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Forrester
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1992 Toyota Camry project - tips/ideas appreciated 4
#27602456 - 01/01/22 01:29 PM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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Nobody even comes to this forum, but I'm bored and picked up a nice project today so I decided I'd document my efforts to turn this find into a nice daily driver. I'm not much of a mechanic but can do basic stuff and trying to learn to do some of the more difficult jobs as I don't have much extra money to pay mechanics anymore. Maybe some of you handier folks around here can help me with some tips and ideas along the way.
Those of you not living in Maine or a rust zone might not appreciate how rare this is, but generally any car over 10 years old that's regularly driven in this state is almost a trasher due to rust issues. Maine is also an inspection state, so it can be nearly impossible to get older cars inspected and drive them legally. BUT, if the car is 25 years old or more, it can be registered as an antique and inspection in no longer required.
Hence this Camry. 30 years old and literally no noticeable rust. 97k original miles. Has the old reliable 5S-FE 2.2l 4 cylinder in it, automatic transmission. Paid $650. Transmission seems pretty solid and shifts smoothly, good power.
Known issues / planned stuff to fix:
- Brakes are toast, horrible grinding from the front and almost no braking. Brake fluid leaking from somewhere and loses it pretty quickly. Unable to stop when reversing even when brakes all the way pressed down. Plan is to find the leak and fix, and probably do rotors/drums/pads/shoes all the way around, fix anything else as necessary.
- Timing belt kit and water pump. With no knowledge of if/when it's been done I'd like to accomplish this so I can drive it for a long time. Non-interference engine but unfortunately not one of the ones Toyota decided to put a timing chain on.
- Exhaust manifold to pipe gasket is squished out and will need replacing.
- Change pretty much all fluids/filters
- Will probably be adding more stuff
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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Forrester
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: Forrester] 1
#27602464 - 01/01/22 01:34 PM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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So first up is the brakes. I'll edit into this post whenever I start.
Now here in Maine, normally the culprit here for lost brake fluid and no braking would be the brake lines themselves rusted through, but here I don't think that's likely the case as there's little to no rust underneath, not even the exhaust.
I don't see any brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder, so it's gotta be one or more of the wheels, maybe at a caliper or brake cylinder.
Anyone think I might be right or have another idea to look/start at? Considering this is an old but rarely driven car...
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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dizzy_simmons
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: Forrester] 1
#27611361 - 01/08/22 08:03 AM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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Set that thing on jack stands & take all the wheels off, brake lines are a pain when you canβt get under the vehicle to see them. Check your calipers on the front & the wheel cylinders in the rear. If you still canβt find the leak top off the fluid & mash the pedal a couple times; you may have to crawl under it & have somebody else step on the brake.
Hope youβve got a garage!
-------------------- UNDO YOUR DOMESTICATION Looking for: ***The Land of the Free*** Ps. caerulipes Ps. cubensis Ps. cyanescens Ps. ovoideocystidiata Pan. cinctulus Pan. cyanescens
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Forrester
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Sadly, I do not have a garage! Otherwise I'd be out there right now working, but it's like 9 degrees and windy so hell no
I did pick up 4 cinder blocks since I figured I'll have it up for a while, gonna use jack stands with them as backup since I'm working on dirt ground.
Yup that's the plan though, I'm hoping the calipers are gonna be where it's leaking from since it's grinding horribly from the front when you brake. Watched some youtube videos and the calipers look fairly easy to do, haven't looked into wheel cylinders yet, are they pretty straightforward as well?
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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stubb
Dahg Rastubfari
Registered: 03/23/19
Posts: 1,339
Loc: Memory
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: Forrester] 1
#27611456 - 01/08/22 09:45 AM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Forrester said: I did pick up 4 cinder blocks since I figured I'll have it up for a while, gonna use jack stands with them as backup since I'm working on dirt ground.
One of my best friends had to have a chunk of concrete removed from his skull after a cinderblock being employed as a jackstand exploded. Don't use cinderblocks as jackstands.
