Just bought 1987 supra auto 145k miles

JIMMY JO BOB · 05-11-2015, 02:06 PM

Price was $1K - Good Body, no rust I can see, it's an upstate SC car so no salt air there - Original Burgundy paint is toast of course, good Gray Cloth Interior - I've had many cars & many Toyotas since the 70's but this is first Supra - I'm on a few other Boards w/my other cars, 91 AWD Turbo Eagle Talon & 96 MKVIII - Motor purrs & it rides smooth but Shifts at 3500 RPM or so at WOT in Normal - Going to Power on ECT changes it to 3800 at WOT as well as the other changes Power Mode makes, stays in 1st longer, OD point, etc - ONCE it readily went to 5K Rpm in 1st w/no probs - New Air Filter & brand new Battery but only 13 Volts on Voltmeter so that may be it - I'm hoping it's Alt or Fuel Filter or clogged Cat or TPS or something - Has Diag Code 51 but my AC is DOA too - Will do Searches - Car came w/Owners Manual & a Chiltons but man I hate a Manual that spans 15+ Model years... it's like reading the History of Supra~! - Rad holding Pressure but looks like zero Anti Freeze so I did a Flush & Green Anti Freeze - It's got a Mod at Engine Bay Fuse Box with a Relay in place wired fm under Dash to Battery & spliced into Harness Wire fm lEngine Bay Fuse Box... not figured out what that's all about yet - Replaced 3 Valve Cover Vent hoses, they were brittle as Glass~! - I thought the U Joints were toast but it turned out BOTH Front Wheels had Lug Nuts Finger tight... drove it about 100 miles like that back home before I figured it out ~!

S-mk3-B · 05-12-2015, 09:49 PM

Nicee, sounds like you got a good amount of things to sort out and fix. Happy wrenching and come back with any questions/help that you may come across!

JIMMY JO BOB · 05-13-2015, 10:36 AM

Thanx, as you well know let's just say after wrenching on the Turbo Talon this NT thing AINT intimidating - FAQ already very helpful - This Board same "look" as the ancient MKVIII.ORG Board I've been on for 15 years so very familiar feel - I'm getting an intermittent no first gear when in D - I suspect what Ford calls the Manual Lever Position Switch is failing - Biggest difference is Toyota MLPS is $300 - I made a sleeve for the Shifter pivot bolt to delete tons of slop - I've got a chafed Driver side Brake Line that weeps, will replace both sides (4 total in front) & do a flush - Hood & Hatch Struts are DOA & on order - Radio just scans & scans like it has no Antennae but I have panel out to access Shifter so I'm there - I redid the splice at the wire off Engine Bay Fuse Box to the "Mystery Relay" & I'm up to 13.5 Volts fm 13 so ?? - Eventually I'll disconnect it from Battery & see what quits - All in all it's amazing what still works on this car - Toyota Quality is a fact.

btwilson86 · 05-17-2015, 03:14 PM

Hey, welcome to the forum! I had an 87 auto Supra back in the day that did the same shifting yours is doing. My problem was a melted TPS, if code 51 is the AC switch/IDL circuit code then that also points to a TPS failure. If you have downshift problems, check out the kickdown cable adjustment and make sure its in spec. Good luck!

JIMMY JO BOB · 05-17-2015, 04:55 PM

Yes Code 51 is both AC & TPS - Will do checks & Thanx so much for the help from your first hand experience...
Have a great weekend ~!

Deleting rusted out Muffler, the rest of Stainless Exhaust in good shape - Searching thru the docs that came with it: Car only ran about 10K Miles since 2008 when soft Falken Tires were installed (might have another 10K Miles left in them) - Oil last changed in 2013 about 3K miles ago - Looks like I may be 3rd Owner.

yale · 10-29-2015, 07:23 PM

Picking up my '87 Supra tonight. Had an '84 many years ago and always wanted another one.
135K estimated miles as the speedo stopped on the seller over the summer. Body in good shape except for a rough spot under the driver's door and behind the left front tire. But it is a CT car so winters aren't good for them. However the underneath is rust free (as far as I can tell so far), but I chalk that up to his leaking valve cover gaskets and dripping power steering line. Both part of my weekend "take ownership" projects.
As for the nonfunctional speedometer how hard is that to replace. I have read there are two cables, one long and one short that are available. Also that the speedometer not working is causing the O/D light to flash.

bills1988 · 02-06-2016, 10:06 PM

Here is the online TSRM service manuals for various Supras:

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/techtips.aspx

05-11-2015, 02:06 PM	#1
JIMMY JO BOB Stock Join Date: May 2015 Location: SUMMERVILLE SC Posts: 10	Just bought 1987 supra auto 145k miles Price was $1K - Good Body, no rust I can see, it's an upstate SC car so no salt air there - Original Burgundy paint is toast of course, good Gray Cloth Interior - I've had many cars & many Toyotas since the 70's but this is first Supra - I'm on a few other Boards w/my other cars, 91 AWD Turbo Eagle Talon & 96 MKVIII - Motor purrs & it rides smooth but Shifts at 3500 RPM or so at WOT in Normal - Going to Power on ECT changes it to 3800 at WOT as well as the other changes Power Mode makes, stays in 1st longer, OD point, etc - ONCE it readily went to 5K Rpm in 1st w/no probs - New Air Filter & brand new Battery but only 13 Volts on Voltmeter so that may be it - I'm hoping it's Alt or Fuel Filter or clogged Cat or TPS or something - Has Diag Code 51 but my AC is DOA too - Will do Searches - Car came w/Owners Manual & a Chiltons but man I hate a Manual that spans 15+ Model years... it's like reading the History of Supra~! - Rad holding Pressure but looks like zero Anti Freeze so I did a Flush & Green Anti Freeze - It's got a Mod at Engine Bay Fuse Box with a Relay in place wired fm under Dash to Battery & spliced into Harness Wire fm lEngine Bay Fuse Box... not figured out what that's all about yet - Replaced 3 Valve Cover Vent hoses, they were brittle as Glass~! - I thought the U Joints were toast but it turned out BOTH Front Wheels had Lug Nuts Finger tight... drove it about 100 miles like that back home before I figured it out ~! Last edited by JIMMY JO BOB; 05-12-2015 at 03:54 PM. Reason: update

