Toyota Celica (Hatchbacks / All Years)

alex18t · March 2001

the smell i usually get from my car is brakes burning not clutch, it's possible the brakes mask the clutch.

LoL, i love my celica!

alex18t · March 2001

i need to get a stronger clutch for the way i drive. after 6 or 7 tire spinning 1st - 2nd gear shifts my clutch was mighty mighty warm and indeed i did smell it this time. this stock clutch is not sporty enough! am i alone in this opinion? sorry for the many seperate posts, i have short thoughts.

denniswade · March 2001

may very well have ridden the clutch enough to glaze it. I'd take it in and have it inspected. If you drive the car really hard, you may want to opt for a TRD replacement. Look them up at http://www.trdusa.com.

alex18t · March 2001

clutch is something that goes under user wear and will not be replaced under warranty, right?

denniswade · March 2001

on whether they think it was abused or not. Worth a try, no?

coupe2001 · March 2001

The dealer can replace the clutch under warranty. Just claim it has unusual wear. They will only do this once though.

ttlpckge · March 2001

I bought a 2001 celica gt (automatic) last December and I've noticed that when I start the car's engine, it seems to have a (at least for me) high rev range--somewhere near 2000 rpm. Is this normal? When I listen to the engine from the outside it doesn't sound quite right either. After the engine runs for a while it sounds okay again. I previously bought a 2000 celica gt and that engine didn't sound like this one. Has anyone else experienced this and if so, should I be concerned? Any comments or insights would be helpful.

sergeis · March 2001

Indeed, that sounds too much, for that price you should be able to get a new one. I got my 2K GT auto new for less than 18.7K, but without spoiler and remote.

sergeis · March 2001

I think I got it - since "It has every available option offered (except automatic transmission) with about 10,000 miles", I guess they have counted 10,000 miles as another option and charged for that too.

denniswade · March 2001

Yes, 2000 rpm is too high. It may have a vacuum leak. Take it to the dealer and see what they say -- it should be fixed under warranty.

alex18t · March 2001

how cold was it when this happened?... my GT idles kinda high at first. about 1700. this is NY winter maybe it was colder for you. also mine is a 5spd. the engine is very loud when it idles above 1000. im pretty sure that's the way it is. once my car is fully warm it idles at like 700 or 600 and then it's actually kinda quiet for a 4cyl. did you do your first oil change yet? was it 5W or 10W oil? could be the oil is a little thick at first if you put 10W. or maybe your waiting for dealer to do oil change and in that case just state all the problems your having with the car including this one... they can check it. doesnt sound serious to me, but im not the most toyota knowledgible person in this forum.

alex18t · March 2001

listen to dennis he's alot smarter than me! lol

alex18t · March 2001

if i pay for the part will the dealer install a TRD clutch w/out charging labor? like a half warranty job? anyone know how much a high performance TRD clutch will cost? the site doesnt give prices. i think getting good prformance from the car depends on using the clutch bcause the engine is not particularly muscular in the least. has anyone installed a TRD clutch? How does it feel?

ttlpckge · March 2001

Thanks for your help guys. My car revs high ALL THE TIME whenever I first start it up or if the engine is cold and hasn't been running yet. Once it warms up, there the rpms go back down and there doesn't seem to be a problem. However, this strange phenomenon didn't happen with my 2000 celica (unfortunately an 18 wheeler decided to play tag with me and I had to buy a new one). I don't think the problem is weather related as I keep my celica in the garage and even when the weather is mild, when I first start it up the same high revving and creaking noise from the engine acts up. After a few minutes it goes away, but like I said, this didn't happen with my old celica and that was less than a year old.

To: alex18t

Does your engine have a creaking sound (from the outside) to it when you give it a cold start, as your celica gt seems to rev at the same rpm as mine does. I only hear this creaking sound when I'm outside of the car but I don't think that the engine should be making that sound. Once the car has warmed up and I restart it again from running errands, this doesn't happen. Only in the morning when I first start it up or after work when it's been sitting in the parking lot for a while.

alex18t · March 2001

and to follow up i watched closely last morning when i started my car. it went straight to 2000 when it started then dropped to 1600 2 seconds later, then about 5 seconds later it dropped below 1500 and i drove off. if your car stays at 2000 for long than that's not typical with my engine. call the dealer for an appointment.

coupe2001 · April 2001

It's up to the dealer on the TRD clutch install. I checked my TRD catalog and I didn't see a TRD clutch for the Celica. check with www.toyotaguys.com on that. They will know if it's available for sure. I agree if you drive the car hard then you should get some kind of performance clutch.

coupe2001 · April 2001

found the TRD clutch $190

http://www.phewl.com/parts/default4.asp?id=65&parts_catagory=Drivetrain

alex18t · April 2001

thanks.

