Supra is being a pain

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cartert

Member
Dec 18, 2006
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I bought a 1988 supra turbo during Christmas breaking. On the test drive there were do engine noises.

About 2 weeks after getting the car it started to tick under acceleration. I thought it was a valve tick and started searching on here about them. I read that quite a few supras get loose exhaust manifold and can sound like a valve is ticking. I thought I’d go ahead and examine the exhaust manifold before I took apart the engine. I found that I had an exhaust leak and was missing a nut on the back side of the mani. I put on the nut and tightened all the other ones in that area including nuts onto the turbo and ones to the down pipe.

The next day when I drove it the tick had completely went away. The very next day the tick was back as loud as ever (I am really pissed). I highly doubt the nut has backed off b/c I put on of those washers on it that keeps pressure on the nut to keep it from coming loose(I cant remember the name of this type washer).

The tick has me really confused. The temperature here is fluctuating a lot lately and it seems the tick disappears with warmer weather, which makes me think it is a valve sticking. Then again I have never seen a valve get this bad so fast. :dunno: This situation has so many factors and inconsistencies that I’m having trouble determining whats going on.
Anyone got any ideas on whats going on and what i should try.
 
johnathan1

johnathan1

Supra =
Aug 19, 2005
5,056
1
36
35
Downey, California, United States
Check your exhaust manifold again...rev the engine while in the engine compartment, you should be able to see exhaust coming from the leak, if it's as bad as you say...or at least smell it.

And yes, the stock injectors make a loud ticking sound, but the sound is quite different compared to valve tick or an exhaust leak tick...if that makes any sense, lol...
 
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cartert

Member
Dec 18, 2006
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louisville
i really dont think that it is the injectors b/c it didnt make this noise the first 3 weeks i had the car. when i had my dad rev it at about 4k exhaust came out from the manifold, after i put on the new nut it didnt leak anymore and the tick was gone. the next day the tick came back as loud as before but the exhaust didnt leak. it just didnt make since to me why the tick would stop one day then come back the next. i guess ill take it apart and adjust the valves.

ANOTHER PROBLEM: i drove my car hard one day about a mile from my house, when i got home it was smoking like crazy and pouring out antifreeze. the gasket between the themostat housing and the engine had gave out. i replaced it which stopped my antifreeze leak.

before this the heat worked, not super hot, just warm. now it does not work at all. it still blows out air but it is freezing cold (sometimes i think it even colder than the outside air). i thought i might have messed up somthing w/ the themostat when it apart so i replaced it.... heat still sucks:1zhelp:
 
johnathan1

johnathan1

Supra =
Aug 19, 2005
5,056
1
36
35
Downey, California, United States
I don't think your valves need adjustment. If you saw exhaust coming out, then you need to replace the exhaust manifold gasket. The reason the tick went away and came back, is because the exhaust manifold stud will slowly pull out, and everytime you tighten the nuts, it makes it worse, until the stud has completely stripped out, and has taken all of the threads in the head with it...ask me how I know.

you will need to remove the exhaust manifold, which entails removing the turbo...helicoil all of the threads (or just the ones that stripped out, it's up to you)...the only problem with this is that they might just strip out again...so the more permanent solution would be to get the exhauist stud kit from Driftmotion (Aaron), which have a much coarser thread that won't strip out.

As far as your smoking...was the smoke coming from the exhaust or the engine bay? And where was coolant coming from? Just the leak at the thermostat?

And your heater not working means either your have a lot of air in your cooling system...or your heater VSV has stopped working (either are very likely)...you can try burping your cooling system (do a search) and see if that helps.

If you keep getting smoke, or are losing coolant, you may have a BHG.
 
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cartert

Member
Dec 18, 2006
54
0
6
louisville
johnathan1 said:
I don't think your valves need adjustment. If you saw exhaust coming out, then you need to replace the exhaust manifold gasket. The reason the tick went away and came back, is because the exhaust manifold stud will slowly pull out, and everytime you tighten the nuts, it makes it worse, until the stud has completely stripped out, and has taken all of the threads in the head with it...ask me how I know.

you will need to remove the exhaust manifold, which entails removing the turbo...helicoil all of the threads (or just the ones that stripped out, it's up to you)...the only problem with this is that they might just strip out again...so the more permanent solution would be to get the exhauist stud kit from Driftmotion (Aaron), which have a much coarser thread that won't strip out.

As far as your smoking...was the smoke coming from the exhaust or the engine bay? And where was coolant coming from? Just the leak at the thermostat?

And your heater not working means either your have a lot of air in your cooling system...or your heater VSV has stopped working (either are very likely)...you can try burping your cooling system (do a search) and see if that helps.

If you keep getting smoke, or are losing coolant, you may have a BHG.
Click to expand...
exhuast was coming out from where the mani goes onto the engine but when i tighten them the first time the exhaust quit leaking but the ticking is back. what you all said about the studs becoming loose is making perfect sense, i just havent had time to confirm this yet.

The coolant leak + heat not working story was unrelated to the exhuast and ticking and happened weeks before the tick. I have fixed the completely stopped the coolant leak. I was just wondering why; after removing the thermostat and replacing the gasket that connects the housing to the engine (the source of the leak), would my heat have stopped working.

I kinda ran my questions together, making it seem like they were simultaneous. thanks for the help
 
C

cartert

Member
Dec 18, 2006
54
0
6
louisville
johnathan1 said:
You need to purge all of the air from your cooling system.
Click to expand...
I used to have a lumina which had to be burped almost everytime you messed with the coolant lines and apparantly i have to do it the supra too. are there any tricks or specific ways to get the air of the system of these cars?
 
C

cartert

Member
Dec 18, 2006
54
0
6
louisville
Starscreamer...
"BTW, is the temps getting hot? Did you just recently drive it hard? Check all of your coolant lines for leaky or shitty hoses. Are you loosing fluid in the resivoir tank?"

The temp hasnt got hot yet but it has also been about 15 F max outside and im only driving short distances. No. Replace several bad hoses. Yes im leaking coolant from the resivour tank, but cant actually find the leak.....
 
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