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Registered:
June 2004
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New here - 88 rolla questions!
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Tue, 29 June 2004 21:56
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Hi all,
Being very new here I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Belinda and I love my 88 toyota to death! No, it's not the twin cam and it has done some very hard k's (I am the third owner and it has done nearly 490 000 k's).
Ok, a bit of history - then questions. When my mother-in-law (shocking driver btw) owned my car she piled on the k's, killed a couple of timing chains and ended up putting a hole in the side of the original engine with the conrod (don't know how!). She put a second hand engine in and it was never the same.
When she gave me the car (yes, got it for nothing so why am I complaining?!) 4 years ago it had problems. Rust in back wheel arches, bogged up and now coming back through. Idled like crap. Blowing that lovely oily smoke.
So nearly three years ago I opted to get another engine and searched for a reco engine. Couldn't afford twin cam (wish I had forced myself to find the money now) so instead of choosing a regular mechanic, I decided on a dude who replaced engines as a full time job. He put in a reco engine and within 1000k's the head blew, the clutch stopped working (I asked him to replace the clutch plate and fly wheel etc while he was in there) and when I took it for a pink slip to another guy he told me that the steering column was hanging mid-air (ahhh hate to admit it, I sound like a woman when I say I thought it was the tyres!). Got it back to the engine guy to find he had shut up shop and taken my warranty with him. Did the whole MVRIC and fair trading thing and he was ordered to pay a whole of $300 (which he never did). Don't bother with them! 
Anyhow! Now I want to fix the car properly and give it a new and happy life. I know the frame etc has done an enormous amount of k's but I love it so, how could I send it to the wrecker?! So I need advice.
QUESTIONS. 1) What do I do about the idle and mixture? I know the mixture was a factory set thing and unadjustable (apparently) yet I am getting shocking fuel efficiency with a bit of backfiring occasionally.
2) Under load (up hill with foot down) I get like a jumpy (electrical?) feeling, perhaps an arcing? Has anyone had this and what did it turn out to be?
3) An air co pipe was also damaged by this shonky bastard engine guy and I never got it fixed (it was going to cost a fair bit). How long can you go without using your air co before stuff needs to be replaced? I know that seals dry out etc. if you don't use it often.
4) I also have doofa questions regarding my sub and cd player and amplifiers - anyone with any knowledge of how to connect these up, can you email me privately please?(bindi_goddess@yahoo.com.au).
Thanks for listening to my trials and tribulations! Glad you made it to the end of this letter.
Belinda 
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: New here - 88 rolla questions!
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Wed, 30 June 2004 09:15
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If you really love this car you'll let it rest in peace.
Seriously though, you have a few options if you really want to keep it.
I'm assuming you have a 1988 ae82 corolla, with a 4ac engine.
1. Recondition the current engine using a trustworthy mechanic.
Waste of money for a 4ac if you ask me. Probably more than the car is worth.
2. Acquire a working 4ac. Cheap, easy and effective. Many people just give these away after doing conversions to better engines. However, there is no guarantee on condition, these engines are around 15-20 years old. You'll need to pay someone to do it, but its not a very hard job.
3. Install a 4age. You're looking at at least $1500 for someone to do it for you. Around $1000 for engine, loom, etc. and the rest labour. You'll also need the efi fuel tank, plus you may also need to upgrade your brakes. You may be able to get the engine cheaper, this is about what wreckers sell them for.
You haven't listed your location, so the prices may not be relevant to you.
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Location:
Potts Point, Sydney
Registered:
October 2003
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Re: New here - 88 rolla questions!
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Wed, 30 June 2004 10:00
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I'd suggest you get a decent new engine, such as a 4age or 4agze, which would cost you about $1200 + labour, but then at least you have a good engine and spend less on repairs in the future 
As for the stereo, i can only tell you how to connect the amp and subs...is it a 1, 2, or 4 channel? or more? Do you have a wiring kit and fuse?
1) Connect the red wire to the (+) on the car battery,(make sure the fuse is near by), and run in through a grommet in the firewall. If there is a plastic cap sort of thing, make a hole in it; otherwise you can make a grommet out of a plastic piece of rubber, and make a hole in the fire wall to fit the grommet in. Run the wire from the battery(along the same side of the car as the battery), under the carpet(or above) to the boot and connect in to the amp. Make sure you have a correct GA wire. Use: 2*(#channels*RMS)/13.8V (or your battery power), thats your current draw.
2) As i can remember, its best to run the RCA wires from the deck to the amp on the other side of the car as the red cable, as this can cause interference, and connect into appropriate socket on your amp.
3) The black cable should be connected to anything metallic on your car that you can find in the boot (bolt, whatever). If you drill to make a grouding area DO NOT DRILL INTO THE FUEL TANK. I've done it once 
The rest depends on your amps channels and connecting it to the speakers and subs.
Hope that helps.
[Updated on: Wed, 30 June 2004 12:00]
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I supported Toymods
Location:
sydney.au
Registered:
August 2002
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Re: New here - 88 rolla questions!
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Wed, 30 June 2004 10:17
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490 000k's
holy fucking shit...
good work! 
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Registered:
June 2004
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Re: New here - 88 rolla questions!
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Thu, 01 July 2004 21:21
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Hi,
I don't want to let my baby RIP! It's running really well since I had to get the head and everything else fixed so I am not sure that I want to replace the engine again just yet! But thanks for the advice.
It is the carby I am having problems with, as well as that electrical feeling. I can only describe it as that because I am assuming that is the problem.
Ta,
Belinda
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