Going to buy a 1990 Celica Gt-S. Need Advice.

[htang4]

Fellow Celica Owners,

I'm in the market for a 1990 Celica GT-S. It's an auto. I'm a Camry guy at heart but need a daily driver.

What are the pit falls of buying the first year of new gerneration? Usually they have all sorts of bugs or is it just a myth?

What kind of problems do you fellow Celica owners have with the 90-93 generation? What are the common items that break and break around that kinda of mileage?

The car has 120k. I assume the timing belt has been changed but not sure. The guy who's selling it has a strong accent. But he says he has records. We'll see...

I'm sort of mechanically inclined. I know how to check the color of the oil, cv boots, previous body damages, brakes, rust on the undercarriage and optiosn the car comes with if it works or not.

How do you do a blown head gasket check if the car is already warm? I'm meeting the guy tomorrow? I know how it's done when it's cold. Star tit up and wait to see if it bubbles or boils up. Or just check the color of the oil.

Any other tips or suggestions on how to check for other engine/suspension related parts?

Your help will be greatfully appreciated. I might be a celica guy soon.

Thanks,
Harry

[S92GT]

I have a fifth Gen, (not the first year, don't know about that) and I love it, nothing has broken on it's own, everything that did break has been pretty much destroyed by me, and is run of the mill stuff; wheel bearings, clutch, tires... it's a pretty problem free automobile, and I would really recommend it.

[Yasen81000]

What i can think of since you said it's a 90 is well depents if its a liftback or a hatchback but the suspension are a little weak because i had to switch mine. and also some celica's always have there heater broke or power steering leaking, our other type's of oil but other then that the car is great. plus is it a ST, GT, GT-S, All track?

[fredk]

gts means its a 3sge and the auto trans is the same one that came in the camrys with the power switch, by the way, a 3sge mated to an auto is pretty rare, this is what the camry guys are looking for to put in their camrys. I have an 89 gts with an auto and have had a few tries for the ecu and harness already

[Tommy]

^nope wrong Fred....90 was the first year of the new body style and good by to the engines with any soul to them.

90 GT-S celica got the 5S-FE. The other celicas got the what? 7AFE? little 1.6-8 liter job? so sad.

And the 3SGTE wasnt matted to an auto tranny, except for one model, and it was AWD.

[fredk]

so the only way you could get a g head on a motor past 89 was to get a all track?

[Tommy]

^you couldnt even do that.

you would have to import a celica to get one with a decent motor after 89.

[fredk]

[S92GT]

whoa there, fifth gens ST had the little 1.6, and the GT, and up ( GT, GTS) had the 2.2 5sfe, and the all trac had the 2.0 3sge

[xav_hlub_koj]

buddy, you're in it for a long time... if it's only a daily driver... you can drive till whenever... i've had my 90 celica gts since high school... bought the manual car when it had over 150xxx miles on it... have had minor tune-ups... such as changing your oil... brake pads... new tires.... and still today it runs fine... i've put on more than 50 k since i've had it... good luck if you do decide to purchase the car...

ohh... one other thing... runs well in the winter... and summer...

word...

[Beaver]

My dad recenly traded his '91 Celica GTS in on a Taco. The only problem he had in 300+k km was an injection problem. The electronics were causing huge amounts of fuel to be dumped into the combustion chamber. The excess fuel was washing down the cylinder walls and filling the crank case with fuel. It was running bad then at a stop light it died and refused to start. New oil & a bit of electronic hocus pokus and he was good to go. Fun car, not a powerhouse but a fun car to drive twisty mountain roads in.

[fredk]

did the taco outrun the chiuaua?