Got a question for people who took their front wheels off. do the brake rotors come off just by moving the calipers off and sliding it off the stud or are they connected to the hub?... prolly a silly question but i dont know, and i was wondering how big a job it would be to do the rotors myself.

alex18t · April 2001

sorry for the seperate posts. do cross drilled or grooved rotors really have a tendency to crack or is that just under tremendous race track heat?

alex18t · April 2001

well now my family only has 2 running cars, my saab's electrical system just self destructed. something is very wrong with that car. it sure is embarrassing pushing a 1995 car into a parking spot while some guy in an 88 honda drives past you.

gambit293 · April 2001

Stopped by a dealer today.

He told me that Toyota has been having production problems with the 2001 GTS. Hence they are hard to come by.

Is this true, or is he just talking crazy? Has anyone heard similar rumors?

Thanks.

00gts · April 2001

I've heard rumors that production of 2001 GT-S 6-speeds has been halted until May. This supposedly began in March. I don't know if there have been problems in production or if they're doing something to upgrade the transmission or what. Again, these are only RUMORS.

bclough · April 2001

I was driving up Rt.66 in northern Virginia this afternoon in heavy traffic, when I passed a black Celica GT-S with a major problem. A piece of something underneath the front of the car had come loose, and was scraping along the pavement. The noise was terrific, but the driver seemed determined to tough it out and refused to exit. It wasn't the piece of colored metal directly under the bumper (the one that will hit the curb if you pull in too near in a parking space) but something large and metallic from a little further inside. What could it have been? I could see it clearly as I passed him, but traffic was moving along just a little bit too fast for me to grind down my window and yell at him that there was something wrong with his car.

Brenda

alex18t · April 2001

that's something

could have been some stupid ground effects light and that's why he didnt care right? or maybe im just reassuring myself.

denniswade · April 2001

If he was that oblivious, he's probably the kind of guy who runs over stuff and doesn't stop until the car does. Doh!!!

guitarzan · April 2001

I haven't looked at these wheels yet. Usually the rotors are screwed on. On my Integra, there were 2 tiny screws. Unbelievable! They are very difficult to remove. So, we used a torch on them. They expanded enough where a screwdriver popped them right off. You might want to invest in a manual from Toyota, and get any special tools in advance.

We used the same procedure for getting the caliper bolts off. Careful not to touch any torch to rubber and/or brakelines.

guitarzan · April 2001

PS I do not think I will touch the brakes on my Celica. I am too afraid of breaking the ABS computer. I hear it is very sensitive to contaminants.

t2000gts · April 2001

2000rpm is not too high for a celica. If it's really cold, my motor spikes up to 1900 often for a few moments, then dies back down to 1500. I live in New York. The GT-S engine has a 11.5 compression ratio, it takes a bit of work to warm that sucker up. Also explains why sometimes in really cold weather it takes a few cranks to even get the motor started.

t2000gts · April 2001

the last long-term review was pretty decent, but this month again reaffirms the stereotype that all edmund's reviewers are old guys who like to be pampered in smooth-riding BMWs.

i mean, jeez. you can easily get the car to stay in the powerband, if you take it to the fuel cutoff at 8300. and that's not dangerous for the car as long as you're on premium gas. the european celicas have the redline START at 8200. and it's the same tranny/engine. i even e-mailed them a video and told them this last time.

it's kind of funny actually. the GT-S auto can't rev to over 7900/8000. and when a video was posted of it dropping to 5000 on the shifts, a whole bunch of 6-speed drivers chimed in and said they get the same thing. after a bit of explaining, they figured out how to drive it the way it was meant to be driven and it pretty much changes the entire way the car accelerates. a constant burst of power from the 2nd cams. i bet that guy would lose to an automatic GT-S in a 0-60 contest.

noisy? sorry, 90% of GT-S owners love the sweet revving sound of the VVTL-i. thrashing? maybe if you don't know how to shift. herky-jerky? if you're using words like that, this car was not made for you. doesn't seem happy revving to redline? uh...wrong. this car was born for 6000+rpms. just the fact the cam switchover is so high should tell you something. it IS designed to be shifted in the powerband, that's how toyota got a 0-60 of 6.5/6.6 out of a totally stock GT-S.

i've been driving my car as a commuter car for 9000 miles so far and my love has only grown for it. I can't believe he thinks the old acura GSR is more fun to drive. He should get out of the GT-S, let someone capable drive it, and proceed to hand him his @$$ in any kind of a speed or handling contest.

finally:

It's almost as though the motor is engaging the variable valve timing begrudgingly, with more vibration and noise as the tach needle spins upward than our old '96 Integra GS-R long-termer delivered

sorry genius, the VVT in the celica is ALWAYS on, from idle to redline. that's why it's got the -i. for intelligence. maybe he means it engages the lift (the L in VVTL-i) begrudgingly? have any of you ever revved to over 6000? does it engage begrudgingly?

guitarzan · April 2001

No, it gives me whip lash. My neck hurts!

