dead 1999 Corolla of Pleasure - fare thee well

[dozeydustman]

Not good news.

Stepdaughter popped out to to local co-op to get some milk and she’s walked back. Temp gauge shot up and leaking oil and coolant badly. I hadn’t touched the coolant so I am now at wit’s end.

Harumph.

[Talbot]

2 hours ago, dozeydustman said:

I will more than likely need an engine crane

A decent dismantleable one is available for hire at £0/day from me.  I don't have an engine stand, but with a bit of ply over the legs of the engine crane, you can do a surprising amount of work on an engine there. 

[dozeydustman]

9 minutes ago, Talbot said:

A decent dismantleable one is available for hire at £0/day from me.  I don't have an engine stand, but with a bit of ply over the legs of the engine crane, you can do a surprising amount of work on an engine there. 

Thank you sir, I'll be in contact at some point in the future once I can work out how to get the sodding thing out.

Given it's also pissing out coolant now I've got to really work out what to do for the best.

[Talbot]

Just now, dozeydustman said:

it's also pissing out coolant now

This depends a lot on where from.

[dozeydustman]

25 minutes ago, Talbot said:

This depends a lot on where from.

Indeed. I’ll have a look some point tomorrow to see where it’s coming from. TBH as all the hoses, water pump and radiator are original It wouldn’t surprise me if one of those have failed. I’ve also noticed that it’ll need at least one engine mount, track rod ends, gearbox drain & refill; and that’s if it’s not got OMGHGF as well as the remaining coolant in the rad looked very oily after SD limped it back after walked back for

I’m going to have to do some man maths and see if a really tired old Toyota is worth saving or offering up for spares/repairs on here. It’s a tough call seeing as it’s been in the family for 20 of its 21.5 years

[EightMegs]

It's scary seeing an E engine with a similar mileage to mine having these issues. Given the amount of issues you've already sorted, it might be worth your while to go a bit further. You've clearly got a sentimental attachment to the car.

[St.Jude]

I've a stand and a crane here if needed. Although I've no idea where you are.

A lot of the seals can be replaced in situ though I think, with just the dropping of the gearbox.

I've got a tool here I made myself to lock the flywheel, so when it comes time I can at least send you that to help.

[dozeydustman]

@St.Jude I’m in Sussex, thank you for the offer.

@EightMegs It’s more having the time and space to do the job as opposed to the inclination, the former being the biggest issue; it barely fits in the garage and it’s en-bloc as opposed to next to the house so it would have to be left with its arse or nose poking out the door. There’s blokenin the road behind who drives his AMG Mercedes shitheap like an utter twat and has hit other parked cars in the shared garage area so it’ll be just my luck he takes the Toyota out while I’m working on it (I’ve had rows with him about his frankly terrible driving). Mrs_dustman has fully accepted that it may be the car’s time and for the cost of parts it may just be easier to get something newer and less fragile. we’re saving up for a house and don’t really want to be spunking £x00 on ongoing repairs but can take the hit of £5-600 as a one-off for something a bit newer which should be half decent.

[tooSavvy]

Chop it.... No romance in Hard Cash!

*as a man who axed ToMM© >> looking at Big Bills!!

YKIMS (or.... OLLI)

 

[dozeydustman]

Been offered this as scrap.

 

If anyone wants it for spares/repairs before I book it in get in touch - will need gone ASAP though and it won’t drive

[dozeydustman]

I’m going to take out the radio and, car park permit and dashcam later today so it’ll probably be gone by the weekend.

[SRi05]

Stop the presses. A Toyota has broken. 

[dozeydustman]

1 minute ago, SRi05 said:

Stop the presses. A Toyota has broken. 

To be fair someone with the equipment and space might be able to sort the problems but I really do think it’s now got to the point of fix one, something else will go. I have the inclination and skills to do it sadly not the space nor time.

Needs (at least) engine mount, TREs, colling issue looked at, engine oil seals looked at/changed, suspension bushes. It’s approaching full on restoration as opposed to keeping it running.

[Talbot]

Has it got a super-valuable cat on it?  If so, it might be worth pulling it off and weighing it in yourself.  The reduction you'll get for scrap is minimal compared to the amount the cat is worth.

But yes.  Given that it's either spend £250 and many hours of work, or get £250 in your pocket, that's £500 you can splurge on a replacement vehicle before you're actually out of pocket.  Plus you keep all your time.

[dozeydustman]

17 minutes ago, Talbot said:

Has it got a super-valuable cat on it?  If so, it might be worth pulling it off and weighing it in yourself.  The reduction you'll get for scrap is minimal compared to the amount the cat is worth.