-------------------- ππ΄π
°πΌ π
²π»π
Έπ½π
Άπ
ππ°π
Ώ You wake up. The room is spinning very gently round your head. Or at least it would be if you could see it which you can't. It is pitch black. > TURN ON LIGHT
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Forrester
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: stubb] 1
#27611521 - 01/08/22 10:29 AM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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Yeah like I said I'm using jack stands, with cinderblocks as backup. The jack stands tend to kinda dig into the ground here and end up lower over time. I always leave the jack if I'm going under it anyway.
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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stubb
Dahg Rastubfari
Registered: 03/23/19
Posts: 1,339
Loc: Memory
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: Forrester] 1
#27611537 - 01/08/22 10:40 AM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Forrester said: Yeah like I said I'm using jack stands, with cinderblocks as backup. The jack stands tend to kinda dig into the ground here and end up lower over time. I always leave the jack if I'm going under it anyway.
Unsealed cinderblocks of unknown origin sitting on the ground absorbing moisture aren't great backup for anything, especially sudden localized impacts.
But you do you.
-------------------- ππ΄π
°πΌ π
²π»π
Έπ½π
Άπ
ππ°π
Ώ You wake up. The room is spinning very gently round your head. Or at least it would be if you could see it which you can't. It is pitch black. > TURN ON LIGHT
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Forrester
aspiring sociopath
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: stubb] 1
#27611620 - 01/08/22 12:01 PM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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It wouldn't be a sudden impact, it would be the jack stand sinking into the ground slowly, but thanks for your concern.
I won't be under the vehicle anyway I just want all four wheels off the ground so I can bleed the brakes.
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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stubb
Dahg Rastubfari
Registered: 03/23/19
Posts: 1,339
Loc: Memory
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: Forrester] 1
#27611643 - 01/08/22 12:20 PM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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K then, if you don't want to properly crib your vehicle in the dirt that's fine by me. Good luck and have fun.
-------------------- ππ΄π
°πΌ π
²π»π
Έπ½π
Άπ
ππ°π
Ώ You wake up. The room is spinning very gently round your head. Or at least it would be if you could see it which you can't. It is pitch black. > TURN ON LIGHT
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dizzy_simmons
Detective
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: stubb] 1
#27611777 - 01/08/22 02:17 PM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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Been a while since Iβve done a wheel cylinder but it was eezy-peezy on my truck, tho I think I struggled to compress the cylinder for the shoes to fit βtil I took the cap off the master cylinder to relieve pressure. You may have less room to work with it being a Camry & all, but I have faith in you.
I also DONβT TRUST ANYHING MY LITTLE SISTER CAN KARATE CHOP APART to hold vehicles. You can place spare pieces of 2x6 or something under your jack stands to keep them from sinking.
A Haynes/Chiltins/etc manual for your car would be a good investment too if ya plan on keeping it for a while. Auto parts stores often have them behind the counter.
-------------------- UNDO YOUR DOMESTICATION Looking for: ***The Land of the Free*** Ps. caerulipes Ps. cubensis Ps. cyanescens Ps. ovoideocystidiata Pan. cinctulus Pan. cyanescens
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bridge2far
Registered: 10/09/21
Posts: 387
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Rad project!
100% acquire a Haynes manual for that ride. Had a couple Accords of a similar vintage and the Haynes manual save me so much cash. One Accord also suffered from constant loss of brake fluid. Believe it was fixed by replacing both the master & slave cylinders.
I probably wonβt have any useful advice to give but Iβll follow your thread if only to cheer you on.
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Forrester
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Never seen this before, but I think I've found the problem.
There appear to be no brake pads. On either side.
<----made sure to show the jack stand in there so you guys can stop yelling at me
On the passenger side, you can see where the brake fluid is dripping from the caliper.
So looks like I'll need 2 new calipers, rotors, and pads and that should do it.
I don't know how the brake pads could have possibly come out while driving, so someone must have put it back together like that?!
