6G Celicas Forums

I have monday off work, I'll tell you how it goes.

I just got a fresh 7a-fe swap into my 1995 ST. Since I't been done, the car bogs and sometimes dies in early morning startup. I thought it was an injector problem, swapped them with no success. I also adjusted throttle opening.

Recently, my clutch engagement has been noticably different, the clutch engages unless the pedal is absolutely buried. This only happens periodically, specifically if I have the clutch depressed for a long period of time.

Today, I put the car into reverse and after backing out, it would not come out of gear and was slowly creeping backward although I had the clutch fully depressed. The engine bogged and died, as if I couldn't get the clutch to disengage. After pumping the clutch and restarting the car, the vehicle ran fine. I still have sporadic issues with the clutch engaging unusually early through pedal travel.

Is there an adjustment I can look into to seperate the clutch farther from the flywheel? What do you think my problem is? I'm driving my car like it's a DSM (keeping off the clutch, like 2g DSMers do to avoid crankwalk) and I would really enjoy going back to being able to ride the clutch for quick stops and turns. Any Ideas?

Ressurection and update - I did pull a VSS code. I replaced that this afternoon with no improvement. I'm going to go ahead and search the classifieds/ebay for a cheap ST gauge cluster. My battery is marked C-1 (so it's 5 years old) and my V-AFC only reads about 12.2 volts in the system at idle (regular 14.4 at cruise speed) so I think I have the headlight dimness problem pegged as another problem.

The CEL light i threw only occours when I exceed about 73~ MPH (3250 RPM on the V-AFC). It dosen't always stick and has no effect on performance. Just another thing on the list of things I need to replace on this car (plastic casting on teh radiator looks pretty bad, that's the next on my list).

Just dropping the update for anyone else who'se experienced this.

Bump to the top for new edits!

Topic sums it up pretty well. My speedo jumps sporadically and eventually dies at zero, bouncing up sporadically. Whenever I had problems with this before it was always electricity problems screwing up the voltage readings from the Hall effect sensors. No dice, I tested it thourougly; my electrical system is running strong.

My next stop is the vehicle speed sensor. On my CRX it's right over the transmission housing, but I can't seem to find it on this 7A-FE. Is Toyota hiding it or am I just looking right past it?


Edit I threw a solid CEL today! I the car was slow to start, and then after about 10 minutes of driving i threw a solid CEL (but no limp mode). Where do I jump to pull the CEL and is there a directory of CEL definitions anywhere around?

The waterpump failing changed the idle state to a lower load. This brought up engine rpms in a very "boost-creep" like fashion.

So I have the new waterpump in, but it is loud! I can't hear it with the stereo on, but it definately whines. Any way around that?

erm... a failed auto tranny should just make a hellacious whining noise and fail to engage into any gear. Grinding would be a metal/mechanical/axle problem.

Idle Air control was fine. Took it to the mechanic today. The noise I've been hearing that sounds like a whine is my water pump (which is going bad). He's replacing it, but he can't do it until next week Wednesday . The high rev is due to the bearings failing and the lack of proper load on the crank pulley. Thanks for all the suggestions.

The only place where I may have not gotten carb cleaner was underneath the intake manifold. As soon as it stops raining, I'll pull the car into the garage and check the idle adjustment screw and put my interior back together.

I'll check the idle screw, that never occoured to me because the VAFC reads 0% off the TPS. I am unsure if adjusting the idle screw will manifst itself through the TPS.

I thought it might have been the dizzy slipping because the mechanic didn't tighten it enough, but it is bolted very snugly. If the idle screw adjustment dosen't work, I have an apt to have him fix it @ 1pm tomorrow. I'll let him screw with the dizzy because he gave me a year P&L warrenty on the engine, and I don't want him to void it from some bull**** adjustment to the distributor.

0 setting across the board, same setting from the old engine as well.

As far as OBDI and OBDII, in my experience with Hondas, they run completely different ECU harnesses and ECUs. I'll go pop he hood and check the block code anyway though, good thinking.

Curious: what EMS to control the ITB setup w/boost?

Erm, yes, that's true. Kinda. Your torque peak is at your vE peak, the engine speed at which the combustion chamber can successfully burn the most fuel. As far as efficiency goes, that would be the least efficent part of the powerband, as your fuel burned/engine cycle ratio is at its highest. Your most efficent engine speed is idling in neutral .

Oh, and for the "custom transmission" discussion: Honda people (88-91 CRXs for this example) have been using the short ass ZC transmission with an SI 5th gear for quite some time, and it is cheap-as-free. The 1-4 ZC transmission allows you to tear up to 70 mph while staying well within your powerband. The SI final drive/ 5th gear allow real power to be made at 115mph and 140mph top speeds.

I recently lost the rear main seal on my ST on the freeway, 700 miles from home. I siezed up #3 and beat the hell out of the sleeve.

So I replaced the engine. The mechanic royally screwed up my ECU harness and disconnected MAP signal on accident (I have a V-AFC wired, yes, I am using a V-AFC on purpose). I took the car home in limp mode to re-pin the harness myself.

Did it and the car ran great, stronger than when I bought it and smooth as all let out. I drove the car to work the next day without incedent. I came home for lunch and noticed that I was Idling very high (about 1200 RPMs) and the engine was making some unplesant noise, namely some raspyness in the intake note.

I tapped the trottle to make sure it wasn't stuck. No dice. The VAFC read an idle vacuum of -7.6psi. Prior to the engine swap, I was used to seeing -9.1psi (so the engine was under higher load now at idle than it ever was prior.

And the Idle climbed to 1250

and then 1300

and then I shut off the car.

When I fired the car back up 20 minutes later to go back to work, it was still idling that high and quite noisy in the front.

