Project M&M

entrax

Member
This is essentially a continuation of : viewtopic.php?f=21&t=50312

This car was purchased as a salvage title car, in need of a structural inspection to be legal on the road. It passed in 2007, but was never insured and the inspection was only legal for 1 year. So for the lowly sum of $1400 (Canadian dollars), this car was mine.

- However, as of yesterday, instead of a simple inspection, pass it, register it for the road, it is now a project. -

It failed on the following:
- Front left frame buckled slightly to the right
- Front left supporting frame poorly repaired.
- Rad support poorly repaired
- Exhaust leak
- Rear toe bushings shot
- Front left corner light broken tab, cannot mount [fixed 7/21/2015]
- Front left corner light not working
- Rear right tail light cracked [fixed 7/21/2015]

Issues that are not related to the salvage title:
- Weeping water pump
- Radiator is still original
- Driver's side bolster has a little rip
- Rear window needs recaulking (leaks into trunk)
- Needs new spark plugs, trans flush, diff flush
- Needs PS belt
- Needs a/c recharge (still holds pressure)
- Overdue for Timing belt.
- Needs new coolant reservoir

The front left frame was compromised in that it was hit, then bent around the transmission housing close to the driver's side mount, which caused the rectangular structure of the frame to have a dent in it. Even though the panels are straight now, the repairs that were done (hammering/pulling the frame back) compromises the amount of force that it takes before the frame buckles in case of a front end accident. Furthermore, the frame wasn't even pulled enough. It's still off enough to cause caster issues on both front wheels.

So, to properly do it, the motor has to come off to allow a good job to be done. Some maintenance issues like weeping water pump, oil leaks, clutch will be addressed at the same time. At only 102k miles, it's a shame to swap out the motor to a new one, so the 165 motor/drivetrain will stay.

This will be a journal of it! Project M&M because I co-own this car with my girlfriend, who'll join me in the festivities of getting dirty with the alltrac. M&M stands for Marc and Minna. It's going to be long ride, but I hope there's an end to this journal down the road!
 
Posting up to get a subscription going. Sounds like you have a project on your hands, but believe me these cars are more than worth it in the end! Admittedly I went the 'easy' way out and bought one in almost perfect condition but they're so fun to drive that mine never fails to put a silly grin on my face! :D
 

entrax

Member
Indeed a big project. Being in Canada, this has been the only 4th gen (this being my 4th one), never mind a alltrac 4th gen, that has had no rust.

Rear spherical bearings were probably the toughest news that I heard from the inspection, but good thing they are still available. Part number for reference: 42210-14010. Cannot be replaced with Poly bushings as these need to rotate to act as the "balljoint" for the hub.

I've dropped transmissions a lot from the 3S platform, more than once a month this year so far, but I haven't dropped a motor yet.

It should be similar to an mr2, with the awd stuff/water ic stuff/power steering stuff.

What's the preferred method of engine removal. top or bottom?
 

zaluss

Member
entrax":eabh7pf2 said:
Indeed a big project. Being in Canada, this has been the only 4th gen (this being my 4th one), never mind a alltrac 4th gen, that has had no rust.

Rear spherical bearings were probably the toughest news that I heard from the inspection, but good thing they are still available. Part number for reference: 42210-14010. Cannot be replaced with Poly bushings as these need to rotate to act as the "balljoint" for the hub.

I've dropped transmissions a lot from the 3S platform, more than once a month this year so far, but I haven't dropped a motor yet.

It should be similar to an mr2, with the awd stuff/water ic stuff/power steering stuff.

What's the preferred method of engine removal. top or bottom?

Bottom.

I did it exactly like this when I dropped my 205 in my 165 a few weeks ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqsEAHQXHIA
 

entrax

Member
Been a while, but some good news.

Turns out our landlord is a certified square/pull guy at a nearby shop. He came to look at our dishwasher and a few hours later he was measuring up the car for us.

According to him, the previous shop was "bullshit" and "baloney!" regarding what needs to be done. He did some basic measurements and here's what he found:
from Front Left Hood Rubber Stop (that thing that stops the hood when you close it behind each headlight) to Strut tower Passenger side: 127cm
from Front Right Hood Rubber Stop to Strut tower Driver's side: 127.5cm.

So this means that the Front left frame/rad support etc is compressed approx 7-8mm; this gives us the 5mm diagonal difference. This is seen as the unibody/frame on the wheel arch side is kinked and wavy instead of straight.

Good news is that the car won't need the motor taken out and it looks like we'll be able to get a good deal on fixing this.

Some recent prep for the frame work (removing front bumper/light/underside panels to allow him access to what he needs)

Have you guys seen the front bumper fender extension without being rotten??
O6ZqJgQl.jpg


This "ugly" work of covering up the old mess is enough to fail here even if the actual metal is straight:
E7DbUoOl.jpg


Ready to drive to the shop (or tow, pending legality/options)
b1wivhSl.jpg
 

Awesome-Trac

New member
entrax":f9uffsfu said:
Been a while, but some good news.

