haha problems already.
 

freeze plug.
water pump is the wrong size.
vacuum leak on one of the brake hoses.
and a mysterious oil leak from above the water pump (cant see exactly where) that shut down my car todat. felt like it was losing pressure and now it wont start. this car is a fucking pain in the ass. still love it tho.

so with this being said there was only one thing to do........

start taking shit apart.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...ageID=22490040

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...807e07ee01.jpg

just started taking the car apart
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...7c9ed6b4a5.jpg

where is the leak?
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...c5d3842faa.jpg

grrrr
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...eab52b25d6.jpg

depressed...

just finished tonight. havnt found anything. i dont want to have to take off the timing belt (never done it before either). but so far i figure its nothing i can get to (at least i think) and i might have to take the engine out. maybe ill do that r154 now. anyone know why my car would have symptoms of a vacuum leak but be leaking oil and steaming/smoking at the same time? i think the steam was mostly from the freeze plug. but the front of the engine still has a little bit of oil on it. ooohhhhhh yea. there was a huge gap in the water pump (since it wasnt the right size) but i wouldnt leak oil right?

hmmm, loss of pressure, leaking oil, smoke.. I'd have to start thinking my HG was blown... but then again, I've thought that about 3 or 4 times since I've purchased my mk3 a few months ago... mainly cause the head gaskets go sooo easily on these 7m's... grats on your purchase, hopefully it wasn't in vain... I've enjoyed the time I've had her so far, but have had to (and still need to) put her in the shop for repairs..

Pull the timing belt and look if the oil is coming from behind the black plate behind the cam gears. If so it's either the cam seals or the valve cover seals. If not the it's either the oil pump seal, the crank oil seal or you're leaking from between the head and the block.... has the head gasket been changed on this engine?

The coolant leak behind the water pump is either an eroded hard line assembly which runs along the side of the block and wraps around the back of the engine or the 90? hose which connects to it right under the thermostat tower. The hard line is no longer available from Toyota, if that's what's leaking you're going to have to either fab a custom replacement or buy a used one.

Switch to Toyota's red coolant, it has better dielectric properties.

what was the problem with your car?

after thoughts.
 

so im thinking that since i have a few weeks off from work i might as well change the head gasket anyways right? i already have stuff taken apart and i should just go all the way instead of having it blow in a few miles.

cross your fingers :x:

Good luck CV... I think that's probably best, and I'm about to do it for nothing more than peace of mind knowing it's been recently done and doesn't have 140k miles on it... As far as what was wrong w/ the car... when i bought it for $1950, couldn't tell anything wrong other than a hatch stopper and slight cosmetics on the vinyl of the interior due to heat stress.. there were no leaks, started right up and performed well as well.

After first oil change, my friend advised me I should get the front tires replaced and get my wheel alignment done. I replaced my tires, but the alignment still needs to be done. I also had to do the brakes within two weeks of purchase as they were worn and cracking.. less than a week after the brakes were done, my distributor shaft snaps and had to get that replaced and have the TDC timing done on her. She gets hot fairly quick, and I'm sure getting my fan shrouds will help with this, but noticed also a few small pinhole sized holes in the top of the radiator, so guessing I need to replace the radiator too. Did try the thermostat and hoses along w/ a coolant flush to see if that would fix the heating issue, but it hasn't. Finally, between the time my distributor shaft had snapped and been repaired, my master cylinder (or the res. above it) has started leaking brake fluid and this is my first priority, followed by coolant. After that, I can focus again at my suspension and alignment... She's sucked up more repair money than I'd care for, but the pride I can have in her, and the fun I can have in her, once she's working good makes it all worth it. :dance:

oh man i feel your pain. yea i figured its gonna blow anyways so might as well do it and then since im doing this maybe ill convert it to a turbo? hahaha i wonder how much trouble that would be. well anyways nice to meet you man and good luck

bolt ons is something I've always been curious about, but seeing and reading how tempermental our ECU's can be and knowing the 7mge has a different ECU config than a 7mgte, I started to believe it might just be more efficient (both in time and money) to just drop a 7mgte w/ a manual trans than it would be to put a bolt on (if one exists for the 7mge) and have to dick with the ECU and still have an auto trans once said and done.. I know I've got a long way to go in my education on this make, but leaves me feeling just as excited as it does apprehensive. However, this forum has been a valuable resource for knowledge so far... hope that doesn't change any time soon.