1989 GTS AE92 tranny and power equipment issues - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

stoth47 · 04-28-2007, 10:21 AM

Hi group
Just picked up an '89 GTS. It has a number of issues and I'm moving parts over from a collision damaged '88 SR5 to fix them, but the major ones are:

1.) C52 transaxle is stuck in 1st gear (no neutral, 2,3,4,5) - Going to check the linkage today. Any way to check the shifter fork / carrier assembly? Any ideas here?? Any good Toyota shops in the Greater Seattle area??

2.) Power sunroof isn't working - motor spins when you use the switch, but nothing happens. Broken cables? I gather I have to drop the headliner to fix this? What's a good source for parts? Any help appreciated (never worked on a sunroof before).

3.) Power window on drivers side doesn't work - motor spins, but no window movement. Sheared roll pin? Any ideas?

4.) The driver's seat is trashed and needs to be re-upholstered. Any recommendations on a good Toyota familiar shop in the Greater Seattle area?? Would it be cheaper to just score a new pair of gray GTS seats??

What are the best manuals for AE92's? I have a Haynes for 87-91 Corollas and it is sadly lacking. Any system that is "too complex for DIY should be taken to an authorized dealer for repair" - not exactly why I purchased the book - and some of the typos and mislocated illustration labels are interesting.

Is there a site similar to Camrymanuals that has Corolla manuals???

If I have a good manual and parts and I can fix just about anything, but I'm new to AE92's.

Thanks for your patience with all the questions.

stoth47 · 04-30-2007, 11:42 PM

Okay, scratch Number 2 - I fixed the sun roof (Thanks Chiltons) without buying any parts (creative repair), so if anybody needs help on getting their sunroof to work, email me and I'll try to help by sharing what I did.

BTW: Just got back from the local Toyota dealership - they show the part numbers in their system for the sunroof seal, interior trim ring and interior trim headliner panel but all are unavailable through toyota.

I'm going to adapt other items from an SR5 and dye them with SEM Colorcoat dye. If anyone is interested in the process, shoot me an email.

Probably going to attack the power window issue this weekend (I've fixed it on a Dodge B250 van, can't be that different).

Still need info on the other items. thanks!

***REN69*** · 05-01-2007, 10:26 AM

Get yourself a used transmission, C52s and C56s are so cheap now adays, mainly because of all the swaps going into AE86s and other RWD Corollas.

diver9000 · 05-01-2007, 09:08 PM

You have lots of options for the seats. Get some from a junkyard. Go to summitracing.com and pick up new ones for about $200 a piece or where ever they sell seats near you. I know down here you can get the upholstery work done for about $225 per seat.

stoth47 · 05-02-2007, 12:32 AM

What seats will bolt in?? I'm thinking possibly Celica or MR2 but don't know what years or models will bolt into a Gen 6 AE92. Any help here is appreciated. I've got a Toyota wrecking yard within striking distance locally.

Also, just ordered the Toyota factory manuals for the '89 Corolla - engine, chassis, body & electrical so I'm covered for info.

Two issues down and moving forward!

toyotaspeed90 · 05-02-2007, 06:56 PM

i have a c50 (i'm in bellingham) from a 90 prizm gsi.... it's an ae92 gts hiding in a geo body....

1) if the shifter moves freely but the trans stays in gear, it's a linkage issue... otherwise it's probably internal... the clutch fork has nothing to do with what gear it's in....

2) i'm sure you found the screws that need to be tightened or loosened in the motor... if you need a motor assembly (as much as I don't want to take it out) there is one in the prizm i have here

3) could be the regulator..... common problem on toyotas

4) i have ae92 prizm seats (drivers has a tear and passenger is good)... not as nice as the gts seats but they would bolt right in.... I also have a pair of aw11 two-tone seats (tan/black)

i would NOT reccommend going to Nix99... they are overpriced and will lie to get the sale... (i know this from personal experience...)

if you want somoene that knows ae92's and 4a powered cars well, i'm up in bellingham and I have a friend who's better in south Tacoma....

stoth47 · 05-02-2007, 07:56 PM

toyotaspeed90

Thanks for the reply.

I think the shifter fork in the C52 is either broken or no longer attached to the internal gear carrier assy. The linkage moves the shift levers on the C52 but it stays in first gear no matter where the C52 shift levers are positioned. You're right about the clutch fork not having anything to do with it being stuck in gear. I have a C52 I can use, I just have to pull it out of an SR5 that's not running, but thanks for the offer.