Turns out our landlord is a certified square/pull guy at a nearby shop. He came to look at our dishwasher and a few hours later he was measuring up the car for us.

According to him, the previous shop was "bullshit" and "baloney!" regarding what needs to be done. He did some basic measurements and here's what he found:
from Front Left Hood Rubber Stop (that thing that stops the hood when you close it behind each headlight) to Strut tower Passenger side: 127cm
from Front Right Hood Rubber Stop to Strut tower Driver's side: 127.5cm.

So this means that the Front left frame/rad support etc is compressed approx 7-8mm; this gives us the 5mm diagonal difference. This is seen as the unibody/frame on the wheel arch side is kinked and wavy instead of straight.

Good news is that the car won't need the motor taken out and it looks like we'll be able to get a good deal on fixing this.

Some recent prep for the frame work (removing front bumper/light/underside panels to allow him access to what he needs)

Have you guys seen the front bumper fender extension without being rotten??
O6ZqJgQl.jpg


This "ugly" work of covering up the old mess is enough to fail here even if the actual metal is straight:
E7DbUoOl.jpg


Ready to drive to the shop (or tow, pending legality/options)
b1wivhSl.jpg


Damn they are pretty serious about vehicle safety! I'm the U.S. You can drive on bald tires, smashed front end, Cracked lights, frame damage, you name it but crack down on emissions
 

underscore

Well-known member
People drive all kinds of garbage here, it's only checked if it's involved in an accident that goes through insurance or given a vehicle inspection notice at a roadside stop. But with a vehicle inspection notice I doubt they'd find most of the stuff this car has problems with.
 

entrax

Member
Yeah, I probably come across a car that is in worse shape than my car BEFORE the attempted repairs everyday on the way to work. Unfortunately it's only because it's gone through insurance (which is a gov't owned monopoly here).

Last winter, I owned a tercel4wd where the front right control arm was bolted on just fine to the unibody, but the unibody was halfway rusted off the frame. Everytime I braked the unibody would flex and vibrate along the remaining part where it was still attached. It's so violent that it ate wheel bearings every oil change. It also had a BHG for a couple months...LOL. just smoke screened everywhere I went.

Question:

For the rear bearing/bushing that acts as the ball joint for the alltrac, I have the part number 42210-14010 from other threads. However, my Toyota parts guy told me that this was a Camry/Supra part. I had him look up the Alltrac one and it looks like it's sold together with the hub itself @$350 each. Was there some research done to find out that the Camry/Supra part works on ST165s?

Thanks!
 

underscore

Well-known member
As I recall the research was correct, the Alltrac one is only officially sold as a unit so somebody found one that was sold on its own and the same size. Over the years I've come to realize that quite often to get parts for our cars you need to find out what other cars use the same part and order the parts for that car instead. By this point I think I've ordered parts for nearly every common car Toyota made in the 90's for my 185.
 

___Scott___

Active member
As I recall, a guy named Mike something noticed that the spherical bearings on his Supra looked a lot like the ones on his All-Trac. I don't remember all the details, but he shared enough info to convince me to order the part# for the Supra and try them. When they worked, I did the how-to write-up you've probably seen already.
 

entrax

Member
___Scott___":1584dbsn said:
As I recall, a guy named Mike something noticed that the spherical bearings on his Supra looked a lot like the ones on his All-Trac. I don't remember all the details, but he shared enough info to convince me to order the part# for the Supra and try them. When they worked, I did the how-to write-up you've probably seen already.


Thanks guys.

Yes Scott, your site is where I based my research from.

Thanks for clearing that up!!
 

entrax

Member
Small update: Replacement tail light and front corner light acquired. Found the tail light in my old stash of 4th gen stuff. Traded a prefacelift corner light for the proper facelift corner light. Free fixes are great.

Also, I was able to acquire an OEM car cover specifically for the hatchback 4th gen celica. Still BNI(toyota)B.
Since this car will primarily be the fun-winter car, it will be good for summer storage to keep the leather plush and the paint shiny.
 

entrax

Member
super late update, but a good one:
WhatsApp Image 2017-11-30 at 7.43.39 PM.jpeg

so i treated the car to a fresh exhaust courtesy of xspower/ssautochrome, as well as some FRS RS2.0 TRD wheels.
WhatsApp Image 2017-12-13 at 12.51.50 PM.jpeg
 

entrax

Member
then promptly took it up to Whistler BC for a trip. stretch its legs, and finally complete its first 1000km in over 11 years:
165000km = Nov 2006
166000km = Dec 2017

WhatsApp Image 2017-12-21 at 2.22.19 PM.jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2017-12-21 at 2.22.06 PM.jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2017-12-21 at 2.21.53 PM.jpeg
 

entrax

Member
Trying to keep the factory radio,
but can't see! Thankfully the bulbs are removable so I just reused the base and changed the bulbs.

26804450_10154888653251017_6078625777082935220_n.jpg26758582_10154888653071017_8340694788486568000_o.jpg26733486_10154888653561017_8247812097724764376_n.jpg
 
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