EightMegs' Terrible Toyotas

[LightBulbFun]

39 minutes ago, EightMegs said:

I know what they say about 2CVs, ploughed fields, and eggs; but what about Carinas, Dorset, and one of @LightBulbFun 's lightbulbs?

 

Ooh yay! glad you where able to grab it in the end!

thank you very much for volunteering and grabbing it for me when I realised at the last moment the reason no one else was bidding on it was because it was collection only! 

and no pressure its only literally 130 years old at the youngest

 

as the Sunbeam company was forced out of the lamp business in 1892, and by the time they resumed operations in the early 1900's I dont think they where making lightbulbs to that style/design

Ediswan the company that forced Sunbeam out of the lamp business (as they held some strong patents and used them before they expired to force all other lamp makers in England out of business)  then manufactured lamps to the same spec/designs and sunbeam continued to supply lamp holders for them, the Ediswan lamps where branded "Sunlight" and the range can be seen in this 1893 catalog   http://www.lamptech.co.uk/Documents/Catalogues/Ediswan - Catalogue - 1893 UK.pdf

 

now just the small* matter of figuring out how to get it from you to me! but the important part is its in safe hands now  

[EightMegs]

Radio packed in so I borrowed one originally destined for the LiteAce.

Added the finest aerial the fencing supplier had to offer.

Which means I won't lose my mind on the way to the ferry.

Here it is across the Severn from Chepstow.

[EightMegs]

I've found a workaround for the rain gutters being so far up on the Carina. What I've done is remove the old clamps from my Desmo roof rack and thread in studs, then attach Thule roof rack clamps designed to match the profiles of the door frames using nuts and washers on either side.

As expected, the rack looks absolutely dreadful. It'll be carrying my tools, fishing kit, and some clothes down to Bournemouth in a week's time.

[EightMegs]

Considering I'll be gone for a few months, I've put the Starlet under a car cover and a tarpaulin with some dehumidifiers inside to keep the mildew at bay.

I then took my fully laden Carina on the ferry from Rosslare to Fishguard and onwards to Poole.

It decided during the journey to provide me with some additional ventilation.

[EightMegs]

Today was spent replacing the perished top mounts on the Carina.

My friend cowardly hid inside his LiteAce when I removed the top nut, at least he'd have been able to call an ambulance if the spring did decide to launch itself through my face. In their infinite wisdom, Toyota decided to thread the brake flex through a hole in the shock absorber instead of making a removable clip as they did in later cars, so replacing a top mount necessitates removing a brake hose and therefore bleeding the brakes. The caliper has to come off as well as you can't pull out the pinch bolts because they're in the way. Toyota also don't provide an Allen key slot in the top of the shock absorber so you have to either clamp the top of the shock absorber shaft above the bump stop so as not to mar any of the surface that will end up sliding through the gland, or clamp the top spring seat which is substantially easier and gives you a lot more leverage.

Next on the list of things to sort is the leaking sump gasket as it will give me an opportunity to have a look at the oil strainer, followed by the sloppy steering joint, the front wishbone bushes, and the rust hole in the driver's foot well. Luckily enough Autodoc had exactly one Febest universal joint in stock, hopefully it actually fits.

[tooSavvy]

Carina = Competent Carriage 👍

😎

[tooSavvy]

@EightMegs "..followed by the sloppy steering joint, the front wishbone bushes, and the rust hole in the *driver's foot well".

*MY rust hole came from 'dribbles' down from rot through the bulkhead, up where the top hinge sits 🥺....

[EightMegs]

52 minutes ago, tooSavvy said:

@EightMegs "..followed by the sloppy steering joint, the front wishbone bushes, and the rust hole in the *driver's foot well".

*MY rust hole came from 'dribbles' down from rot through the bulkhead, up where the top hinge sits 🥺....

Mine has just developed in an area where the underseal was damaged, fortunately it's just a flat section of floor so it won't be particularly painful to repair. I'll coat it in underseal again ASAP as I think it's the only reason it's lasted this long in the first place.

[Fumbler]

I've still got that Weber 32/34 which I'm slowly putting back together should you want it. Shame about the vent hole you've gained in the floor.

[EightMegs]

On 3/16/2022 at 7:18 PM, Fumbler said:

I've still got that Weber 32/34 which I'm slowly putting back together should you want it. Shame about the vent hole you've gained in the floor.

I'm in two minds about it at the moment, I've been looking at rebuild kits for the Aisan carb I've got which are readily available in the US and ethanol ready, but the process looks extremely complicated. I've also been reading some Toyota forum threads where they report a massive increase in fuel consumption which is making me a bit wary given the fuel prices at the moment, though it might have been the case that they hadn't set them up properly. I think I'll make decide after I get back from my trip to Cardigan and Mull. I don't think messing around with the way it's tuned immediately before embarking on a massive road trip is a particularly good idea.

