From the turbocharged G54B-4G54 Astron engine department of Tool of the Week comes the digital scale, shown here in the process of measuring more Astron connecting rods than we have engine blocks to put them in. As yet another Mitsubishi engine buildup is in the near future, a small investment in an inexpensive digital scale seemed a good way to figure out was going on with two … [Read more...]
No recalls for 1982 Toyota Starlet!
It might need a few new valve springs. The input shaft bearing in the transmission is whining a little. There's a wobble or two here or there. One of the camshaft lobes may be in trouble. Clunks? Plenty. We're really hoping the clutch cable doesn't finally give out either. The good news is that even with 230-plus thousand miles on the original 4K-C engine - there are no recalls … [Read more...]
Bring the Amber Lamps!
From the internet meme department of repairs comes this quick and E-Z tech tip for those looking to find the amber lamps. In this case the two stock amber inboard headlamps for a 1969 Citroen iD sedan proved not only near-impossible to locate, but à prix élevé for the purposes of drivable restification. The inexpensive solution comes in a can for under ten bucks. One can of … [Read more...]
Economy Seat Covers
The dry climate and salt free roads of California are kind to older cars like the Starlet. The same warm California sun has detrimental effects on vinyl interiors. Throw in twenty plus years of sitting and sunbathing, and it's a good bet that even the rich Corinthian leather in those 1981 Cordoba seats has seen better days. Drivers seats take the biggest beating. While the foam … [Read more...]
Replace Oxygen Sensor
Joining Space Invaders, the personal computer, and perhaps Sputnik in the pantheon of modern technological achievements is the oxygen sensor. Most every modern fuel injected automobile has one or more of these sentinels threaded into its exhaust pipe. Elements inside the oxygen sensor tip measure the amount of oxygen gas in the exhaust, and convert the ratio into a signal that … [Read more...]