I am looking at an 82 toy and could use some advice. Body looks pretty good. Its been here in SC all its life supposedly. Tailgate was rusted to oblivion and back bumper had been replaced but other than that pretty much stock. I talked to the previous owner today and he claims that the truck has been parked for two weeks. He says that it just lost power on his way to work so he pulled it over and had it towed to his friends house. The valve cover was off when I looked at it. He said the motor was not seized. It would turn over. I didnt have any tools with me so I didnt check. It has 127,XXX miles. He tells me the timing chain had been changed by his grandfather before he got it at 98,XXX. Also the transmission was supposedly swapped for an '84 tranny at some point. Not sure why. The front axle had what looked to me like a lot of dirty half dried oil on it. What would cause all the oil under the engine? Valve cover removal? What could be wrong with the engine? Any guesses? He will take $1000. I want it pretty bad but I am afraid of what could be wrong with the motor and what parts($$$) it may need to run.

Thanks
Chris Stokes

 

Loss of power could be anything from bad fuel to dirty carb. Leak in the vaccum lines. If the motor is toast a rebuild kit is only bout $200 and some time. Nothing really to these 4 bangers easy job. Check the frame that's were they tent to rust the most. If valve covers off take a flashlight and shine it down the timing chain, make sure the rails are still all in one piece. It could just need a new tune up ( carb rebuild, spark plugs, wires, rotor). As for the 84 trani, it's a 5spd over the 4spd I believe that came in 82.

 

ok so I brought it home. Hopefully get pics up here soon. Looks like my front leafs are shot they are actually curved the wrong way. I guess I will put this thing back together and see if it starts up. I dont know what I should do first. I will take pictures and see what you guys think.

Thanks 83YotaNator for the encouragement and the knowledge about the 84 tranny.

Chris STokes

 

The L52 were the stock transmissions in the '83 and '84 models. I know it seems odd because there different body styles (1st/2nd Gens) but the Toyota didnt built entirely new trucks when it changed over in '84. L52 is an improvement over the L50 and the 4-speed L43. Who ever put your tranny in knew the L52 was a newer, stronger tranny. Since the motor is the same it's a seemless fit. I had an L50 go out on my '82 twice in 18 years.. Driving both (now I have an '83), the L52 is a little smoother a hopefully strong in long run. Congrats on the purchase.

 

So thats the exterior....

 

engine bay....









So how should I start? Would you just put it back together and see how it runs?

 

 

So... what do you guys think? Put it back together the way it sits and see if it starts?

 

Thanks! I am super excited to own this truck!

 

front springs definitely have negative arch to them...

looking at that engine bay it is kind of hard to tell what is going on. it's pretty dang dirty under there.
carb definitely could use a clean up.
-with the head off I would adjust the valves
-fanbelt looks like it is on backwards
-missing sparkplug
-your fuel filter (passenger side fender) looks like it is pretty old, $5 part replace it and see what happens

from there hard to say..tune up, oil change etc etc

 

looks like the rockers are rino lined like the bed or the head has been over heated baking the oil on there

 

looks like the rockers are rino lined or the head is running hot and bakeing the oil on
pm me if you need help i have been through every bolt on my truck is an 82

 

yeah I will get to that im sure soon after its running and rolling...

I bought some oil, an oil filter, spark plugs and a fuel filter. We will see what I get accomplished tomorrow. I dont know how to adjust the valves but I will look into it. I have no experience with carburetors, so this will be a crash course.

 

Yes the site of the rockers worries me. Should I try to clean those before putting the cover back on or would that make matters worse? I dont have a gauge and have never done a compression check but I am wondering if I should try that. and I could use all the help I could get, thanks.

Chris Stokes

 

cleaning them wont help mutch buy a haynes manual for it is like a bible to my truck

 

oh i have a haynes manual...lol Have to have one of those....

 

I'd put it together crank it over an see how it sounds. Listen for knocks an rattles. Listen to how the valves and rockers sound. If they aren't clattering then they are fine

 

Put it back together minus the air box along with new plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor arm, fuel filter, fresh oil and oil filter. It wont start but is turning over and it "hit" a couple of times before the battery died. I have it on the charger now. Gonna try again in an hour or so. Any suggestions? Picked up some starting fluid to try to squirt into the carb while it turns over....

Thanks
Chris Stokes

 

the carb probably need to be gone through and cleaned. A rebuild kits not a bad idea either only like $30 too.

 

Ill look into a carb rebuild kit.

I did get it running yesterday after charging the battery back up and leaving it on the charger while i turned the key...and turned and turned and turned. all the while spraying starting fluid down the carb every couple of seconds. Finally it ran. Once running it didnt sound to me like the valves or rockers were knocking or rattling. But it was hard to keep running. Had to give it full throttle constantly and lots of white smoke. The white smoke could have been all the starting fluid burning off though.

edited to add... I also drained the radiator and flushed it. The coolant was very low. Good news was that the coolant wasnt milky or rust colored. The lower radiator hose was about to go so I replace that. probably from the massive oil leak that is going on somewhere. Guess I need to find that. Need to figure out if this engine has to be rebuilt.

any other suggestions....

chris stokes