The Corolla Prizms

[supton]

I'd probably start advertising. My car took a while to sell--not as rare as I hoped for.

*

I picked up one of these last year, and installed onto an old WinXP laptop:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C9B3...ailpage_o07_s00
Connected to both of my yodas. Says it will work back to 1996.

But in your case, since stuff does not rot, you could go back to OBDI. I toy with that myself, to get out of the emissions check; but I'm not sure I can give up the "security" of side airbags etc. And I would have to fly a long ways to find one not eaten up by rust.

*

Question on the ABS issue: wouldn't ABS be a rare option on these models? Also, did they use EBD? I am thinking no, so if the ABS system was broke it should bot matter. I can pass inspection with an abs light (can do so with an airbag light too), but my prior car had EBD and thus I suspect it would be a bad thing to drive around much a fault (rear brakes apt to lock up quickly under hard braking).

 

[Nick1994]

I think anything I'll buy will be 96 or newer unless I find a really good deal. I missed the chance on a 95 Tercel, it looked like a brand new car, had leather and manual windows? It was a stick shift too. $1,900. Wish I could have picked it up.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I think anything I'll buy will be 96 or newer unless I find a really good deal. I missed the chance on a 95 Tercel, it looked like a brand new car, had leather and manual windows? It was a stick shift too. $1,900. Wish I could have picked it up.


That wasn't leather! I doubt you'd want to ride around in a Tercel anyway...very uncomfortable and crude even by 1995 standards.

 

[Shrubitup]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I think anything I'll buy will be 96 or newer unless I find a really good deal. I missed the chance on a 95 Tercel, it looked like a brand new car, had leather and manual windows? It was a stick shift too. $1,900. Wish I could have picked it up.


My Dad bought one new in 1994 for $6,800. They were really inexpensive basic transportation. Better than a Geo Metro for sure.

 

[Shrubitup]

Originally Posted By: Kansas_Ron
It has turned into a bit of an oil burner as you will find quite a bit of history on the 1ZZFE engines, but mine had well over 100,000 miles on it before it became an issue.


O'Reilly auto parts sells oil on clearance for $1.57 a quart (Valvoline MaxLife 20W-50) so I don't see oil use on a old car costing anyone lots of money.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I think anything I'll buy will be 96 or newer unless I find a really good deal. I missed the chance on a 95 Tercel, it looked like a brand new car, had leather and manual windows? It was a stick shift too. $1,900. Wish I could have picked it up.


That wasn't leather! I doubt you'd want to ride around in a Tercel anyway...very uncomfortable and crude even by 1995 standards.
You saw it too? It was the green one.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Shrubitup
Originally Posted By: Kansas_Ron
It has turned into a bit of an oil burner as you will find quite a bit of history on the 1ZZFE engines, but mine had well over 100,000 miles on it before it became an issue.


O'Reilly auto parts sells oil on clearance for $1.57 a quart (Valvoline MaxLife 20W-50) so I don't see oil use on a old car costing anyone lots of money.


I thought oil use would take out the cat?

 

[supton]

I tried to do some reading on the 1ZZ FE, in regards to the oil consumption; and I have to say it is off putting. Seems like it is when and not if. No small job to rering; would be fun to try if I had a garage.

 

[Nick1994]

Is there any bad effect on the oil burning other than having to check the oil level often? I hear they're pretty indestructible.

I do have a 60+ quart oil stash...

I barely missed out on a 97' Prizm on Craigslist for $500. They rear ended a pickup trucks hitch and it needed a radiator and condensor. $175-$200 in parts, plus slapping the bumper back on. My dad has done auto collision repair for 28 years so I have plenty of help with that stuff.

I'll also be looking for other wrecked ones.

 

[supton]

From I understand, the oil burning continue to increase. Just keeps getting worse as the drain holes plug, then the rings stick.

 

[Nick1994]

I guess another disadvantage to one of these is if they burn oil, the average person doesn't check the oil very often. Probably run low all the time.

Did the 97' and older ones burn oil too?

 

[supton]

I have seen some reports of it, yes. However, many less, and perhaps more because of poor oil or infrequent changes. Not sure at the moment.

 

[supton]

Did some more reading on toyotanation. Sounds like 96-97 may burn less than prior years, due to revised rings. However valve seals are a weak point, and it may be advised to replace those, esp at timing belt time. Not sure if the head can stay on for that job or not.

Sounds like a real toss of the dice. Twenty year old cars, afterall.

 

[javacontour]

The 4A-FE or 7A-FE are bulletproof. The only problem I had was with a cracked exhaust manifold, a common problem.

Iron block, Aluminum head. It just goes and goes and goes.

There were issues with the early 1ZZFE engines with respect to oil consumption.

Seems most of this was mentioned already, as well as the timing belt vs chain. I put over 150K on a 94 Geo Prizm LSi 5 speed.

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Ok next question, is the 1ZZFE engine a lot better than the 1.6 & 1.8 models that were in the mid 90s?

 

[supton]

Nick: I've been studying CL photos, and it is very hard to tell if a model has the OD button or not. Today I spied two different Corolla's of this generation, one had OD the other not. Both use the same shifter body, and both have a flat where presumably "OD Off" is embossed. But non-OD uses a blockoff where the button ought to be.

I also suspect not all owners know if it has OD or not. I asked one person, he said no, but his photo looks like it might have OD. The shifter indents only say D2L, and not everyone will know what that button does. Few put pics of the doorjamb sticker that has the trans model--but some dealers do, making it easier to see.

 

[Nick1994]

Yeah I can't tell either with the pictures. And it's sad to say I don't think many owners are smart enough to know so I won't even ask, when I'm going to start looking and putting my feet on the ground I'll just find out for myself rather than ask, if it's got the 3-speed and it's a Unicorn that's in great shape and we'll taken care of with low miles for a decent price (boy wouldn't that be nice?) then I may consider it and drive for a year or so and sell and get another. But I 90% want a 4 speed auto or stick shift.

I still have a little hopes for calling the guy I sold my Camry to and asking if he'd sell it back. Who knows

 

[supton]

Good luck. I am tempted to do likewise, try to get a year. I have leads on a few, but all seem to be 3AT and showing signs of rust; who knows what lurks underneath. What I don't know is how fast oil consumption rises on these. If I find one that is at 1qt per kmiles, how fast does it drop to a qt per hundred miles?

 

[Nick1994]

Well, let's say it has 200k and burns 1 quart per 1,000 miles. It can't burn much faster, if it took 200k to burn at that speed it'll probably take another 75k-100k to get down to 1 quart per 500 miles.

If it burns that fast you could probably do 25k per oil change easily.

Maybe don't ever change it, just a new filter every 15k.

 

[Nick1994]

I figure if I were to keep it a year and I spend $1500-$1700 on one, it can't depreciate anymore than that.

My aunt used to do that in the late 80s and early 90s with old Toyota Celicas. Drive for 1-2 years and sell for what she paid, usually $800. Sometimes make $200!

 

[supton]

The most consumption I've seen is a quart per hundred miles. In threads that is. Seems most give up around the 500 mile mark--either rebuild or sell.

I want to say that once the oil control rings seize the cylinder wall starts to wear--which drops compression, power and sets the light eventually. Not good. Well for, as I have to pass OBDII emissions inspection.