Hi,
'95 Corolla 4A-FE, 80k miles, pings under load (when climbing hill), mainly on days when the air is dry. It also seems to have a harder time climbing. The car eats some 1/2 quart of oil between changes. I tried several brands of fuel additives with no improvement.
Timing belt is the original. Could changing the belt fix the pinging? Or maybe the timing needs to be adjusted? How is this done on a 95 Corolla?
Thanks.
You should think about changing the timing belt although it will not have any effect on the pinging.
Fuel additives rarely have any effect on pinging.
Some things to try or check: - Use a higher octane fuel to see if the pinging is reduced.
Do you have a check engine light?
Check the knock sensor and spark advance.
Check the base timing.
If these all check out OK, then you may have internal engine deposits.
Actually. i have found either adding Techron or switching to Chevron (now unavailable in New England!) helps quite a bit with pinging. About $7-9 a bottle at CarQuest, AutoZone, etc.
Not sure if Wal*Mart (OH DAMN! I said Wal*Mart) has it or not.
Fully agree that he should pay attention to the recommended change frequency for belts. A loose belt and or tensioner could make the car drivability poor.
I suspect he has deposits in the cylinder , OR the spark plugs are carrying so much ash that he is getting preignition.
Would we care to wager when the spark plugs were changed?
The spark plugs were changed 1 year ago.
Unleash the hounds of pre-ignition vs. detonation!
D
Don't Corolla's have a timing chain and not a belt? Not sure about a 95, but pretty sure my 98 Corolla is a chain.
--Ben
You get an apology... A lot of people run the original plugs
80,000 miles...some are so bad you have to really be careful to get them out.Might be worth a look...Since you are burning a good bit of oil, ash other plug related issues could be in effect.
Right!...everyone...DUCK!!!....
I believe '98 was the first year that the Corolla had a timing chain.
Would have to look it up..( in fact, I will) Chains certainly have their advantages, but they can stretch too.
According to the listings I found, that unit uses a belt and tensioner..
But aren't interference?...I thought that an engine with a chain was interference...with a belt wasn't...?
If you did not use Nippon Denso or NGK plugs, consider changing to Nippon Denso plugs. Toyotas tend to have ignition problems with other brand plugs and ignition parts.
The pinging could likely be caused by either too advanced ignition timing or an inoperative EGR valve, or both.
Your 4A-FE probably has an EGR valve, but since I don't know what emissions package you have, you will have to tell me if it does. Emissions components are listed on the VECI label on the underside of your hood: look for "EGR". Or you can look for the valve under and behind the throttle body, or look on the vacuum diagram under the hood for it. I would suspect the EGR valve is plugged (if you have one).
You need to check timing too. I almost always find timing out of spec on OBDI Toyotas that fail our state's emissions inspection program. Use a paperclip or whatever and short E1 to TE1 in the small black diagnostic connector near the strut tower. Start the engine in park with the A/C off. Make sure your check engine light is continuously flashing about twice per second; any other behavior indicates a stored code or you didn't jumper the terminals correctly. Check the timing marks with a timing light. Adjust to 10 degrees BTDC (there's a large raised mark on the timing belt cover for 10 degrees) by loosening the two 12mm head ditributor holddown bolts and turning the distributor. If you can't get the timing to adjust to 10 deg. within the slotted adjustment range then the timing belt is probably one tooth off.
Toyota MDT in MO
I have a '95 with the 4A-FE. It has a timing belt.
This engine has no tendency to spark knock.
Even a loose timing belt will not bring about spark knock (pinging).
Forget about carbon deposits and octane increasing additives.
DO verify the base ignition timing is set according to the EPA sticker under the hood.
The EGR system needs to be verified as functioning.
The EGR dilutes fresh air/fuel charge with exhaust gases. This has the effect of lowering the amount of heat generated during combustion and .... the tendency for preignition and detonation to occur.
The EGR delivery passage must flow lots of exhaust. The EGR diaphragm must be sound. The EGR diaphragm must recieve vacuum from the throttle body as the throttle is opened. The EGR transducer valve and bleed solenoid must be functioning as designed.
OTHERWISE, the engine will spark knock (ping) as you describe.
Corolla have a cam BELT until the new 1ZZ engine appeared in 1998.
Belt Corollas are non interference
Chained Corollas are interference.
Neither stretches significantly less than the other.
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