Spirited

Are there any retaining clips or pins holding the drive shafts into the diff or hubs? Thanks. ZZE.

Hi, Can someone please express their opinion in detail on removing drive shafts from the 1ZZ-FE manual transmission found in the ZZE122 make corolla. I have read about mixed opinions in using prying bars, hammers and screw drivers as chisels and would like a definitive opinion which works with success from you guys. Thanks in advance; Any help appreciated. ZZE.

Considering the EGO, the oxygen sensor only becomes active on closed loop engine operation after it has been warmed up. Closed loop operation occures when there is a consistant amount of fuel entering the engine over a given amount of time, such as highway driving where the ECU considers the fuel flow to be as close to constant, where by it is referenced in it's parameters. This means the ECU can carefully regulate the amount of fuel to create a more efficient burn by calculating the amount of fuel combusted in the engine, derived from the exhaust gases where it gathers the air:fuel ratio. This type of operation as I know only occures in instances of close to no acceleration, so I would think you could almost rule the factor out about the o2 sensor, as you are accelerating when you get the splutter and the car is still warming up. This brings me to where I think it may be as you say where the air:fuel mix on cold when you start the car up is different to when it is warm, which may be related to how the ECU controls the amount of air taken in by the engine through valves. This may suggest that you do indeed not have a cold start fuel map? (I still think you may have a cold start fuel map, as the problem didn't occure before that service). Perhaps the parameters of the ECU have changed, the PCV? valve (is that the right one?) has been adjusted or some other factor has caused an incorrect air volume input on idle? Sometimes when vacuum leaks occur, the engine can run rough, and splutter, even though theory says that the engine rpm should increase due to the amount of increased air volume, but in actual fact, the air fuel ratio has become to far further lean, that less power is produced, due to not enough fuel being present in the volume of air, causing a stuttery idle. When the car is warm, the rpm may increase with a vacuum leak, but this phenomenon of stuttering with theoretically greater air volume does occur on cold starts. I know I am contradicting myself here, but it does happen as the conditions of combustion are different in the engine between when warm and cold as I have experienced in previous cars. Hope this helps you mate, going by what experience I have. Look closely into it, only you know your car best, something has caused it - it is just a matter of finding it :) Goodluck. Sam.

Well, Im going to put it on the rear bearings. No idea what else it could be but I can vouch for the ticking from the front which I think may be cv related. Just be sure that it is coming from the rear and if you can't find it mate, might have to get it checked by your mechanic. Sam.

Good points mate. I could even be the bearing like you said, just trying to narrow things down. Be sure it is coming from the back, where as if it was coming from the front there are many moving parts that can come into play when considering what it could be. I hope you can find your problem and isolate it mate. Is the noise consistant with the speed of the car? eg. increase in speed will cause a faster tick. Does it seem like the tick occures at a similar speed in relation to the speed of the tyres spinning? or faster? assuming it only ticks once per revolution, and appears faster than the speed of the wheels spinning, it may be related to something geared, which spins faster than the wheels. Just throwing things out there mate. :P Hope you can find it. Sam.

So the car won't accelerate for a couple of seconds? - like a delay in engine response or some sort of misfire? - Is the response from the engine rough as it begins to rev up after idle, like it is spitting/ missing ignition - the nature of a misfire perhaps? You can tell when the plugs are dirty when they are covered in a dark layer of carbon. Rich fuel mixtures increase the likelihood of misfire and improper ignition so it is always a good idea to check the plugs. Check the contacts between the electrode, which is the little metal stud protruding from the centre of the plug core and the surface of the conductor facing the electrode which carries the spark. Give them a good clean using a scourer (green scotch-brite) and metho, cleaning the surfaces where the spark carries between both surfaces on and around the conductor and electrode. Clean off any residue left behind from the green scourer using metho and a clean cloth. Blow any excess metho left down the inner cylinder of the plug and you are good to go. This method works well for standard plugs from NGK, but have never tried them on the iridiums, so I will give it a go to see what my advice is like :P Never the less, be careful anyway, iridiums are delicate in the way that the core element is much smaller and thinner than the usual type of plug with a copper core and electrode. You can also check the gap on the plugs, where 1.1mm is industry standard for NA engines, 0.8 usually for turbo. Following that, check your sensors for any defects, like cracked wiring, improper connections. etc. although I think the coolant temp, idle control (solenoid?) may have something to do with it because it is related to cold starts. Goodluck mate. Hope this helps.