The car is a little noisy, we all know that. I have a little problem with the radio: It keeps creeping up 'til I eventually notice I'm blaring myself out when I slow down or stop. But you know what? And THIS is the way Edmund's should be thinking: This car has an awesome, Ferrari-like design that everyone and their brother stares at. In order to create such a cutting edge design, the creature comforts and ergonomics are not going to be perfect. How they could get this car any better, I really don't know.

And you're right. I came from an Integra. I will say this car probably doesn't need the 6-speed, but the novelty is cool. But, drive it aggresively. Man does this engine rev smooth to the top. I always thought Toyota's engines were smoother than Honda's, and this one really is phenomenal. Lastly, the Integra has been the SAME EXTERIOR DESIGN since the 1994 model. I couldn't even get myself to test drive one. It is a great car, but I had one for 5 years or so, and I wanted something that has evolved, and/or is more exciting.

How is your mileage folks? I am nailed at an average of 27mpg, at 1/2 freeway, 1/2 stop-&-go. I have used exclusively 94 octane.

Warming up? I'm in Cleveland. In about 1.5 miles from my house is the freeway. By the time I get there, I am getting heat. Even when it was 20-30 degrees F out! These Toyota's are superior to Honda in the heat range, really! Parents have Camry's, and they have the same advantage of heat. My Acura CL was particularly bad. Maybe it was that it had a lower compression ratio along with it's vtec design.

Redline at 8200? Wow. You know, I did think driving this car at the peak that it seemed to want to keep going, and was ultra smooth.

wscc1 · April 2001

I have a '00 Celica GTS - 6 speed and 16" wheels, with approximately 18K miles. I have done an actual speed vs. RPM plot for each gear. Theoratically, only 0 and one point in each gear is needed, but I took several points per gear. The lines are nice and straight. The following are the RPMs at the shift points (at 7800 RPM) +/- 100 RPMs.:
1st to 2nd: 5100, 2nd to 3rd: 5600, 3rd to 4th: 5950, 4th to 5th: 6100, 5th to 6th: 6100
If the power band is 6000 to 7800, it seems the 3/4. 4/5 and 5/6 shifts are perfect, 2/3 is so-so and the 1/2 is very poor (even using 8200 the drop is to 5800 - although I would want to respect the red line). For road racing this is good, for autocrossing (a 1st and 2nd gear sport) this stinks because of the low torque, beside which a 2 to 1 down shift is near impossible because of the shifter's pattern. On an autocross course, I hope the speeds never get above 40 MPH, the max speed at 7800 RPM with Kumho 712 tires. (The orginal Yokoamas wore out in 12K miles. Wih the same type of useage my CRX-Si got much better tire wear, I would have thought that although the Celica is about 25% heavier, with its much larger foot print I would get similar wear.)

alex18t · April 2001

hey how do you like those Kumho tires?

i was thinking of puting a set of 205/55 15 on my GT. are they good? they have a great price but i cant find anybody who has them on their car to get input from. im worried of buying such an obscure (at least to me) name tire.

wscc1 · April 2001

The Kumho tires in the 205/50-16 size seem to be a very good dry tire, very good wet tire and a horrible snow tire. I can not vouch for the wear yet, but according to the Tire Rack (WWW.TIRERACK.COM) survey that is also very good - especially for a high performance tire.The Kumho's do ride harder than the OEM Yokoamas. I don't know much about the OEM 15 inch tires, but you can check the Tire Rack site for various tires for your needs. The price
for the Kumho was very friendly and Kumho is trying to make a name for themselves in both racing and solo with some impressive results in last year's SCCA championships.

denniswade · April 2001

But got talked out of em by my wheel and tire guy. He says they get noisy and rough as they wear, and recommended Sumitomos, which I bought. Love em -- smooth, quiet and performance identical to the Kumhos, at 2/3 the price of Dunlops (the sister brand).

alex18t · April 2001

yea someone recomended the Sumis to me but they dont make a tire to fit stock GT rims and i'm not going to be able to put the kind of larger diameter rims i want on my car for a while. those being very light/expensive rims. i was thinking about buying some 16" GTS wheels from ebay but im not sure on their weight and they are just plain common.

i went to tire rack just now and it seems the comments on the Kumhos are pretty good. also i checked the comments on the stock RE92 195/60 15 tires and people mostly agree with me, they're terrible.

anyway, thanks for the comments. I'm gonna go with the Kumhos. I just had to check up on them first because i couldnt beleive the price.

denniswade · April 2001

I think they go for about 80 bucks, and the performance is great as well. Can't beat it for the price.

alex18t · April 2001

actually 205/55VR 15 are listed at 68 bucks in tire rack. that's why i couldnt beleive it. they are the same price as the garbage rubber that came stock on my GT, those being Potenza RE92 195/60HR 15. It's too bad toyota doesnt back a quality affordable tire maker like kumho eh?

so with these stickier tires and the TRD lowering springs im getting soon the handling in my car will be like night and day. gosh that TRD suspension package looks tasty for 1500. too bad i dont have the extra dough.

aim9 · April 2001

Amen to all your comments. 2000 GTS 6-spd, my 4th celica since '78. Getting 28-29 mpg in town, and got 35on a 500 mi road trip. 16K on the odo. Great car-again-from Toyota. What a pleasure to read this site, as opposed to so many others with drivers experiencing so many reliability and other unfortunate problems.

