Re: This is weird. Please HELP.. Toyota Corolla 1993 Dx

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 18:52:19 -0800, Sol33609 wrote:
[color=blue]
> I own a 1993 Corolla Dx that lately has a toc toc toc.... sound on
> the passenger side of it engine. The sound either comes from the inside
> of the engine, or from the region where the power steering, timing and
> alternator belts are. The weird thing about the sound is that it will
> increase proportionally to the amount of electrical power the car is
> consuming. If no power is consumed the noise is almost not existing. If
> I turn the parking lights it can be heard, low beam will make the sound
> louder, and high beam with defroster will make the sound really loud.
> As a bonus when I start driving and I take my food out of the clutch
> pedal, there is a noticeable lag time for acceleration and/or the car
> will accelerate, slow down and jump forward at it own will.
>
> Any comment will be welcome
> Thanks[/color]


I would guess (and, it's JUST a guess) that something is going on with the
alternator. Have you ever had it serviced or replaced? Like Ray says,
sounds are difficult to diagnose, sometimes even when you CAN hear them,
but the fact it's increasing when the lights are on, etc would make me
think alternator.

I would put a meter on it, preferably some kind of meter you can watch
while driving inside the car. Simple...get a voltmeter from Radio Shack,
set it up on the dash somewhere, wire a black wire to the - siide of the
battery and a red wire to the + side. Watch what happens when you turn on
lights, fan, radio, etc. If it gets below about 11 volts, you have an
alternator problem.

This happened to me a couple times, but it didn't have a niose associated
with it. The brushes inside the alternator were worn down to nubs, and one
bearing was on it's way out. Takes about 45-75 minutes to replace the
brushes and bearings.