I may know someone who can use that sunroof motor. A friend in Oregon has a sunroof that's inop. I'll pass along that you have one. I got mine apart, working, back together and aligned - it was old grease and dirt in the cables and rail assy. that had hardened and literally stopped the mechanism from working. Luckily the motor was fine.

Roger on the regulator - just haven't pulled the door apart yet.

Thanks for the heads up on Nix. So far they're the only ones who have come up with the interior trim ring for the sunroof opening for my GTS along with the sliding headliner panel. Hopefully those two won't be too expensive, but I noticed their prices were a tad on the high side to say the least.

If I have questions on AE92 / 4A stuff, what is your contact info and also the info for your buddy in Tacoma? You can hit me off line if you want at stoth47@yahoo.com

What I am curious about right now is if there is any way to pull, check out and possibly repair the C52 shifter fork assy without pulling the transaxle. If not, it looks like the engine/transaxle assy is coming out of both the GTS and SR5 so I can match up working components to get one good workin assy.

toyotaspeed90 · 05-02-2007, 09:08 PM

if you're talking about the shifter "pin" that's in these transmissions..... then it *might* come out while in the car... but it won't be easy and it may not clear....

i've only pulled one out of a c52 from an mr2 (planning to modify a FWD trans to fit an aw11... so we had to pull the linkage apart).... you need to keep the trans in neutral, remove the cables, remove the linkage, then there are a couple bolts that hold it in.... but that pin is about 8-10" long (again, at least for an aw11)... and it may not clear the firewall/crap on it

your sr5 has a c50... which is more prone to 5th gear popout and bad syncro's.....

my contact info is toyotaspeed90@hotmail.com ..... the guy down south isn't much of a FWD fan (though his wife has an ae92 gts) and i'm not too comfortable with giving his info out other than his "shop" goes by the name of Tims Toys and he's close to the Tacoma Pull-A-Part.... (and to give you an idea of what he has/can do... he has 2 1st gen celicas, 2 or 3 ae86's, 2 starlets, a TE?? with a 2t/3t hybrid running MS and itb's, and is building an NHRA approved starlet for ultimately 8 second passes using a 2rz)

retiredat44 · 05-02-2007, 09:49 PM

Nevermind, I thought you said the drivers side mirror had a problem,, you said window..

But there is someone who posted pictures a couple weeks ago about taking the door panel off, that might help you..

retiredat44 · 05-02-2007, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REN69

Get yourself a used transmission, C52s and C56s are so cheap now adays, mainly because of all the swaps going into AE86s and other RWD Corollas.

C52 has 2 starter humps...

one on each side..

***REN69*** · 05-03-2007, 10:20 AM

The C52 on my 89GTS actually had a bad 5th gear synchro and used to pop out, but I used the car mainly on the highway for like 3yrs in a row and put about 50,000km a year.

stoth47 · 05-03-2007, 10:42 AM

Toyotaspeed
Thanks for clarifying the transaxle models on the GTS and SR5, as the C52 and C50 - it helps if I'm asking questions about the right box ;-)

Retired at 44
Thanks, I'll do a search and check back in the threads for the door panel info

Ren
Yeah, my C50 in the SR5 is a good box. It operated flawlessly - until my daughter spun all the bearings in the engine by not putting oil in it (it now exhibits "the shriek of death" when started) - so I'm pretty amped about putting the SR5 transaxle in the GTS. Also, I understand the diff in the C50 is 4.1:1 as opposed to the 4.3:1 in the C52, so a little better mpg.

From previous threads I understand thge 20V clutch disc is the one to go with if I decide to replace the clutch while things are apart -any input appreciated.

From what I'm hearing here guys it looks like both engine / transaxle assy's are due to come out and the good engine matched up with the good transaxle.

toyotaspeed90 · 05-03-2007, 08:46 PM

the c50 will fit with no issues whatsoever..... you can still use all the c52 parts in the car too (mounts, axles, cables, etc)

as for what clutch/flywheel.....

IMO if you want to keep it stock..... best bet is to get an ae86 gts flywheel and clutch combo.... only problem is the t/o bearing that the kits come with won't work.... although, yes, the 200mm clutch is a little heavier than the 212mm (which comes in the ~86+ 4age's... depending on model, kinda) it has less outer rotating mass.... which equals quicker revs.... the 20V uses a 212mm....