BTW, a great dealership: Mike Erdman Toyota on Merritt Isl. Fl. Dan McLeod the salesman to see.

George

pocahontas · April 2001

I moved the Celica GT-S discussion link, previously at the top of this page, over to the Additional Resources on the left side of this page. In addition, I've also linked Edmund's Long-Term Road Test of the 2000 Toyota Celica there. Keep a look out for other discussions, reviews, and articles that I will be linking to that area!

And now back to the discussion of the Toyota Celica. Happy Motoring! ;-)

Pocahontas
Host
Hatchbacks/Station Wagons Message Boards

alex18t · April 2001

what do you know of cai and the 1zzfe celica GT engine? does it hurt or help the engine in terms of wear? does anyone have it? i want an inexpensive way to get more torque but i dont want like an NOS or anything that can damage my engine. anyone have experience with a CAI?

denniswade · April 2001

definitely helps on the high end. A friend of mine has developed an elegantly simple, inexpensive CAI for the Corolla, but hasn't done anything with the Celica yet.

You might try ELPrototypes in Azusa, CA.

neoburst · April 2001

Hi, I am thinking about purchasing a 2001 Celica GT-S 6 Speed Manual Transmission, and I have an important question...

I've read on other fourms that many people misshift, thus messing up the tranny. Although the dealer will fix this once within warranty, is it something to be very concerned about? I've also heard the B&M/TRD shortshifter's can reduce the risk of a misshift. Is this true and to what extent?

Thanks in Advance.

denniswade · April 2001

I've never had any trouble with the shifter, but I'm used to shifting smoothly and gently -- unlike some Americans who think you're supposed to slam the thing into every gear like a hemi Cuda.

The gates are narrow, so if you muscle the shifter you can lose your feel for where the shifter is and pick the wrong gear. This is a meathead move that deserves the damage it inflicts.

The short shifter is well worth the money.

alex18t · April 2001

if you miss a shift you can do damage to the engine aswell as the trans. the engine damage is not as easily detected or repaired in some cases when the damage is subtle and even with a new car, the engine may never be the same again. and for cryin' out loud! do not let your best friend do 1/4 mile runs in your car just because he owns a manual camaro or integra or whatever. i know of a few stories and i know someone personally who lost his M3 because he let someone borrow it and they went from 3rd - 2nd while merging.

a good thing to steer clear of is a GTS with a low price and Bold letters that say "15k miles Brand new transmission!" that is not a car you want in your driveway.

that being said. i still think you gotta be a meathead to blow up your engine like that. and it can happen in any manual with a meathead driving.
peace.

oneibt · April 2001

Hi, am new to this. I've been doing some car shopping, with the Celica GT being my front runner right now. I test drove a GT with the cruise/power package and all weather package. The dealer gave me a bottom line quote of 16,200. Does this sound good?

alex18t · April 2001

Let's put it this way. I paid 22k out the door with those packages.

Hope that answers your question.
peace.

hbark · April 2001

Onebit --

Once you figure out the invoice price on the car/configuration you're looking at, using Edmunds, or Kelly, whatever... you'll be able to see if that's a good price.

Rule of thumb is, you shouldn't pay more than 2 - 4% over that invoice.

coxmw00 · April 2001

oneibt - $16,200 is extremely low. With that package, the invoice is $17,007 (I just bought one with the UP and AW packages a week ago and paid $17,400). I do not see how they are selling it for that much under invoice. What part of the country are you in? I am in the midwest and I know the invoices can vary depending on location. I would say that you are getting a sweet deal any way you look at it.

oneibt · April 2001

coxmw00- I checked back with the dealer. The price is actually 16,731. Originally, the dealer thought there was a 750 dollar cash incentive. Turns out this was only for the 00 model. Still sound like a good deal though.

jk111 · April 2001

well, it is ok if you misshift, just don't misshift when you are at 4th gear running at 7k rpm. The engine damage people talk about is downshifting from 5th to 2nd gear when they are at peak rpm. Resulting in rpm spike to something like 13k rpm! They should come out with a 2nd gear gate block to prevent this.

Toyota Celica (Hatchbacks / All Years)

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