thommo

Thanks Brendan. Actually, I was wrong (going senile in my old age!). One key (the one which seems to be working fine) does have the Toyota symbol on it - maybe this is Master? The one which is playing up (a clone?) does not have the symbol. Neither appear to have an insert (photo of both below).

Brendan, the car is working properly - once started it runs fine. I would not be suprised if it is not the original master key. We bought it 2nd hand and it came with 2 black keys (no grey valet key) which look quite different and no remote locking fob. We bought a fob from local Toyota dealer for $70 which they programed, but when you unlock the door with that, it does not shut off the imobiliser light (maybe it is not meant to?). The main black key she has been using (the one which you often have to put in and out of the ignition several times to stop the light flashing) has a button-like circle on it which is not actually a button. The other black key (which works everytime) has no button circle. Both keys open the boot lock - but we had to get the boot lock changed at the locksmith as when we bought it, you could only open the boot with the release lever inside. I think the car was rear-ended and the boot replaced, as parts of the car have been re-sprayed, the stop light on the rear wing is not wired up, and some of the light access panels inside the boot are missing. So we may not have the original master - we could have 2 clone masters? Would it be worth using one of these keys to get a proper Master added? What might that cost? The other thing to add is both keys make the security light go out straight away when put in the ignition, without the need to turn the key. It does not stay lit for half a sec. Also, neither key has the Toyota symbol on it - a quick search for images of 2002 Camry keys suggests it should. cheers

Changed my mind after test driving a few newer 4WDs - complete jokes off-road unless you spend another $3K on a lift kit. Have become an amateur spray-painter and will keep the old girl going another 5 years.

Yup definitely the imobiliser not switching off, and not the aerial, but seems to be the master key. The light always goes off using the spare key, but sometimes have to put the master in/out six times before security light stops flashing.

Had the Auto 8 starter motor in over a month now. All good, starts beautifully. Saved about $300. It was the starter motor, not the ring gear. Test drove a 2014 Navara & 2012 Triton - sure, they're much nicer on-road compared to a 93 Hilux, but comparative rubbish off-road unless you spend another $2-3K on a lift kit. They srape bottom on even moderate ruts. The 2012 Triton only had 67,000kms on it and already the rear suspension was shot! So I'm doing a home re-spray job on the old Hilux, attacking the surface rust with wet & dry, rust converter, etch primer and Holts Duplicolor - quite fun actually (execept for one can of Holts from the local Repco that was 20+yrs old and blew out everywhere mucking up my painstaking prep work ). Total cost $100 vs $28,000 for a new 4WD, if I get another 5 years out of the old beast I'll be miles ahead

Thanks mr2. I did ask her to check that and she said one time putting the key in casued the light to go out, the second time it did not, but both times the engine started Sounds a bit odd to me - should not start if the light is still flashing. Probably need to check it myself, 19yo girls and mechanical stuff = minimal interest....not that it stopped her getting work selling V8 stuff at Bathurst these last few days :D She'll be home in a few weeks, so will do the checks myself

When this is the problem, will the engine actually turn over but not start, or will it not even turn over? Daughters 2002 Camry now doing the same every day or so. Turns over fine but won't start. This only started happening 3 days after it was serviced at a diffrent mechanic to my usual one (because she is away at college, so no choice). Could it be the same problem? (I've asked her to check if the security light is going out - awaiting answer). Or something else (fuel pump/filter, loose sparkplug lead)? It seems to drive fine once started.

