Love/Hate Relationship Options

[sircalebwhite]

So my Celi is really starting to fall apart... Rear struts are bad, front tires are bald and possibly a bent rim, brakes are crap, there's some clunks in the front end when I brake while going forward after I make a stop while in reverse, flex-pipe leaks bad, tranny is becoming "vocal", gas tank has a crack somewhere on the top of it, window cable snapped this morning before a storm, and best of all, oil is steadily leaking. To top that all off, i'm completely broke and just got fired from work today. I almost lost my engine today due to lack of oil but i luckily caught it and filled it up before any damage could be done. But while waiting on my oil i decided to try to find these leaks. Everywhere I go I leave a good little puddle of oil that likes to drip onto the dust cover thing on the passenger side and from there it drips on the ground. I found that the Oil pan leaks out of the gasket but found that there's other places leaking. One of them feels like a silicone seal one the back corner on the passenger side on the engine. I also feel like there might be some coming out of the Timing Case? And also just above the boot on the tie rod (i think) there are 2 little hoses that u up from there onto steel lines from what it felt like. But I'm going to examine it more on monday when things start drying up and take some pictures for better reference on that.

Now my transmission.. I'm sure maybe it just needs a new filter and a flush or a replacement (it's auto... I don't like it) But when I change gears i can hear everything turning inside it and it shifts a little bit hard and clunks in some changes. I have reason to believe that the tranny mounts are bad? That and not sure if it's normal but it doesn't shift into OD until it reaches a certain temp. It's done this since I bought it. But again, I'm sure maybe a servicing and mounts will help?

Everything else I have figured out and will have to take care of it when the last check comes in. And to this day and the following days, it's a daily while my Pontiac sits and awaits attention.

I love my Celi but hate its many problems...

[block]

If it has no rust, sell it to me. I'm local

[sircalebwhite]

If it has no rust, sell it to me. I'm local

Lol it's got some rust but nothing bizarre and I plan on cutting whatever rust it's there out in the future! But I plan to keep it even though it's a curse. Where are you at???

[doory100]

My 95 was leaking oil from the oil pump, Its connected to the timing belt. It was pissing out when it was running. I did my belt and water pump while I was in there. Its a big job but anyone with a little background in mechanics and the right tools can get it done. But it sounds like you have alot of problems to tackle so selling it may be a better option if you don't have the time.

[sircalebwhite]

I'm just gonna suck it up and get tires for now. At least I'll be able to drive more and not have to worry about A blowout and not having a spare. I can deal with topping off the oil and worry about other stuff When I get more money. I guess it could be worse.

[Box]

If you don't like it sell it and get something else. No point in putting money into a car you hate. Being it's belt driven and not chain driven any oil from the timing cover would be due to a cam or crank seal and not the timing cover itself. What you can try is using ATP Stop Leak, more often than not it actually helps and sometimes even stops leaks. You could even go with something like 10W-40 over 10W-30 so the oil stays a little thicker when warm to help as well.

[Noahwhite2014]

Your transmission is over filled which is why it shifts late. Drain the whole thing replace the filter and put in new TOYOTA ATF.

If you have stock rims and stock tires size i highly doubt the rim is bent, its probably just a permanent flat spot on the tire(s).

Clunking after reversing is a bad rear and front mount, Id replace them all if possible.


as for the leaks, you may be able to stop it if you don't run it for a day, clean all the oil off where its leaking, and use a toothpick with gasket maker and try to poke it into where its leaking then flatten it out and let it set.

Rear struts are REALLY easy to replace!

[Box]

It's an automatic 4-cylinder, wait for the fuel prices to spike then sell it=profit.

[Bitter]

I don't think that your auto transmissions take Toyota fluid, I believe they spec DexronII which is superceded by DexronIII which is now DexronVI, but you can get fluids which are DexronIII compatible like Valvoline Maxlife ATF, a good sythetic fluid for older trans at a bargain basement price for a synthetic fluid. It'll say on the dipstick actually, T-IV or D-II or something like that if it's Toyota T4 or DexronII fluid. MaxLife ATF is compatible with either of those so actually it wouldn't matter either way if you're using the MaxLife fluid.

[sircalebwhite]

I love my car and I don't plan on selling it. New tires are on the way for now so i will keep on driving it until i get my Pontiac fixed up so i can park the celi and fix everything else on that once I find a job. Obviously ill take care of the most important things first. So MaxLife fluid is good for the tranny? And could the valve cover gasket be an issue? I just recently changed it and was advised to use silicone in the corners where the cams are so I did but maybe not enough or I didn't do it right? And I'll probably save struts and flexpipe for last seeing that I don't drive much at all now that schools done and I'm jobless. I'll try the ATP Stop Leak and hope for the best. Putting up pics tomorrow for better reference. Thanks for the feedback guys. Means a lot!

[Box]

Something like the Valvoline MaxLife would be good, or I want to say SuperTech has their own high-mileage ATF that's DEX-III compatible but I can't recall.

If you over-tightened the valve cover that'll cause it to leak.