CTS03

Do not spend money for belt tensioner and belt. The noise problem will come back after few hundreds of kilometers. This is one of the unsolvable little issues of this car. I replaced them once under guarantee but I did not care to do it again after few weeks! The car is like this for 2 years w/o any serious problem.

I certainly do the opposite! However, this new clutch was installed with a rather abrupt operation (short travel for engagement) after I complained for an easily smelling/slipping (long travel) one. Perhaps its "abrupt" operation may increase the stress on the bearing and pressure plate? If this indeed happened, then it seems impossible to have a good compomise in the operation of these Toyota clutches.

The clutch has about 40-45K km and the "bird's song" noise happens when I release the pedal. However, a n additional noise, a kind of metallic "clunk", also appeared now when I press down the pedal (at the bottom of its travel) and the car is cold. I guess this could not be due also to the throwout/thrust bearing?

According to a mechanic, the noise is from the clutch ball-bearing. The other problem indicates a worn clutch disk (not tested though). It happens randomly for cold engine and it could be noticed both in 1st or rear, but it is mainly noticeable in rear due to a slower move (less gas). But normaly I could not wear this disk!!! It has about 40K km, I drive carefully, it was almost never smelled after replacing an initial easily smelling disk. I think something may be also wrong with the hydraulics of the clutch system. The clutch-gearbox is anyway the worst part of this car.

In the last 2-3 days I realized the following problem of the clutch in my Corolla TS (Sportivo): When I start the car, I put rear gear and I release gradually the clutch pedal to go slowly out of the parking site. However, the operation of the clutch cannot have a linear effect but it vibrates the engine (I try to keep it on). Like if the clutch could be operated only in two states (fully engaged or disengaged), without any slipping capability. I noticed also a bird's song type of noise in the engine compartment. I can reproduce it by standing the car with no gear (neutral), each time I press down and then release the clutch pedal. This noise starts immediately with the release of the clutch pedal and then decays after half a minute. Another strange thing is that these problems occur rather randomly, I would say in half of the occasions. Have you any idea what is wrong in the clutch system ? I have no evidence for any clutch slippage problem.

I should correct this: For 5w30, the manual gives a maximum ambient temperature of 10 degrees Celsius for the 2zz-ge engine, while it can be used above ~40C with the other engines. In fact, I did not understand why the 5w30 and 10w30 have different maximum ambient temperatures for the 2zz-ge engine, since normally the 30-index should be important at high T. I could only think of a possible difference when you start a cold engine at high ambient T, related to the capability to preserve a sufficently thick oil layer adsorbed on the metals when the engine is cold. Perhaps the low viscosity oil (index-5) at high ambient T drains all the oil from the metallic surfaces when we switch off the engine.

According to Corolla's manual, 5w30 is excluded for the 1.8TS. The lowest allowed grade is 10w30. In Greece, Toyota stations supply fully-synthetic 5w30 and 5w40 or semi-synthetic 10w40. I prefered to use 5w40.

Hi all I have a Corolla 1.8TS, equivalent of Sportivos. I have noticed a regular engine oil consumption since the early days of the car. The oil level would move from the maximum to the minimum mark after 10.000km. If this corresponds to 1.5L, then the consumption is about 150ml / 1000km. I have used Toyota oils 5w40 and 10w40. The car is mostly driven at 3.000-5.000 rpm. It will be very helpfull to know your experience, since my car is still under guarantee for its mechanical parts.

White smoke can be water leak in the engine. Check systematically the level of cooling liquid in a period of several months. If you loose 1 cm per month then report to Toyota.

TRD Japan's filter (no oil) is not paper like the standard Denso filter. It rather looks as a plastic (or plasticized) material like a sponge. It mainly reduced the high frequencies of the engine's noise. I feel that the car can accelarate more efficiently for passing withouth the need to downshift gears at 4000-5000rpm (torque improved?) but it may also be a pshycological effect of the altered noise.

Hi all Perhaps somebody could understand the following behavior of my gear changes in a European TS (Sportivo): When I shift from 1st to 2nd, I can have a smooth change if I move the gear lever fast (without any delay) to 2nd position. Of course, this requires very precise timing with the clutch to avoid any gear grinding/crunching feeling. If I wait slightly before pushing the lever into 2nd, I have the feeling that the gear lever is blocked from entering 2nd gear. Then I have to move it with a "sudden" push to enter 2nd (no grinding/crunching but difficulty to move the gear lever). Alternatively, a second clutch (while in neutral) seems to also resolve the blocking. On the contrary, when I shift from 2nd to 3rd I have to wait a bit before to push the lever in 3rd position. I should mention that my clutch is engaging rather abruptly. I am happy with this although I understand that it may result to some difficulty in gear changes. However, why 1st to 2nd should be different from 2nd to 3rd?

