Paddy The Corolla - 1998 1.3 E11 3-Door

[oldcodger]

Sounds like there are a lot of differences between your motor and the later models.

It was the fact that you do not have to drop any of the chassis /subframe members on my model that made it so much easier for the diyer.

The front and back engine mounts reasonable to get to with the right spanners/sockets, no need to remove anything else.

Again, the starter motor bolts fairly easy from right underneath, and agree, wondering why I needed to remove it now, though think its more about avoiding damaging the pinion gear when you remove /refit the box.*

What I did find , is that once all the gearbox bolts removed, it did not just drop off,( though yours might ) it needed a good bit of easing off, its just metal to metal, no sealers, but  can come away suddenly and then drops , so be careful.

* edit  - also you would have to move the box a lot further away from the engine before you could drop it down; there might not be room to do that before you hit the body work.

 

[mickburkesnr]

Yeah the non-VVTi engines are completely different. I remember last time trying to get the alternator off last year and wondering why mine was at the back of the engine when everything said it was at the front. Makes a world of difference when trying to find out how to do stuff.

I'll take a photo of this when I put it back together, but the beam that goes front to back goes on top of that subframe. Don't get me wrong it's not as hard a job as it could've been as there are two brackets that hold the anti roll bar that attach to the frame. Because these were already off, I just had to remove three bolts and it dropped off.

The front one is easy now to get to, even the rear one is now suddenly accessible. But that's only because I dropped the beam. If I didn't do that I couldn't get my hands in either side of it to get tools to it. I can get them off now if I need to.

I've had a look this morning and I think there's a bolt under the engine and then a bolt from the top. But, again, I have to be careful what advice I listen to with this as the engines are so different. By the time I got to it yesterday it was getting dark and I could really see anything. I'll look at it tonight.

The plan I have is to shuffle it out from the top, leaving tyres and some old cusions on the floor. At the same time I am going to tie it up with some rope or ratchet strap so that it holds it while I move it. Once free, cut the rope and let it drop on to the tyres. 

Refitting will be easier, hopefully. I'll have my buddy at the top while I push it up from below. Same as before, ratchet strap to support it, then connect it and put a few bolts in. Then I can get out from under it and throw the whole thing back together.

But I've absolutely no intention of being under the car while the box is being dropped.

Edit: Awww shucks. I'll definately have to get it out now then!

[tooSavvy]

hmmm... 7 Hours, like the Utoob says 

keep at it...

2sav

[mickburkesnr]

Just now, tooSavvy said:

hmmm... 7 Hours, like the Utoob says 

keep at it...

2sav

I'm already at 4 hours! 

[oldcodger]

When putting the box back you do need to hold it at the mating height, but allow it to swing a little as it may take a few goes to get the housing /input shaft to mate properly; so you really do need  someone or thing to hold it there while you jiggle it in.  ()

[mickburkesnr]

I never thought I'd see the day when I needed someone elses help to jiggle anything in! 

CV boots and driveshaft boots have arrived today, and the front engine mount is on it's way as well. Should be with me Thursday.

[oldcodger]

Assume you are talking about the outer CV boots; again do not know if yours is like the later VVTI , but see Roks post about replacing them, not an easy job, unlike other cars I have changed them on.

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/174498-outer-cv-joint-is-it-removeable/#comment-1424623

 

 

[mickburkesnr]

1 hour ago, oldcodger said:

Assume you are talking about the outer CV boots; again do not know if yours is like the later VVTI , but see Roks post about replacing them, not an easy job, unlike other cars I have changed them on.

It's just the CV boots thank God. I noticed the nearside had a crack developing, and reasoned as they were off I might as well. Saves me the hassle of a CV joint replacement. If it got to it I wouldn't even bother trying to replace the joint I'd just buy a refurbed driveshaft and stick it on.

[oldcodger]

Any progress this evening... ?

I'm just servicing my car prior to its Mot in a week or two, though will probably renew the front wishbones compete with bushes and ball joints after the mot even if they say they are ok, cannot feel any play but can see the rubber is getting a bit too spongy and a good bit of flaking rust, cleaned up for the mot .

Something  in the back of my mind , and wondered if you know of it or have done it, but seem to remember reading somewhere, that when renewing such bushes / parts, you fit them but do not fully tighten the bolt, but then fit the wheels and lower the axle to the ground so its in a normal position, then go under and tighten the bolts while the rubbers are in a neutral position,   have you heard of that one or am thinking about something similar ..?