Problem resolved. Engine check light came on due to me leaving a sensor unplugged near the throttle body when removing the filler bolt. Thanks for the assistance. Sam.

Hello, I haven't checked the error code output as I don't have a OBDII or other required things to read it. Thankyou for the info regarding the level of the fluid in the gearbox, I will look more closely at it today. Sam.

Check plugs and as a preliminary measure, run a little bit of injector cleaner through. This symptom sounds closely related to the air flow allowed during idle (altered with CAI) and diagnostic sensors, eg. O2, coolant temp, etc. Always warm your car up though. By hesitation, do you mean the idle is dropping really low like the car is about to stall? eg. like after resetting ECU? or lack of power delivery? Never the less, check all of your connectors to sensors and such, otherwise you may have to take your car into your mechanic. Goodluck mate.

How new are your tyres? Seeing as you say it is coming from the rear, I would like to suggest possibly checking the pivots and joins to the wheel hubs where the hub is connected to the body via bars, arms. etc. If the noise only occures when the vehicle is in motion, but isn't bouncing over bumps and is steady, as in the noise is a rotational click, possibly pursue the subject based on the handbrake as mentioned earlier. When new tyres are manufactured, there are small imperfections in the tread which are rectified when the tyres bedded in after driving, which may also contribute to road noise etc. Does the sound change when you go onto different types of bitumen? Sounds silly, but I'm not sure what else to suggest. Hope this helps. Goodluck.

Hi Guys, I have just changed my gearbox oil and I now have a check engine light? There was no check engine light previously before the transmission oil change, and I have refilled it to exactly 1.9L as specidied in the owners manual for manual 1ZZFE Corollas. Must I reset the ECU? Add more fluid? I just can't understand what it could be? There are no leaks and exactly 1.9L of Castrol Syntrax 75-90 Oil was put in, although 2L came out? Please point me in the right direction, I have searched and am not sure which way to go. Greatful for any input. Sam.

thats a bugger to hear mate. Hope you can get it fixed well. I think possibly, with the plug being burnt up, is it possible that the thread was stripped when the plug was installed? The problem also sounds electrically related, although I couldn't tell you whether the way the plug was installed could have affected the coilpack operation. Goodluck.

Hi, Yes I am buying privately. Sounds like it may just be better to by a HD clutch and get that fitted. In regards to the tensioner pulley - if it is making the noise, is it detrimental not to change it out? will it cause damage as is? I will do some more reading on the topic. Cheers for the replies guys. Sam.

Wow, sounds like it could be a host of things... I just hope it's something simple to fix. It has warranty until the end of October, so I hope it will be covered and can be fixed. I live on the Sunshine Coast, so maybe it would be best to go to a Lexus dealer in Brisbane if best, Indooroopily? - seems to be getting alot of talk on the forum. Cheers. Sam.

Read about people replacing the clutch with exedy HD/TRD clutches, apparently those seemed to have solved the rattles. I plan to change all fluids when I get the corolla anyway. Hopefully your still under warranty dude. gl solving the problem.

Like ppl said above, remove your coils, etc. locate each plug. You can buy a plug socket to use with your socket set to remove the plugs which is bonus. You will most likely need an extension bar to reach further down into the head. Would probably advise cleaning around each plug first to avoid dirt dropping into your cylinders. Then Torque them up as advised above :) gl.

Hi Everyone. This is my first post. I am looking at a buying a corolla hatch (1ZZ-FE) and have noticed a loose rattling sound from around the gearbox when I step off the accelerator? I have read about people saying certain springs or something in the clutch rattling? Gear selector cables? All of these symptoms seem to be on the sportivo and I haven't heard much about ppl with 1zz-fe's! I know this topic must have been covered many times, It's just I don't know if the problems decribed are typical of the normal corolla - 1zz-fe wise. Would changing the gearbox oil help? - I need someone to set my mind straight! please help.