Corolla Problems - Corolland: the Toyota Corolla Forums

Guest raslin

1991 2-dr Corolla coupe 4A-FE AE92 (1) My temperature gauge rises close to Hot while I drive up hills. The radiator remains full, I've had a new water pump installed, the radiator cap APPEARS to be tight and the radiator fans appears to be working. Anything else could be wrong? (2) I've just installed a NEW starting motor but sometimes when I swing the radiator fan comes on but the engine REFUSES to start - same problem before i put in the new starter. Any suggestions? (3) I need a front park light - driver's side - any idea where I can get one? HELP - little lady with car issues

While, it is normal for the temp to go up under heavy loads or up hills - it should get close to the HOT mark. I would look into the eliminating the obvious problem areas first - For the cooling system, make sure that:

-radiator has the proper fill of 50/50 mix of a silicate-free antifreeze antifreeze and distilled water (silicates are corrosion inhibitors, but can cause problems with some aluminum radiators)

-there are no kinks or blockages with the radiator hoses, coolant hoses

-thermostat is working properly

-radiator is clean and corrosion-free

-temperature sensors (or similar) are working properly

-radiator cap is tested for proper opening pressure (garage quick fix is to replace with a low PSI cap - car will initial run cooler until heavy load is placed on motor - then it will quickly overheat)

If any are found to be lacking - may have to flush the cooling system, replace any bad or worn hoses, replace any faulty components.

For the engine - make sure that:

-in good running condition, recent tune-up

-sparkplugs in proper heat range, ingnition system working properly

-don't have a blown head gasket

Having to install a new starter raises some issues here - starters don't usual go bad that often unless they are cheaper remans or cheap aftermarket. If it is an OEM starter - this means you may have some serious engine / electrical problems.

Some cars have a heat soak issue - that would cause hard starting or no start - probably not the case here. This sounds like a problem with the electrical or alternator is going bad or voltage is out of spec. This will cause a host of other problems to crop up.

For the light housing - a salvage yard or body shop should be able to get you one.

You have some work here - if you don't want to do it yourself - then find a good mechanic that can work this out - dealership as a last option.

Good Luck.

Guest raslin

Thank you for your detailed response - I will check on the radiator cover and go from there. A NEW alternator was installed in November but the hard start has been going on even from then. I'll check on the other things and let you know how it goes. One other thing (3) When I turn right - I hear a cracking noise in the steering - but not liket he CV Joint clicking. It is starting to get a little more noisy and the mechanis said that he can't figure out if it's a bushing or the cv joint cause they SEEM in tact. HELP default_blink

Could be a bad CV joint or bushing - can't tell unless you pull them apart or take a really good look at them.

I'd also look into possible steering rack binding or worn seals - could also be binding in the linkage from the steering wheel to rack.

Loose suspension attachment points and generally worn suspension will cause some noise.

Could be a bad or worn tie-rod.

Could be a bad or worn wheel bearing.

Could also be loose brake pads or worn / broken brake components (springs, shims, clips, etc)

Don't rule out a nail or foreign object imbedded in tire tread.

But for a clicking or clacking sound - look to the CV joints and wheel bearing first - then expand the search outward if they are OK.

Good Luck.

Guest Paul Cherubini

Raslin, your overheating going up hills is typical of 10-15 year old Corollas that have been run 5 years or more on aftermarket antifreezes. These antifreezes cause minerals to partially clog the radiator core tubes and interfere with heat transfer capability. The only solution is to get a new radiator and use a 50/50 mixture of the factory original coolant mixture; i.e. genuine Toyota Long Life Antifreeze and distilled water. Overly advanced or overly retarded ignition timing could also be contributing to the overheating.

Speaking of Distilled water........where can you find that "distilled" water?

- uchok00 default_ph34r

Max

Distilled water is in your grocery right next to the Evian. Just got some last week.

Originally posted by Paul Cherubini

The only solution is to get a new radiator and use a 50/50 mixture of the factory original coolant mixture

The only solution? You don't even know if that's the problem! What kind of ridiculous advice is that? Just because you had a similar problem once doesn't mean that Raslin's problem has to be the same.

Raslin: For what it's worth, Paul Cherubini is a controversial personality on this website (come to think of it, he's controversial on other websites as well).

I agree that you should check the inside of your radiator to see if there is buildup that may be plugging your radiator. But you also need to check to be sure that there isn't something else causing this problem. A stuck thermostat will give you the same symptoms. Make sure that the coolant level in your reservoir is above the "min" level. Forget about checking the level of coolant in your radiator - the reservoir is all you need to check.

Make sure that your coolant mixture is correct. If someone was putting pure antifreeze in your radiator (instead of a 50/50 mixture), then it is possible that you're not getting adequate heat transfer at a time when your car needs it the most (going up hill, A/C on, warm weather).

I would check thermostat first consider that your car's age. Second -air in the cooling system

If the radiotor would be clogged inside, you would be boiling in stop in go traffic too.