In your parts searching , come across First Line , any good ? http://www.firstline.co.uk/

[mickburkesnr]

Excellent progress yesterday evening. Given up on my phone, so I need to get a new one before I go away.

I managed to FINALLY get the starter motor off. Found the two bolts that hold it on the gearbox side, undid them. I then unbolted one wire from it, but couldn't disconnect the other until I got underneath the car and dropped the motor. It's off now anyway.

Decided it was a good time to drop the oil out of the box, which I did. Something very therapeutic of watching oil glug from a gearbox or engine in to a tray. I then turned my attention to the driveshafts. The nearside driveshaft came out fairly easily, but it would do as it's seal is cream crackered. Only problem was that the driveshaft swung down and I didn't hold it quick enough, and it promptly knocked a good litre of gearbox oil on to the gravel underneath the car! Absolutely stinks. The other driveshaft was a huge problem, as I've taken the suspension off but didn't think to loosen the hub nut. Took a good half an hour of trying to hold the hub while I attacked the nut. Got it off anyway, and manhandled the offside driveshaft off. So the car is now driveshaftless.

One thing I did note was a lovely light coffee colour liquid present itself on the gaitor nearest the gearbox on the nearside driveshaft. The boot has failed, so I'm glad now that I bought replacements when I did. I also move the ratchet strap as it was holding the 

Other than that, most of last night was spent just going over everything I've done thus far. Making sure that there's nothing connected to the gearbox which would cause me problems when it comes out. There are two things left connected to it. One is gear linkages which I haven't started to take off yet, and the other is a cable that runs through to the clutch cylinder. It's attached to the gearbox by a plastic clip and the thing won't budge. When I go under it the mount for the cylinder blocks the view of underneath the clip. I'll have another scout about it but it might just need to come off whichever way it will come off. I may also remove the front pipe of the exhaust as it's just dangling at the moment. I will need to take off the oxygen sensor which will be welded on no doubt, so it'll be easier to get it off on the bench than on the car.

But yeah, I would say that at least by this evening I'll be able to drop the gearbox. If not tonight then tomorrow. If we're keeping time, then I'm up to about 5 1/2 hours. 

As for the bushes, I've no idea. Thinking about it it could make sense. I know that since I put the bushes on the rear with the new shocks the height of the rear of the car has increased significantly. I would say that before I did the work the rear tyre gap to the arch was a good inch or two, now it's at least double that. The thing is, there's a tonne of machinery sitting on the rear with those new bushes you would think that the weight would settle them in. 

I'm going to ask about now actually as you've got me thinking!

[oldcodger]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QczV_6v42A

[mickburkesnr]

How in the name of hell am I going to do that without a lift? Unless I jack the car up and put ramps under it, and lower the car on to the ramp? Yes, yes I think that's how I'll go about it.

Oh well, I'll do it that way on the front somehow and then do it to the rear. I asked on another forum and they said you do have to do it but it's not something to lose sleep over either.

 

[tooSavvy]

To be fair.... I think 'a nip' whilst hanging/fitted then DROP onto wheels-loose nuts.... lift wheel (one at a time...taking the weight on the bottom joint NOT body obv..) remove wheel & fully tighten.

Bit of a faff.... 

2sav

[mickburkesnr]

Well so yesterday I finished removing everything from the gearbox. It's still attached to the engine as I didn't want to drop it and miss something. So with fresh eyes tomorrow I'll check to make sure nothing it connected still and then start to drop it.

I threw on another ratchet strap to take the weight of the gearbox, as you can see here. I also had to take out the big cylinder which is part of the fuel system in order to give me some space to get the gear linkages off.

The strap has slipped, so I'm going to have to sort that out again before anything comes off. 

The gear linkages proved to be an absolute pig to sort out. The clips they have were more or less welded on to it! Had to get a breaker bar and a hammer to them and hammer them up as I pulling them made no difference.

In line with what the Haynes manual said, and because I thought the gearbox might hit it, I removed the front pipe. Again, this will make it easier for me to change the catalytic converter as I can either cut the clamp off or the bolts on the bench.

But, as is the way with this vehicle, it never fails to throw new surprises at me. Take a look at the oxygen sensor and how it's attached to the pipe...

It's hard to know exactly what is holding this sensor on. I assumed bolts, but God knows what they've morphed in to now. If anyone has an idea as to how I'd remove it then I'd love to hear it, because looking at it I can't see any other way other than to scrap the whole pipe and just buy a new pipe. It'd be a lot easier, but theres a cost involved with that!

