1997 Toyota Tercel

1997 Toyota Tercel questions and answers

Looking to buy or sell a new or used 1997 Toyota Tercel Check out Used Cars @ LemonFree.com

Q: What causes a speedometer to go haywire on a 1997 Toyota Tercel?
I have a 1997 Toyota Tercel. Intermittently (most often in the early morning), when I accelerate to highway speeds (meaning >35MPH), I hear a very loud buzzing sound from under my dashboard, and the needle on the speedometer goes haywire (rapidly travels from 5MPH to 120MPH and then back again). The performance of the car is otherwise unaffected, but when this happens it's REALLY annoying. Usually, the problem solves itself after about 30 minutes of driving, and doesn't come back for several weeks. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

A: Off hand i'd say replace yer spedo cable .. (usually from Xmission to dash but sometimes from a front wheeel) and or regrease it.. secondly.. i'd say the speedo itself needs replaced as the spring isnt quite right.. the righting itself in a few mins makes me say cable & grease.. when it warms up the cable turns freely...

Q: How much should I ask for a 1997 Toyota tercel in good shape?
it needs a windshield and front strut..175000km's besides that it's in good shape...new brakes and muffler 2 years ago..no air

A: a grand. windshield will be like 500 600 bucks so....

Q: what would be a good setup for my 1997 toyota tercel?
im thinkin about some coilovers, short ram intake, intake mani, catback exhaust and headers but idk what brands would be good for toyotas? any help is greatly appreciated.

A: you might wanna swap the motor out to a 7afe motor..or a 7afe block and a 4age head (7age)...or a 4age 20 valve.....more after market support and more power...

Q: How much will it cost to put in new crankshaft sensor in a 1997 Toyota Tercel?


A: If you don't have to pay for anything but the part, you can get it for 78.99. If you have to pay parts and labor, less than 200.00. If you also have to pay for the diagnosis, you will be pushing 300.00.

Q: I replaced the timing belt on my 1997 Toyota Tercel. Now not firing / wont crank. What could have happened?
We used the Factory timing marks on the cam and crank. But no spark even though it rolls over Could someone also give me the location of the crankshaft position sensor? This is a 1.5 L dual overhead cam engine.

A: Timing belts are extremely difficult to succesfully change unless you have experience in the area. The timing on the engine must be set exactly, or (unless non interference engine is present) the valves and the cylinder bores would collide, which would cause call for very expensive engine repair. Disconnecting the negative battery cable. Insure you have your radio security code (if equipped) any preset radio stations and the time on a piece of paper to allow for quick resetting once repairs are made.) Remove the distributor cap. (Most modern cars are "distributorless" electronic ignition types. They will have a cam position sensor instead. The important thing is to be able to determine "TDC" (Top Dead Center) on the #1 cylinder - which usually requires consultation of the engine repair manual which all differs by model.) Using a wrench or socket on the crankshaft bolt rotate the engine until the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley is aligned with the 0° mark on the timing scale (This step assumes the timing belt is still intact). Under any circumstances do not do this on interference engines unless you are sure the belt is still in-tact. If you have not already bent your valves with a broken timing belt, you will likely do so if you spin the crankshaft without the camshaft spinning. Verify the distributor rotor is aligned with the index mark on the distributor housing indicating the rotor is in position to fire the number one cylinder. If not, rotate the engine another full turn. (May require more turns in V6, V8 engines - see above comment about TDC.) Remove any components or accessory drive belts that interfere with removing the timing belt cover. This varies by model; consult your service manual to determine which parts need to be removed from your vehicle. (This step involves removal of the crankshaft pulley, which may require a "pulley puller". See also comment below on special tools.) Remove the bolts or screws holding the timing cover in place, and lift the cover off the engine. Some engines have a two-piece timing cover. Check for proper alignment of the crank and camshaft timing marks. NOTE: Many engines have a dot or index line on the pulleys or sprockets that must be lined up with corresponding marks on the block, cylinder head, or accessory shaft. On some engines, the index mark on the camshaft sprocket aligns with the parting line of the first camshaft-bearing tower. This is very important if you're replacing a timing belt that has broken. Consult your service manual for the correct alignment procedure for your vehicle and correct any misalignment before installing the new timing belt. (See comment above on TDC.) CAUTION: Check the area around the belt for signs of oil leakage from the cam and crank seals, valve cover and oil pan. Check for coolant leaks from the water pump and water pump by-pass hose. Leaks must be repaired before the new belt is installed. Loosen the timing belt tensioner. NOTE: Some vehicles may require a special tool to reach tensioner mounting bolts hidden by components such as motor mounts. Some engines require a special tool to release a spring-loaded timing belt tensioner. However, most engines have a spring-loaded tensioner that can be operated using common tools in the following manner. Loosen the mounting bolt(s) holding the belt tensioner but do not remove it. Pry the tensioner away from the belt and then retighten the mounting bolt(s)to hold the tensioner in the loose position. Examine the tensioner pulley for damage such as dents or cracks. Spin the tensioner pulley and listen for a rattle or humming noise that would indicate loose or worn bearings. Uneven wear at the rear of the old timing belt could indicate a misalignment between the tension pulley and timing belt due to worn bearings. If any indications of damage or worn bearings are found, replace the tensioner pulley. With the tension on the timing belt relieved, the belt should slide easily off the sprockets. Timing belts that have been used for a long time may stick in the pulley grooves and require some gentle prying with a screwdriver to release. When re-assembling, pay special attention to "torquing" specs on the engine manual, particularly the crankshaft pulley mounting bolt which usually has a very high torque spec. If equipped with a hydraulic timing belt tensioner, removal may be required to compress the piston back into the cylinder. Place into a vise and compress until holes line up to allow the insertion of a holding pin. Once the pin is in place the tensioner can be re-installed.

