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Comments
;-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
My engine developed a stumble, so I took it to an independent mechanic, (I don't trust any of the local dealers) and although no trouble codes showed on their computer, they replaced the spark-plugs (my suggestion). I should mention this was in February while the high temperatures averaged 10F. I've worked on enough cars in the dead of winter, and don't care to do it anymore. Anyway, the pinging, which had been very bad, went away along with the stumble. The stumble is still gone, but the pinging returned after about a week. I've found the pinging is only a winter phenomenon, and true to form, now the weather is warming, the pinging is lessening and will soon be gone - until next winter. It doesn't seem to hurt the engine, so I'm not going to worry about it.
The local Scion dealer gets the Rostra cruise control installed in their xAs (same engine and everything as the Echo) for $300 customer cost.
I have the Rostra in my Echo (2002) and it works almost exactly the same as a Toyota factory cruise would work. It is easy to use, maintains speed very well without lots of slowing down and speeding up, and the only things it lacks are a cancel feature (you have to use the brake to cancel)and a light on the dash to tell you it is on (it does, however, have a green light on the unit itself to tell you it is on).
I recommend it for the Echo.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
See, when you filled it up it may not probably was not full. You need to cap the radiator and idle it till the fan comes on let it cool completely cool and top it off and repeat until its full. Im hoping like mine 4.7 quarts come out when you drain just the radiator.
Now what to do with your situation. The mistake you made was to not fill the radiator with a 50-50 mix so now you dont know exactly whats in there. No biggie. I would drain the coolant out the radiator again. Have the car hot and turn the heat knob on full. Let it cool completely cool. (about half an hour) This time measure how much comes out. Mine was 4.7 quarts. THIS TIME fill only with 50-50 mix. If 4.7 comes out great. If less than that dont worry about it. Just fill with 50-50 this time. You have to fill it up, cap it, idle it till the fan comes on, let it cool completely cool, open the radiator again and fill with the 50-50. Repeat until full. Check daily in the morning engine absolutely cool to make sure the system is full. Oh and you should also drain the expansion tank and refill with 50-50 mix. I believe it unbolts from behind the radiator and its easy to get out.
Let me know what you decide to do. Please if you drain again DO NOT open the radiator cap of a hot engine!! You could be badly burned! I even remove the radiator cap of a cold engine with a heavy rag even so just to be extra safe. Let me know what happens!!
Also I see no real problem in your antifreeze mix. If that is in fact what you have. You would be well leaving it as it is. Its close enough I think. If you have very hard water in your area you might want to drain it and put in distilled water and antifreeze mixed 50-50. I believe the antifreeze you put in the expansion tank will indeed mix with the coolant in the rest of the engine. Where do you live?
You can indeed change your transmission oil. Its not hard and I will explain how. I suggest a synthetic oil if you live in a cold climate as it will make shifting in winter easier. But regular transmission oil is fine. It should say GL-5 on the bottle. 75w-90 or 80w-90. (not 75w-140...nothing with 140 in it) Mobile One is fine. I can get Amsoil so that is what I used. Your transmission takes two quarts.
First get a 7/8 inch socket. (or it might be 15/16)There are three bolts on the tranmission this socket will fit. One is under the battery and the battery tray on top of the transmission. You will have to remove them to see it. This is one of the fill plugs. It is easiest to fill the transmission from this plug. But a pain to take out the battery. There is another fill plug on the FRONT of the transmission half way up the transmission facing the radiator. This is also a fill plug. You may fill from either one. However, this second bolt should remain out when you fill the transmission with oil. The oil goes up to the hole the plug went in. You fill the trans with oil until it runs out this hole. The third plug is the drain plug and it is located at the bottom most part of the transmission. The face of the plug is vertical not horizontal. Again the 7/8 socket (you know I thinks its really 15/16) fits it. When you change the engine oil and maybe have the car on ramps, use the socket to find these bolts. Then you will know where they are. You can forget all about the one under the battery and just use the last two. But the one under the battery is there if you need it.
You will need to have the car on ramps to change the oil. You will need to remove the plastic under fender on the left side of the car. Its near the radiator. There are two philips screws, a 10mm nut and two 10 mm bolts holding it on. Simple to remove and replace. You will need a transmission oil pump. Pep Boys and Auto Zone have them $13. It looks like a grease gun but instead of a grease fitting it has a long clear flexible tube. Its like a giant syringe really and works like one.
Ok here we go. Get the oil and the ramps and the pump and the 15/16 inch socket (you better measure it and find out for sure!) Drive the car around to get the oil warm. Put the car up on ramps. You have already found the drain and fill plugs. Remove first the fill plug on the front of the trans behind the radiator. It may be necessary to remove the plastic under fender first. Then remove the drain. Drain the oil into a pan. Now go into the house and boil some water in a large pot. Put the two bottles of trnasmission oil into the boiling water. Dont pour the oil in just put the bottles in! We want to warm the oil so the gun sucks it up easily. Bring the pot and bottles out to the car. After an hour of drain time put the drain plug back in. It has a sealing washer you can reuse. If you lose the washer get another one! Open the bottles and suck the oil up into the gun. The gun works like a giant syringe. It will suck up about half the oil in the bottle in one shot. Put the end of the hose into the fill plug and push the oil in. Repeat until the bottles are empty and the trans full. You might possibly do without the suction gun and just squeeze the oil right out of the bottle into the trans. But the gun is easier.
