter pin and nut. Torque: 49 Nm (500 kgf.cm, 36 ft. lbs.) Using SST, disconnect the tie rod end from the steering knuckle. SST 09610-20012 DISCONNECT LOWER BALL JOINT FROM LOWER ARM Remove the 2 nuts and bolt. Torque: 127 Nm (1,300 kgf.cm, 94 ft. lbs.) REMOVE STEERING KNUCKLE WITH AXLE HUB Remove the 2 bolts on the lower side of the shock absorber. Remove the steering knuckle with the axle hub. NOTICE: Be careful not to damage the oil seal with drive shaft. INSTALLATION Installation is in the reverse order of removal. AFTER INSTALLATION, CHECK ABS SPEED SENSOR SIGNAL AND FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT For information on the testing procedures of the ABS speed sensor signal, refer to Brakes and Traction Control; Brakes; Antilock Brake System; Wheel Speed Sensor; Testing and Inspection; Procedures. Good Luck,
Jose Alvarez’s question:
i have a Camry 2002 and i cant pass my emissions test because of code p0420(catalyst efficiency below threshold)what does this mean and is it expensive to fix????”
Answer:
That code means either the oxygen sensors are getting weak, OR the catalytic converter itself is getting weak. BUT, you can often just have the computer reset with a scan tool and drive the car about twenty miles on the highway. After doing this, if the check engine light stays off, you should be able to pass the test then. If it comes back on before you get it reinspected, then you will have to repair it to get the sticker.
Simon’s question:
Hey I saw your video on youtube and I really like the way you pass on information I was wondering in regards to a 2000/2001 Toyota Celica GT with low mileage of 100 clicks or less, how much do you think its worth? Especially since if the clutch has never been changed and lets just assume that all the interior and wheels are above average.?? For newer 2000 year + cars.. how often does the clutch wear under a typical use?
Answer:
First, clutch wear depends upon where you drive and how you drive. I’ve had customers who do mainly highway driving get over 150 thousand miles out of a clutch. While some hard drivers who do mainly in town driving can wear them out in thirty thousand miles. The more you baby the clutch, the longer they last. As for value, I assume you have a regular celica and not a GTS with the Yamaha racing engine in it. It would probably be worth about 3300 trade in, if it was really clean you might sell it on the street for forty five hundred.
Amanda’s question:
My husband is going nuts trying to fix his 96 Toyota Camry. He’s tried three rebuilt mass air flow sensors so far. One worked for a week, the others never worked right out of the box. Please give me some advice to help him.”
Answer:
Well, I’ve run into that myself more than a few times. Whenever possible, try to get a brand new mass air flow sensor. The rebuilts are often just VERY poorly made. Last week I had to try a rebuilt on an older Toyota because a new one cost almost nine hundred dollars. I had to go through three before I got a decent one, and I’m hoping that one will last. SO, if you want to give him some good advice, tell him to buy a new one. Otherwise he may be trying a few more rebuilts before he gets one that works.
Debra Rushings’s question:
I have a 2000 Toyota Avalon XL with approx 144,000 miles. The Saturday a.m. before Easter, I attempted to start the car and it shut completely off. This happened 7 times in a row. Finally I started it up and kept my foot on the gas and revved the engine. I continued with my trip approx 70 miles. Later that same day the car fell dead while coming to a stop. I took it to one of the Toyota dealers and was told I need a new idle air control valve and engine peak performance service cost $850.63. Have any suggestions!”
Answer:
Well, those engine idle valves only come as a complete throttle assembly on Toyotas and they are expensive. My advice would be to get a used one from a salvage yard. I bought one last week for sixty five dollars from one after I bartered a little. And, sometimes you can just clean the carbon off the old valve and then they work fine again. Get a second opinion and have another mechanic attempt to clean it first, that does work sometimes. Then go used if cleaning doesn’t work, those valves don’t break down all that often so a used one should be good.
Andy’s question:
My 2000 Corolla is missing out badly when I accelerate. It’s also getting really bad gas mileage. I took it and got the computer scanned, but there were no trouble codes (the check engine light does not come on at all when this problem occurs.) What could be wrong?”