Tonight I haven't much time so I'm just going to be painting the anti roll bars and control arms that I started Sunday, leaving this for Friday evening/Saturday.

[oldcodger]

Almost there ...

You might want to put two lengths of timber between the scaffold tube and the front beam by the radiator as even my red beam with its rubber feet tried to slide forwards.

[mickburkesnr]

34 minutes ago, oldcodger said:

Almost there ...

You might want to put two lengths of timber between the scaffold tube and the front beam by the radiator as even my red beam with its rubber feet tried to slide forwards.

Thought of that, as when I moved the first ratchet strap the bar moved quite freely. I may also tie the bar to the chassis via a rope through the holes left by the shock absorbers being out.

[mickburkesnr]

It's one of those awkward moments when you're well happy for making progress in something you've done, but at the same time it was all a little pointless.

Over the weekend I finally managed to get the gearbox off the car. Easy enough with a little jiggling, and it came off the car. Fantastic!

Like I mentioned before there was a collection of oil at the bottom of the bell housing. I thought that the seals were knackered inside it, resulting in the clutch etc being contaminated. Nope. The clutch and bell housing were bone dry. They've never seen any oil. The release baring, in fairness, was very sticky and wasn't working the way it should. So it wasn't a totally lost cause to do this work, but as you can see the clutch itself was alright. Worn but not completely gone. It surprised me though that the gearbox would have two holes at the bottom, I thought it'd be totally sealed. Well every day is a school day with this car!

In terms of the oil, ***** knows where it's come from. I think the driveshaft seal has been the main culprit all along and the oil just went south and collected there. Annoying, but at least the clutch and related components have been changed. The driveshaft seals came apart in my hands actually, very brittle and completely beyond their end of life. Two new driveshaft seals fitted!

Here's where the fun begins, getting the gearbox back on to the car! The ratchet strap I used to lower it broke apart (cheap mechanism to blame), and the chap I thought would help couldn't come round. So there I was, on my own and not so much as a hoist to help throw it up to the car.

I fashioned a tray out of scaffolding boards and placed it on top of the trolley jack which was on another scaffolding board. Took ages and a lot of effort but I managed to get it back on to the engine. I've put the bolts back in, although I've got one left! It belongs to the top of the engine but I parked it while I dealt with other items.

Last year I changed the timing belt but didn't change the water pump. I decided while the driveshafts were off that it'd make sense to do it now. I'm so glad I did it without the driveshaft present because it was a total PITA to get it off! And when I did get it off the old one was perfect. It wasn't as free wheeling as the new one, but the teeth itself were fine. But the new one went on anyway. The thermostat was also changed as it failed a good time ago.

After this, I turned my attention to the driveshafts. The CV Boots are changed ready to go on to the car. They come with some grease, but I added some more to it before I closed them up. Better to have too much than not enough! I didn't put these on yesterday though.

Tonight I'm going to finish re-attaching items to the gearbox. It has been a simple enough job, but because so much work goes in to removing and fitting of the gearbox paranoia sets in and you make doubly sure everything is in place like it should be. But I'm confident everything is there now.

After this, it's a question of fitting the driveshafts, subframe and suspension components. Dare I say it, but aside from the exhaust and the fitting new brakes (front and back) these are the last true mechanical items left to do on the car. This leaves me a week to sort out the alloys and pother paintwork on the car before I drive it out of the country for two weeks.

EDIT: Struggling to upload photos from my phone, so when I do get them uploaded I'll throw them up here.

[oldcodger]

Grand job !

You could never have be sure unless you had dropped the gearbox where the oil leak/s were coming from.

Sure you will like the new lighter clutch anyways.

Mine has quiet a large opening at the bottom, so big it has a plastic filler piece; apart from an exit point for any oil leak, think its more to allow any water to drain out when drive though a flood etc..?

The alloys link, just goes to a page of wheel accessories, not a partic alloy wheel ?

 

[mickburkesnr]

Well to be honest it had that awful screeching sound when the car was cold, which would go away then come back but stop when I pressed the clutch in. So in that respect changing the bearing will definately of helped.

I noticed too that it was an AP Clutch, I'm not 100% sure that Toyota would use AP's from the factory would they? So I would think it's now on it's 3rd clutch. The bearing may be original though. But it's out now and slips lovely and smoothly!

