Paddy The Corolla - 1998 1.3 E11 3-Door

[mickburkesnr]

What a lovely day of getting gravel rash and getting wet ankles.

Yesterday it absolutely peed it down, so I couldn't do a whole lot. What I managed to do was change the brake pipe leading to the rear offside brake drum. Bought the proper flare nut spanner from Halfords and it was an easy enough change. I left the rest of it as I needed to adjust the shock absorber as I noticed it wasn't square.

As well as that, I decided to swap the metal bushes from the poly bushes on the trailing arms. Here's a photo of the one the engineering guys made up for me (left) compared to the ones that came with the bushes (right).

Only difference between the two (aside from dimensions) is that the new ones are made from mild steel, not stainless. If this was going to be a permanent fixture I'd have waited for them to get the stainless steel to mill. But as I said before, the whole rear end will be getting new stuff next year so this isn't an issue.

What was an issue was this horrible thing. The nearside brake pipe on the drum. Stripped to hell even with the flare nut wrench.

Bad photo, but it was raining and I was annoyed so I wasn't fussed. Couldn't do anything really because of the weather, so I waited for today. But in preparation for any weather today, I found the world's worst gazebo and turned my front drive in to a rally stage prepping area.

Horrible thing, but it cost £15 from Homebase and it'll do for the next month while I get this car sorted.

Before dealing with the brake pipe, I made the most of the dry weather and decided to drill out the anti roll bush bolts that had broken off. They were drilled out fairly easily, although they went back in to the chassis. Not too bothered about that. The thread was slightly damaged from the drilling, so I took the tap and die set and re-thread them. Took the two anti roll bar bolts that didn't break off to test the two newly threaded holes. Perfect fit, tight as well. Job done!

I ended up taking a heat gun to the brake union and on it's highest setting I got it glowing a little. I took a pipe wrench and managed to get it off. It wasn't easy, even with the heat. The union looked corroded, the rust had welded it together. But I installed the new pipe without an issue, along with the rubber hose too. So the rear brake drums are now connected to the brake system for the first time in a month.

You may notice behind the brake hose that red bar. Well thats the anti roll bar, connected to the new shocks with some new stabiliser links.

I divided the anti roll bar bolts, so right now there's one bolt holding both sides to the chassis. I'm going to have to go to Toyota next week (yay!) and order two new bolts, so this isn't technially finished but it's allowed me to crack on. I've no idea what the big black thing is called, sub frame I think? Anyway, that's been stone chipped and had the control arms attached to it.

Ignore the exhaust mounting at the top, but you'll see the control arms attached. You'll also notice the fuel tank (under the anti roll bar) is a bit wet looking. There was some corrosion along the lip of it, so I converted the rust and stone chipped it.

But with the trolley jack and some blocks of wood (in lieu of any help) I raised it to the body, thrown on some bolts, and boom. Rear suspension (more or less) finished!

With that battle won, my attention turned to the front of the car. Along with the attention, the weather also turned. So I was a bit limited to what I could do.

I don't have any photos of it, may take some tomorrow, but there's a stabiliser link holding the anti roll bar to the control arm/wishbone. So, logically I decided to take these off first. Allen key goes in, 14mm spanner on the nut, and I go to work.

NOTHING HAPPENED. I can turn the spanner, and I can feel tension on the allen key. But when I look at it, the inner thread where the allen key slips in to isn't moving (which is correct) but the nut that is moving isn't moving along the threads towards me if that makes sense? It's like it's broken internally (although I didn't feel/hear it break) and is just stuck. Same applies to the bottom nut too.

Now it might be that I didn't spend enough time on it, but I was spinning that spanner for a good 10 minutes and it doesn't move. I'll give it another bash tomorrow morning, but I might just cut the nuts off with a Dremmel. I didn't bother on the near side (this was only on the offside) but I might just take the Dremmel to that, by pass the whole hassle of trying to get it off. It's not as if the links are going to be used or they have anything that I need to reuse.

