An automobile question

On Wed, 06 May 2009 20:32:46 -0600, the infamous Lew Hartswick scrawled the following:

On a few vehicles way back when, the dipstick was attached to the wide-mouthed filler cap.

Hmm, I quit wrenching 4 years earlier than your vehicle, but most Toys had the filler on the passenger side back then.

Call your local Toy dealer and ask, eh, lew?

-- The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage. --Mark Russell

Which one is it Lew?

Model Year Range Engine Chassis Corolla 2Dr Coupe 1988 - 1989 4AF AE92 Corolla 4Dr Sedan 1988 - 1989 4AF AE92 Corolla GTS Coupe 1988 - 1991 4AGE AE92 Corolla2WD Wagon JPN 1988 - 1989 4AF AE92 Corolla4WD Sedan JPN 1989 - 1990 4AFE AE95 Corolla4WD Wagon JPN 1988 - 1992 4AFE AE95

--Winston

I find the thought that my daughter's 1990 Toyota pickup may not be the absolute nadir of automotive maintainability (lord, that truck's hard to work on. Give me a good, straightforward Chrysler!) extremely frightening. Here's a link I found through a quick google:

Look for the one that says "710".

I'm sorry, couldn't resist. I've seen tough ones to find, good luck on it.

Dave

I had the stick-shift version, so this could be different. But, it is on the right side of the car, close to the engine block, somewhat under the air cleaner area. It is a little, triangular yellow ring. If the plastic ring broke off, you'd need to know exactly where it comes out PLUS a floodlight, or you'd NEVER find the thing. There is a total forest of tubes and wires back there.

Jon

It must be the : Corolla 4Dr Sedan 1988 - 1989 4AF AE92 Since it is a sedan and only 2 WD with an automatic.

OK where is the dip stick? I still can't find it. ...lew...

I was going to say something about the 710 but I was afraid someone would jump on be for being mean to blonds. :-) ...lew...

Do you think the blondes will notice?

Hum, I wonder if Hawkie & Cliff are blondes?

(...)

I think it's missing, Lew.

From:

"The dipstick for the engine oil is back by the power steering reservoir and the adjuster bracket for the power steering pump. If you are facing the engine it is in the left rear corner area of the engine. Look straight back from the oil filler cap and just beyond the edge of the aluminum valve cover is the stick. This is for the 4AF engine."

I bet you could find the place it plugged into with a mirror and flashlight.

--Winston

It's not. That dubious honor belongs to the Fiat X-1/9. DAMHIKT.

V6 Mystique/Contour/Mondeo is up there close to the top too!!!

Change timing belt < 20K miles or learn what an interference is.

Wes

Spealing of timing belts, I changed the 91 Ranger's this weekend and now the engine rattles. It has the 2.3l engine, with electronic ignition so there's no distributor. I marked around the ignition pickup location on the crank pulley when the camshaft was at the timing mark. The accessory drive pulley may have shifted a notch but the crank and cam are definitely aligned as before. The crank pulley hub has to be slid out part way for clearance so I made a wrench to fit it and didn't lock the crank to loosen the nut by putting it in gear, as some have suggested.

Nothing external hits when I turn it slowly and all other belts, pulleys and the outer timing cover are off so they aren't the source of the noise. It sounds a little like loose lifters after an oil change, but that goes away quickly.

jsw

When I had a 92 ranger with the 4.0 I found

to be a very helpful resource.

Dave

Belt too tight? Or too loose? Tensioner mis-aligned?

OK I finally got where I could see the yellow handle. Of course it's almost impossible to get your hand down through all those pipes etc. When you do, and get ahold of the ring it is again impossible to get your hand back out holding it. Finally got it checked and showed the grandaughter where it is and how to check the oil. PHEW!!!!! Thanks everyone for the help. ...lew...

Glad you got it, Lew! The Camry of that era had the oil filter and dipstick in clear view and both were very easily accessible.

I see the '07 version has the oil filter _under the car_. Grrr.

--Winston