I knew myself that there was going to be this risk that I would do this work and everything be alright. When I got under the car to put the gearbox back, and realised I really did need a 2nd person there I could've cried. Tried everything I thought of to do it, and the way I did it in the previous post was the last chance really before I decided to go and get a proper crane of some description. It wasn't easy, and all the time I was worrying that I'm going to screw something up. But, at least right now, I don't think I've screwed anything up. 

I'll take a photo tonight of the holes. They're about 8mm wide and 25mm long. Some oil had gone through in to it, but that could be from surface tension and high wind speeds when the car is moving forward along with a flow of oil. I thought for a moment it could be the engine, but the engine doesn't seem to use any oil. But it's definately something I'll be monitoring from now on.

Meant to say as well that the engine mount I bought turned up last week, and comparing the original to thise Febest one, I don't think it'll last 19 years! It's light, plastic moulding compared to the metal moulding the original one had. But it'll do for now, and not exactly a hard object to upgrade or replace later on.

25 minutes ago, oldcodger said:

The alloys link, just goes to a page of wheel accessories, not a partic alloy wheel ?

I'm not sure what you mean here bud? The alloys I have came from @Ant182 and they were originally from his old Corolla (newer than mine I might add). I just need to paint them white and throw them on the car.

[oldcodger]

Think that £40 eBay engine beam was my best buy,  allowed me to progressively jack up the gearbox with the trolley jack and  then tighten the chain to hold it in position and then finally easily locate it back on to the engine.

As you say, just trying to use a jack and just one person is a real balancing act, not easy with that weight and so little space !  no way would I have been able to do that at my age ..

Still you have it all done,  back on four wheels by the weekend .....? 

 

 

[mickburkesnr]

Ah I see! It's one of them, I got the offer of one when the gearbox was off and like an idiot I turned him down. I thought I had gone that far I might as well see it through. If I do it again then I'm going to get the engine hoist!

All four wheels will, hopefully, be on there Wednesday, no later than Thursday.  I want to turn the engine over just to make sure the gearbox and clutch are all OK. I remember reading someone heard a grinding noise when they changed it. I'm confident that I've done everything by the book, but I'd rather find out sooner than later that I screwed something up.

But tonight I sprayed the rest of the control arms and anti roll bar ready to be fitted. I then methodically checked to see if the bolts holding the gearbox to the engine were on and were on tight. They were. I then tightened up the gearbox mount, fitted the starter motor and fit the rest of the bits and pieces that came off the gearbox. So that's all back together and ready to start. I have, somehow, misplaced a bolt that holds the hydraulic line for the clutch to the gearbox. I've got two small bits to get from Toyota so I'm going to order it tomorrow, which would mean those little bits get put back on Thursday.

Plan for tomorrow is to start to remove the old oxygen sensor from the front pipe in order to fit a new one. Then assemble the shock absorbers, fit the driveshafts and replace at least the brace that holds the front and rear engine mounts to the chassis. Will need to go out and top the car up with some anti-freeze too as well as some gearbox oil. I think at this point I could at least start the car. Better to see if there's a problem at that point than when everything is back on the car.

After which, shocks can go on with the rest of the little bits and pieces. I need to make my mind up about fitting an cold air intake to the car though. I didn't throw the old airbox away so I can put that back on with a new filter if needed.

[tooSavvy]

12 hours ago, mickburkesnr said:

Will need to go out and top the car up with some anti-freeze too as well as some gearbox oil. I think at this point I could at least start the car. Better to see if there's a problem at that point than when everything is back on the car.

Don't forget.... make sure you can get the Gbox filler plug out!! 

You are doing a grand job!!

2sav

[mickburkesnr]

Hell of a friggin' week. 

I'm going to have it done tomorrow. However, I've a question. I'm changing the oxygen sensor and I've bought a Denso one. I didn't realise until I took the old one off that the new one isn't terminated (doesn't have a plug). I also notice it gives instructions for whether or not it's going to a Denso system or a Bosch system.

Question is, how do I know what system I have so I can solder the wires???

[oldcodger]

Assume you could not find any markings on the old sensor to indicate what make it is, theres usually something stamped  or printed  on  the exposed  part of the body.

The only other thing I could think of is if you open the ECU box there might be some label on a chip or inside of the cover to indicate which type its been set up for ??

[mickburkesnr]

I did look, but I couldn't see anything that stood out. I'm going to look again in the morning.

I'm not sure about the ECU, although it's an option. 

The sensor that came off the car has the same coloured wires as the new one. This makes me think they're both the same as different manufacturers can use different coloured wires. But that's a hunch more than fact.