Hiro

Wheel PCD should be 5x114.3, stock wheels were most likely in the range of 14x5" or +27 (that's what the next model MS65 had from my brief search). Tyre size will be harder since most catalogues don't go back that far, and from factory they would have been running cross-ply tyres or radials with 82% aspect ratio (early radials were pretty much all the same sidewall aspect ratio so the tyre code didn't list it, just something like 185R14 in a similar vein to commerical truck tyres)

Yeah remote boot release just means you don't have to be standing physically at the lock to open it. My '98 Corolla lists "remote boot release" but it is 100% just a lever in the cabin even on the highest spec.

Having just fitted a towbar to my wagon I can assure you you don't have to remove anything in the rear of the car to fit it ..... Wiring it, on the other hand, does require the disassembly of pretty much all of the trim below the windows and behind the rear seats (as there isn't a dedicated trailer piggyback plug in the wagons unlike the sedans)

Hmmm, been thinking it's probably time for the first oil change on the wagon, need to do the valve cover gasket too so would make sense to do it all at once

Without commenting on the quality or performance of whatever oil Coles rebrands, 15W40 is significantly thicker than what is recommended for the 2GRFE in the Aurion. Online lube guides etc call for either 5W30 or 10W30.

The nylon bushes around the shifter may well be self-lubricating, but otherwise a small blob of white lithium or silicone paste should be fine (as they are plastic/rubber-safe), work it around to get it distributed and then clean off any excess (so it doesn't attract dirt/dust/crumbs)

ZRE152 steering wheel now fitted, SWCs aren't hooked up until I can get a new clock spring (going to switch to black fascia too, silver doesn't suit the Ascent interior) but already feels tonnes better than the stock vinyl noodle-ring.

Short version, towbar now fits - just have to rip the interior trim out of the boot to see if there's any pre-wired plugs of whether we'll have to wire it in from scratch Long version - measured the mounting points on the car with stringlines and plumbs, sent dimensions to manufacturer who confirmed that their entire _batch_ was out (must have been an issue with the jig if that's the case), sent out a new towbar adjusted to the exact dimension of what I had (just in case) and arranged for Toll to pick the other one up (so at least I didn't have to schlep to the post office). One of the tow hook bolt holes was on the verge of stripping out however (not uncommon by the sounds of it) so had to chase it out with a thread tap, of course it had to be the one with the tightest clearance and worst access (muffler side, closest to bumper, and with a useless plastic tab on the bumper getting in the way). Next up is chasing down a facelift ZRE152 steering wheel so I can have SWC for the headunit (although Android Auto is now broken due to my new phone, also seems to be a common problem with S22s). Also picked up a full set of power windows/switches and door trims, at some stage I'll have to pull the interior apart and see how much is also pre-wired for them.

"Lift" is an enthusiast term referring to the secondary high-valvelift camshaft profile (like Honda's VTEC) that the 2ZZGE has, not everyone will recognise the word. If something mentions a clogged lift filter, it is referring to the filter screens on the VVT and VVL oil control solenoids which attach to the head. That should be more than enough information for Toyota, and most mechanics that deal with modern engines should also at least understand what those components are (even if they don't know _where_ they are)

*sparkle sparkle

Are you trying to remove the headlight assembly or the indicator assembly? The indicator housing (where the parkers are on the US models too it seems) only has one screw on the top and then it just pops out (there might be a clip/pin at the bottom that needs a bit of force to unclip, this is the case on my AE102 which has a similar arrangement). The headlight assembly has to come out second (not that you'd need to take it out to change an indicator bulb) as there is a nut at the bottom/side in behind the indicator housing as well as the two bolts on top EDIT: hang on, looks like the last of the MCX10s had that single-piece headlight housing which I don't think the US ever got, in which case there looks to be two screws on the bottom as well as two at the top (one at the inner bottom "tip" next to the grille, one on the outer bottom "side" behind the bumper, which means you may need to remove the bumper (sounds like a pain but is common on a lot of newer cars https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/403181509815?chn=ps&_ul=AU&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-139619-5960-0&mkcid=2&itemid=403181509815&targetid=1278990506306&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9112793&poi=&campaignid=10101784946&mkgroupid=125571292951&rlsatarget=pla-1278990506306&abcId=9300367&merchantid=507151891&gclid=CjwKCAiAgbiQBhAHEiwAuQ6BkqwLbiB_mlwCURSAJS-FmNAfTvVo4EzTONdBKooCfCqAUL6ZU8Y4SxoC1CMQAvD_BwE

The wire running from the brake pedal to the selector will probably be for the shift interlock, which stops you from being able to move the transmission out of PARK without pressing the brake pedal (obviously not needed on an auto). I'm almost certain that your problem will lie with the wires that have been cut up above where the clutch pedal used to live (or the plugs that have been taped over), not with the brake pedal (as pressing the brake on a manual cuts cruise-control off too, so that shouldn't have changed). Unfortunately I don't have a wiring diagram to confirm.