This is very close to what I am experiencing. I would add some kind of smell like warming the wet towel! I think it should be related to condensation of vapour, and I am wondering if the a/c system involves some kind of heater to equilibrate temperature or avoid vapour condensation. I thought my problem was on the filter but you do not have it ! Then something is bad designed in Corolla's a/c-vent system.

In my European 2003 Corolla TS there is no filter tray. I remove a clipped cap (similar to the front face of your trays) and then I have access to the filter. However, it is interesting to mention that there is a sticked label at the left of the lock on the glove box cover (internal face) WARNING us that an a/c filter is installed and it should be always used with the a/c !!! The manual "threatens" that damage may occur without it ! In any case, I have also bad smells frequently. I noticed that the smell is favored if the air vents have been used previously with a/c off.

It could result from brakes, most probably the handbrake. My experience has been described in the UK forum: http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=48913

Bilstein B8 sprints are supposed to be 10% stiffer than standard ones for all Corollas and are good for 40-50mm lowering. Konis can be adjusted much stiffer than the standard ones but for lowering up to 30mm. And are not covered by guarantee for their use in my country! I do not know for KYB but probably are the standard ones of Toyota. Overall, I think it is not worthy to change shocks just for 10% difference, since Toyota provides nice guarantee terms.

Perhaps I misunderstand something? I understand that you call lip the bright narrow circle (~1mm wide?) at the periphery of the rotor (brake disk) in the image posted by kcorro. Isn't normal that the pads do not cover this very narrow area, so it is not worn and a lip is formed? And a similar lip is formed at the other (internal) end of the pad. I guess there might be a problem if the pad is not stable in position and shifts slightly over the lip(s) (e.g. after a pad replacement)!

The lip is obviously normal to exist. I understand the step height of the lip as an indication for the amount of wear. However, I do not know what is the specified value of step height (2.5mm?) for a rotor that needs replacement. Why do you need machining to eliminate the lip? The pad is not touching there. Concerning my case, the rotors, pads and handbrake "pads"(?) were replaced under warantee because of the wheel blocking problems. Apparently, the handbrake was considered responsible. The rotors were also very rusted everywhere.

I did some inspection of the rotors' wear myself : The apparent problem is the unequal wear of two rear brake rotors: the right is slightly worn but the left is worn a lot, similarly to the front ones! Now I understand why they are going to work only on the rear ones. This is however very scary! I thought that the handbrake was giving me problems but it was the normal rear brake!

Do you mean the ~1mm lip formed at the periphery of the rotor, which is not worn by the pad? But is it obvious to conlude when the rotor is worn? My rear left brake was locking occassionaly during driving. I reported this to Toyota and they will change the rear rotors because "they did not look OK". However, I also have a similar situation with lips at the front rotors! My car has ~35.000 km and the pads are still OK.

I have found only the "B8 Sprint" type of Bilstein explicitly made for lowered vehicles: http://www2.bilstein.de/en/produkte/tuning.php3

Hi guys I had decided to install Koni shock absorbers (8610-1416 front and 80-2844 rear) with my existing TTE (Eibach Pro kit) springs, which result to 20mm lowering of 1.8TS and 30mm for other H/B Corollas. However, I realized that Koni sells these absorbers for not lowered cars. Actually, they are acceptable for up to 30mm lowering and forbidden for lowering of 40mm and more. But 30mm is realy at the limit! I am afraid that it may be like puting 205/16 tyres on a 5.5" wheel (allowed but not making sense). I would appreciate it to have your opinions. Did you modify your Konis for using them with the lowering springs?

Hi Could you please give information for the type of Bilstein shock absorber and its cost? Do you use the B6-Sport for non-lowered car or the B8-Sprint for car lowered 40-60mm? Are you satisfied with the hadling? They are supposed to be 20% harder than the stock ones.

You should be also aware of another problem that happened to me. The brake (drum?) of a rear wheel may lock occassionaly during driving. Twice within 2 months, I had realized a vibration of the car while moving with 5th gear and low gas. One week ago this happened 2-3 times in a 70+70km trip and when I came back the rear left wheel was quite hot with burning smell. I could not reproduce it in a trip yesterday. I try to figure out what happened. Perhaps previous wet wheather or washing of the car may have some effect. But it would last for 140km?

It did not last for long!!! The noise is back, worse, after the first 70+70Km trip of fast driving in a sunny winter day with temperature rised above 15C. Dear Motoman, what to do now?

I guess the radiator's fan has its own thermostat. Do you know at which temperature it is set to switch on the fan? Overall this will help keep cool the coolant.