Rollasrus

Got the car to be booked in with Penrith Toyota just to identify what the prob is and give me a quote to fix it, although I find it unlikely I will pay their strupid prices to actually fix it. In the meantime I did some of my own research cause I am getting impatient. Got quotes from a few other toyota dealers for the price of a new ecu, would you believe $2280 plus gst. Oh and toyota actually has none in stock anywhere in australia. I bought a 2nd hand one for 120 bucks today and fitted it, car starts and did not blow an EFI fuse after a 30 min drive. I will drive it till monday with the new ecu in it to see how it goes. I will still take it to the toyota dealer on monday but will reinstall the original ecu before dropping it off to see if that actually is the problem but if it doesnt blow another fuse by then I think that is it. Other reason to take it in, unrelated to the ecu prob, the fuel guage registers empty with fuel light on when tank is full, registers correctly when you start it then after about 5 secs of driving goes straight to empty. Also the odometer works fine when ignition is on, but once you turn the starter motor and run the car the lcd lust shows 88888 all the time.

Hey guys. My beloved Avalon is really playing up. It may happen once a month yet today happened about 20 times just driving around the block. Until today you would start the car, let it warm up in the driveway and it would ramdomly switch off while idling, another 15amp efi fuse blown. I eventually got a self resetting circuit breaker that just stopped me replacing fuses roughly once every 2 weeks, untill today. Started the car up, the fuel guage registered just under E and the fuel light on (filled it up just yesterday) car drove for about 200m and the motor switched off while running, lost power brakes and power steering, as it was rolling, put it into neutral, cranked it over, motor started and kept going, another 2-300m and same bloody thing again. took it straight home about 1km away and it did the same thing at least 3 more times. 3 hours later took it for another test run, drove about 5km and did not shut off at all, like nothing ever happened, except the fuel guage would register zero, then spike up to the actual reading and so on. I am assuming the engine computer (ecu) is stuffed somewhere, causing some sort of electrical short and therefore tripping the circuit breaker. Any help guys on what to do. and if it needs a new computer how easily/cheaply could this be done regarding a new ecu and probably having to recode the keys etc.

the missus brother has a 99 magna sports manual that he has done up a little (well its lowered and has a bloody loud exhaust) its ok but I don't like the wind noise at high speed on the open road due no window frame on the doors and the rubbers wearing out over time. in jan i bought an 03 avalon vxi with only 93k for 7500. basically all the stuff of a camry in a bigger package so its as big as any falcodore, and for some reason was cheaper to buy than an equivalent camry. And in a straight drag it goes as fast as the brother in laws 3.5 magna to about 100 yet uses less fuel than hs car. When I was shopping for a car i loooked at all the other suggested models

First thing is I found the steering to actually feel better with more feel and more direct than the 2004 camry v6 I test drove a few days earlier, yet its still light in tight spots but heavier than I was used to in my old jeep cherokee (steering box car) Yea I noticed they are snappy off the mark but also rolling acceleration is pretty good. I drive along a country 80km zone on my way to work and many times jump over the broken lines to overtake slow ones doing about 70, and it gets from 80 to about 120 very quickly (kickdown back to 2nd) and cause the whole package is so smooth you don't even realise how quick it gets. Also i found the handling to be very good, especially on high speed sweeping bends. Also last week there was a guy at work with an old EL falcon xr8 that he claims has been tickled a bit over standard (I reckon he is talking crap though). came out of work in front of him and in a straight line he could not catch me. I reckon this so called grandpas car is a bit of a sleeper. all the luxury kit when you are lazy, good acceleration and handling when you want a bit of fun, and heaps of room to keep the missus happy, all in a package that will outlast its rival holdens and fords. last weekend i put a tank of 98 octane premium in it and i seem to be getting a little better mileage from this tank, or maybe its from the missus driving it this week as I take her 2000 rolla to work now and now she wont give me the avalon back, then again an ae112r rolla aint too bad.

Well finally put a deposit and picking it up tomorrow. A 2002 avalon VXI auto with 10 months rego and full service history from the one toyota dealer and only 93000km for $8500 plus got a 2 grand trade in on my Jeep Cherokee so was a 6500 changeover. I found it goes harder than the same v6 auto combination in a camry and felt more nimble, dunno why? It has so much good luxury gear. woodgrain,leather wheel and gearknob, climate control, cruise, elactric seats, twin front and side airbags, trip computer etc... it goes on. Now the fight will happen with the missus in the morning before we go to our respective jos, whos gonna take the avalon and who takes the 2000 ae112 corolla manual (her car from her single days). Thanks for your mechanical help to all you guys that replied to me with my questions about the smooth 1mz motor.

