The white rescued Celica. (1994 ST204) Pictures galore., Suspension re-do time! Options

[RabidTRD]

So I figured I should make a thread about my rescued '94 GT-S Celica ST204. Here goes.

I bought her in November of 2010 to replace my old child, a built 1999 Toyota Camry LE.

She was my baby for 4 years. I put tons of money into her, seeing as I got her for free from my aunt. She came in terrible condition and was not loved when I received her. I rebuilt her, put in eibach pro suspension, a full 2" SS exhaust, bored out the pistons and replaced with larger ones, ect. I absolutely loved her, as did my friends and a few shop guys that race cars that I know through work. She was killed by a guy running a red in September of 2010.

So after accepting her loss, and receiving a $5,300 insurance check... I set off for another under loved child. I don't believe in buying new cars, nor do I believe in buying anything American in relation to cars. I searched the newspaper, I searched the internet... finally I found an app on my iPod that was "Cars.com." After searching on there, I decided I really wanted either a Prelude, a Integra GS-R, a Civic Si/EX, or a Celica. All the cars I went to see were either too expensive or were not as advertised.

Finally I cam across this little white gem. The car was listed for $2,800, power everything, 6 speaker stereo, GT model and best of all, 5 speed. So I went to have a look. There I found her, in a field, next to a house and she looked like she had been sitting for at least a year. Grass was growing into her miss-matched tires, dirt covering her exterior, dust all over her inside.... she was a mess. I asked to have a seat in her and to see if she started. I opened the door and sat down, instantly falling in love with the craftsmanship, the side hugging seats, and the feel of the leather wrapped steering wheel in my hands. I turned the key and instantly (the owner hadn't started her in over 6 months) she shook to life. I was greeted by dust blowing out of the vents as she roared from the hole behind her lower cat converter. I could tell she would be a trouble maker, but still, I was intrigued. I popped the hood to have a look at the 5S-FE, an engine I learned very well in my Camry.

First off, I spotted the normal usage signs. Leaking valve cover, old plug wires, dirty, oily, hairline cracked radiator, and an acid covered 34 series battery (mind you it's not facing the right way, wrong sized battery that had no hold down and didn't sit in the pan flat). She was a tad rusty, but still cleaner than most of the Celica's in Rochester.

I told the owner that I would have to think about it, and we shut her down and closed her up. I left that day to go home and talk to my dad about what he thought of it.

I returned a day after to see that the owner had cleaned her up, vacuumed out her interior and she looked fabulous. I gave the owner an offer of $1,800 cash because I knew the amount of work I would have to put into her. The owner wouldn't have it and I left once more.

That night I had a dream about the car... I awoke in the morning, wanting to take her for a drive and went back once more to talk to the owner. This time I had $2,500 cash with me, in hand, in case I really couldn't leave without her. We opened her up and turned her on. I took off in her, feeling her torque, her bite... I fell in love. I couldn't get out of her and decided to buy her. I told the owner that I won't pay more then $2,500 for her and that I have the cash in hand. The owner agreed and signed her over to me. I then returned home without her one last time to go to the DMV and get everything processed. The next day I went back, picked her up, and drove her home.

On the way home, well thats when she started to complain. At 60 she started to shake, making a weird rattling sound in the rear. I stopped at a gas station to fill her up and inspected my tires. The tires were 3 of one size, 1 of a smaller size and they all were cracked and weathered. I figured the owner put old tires on just to get rid of the car and knew I'd have to get new tires anyway, so it didn't bother me. So I went to fill her up. Half way through filling up, she started to make a really bad smell. The fuel filler neck was cracked and rusted to hell on the bottom. Fuel was dripping out as I filled her. Oy... she started to look like a nightmare.

I had the owner fix the fuel neck, which they agreed to, and footed the $200 bill from Toyota.

This is a picture the day after I got her (pre new fuel filler neck):

Finally started to get things fixed up on her and got some more shots via cellphone:







Then winter hit. I put new tires on her, Hankook Winter iPike 195/55/R15's (best grip in snow I've ever had. This car is a wonderful winter car.) I couldn't do more than that due to the weather so it was a cold long wait until the weather broke. I did manage to get my HID's in before the storm hit, and my yellow 9005 high beams. I managed to snap a pretty cool pic during a heavy winter storm too:



Then I found some smoke Depo lenses on eBay for a good price and popped those in (while freezing my butt off) and fixed my faulty washer pump as well. (Try driving in salty Rochester during the winter with no washer pump)


Finally winter came to an end and I re-did the breaks. I knew she leaked oil, but the leak seemed to get worse after the winter. I looked around and only saw it on the valve cover, so I changed that. I had done it twice before on the Camry, so I knew it would be an easy job. Wrong. I got the cover off and saw this:


What a mess! The engine had so much sludge in it. Even my Camry with 216k miles was cleaner than this! Apparently the owner never changed the oil...
So after a little scraping, I decided I should paint it while it's off too in order to accent the lines.





