Digsy

If the system isn't completely full then the coolant might not expand enough to push any coolant out. Does the coolant level in the expansion tank rise and fall when the engine is hot / cold? Is the radiator full if you take the rad cap off (when cold)? Changing the radiator cap won't reduce the temperature. It will only increase the temperature at which the coolant starts to boil. Assuming the head gasket hasn't gone (which would hopefully show up some other symptoms like execcive pressure in the coolant system) the a high top hose temperature will mean one of the following: 1) Not enough coolant flow for the amoung of engine power (knackered pump, something blocked or an airlock). Its unlikely to be the pump but you could check it is rotating freely and not leaking excessively. Pop the radiator hoses off and check for sludge, flush the system (should be a how to on here somewhere). Bleed the system by running the heater full on, squashing hoses, etc. 2) Not enough coolant in the system. Make sure the system is full after bleeding. Top up via the expansion tank when hot and allowing to cool, then repeat until the coolant level in the tank is normal when the engine is cool. 3) Not enough heat being rejected from the radiator (blocked rad). Run the engine until warm then check the rad for cold spots. Do you know what the opening temperature is for the TRD thermostat?

I think its time to have a "Quarantine" forum for new members to perform some basic checks before we let them into the "New Members" forum...

I went the 2nd hand hub route and gave it to a local garage to do after wasting an entire Easter weekend trying to get the upright off myself. I think I got charged a coupld of hundred pounds for labour, and the garage told me that the job broke their hydraulic ball joint splitter.

H.

I specifically waitied for a baking hot day to do mine and it didn't seem to cause any issues. I have heard that high humidity can make laquer go milky, though. I also kept the cans in my airing cupboard when they were not being used (even just betwen coats), and shook them for at least two minutes before use.

I did a lot of rattle can spraying over the weekend - including laquer. I found the results to be massively variable. The best results I got were from holding the can quite close (about 7" away) and keeping everything moving but at the same time ensuring that I put a decent coat on. Worst results were on an area where I was paranoid about getting a run, so I (ironically) followed the instructions and built up thin coats holding the can about 12" away. The former gave a thick-looking glossy finish after two coats, whereas the latter had a very matt look and much rougher feel to it. Both of these were over paint, so I was putting the first coat of laquer on while the base coat was still very slightly tacky. I guess putting it on polished plastic would make it very prone to running if you didn't use the "thin layers" technique.

It could be that the cap is knackered and letting coolant out at too low a pressure, or it could be that during your stop the system heat soaked and you lost the coolant that way. The vacuum vent is very small compared to the pressure vent, so once the pressure in the system had dropped and the system started to cool, maybe it wasn't pulling the coolant back in fast enough to stop the system generating a negative pressure and collapsing the radiator hose. Actually, maybe the vacuum vent in the rad cap is knackered, too? Anyway, as you said, new rad cap is the order of the day

Yes, the engine does have to be running to check the level, and it does hold a lot (most of it in the torque converter). There is a thread on here with all the fluid capacities on it somewhere. *Edit* Here it is: http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?56684

You do need to take part of the intake system off, though, but even that isn't hard and the gaskets are all reusable.

That looks like the ticket! Cheers

Yes, that's the stuff. Cheers. I probably should have mentioned that I ideally want something in a rattle can, or something that can be brushed on.

Not really Supra related per se, but I want it for my Supra so it goes in here I want an overpaintable stonechip that gives the same kind of textured finish that the stock stonechip on the Supra has (on cars without a factory fitted bodykit). I bought a can of spray on stonechip made by Hammerite but luckily I tested it on a spare door first. It came out smooth as the proverbial baby's bottom, and didn't look much different to normal paint. I reckon a layer of proper, brush on Hammerite would give the finish I am after, but IIRC you cannot paint over that? Can anyone suggest a brand or product that will do what I am after?

Its alright I did mine this way, too. It only takes a few minutes to put it all back. Best to carefully take the inner door flim membrane thingy right off so you can see everything when you clip the harness back up.

Do you mean your piston has four ring grooves but you only have three rings?

Funnily enough I swapped a door only a few hours ago. Mind you I had the wing off too so I unbolted the hinge from the car, leaving it on the door. Pretty sure you need the wing to be off for this. I was able to libe the new door back up using the marks that the hinges left on the bodywork (sor of clean "shadows" in the accumulated muck. The door lined up on the second attempt. I guess if you wanted to do this with the wings on you would have to open the door fully with someone or something taking the weight of the open end (I had a helper). Don't forget to disconnect the door check strap (like I did!)

Hi and welcome to the club £2500 isn't an unreasonable budget to start with - it should get you a decent condition high mileage NA or an average conditon average mileage NA. One thing you might want to consider, though, is that if you already have it in your head that you want a TT6 in the future you might be better off just biding your time and getting one of those when the time and budget is right. Don't get me wrong - NAs are fine cars (I've owned one for 9 years, back from the time when even NAs fetched 5-figure sums ) but there is a world of difference in performance compared to the TTs, and there is no cheap upgrade or conversion path from one to the other. When you decide to make the change you will lose a lot of money on your NA purchase whichever way you decide to make the jump to TT ownership. Anyway you're in the right place to ask for advice

Do the switches switch the full load or do they go through a relay inside the motor? If they do switch the full load, couldn't you add some relays of your own?

We're NOT cliquey... ...and anyone who disagrees can't hang out with us.

Just to put yout mind absolutely at rest, my non turbo has done 180,000 miles with only routine servicing according to the Toyota schedule without using anything more fancy than Castrol Magnatec and Toyota premixed red coolant.

Just wondering (and trying to avoid taking the interior trim off to find out for myself): I just bought a replacement tailgate which has the secondary ICE aerial in it (wiring on the right hand side). When pulling down the roof lining to disconnect my current tailgate I found that although my car has the rubber boot to carry the connection, it does not have the wiring. I assume therefore that my car won't have a socket behind the trim to plug the aerial connection into? Or do all Supras have the socket in the wiring harness regardless of whether or not they have an aerial in the rear window.

Cheers Heckler. Only took five minutes once I could see the right bit!

Hi Heckler When you say look inside do you mean from the inside, looking up through the door, or from the outside, looking through the hole where the handle goes? Cheers!

I've recently bought a new door for my Supra so I need to change the lock barrel over. I've got as far as locating and undoing the two screws that hold the handle on (one of which goes through the barrell, and I can pull the handle away from the door and remove the barrell and let it drop into the door itself. Problem is, it is (obvioulsy) mechanically linked to the door latch and because of where my car is parked (currently immobile) I can't get into a position where I can see how to remove it. Rather than struggle I thought I would just ask in here Do I have to remove the whole latch assembly as well by undoing the two torx head screws in the edge of the door, or can I disconnect the barrell from the rest of the mechanism somehow? Cheers,

If you never see any warning lights on thr RHS (even when you first key on) then you have a problem with dry joints on the PCB or a didgy connector. The RHS warning lamp panel is notorious for it. I would take the top part of the dash off (5 screws under the part that projects out and contains both LHS and RHS panels) and wiggle the wiring looms around with the key in the "accessory" position to see if they come on. You might get lucky and be able to put the panel back in without having to re wire the connector. At least that will help you with your fault diagnosis. If you get the RHS panel working, I am guessing that when you get the other warning lights you will also get an oil level warning (yellow oil can). I would guess its your alternator on the way out.

You could buy 100 to make it more cost effective My Toyota dealership are unusually helpful and used to mail parts out. Not sure if they still do.