When I got off of work I bought a can of carb cleaner and some high-quality 22GA butt splices and male/female connectors. I redid my entire harness, and the Idle RPM still stays steady at 1300 RPM. Driveability is still supurb. I added fuel with the V-AFC. I added more fuel with the VAFC. I could get the RPMs to momentarily dip and manifold pressure to drop to -8.6PSI for a little bit, but it would regulate to the same idle speed and pressure a moment later.

I bathed the engine bay in carb cleaner. No dice. Can't find a leak althought I can **hear** the leak when driving (sounds like a supercharger spooling, if you've ever had an intake manifold leak you know what it sounds like).

Causes for concern:

A) Fuel economy is **** when at idle now.

B) The VAFC MAP sensor isn't to scale because I don't know the correct sensor type. I use 6in 6out because it gets throttle and everything else right. I was accustomed to the old motor Idling at about -9.1 PSI and pegging up exactly to 7.6psi when at WOT (I know it's wrong, just keep following me). Now I Idle at about -7.6psi and I WOT at 3.2psi. That means that I am getting worse performance @ wot than previously. I can't say that I feel difference, the ST isn't exactly a stunner, but just knowing that sucks.

So the Queston:
It has the symptoms of a leak, it sounds like a leak, it looks like a leak, but why can't I find it? And why am I pulling less vac at WOT?

Any help is mucho appreciated.

Thanks for all the replies! I'll check into all of that tomorrow, I have the day off. I would appreciate that PDF if you have it. Freemantle[at]gmail[dot]com please. I'll keep you guys updated and tell you what I find.

I was having one of my friends figure out where in my drivetrain this loud ticking noise was coming from (cracked lifter on an intake valve in #1, this is another day's nightmare).

When he was pulling the main wiring harness from the top of the valve cover, he removed the primary lead from the alternator without taking off the negative battery cable. I was across the garage getting a tool when I heared *crack* as the guide touched the engine bay and the voltage spiked.

My alternator tested good, my battery tested good, here are the electrical systems that still work.

ECU
Fuel Pump
Ignition Coil

That's it.

No Windows, no Lights, no Spedometer or Tach, no A/C, no Fuel Gauge. I pulled all my fuses in the passenger compartment and they were all fine. Anyone know of a relay that could have burnt out to cause every system but the vitals to fail? Thanks for any/all of your help.

I'm picking up a Toyota service manual now. I guess I was going to need one eventually, this is just going to push the turbo setup back a ways.

-nate

PM me when you are ready to sell it. I totally forgot about centerforce. I know a guy who works for ProStreetOnline and he was giving me the impression that they couldn't source me any clutch with a torque handling capability over 193 bft/lbs.

This car is HomeMadeTurbo style speed. I'm looking to push 1 bar out of a 14b to start with, with full intention of blowing up the car. If the engine dosen't blow within a few months, a set of RC800s a big 16g and Megasquirt will be the next thing on order to ensure the engine grenades/whoops ass.

Right now, the setup is very grassroots. Custom Weld-El manifold, 3" downpipe, V-AFCII hack, 7m-gte injectors, and a secondhand 14b.

I still need to source quite a bit, namely intercooler and piping, BOV, PLX M300, Cheapass Mechanical Boost Gauge, Cheapass Mechanical Oil Pressure gauge, a way to get oil feed (Golden Eagle Sandwich adapter?)

A new exhaust and radiator would be nice too .

My goal is to get 13.9x with less than $1500. I think I'm on pretty good track.

for superchargers. Your gorgeous new engine deserves better than that. Keep those IATs down!

I knew there would be a catch in this project.

I can't seem to find a clutch for the 7afe that offers more than 1500 pounds of clamp force. This is piss poor compared to what I'm used to, and kind of eliminates swapping out to a 16g in the future.

Is there anyone out there that makes a good clutch for the 7afe?

Hold your horses. Make sure you a solving the problem and not the symptoms.

A turbo will bleed oil if:

-The return line is not being assisted enough by gravity

-The return line is too small

-The return line is clogged with contamination

-The feed line is too large

-The feed is at too high of a pressure (45~ psi is way too much. Aim for 15-25 psi)

-The turbo spins dry and burns up the seals

I would hate to see you go through all the work of replacing the seals just to have them wash out again.

I love all the nitrous hate. Everyone seems to jump on the "omg nitrous is the debil!!1" wagon and nobody asks what fuel management he was running...

So what did she have? Wet kit? Did you use WB AFRs to pick pills, or a boss injector maybe?

Or was this a dry kit?

I'll share my Honda experience:

Their manifolds crack, generally on the #3 runner and where the turbine flange is. With extra braces welded, some people have gotten it to hold up. Apparently, there is a new design which is supposed to be "better".

A 15 year old junkyard turbo will perform better than their turbos. End of story.

All "Stone Mountain Racing//SSAoutochrome//OBX//XOXO products are replicas of other products (From the likes of Full-Race, 5Zigen, HKS, Kuzco, TiaL and more) made in China. The only product I will vouch for are their LSDs, which have managed to hold up to 400whp turbo Honda applications.

There are some who will ouvh to their Wastegates (TiaL knockoffs), but I'll spend the extra $40 for the genuine part. Better my money in the hands of a Japaneese or American man for the product I want than in the hands of a Chinaman for a substitute.

First relevant question: What size are your feed and return oil lines? Most turbos can't handle the ~45 psi that oem systems run at. If you are running anything besides a 2-AN or 3-AN feed line or less than a 10-AN return line...

Kteller + Friend with a welder = the best.

Comparing the resistance of the bearings in the A/C compressor and motor resistance to the other systems (such as the curb load of the car), any gain would be moot, not to mention the efficency the A/C condensor would steal from your intercooler and radiator.