Anything To Watch Out For On A Mk1 Yaris

[Bod&Hammie]

Hi Guys & Girls,

I've managed to get my son a 1999 1.0 GLS Mk1 Yaris for just £100 for him to tinker with until he's 17 (16 at the mo).

Is there anything which we should be particularly looking out for i.e prone to rust in certain areas, wheel bearings, electrical issues etc.

My friend that sold it to us said that it has running issues in that it ran but splutters and really has trouble pulling. He drove it in to his garden 8 months ago and just left it there.

Is there any common faults like that or do I just go down the normal route of fuel filters, plugs, leads etc?

Anything spring to mind?

Thanks,

Bod

[Cyker]

The Mk1's have been pretty bullet-proof, esp. in the engine department; I don't know of any common faults I'm afraid!

[MEP's Yaris GS]

As above, ours had 194k on the clock when sold in Jan this year to a friend at 14 years old. Still had the original clutch fitted! Not bad for a 1L petrol.

[Madasafish]

Read the HJ review: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/toyota/yaris-1999/?section=good

Says most of what I want to say

Front Anti roll bar link bushes fail.. Inspect them. Euro car Parts are good for them.

[Bod&Hammie]

Excellent news guys, thanks very much. I rekon the engine issue is something simple then. Here's hoping.

Bod

[Cyker]

Let us know how you get on!

I suspect the poor thing just needs a good service; Air filter, oil and oil filter, spark plugs etc.

One reason us Yaris owners love them so much is they can take a lot of abuse as long as they're looked after :)

[Madasafish]

Apart from air filter, the MAF sensor does get badly clogged up.. You can clean it with Carb Cleaner (google it). BUT it requires great care..

[Bod&Hammie]

I certainly will let you know how we get on. We don't have the car yet as my mate has currently miss placed the keys.

[Cyker]

I hope he's got all of them, getting proper replacements is a bit pricey!

[Bod&Hammie]

Well my mate found the keys and we had the car picked up and delivered to home.

It's a bit damp inside and covered in green stuff that cars have when been sat outside for 8 months unused. Here's where we found her surrounded by trees and shrubs.

Anyway, Dan and I set about making sure the engine turned freely before putting the recharged Battery back on, so plugs out and spanner on bottom pulley but no. A heart sinking moment before realising that the pulley did move a little and the aux belt moved a little.

So we slackend the belt to reveal that the alternator had seized solid.

So we left the belt slack, turned the pulley several time round and the engine is a s free as a bird.

Next we put the plugs back in after cleaning and gapping them, tightened the belt enough to turn all the other pulleys but slip on the alternator and Dan turned the key.

To our amazement she started first time and ticked over really quietly and smoothly.

So, off the garden and on to the drive for a proper clean up.

However, as promised by my mate she has a real problem pulling herself along. If you just gently push the throttle down she will pick up and rev, but if you push it down quickly as you would to pull away she just coughs, splutters and stalls.

Any ideas? Could this be because the alternator isn't turning? Where should we look next?

But she did drive on to the drive, but very slowly and gently.

Anyway, here are some more piccys.

Dan doing his thing,

Three arty shots now after Dan had washed her. I used the old Colgate tooth paste trick on the yellow faded headlights and they came up like new. I was so impressed I went and did my old Corolla lights afterwards aswell.

Cheers,Bod

[Bod&Hammie]

Stand down troops. We have fixed the running issue at the first attempt by following the advice of Madasafish. We took the MAF sensor out and found a tiny piece gunk on the element that's inside the housing.

We cleaned it all up and Bobs ya Uncle, she runs and pulls like dream. Thank you al but especially Madasafish.

This left us time to get busy cleaning the inside. So out comes the Brisk interior cleaner and she's a new pin in around an hour.

Have a look. Both front seats were the same colour when we started.

Bod

[Cyker]

Wow, looking good! :D

And thanks for the pictures!

For some more inspiration, I thought I'd repost one of my favourite Yaris threads, where Haylands brings a Yaris back from the dead too!

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/86940-just-bought-a-yaris-not-quite-one-carefull-lady-owner/

[Madasafish]

Stand down troops. We have fixed the running issue at the first attempt by following the advice of Madasafish. We took the MAF sensor out and found a tiny piece gunk on the element that's inside the housing.

We cleaned it all up and Bobs ya Uncle, she runs and pulls like dream. Thank you al but especially Madasafish.

Glad it's fixed..

My invoice is in the post :-)

[Bod&Hammie]

Anyone got any idea what the colour of our Yaris is called please?

[FROSTYBALLS]

If you're buying paint for the Yaris, you need the colour code not the colour name. The colour code is either three numbers or a combination of three letters and numbers. Have a look at the VIN plate either on the B pillar or inside the engine compartment, and see whether it gives a code after 'C/TR'.

[Bod&Hammie]

Thanks for the info Frosty I'll look at those numbers. I just thought it might have a name as most of the others do in the pinned thread of colour codes.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Colour names can vary - for example my current Auris is colour code 040 which is known as Pure White or Super White.

[Bod&Hammie]

Interesting. My 87 MR2 is 040 Super White. I wonder how different the colours would be with modern paint technology after all these years of the same paint code.

[FROSTYBALLS]

If you have the Yaris' original Service & Warranty booklet, the colour code may have been entered on the Vehicle Identification page.

[Bod&Hammie]

Sadly not got a y books for the car

[Bod&Hammie]

Sorted. She is Flame Gold code 580

[Cyker]

I was gonna say the code was C3PO