New to us car maintenance -95 Corolla 1.8l 5sp

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: Rtstrider
Any advice for the 7afe engine? Reading it's a known oil burner. Would running Mobil1 Syn 10w 30 not be recommended? I'm reading quite a few people having decent results with Maxlife 10w 40 (which seems pretty thick)


I'd try 5w30 high-mileage before moving up to 10w40 HM.


+1

 

[Rtstrider]

So the toyota pink eh. Familiar with that as I come from a Lexus background (previously owned an IS300 and ES300). I see these are known oil burners. Should I worry about additives such as MMO in the oil to help break down any crud, flush, or do the tried and true short OCI's for a bit? I don't know if this car in particular burns oil but want to make sure I've got all my ducks in a row.

 

[Thermo1223]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Leave the clutch fluid alone. Too much danger of screwing up the bleeding, if you can even bleed it. It doesn't get hot like brake fluid and can indeed last a lifetime.


Not really...

You can always bleed the fluid I have only come across a few cars where it wasn't exactly easy but could still be done.

The clutch is at the end of the engine, the slave cylinder is right there as well. They use metal lines, the master is usually right below the brake master cylinder. All under the hood, in Florida and you are saying it doesn't get that hot? Heat surrounds the entire workings of that setup especially if FL.

 

[supton]

It might get hot, but I doubt nearly as hot as brake calipers. Not only that, but a spongy clutch is different than a spongy brake. That spongy clutch will do it all the time (at least once warmed up) while a spongy brake would do so only after prolonged braking.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Rtstrider
Any advice for the 7afe engine? Reading it's a known oil burner. Would running Mobil1 Syn 10w 30 not be recommended? I'm reading quite a few people having decent results with Maxlife 10w 40 (which seems pretty thick)


I have a 94 Corolla 7AFE with a 5 speed manual. I would not run synthetic oil as they do like to consume oil, especially if you beat on it which you have to to keep up with traffic. Use a high mileage 5w-30 or 10w-30.

As far as the manual transaxle fluid, I've tried everything, to include GL-4 synthetics. The best feeling fluid combination I've used is Valvoline GL-5 with a bottle of Lubegard gear fluid supplement.

As far as other maintenance, pull a spark plug and check the condition. Check the belts; they are manually adjusted, don't get them too tight. Pop the top timing cover off and check the timing belt. If the plugs need replacing, throw a new cap and rotor on it.

Antifreeze; if it's red, continue using the old school Toyota red (not pink) antifreeze if you can find it; if not, I'd switch it to Zerex Asian formula.

Clutch "fluid" is brake fluid. I wouldn't screw with it because at 200K miles, you will likely be putting new clutch hydraulics in it in the near future. In fact, if the pedal ever feels a bit soft of like you have to give it an extra pump some mornings for the clutch to feel good, pull the rubber boot off the slave cylinder. Fluid will likely dribble out meaning the slave cylinder needs replacing. I just did both the slave and master on mine 3 weeks ago.

Fuel filter is below the brake master cylinder on the firewall. It's a royal PITA to change; you need long extensions and the vehicle on stands to get at the underside of it.

Everything else is very easy to work on.

 

[PandaBear]

I have the 1.6L automatic version of this car. From what I know the 1.8L engine is an oil burner and you may want to use non synthetic and top off once in a while.

The engine is non interference, and if you have receipt to prove that timing belt and water pump has been changed, you can wait, or you can just do it whenever you have time and get AAA road side service just in case.

The fuel filter is a bit hard to change, and I found that it is easier to not follow the standard instruction of removing from the bottom of the car, but from the top instead. You should remove the air box and that opens up a lot of space for you to wrench. Mine has gone 240K and it was not causing problem but seems to be very loaded by that mileage. If I were you I'd find a day of free time and do it.

This is a car that gives Toyota its indestructible reputation, it should last a LONG TIME, and parts are cheap and easy to work on.

 

[nickaluch]

I have a Geo Prism ,GM version of your car.You have to keep an eye the oil level.These engines sure use oil at a nice clip.The valve guide stems go bad on these engines.I use 10/40 in the summer and 10/30 HM in the winter.The sump only holds 3 Qts of oil so always keep a QT in the trunk.The only other issue with these cars are the manifolds sometimes crack.I bought my car new in 1995 and have over 240000 trouble free miles.Do not use any 5w30 in these engines unless u want to check your oil level every other day.

 

[nickaluch]

Also these cars take old school green antifreeze

 

[Rtstrider]

Was going to say that I changed the oil first thing when we got it home (Saturday afternoon) to 10w 30 Maxlife. The engine was running very rough before the oil change and now the wife says it's smoothed out pretty good! So maybe just maybe the maxlife is cleaning a few things up! Going to setup a time to get the timing belt/water pump changed and get the tranny fluid/clutch fluid changed too. I would do the clutch but the wife is very persistent we have a pro do it so you know how that goes lol. So far it's a great little car and the MPG is insane!