Linear's EP91

[Linear]

Linear's EP 91 Progress Blog

Hi there ladies and gents and welcome to what I hope will be an entertaining and enjoyable blog (if only for the schadenfreude). To provide a quick bit of backstory, I bought this brilliant little car about three weeks ago and quickly fell in love; coming from a Ka (with a substantially less than healthy clutch) it represents a nice boost in power, comfort and upgrade potential. Now that I have a car that's a bit more worthwhile investing money into (to learn and for fun, I know I won't get my money back!) I've begun spending some of my paycheck on parts. The first upgrade coming this weekend is a set of clocks from a Toyota Paseo that I'll be fitting in to finally have a tachometer, along with a full service and a sump re-seal since it's weeping veeeery slightly and I'd like to nip it in the bud. As a word of warning and a disclaimer: I'm no car expert. Before this I had a Ford Ka for two years that gave me my first sweet taste of wrenching when I replaced a faulty injector and heater valve and before that I shared a 1.6 Touran with my mum hahaha! Still, I'm willing to learn and hopefully you'll all enjoy watching me slowly improve! Either that or you'll have a good thread to laugh at when I fail miserably at something ;)

Without further ado here are some pictures of the car I took at a recent meet featuring the stickers I added to increase horsepower. You might even recognise the slightly more powerful Starlet next to it ;)

Stay tuned for more pictures this weekend!

Edited August 31, 2016 by Linear

[SpikeyJp_68]

Welcome along pal this forum is great for learning about starlets there's a wealth of information and loads of helpful members around best of luck with it

[Linear]

Welcome along pal this forum is great for learning about starlets there's a wealth of information and loads of helpful members around best of luck with it

Thanks man, I'll be sure to read up a lot on here before I attempt anything since there do seem to be a hell of a lot of useful guides! Already found the one for the Paseo dials which should make the experience a little easier haha

[SpikeyJp_68]

If you've a question about anything you can use the search function, or failing that stick up a post in the relevant section and you'll almost definitely get an answer

[JDMfreak]

welcome along mate you have come to the right place for Toyotas

[Bluebear]

Nah, don't recognise that Starlet next to yours at all. No idea who that is.

Should be good to get the Paseo dials in, let us know how you get on!

[Linear]

If you've a question about anything you can use the search function, or failing that stick up a post in the relevant section and you'll almost definitely get an answer

Thanks Spikey, will do!

welcome along mate you have come to the right place for Toyotas

Thanks man It definitely seems like a great place so far.

Nah, don't recognise that Starlet next to yours at all. No idea who that is.

Should be good to get the Paseo dials in, let us know how you get on!

If I find out who's Starlet it was then I'll let you know, I'm just as clueless as to the owner as you mate ;) I'll be sure to take plenty of pics this weekend and update the thread with my (hopefully) tacho-equipped Starlet.

[jeffrosie]

This is what I used. Hope it helps

This repin is for fitting Paseo White Face dash

16 Pin Plug

1 Fuel Light Black/Yellow

2 Temp TU Yellow/Green

3 ABS Light Red/Green

4 Engine Check Light Green/White

5 Oil Light Yellow

6 ---

7 Dash Illumination + Green

8 Temp E Brown

9 Dash Illumination - White/Green

10 ---

11 ---

12 ---

13 ---

14 ---

15 ---

16 ---

13 Pin Plug

1 IG+ Red/Blue

2 Hand Brake - Yellow/Black

3 Battery Black/White

4 ---

5 Hand Brake + Yellow/Red

6 ---

7 Air Bag Blue/White

8 ---

9 ---

10 Rev Counter Thick Orange with Black end

11 ---

12 ---

13 ---

10 Pin Plug

1 High Beam + Red/White

2 High Beam - White/Black

3 Left Indicator Green/Black

4 Fuel F Yellow/Black

5 Fog Light Rear Red/Yellow

6 4P Purple

7 Fuel SE Brown/White

8 Right Indicator Green/Yellow

9 ---

10 ---

[Linear]

