weakness in T sport Engine

[celica_J]

Hi Guys my first first post on the site, Been a through and through Honda owner, I finally decided to to take the plunge and try something different so I acquired a 2003 Celica T sport....

I have had the car a week, runs like a dream. Although I have a a concern...

Recently I've just notice when I start the vehicle it is letting out smoke, its white (smell of petrol - normal smell I guess) goes away once I start driving about and doesn't come back, although when im at idle the smoke returns (albeit the smoke is light not heavy)... I really hope it is not a head gasket issue. as i've also noticed coolant is below minimum

The Car has done well over 100,000 miles and has had oil changes every 6000-1000 miles (full Toyota history)

I have connected it to a diagnostic OBD2 reader, It doesn't show any fault codes (would it show such a fault for problem described) ??

I've ordered a chemical test kit to check the head gasket, and some steel sealer to add in the coolant - preventative maintenance you can call it

Do these toyota-yamaha engines suffer from any engine problems?

I spoke to a mechanic who tell me the engines are weak and are prone to fail???

Is there any truth behind this?


Thanks

J

[italianstallion]

whats a t sport? and ive heard the gt from 00 to 03 have a oil leaking problem. but thats all ive heard...

[celica_J]

yo stallion

Its a 2003 face-lift model... the one with the improved lift bolts etc...

[italianstallion]

yea i dont know much about those... well i dont even konw what that means... but im from the u.s. and the t sport is european model i do belive after lookin it up lol so im totally not sure

[2000celicagtmg]

Sounds like you have bought a car that a kid owned and romped on one too many times and now you have problems with the rings seating, as far as a lot of track records go the 1 and 2 zz engines are pretty much bullet proof unless you drive like a moron, dont change your fluids regularly and dont service it, mine has 230.000 miles on it and still runs like a top.

[Snowfork]

Bottom line, your oil scavenging rings are done and need to be replaced.

[celica_J]

Guys sorry

Here in the UK post 2003 the toyota celica 1.8 (190bhp - 2zz) is also referred to as a T-sport (basically top of the line model)

The vehicle i picked up has a complete Toyota history and has had quite a few $$$ spent on it looking through the receipts,

Its not eating any oil the coolant seems low, with light white smoke out the back tail pipe gave me rise to suspect a head gasket.

Obviously whenever you buy a used car you never really know how it has been driven or what sort of life it has lived....

I will do the chemical test for the gasket and report back

OBD2 test shows all clear as i mentioned

[italianstallion]

190 hp? how come we got jipped of the ten horses? lol mine says only 180 lol but its prolly not that now. pushin 144 k now

[2000celicagtmg]

If it were a head gasket you would find either a light brown ( chocolate milkshake colour) sludge on your dipstick, under your filler cap or would have a oil film in your water, there are other tell tale signs too but those are the common ones, what I think you might be seeing is condensation inside your exhaust being pushed out by the warm exhaust, do a compression test,coolant system pressure test and that will tell you if its not tight.

[celica_J]

Ok guys update, I have done a compression test on the block all has come back good. It was reading about 200 psi in each port

I have done the chemical leak test through the expansion tank this has also come back clear. Although they recommend doing this in the radiator cap....

Does anybody know if the Celica gen 7 has a radiator cap at all??