Blacksheep

Good info. Thanks Hiro

Thanks man. 16x7 +43

Thanks man. I thought the valve cover would come out more silver grey but it definitely has a blue tinge to it.

8 months now running Motul Gear 300 and the gearbox still feels good. No complaints there. Last weekend I managed to replace the oil control valve filters and lift bolts using the guide written up by Kenshin X back in 2011 https://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/31918-diy-servicingchanging-oil-control-valve-ocv-filtersstrainers/. The lift bolts look worn and i'm glad I replaced them. Thanks to Phil Gilbert Toyota in Croydon for the parts. Top notch service as usual! Rocker cover removed. VVT OCV removed. Had to loosen the drive belt and alternator bolts to access it. The ventilation pipe which connects to the rocker cover had to be moved aside as well. VVT OCV removed and sprayed thoroughly with MAF sensor cleaner. New VVT OCV filter fitted into bolt ready to go back into head. Lift bolts removed. Even though Toyota never released a service bulletin to replace the lift bolts like they did for the Celica I think it's still a good idea to replace them. Note the wear on them after approximately 174,000kms. Replacement lift bolts on the right. Torque them down to 5.5 ft/lbs. Now for the OCV filter on the VVTL side. VVTL OCV removed and will be sprayed thoroughly with MAF sensor cleaner. For some reason the new filter is made out of plastic whereas the original was metal. New filter in and OCV gasket replaced. Rocker cover back on and ready to go for a test drive.

Looking good Squalled! Love the black headlight housing, turned out pretty good in the end. What's been done to your mate's black tivo? Bronze TE37s always look good against a black car.

Good call Squalled but I think you're referring to the clutch pedal free play adjustment? Toyota released a service bulletin back in the day with regards to this addressing gearbox issues.

What I immediately felt with a lightened flywheel was the ability for the engine to rev quicker, but this also meant the revs dropped faster so you have to shift fast. It does make the car more lively being able to rev freely. It will take you some time to get use to the gearbox and learn to shift smoothly on the sweet spots. However if you're still experiencing crunching it could mean your syncros are worn and may need replacing but changing the transmission fluid would be the first thing I would try to see if it helps. You will need 2.3 litres of transmission fluid. Motul Gear 300 goes for $35 for a 1 litre bottle from memory.

I’ve been using Redline MT90 with Nulon G70 additive in my gearbox for the pass 10,000kms and decided to try the Motul Gear 300 transmission fluid as I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback from it especially from 86 enthusiasts. It’s a GL-4/GL-5 rated fully synthetic oil and boasts Ester technology found in Motul’s top of the line 300v motorsport engine lubricants. Before I go into a brief review I should probably should give a rundown of my Sportivo. It currently has 168,000kms on it with a heavy duty stage 1 Exedy clutch setup and lightweight chromoly flywheel. When I bought it 2 years ago from a mature driver it was bone stock. The condition of the gearbox was good but as we are all aware it’s a major weakness in the Sportivo and will crunch if you don’t get the shifts on point. If your timing was off, 2nd and 3rd would sometimes refuse to go in and at high rpm I would experience a slight crunch in 2nd or 3rd. On cold mornings shifting felt a little notchy until the car warmed up. Upgrading the clutch helped immensely along with changing the transmission fluid to Redline MT90 with the Nulon G70 additive. All these issues were addressed with the modifications and only on the very rare occasion I would experience a slight crunch going into 2nd at high rpm. The filler spout that comes with Motul bottle means there's no need for a separate pump when refilling transmission fluid. I went ahead and changed the drain plug to a magnetic piece off a Toyota Landcruiser. Should capture any metal shavings floating around the gearbox. Part no. 9034118057. I didn’t expect to feel much or any difference switching to Motul Gear 300 but I was pleasantly surprised after a week’s driving through twisty roads and through traffic. Gear shifting felt noticeably smoother and quieter. I’m not sure what’s in the Motul lubricant but the mechanical noise from the gearbox when shifting hard seems to be a lot quieter. Not that it was loud at all to begin with but the change was noticeable. No signs of any crunching or notchy shifting either on cold mornings. I didn’t add Nulon G70 to it just so I could test Motul Gear 300 on its own. Driving the car now is a lot more pleasurable with smooth shifts especially when pushing it as it instills confidence in the gearbox resulting in a better overall driving experience. I will review it again at a later stage once I’ve clocked more mileage on the car but so far Motul Gear 300 gets a thumbs up from me.

Car is looking great Squalled. Those recaros almost look factory in the interior. Did you put the headlights in the oven to heat them up when removing the lenses?

Power steering flush and replace OCV filters

Rear swaybar upgrade on any FWD car will make a big difference in reducing understeer. Can't say how it compares with other brands like Whiteline but the Progress bar at 24mm sits well in tivo. Car feels more predictable, turns in better and gives you more confidence in high speed corners.

Prices on CES racing website http://www.cesracing.com.au/ I like the the exhaust note. Not too loud and intrusive. Can't really hear a drone cruising on the highway but once you hit lift it sure does give you a boner!

Progress 24mm rear sway bar compared to stock.

I recently fitted some items on the tivo and thought i'd post some pictures up for those who may be thinking of performing the same mods. CES headers and 2.5" catback system. Quality workmanship. Headers ported by CES and ceramic coated. Exhaust system installed

Good to hear man. Do you have a screenshot of the dyno plot? That's the hard part... finding someone who has experience tuning the 2zzge using Vmanage or even the PowerFC.

How long did it take to tune? What were the gains like? I'm interested as I was offered to buy a V-manage with base map.

Toyota only made cargo mats for the ZZE corolla wagon and sedan. It will fit the the hatch, just have to fold the sides up.

