New AE86 Owner here with Questions!

[cosmicbutthairs]

Hi everyone! I'm a girl lol jokes.

My names Paul and I just bought a 87 Corolla GTS (AE86) and need some help with some questions:

1. I was test driving the car and noticed that I can't downshift to 2nd gear unless I do a little 'trick' lol This trick consists of subtly finding 2nd gear and almost putting the shifter into 4th. Is this normal? WTF is wrong with this? Are all the gear boxes like this? I wanna be able to downshift into 2nd with not problems and not hesitate to perform the 'trick'. Also, when I'm doing a rolling stop, I can't put the car into first gear at all.

2. The car has surface rust around the bottom edges of the car and has about a 2 inch hole on the driver side. Anyone know a good bodyshop in Toronto that can fix this up good and for a good price? I don't mean a silly putty job, but a nice cut and replace job.

3. I need a headlight motor, what other generation corollas can I rip a headlight motor from that will fit? Is this even possible? I also need a windshield, is this hard to find in a junkyard?

4. I paid $2000 for this car, it has 200k's and I'm the 3rd owner (2nd owner didn't even have it ready for the road, he bought a RX-7 later on) Did I pay too much???


Thanks a million for answering. Lates

[brink]

Hey Paul. Based on your nick I kind of gathered you werent a chick

For your first issue: Are you rev-matching? If you're at 2k in third, typically second is going to like 3k or so. It's pretty difficult for me to get into second from third without revving the engine.

First has always been a real pain to get into (while moving) on every car I've owned, so I assume it's just a sort of engine/clutch protection thing going on there.

[TRDragoon]

the headlight motor can be pulled out of a junk yard and i believe that the AE86 and AE92 are the same except for the linkages.

remind you that restoring any AE86 will cost u $$$

[Voodoo.Priest]

Originally posted by cosmicbutthairs
Hi everyone! I'm a girl lol jokes.

My names Paul and I just bought a 87 Corolla GTS (AE86) and need some help with some questions:

1. I was test driving the car and noticed that I can't downshift to 2nd gear unless I do a little 'trick' lol This trick consists of subtly finding 2nd gear and almost putting the shifter into 4th. Is this normal? WTF is wrong with this? Are all the gear boxes like this? I wanna be able to downshift into 2nd with not problems and not hesitate to perform the 'trick'. Also, when I'm doing a rolling stop, I can't put the car into first gear at all.

3. I need a headlight motor, what other generation corollas can I rip a headlight motor from that will fit? Is this even possible? I also need a windshield, is this hard to find in a junkyard?

4. I paid $2000 for this car, it has 200k's and I'm the 3rd owner (2nd owner didn't even have it ready for the road, he bought a RX-7 later on) Did I pay too much???


Thanks a million for answering. Lates

1. I've never had that problem. The only gear I can't down shift to is first but it is supposed to be like that.

3. A Corolla SR5 should work for sure but I don't know about AE92s working or not.. You can give MR2 and Celica pod motors a try but I don't know if it will work or not. Bring the dead one with you to check if it is the same as the other ones.

4. I think you did pay to much. with a hole like that in it there is bound to be more. You should check the underside and engine bay. If there are holes there it will not pass safty. And you tranny dosen't sound like it works right.

Any way congrats on you buy and welcome to the money pit known as AE86.

[cosmicbutthairs]

Brink
I am rev matching, its just a pain in the ass to try to downshift into second and it feels like the shifter won't go into 2nd without doing the 'trick' I don't know, it would really suck if it was a safety feature.


Shit I thought this car is a money pit. I thought I might of paid too much, but the car looked and drove so mint! I just need a daily driver that I can drive, feel good about driving and something rare. I hope this car doesn't run me over $10,000. I'll be more than willing to spend $3000 on top of the $2000 I paid to get it running right. Maintence is no problem either.
Btw, I did check the underbody, gas tank, engine bay, underneath the carpet of the trunk and it looks A-OK to me (minus the obvious rusting of the exhaust). I wish I can take pictures of this car soon. I think I might of exaggerated the rust conditions of the car. thanks for the help, I just need a good reliable body shop now.

[ready ike]

I hear what your saying about downshifting to 2nd. Same this with my 86. What I do is shift to neutral, release the clutch, blip the throttle, depress the clutch, and it pops right into 2nd. It will only stick during hard downshifting, not when slowing down normally.

Welcome to the club and like Voodoo.Priest said the money pit.

[RedruM]

congrats bro

not only money pit you might even want to buy another shit box to drive around if and when the 86 is not gonna start.

[cosmicbutthairs]

Originally posted by ready ike
I hear what your saying about downshifting to 2nd. Same this with my 86. What I do is shift to neutral, release the clutch, blip the throttle, depress the clutch, and it pops right into 2nd. It will only stick during hard downshifting, not when slowing down normally.

Welcome to the club and like Voodoo.Priest said the money pit.

That works? Sounds like a safety feature. Man this sucks, I probably won't go past 3rd gear racing around a parking lot.

[cosmicbutthairs]

Originally posted by RedruM
congrats bro

not only money pit you might even want to buy another shit box to drive around if and when the 86 is not gonna start.

Ah man, that doesn't sound good lol. This car supposed to be my daily shit box. oh well.

[clumzy]

mine doesn't downshift into 2nd well. I have to double-clutch 2 sometimes 3 times to get it in. I'm hoping that redline tranny fluid will help.