A few questions re 92 Tercel (CV joint, auto, idle, plugs)

[rlrl]

Thanks for the Corvette and Midas info. BTW, after Midas did an oil change on my 92 tercel they screwed the oil cap on so tight i can't get it off. They suggested me getting a new cap claiming that the inner sealing was shot and was causing oil and vapors to seep thru it. The cap was hot so maybe it will come off when the engine cools down?. if it still won't come off, what is the best method to use? Rubber jar opener or hammer/screwdriver combo, to hit the slotted edges?

OK, last year exactly at this time my car was making not so much a noise but a rumbling/light "coughing" sensation. Each time i took it to the mechanic it suddenly stopped each time we went for a ride so the mechanic could not detect anything. Thinking it was the plugs, he could not hear anything that sounded like a problem.

last year here on the board someone suggested that I ask the mechanic to check the or driveshaft or crankshaft (under the oil pan) to check for metallic shavings or the like but when i mentioned it to the mechanic he said it's too big a job and not necessary

Anyway some posters suggested the rumbling could be from the exhaust pipes rubbing the undersides in such a way that it makes it's way through the engine compartment . pretty soon the rumbling ceased. i thought the others here on the board may have been right

then a few months later in the fall i was coming down a hill and there was this terrible sound of metal on metal. soon it let up about 80% and when i took it to midas they said an exhaust system washer was loose and they put on a new washer. no more metal on metal soiund

just last week the rumbling came back again. same exact thing as last year. do you think it's the weather that causes it? it makes that light "coughing" sensation with a rumbling sound, but when i listen under the hood it's very smooth sounding(tune up was last in 2006)

any comments?

[GTOlover]

get your car a tune-up 4 years is a long time when was the last time you changed the oil was it recent?

[rlrl]

just changed 3 days ago

[M3 Mitch]

I am repeating myself but stay away from Midas and similar chains for car maintenance. Good grief, if you have any sort of garage at all you can change your own oil. I know you are in NYC but even a carport is enough.

You just might want to get a new oil filler cap from Toyota (get the genuine part, not from a chain auto store) although you should be able to "tap" the old one loose with a small hammer (preferably use the hammer handle rather than the head to strike the cap - GENTLY, carefully. )

Trying to diagnose your rumbling sound over the net is tough. Could be a wheel bearing, CV joint, lot of different things. Offhand I wouldn't worry about it too much, but try to find a good mechanic and stay with him (her) and avoid the chain shops like the plague they are.

[rlrl]

hey, is the CV joint the "axle boot"? if so, it's torn on me twice tho is technically not a NY State inspection item

that rumbling happens at idle so probably not a wheel bearing

i got the new oil cap today from Toyota and finally pried it loose when the car cooled off

[square peg]

Wheel bearings need to be turning to make any noise, so those don't seem to be your problem. A rumbling at idle could be the exhaust. Sounds like something is vibrating against something else. Might be that the exhaust pipe is resting on or too close to the rear axle. Could be a worn motor or transmission mount are causing the drive train to sag out of place as well. Those are pretty easy and inexpensive to fix.

[Lux Hauler]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

I am repeating myself but stay away from Midas and similar chains for car maintenance. Good grief, if you have any sort of garage at all you can change your own oil. I know you are in NYC but even a carport is enough.

You just might want to get a new oil filler cap from Toyota (get the genuine part, not from a chain auto store) although you should be able to "tap" the old one loose with a small hammer (preferably use the hammer handle rather than the head to strike the cap - GENTLY, carefully. )

Trying to diagnose your rumbling sound over the net is tough. Could be a wheel bearing, CV joint, lot of different things. Offhand I wouldn't worry about it too much, but try to find a good mechanic and stay with him (her) and avoid the chain shops like the plague they are.

I always say the best truth serum has to be alcohol.

Was at gathering this past weekend and had little chat with a lube shop manager. Let's just say he made it VERY clear that he would never take one of his own prized possessions to one of those establishments.

[rlrl]

I was told that the car has been leaning over on one side (tho it's not visible looking at it outside) due to need for new shocks/struts, maybe that's why that washer went bad and i get a vibration under the car at times and on certain expressways where the pavement is aligned a certain way and the lanes are wide the car does not feel stable, and i feel queasy driving it

but on narrower highways where there is less room i don't notice the problem

[M3 Mitch]

Originally Posted by rlrl

hey, is the CV joint the "axle boot"? if so, it's torn on me twice tho is technically not a NY State inspection item

that rumbling happens at idle so probably not a wheel bearing

i got the new oil cap today from Toyota and finally pried it loose when the car cooled off

The CV joint is inside the axle boot. The boot is not, strictly speaking, a safety item but it keeps grease in the CV joint and water/dirt out, the CV joint *is* a safety item eventually, unlikely to cause a crash outright but if it breaks completely you are not going to be able to drive the car, and the axle (half-axle) shaft will beat things in it's vicinity up pretty good.

The rumble at idle just about has to be an engine or engine accessory issue, maybe transmission. Wheel bearings on FWD cars can get noisy but of course don't make noise unless the car is in motion.

[rlrl]

just like last year, the problem seems to have stopped