Part of the problem is that China often doesn't really recognise international copyright (it's a lot more complicated than that however), and in the case of outright fakes/dupes it can be extremely difficult to even determine who the infringing party is, let alone prosecute them.

Yep, ground wire for the head, the ring terminal goes on the rear-most bolt of the power steering reservoir bracket (which would make sense, since you said the steering gear has been replaced)

I assume you mean the wire/ring-terminal just to the right of the washer bottle? Most likely a ground, when my wagon re-appears this weekend I'll confirm

Is this your first new car in a long time? Countless other new cars have warning beeps for just about every function you have listed

It depends on what remaining electronics from the manual are in the car, and how the wiring works. If the clutch switch is still present, then you need to work out what happens electrically when the switch is activated (which the clutch pedal would do when you aren't pressing on it) - it'll either be a normally-open switch (ie it gets "closed" when activated, allowing electricity to flow, in which case you need to "short" the two terminals together (essentially bypassing the switch entirely); or a normally-closed switch (the default state is closed and it gets held open by the pedal until you press it, this is how brake pedal switches work to turn your brake lights on. Without the pedal there the switch is closed all the time and the cruise system is seeing a constant 'cancel' signal - in this case you need to unplug the switch (if it's there) and leave the body plug in place with nothing connected. Bear in mind that manual cars probably used the clutch switch as a neutral start too (the follow-up generation ZRE182 does) where you have to press the clutch to be able to start the car, but if you have an auto ECU it might not be looking for that signal. If the switch has been removed, there will most likely be an un-used plug above the left side of the driver's footwell.

I don't find the fact that only CTP/Greenslips are compulsory to be strange, there should never be a legal requirement for you to take out personal insurance on your own belongings if you don't want to. It's a personal choice, and affects no-one else. Third Party insurance is a different matter (CTP is part of that, but there is also Third Party Property). I agree that anyone who drives without at least Third Party Property insurance is a bloody idiot, but for some people (and for some items) the cost of insurance over the life of the product outweighs what they believe to be a very tiny likelihood of having to ever claim on it (almost all insurance is like that). TPP won't cover replacement of your own vehicle but at least it covers your personal liability in an accident, and if you drive a ****box then Comprehensive often isn't worth the hassle, even if the premiums are tiny the excess on any at-fault claim will be a substantial portion of the value of the car, not to mention the future effect on no-claim bonuses etc.

If it was originally a manual then there would have been a clutch switch that would disengage the cruise if you tried to change gear with it activated (otherwise the engine would free-rev). Quite likely this was never removed (or was removed and wasn't bridged properly).

When most people say JB-Weld, they usually mean the original flagship product (a metal 2-part epoxy for repairing cracked castings etc) rather than the whole range that they branched out in to https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/jb-weld-jb-weld-original-cold-weld-56.8g/599267.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAxc6PBhCEARIsAH8Hff2YAAYphE_6rCuhx1uql2Vj7jVOCCgddmweiG39XAg5d2ezTHEaMboaAhlKEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Can't hurt to whack some more RTV around that area, the PCV system should prevent too much pressure buildup in the cam cover so really it's just got to hold up to oil being splashed against it. If it's a big enough dint you might be able to get away with filling it in with some JBWeld or the like and scraping it smooth enough to seal against

Might be a trick of the camera (due to the oil) but it looks like the head has been dinged at that corner (probably by someone trying to pry a stuck cam cover off and damaged the sealing surface)

54mo is most likely the 90k service (that's 20k a year, or 10k per 6mo which is a pretty standard schedule) so spark plugs on the FA20 boxer could well be the big ticket item.

You're probably buying the strong stuff (and chemists will always look at you funny whenever you go for the strongest version of something). You can get normal 3% peroxide from supermarkets no questions asked (for most applications if you've got the strong stuff you have to heavily dilute it anyway)

Buy a set of aftermarket covers and Scotchgard them? Obviously will need to be airbag-compliant for the front seats at least, but probably the cheapest/easiest option.