From: john hamilton on
Would anyone know in what year the Toyota Corollas switched from timing
belts to timing chains please. Since we are thinking of buying a used one,
and would need to know if it ( a belt) has been renewed. Thanks.


From: Chris Whelan on
On Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:37:58 +0100, john hamilton wrote:

> Would anyone know in what year the Toyota Corollas switched from timing
> belts to timing chains please. Since we are thinking of buying a used
> one, and would need to know if it ( a belt) has been renewed. Thanks.

97-02 - depends on engines size; 1.3 and all diesels are belt, 1.4 and
1.6 petrol are chain.

02-07 - all petrol are chain, all diesel are belt.

Source: Autodata.

Note that it's not unknown for the chaincam ones to shatter the plastic
sprockets, leading to the same damage as a broken belt. This has happened
on some cars under three years old.

Variable valve timing engines can apparently suffer from high oil
consumption after 40K - up to 1 litre every 600 miles.

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.
From: john hamilton on

"Chris Whelan" <cawhelan(a)prejudicentlworld.com> wrote in message
news:b5IWn.40837$U%7.377(a)hurricane...
> On Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:37:58 +0100, john hamilton wrote:
>
>> Would anyone know in what year the Toyota Corollas switched from timing
>> belts to timing chains please. Since we are thinking of buying a used
>> one, and would need to know if it ( a belt) has been renewed. Thanks.
>
> 97-02 - depends on engines size; 1.3 and all diesels are belt, 1.4 and
> 1.6 petrol are chain.
>
> 02-07 - all petrol are chain, all diesel are belt.
>
> Source: Autodata.
>
> Note that it's not unknown for the chaincam ones to shatter the plastic
> sprockets, leading to the same damage as a broken belt. This has happened
> on some cars under three years old.
>
> Variable valve timing engines can apparently suffer from high oil
> consumption after 40K - up to 1 litre every 600 miles.
> Chris

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well after hearing about that oil consumption , I have to tell you I'm
looking for a cheapish six or seven year old medium sized car, with the
emphasis on *reliability*.

Is it now down to a 1.3 or 1.6 ford focus, or something else that you would
you recommend ? Thanks.


From: Stu on
On Thu, 1 Jul 2010 10:36:05 +0100, "john hamilton"
<bluestar95(a)mail.invalid> wrote:

>
>"Chris Whelan" <cawhelan(a)prejudicentlworld.com> wrote in message
>news:b5IWn.40837$U%7.377(a)hurricane...
>> On Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:37:58 +0100, john hamilton wrote:
>>
>>> Would anyone know in what year the Toyota Corollas switched from timing
>>> belts to timing chains please. Since we are thinking of buying a used
>>> one, and would need to know if it ( a belt) has been renewed. Thanks.
>>
>> 97-02 - depends on engines size; 1.3 and all diesels are belt, 1.4 and
>> 1.6 petrol are chain.
>>
>> 02-07 - all petrol are chain, all diesel are belt.
>>
>> Source: Autodata.
>>
>> Note that it's not unknown for the chaincam ones to shatter the plastic
>> sprockets, leading to the same damage as a broken belt. This has happened
>> on some cars under three years old.
>>
>> Variable valve timing engines can apparently suffer from high oil
>> consumption after 40K - up to 1 litre every 600 miles.
>> Chris
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Well after hearing about that oil consumption , I have to tell you I'm
>looking for a cheapish six or seven year old medium sized car, with the
>emphasis on *reliability*.
>
>Is it now down to a 1.3 or 1.6 ford focus, or something else that you would
>you recommend ? Thanks.
>
We have two cars: An 8 year old toyota with a VVT-i engine (my wife's
for the last 5 years) and a 5 year old, 1.6, Focus :-)

The toyota, although it's only just reached 40k (lots of town
driving), never goes wrong and never uses a drop of oil.

The 1.6 Focus we've only had for a few weeks but so far I'm pleased
with it. The only real weakness I've found out about so far is that
the HT leads only last about 40k miles. Mine is at that mileage now
and running OK so far. I've replaced the plugs but not the leads yet -
I'll probably do them before the weather turns cold.

Oh, and the early models (like ours) had washer jets with no weather
seal fittted, so they let rainwater through the bonnet, where it
collects in the spark plug wells. Took lots of plus-gas, patience and
prayers to get the plugs out without knackering the head!


Stu
From: Mrcheerful on
Stu wrote:
> On Thu, 1 Jul 2010 10:36:05 +0100, "john hamilton"
> <bluestar95(a)mail.invalid> wrote:
>
>>
>> "Chris Whelan" <cawhelan(a)prejudicentlworld.com> wrote in message
>> news:b5IWn.40837$U%7.377(a)hurricane...
>>> On Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:37:58 +0100, john hamilton wrote:
>>>
>>>> Would anyone know in what year the Toyota Corollas switched from
>>>> timing belts to timing chains please. Since we are thinking of
>>>> buying a used one, and would need to know if it ( a belt) has been
>>>> renewed. Thanks.
>>>
>>> 97-02 - depends on engines size; 1.3 and all diesels are belt, 1.4
>>> and
>>> 1.6 petrol are chain.
>>>
>>> 02-07 - all petrol are chain, all diesel are belt.
>>>
>>> Source: Autodata.
>>>
>>> Note that it's not unknown for the chaincam ones to shatter the
>>> plastic sprockets, leading to the same damage as a broken belt.
>>> This has happened on some cars under three years old.
>>>
>>> Variable valve timing engines can apparently suffer from high oil
>>> consumption after 40K - up to 1 litre every 600 miles.
>>> Chris
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Well after hearing about that oil consumption , I have to tell you
>> I'm looking for a cheapish six or seven year old medium sized car,
>> with the emphasis on *reliability*.
>>
>> Is it now down to a 1.3 or 1.6 ford focus, or something else that
>> you would you recommend ? Thanks.
>>
> We have two cars: An 8 year old toyota with a VVT-i engine (my wife's
> for the last 5 years) and a 5 year old, 1.6, Focus :-)
>
> The toyota, although it's only just reached 40k (lots of town
> driving), never goes wrong and never uses a drop of oil.
>
> The 1.6 Focus we've only had for a few weeks but so far I'm pleased
> with it. The only real weakness I've found out about so far is that
> the HT leads only last about 40k miles. Mine is at that mileage now
> and running OK so far. I've replaced the plugs but not the leads yet -
> I'll probably do them before the weather turns cold.
>
> Oh, and the early models (like ours) had washer jets with no weather
> seal fittted, so they let rainwater through the bonnet, where it
> collects in the spark plug wells. Took lots of plus-gas, patience and
> prayers to get the plugs out without knackering the head!
>
>
> Stu

and did you know that mice like to eat the plug leads? I have seen it twice
now (on different cars)