I fixed the top leak, but for some reason, she still continued to drip oil. So I jacked her up and had a good luck after the winters fury. Man was she wet underneath... The back side of the engine was covered, the oil pan was leaking around the seal, and it seemed like the oil was dripping out of the timing cover too. The owner said that they changed the timing belt not too long ago... so wouldn't they have changed the seals too? Nope. We got the covers off, looked inside and it was a huge mess. Oil was everywhere. It was also gunked up on the camshaft pully, showing how long the thing had been sitting with oil dripping down on it. We then replaced all the seals, the timing belt, the components (the tensioner had the wrong spring on it and the timing belt was flopping around inside) and put her back together. FINALLY the drip stopped.

Then the weather got nicer, so I decided to have a go at resurfacing my rusty, pitted, old rims:
Before:

After:


Then a noise started coming from the rear. I jacked her up again, and it seems that the bushings in the rear adjustable arms are going. You can grab the wheel and clunk it up and down. Dealer wants $300 for the two (and thats wholesale due to my connections through work). So thats a soon to do project of mine.

I had to cut my secondary cat out because of the break. I welded her up once, but she broke again so I just had enough and cut her out and fitted in some pipe as a temporary solution while I save up for that exhaust I've been dreaming about.

Work I want to do to her in the future includes:

• Exhaust - Manifold back
• Suspension - Eibach Sportline springs, Koni struts, full energy suspension urithane bushings
• JDM Projector headlights
• JDM Front and rear splitter, sideskirts
• Decent JDM style "chunky" rims
• 3S-GE BEAMS Red Top swap
• JDM 94-95 foglights

More pictures of what I have done to date:














So far I have put in:

• Injen SRAI w/Spectre open ended filter
• NGK Wires and Iridium IX plugs
• ST205 rear strut support bar
• REAL TRD Carbon fiber shifter knob
• Carbon fiber hand break handle
• Electric Oil pressure guage by Sunpro
• Red LED lighting all over the dash
• Normal maintainence items including: Break cables, breaks, dis cap, rotor, seals, battery, starter, waterpump, timing belt, Energy Suspension rear sway bar bushings

I have a long way to go. Money is the largest issue right now.

This post has been edited by RabidTRD: Jan 19, 2013 - 7:17 PM

[RabidTRD]

Well, finally got my GodSpeed radiator to stop leaking in random locations (first it was the sensor that I HAD to crossthread in, because the radiator was a m14 1.75 thread and the fan sensor is a m14 1.5. Then it was the upper hose which i had to trim and clamp to hell, then the lower hose, then the lower hose at the block... FINALLY it has stopped, but I still smell coolant... I hope it's just left over) and now my outer joint boot on my passenger side CV axle has ripped, spraying my Enkie's with grease. Fuuuuuckkk. So, I'll be replacing the axle tomorrow.

I've got a slide hammer with a CV axle removal bit, torque wrench and all the tools ready in order to remove the axle. I was looking through a Haynes manual and got a bit confused. The torque spec in the Haynes manual says 137lbs on the axle nut, but the computer at work says 159lbs. I've seen both being listed on here... so I'm wondering if anyone has thoughts on which I should do? Also, the carrier bearing and the metal plate with bolts behind it... is the OEM shaft a two piece and the replacement a one piece? I'm kind of confused because it doesn't look like the OEM one, but length and everything except for that studded plate behind the carrier bearing is the same. Any thoughts on this?

Also, any heads up on what I could run into while replacing this shaft would be appreciated. This is the first time I'm tackling a cv axleshaft alone.

Looks like removal process is as follows:
Axle nut off
Ball joint bolts off
Swing knuckle out of way
Carrier bearing bolts off
Pop the axle out.

[kurt95gt]

You'll probably have to take the part off that is around the carrier bearing after you get the axle out
I've replaced 2 of them an both times I've had to swap that over

[RabidTRD]

Does that come off easily?

[kurt95gt]

For the most part
It's got a clip around the inside of it holding it on the bearing that can be a pain tho

[txnight]

I've very curious to see! I don't mind the backup lamps being clear on mine because my car is white and I Have smoked lenses up front, but the all red looks great on yours!

The plan is to not see it unless it's in use and to have it completely automated (think pop up headlight style, just a bit more stealth)

That said... I'm having a little trouble getting the needed motorized components to work as intended but once that's done and I get it all weather proofed I'll do a write up on it with pictures or something.

[RabidTRD]

Well some more updates. This post is photo heavy.

Images of the licence plate relocate and angle.




New filters to blend with the engine color. Was tired of having 3 different colors under the hood.


Radiator replacement








Passenger CV Axle replacement




I didn't even have to pry the axle shaft out... it just fell out lol






While under there... I found this: Made my heart sink... Looks like some frame work is in its future.