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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Forrester
aspiring sociopath
Registered: 02/05/13
Posts: 9,352
Loc: Northeast USA
Last seen: 24 days, 2 hours
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: bridge2far] 1
#27612642 - 01/09/22 09:03 AM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
bridge2far said: Rad project!
100% acquire a Haynes manual for that ride. Had a couple Accords of a similar vintage and the Haynes manual save me so much cash. One Accord also suffered from constant loss of brake fluid. Believe it was fixed by replacing both the master & slave cylinders.
I probably wonβt have any useful advice to give but Iβll follow your thread if only to cheer you on.
Thanks for coming along! Yeah I remember back in high school when I knew even less of what I was doing, I found the Chilton's manual pretty indispensable for working on my 90 Celica. Of course that was back before the internet was much of a thing
My first car ever was an 84 Accord hatchback, had the Chilton's for that one too!
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AlvWoodz
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: Forrester] 1
#27633797 - 01/26/22 12:48 PM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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Drove a 94 camry in college. Funny enough I finally got rid of it when the breaks died while I was driving. That was a fun one.
-------------------- AlvWoods 2.022 LAGM
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Forrester
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: AlvWoodz] 2
#27633919 - 01/26/22 02:26 PM (2 years, 2 months ago) |
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Well I did manage to get the front brakes finished, both calipers, rotors, and pads replaced and bled. Stops as it should now! Although I forgot to take a picture of the finished job... I'll get one when I have to bleed them again after doing the back brakes.
Man was that easy, I can't believe I've been paying mechanics to do this kind of work for years... It took me longer to figure out which way the brake clips went than to do the whole rest of the job
Next up is the back brakes as soon as weather permits. Hopefully I don't have leaks from there too.
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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bsnow4
Outdoor and drug enthusiast
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: Forrester] 1
#27663770 - 02/18/22 10:37 AM (2 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Forrester said: Well I did manage to get the front brakes finished, both calipers, rotors, and pads replaced and bled. Stops as it should now! Although I forgot to take a picture of the finished job... I'll get one when I have to bleed them again after doing the back brakes.
Man was that easy, I can't believe I've been paying mechanics to do this kind of work for years... It took me longer to figure out which way the brake clips went than to do the whole rest of the job
Next up is the back brakes as soon as weather permits. Hopefully I don't have leaks from there too.
The job is only easy when there's no rust!
I live in central NH so get to deal with the same rust issues you do. One of the prices of living in paradise, I guess.
How worn down were those calipers? I wonder if the person before you just ran the car until the brake pads completely disintegrated vs. replaced the brakes and just didn't put the pads in. It would still stop, especially if the back drums are operational.
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Forrester
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: bsnow4] 1
#27663783 - 02/18/22 10:48 AM (2 years, 1 month ago) |
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There was dust from the calipers covering the whole hubcaps they were way far gone.
Yeah I guess that is possible that the whole pad was just worn to nothing. Amazing...
Yeah it's a frickin dream getting to work on a car for once that doesn't have rust issues!!
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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bsnow4
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: Forrester] 1
#27665049 - 02/19/22 11:13 AM (2 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Forrester said: There was dust from the calipers covering the whole hubcaps they were way far gone.
Yeah I guess that is possible that the whole pad was just worn to nothing. Amazing...
That's wild, though. Amazes me that some folks don't even consider checking routine maintenance items like brakes on a semi-regular basis.
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Forrester
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project [Re: bsnow4] 1
#27665233 - 02/19/22 02:09 PM (2 years, 1 month ago) |
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Especially since the brakes were grinding horrendously and the car could barely stop. I had planned to drive it home but after a few blocks I called AAA and had it towed. After seeing what was going on with the brakes, I'm very glad I did that
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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Buster_Brown
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Re: 1992 Toyota Camry project - tips/ideas appreciated [Re: Forrester]
#27770180 - 05/09/22 06:01 PM (1 year, 10 months ago) |
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Happy Butterscotch Brownie Day
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