Now the front of your car is up in the air and the fill plug is still out. Gently drive off the ramp. When you do and the car is level oil will run out the fill hole. Let it drain out until it stops. It wont be much. The oil level is right when its up to the lower edge of this hole. In fact once a year you should take the fill plug out with the car level and add some oil if it isnt. Catch the oil with a rag or a pan and put the fill plug back in. Put the plastic under fender on and you are done!
I would also remove one of the front wheels and check your disc brake pads pretty soon if you havnt done so already. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the left (for the left wheel) before you remove the wheel and youll see the caliper and the pads. By now they just might be pretty worn out. Maybe not!
At 60k miles your engine is due for a valve clearance adjustment. I have written up a proceedure in this forum how to CHECK the clearances yourself if you want to. The clearance is most likely fine...these shim and bucket arrangements hold the clearance pretty good. Id say 19 out of 20 ECHOs are still good at 60k miles. If its bad though you want it adjusted. You can burn a valve and need a valve job if there isnt enough clearance. The dealer will have to adjust it. It might be very expensive like $500. But it probably doesnt need it and youll most likely be fine to let it go. But if you want to post me.
I would have the rear brakes checked by the dealer. Or if you are adventureous you can do it. Remove the rear wheels and brake drums. Toyota drums often get really stuck on.
Also when you change the oil on ramps each time you do check the boots on the axle joints. The ones next to each wheel go first. (they steer as well as rotate) They can crack and all the grease come out, ruining the axle. A moot point I guess because its as expensive to take the old axles out and put on new booots as it it to have rebui;t axles installed. The new boots last much longer. My 1980Sunaru they went every 60 k miles. My daughters Camry went at 100k. (1992)
Keep changing your oil every 3k miles and check the air filter once a year. Your plugs are probably good for the life of the car. If you do this your ECHO will last 20 years. It is an incredibly well made little car.
Thats all I can think of. Maybe Ill think of mmore later.
Thanks
The one thing your car might need is a valve adjustment check which is supposed to be done every 60k. That is pretty expensive if Toyota does it. Even more if they have to make an adjustment. I wrote up a proceedure in this forum how to do it yourself if you feel inclined.
One other thing I would be checking are the boots on your drive axles every oil change. Have they been replaced yet? Its a moot point perhaps as they tend to charge as much to install rebuilt axles as they do to change the boots. Id be curious to know if your boots are origional.
Drive axle boots. Yes their original. Never heard of them. How can you tell if there bad or going bad?
Same question for the valve timing.
Thanks
Rick
The valve clearance check well, that involves removing the valve cover. You cant tell from looking at the engine. Although if the clearances are loose it might be making a clicking sound at idle. As long as your ears arent being put out of joint by engine noise, the gas mileage is good, and the engine is making good power you might get away without checking the valve clearances. $$$ if Toyota does it.
Do tell, do tell. I am prepared to believe you, as this model has STELLAR reports of long-term durability, but I want you to think back reeeeeal hard...
:-)
PS Mine has had no repairs, but at 85K I am not even in your ballpark!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
With exception of new brake pads, belts, spark plugs, PCV valve, filters and tires, everything was still original.
That car would probably go 300K miles with no repairs and way beyond with few if any problems.
I wanted a roomier car, better for long trips and purchased a 2007 Nissan Sentra 2.0. S. Got 37 MPG on the first tank, not that much worse than the Echo (41 MPG average).
I match your 215,000 miles... and raise! 2000 Echo also.
I'm not driving much these days though...
Driver-side lower control arm just replaced (bushing was in bad shape!)
Catalytic converter replaced (Damn Toyota's fault. Faulty ecu causes misfires on v1 and v2 of the ECUs. No tsb for v2, but moving to v3 of the ECU fixes the problem)
No valve adjustment or checks, but I do all other maint work myself.
By how much are you raising me? I'm a little over 215,800 now. If yours has more, I bow to you and will give up my bragging rights. But until then, it's all mine. I will add, the check engine light came on just today. It's on steady, not blinking, so I will assume until I have a diagnostic run that it's not serious.
Kneisl, the cel light does blink if there is a serious problem that can affect the cat. Also, you can't buy a cat at the junkyard. They aren't allowed to sell them.
thanks
rick
Oh, I called two dealers asking them if I can tow a small boat combined weight of 500 lbs. Both said no something about a subframe?? any comments. Several sites list a towing capacity for the echo. I have been towing a few times each season about 100 miles total for the season. Now , I dont know if I should stop towin the boat because of what the service guys said???
rick
Toyota is probably concerned about some idiot towing a large boat 75 mpg over dirt roads. That would nt be a good idea!
If you want to change it its under the air cleaer assy which you need to remove. Unbolt the old and bolt in the new. Theres an O ring that needs to be removed. Also, a simple snap ring that holds a shaft and drive gear to the sensor. You need to install the shaft/gear onto the new sensor. It looks easy. But note changing the sensor it #3 on the list so that might not fix it.
rick
thanks
thanks, as always
rick
I was shocked that it gave me a terrific 44.69 mpg.
I called my neighborhood mechanic who said he could do the repair for half or less; who also said not to have the trouble light cleared. He wanted to read the code for himself. The light went out by itself so I cancelled the appointment.
So, two days ago I am coming home from work, I go to pull away from a light and the engine shudders; its vibrating, shaking the whole car. At first I thought it was the transmission. I took the car to the local mechanic. He called me saying #4 cylinder was not firing. A wiring problem he said. 2 hrs later he called to say the computer is defective and has to be replaced. Expensive for a new one; over 900 dollars. Less so for a used one; under 400 installed.
The lesson? Dont trust technology, or toyota dealer mechanics; by the way, there is nothing wrong with the catalytic converter. That would have been 1200 at the dealer.
Just thought you guys would like to know.