OT 94 Tercel, Fix It?

[super99]

I'm trying to decide what to do with my 94 Toyota Tercel, Has about 130,000 miles on it, body is good, a little rust coming by rear fenders, everything else is good. It has started using oil and fouls out #2 plug frequently. When you start it, it puts out a cloud of blue smoke amd then clears up. I'm thinking about getting a estimate to fix the motor so I can drive it for 4 or 5 more years. It was getting 32 miles/gal, but is way down from letting it warm up in the winter, I only drive about 8 miles to work, so I start it and let it run for 5 or 10 minutes before I leave for work. I think it's too good to junk, but if I keep driving it, it probably won't last too long. I figure I would be better off to fix it compared to spending the same amount on a newer car and not know what I'm getting. Pickup only gets about 18 or 20 mpg, so I prefer to do my running in the car and save the pickup to haul what ever I need to. Don't want to spend 3 or 4000 for another work car right now. What do you think? Chris

 

[RobMD]

You know, there's a subaru impreza sitting in my pasture, and it's AWD with a stick and a 4 cylinder. It's got close to 150k on it, and it runs rough from a lack of tune ups.

So here's my new dilemma: retire the one ton to farm area tags or pay for the gas to run it all over creation.

So what am I going to do? Yeah, you guessed it. That impreza is getting a full tune up, some new tires, a brake job, and a MAACO paint job. At 30 mpg, this thing is DEFINITELY going on the road at $3.14 a gallon. It's only 35 bucks for a fill-up on this thing!

Need I say more?

 

[jose bagge]

both these cars are practically brand new for rice burners...my 1996 Civic has 345,000 on it and has never had the head off or the trans out.
Both of those rascals should be good for another 100K at least.

 

[dhermesc]

You could spend $1000 on it and it will pay for itself pretty fast at 32 MPG. Unless its been abused the oil its burning is probably something minor (a $1000 is not going far when it comes to car repairs).


You spend $3000/$4000 on something else and you could just as easily get something that needs as much work.

 

[Janicholson]

Google used Japanese Engines. For about 450 to 500 they can be ready to install. Low hours/miles, and compression checks are attached. Too good to pass up. I've done it a number of times and never been disappointed. JimN

 

[Aaron Ford]

Here is a link to a engine/tranny on ebay...

HTH

Aaron
Ebay 3E E engine

 

[Anonymous-0]

I had two Tercel hatchbacks that kept going and going well past 200,000 mi. The oil thing is almost certainly worn valve guide seals. I don't think they are that hard/expensive to fix.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I also have a 94 Tercel. Mine has 82,000 miles on it. The puff of smoke on start up is mainly due to worn valve seals.(they are famous for that minor problem). The seals start to show ware at about 60,000 miles. In my case, I still get 1500 miles on the first Qt. of oil after an oil change. Then about 900 miles per Qt. until the next oil change.

New tires were put on June of 2000 and they still have miles left in them yet. I was lucky to have been given the car by my sister in January of 06 when she got her new Toyota Prius. She bought the Tercel new in 94 and it was always taken care of with the regular dealer service and never left outside at home. It had a new muffler put on in 02 and I replaced the pipe between the engine and the Cat. Converter a few months ago. Other than that, no other repairs have ever been needed.

If the oil consumption ever gets out of hand, I don`t think I would think twice about getting the new valve seals along with rings and a valve job for it while the engine was apart.

John

 

[Eric in IL]

Be careful, there is a picture of an engine and transmission in that ebay listing, but the reading makes it sound like the auction is for tranny only.

 

[Leland]

3 grand is only 10-12 months payments on a new one ,and if it lasts you 3-5 more years your still money ahead .but the one guy is right you can find low mile used engines from japan pretty cheap you only need to add your fuel system to them bacause the ja ps use different gas than we do

 

[Anonymous-0]

You could have a bad ignition wire on the cylinder that is fouling.Do a compression check and look into using spark plugs one step higher in heat range.You can buy a lot of oil for the cost of an overhaul.

 

[Aaron Ford]

Yeah, I kinda noticed that... I figure you would contact them directly due to the lack of information on the website. Notice that years of application was also missing? I do not think they want to sell through eBay, just list through it. Selling is expensive.

Shoulda looked closer at that one!

Aaron

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have a 1986 Tercell with 260,000 on it, it burns oil so when it needs oil after an oil change I add a can of Engine Restore and it slows the oil burning way down and rarely need to add oil before the next oil change. For under $5 its a cheep fix.

My cousin puts it in his old Oliver tractor and it runs days without fouling spark plugs instead of hours.