[Fumbler]

2 minutes ago, EightMegs said:

I'm in two minds about it at the moment, I've been looking at rebuild kits for the Aisan carb I've got which are readily available in the US and ethanol ready, but the process looks extremely complicated. I've also been reading some Toyota forum threads where they report a massive increase in fuel consumption which is making me a bit wary given the fuel prices at the moment, though it might have been the case that they hadn't set them up properly. I think I'll make decide after I get back from my trip to Cardigan and Mull. I don't think messing around with the way it's tuned immediately before embarking on a massive road trip is a particularly good idea.

Fair enough. I'll carry on putting it back together and keep it handy.

[tooSavvy]

I, frankly, cannot believe a Weber (or 'clone*') would ruin your EmmPeeGeez....

Adapter plate is special cos stud spacing is different....

GIB 😉

[MorrisItalSLX]

When I questioned carb tuning with my seasoned Toyota bothering mechanic he said under no circumstances should you mess with these carbs. His advice was to by a brand new carb (still available) and run it exactly as it came out of the box, any adjustment you make to it will make it worse.

Ive considered the Weber route, but I’m not keen on ditching the factory intake system. There is a possibility that an EFI intake could be modified to work, but I’ve only theorised about this.

[Fumbler]

31 minutes ago, tooSavvy said:

I, frankly, cannot believe a Weber (or 'clone*') would ruin your EmmPeeGeez....

Adapter plate is special cos stud spacing is different....

GIB 😉

I forget the exact sizes but I remember Mr. Megs' current carb has a 28mm primary barrel which, while making it a bit gutless, makes it super light on fuel for a 1.6.

[EightMegs]

I changed the oil and filter and embarked on a trip to Drefach Felindre via Neath from Bournemouth in the Carina. It's amazing how it can be comfortable on nearly any road surface, the collapsed bushes in the front suspension have been giving me some bump wander though.

[EightMegs]

I'm back in Ireland for the week and Harris has developed even more ventilation just before he's due in for a test. 

And to add insult to injury, the Carina has started to knock and blink the oil pressure light when the engine is straining. Might be time for 20w50. I spoke to the local Toyota dealer and apparently they want £176 for a set of oversized bearings and referred me to someone who'll grind the crank, whether I'll actually work up the motivation to try something that heavy is another question.

[EightMegs]

You know your rings are bad when oil is collecting on top of your air filter.

[St.Jude]

1 hour ago, EightMegs said:

You know your rings are bad when oil is collecting on top of your air filter.

The 4A-FE (I think that’s yours?) is just too damn powerful, it squeezes oil to the air inlet FOR MOAR POWA

[MorrisItalSLX]

17 hours ago, St.Jude said:

The 4A-FE (I think that’s yours?) is just too damn powerful, it squeezes oil to the air inlet FOR MOAR POWA

4A-F as it’s carbureted, 4A-FE has EFI.

[EightMegs]

I've leased a garage for when the Carina's engine eventually shits itself, I'll have a blue cloud following me up to Shitefest this year...

[EightMegs]

The oil light started blinking on at low revs while creeping forward in traffic, and it turns out what was in the sump was mostly petrol.

I've changed it for a tin of Halford 20w50 and it's a lot happier.

[EightMegs]

Why is there oily smoke coming in through the vents?

I 

FUCKING HOW? The only saving grace is the oil cap didn't end up on the road. Anyone know any decent engine steam cleaners in Dorset?

[St.Jude]

That’s not oily smoke.

You’re just sweating horsepower son.

[EightMegs]

One of the rear struts has started binding on the Carina, which causes a bit of a strange sensation when you drive over speed bumps, less than ideal a few days before your MOT in any case. I took it to the lockup and tried to do the rear struts which has now led to a cracked brake pipe and a broken drop link. Then, to add insult to injury, the passenger side window decided to fall into the door. None of these jobs are particularly difficult and I've done all of them before, but I just can't seem to work up the motivation to get the jobs done.

[EightMegs]

The rear bump stops need replacing so I ordered a set, then I found a set that I'd ordered previously and forgotten about. The box just arrived and I've realised I accidentally ordered two sets of bump stops, so I've got 6 bump stops for a car that needs 2.

[High Jetter]

Bumpity bumpity bumpity bump. There's a song about that.

[EightMegs]

The NOS gods have awarded me with Toyota Celica shocks from Italy. Carina ones are NLA and impossible to come by but these physically fit so that's good enough for me.

Hopefully I'll get it through the test before SF. 

 

 

[EightMegs]

I decided to try to drive the Carina to my garage outside Corfe Castle so I'd have somewhere warm to change the recently blown head gasket. But the HGF gods have decided that I should lose all my coolant out of the exhaust so I'm currently by the side of the road in Poole with a jug of water waiting for it to cool down.

[EightMegs]

I let it cool down and the oil is a milkshake and so is the coolant, I've pulled over and abandoned it.

[EightMegs]

I've been towed home by my manager in a work van, I can't believe the head gasket failed so spectacularly given the car has never actually overheated.