I have a brand new genuine Toyota cargo mat for the ZZE wagon/sedan if you're interested. PM me.

A mate recently sent me 2 Toyota bulletins regarding a couple of issues with the Corolla Sportivo. These bulletins were released back in 2004 and I was wondering if any members here were aware of them and had the work carried out on their vehicles? Ref No.: TNF 84/04 Date: 30/11/04 Model: Corolla Sportivo ZZE123 Subject: MTM Gear Shift Feel/Baulk - Clutch Pedal Adjustment Background A small number of reports have been received relating to MTM gear shift feel/baulk on Corolla Sportivo. Investigation has revealed that clutch pedal adjustment outside specification may contribute to this condition. Condition At high engine rpm (>6,000 rpm), gear selection may be difficult when up-shifting from 1st to 2nd gear and in some instances from 2nd to 3rd gear. While up-shifting into these gears, the lever may feel notchy, and in some instances, gear clashing may occur. The frequency and severity of this condition can also be influenced by factors such as operating conditions, fitment of non-genuine accessories, vehicle modifications, driver technique, etc. Repair Method If a vehicle is presented with the above condition, confirm: • Clutch system operation (pedal travel, etc.) is normal and not affected by fitment of non-genuine accessories (floor mats, clutch pedal attachments, etc.), vehicle modifications (non-genuine clutch), etc. • Clutch pedal is adjusted to within specification (refer page 2). • Air is not present in clutch hydraulic system. • Manual transaxle oil type and level are to specification. If the condition still occurs after confirming the above, diagnose and repair vehicle per applicable repair manual, and submit a Dealer Product Report. The bulletin then goes on about the clutch pedal adjustment procedure. The next bulletin is a safety recall. Corolla Sportivo ZZE123 Safety Recall – 2ZZ-GE Engine Australian Design Rule 83/00 Compliance BACKGROUND Investigations by Toyota Motor Corporation have determined a requirement exists for the initiation of a recall campaign, to be conducted in accordance with the FCAI Code of Practice for recall campaigns, affecting a range of Toyota Corolla Sportivo models. DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM Toyota Corolla Sportivo ZZE123 vehicles built by Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) were assembled with the incorrect air cleaner assembly cap and engine control computer. As a result, the vehicle does not match the specification covered by its approval to ECE regulation 51/02 and hence may not comply with ADR 83/00 external noise. INVOLVED VEHICLES A total of 1,637 Toyota Corolla Sportivo vehicles within the VIN range and production period as tabled below are involved in this recall campaign. The bulletin then goes about about the procedure to replace the airbox and ECU.

Found some parts lying around for a while, no need for them anymore. ZZE pre-facelift Corolla eyelids (brand new): $45 SOLD ZZE pre-facelift genuine Toyota Corolla headlight protectors (used, excellent condition, comes with all mounting hardware): $25 AEM pod air filter (brand new with stickers): $20 SOLD T10 Car Wedge LED Cree Light Bulb 7W White (2x) brand new in sealed packaging: $10 Perfect for reverse lights, corner lights, side marker lights, tail lights etc. Picture shows my Corolla installed with Cree LED corner lights. Based in Sydney, would prefer local buyers. PM me if interested, thanks.

My 2002 Corolla started throwing a code over the weekend and went into limp mode and didn't let me rev past 3000rpm. I replaced the MAF sensor but diagnosed the problem to be a loose wire connecting to the MAF sensor. I have an AEM cold air intake installed and running fine for 3+ years but the wiring is pretty tight down there and I guess over time it must have worked its way loose. For now, i've jammed the wire into the connector the best I can and the car runs fine, however i've got a long drive back to Sydney from Katoomba and i'm worried the wire might work its way loose along the journey. Does anyone know an auto electrician around the Blue Mountains area who can help me out on Saturday? All I need is the wire to be cut and extended so it sits into the MAF sensor connector comfortably and securely. I would normally do this myself but auto electrical and wiring is not my strong point. Any help would be much appreciated. Willing to pay $$. Thanks

Thanks guys. She's all fixed up now. They steam cleaned the engine too so no more oil stains on the engine :)

So the other day I noticed oil leaking inbetween the gearbox and engine of my 2002 Corolla wagon and immediately brought it to a garage in Sydney. They quoted me $400 to replace the rear main seal, gearbox oil and perform an e-safety check as my car was due for it. I know it's a big job to access the seal is this a reasonable price? Also does anyone have any experience with replacing the gas struts for the boot on my wagon? How much do they normally go for? TIA

No it's not the same person guys. I just got these tyres installed over the weekend :) I did some research over the internet about the issue and came across that post which is exactly what I was thinking when I saw these tyres installed on the car. Got lazy and pasted his words in my post, sorry for the confusion guys. I don't think he got to the bottom of it in the end and just accepted that it was suppose to be that way. I just wanted to hear opinions from this forum because it still doesn't make sense to me to have the tread pattern pointing a different direction on the left and right tyres. It's not as if the wheels are rotating in opposite directions when the vehicle is moving forward. That aside, i give these tyres the 2 thumbs up! Low road noise, excellent handling and good response in the dry. No chance to test in the wet yet. That's where i'm really intrigued to see how the reverse V cut on the right tyre disperses water through the channels.

For those who run Bridgestone Adrenalin RE001, do the tread pattern on the left and right sides all go the same way? I have noticed that, whilst the left-side faces what I believe to be the correct direction, the right side doesn't because the V cut in the tread pattern is pointing backwards. I looked carefully, and I didn't find any markings on the sidewall that states the direction of rotation. The only thing I found was where it states "outside". Thoughts?