Thought a slide hammer would help me get it out

Nope


Had to pry it out with a chisel and prybar



After hours of being frustrated, trying a million-and-one things to try to get the damn thing out, this is funny to you.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO PLAY


Then of course, this gave me trouble. Soaked it in PB blaster for a hour while I struggled getting the seal out. Whacked it with a hammer about 50 times and it finally popped off.







Seven hours later, I finally had it installed. I couldn't lift my arms the next day. Do not do this side first if you have never changed a CV axle on your own before. I had so much trouble with the ball joint, trying to push down on the control arm and lift the joint into place. That process took me an hour on it's own. By that point, I was shaking from being fatigued. I didn't want to mess up the alignment by taking the strut mounting bolts out of the spindle, so this was the only way. Driver side should be so much easier.

This post has been edited by RabidTRD: Oct 28, 2012 - 1:30 PM

[kurt95gt]

Next time your fighting with the control ARM by yourself to do a axle. Get a long crowbar an slide it into the circle hole in the ARM an push it down with that.
That's what I do. I've gotten good at these thanks to the 1mz lol I can swap a axle in an hour lol if the retainer clip doesn't fight me lol

[RabidTRD]

Wtf. So now my lower radiator hose isn't getting warm. I was trying to figure out why I'm hearing a trickle noise in my heater core like air is stuck in there or coolant is moving around but not going anywhere. So it seems like the thermostat isn't opening up, but the thing is, I'm getting heat inside and the engine isn't over heating. Yet my lower hose doesn't warm up at all. Thermostat is new, lifetime warrantied Stant Superstat stainless thermostat. Has anyone had issues with this thermostat not opening because of a dual core, cooler running radiator? Do I have to get a thermostat that opens at a lower temp?

I need to look at a cooling diagram.

[RabidTRD]

The radiator fans work fine, they turn on normally, but it seems like nothing is going through the hose.

[bmj67]

might just be air locked. take the cap off start the car and let it warm up to normal temp and turn the heat on full

[RabidTRD]

might just be air locked. take the cap off start the car and let it warm up to normal temp and turn the heat on full

I've done that 4 times now trying to bleed it. The only time it bubbled was when i first put the radiator in and ran it. Im almost wondering if the thermostat is clogged partially. Ill rip it apart tomorrow after work and test the stat in boiling water.

[txnight]

Out of laziness of not skimming the whole thread, have you done the timing belt, water pump and all that related stuff?

[RabidTRD]

Out of laziness of not skimming the whole thread, have you done the timing belt, water pump and all that related stuff?

Yeah, I've done a full service on this engine aside from removing the head. All new seals except for the rear main, new water pump, new timing belt, all new hoses...

I replaced the thermostat and then let the car idle for 45 mins with the cap off two nights ago. Seems to be ok now, but I'm going to keep an eye on it. I think the thermostat just wasn't opening or I had it in the wrong way when I first changed it two years ago. I don't think I had the weep holes angled right.

[Syaoran]

Are those 12" fans?

[RabidTRD]

I believe so. I'll measure tomorrow, but they're 12" by 4" I want to say. They're really shallow, and fast! The sound of the air hitting the radiator reminds me of a emergency siren you hear before a tornado. Sounds badass hahaha. They're powerful enough for me to feel the heat hitting me 2 feet away from the front of the car. Cools quick.

[kurt95gt]

I believe so. I'll measure tomorrow, but they're 12" by 4" I want to say. They're really shallow, and fast! The sound of the air hitting the radiator reminds me of a emergency siren you hear before a tornado. Sounds badass hahaha. They're powerful enough for me to feel the heat hitting me 2 feet away from the front of the car. Cools quick.

Hahaha
Mine on the 1mz sound the same way!! I love it
Freaks people out the first time I turn the key on it lol

[njccmd2002]

that there be rust, are you trying to pull a needles....

[Box]

that there be rust, are you trying to pull a needles....

It's nowhere near that bad.

[RabidTRD]

Lol. My car sat in a field for a year. It's got rust.

It will be fixed eventually, when I get the time and money. The whole lower half needs to be resprayed and rust fixed. I got a quote for $600 from my guy who painted my Camry. He did a good job, so I'll be sending the Celica his way come spring/summer.

[RabidTRD]

Done with Sunpro and their ****ty electronic gauges. I don't know why I didn't just go with Autometer from the start. What a waste of time, oil, and money.

My Sunpro oil pressure gauge has been nothing but a twitchy piece of **** since the second day I installed it. I have been through 3 sending units, and all 3 have pissed out of the seals. Apparently they're cheap enough built that the heat from the engine melts the seals and it pisses away. So **** it, I'm going with what I should have from the beginning. Autometer, brass tube, mechanical, and a gauge face that matches my OEM gauges perfectly!

I'll be installing this puppy tomorrow