Aside from that, very happy. Time's ticking though, I have 4 weeks to get this mechanical work sorted before I drive it to Ireland. I think now though I've broken the back of this, any tools I was missing I've got now and any bits and pieces I've got here with me (double checked that as best I could).

[oldcodger]

Looking good !

Can see why the later models have a simpler back end, just 2 dampers/springs  and 2 bushes on the trailing beam.

[mickburkesnr]

2 hours ago, oldcodger said:

Looking good !

Can see why the later models have a simpler back end, just 2 dampers/springs  and 2 bushes on the trailing beam.

Same! Although thinking about it if I had the hydraulic press, the proper tools and wasn't trying to save as much of the original parts as I have it'd be done within a day I think. That said, as complicated as it looks, it did go back together really easily and simply.

[mickburkesnr]

As I've moved on to the front of the car, part of the work now involves changing the clutch (more about that in a sec). That means the removal of a driveshaft and a few other things, which meant I had to drop the front of the car to crack the nut. Once this was done I thought it might be a good idea to give myself some added protection as I could me moving heavy objects in the front, I decided to drop the back of the car on to the ground. I did it, and nearly a tonne of machinery is resting on my handy work! Just from looking at it like this, there is a marked improvement to the height of the vehicle. I thought it'd stay quite squat, but I think there's a good 20mm/30mm added to the height from changing the shocks. I should think though that over time the shocks will even out and the height will come down a bit. But it looks good as far as I'm concerned.

Now I'm afraid I didn't take any photos before this due to the weather and my hands being covered in crap. But yesterday I managed to take off the two wishbones, anti roll bar and brace from the car. All of them are in fairly OK condition. The bushes aren't, but hey they're getting replaced anyway! I know people have said they're a pain to remove bushes from, so to help myself I'm soaking them in PlusGas to see if it'll make it a bit easier. I tried it on one of the rear bushes and it seemed to help.

Now, the clutch. I've given the Haynes manual a look and it seems straight forward enough. Lots of bolts to take off, then the gearbox drops out. I could try to do it by pushing the gearbox to the side, but there's a perished seal in there on either the gearbox side or behind the flywheel so I need proper access. Smelling the oil though indicates it to be a gearbox seal. Plus it presents an opportunity to the change the VSS that I couldn't take off a month ago. 

I've also watched the bodgitt and fixit video @oldcodger referenced in a post he wrote a time ago, involving the E12 Corolla. The chap on the video only removed the passenger side driveshaft which allowed him to drop the gearbox. In the Haynes manual though it says I need to remove both driveshafts. Now I'd quite like to avoid that, especially as I've taken off the wishbones so the front uprights don't have much stability (I only found this out after I removed them). Having a look under the gearbox, I think to myself that I can remove the driveshaft from the gearbox on the drivers side without taking it out completely. 

What are peoples thoughts on this? I'm going to be removing much of the things holding the gearbox in place this week with a view to dropping it by the weekend.

[oldcodger]

As you have removed the wishbones etc then would think the drivers driveshaft can be snapped from the gearbox but will have enough movement for it to slip completely out of the gearbox , though you will need something to tie/hold both the driveshaft and the strut up/out of the way .

Check you have a torque wrench that can do low torques, the clutch cover has surprisingly low ones that many click type wrenches cannot do.

Think I would replace the whole wishbone as apart from the two bushes and ball joints, which are bound to be worn, the actual arm is said to be a rust point /failure, more internally etc. seems they can also be bent give the wrong kind of bang.

There is a massive difference in the prices of the arms with bushes and / or balljoints  from £35 each to over £100; wonder what prices your German stockists want ?

[mickburkesnr]

Will double check on the torque wrench that I've got. I think it should be capable for the job.

The arm itself looks alright to be honest, but that said now you've mentioned internally I've no idea what condition it'll be inside. Didn't even think it'd be an issue to be honest, as it's all fairly rust free underneath in that general area. But I might know more when I get the bushes out.