Q: 1997 Toyota tercel that won't shift out of 1st gear...what could be wrong?
I have a 1997 Tercel, it's an automatic. I can't get it to shift out of 1st gear on its own. I can manually get it to go into 2nd but that's it... I tried changing the tranny filter and it didn't help. Now I am at a loss!! I need your help!!

A: it could be a bad governor, valve body sticking, weak pump. The best advice is to take it to a trans shop and have it properly diagnosed

Q: 1997 Toyota Tercel fuel gage?
Is there a way to reset the fuel gage or sensor to the factory specs? My Tercel shows just over 3/4 of a tank of gas when it's supposed to show 1/2 tank. I get roughly 340 miles per tank, but I'm sitting at 250+ when I get to the half tank mark and it goes quick.

A: Hi there! I repair guages for a living. The answer is no. If the guage or sender has gone bad then it must be replaced with new or used. The Japanese just don not offer parts to repair their guages.

Q: what are the best coil-overs i can buy for my 1997 toyota tercel?


A: None. It's a Toyota Tercel. It doesn't need coilovers. Nothing would be gained from it, as the car doesn't have enough performance to ever require something like that.

Q: Oil issues related to 1997 Toyota Tercel?
Hi friends, My brother has a toyota tercel manual trans. it has almost 250000+ km on it. The problem is that the engine oil gets too dark too fast. no matter which oil you put in it, after sometime in less miles, you check the oil and its black again. also when he accelerates harder, a dark blue oil comes out of the exhaust. but in slow driving, the smoke is no where to be seen. can anyone explain in detail what's going on here and what's broken and how much it will cost to get fixed? toyota is reliable so this problem seems strange. oil is always changed as mentioned in the manual. Thanks.

A: Ok your's not a big problem. First; 250K is serious milleage. Don't know where you're from but if this is not big issue you should consider raising the oil rating to your tercel, say from 5w-30 to 10w-40 since it will provide a thicker film to the piston wall and cover the miro abrasions that are causing to much carbon to be absorbed by the oil via the piston rings at the cost of a little less MPG's. Also consider changing the valve seals; this is a simple (1 to 2 day) procedure but must be done by a good mechanic to reduce your blue smoke. Toyotas are known to get oil dirty. At this milleage do not flush the engine but lower the oil change interval from 5000 to 3000 miles or even 2500 and after 2 or 3 changes you should see a difference. Hope all this helps and that the tercel will give you many more years of enjoyment.

Q: Any problems/concerns with a 1997 toyota tercel?
Can anybody reccomend or discourage me from buying this make/model car? And why?? thanks..

A: Small, economic, and reliable. That is the best way to put it. They are very good cars. Only problem is when a toyota goes it is expensive. I would personally recommend a Civic in replacemenet of a tercel. It's cheaper and just as reliable, if you get either a tercel or civic in manual you can get up to 45 MPG

Q: I'm getting a Toyota Tercel 1997 model (86K Miles) in $2200. Is it worth?
Its a manual car.