Answer:
Well, theoretically there could be lots of things causing that, but most of those problems would set the check engine light and store a trouble code. THE most common problem in a Corolla like yours which would cause bad hesitation is a dirty or worn out mass aiflow sensor (or MAF sensor.) Try having it cleaned out with MAF sensor cleaning spray, and if that doesn’t work, replace the sensor. They are simple to replace, any auto parts store can sell you one and show you where it’s located (two screws remove the sensor.) Since these sensors go bad quite frequently, they are easy to purchase as many people now sell them.
Mike’s question:
I have a 1989 Toyota Supra turbo and my car doesn’t idle right. It doesn’t kick up in the beginning of startup. Sometimes I have to press on the gas to start it. After I left off the gas from accelerating sometimes it dies. Thank you.”
Answer:
Turbos are very touchy about vacuum leaks in the intake system, so check that out VERY closely. Cracked hoses, loose clamps, and broken or fallen off vacuum lines are the main suspects. And as they age, the air flow meters can often just wear out, making starting hard and causing stalls when you stop fast. Unfortunately your car is so old that a scanner won’t help you figure things out, as there isn’t any data available on them to get a good analysis. But, if you can’t find any intake leaks, you could just guess with a rebuilt air flow meter as you can certainly find one at a reasonble cost at any good foreign auto parts supplier (they’ll probably have to special order it in, but I got one a month ago for an older Toyota and it only took one day from California.)
Peter’s question:
I have Toyota Corolla 2003. Two days ago A/C stop working. A/C compressor clutch does not works at all and no power there. Blow motor works, but there is only a hot air. A/C switch light in the car works also. I assume the A/C system has enough freon. According to me it is an electric problem, but your opinion is more important. Thank you for the advice. Regards, Peter”
Answer:
Never assume anything with an AC system. If the refrigerant is low, then the pressure switch will tell the AC computer and it will shut off power to the compressor. SO, it’s best to put a set of AC gauges on the system and hot wire the AC clutch to see if it comes on. If it comes on and the pressures are too low, then odds are you’re just low on refrigerant. Evacuate the system and add a factory load of refrigerant and a little UV AC dye to see if the leak is big or small. All ac systems leak somewhat due to their rubber seal format–if the seals didn’t leak, then oil couldn’t lubricate them, and they would burn out and then would leak big time. Now if the AC comes on when you hot wire it, and the pressures are fine and it blows really cold, then yes, you’d have an electrical problem somewhere. But, that’s pretty rare in a Corolla unless it’s been wrecked.
Lance’s question:
“My 2005 Toyota Matrix had the check engine light on. The code was P2118, something about the throttle actuator motor. So I had the motor assembly changed out, but the code is still there. Have you seen this before?”
Answer:
Yes, that code is for a problem in the throttle motor system, but can be either a problem in the wiring, the actuator motor itself, or the main computer (ECM.) It often is the actuator motor assembly, but the last one I fixed required a new main ECM to fix. The circuitry inside has shorted out.
mb’s question:
“We have a 2002 toyota corolla type S, 4 cyl, stick shift, about 100k. The tranny was replaced by the dealer at 85k. Lately, we noticed a clunking noise in the front of the car when the car goes between 20-35 mph, that sounds like metal bouncing around. Our mechanic confirmed it wasn’t the shocks or struts, but did said our clutch will need replacing soon (suggested we replaced it when we no longer can shift?) I noticed near the tranny a dried up tranny fluid. what do you think the clunking noise comes from? Is it the tranny? the loose clutch? or wheel bearing? Is there a transmission dip stick (to measure the tranny fluid) for a manual tranmission? Is the mechanic correct about when we should replace our clutch? Thanks for the help”
Answer:
Clunking noises can be real bears to discover where they’re coming from. Generally, clutch clunking occurs when you push the clutch in, shift gears, and let the clutch back up. And when they changed the tranny they should have put a new clutch in anyway and it should last a LOT longer than that. Standard trannies don’t have dip sticks. They have a large bolt that you remove and the oil should be to the bottom of the hole, just dripping out when you remove the bolt. Now lots of things can clunk, like torsion bar bushings or engine or transmission mounts, so check all of those out. If you can’t find anything, and it is in the clutch, I’d just say drive it until the clutch doesn’t work anymore as it won’t cost any more to replace it then, as all the clutch parts should be replaced when servicing the clutch. And I’ve seen them clunk for years before they finally give up.