I went online to the Online Car Parts (the German lads), the cheapest wishbones they do are £21 for some no name manufacturer. On Micks Garage the cheapest is £33 for a Japanparts wishbone. Both of them come with bushes pre-installed. eBay is throwing up prices along the £35 line as well. Thing is I've got polyurathene bushes to fit on to the car, so with them coming with bushes would be a bit redundant.

I'm going to use the original ones I think, as I've the bushes for them. If I screw up at least I know I can get a pair for £42 if I'm stuck!

[mickburkesnr]

No photos again thanks to my phone being awful. But not much to report other than the front shock absorbers are now off the car and I've removed one spring from the assembly. Same as the rear really, bit of rust but with a wire brush it comes off fairly easily.

I'm awaiting delivery of two shock absorber mounts as I guessed they'd be in worse shape than the rear, and it turns out I was right! So they're going to turn up today, I'm going to remove the other spring from the assembly tonight. Then hopefully wire brush the springs and anti roll bar and at least get a coat of primer on the springs and stone chip on the roll bar. The assembly should be ready to fit on to the car after I sort out the clutch.

I've looked more at the gearbox yesterday, fairly confident I can see all the bolts I need to remove. There's some wires hanging around the gearbox that I need to move. There's also the clutch slave cylinder which looks well worn but no leaks. A replacement is £20, so that might be purchased as well. It's not critical, and it's in a fairly easy place to access even with the gearbox in situ. So I may skip that replacement until it actually does need changing.

Also, CV boots! The nearside one looks worn, and a crack is developing but it hasn't split. That driveshaft is coming off anyway, so it makes sense to change the boots before the boot cracks and I need a new CV joint. They're also done in pairs, so I'll have to take the other side off too now. Joy. But again might as well do it now while everything is off.

I just need to get a friend to help dropping the gearbox and putting the gearbox back. I've a length of scaffolding tube that I'm going to mount on to some blocks along with a ratchet strap to hold the engine in place while the gearbox is lowered.

[oldcodger]

When you say , shock absorber mounts, do you mean the rubber parts or the actual top plate that has a bearing.

Have read that those bearings can fail, but wondered how yours have stood up ?

Don't know if your clutch slave cylinder is mounted the same as my later model, but it is really difficult to get a spanner on all the nuts, due to the way the pipes run and the narrow access.

You will need some strong hands with the gearbox in that confined space, thats where that beam I used really paid for itself, I could wind its chain up and down.

Make sure you have some brake cleaner or similar to clean all the dirt from the bellhousing and make sure you grease the correct areas only.

Just do not forget to put new oil in the gearbox before you start it up !!

[tooSavvy]

Ooof! Gbox + single handedly = make are you have a few spare fingers in your 'just in case' jar 

BRAVE PILLS indeed 

2sav

[mickburkesnr]

The front shocks are different to the rear, as that they have the rubber mount that attaches to the chassis, and then a metal plate under neath it which the spring gets up to. That's weather beaten, but it's completely fine. The part I was referring to is the top mount that attaches to the chassis which does move. In fairness it isn't too bad, but comparing it to the rear it's obviously far more worn than the rear. Replacements cost about £12 so I thought I'd have it just in case. Turns out I was right.

It's worth noting that when the car was parked up there were no knocks, no virbrations and it didn't pull to either side of the road. I wouldn't say the mounting would last, but it would be a short time before I could start noticing issues.

With the clutch cylinder (would be so much easier if I had a photo!) it sits at the front of the gearbox opposite the radiator. I could get my hand in there no problem at all.

I've various plans and ideas about dropping the gearbox. I've gone from myself being under it and supporting it while it's wiggled out, having tyres (just tyres, no rims) underneath the car with cusions under the tyres and just drop it out on to that, through to something you suggested. I know a guy who might have a hoist of some sort that I can use, but I won't see him until Saturday which is a pain. I'll be fine though, but I'm not daft either. If I think I'm going to struggle I'll get help.