Good luck

Guest Paul Cherubini

Slalom44, as a hobby, I've owned and restored 14 vintage Toyotas and all but one of them have required new radiator because they had lost a significant amount their heat transfer effieciency thanks to aftermarket antifreeze. Most of these cars would not overheat around town, just going up hills, especially in hot weather. Rodding out the radiators helped only a little. New radiators always fixed the problem completely.

My latest car is a 1991 Lexus LS400. The prior owner changed the factory original Toyota Red antifreeze only once in the past 13 years yet the entire cooling system is immaculately clean (free of any trace of rust of mineral buildup).

200 posts

My guess is because of no silicates that the coolant lasted 13 years. I haven't changed mine in almost 3 years (35K miles or so), but haven't had time to drive over 30 miles either to the nearest dealership.

Distilled water's 58 cents/gallon at my Walmart.

Guest raslin

Thank you so much every one.

I found the problem this morning! My alternator has died and the battery is now dead - that should expain the hard start and also the overheating because I THINK the water pump works from the alternator.

It was a "new" alternator bought October 4 from Western Auto. My battery was checked just yesterday and it was OK - so I don't think I have a battery problem. I drove last night so I know the lights kill the battery even more.

Could I have another underlying problem?

Could be a seized bearing causing these problems - since it would put a tremendous load on your car.

I probably would recommend checking out the rest of the charging system and what ever is driven off the accessory/serpentine belt. Checking the cable connections between everything could be very helpful. You could have a case where some corrosion has built up around some connections and power cannot get to it as efficiently as it should.

Although parts life spans will very greatly with different conditions, "typical" lifespan for a new alternator is between 7-10 years, reman or rebuilt unit usually about half that. Lifespan of batteries are usually between 3-5 years depending on make and construction.

Also check out the condition of the belt - overtightening it tends to put lots of strain on the bearings, possibly causing premature failure. Condition of the belt tensioner, water pump that you replaced may be going bad.

I don't know if it applies to Toyota parts - but I remember that some older GM waterpumps came in two configurations - a CW or CCW impeller orientation. Depending on setup - it would cause the system to overheat due to zero pumping action.

Good Luck.

Guest raslin

Hi again,

default_huh

I am back at the start. The mechanic said that the alternator and starter are working. He's going to run some more checks today and let me know. Have a nice day!

raslin

The overheating sounds like a bad thermostat that's sticking closed. I do know that my '91 Tercel and '03 Corolla both had masively oversized cooling systems and never went past the 2/3rds mark even in 90 degree weather and stop and go traffic. My Tercel even carried a over 600lbs of gear and 2 bicycles on the Roof from Philly to Cleveland on the PA turnpike and never went past halfway.... on 4 year old cheap aftermarket antifreeze. I drove over 80,000 miles on cheap aftermarket anifreeze that was only changed once and never had a problem.

You might also have a bad radiator fan or connection to the fan.

Guest raslin

Hello again. It's the Virgin Islands' lady with the 1991 Toyota Corolla 2dr Coupe - 4A-FE engine. Since my last post, I've had some interesting problems. A new alternator was installed and burned out instantly. Western Auto sent another one - after a detailed search of the VIN# and we are going so far so good. The over-heating seems to be caused by a hole in one of the hoses - the one that leads into the engine (the top hose at the back). I was having more hard starts but that seems to be caused by dirty and messed up terminals. The wiring was also checked and the mechanic SAYS it is OK.

Any suggestions/advice?

I would also have them pressure test the radiator and radiator cap - ****uming the rest of the cooling system is in good shape. Not able to hold any pressure or too little pressure will cause overheating problems. Probably won't hurt to check or replace the thermostat. Hoses, I assume, are in good shape - make sure the lower radiator hose is not collapsing during operation, reducing coolant flow.

As for the hard starting and electrical issues - have the mechanic look over the electrical system carefully. Keeping in mind these points:

- The battery is the most important part of the electrical system.

- A battery has a finite lifetime - replace when performance is down.

- The battery and the alternator work hand in hand. What one does can affect the other.

- If the battery is weak, it will demand more of the charging system, causing it to overwork and damage components.

- A charging system that is not performing correctly can overwhelm the battery and all other electrical components, especially the alternator.

- Low voltage causes the motor to demand a higher amperage to do the same amount of workm which in turn make cause premature failure.

Other things to look for or to keep in mind:

Always be sure that the battery is fully charged before using the car or for testing purposes. Never use the charging system to charge a battery. It was never designed to do this. The charging system is only designed to run the accessory loadsand maintain the battery charge.

If you find that your car is hard to start when hot, but all seems to be well other wise, check the draw starter motor with an ammeter. Normally a starter draw around 120-140 amps.

Check ground connections - as in older cars - good chAssis ground points may deteriorate due to age or corrosion. A grounding kit may be neccessary to bring proper grounding back into effect.

Good Luck.

Guest raslin

1991 Toyota Corolla 2dr Coupe - 4A-FE engine. Well, I just had to have the radiator fan changed - a bearing or something(?) went and the fan stoppped spinning. Starting is still a little issue - can't figure out if it is the switch or the starter - any ideas? When I swing the radiator fan comes on though.

Thank you very much for your help so far.