This is what I used. Hope it helps

This repin is for fitting Paseo White Face dash

16 Pin Plug

1 Fuel Light Black/Yellow

2 Temp TU Yellow/Green

3 ABS Light Red/Green

4 Engine Check Light Green/White

5 Oil Light Yellow

6 ---

7 Dash Illumination + Green

8 Temp E Brown

9 Dash Illumination - White/Green

10 ---

11 ---

12 ---

13 ---

14 ---

15 ---

16 ---

13 Pin Plug

1 IG+ Red/Blue

2 Hand Brake - Yellow/Black

3 Battery Black/White

4 ---

5 Hand Brake + Yellow/Red

6 ---

7 Air Bag Blue/White

8 ---

9 ---

10 Rev Counter Thick Orange with Black end

11 ---

12 ---

13 ---

10 Pin Plug

1 High Beam + Red/White

2 High Beam - White/Black

3 Left Indicator Green/Black

4 Fuel F Yellow/Black

5 Fog Light Rear Red/Yellow

6 4P Purple

7 Fuel SE Brown/White

8 Right Indicator Green/Yellow

9 ---

10 ---

Cheers Jeff, should come in handy; the more information the better!

[Linear]

A late night / early morning update. Spent Saturday giving the car some much needed love in the form of new plugs, leads and dizzy cap & rotor and also installed the Paseo clocks. I still need to clean up the wires at some point and break out the soldering iron but they're fine for now Tomorrow comes the oil filter and rear brake shoe replacement. Now without further ado, pictures!


What's in the box?

Just some clocks. Very dusty and greasy too! But after a bit of cleaning they came up lovely.


Beginning the removal process

And they're out!


Beginning the process of correctly setting the mileage on the new clocks. I'd hoped that the odometer would just swap over but unfortunately it's completely different to the one in the Paseo. Instead I had to remove the odometer and the small circular clip holding the tumblers in place, set the mileage and then put it back together! Massive thanks to Monkey for his tutorials on re-wiring the clocks and setting the mileage.


Old and new


Eventually, the new clocks are set to the correct mileage and polished up! Now, onto the engine...

Some new and old comparisons. The dizzy cap is a little unfocused but take it from me that those were some very corroded and worn contacts!


And finally, the working clocks!

Overall I'd say it was a pretty successful day. The engine's running much much better now and having an tachometer is pretty badass ;) Another new part going in tomorrow is a new exhaust manifold shield that I bought off of fiddlersport and that arrived in perfect condition this morning! Currently giving it a few coats of paint to make it extra rust-resistant and then it'll be going in too.

Stay tuned!

Edited August 31, 2016 by Linear

[Linear]

Yesterday I finished off painting the exhaust manifold shield and got it bolted on and also changed the rear brake shoes. Gave the car a good clean and polish too!


All nice and shiny, if a little damp!


The engine pre-shield, with a nicely refreshed ignition system


New manifold shield painted and installed


Final pic of the engine

And, last but not least, the new clocks in action...


Overall it's been a pretty productive weekend and the Starlet's definitely running a lot better now. ECP didn't have my air filter ready for the weekend so that'll be going in next time I head back down south. After looking more closely at the sump I think the problem is the washer. With any luck all it'll need is a new one and I can get away without resealing the sump but if I have to then no big deal. I'll be undersealing the car ASAP and, once I can secure a rocker cover gasket, painting the rocker cover so it doesn't look so sad and corroded!

The next planned mods are a Corolla intake manifold and upgrading the suspension and the front brakes, though those might have to wait until next month or beyond. Slow and steady and all that ;)

Edited August 31, 2016 by Linear

[Linear]

And after a long period of radio silence I'm back! The Starlet's still running beautifully and I love it more every day. I also sold my old Ka on to a man who's going to fix it up with his daughter for her first car, to teach her about mechanics. Super happy that my car's gone to a good home and that I've got some extra cash to invest in the Starlet

Speaking of which, here's the work I did over the weekend


Here's the engine bay as it looked on Saturday morning. As you've all probably been able to tell from my previous pictures, it was a bit of a mess. The more I read other people's blogs on here and saw their lovely clean bays the more I realised something had to be done. I got some degreaser spray and a whole heap of blue roll and got to work.