And yes! I haven't drained it yet but I'm going to plaster the car in several post it notes to remind me to fill it with oil!

Edit: Suspension mounts have arrived just as I hit the post button!

[tooSavvy]

There is a  'speed utoob' of 2 lads (and a lass..!) removing the gbox from a Corolla.

7 hrs & the car was up a 4post.....

Google 'corolla gearbox change' I think 

2sav

[oldcodger]

Assume your fronts top mounts are like this, though most prices I see for the fronts are around the £50 - £60 mark; £12 sounds more like the price for the simpler rear mounts  ?

 

The clutch slave bolts, its more a case of moving the spanner in the space, had to use a 1/4" socket to get mine off, short of removing the pipe separately.

You will find the piston seems as if is going to drop out, but mine never did, though tied up as best I could.

 

I used that red beam to support the engine ( also with  a jack and wooden block under the sump)  and a chain around the gearbox to hold it in case it slipped off the wooden base I had attached to a trolley jack under the box.

Some of the americans utubes show a large piece of wood attached to the jack, but found it needed to be much smaller to fit the space.

While even I can lift the gearbox and bellhousing once its on the floor, taking its weight as it comes off the engine while you are so tight under the car would be a challenge and possibly painful !.

That Bogit video where he lifts it up to put it back into the engine, think thats only realistic if your are very strong and the car is up on a proper lift like his.

[mickburkesnr]

You got me worried there. I double checked and the parts are £13, but they look like what you provided. I haven't taken them out of the box as I'm at work and needing to get the train home (the woman has the car today) so I didn't want to open them. They're a fair weight though, heavier than the two rear ones.

Anyway, this is the link to the ones I bought. Yes they're Japanparts but for the items I've brought of that brand so far they seem OK. Only time will tell though.

I see what you mean. I'll check when I get home (an hour and a bit away) and see whether it's easy to get off in situ. I imagine it is but we'll see.

You're quite right about the lad in the bodgitt video. It's easier to throw it on your shoulder and use your whole body to lift it. I've got the car jacked up on stands and they're at their maximum height. I've a good amount of space (more than I had when doing the rear of the car!) so I think I should be ok. But I'll do a practice first before removing anything.

[oldcodger]

Seems a JP type for my model also only costs £19, though Micks and other places list other makes at £90 ... a dramatic difference ?? !!

I used some car ramps  / sawn up scaffold board timbers firmly fitted under the car as well as the axle stands in case the moving of the engine / gearbox rocked things too much for just the axle stands.   Would really keep on the safe side of things with your gravel drive !

 

[mickburkesnr]

Well, the plot like my gravy thickens.

My camera decided to work when I got home, so I got to taking some photos. I did this after sanding/wire brushing/cleaning/priming the front suspension and top plate. The mounts are the perfect ones. You're right, it's a mad disparity between the two. Maybe because yours is so much newer there's a premium? I don't know.

This is how the car is stood at the moment. I dropped the backside of it so the handbrake is holding it there. I've got plywood (didn't have the scaffold planks at the time) and its quite sturdy. It's been fine, which is good. But I have planks now so next time I'll use them.

Anyway. While the paint was drying I took a photo of the location of the slave cylinder. The first photo is a close up, the second is where it is in situ. The radiator pipes seem to obstruct the access. But that's a simple clip on/off job and a radiator bleed.

You can see it just above the pipe that leads from the radiator cap to the overflow.

I decided to look around again, familiarise myself with the gearbox and all the bits that go on to it. When I spot this:

Here's another photo so you can see where it is:

It's on top of the gearbox, and I've no idea what it is. It only got my attention as at the bottom of it (if you're looking at the photo) there is some evidence of oil being there. Not fresh oil, but something has been there. Now it could've been when I was changing the fuel filter earlier, but I can't remember noticing it at that time. I decide to follow it down the back of the box. 

