New 1990 Camry Owner with questions - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

clhdrums · 08-10-2009, 10:25 AM

Hello everyone! I've been reading through this forum for a few days and decided to make an account. I recently purchased a 1990 Camry with a few problems, so I have a few questions:

1- The paint on my car is faded and just bad, and my clearcoat is non existant. Is is possible to paint a car using the high quality spray paint with the right color code?

2- I assume it's a common problem, but the rear bumper.. the black is coming off toward the center and you can see the fiberglass type stuff, to repaint it, i should sand the entire bumper down and repaint it.. correct?

3- The main problem with my car is an oil leak, I'm assuming it's coming from the valve gasket as i can see little pools of oil, and the underside of the hood over the engine is black with oil. What parts do i need to complete this job? and is it difficult?

4- The metal bar/support above the grill is dented to all hell, and a little loose, can i find a replacement one of these?

5- My driver side headlight is actually bungee corded in, i think it may be missing a support? but i can't tell by comparing it to the passenger side one, is there a support that i might be missing? or some bolts?

6- I'm looking for a few other parts for my car.. which would be cheaper - junkyard, or finding it online? I've never been to a scrap yard.

Thanks guys, I appreciate any help you guys can give me and I look forward to being a member here for a long time!

Chris

fredk · 08-10-2009, 12:18 PM

GO TO A JUNKYARD, get used to going there and get to know the guys there, round up a tool kit to take with you and something to wipe your hands on and a flashlite, a cellphone with a camera is a good thing to take pics of parts with, get several cans of brakeclean and clean the motor up so you can find the leaks just let it all dry off before restarting

clhdrums · 08-10-2009, 12:43 PM

I have another question to add to those... if you open up your hood and look at the engine.. i have a huge open space on the bottom left of my engine bay.. almost looks like a battery could go there... is that just an optional space to install a battery? or am i missing something?

atobe · 08-10-2009, 01:01 PM

that's where the cruise control unit goes .... i wouldn't trust spray cans if it's better than nothing ... to do the vavle cover gasket you just need a 30mm socket and spark plug socket it's fairly simple to do by yourself

clhdrums · 08-10-2009, 04:11 PM

could someone point me to a write up of how to change the valve gasket? thanks for the help!!

clhdrums · 08-10-2009, 04:54 PM

actually i just need to know what torque to tighten the valve cover bolts to. thanks!

ycartf · 08-10-2009, 07:47 PM

If it is the I4 engine with 4 grommets and nuts, it is torqued to 17ft/lb.

If it is the V6 engine with 6 seal washers and nuts on each valve bank, it is torqued to 52 in/lb (just over 4 ft/lb).

Be sure to put some quality RTV in all of the corners/crevices that aren't flat surfaces, and to torque in alternating sequence around the valve cover (like when you change a flat tire). I usually torque them to just under the final desired torque the first time, then torque them all again to the desired torque.

fredk · 08-11-2009, 09:49 AM

When I was at toyota the way to tighten them was to make the top of the tube level with the nut

clhdrums · 08-18-2009, 09:22 PM

Hey everyone. I changed my valve cover gasket today, and it was a fairly easy fix.. a lot of trial and error, and googling helped.. haha.

I have another question though..

looking at the engine from the front there's a tube on the right that goes from the valve cover to the intake, (or the big tube that says EFI on it). What is this tube? the part where it inserts to on the valve cover had some dried oil looking junk inside of it that i dug some out with a flathead screwdriver. i actually forgot to connect this tube to the valve cover when i first started it up.. and the engine ran fine.. then i connected it.. and it still ran fine.. what is this tube?

Thanks

Jimnist · 08-18-2009, 09:27 PM

It the Positive Crankcase Ventilation(PCV), it doesn't have a valve, just straight through arrangement. It sucks any vapors or gas created in the crankcase and 'burns' them as opposed to venting into the atmosphere.

clhdrums · 08-18-2009, 09:51 PM

ohhh okay thanks. is it normal to find black gritty gunk in it?