Slight trouble starting car (Toyota Starlet)

tuxy

I have a 1997 Starlet with a 4EFE
When the engine is cold it will not start unless I press the accelerator slightly.
Turns over fine then dies. With even the slight pressure on the accelerator it will fire up 100% of the time. When warm it will also start every time with no accelerator.

Not a big deal as I have become used to just applying that little bit of pressure to the accelerator on start up.
But I am curious as to what it could be and would like to fix it if it's not too difficult.
I just don't know where to start so that's where I would appreciate any suggestions.

BonnieSituation

I've a 1997 Corolla with a 4EFE and it had this issue for a while long time as well.

It basically boiled down to being an alternator on the way out for me.

But I'm not at all saying that with much authority now it must be said.

Does it squeal when turning over from cold?

tuxy

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Does it squeal when turning over from cold?

Yes it does and has done for a long time now.
Do you think the alternator could be causing extra load on the engine as it may be on the way out?

BonnieSituation

tuxy wrote: »

Yes it does and has done for a long time now.
Do you think the alternator could be causing extra load on the engine as it may be on the way out?

Well that was my diagnosis on mine. And everything you said above equates with my long standing issues before it went kaput.

The dist cap and battery having been replaced as well over time.

tuxy

Thanks for the info. Replacing an alternator is beyond what I can do but I will keep and eye on it. Although I take it that now that it squeals at startup it may just go without further warning?

I had hoped it was the belt but the squealing continued after a belt snapped and I had a new one put on. I had hoped the new one was just slightly loose and that was the noise.

BonnieSituation

tuxy wrote: »

Thanks for the info. Replacing an alternator is beyond what I can do but I will keep and eye on it. Although I take it that now that it squeals at startup it may just go without further warning?

I had hoped it was the belt but the squealing continued after a belt snapped and I had a new one put on. I had hoped the new one was just slightly loose and that was the noise.

Given it is a 4EFE you'll have a long while yet before it goes. #cockroaches

Mine gave up the ghost from a cold start one day but even then it push started no problem for a while after that.

Again, the squealing could well be a belt. But everything you stated matches mine exactly. But will bow down to our resident experts here if they can say anything else.

tuxy

Ah ok cool. I just use it as a run around so it doesn't see much use so maybe it will last a while. Thanks again for the info!

greasepalm

Squealing at startup suggest fanbelt is slipping as it tries to grip pulleys,is the belt cracked all over suggesting its old and needs replacing? I wonder is the rotary valve clogged up as when engine is cold it should be like the old choke cable of long ago bringing up the revs and slowing down when pushed in or as in this case rotary valve is not moving

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQAeS2_DBiA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsP2-HKz7vE

One thing with toyotas i have found is tight screws and needing a centre punch to start to loosen the screws as screwdriver usually does not grip soft metal.

Alternator if having issues is bearings are gone and noisy all the time or not charging and battery going flat


Forgot to ask as there is a timing belt inside cover with adjustable tensioner,when was the last time it was changed.

tuxy

The fan is electric powered.
There is a serpentine belt that is connected to the alternator and water pump. This belt snapped on me 1 year ago and the new one still squeals on startup just not as much. I don't believe the belt is damaged and it only has 1 year and about 5,000 miles of wear.

Do you mean when the timing belt itself changed? It was about 30,000 miles ago.

I did suspect something to do with the throttle body so I'll have to take the time to watch those videos and investigate further.

Thanks

greasepalm

Are there 2 fanbelts on car as other one for power steering.How many years is 30,000 miles,might be 5 years as forgotten by now.

Carb spray is good for cleaning the muck off it as i needed a 6" vice to hold my throttle body just to loosen them screws.
If you press/pull on belt is there much movement?

tuxy

No power steering so just a single serpentine belt on the car from what I can see.
30,000 miles is since I got it 6 years ago. I got it for next to nothing as it needed a clutch and timing belt so I got that done as soon as I bought it.
I should have carb spray and I can check the throttle body again. I checked it when it first started having the starting problems(again years ago) but didn't find anything obvious at that stage.
I guess I'll probably have to disassemble parts of the throttle body if I want to be sure and like you said everything is probably welded together by now. If it's a lot of work and does not cause long term problems I'll probably just leave it.