The old 93 SR5 diesel dual cab needs an upgrade (anyone want to buy one? Located Armidale NSW. Bit rough but good fishing rig). I'm pondering a newer Hilux. My mechanic says some of his customers are not very happy with the latest shape model (2005 onwards). He also says most newer 4WDs these days are a bit soft off-road compared to the older ones (poor clearance, softer suspension). Given that mine does go off-road a fair bit (fishing), I need something that has decent clearance, will go OK on slippery clay, but I don't do anything extreme in it. But still a bit nicer on the bitumen than my current one would be good! I'm thinking a pre-2005 4WD Hilux dual cab diesel, with snorkel & bullbar (perhaps winch) ideally with 160,000K or less (big ask?) Any thoughts? Are there other brands that are as good (Navara? Rodeo? Triton?). cheers

Can get a starter motor with 3yr warranty for $119 delivered from Auto 8 in Victoria. Seems very cheap? Anyone know if these things are any good (not that it matter much as I think its time to offload the old warrior and get something a bit newer).

And another thought - could putting the more powerful 800cca battery in instead of a 600cca like it had, have caused the problem (i.e. too much grunt on starting?).

Thanks Manxman. DIY is not my thing - I'd have NFI. The old bus has 267,000 on it. Where is the pinion gear? Is that in the starter motor or somewhere else?

You know that noise a car makes when you accidently try to start it when the motor is already running. Sort of sounds like running a saw blade across a piece of metal. My Hilux started doing that noise when I first try to start it (i.e. motor is NOT already running), and it does not start. If I then try to start it once or twice more, it then kicks over and starts normally. Is that the starter motor on the way out? And if so, what is the cheapest way to fix it? The old banger is too old to throw too many $'s at. BTW I just had a new 800cca NRMA battery put in it a week ago, so battery should be fine. cheers

Just wandered down to our local Armidale mechanic and he looked it up in the Toyota Service manual (he has a whole wall full of big thick service manuals!) and it definitely says for the 2002 2.2L 5S-FE it is 150,000kms. Apparently it changed from 100,000kms after the 1997 model. But the guy in Bathurst said it was 100,000kms. Maybe a lot of them use 100,000kms as a general rule of thumb rather than looking up the specific model in the service manual.

Daughter is getting different stories from different garages on when the timing belt needs to be changed in her 2002 Camry (5S-Fe motor). Some saying 150,000kms, others 100,000kms. Anyone know? cheers.

Interesting, and a good clue if my daughters Camry starts having more serious temp problems. I wonder why the impeller was flattened? And if the radiator was cracked, did you notice coolant leaking out? My guess is the blokes running Kmart Tyre & Auto outlets have 'corporate targets' to meet = bogus problems are identified, or at least issues that are not really urgent problems and can wait....maybe a few years. That's what I like about a local independent mechanic. I can have a frank/honest discussion with him about cost versus benefit, and does it absolutely need to be done or can it wait. Of course, there are some issues where he can't give a clear answer, could go either way.

The Old 93 SR5 Diesel Hilux has paint coming off the leading and trailing edge of the roof which has surface rust (undercoat has gone hard apparently), and also on drivers door (which had a repair before I bought it, then got whacked by a big stick out in the bush = cracked paint & surface rust). Mechanically, the old banger still does the job fine, but a trip to the panel beaters said at least $1500 to fix paint (have to take out front & rear windows, remove door etc). Anyway, the whole bloody thing is prob only worth $5000, so I started Googling self-repair jobs (the most I've ever sprayed is 1/72 &1/48 scale model aircraft with an airbrush ). So, from what I can gather the process is: 1. Grind away rusted spots back to bare metal with a wire wheel on angle grinder, or perhaps a sanding attachement (Bunnings seem to have these). Or you can get ones that go on a drill. 2. Paint with rust converter immediately cos it will start to rust again (invisibly) in 15mins 3. Clean with oil & wax remover 4. Hand sand with various grades of progressively finer grit sandpaper on a block, and smooth into remaining paint at edge of bare metal. 5. Mask area to be re-painted (reverse mask to get better blending & avoid a sharp line) 6. Apply several light coats of etch primer leaving at least 20mins between coats. Let dry a few hours. 7. Apply several light coats of top coat (Toyota white in this case) leaving at least 20mins between coats. I know other areas of paint are likely to eventually flake off due to the issue with the original undercoat (15yrs out in the weather is probably the reason) but at least it should look a bit better than big rusty spots. AutoOne seem to have the right primer and can mix the right colour topcoat in a spraycan if not available off the shelf. Anything else I should know?

