New To Ke55e Some Advice

[marT]

Hi all,

 

This is my first post in this forum and I hope you can help me out.

 

I recently received a 1979 KE55 corolla sedan off my great aunty who is 86 and can no longer drive. She has taken extremely good care of this car, or so I have been told. The engine has been changed at least once or at least re build, it has done 285000k's. The body is in great shape. Only a few small rust patches, new window seals etc. Mechanically it is very good also. Handling/suspension is great, brakes are great aswell as the clutch.

 

However, there are a few small niggling problems I would like to try and fix myself if possible, I don't want to pour money into it.

 

1st of all it seems to stall with the choke all the way off, when I first picked it up it seemed to be fine but now it just stalls when I put the clutch in when slowing down for traffic lights etc for example. It just seems like the rpm is too low. For example it RUNS fine with the choke off, it is just idling is a problem. If I have the choke a little bit on it is fine.

 

I had a look under the bonnet to see if I could maybe adjust the throttle so at idle it would be a little higher. I think I found what I was looking for. There was a thumbscrew looking thing that controlled the throttle located under the right side of the air filter cover. This seemed to rest on a white plastic solenoid thing? I presuming this was the choke? because if I had the choke out this thing would also be further out whereas if I had the choke off it would go back. I had a go at adjusting the thumb screw but it was quite corroded and impossible to turn with fingers. I didn't have a tool that could reach it well. I also wasn't 100% sure I should be adjusting it. Which is also why I came on here.

 

 

Also, my great aunty almost definitely wouldn't be running any lead replacement fluid in it. She just wouldn't have thought about it. So at the moment its running on regular unleaded. I am guessing this is of concern and might be contributing to the stalling. Can anyone recommend some good lead replacement fluid? Or other things that might be good to run in an engine of this vintage? I am in Australia btw if this makes a difference.

 

It is also a bit hesitant when cold and a reasonable amount of choke on. Like if I don't keep the revs up when changing into 2nd for example it might kind of bog down and lurch and hop and splutter until it sorts itself out (usually by me reducing the throttle a bit and then putting my foot back on). I am guessing the engine might be getting flooded?

 

Last but not least. This is an unusual one. I have noticed while driving that I will suddenly lose my fuel and temp guage. Like the car isn't even on and then it will come back later. I think I have deducted that this happens when I have my lights on, because I haven't noticed it yet while driving in the day and when I turn my lights off it seems to bring them back. I am assuming its some electrical fault. Any obvious things to check though?

 

This is not my only car. I also drive a 1992 silvia. I was hoping to use this car as a run around while I sort out some problems and have my silvia serviced and after that will be sold. I used to own a 260z so I am not a newbie to old cars and this car as brought back A LOT of memories of that car. Its a lot of fun to drive compared to a modern car IMO.

 

Anyway, if anyone can help me out to my small problems it would be much appreciated!

 

Martin.

[Hiro Protagonist]

Hi all,

 

Hi

 

 

Also, my great aunty almost definitely wouldn't be running any lead replacement fluid in it. She just wouldn't have thought about it. So at the moment its running on regular unleaded. I am guessing this is of concern and might be contributing to the stalling. Can anyone recommend some good lead replacement fluid? Or other things that might be good to run in an engine of this vintage? I am in Australia btw if this makes a difference.

 

KE55s don't need to run lead replacement because they have alloy heads, and thus automatically have hardened valve seats. Lead replacement fuels are mainly for cars with cast heads that don't have the hardened valve seats, hence are not needed here. However it might be worthwhile running it on 98 for a few tanks, and then keeping it at either 95 or 98. Remember, leaded had a higher octane rating than 91 unleaded, and you should adjust your timing to suit the new fuel too.

 

It is also a bit hesitant when cold and a reasonable amount of choke on. Like if I don't keep the revs up when changing into 2nd for example it might kind of bog down and lurch and hop and splutter until it sorts itself out (usually by me reducing the throttle a bit and then putting my foot back on). I am guessing the engine might be getting flooded?

K-series engines have never been powerhouses, and will feel a bit more sluggish when cold, even with choke on. Flooring it with the choke on will most likely be overfueling the thing to buggery (explaining the power drop). Once I got the hang of starting my KE55 when it was cold without the choke I almost never used it, much better to let the engine warm up before you boot it too much.

 

Last but not least. This is an unusual one. I have noticed while driving that I will suddenly lose my fuel and temp guage. Like the car isn't even on and then it will come back later. I think I have deducted that this happens when I have my lights on, because I haven't noticed it yet while driving in the day and when I turn my lights off it seems to bring them back. I am assuming its some electrical fault. Any obvious things to check though?

 

The temp and fuel gauges on almost every KE never work properly. Poor electrical connections, corroded senders etc etc. And when one gauge goes, it has a nasty tendency of taking the other one with it. Not too much you can do apart from getting a different cluster with better gauges, re-running the wiring, running aftermarket temp + fuel gauges, or replacing the senders. But then again, it's not that much of an issue, and you'll learn to go off the odometer for when to fuel up as opposed to the gauge.

[juligan]

My 1979 KE55 has a smiliar problem with the fuel and temperature gauges. When my lights are on high beam, the temp. and the fuel gauge drop all the way down to show no reading.

[marT]

Thanks guys, that is all very useful to know.

 

So where is a good place to start regarding the stalling when the choke is off at idle?

[COROLLAANDY]

Gday, on the KE55 gauge problem, there is a small regulator that screws on the back of the instrument cluster that plays up and makes the gauges work intermittently or not at all.

Replace this and your gauges will work just like new!!

A good start with poor idling when warm is to check the manifold bolts.

There should be 6, check they're all there and tight.

I've had cars still running with 3 bolts loose or missing.

[Taz_Rx]

The little "regulator" drops the 12v power down to 10v for the guages. Have no idea why toyota didn't just somehow make 12v guages!! :yes:

 

My car does it too, but not effected by the lights. Whenever I have less than about 1/4 of a tank of fuel, the fuel guage doesn't work.....and hence neither does the temp. As mentioned its no big deal and you'll learn to live with it. :)

 

As for your hesatation while driving with the choke on, its simply over fueling. Have you actually tried pushing the choke back in when its doing this?

 

And yes, you're on the right track with the idle speed screw. have a try at adjusting it with a screw driver.