Gatling gun rattle and much, much more

[samiam2013]

I'm new to the forum and new to cars all together, so these questions may seem very novice to you, but that all the more benefits me since I'm here to get answers.

Straight to business, my first problem is that my 97 Corolla DX 7afe 1.8 4 gear auto trans has a sunroof. Moreover, though, the problem is that when the weather cools off just the slightest bit, when you put the car in reverse or drive or drive on a bumpy road the thing starts rattling like there's a trigger happy fool on the roof of the vehicle firing shots from a machine gun. The vibration from the engine persists and I can feel it in the seats and steering wheel until the car warms up.

My second issue is that the dome light and the accessory power port don't function. I would be elated if someone found a diagram to show me how to take the dome light cover off the replace the bulb and where to find the fuse for the accessory port.

A third issue is that like most 10+ yo cars, mine uses oil. This is more or less a curiosity to me as to why, and if you could maybe give me tips on how to treat this, tips on how to keep track of where my oil is at (how often) that would be great.

One last thing: I understand that the 7afe is a timing belt driven engine, as apposed to the chain driven 1zzfe vvti, but is it a non-interference engine? (ie: if the belt breaks and valves are stuck down, will the piston beat them to death) I want to know only because I don't believe it's been changed, and the car has 178K miles on it.


I thank you for your time in reading this, and for any answers you might be able to give me.

[cipher93]

Easy answer first: It's a non interference engine.

Now the fun stuff: First, I believe the lighter is on the same circuit as the stereo and dash lights IIRC. If those work but the port doesn't, it could mean the port itself is bad. Your manual tells you the fuse locations and what they are for. As for the dome light, it could be the bulb or the circuit. Check the fuses for the lighter/interior lights first. If those are good, replace the bulb in the dome light. The clear cover just pops off.

The rattle could be a number of things. First make sure the roof is closing totally, and the seals on everything is good. When closed there should be no free play in the glass. If you're feeling it all over the car though, it could well be worn motor mounts if the car is otherwise idling smoothly.

Finally, as for oil use, make sure you're using the correct type for your climate. Next, is it burning? If it's burning, you should see grayish smoke out the exhaust and an excess of carbon on the exhaust tip and inside the pipe, and your spark plugs will be oily with black soot. Make sure there is no oil in the coolant. If you think it is leaking, try putting a UV oil additive in the oil, and then checking it with a black light every few weeks. You could also put a piece of white poster board under where you park it and check it daily for leaks. If you're making short trips a lot where the car doesn't fully warm up, it could lead to increased oil usage or increased condensation in the oil which will lower the level.

[QuietlyThinking]

Wouldn't the vibration continue when it warmed up if the mounts were bad? They aren't too hard to check: Checking motor mounts

I am thinking that the rattling noise might be caused by a lose exhaust.