Do you live in Armidale? - got similar sh*t from Kmart Tyre & Auto about lots of work that needed doing to the front end of my Hilux when I took it in for new tyres a few years ago. Took it to my regular mechanic for 2nd opinion and he said it was all complete bollocks. And that he'd seen similar stories from others. I won't go near Kmart ever again, not even for tyres. I have no clues about the overheating. Hope you get it sorted. Our daughters 2002 Camry had something a little similar, temp woud go a little above half way when going slow in hot weather esp behind a big truck, or doodling around car parks. Norrmally it runs just slightly under half way. Took it to my mechanic, got it all checked out, cooling system flushed etc, he could not find a problem, thermostat was working correctly etc. But it was not going as high as yours. It still goes slightly high occasionally, but drops straight back down once you start moving in clear air again.

Ah internet forums, you've gotta love em. This mechanic has saved us thousands over 15yrs, doing all sorts of fixes to our vehicles often using parts sourced from wreckers. Not one of these fixes has failed yet. If I'd got those fixes done at the frickin Toyota dealership, I'd be living in a shoe box in the middle of the road. To call him an idiot based on one diagnosis and suggestion is harsh. He is not intending to plug the oil gallery etc at this point, and did say that whichever way we go, it is a risk and could end in tears. So I suspect he is making a judgement call on cost versus risk.

1st issue: Hard to say without personally looking at it. Balance shaft bearing failure can be just as catastrophic as any other bearing failure.2nd issue: Your mechanic is an idiot, it is not common for that to happen if you maintain it well. I would suggest you get a new mechanic. 1st issue: Hmmmmmm, not good news 2nd issue: Mechanic is not an idiot, as that's exactly what he said - if it's had a good service history, esp scheduled oil changes, it will be unlikely to blow anytime soon (esp as it only has 102,000 on the clock).....but the service history on the car is unknown (had 92,000 on it when bought).

Daughters 2002 Camry has developed a rattling noise in engine under heavy load (e.g. backing up our steep drive). My mechanic had a listen & said it was the bearings in the balance shaft?, and not really anything to worry about - there is some sort of fix he can do, something about a plug in the oil gallery (I didn't really understand), but he thought not really necesary at this stage. When crusing or idling, the noise is not really evident. He also said that engine is prone to ''throwing a leg out of bed'' = conrod thru block = dead engine. Any thoughts/experience on those two issues?

Yes, its up for rego @ end of Sept, so was going to have it looked at then, just want to make sure no engine damage will happen with the small leak over the next 6 weeks.

Only 95,000 kms !!!! The oil level on the dripstick seems to be holding constant, though the car only prob does about 50kms a week around town. I need to take in on a decent 1-2hr drive one day to see what happens. If it was my car I wouldn't give a rats, but don't want it conking out on our daughter in the middle of no-where.

Pretty sure it's engine oil. I also note when it was last serviced, the oil on the dipstick was about 1cm above the full mark. Does over-filling make engines more prone to spring a leak (e.g. oil pressure gets too high)?

My daughters 2002 Camry has an oil leak at the rear of the engine, on the timing chain side (left hand side if facing the car). It is dripping down onto something near the bottom of the engine. I cleaned it all up with degreaser today, took it for a drive to try to pinpoint where it is coming from. It seems to be dripping down onto the lower engine/drive shaft (or something???) from some point below where the manifolds come out of the rear engine (see my fantastic diagram - apologies, tried to take a photo but camera could not focus down there). It's not leaking heaps, maybe 1-2 drops of oil on the garage floor each night. cheers

Might have solved this problem by disconnecting the electronic anti-corrosion device. The car seems to be starting better now on that first start of the day.