05-12-2015, 09:49 PM	#2
S-mk3-B 3" Exhaust Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: San Francisco Posts: 72	Nicee, sounds like you got a good amount of things to sort out and fix. Happy wrenching and come back with any questions/help that you may come across! __________________ 1989 Toyota Supra Turbo w/ Targa Top White Exterior-Blue Interior 3" Blitz Catback Exhaust System BIC Divorced Downpipe, Straight Pipe Megan Track Coilovers Apexi BOV, Turbo Timer, and Intake Lexus Projector Fogs Bride Low Max Replica

05-13-2015, 10:36 AM	#3
JIMMY JO BOB Stock Join Date: May 2015 Location: SUMMERVILLE SC Posts: 10	Thanx, as you well know let's just say after wrenching on the Turbo Talon this NT thing AINT intimidating - FAQ already very helpful - This Board same "look" as the ancient MKVIII.ORG Board I've been on for 15 years so very familiar feel - I'm getting an intermittent no first gear when in D - I suspect what Ford calls the Manual Lever Position Switch is failing - Biggest difference is Toyota MLPS is $300 - I made a sleeve for the Shifter pivot bolt to delete tons of slop - I've got a chafed Driver side Brake Line that weeps, will replace both sides (4 total in front) & do a flush - Hood & Hatch Struts are DOA & on order - Radio just scans & scans like it has no Antennae but I have panel out to access Shifter so I'm there - I redid the splice at the wire off Engine Bay Fuse Box to the "Mystery Relay" & I'm up to 13.5 Volts fm 13 so ?? - Eventually I'll disconnect it from Battery & see what quits - All in all it's amazing what still works on this car - Toyota Quality is a fact. Last edited by JIMMY JO BOB; 05-13-2015 at 10:50 AM.

05-17-2015, 03:14 PM	#4
btwilson86 Super Moderator Join Date: May 2007 Location: Billings, Montana Posts: 1,034	Hey, welcome to the forum! I had an 87 auto Supra back in the day that did the same shifting yours is doing. My problem was a melted TPS, if code 51 is the AC switch/IDL circuit code then that also points to a TPS failure. If you have downshift problems, check out the kickdown cable adjustment and make sure its in spec. Good luck! __________________ 1989 7MGTE R154 Targa Top White Package w/Blue Interior Driftmotion 57trim CT26, Upgraded Intercooler, 2.25" Hard Pipes, 3" Turbo Back Exhaust with Test Pipe, HKS VPC w/GM 3 bar MAP sensor, APEXi S-AFC, Walbro 255lph fuel pump, ProSport EVO Series Boost / Fuel Pressure / AFR gauges, Lotek a Pillar Gauge Pod, HKS Type 0 Turbo Timer, Eibach Lowering Springs, Tokico Illumina II TEMS struts, custom powder coated Motegi Racing TrakLite wheels

05-17-2015, 04:55 PM	#5
JIMMY JO BOB Stock Join Date: May 2015 Location: SUMMERVILLE SC Posts: 10	Yes Code 51 is both AC & TPS - Will do checks & Thanx so much for the help from your first hand experience... Have a great weekend ~! Deleting rusted out Muffler, the rest of Stainless Exhaust in good shape - Searching thru the docs that came with it: Car only ran about 10K Miles since 2008 when soft Falken Tires were installed (might have another 10K Miles left in them) - Oil last changed in 2013 about 3K miles ago - Looks like I may be 3rd Owner. Last edited by JIMMY JO BOB; 05-18-2015 at 03:03 PM. Reason: update

10-29-2015, 07:23 PM	#6
yale Intake Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: CT Posts: 38	Picking up my '87 Supra tonight. Had an '84 many years ago and always wanted another one. 135K estimated miles as the speedo stopped on the seller over the summer. Body in good shape except for a rough spot under the driver's door and behind the left front tire. But it is a CT car so winters aren't good for them. However the underneath is rust free (as far as I can tell so far), but I chalk that up to his leaking valve cover gaskets and dripping power steering line. Both part of my weekend "take ownership" projects. As for the nonfunctional speedometer how hard is that to replace. I have read there are two cables, one long and one short that are available. Also that the speedometer not working is causing the O/D light to flash.

02-06-2016, 10:06 PM	#7
bills1988 Intake Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Plano, TX USA Posts: 33	Online TSRM service manual for Supra Here is the online TSRM service manuals for various Supras: http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/techtips.aspx __________________ 1988 MK3 Supra; 7M-GE; Automatic; Sport Roof; Factory Original

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