I'll check the tension on the belt in the morning.

zilog_jones

I know someone who had similar problems with a 4E-FE in Corolla of similar age - it wouldn't maintain idle speed so would cut out, etc. Either had trouble finding a replacement throttle body or changed it and it didn't fix the issue, so they ended up giving up on the car. But maybe the issue just wasn't diagnosed properly...

BonnieSituation

tuxy wrote: »

No power steering so just a single serpentine belt on the car from what I can see.
30,000 miles is since I got it 6 years ago. I got it for next to nothing as it needed a clutch and timing belt so I got that done as soon as I bought it.
I should have carb spray and I can check the throttle body again. I checked it when it first started having the starting problems(again years ago) but didn't find anything obvious at that stage.
I guess I'll probably have to disassemble parts of the throttle body if I want to be sure and like you said everything is probably welded together by now. If it's a lot of work and does not cause long term problems I'll probably just leave it.

I'll check the tension on the belt in the morning.

Did you check the tension on belt?

Replaced the alternator on mine last weekend as it happens. Belt purring now.

Battery getting the heave ho this week. So she's back to normal now.

HA! The engine is just a thing of engineering mastery though given the seven shades of sh!te it's taken over the last 5 years.

tuxy

I did and yes it's loose, I can't tell if the alternator is ok or not.
Screams like crazy now when I start it in the cold. I think that's what's causing extra load that sometimes prevents it from starting. I guess the garage I took it to when the last one snapped didn't do a good job.
I'm going to get someone else to look it it next week.

greasepalm

Fanbelts do stretch and might need readjustment after a few weeks or until you hear the screech,if you dont get it done in time you will need another new fanbelt.

tuxy

greasepalm wrote: »

Fanbelts do stretch and might need readjustment after a few weeks or until you hear the screech,if you dont get it done in time you will need another new fanbelt.

Just started it there cold and no noise, it was only real noisy during the subzero temperatures.
It does need to be adjusted though.

greasepalm

Yes cold and having more things on like heater blower and heated rear window will add to the strain of slipping belt.

tuxy

greasepalm wrote: »

Yes cold and having more things on like heater blower and heated rear window will add to the strain of slipping belt.

Heater for rear window does not work so is never on. I will try turning off the fan heater when starting to see it helps until I get the problem sorted.

greasepalm

You sound like a driver who drives with bulbs gone as putting it off for another day:eek::eek::D

tuxy

greasepalm wrote: »

You sound like a driver who drives with bulbs gone as putting it off for another day:eek::eek::D

I've never done that. Is the serpentine belt slightly slipping a major safety issue?

greasepalm

No but can lead to alternator under charging as in winter you need all the charge it will give due to winter added loads.
post up a photo of adjuster on fanbelt as it might only need a 12mm spanner to loosen lock nut and long 12mm threaded bar rotated to adjust it and retighten it .

tuxy

Is this any good? It's the best I can take right now in the dark

Also is it still called a fan belt? I find it weird since no fan is run off the belt and I always call that type of belt a serpentine belt.
Or perhaps it's just a drive belt for the alternator and there is a separate one for the water pump....
I don't work in the trade so don't know the correct names for parts.

zilog_jones

tuxy wrote: »

Also is it still called a fan belt? I find it weird since no fan is run off the belt and I always call that type of belt a serpentine belt.

People still call them fan belts even if they don't drive the fan, it's a bit of a misnomer. But yeah, drive belt, auxiliary belt, serpentine belt - same thing really. The one that's not the timing belt

greasepalm

Looking at photo it only shows crankshaft pulley and water pump pulley and not shown is the alternator guessing its on the rear of engine.See if you can see a slotted bar shaped like a banana with a bolt through it to secure in place.

Depending on what your one has fitted a longer bolt threaded for tension adjusting fanbelt as tightening this a turn or 2 will make fanbelt tighter.

Other one is just a lock bolt through the slotted bracket of alternator which is loosened and a tyre lever or pry bar to move alternator away from engine while checking deflection/movement on belt.

Plenty of you tube videos to show how.

tuxy

Sound, thanks. I'll see what I can do.