My new Corolla GT-S
My new Corolla GT-S
Hello car chat!
I just picked up this Corolla GT-S! It's a 1988, with 150k miles, and looks to be in fairly good condition for its age. I picked it up spontaneously while on vacation in Seattle and drove it back to California. It drove like a champ and did the drive easily - but unfortunately it didn't pass CA smog - and it looks like ill need a Catalytic converter - but thats not too big of a deal.
First thing I did was change out the oil to castrol edge 10w-40. Coolant and other fluids are still good and don't need to be changed... timing belt/water pump/sparkplugs were done relatively recently. Basically everything works in the car except for a few small things. The passenger's door doesn't open from the outside, and none of the interior lights worked. I put in a new bulb for the dome light - and it worked, but I can't seem to get to the front light.
Anyone here have an older Corolla? I'm not really sure how to change out the front dome/map light! I tried removing the unit from the roof but it won't budge. I even tried prying out the plastic lens with a blade - with no luck. I also searched google and toyotanation, but I didn't find anything... (But that may be me failing to use search properly
)
Next will probably be LED headlights or suspension. Still unsure about spring/shocks, or coilovers. I'm not going to lower this car much (if at all) ... the car bounces when I do the "shock test", so I just want the car to drive like its supposed to (or better
)
Anyways - just wanted to share
I just picked up this Corolla GT-S! It's a 1988, with 150k miles, and looks to be in fairly good condition for its age. I picked it up spontaneously while on vacation in Seattle and drove it back to California. It drove like a champ and did the drive easily - but unfortunately it didn't pass CA smog - and it looks like ill need a Catalytic converter - but thats not too big of a deal.
First thing I did was change out the oil to castrol edge 10w-40. Coolant and other fluids are still good and don't need to be changed... timing belt/water pump/sparkplugs were done relatively recently. Basically everything works in the car except for a few small things. The passenger's door doesn't open from the outside, and none of the interior lights worked. I put in a new bulb for the dome light - and it worked, but I can't seem to get to the front light.
Anyone here have an older Corolla? I'm not really sure how to change out the front dome/map light! I tried removing the unit from the roof but it won't budge. I even tried prying out the plastic lens with a blade - with no luck. I also searched google and toyotanation, but I didn't find anything... (But that may be me failing to use search properly
) Next will probably be LED headlights or suspension. Still unsure about spring/shocks, or coilovers. I'm not going to lower this car much (if at all) ... the car bounces when I do the "shock test", so I just want the car to drive like its supposed to (or better
) Anyways - just wanted to share
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,226
Likes: 222
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Hello car chat!
I just picked up this Corolla GT-S! It's a 1988, with 150k miles, and looks to be in fairly good condition for its age. I picked it up spontaneously while on vacation in Seattle and drove it back to California. It drove like a champ and did the drive easily - but unfortunately it didn't pass CA smog - and it looks like ill need a Catalytic converter - but thats not too big of a deal.
I just picked up this Corolla GT-S! It's a 1988, with 150k miles, and looks to be in fairly good condition for its age. I picked it up spontaneously while on vacation in Seattle and drove it back to California. It drove like a champ and did the drive easily - but unfortunately it didn't pass CA smog - and it looks like ill need a Catalytic converter - but thats not too big of a deal.
Nice find there. I can remember when these cars were new.....that was just about the time that Toyota and many other automakers were switching from carburetors to electronic fuel-injection. On the California emissions issue, check the law in that state and see if antique cars are exempt from emissions-tests. Your car is now going on 28 model years old, and, in many states, a vehicle 25 years old or more qualifies as an antique, is exempt from emissions tests, and, in some cases, even gets free license plates.
First thing I did was change out the oil to castrol edge 10w-40.
Coolant and other fluids are still good and don't need to be changed... timing belt/water pump/sparkplugs were done relatively recently. Basically everything works in the car except for a few small things. The passenger's door doesn't open from the outside,
Anyone here have an older Corolla? I'm not really sure how to change out the front dome/map light! I tried removing the unit from the roof but it won't budge. I even tried prying out the plastic lens with a blade - with no luck. I also searched google and toyotanation, but I didn't find anything... (But that may be me failing to use search properly )
)
http://repair.chiltondiy.com/Pub/DIY...=Repair&b=8002
Pole Position
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 242
Yessir! Made in Japan
In CA, you're only smog exempt of your car is 1975 or older. Got my new catalytic converter this morning, and the car passed with flying colors. Very low emissions now! Haha.
The Castrol oil I used was slightly heavier than OEM for that very reason
And thanks for the link!
Congratulations. Nice find there. I can remember when these cars were new.....that was just about the time that Toyota and many other automakers were switching from carburetors to electronic fuel-injection.
On the California emissions issue, check the law in that state and see if antique cars are exempt from emissions-tests. Your car is now going on 28 model years old, and, in many states, a vehicle 25 years old or more qualifies as an antique, is exempt from emissions tests, and, in some cases, even gets free license plates.
Wise move. Castrol is good stuff. You might (?) need high-mileage oil, though, if it has 150K on it. High-mileage oil is specifically made to deal with worn rings/valves/bearings, seals, and not burn up or leak out as much.
Good....that means some criminal can't jump in and attack or car-jack you from that side.
Might try downloading an Owners' Manual or Service/Repair manual from Chilton. Some other web sites also have an Owners' manual-ordering service for used cars.
http://repair.chiltondiy.com/Pub/DIY...=Repair&b=8002
Nice find there. I can remember when these cars were new.....that was just about the time that Toyota and many other automakers were switching from carburetors to electronic fuel-injection. On the California emissions issue, check the law in that state and see if antique cars are exempt from emissions-tests. Your car is now going on 28 model years old, and, in many states, a vehicle 25 years old or more qualifies as an antique, is exempt from emissions tests, and, in some cases, even gets free license plates.
Wise move. Castrol is good stuff. You might (?) need high-mileage oil, though, if it has 150K on it. High-mileage oil is specifically made to deal with worn rings/valves/bearings, seals, and not burn up or leak out as much.
Good....that means some criminal can't jump in and attack or car-jack you from that side.
Might try downloading an Owners' Manual or Service/Repair manual from Chilton. Some other web sites also have an Owners' manual-ordering service for used cars.
http://repair.chiltondiy.com/Pub/DIY...=Repair&b=8002
The Castrol oil I used was slightly heavier than OEM for that very reason
And thanks for the link!
Yeah, it's been fun so far!
The center dome light does. But I was talking about the front one. Funny part is - I went to mess with it again today, and in the process of trying to pry it off, it started working! Clicked it back into place - worked perfectly. Maybe something had build up between the contacts and it scratched off when I was messing with it ...
does you dome light cover look like this...http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-1984...VTuaoR&vxp=mtr
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