Changing thermostat on 4E-FE - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

NickNZ · 10-19-2009, 04:37 PM

My car was playing up so i took it to mechanic, my radiator is leaking and i need a new thermostat. I think the radiator will be easy to change out but im not sure about the thermostat. I see it's located on the top radiator hose into the engine. It looks hard to access becasue the distributor (i think it is: the thing with all the plugs into the spark plugs) is in the way. Can i just remove that to access the thermostat? Can someone give me some tips or advise on this, bit of a amature mechanc with cars, worked on dirt bikes but not cars. The car is a toyota sprinter 1989 with a 4E-FE EE101.

Cheers

Donald · 10-19-2009, 05:03 PM

Get yourself a workshop manual. It is worth the cost. Since you have experience wrenching on motorcycles, it should be a piece of cake for you.

You will need to get a bucket and pull the drain on the bottom of the radiator (not when it is hot!!!)

After that all you need to do is disconnect the electrical connector. Pull the two bolts that hold the thermostat cover and take the thermostst out.

When you install the new unit, make sure that the hole with the jiggle valve (I'm not kidding, that's what the book calls it) is at the top. Use a new gasket.

You might need to use a socket on an extension to get past the distributor, but you shouldn't have to pull the distributor. You really don't want to pull the distributor, because you will need to reset the timing if you do.

NickNZ · 10-19-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donald

Get yourself a workshop manual. It is worth the cost. Since you have experience wrenching on motorcycles, it should be a piece of cake for you.

You will need to get a bucket and pull the drain on the bottom of the radiator (not when it is hot!!!)

After that all you need to do is disconnect the electrical connector. Pull the two bolts that hold the thermostat cover and take the thermostst out.

When you install the new unit, make sure that the hole with the jiggle valve (I'm not kidding, that's what the book calls it) is at the top. Use a new gasket.

You might need to use a socket on an extension to get past the distributor, but you shouldn't have to pull the distributor. You really don't want to pull the distributor, because you will need to reset the timing if you do.

Yea ive got a workshop book, it's not written by toyota but aother company "halles" maybe.
Doesn't sound to hard, should be able to do it. Ive got to change the radiator out also, which seems pretty easy.

Im trying to buy a new radiator have found some good ones on the interent at good price but they say for

Years = 1991~1999
Models = Corolla, GL, GT, XL, DX , Marino, Sprinter,
Chassis Numbers = AE100, AE101, AE102, AE111
Chassis Numbers = EE100, EE102, EE106
Engine Numbers = (4A-FE,1600cc) (5A-FE,1500cc) (2E,1300cc) (4E-FE,1300cc)

so everythings good apart form the fact that my car is EE101 which is not included in these details. Would a radiator that fits an EE100 and an EE102 be able to fit a EE101? do they differ at all?

Donald · 10-20-2009, 12:21 PM

The EE101 and the AE101 are the same chassis. The second letter is the chassis code (designation). EE has an "E" series engine and the AE has an "A" series engine, asin 5E-FE or 4A-FE.
The important thing to look for will be the outlet/inlet pipe locations on the radiator itself, to make sure it matches the one on the car.

NickNZ · 10-22-2009, 02:19 AM

Ok i see, the one i found on the internet that is cheap and i asked about in my last post:

Years = 1991~1999
Models = Corolla, GL, GT, XL, DX , Marino, Sprinter,
Chassis Numbers = AE100, AE101, AE102, AE111
Chassis Numbers = EE100, EE102, EE106
Engine Numbers = (4A-FE,1600cc) (5A-FE,1500cc) (2E,1300cc) (4E-FE,1300cc)

has dimensions:
Core Sizes
350mm ( BETWEEN TOP & BOTTOM TANKS )
669mm ( BETWEEN SIDE PLATES )
17mm ( THICKNESS )

where the old one in my car has these dimensions

I want to buy the fisrt one beascue it is much CHEAPER!, but it's a little bit bigger (as you can see from the dimensions) and also in that photo there a two gold small hose like fittings coming from the bottom.

Do you think the first one will fit in my car?

Donald · 10-22-2009, 04:19 PM

What matters most is the measurements between the upper and lower mounting points, and the position of the hose connections.
The gold coloured (brass) hose fittings are for the automatic transmission cooler hoses. Those don't matter if you have a manual gearbox. I think all the transmissions come with those now.

NickNZ · 10-28-2009, 05:40 PM

Ok i see, the radiator arived today just waiting for a nice day so i can put it in without geting all wet. My thermosta cover bolts are rather rounded, how can i get these off? i though i could take the airbox out and then tr and hammer on a small socket but it going to be pretty hard.