And here's how the engine bay looked on Saturday night: much cleaner, I'm sure you'll agree! Throughout Saturday I also began repairing the scratches and nicks in the bodywork, which I didn't get any pictures of.


I can finally read my radiator cap!

On Sunday I changed the oil and filters. Here's the new filter peeking cheekily past the shield...


...and here's the new magnetic sump plug (that I screwed on top of the old washer like an idiot before realising my mistake and sorting it out after the picture was taken :


I also did something I've never done before but was very excited about: painting my rocker cover. Sad though it may seem, this is the most disassembly I've ever done to an engine so I was pretty nervous! Removed my old one and got to see the glorious twin cams.


After stripping the metal back using a wire brush, steel wool and a lot of degreaser, I began painting the cover. The grenade is an airsoft one; don't go calling the SWAT teams in ;D






And here it is, all painted and back in the bay with a nice new gasket. Sorry about the poor lighting, it was quite late when I remembered to take a picture! I'll try and get a daytime picture soon. It seems that the leak isn't down to the washer as oil is still very slowly seeping out even with the new plug, so I'll be resealing the sump with a mate hopefully this weekend. My evenings this week will also be spent working on the scratches so hopefully those'll be gone before too long. Then after a month I can Fusso it!

Edited August 31, 2016 by Linear

[Pikey009]

Looking good mate I need to do everything youve done on this page. What plugs did you use and what gap were they set too? Also where did you get the dizzy cap etc from? Also when replacing the rocker gasket did you use sealant as well and did you use new plug seals?

[Linear]

Thanks Pikey! I need to do everything on your blog someday too lol (especially getting my paint looking as nice as yours!). I got all of my ignition parts from Eurocarparts and the new gasket & sump plug from ID-Workz. The plugs are NGK and seemed to already have the correct gap so I didn't bother gapping them. If I'm wrong then I'll gap them ASAP but I've not noticed a drop in fuel economy or performance at all - completely the opposite! The recommended gap is 0.8mm I think

Plug seals were fine so I didn't replace them. I just made sure to cover them up so as not to get any paint on them. I do need to get some new seals for the nuts and the breather though, since they're a bit grim! Just used the gasket on it's own and it's been fine though I suppose sealant couldn't hurt (might want to check with someone more experienced than me on that one haha).

[Rich-k]

What a great read i always enjoy reading someones thread when a good deal of time has gone into writing it up!

[Linear]

Thank you Rich I was a bit worried that I might be posting too many pictures so I'm glad that's not the case!

A quick update on the car front: I should be heading to my mate in Essex sometime this weekend and resealing the sump, which will hopefully stop the oil leak. Also, since I'll be getting paid on Friday, I'll be looking into getting one of those sexy looking bolt kits for the bay to replace the rather rusted ones currently present.

[westie]

Is it relatively straightforward to remove / replace the rocker cover? I need to replace the gasket on mine as it's weeping and i've never been that far into an engine before.

[Linear]

I'd say it's pretty easy Westie, I'd never been that far into an engine before I did mine either! All you do is remove the nuts holding the rocker cover on and then carefully pry it off (since the old gasket will probably be a bit stubborn). I used a screwdriver at each corner to gently ease the cover up and then off, with a little extra persuasion along the sides. The little washers under the nut might also put up a little resistance so be careful with them and if need be unscrew them like you would the nut. The PCV valve should pop right out of the grommet and the breather tube to the right of it will come off easily with a little push around the base using a small flathead screwdriver. Make sure to be careful with any seal that you don't intend to replace too!

[jeffrosie]

I need mine doing too. Are the nuts mate? As I'll get stainless capped nuts.

[Linear]

I'm not sure, though from what I remember they're 10mm? Is that then called an M10 nut? Sorry, you'll have to forgive my lack of nut know-how

[westie]

Awesome, cheers dude!

[jeffrosie]

Thanks mate

[Linear]

No problem guys! I'm very much a novice with all this so I'd make sure to double check my advice with some of the older members on here, but best of luck to both of you. Look forward to seeing the results

[Bluebear]

I should be heading to my mate in Essex sometime this weekend and resealing the sump

Be careful of Charlie and The Curse

[Linear]

Hahaha, I'm hoping that Justitis can only be caught by Subarus ;)