So thats the drive shaft, and the rubber thing I pointed out is above the rubber gaitor pictured. It's looking quite wet around the gaitor isn't it?

Hard to get a good photo, but in every MOT this car has had this has been the advisory. A wet gearbox. Now I thought it was coming from the engine side. But really, to me it looks like it's coming from the drive shaft side? This is good I think. However, is there going to be a chance that given there's a bust seal on the driveshaft side that oil could go back towards the clutch and contaminate it? If not, then happy days the gearbox doesn't need to come off!

However, both driveshafts need to come off anyway because of the CV boots. Plus it's done 107,000 miles, no idea what number clutch is on it (could be the first one) and I have the clutch and accesories to go on. Do I change the clutch and seals anyway or should I leave it if theres no chance of the clutch being damaged by oil? 

[oldcodger]

The bolts on your clutch slave look much easier to get at than mine, looks fine.

 

What I meant about the boards, was not what your axle stands are on, but thats the only thing holding it up.

When you are wrestling with the gearbox in and out, there will be sideways movement and if its too much  the stands could topple !

You need extra solid support under the chassis at the normal front jacking points etc using solid wood or something like a car ramp wedged under that will take the weight ok.

 

Sorry, do not have a clue what that part is, though it does look like there is a plunger coming out it the bottom ..?

 

Your oil leak, it could be oil from withing the bell housing running  back and on to the driveshaft, or the other way around or both  ??

Think you can only tell once you have things stripped down; looking at a diagram of my later model, the output shafts seals look straight forwards to remove /fit, under a tenner a piece.

See 25.00 mins in this  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-QnjW0Sii4

 

[mickburkesnr]

I get what you mean now. I've got a load of wood in the garage so I'll prop it up with that.

Anyway, excitement got the better of me in the time I wrote the last post and this one, I went out just now with a torch.

It's wet in both where I showed you, and at the bell housing. There's a dry gap in between and there's no oil coming from the offside gaitor. Thats bone dry. Tried to take a photo but, again, the phone didn't want to play. So really I am back to dropping the gearbox. That's not too bad, it's what I thought I'd have to do so I'll get and do it.

Probably start to unhook things from the gearbox tomorrow evening, hopefully I can drop the gearbox Saturday and put it back up Sunday. Wouldn't hold my breath though as I could have the worlds worst hangover on Sunday!

[mickburkesnr]

Small update, that cylinder I was confused by is aparently the selector mechanism. 

It, aparently, doesn't come off at all easy either. So it's best to just take the cables connected to it off and drop the box. 

[mickburkesnr]

I might do the lottery tonight. I went to my Toyota dealership asking for driveshaft seals. Usually they check, say they don't have them and I wait 2 days to get them in. But no! I walked in, my friend found the seals and said they had them in stock!

Marvellous! Roll on the end of the day so I can start to drop this box!

[oldcodger]

On 28/07/2017 at 2:26 PM, mickburkesnr said:

I Roll on the end of the day so I can start to drop this box!

 

Cracked it  ....?

[mickburkesnr]

6 minutes ago, oldcodger said:

Cracked it  ....?

I wish!!!!!

Friday it decided to pour with rain, so I couldn't do a whole lot. 

Saturday was a bit better but the weather was still rubbish. As it rained in the morning I thought I'd be better off trying to sort out the control arms. Took them to a local garage, well took them to 9 garages, and the last one popped the old bushes out and put the new ones on. I took them home and finished them off myself (with the smaller bushes) so they're done. At which point I just carried on prepping the anti roll bars and springs ready for installation.

Sunday was hit and miss, it would be feirce sunny then a load of rain. I did though manage to put my "engine hoist" on to the car and support the engine with a ratchet strap. That's in situ now, and I started to unbolt bits and pieces off the engine. It then started raining (AGAIN). 