A: check for sludge in the engine, marks on the frame -- and run a car fax

Q: which car to get? USED toyota tercel, corolla, camry, honda civic or nissan sentra?
Hi all, i'm a poor college student and i need to find a RELIABLE car for as cheap as possible. will probably be getting a used car from a private party on craigslist or something. probably a 1994-1997 toyota tercel, corolla, camry, honda civic or nissan sentra. i will be getting a clear titled car factors to consider: cost of car cost of parts cost of maintenance mpg (though they're all pretty similar) i need an automatic right now the costs of the cars are in this order: lowest to highest tercel sentra corolla civic camry i plan to drive this car around 4-5 years, and i want to not have to bother with maintenance so much and if i do, which car has the cheapest? i heard civics have the cheapest parts, but a civic is about $1000 more than a tercel. but i don't know how much maintenance i'll have to put into the tercel and if i do, would the prices add up?? thanks for your expertise. share any stories/experiences about the mentioned cars or any warnings. ALSO i plan on getting a car with around 100-150k mileage so i need one that will last me 4 years, i don't really plan to resell it, but it's a possibility. even if just for a couple hundreds... i won't use more than 10k miles a year and they're mostly going to be freeway miles ALSO apart from craigslist, ebay and yahoo auto where can i get used cars for LA area ? cheap and reliable? thanks preferably private parties. sites does anyone know how much it'd cost to fix the AC and horn for a civic? thanks

A: I've owned a 92 Civic, 3 Corollas (89, 92, 95), and 90 Tercel, but not Sentra or Camry. And I am a college student, AND I bought all of these cars for $1000 or under. I also bought all of them with my own hard earned money, so I know the value of a reliable and easy to maintain car. I am also training to be a mechanic so I know which is easier to get parts for, etc... The most enjoyable, reliable, and best overall car would be the Corolla. I had a 95 Corolla and currently drive a 92 Civic. They both are cars that can run up to 200k miles and can still be good. The Corolla has a little more room and a little more power. The Civic does cost much, much less for parts. Though overall the Corolla faired me the best, and was the most reliable. It also sold for the most. It is the easiest car I have ever worked on, and thats between hundreds. I think you should focus on these two cars, the Civic and Corolla. They are equal all around, its just availability. Matter of fact I am selling my 93 Honda Civic and getting a newer 2000 Civic to finish out this last year of College to get my bachelors degree. They are really good cars. BTW, Tercels are okay, just I find the engines weak, and sometimes they cost within 2 or 3 hundred of the Corolla which is way better. But if you get the Tercel its okay too. Good luck.

Q: Removing car stereo from tercel?
does anyone know how to remove the original cassette player from a 1997 toyota tercel.

A: You can find the instructions here. http://documents.victorytechnologies.com//documents/product/2482.pdf

Q: Timing belts and water pumps - do you always need to get the two changed at the same time?
I've got to get the timing belt on my 1997 Toyota Tercel done soon. Everyone keeps telling me I should get the water pump and serpantine belts done at the same time, but I had all of that serviced about 15,000 miles back when one of my serpantines broke. Do I need to get the whole works redone or can I get away with just getting the timing done? Since I don't think I explained this correctly when I asked, I should clarify: I got the serpentines and the water pump done but NOT the timing belt. My mechanic never suggested to me that the timing was an issue, even though the car was at about 90k miles and should be overdue. Looking back, he shoould have just offered to do the whole thing for me, but didn't. I didn't know enough then to know the difference.

A: Hi there... they have to take off all of the belts to get to the timing belt. Anytime a belt is removed it runs the risk of being damaged. Now considering the all the belts have to be removed even though only 15,000 miles ago you might as well have new belts alround. The cost is really only for the new belts as they have to remove them anyway....

Q: What Type Of Car Do You Drive?
I drive a 1997 White Toyota Tercel. I want to get a feel of every car out there on the road today. Can you help me? Would you please tell me what type of car you drive and how many miles you get to the tank of gas? The last time I drove my car, I was able to get 449.1 miles to the tank. When I went to re-fuel the car it caost me $34.50. It gave me 10.331 gallons to fill up completeley. Would you please tell me the following on your car. 1. What year,make , and model is it? 2. How many gallons are there? 3. How much does it cost to fill up completly? 4. How far can you go to the tank of gas? DO NOT INCLUDE VIN,LICENSE PLATE NUMBER , OR INS.POLICY NUMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only numbers I want are the year of the car, gallons there are, and the cost to fill up completley, and how far you can go on a tank of gas. Thanks, Dee.

A: 2002 pontiac montana 23gal tank $65.00 to fill 530 miles 1989 ford f-250 4x4 20 gal tank 60.00 to fill 330 miles