Thanks for all your extra info guys. Today I saw a white 2004 model v6 auto altise camry with 148000km with electric windows, cruise control, abs, dual airbags, electric seats, tow bar and a few other nice bits for 10 grand. I am considering buying it, maybe tomorrow.

Cheers for your help guys, one more Q. I preferr manual boxes so if I can find a v6 camry manual it would be ideal, but I am warming to an avalon due to its slightly more space, the sleeper value and the fact cause they were not as popular as a camry they seem to be a little cheaper. So whats the auto box behind the 1mz motor like overall, or would I be better spending the extra and waiting for an elusive camry v6 manual wagon

looking at buying a 1999-2005 model toyota Avalon or Camry v6 (hopefully a v6 manual wagon camry if I can find one) There are lots of them around the 100k mark. Just wondering if they have a timing belt thats needs changing then and if so how much would it be to do. I have done a timing belt in a 2000 corolla not long ago and it was pretty easy but doing a frontwheel drive v6 seems to be a pain in the arse. Any help guys, hope they have a timing chain.

http://www.rollaclub.com/board/?showtopic=22272 Description of my suzuki sierra with a 4k in it. To make the 3/4/5k work on steep angles stick a 1.3 sierra carby on it, gives it a little more grunt too. or go whole hog and get a 4ke efi set up like i am in the process of doing right now. In an lj a 4k would be even better cause they are smaller and lighter than a sierra.

Gimme a few weeks to get the exhaust leaks fixed on my 4k engined sierra and iron out a few bugs in it. maybe if i get motivated install the 4ke-efi setup i have, then i will post something

Just got a new GF Last week. Went to her place for valentines day for the firsttime and what do i seee in her driveway, an ae111 ascent. I commented on it then she says thats her daily, but her real rolla was in the garage, a very nice ke10 she got when her grandfather passed away lasy year, 54000 miles only

All these mexicans down south are a bunch of girls. Last week and the week before here in western sydney I took my little 15 year old brother go karting in the old folks new Kia sorrento 4wd (best aircon ever) overhead console temp hovered up to 46 degrees, and this was on a day that quoted 36 in the middle of the city. oh and about 70 percent humidity. Did a 10 lap stint in the kart, jumped out and 10 secs later passed out. Even today I was working near the coast and it was about 29, but humid as all hell so felt way hotter, home out west is 35, but about the same humidity without the seabreeze. At the transport company where i work one of our B double drivers took a pic of the dash console in his Iveco truck when he was crossing the nullabor last week. Inside temp 22, outside temp 61.5

All depends what sort of 4 wheel driving you will so with the suzuki sierra (what you guys call a samurai) Most 4 wheel driving needs something that can run and start on steep angles, and something with torque right off idle, especially when rock crawling in low range. Due to this I would recomend not to lighten the flywheel,or for that matter put a aftermerket cam. Side draught carby's are good, give heaps more power and make the car run better on some big angles (almost as good as efi). If the budget does not stretch to that I would say get a carby off a sierra(samurai) that is an aisin carby that is a straight bolt on to your manifold. I have done this on my 4k roolla motor and works well and gave a little more power than the corolla carby. if the 1.3 sierra carby is a litttle too small (should not be though) get an aisin carby off a suzuki sierra, what you guys call a sidekick, or a geo tracker from memory. These carbies being from 4x4's are designed for angles off road to start with and bolt straight onto you manifold. Another good thing that i found helped mine heaps too was installing electronic ignition. I got one from pertronix in the USA, took me 15 min to install and worked a treat and added a little more to the torque and makes it run better even if your distributor gets wet after a water crossing. My advice on a suzuki would be NOT to turbo it, especially if you put some bigger tires and other mods etc. you will frequently break axles, cv joints, and transfer case mounts with a bif power rush combined with steep offroad stuff, bigger tires etc. I have even seen a turbo sierra climbing a steep hill with small rock steps and as it bounced and crawled up his foot bounced and hit the point that the turbo hit a little and quickly flipped the car back, with a combined bang that was a diff centre. Good luck with it, keep me posted how you go.

Just a suggestion, if you need more vacum for the brake booster could you not install an alternator off a diesel that has a vac pump built into the back of it then plug you vac lines from that to the brake booster.

Cheers guys. I honestly hope they don't check anything else that usually constitutes a blue slip cause with some of the other blue slip stuff I reckon the sierra would not pass, so hoping they only check the number change.