Tonight, hopefully, the weather will be better and I'll finish unbolting bits and pieces off the engine. I've loosened the one bolt from the engine mount, and I have a few more to do. I've noted that I may have to undo the hydraulic hose for the clutch cylinder as it seems to be connected to the gearbox. I'll take a photo tonight to show you what I mean. I haven't heard that part mentioned anywhere so I haven't taken it off yet until I'm 100% sure I have to.

I've asked a friend if he's free this week and he said he is, so I'll have someone to help me when I drop it/lift it so at least that went to plan. I'm also going to have to get a better gazebo than that awful thing I wasted £15 on from Homebase. At least then the weather won't stop me as much.

[tooSavvy]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Redstone-Sides-Gazebo-Metre-Windows/dp/B002HX19VW/ref=lp_4245832031_1_8?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1501500397&sr=1-8

Nice..... 

2sav

[oldcodger]

Should get something better as seems this kind of weather is going to be around for at least a week, though anything better looks like it will cost.

My clutch pipe goes over the top of the bellhousing, secured by a couple of bolts , also securing some wiring; would not think you would have to disconnect the pipe from the slave .

[mickburkesnr]

5 minutes ago, oldcodger said:

Should get something better as seems this kind of weather is going to be around for at least a week, though anything better looks like it will cost.

My clutch pipe goes over the top of the bellhousing, secured by a couple of bolts , also securing some wiring; would not think you would have to disconnect the pipe from the slave .

I've ordered one from Argos for £60, I'll pick it up on the way home tonight. It's a "pop-up" one, so at least I can take it down overnight if I have to. I would also think it'd be a bit sturdier, the reviews seem to think so. But I won't know until I get it.

My clutch pipe does the same as yours, except it goes to a bracket that looks to be part of the gearbox itself. There is a bracket type thing which I have taken off (it's a lot like the one you get when the rubber hose meets the brake pipe near the shocks). But the metal pipe goes through it to the rubber pipe on the other side.

Like you said I shouldn't have to disconnect the pipe at all. I'm going to double/triple check the Haynes manual tonight again to see if it's mentioned there at all.

[mickburkesnr]

Gazebo purchased, and it's 100 times better than the rubbish I bought from Homebase. Came in one item so no messing about. Bit of a faff to get it up on your own but once it's up it's up!

Also at the time of writing my phone isn't playing ball. What else is new? So photos will have to wait.

Anyway, to go back to the clutch pipe, I got it wrong. It goes go to a bracket like I mentioned but I also unbolted it. So the hydraulic line isn't attached to the gearbox any more.

Yesterday I spent most of the evening under the car. There's a beam that bolts from the front of the car (just under the radiator) through to the back of the engine bay. I thought I could just take the beam off, but no. I had to unbolt the subframe (I think thats what it's called), and the beam came off along with it. Attached to this beam are two engine mounts. The rear one was a pain to get to but I unbolted it from the gearbox. There was no way to disconnect the box from the mount, so instead I disconnected the mount from the beam. I have access to it now to remove though if I so wish, but I think I can get away with leaving it on.

The front engine mount was easy enough, however I noticed that the rubber has split. Not totally, but there's a good sized crack going along the rubber. I'm trying to order one online. But knowing the past performances of Micks Garage and Online Car Parts, I think I might just go to Toyota and order them as at least then I'll know they'll turn up in 2 days rather than 10!

So I've a gearbox that has had two mounts removed, one of them has been loosened, all of the little bits and pieces attached to the gearbox have been detached. The driveshafts are still in place. I'm reading the Haynes manual (I can almost recite it) and it says I should remove the starter motor. No problem, except it's right at the back of the engine with the throttle body right on top of it. It's actually really in accessible from the top and from the sides, I don't even think I can access it from below I don't think. It could not be in a more awkward and hard to reach place.

Does anyone know if I have to take the starter motor off? Could I get around it? It's attached to the engine not the gearbox. If I can avoid it brilliant. If not, how in God's name am I supposed to get to it?

Edit: I found the mount on eBay and the seller "promises" dispatch within 1 day and arrival within 3 days. We will see!