But yes.  Given that it's either spend £250 and many hours of work, or get £250 in your pocket, that's £500 you can splurge on a replacement vehicle before you're actually out of pocket.  Plus you keep all your time.

That’s my thoughts entirely. The poor thing did suffer a bit as my wife thought the MoT was the annual service until I came along. Although to be fair receipts prior to me being with her did show for oil, filters, plugs etc at MoT time. I’ve put an enquiry on a car for sale on here so hopefully the other party will reply with favour.

Waiting for cartakeback to contact me to arrange collection and they have expressly said they wouldn’t take it with major parts missing so I won’t remove said Cat.

I’ve been up to the garage this morning to see where the water leak is and it’s the rad. I started it up and it’s got such bad crankcase compression new seals would probably fail quickly and as there is only one vent hose AFAIK and it’s not blocked, which would indicate the start or worn bores/rings.

It’s a good source of spares but I can’t break it, store the parts etc.

Wife is very upset as it’s been the best and most reliable car she’s owned in 28 years of driving.

[St.Jude]

2 hours ago, Talbot said:

Has it got a super-valuable cat on it?  If so, it might be worth pulling it off and weighing it in yourself.  The reduction you'll get for scrap is minimal compared to the amount the cat is worth.

I don't think they do, as I tried to weigh mine in and was offered £10 for it. And it was the original one. 

That said the world has gone mental, so it's worth it, even if you do just get £10 for it. 

I'm sorry it's going @dozeydustman.  They're an easy car to work on, but if you're restricted with time and space then it's just as difficult to fix as it is to fix Concorde in your garden. 

[Talbot]

30 minutes ago, St.Jude said:

I tried to weigh mine in and was offered £10 for it. And it was the original one. 

Or was it just that the unscrupulous dealer you were trying to sell it to hoped you didn't know it was worth £400 and was trying to pull a fast one?  The world of catalyst recycling is full of this kind of bollocks.

[St.Jude]

Just now, Talbot said:

Or was it just that the unscrupulous dealer you were trying to sell it to hoped you didn't know it was worth £400 and was trying to pull a fast one?  The world of catalyst recycling is full of this kind of bollocks.

I'm not sure where I put it, I don't think I scrapped it, but I 100% didn't give it to him. 

[dozeydustman]

CarTakeBack are collecting this on Saturday afternoon, so last chance if anyone wants to take this on as a fixer-upper get in touch.

[artdjones]

I don't know the value of the cats, but they are very high quality. Most Corollas get scrapped with the original on, and if the car is scrapped the cats used to be saved to adapt into other makes where the adaptation is possible.

[666jjp]

don't forget the arnold clark +500 offer if there is one near you

 

https://www.arnoldclark.com/sell-my-car

[dozeydustman]

8 minutes ago, 666jjp said:

don't forget the arnold clark +500 offer if there is one near you

 

https://www.arnoldclark.com/sell-my-car

It wouldn’t make it 40 metres let alone the 40 miles to nearest Arnold Clark! Overnight it’s dropped the remainder of its coolant and about a litre of its oil sitting stationary.

[dozeydustman]

Bye bye old friend. You have done us well. Wife and stepdaughter are very very sad and teary. I am a little bit wobbly feeling as well.

 

[ProgRocker]

Farewell Corolla. £252 seems pretty good for that.

Car Takeback wanted around £150 for my 2003 Almera with 106k miles. But Toyota > Nissan.

[dozeydustman]

3 hours ago, ProgRocker said:

Farewell Corolla. £252 seems pretty good for that.

Car Takeback wanted around £150 for my 2003 Almera with 106k miles. But Toyota > Nissan.

I tried yesterday to see if there was a last minute reprieve for it, but sadly the coolant was leaking from the side of the engine on the gearbox side as well as the rad, and I couldn’t stem the oil from pissing out the timing cover.

The bloke who collected it remarked at how tidy and straight it was beside a scrape on a rear arch, and said they may bung a replacement engine in and sell it as they’re so popular.

[High Jetter]

Might be worth keeping an eye open then - in effect, paying them to do the work by buying it back?

[dozeydustman]

5 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Might be worth keeping an eye open then - in effect, paying them to do the work by buying it back?

Will do, unless they e-mail me the CoD.

[dozeydustman]

CoD issued. No second chance. 

[High Jetter]

I guess a sombre evening tonight. These things can be very painful.

[Talbot]

21 hours ago, dozeydustman said:

the coolant was leaking from the side of the engine on the gearbox side as well as the rad, and I couldn’t stem the oil from pissing out the timing cover.

You made the right call then.  That's fucked with a capital F.