Piston Slap: Celica Support Infrastructure

by Sajeev Mehta

Updated: May 16th, 2014 Published: February 28th, 2011

piston slap celica support infrastructure

Jeremy writes:

Dear Sajeev, I am currently in possession of a 1985 Toyota Celica GT, with a clutch that is perpetually engaged. I originally bought the car when I moved across Canada, as a means of securing a cheap ride until I could save up some money for a down payment on a new car. I paid about $1100 for the car about 6 months ago, which had 165 000 verified kms and now has about 180 000. The car is actually in decent shape with very little rust, a clean interior, new front brakes and wheel bearings, new exhaust, spark plugs, bushings, and drove quite nicely up until now. It was not a problem when it moved because my girlfriend would use it for the day, then park it in our condos ‘visitors’ spots which are to be used for no more than 12 hours, a time limit that is strictly enforced.

I purchased a new car well before all of this, a 2011 Ford Focus (don’t laugh, it was a good price with all the options I wanted compared to the other cars I shopped for), so needless to say driving the Celica was a fun place to go on the weekend after a week of econoboxing. I would love to fix the clutch and keep this car, but I have nowhere to work on it, and don’t really want to pay what a garage would charge me to take it apart and fix it.

What do I do with it?

Sajeev answers:

Jeremy, that’s a lovely car! Not that you need my encouragement, but you must keep it no matter what. My advice is simple: get on the 3rd Gen Celica forums and pray you find a like minded soul nearby. That Celica nut could easily fix your car for the cost of parts, a few meals, and a lifetime of friendship. Friends within my car brands are some of my closest friends.

And that’s what you need: a Celica Support Infrastructure.

Here’s the thing about long term car ownership: it takes a life all unto itself. Your non-car friends do not understand why you devote significant amounts of time and money to your ride. Your family probably does not understand, because owning an old car brings about new experiences, challenges and relationships (cars or otherwise) that you simply cannot experience elsewhere.

Bonus! A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom:

Celica Support Infrastructures prove a bigger point: don’t we all need people to nurture and support our fascinations? I’d like to think so.

Send your queries to mehta@ttac.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

#Advice #PistonSlap

Sajeev Mehta

More by Sajeev Mehta

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3 of 38 comments

MRF 95 T-Bird on Feb 28, 2011

Yup the 85 is the last of the RWD Celica's. My dad had a 72 and my sister a 81 and both eventually needed a clutch slave cylinder. Chances are this one does as well. These are great cars and worth dumping a few dollars into. 86 and up FWD always reminded me of a Lancia Beta done right. The styling and packaging are similar and with 16v 4 cyl on most models it's a Beta without the horrid reliability.

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Richarbl on Mar 01, 2011

The commenters who have suggested the slave cylinder are quite possibly incorrect. A faulty slave cylinder is oftenresponsible for not allowing the clutch to engage but it is very unlikely that the piston would jam in the cylinder bore to the extent that the clutch diaphragm spring would not push it back. The cause of your clutch problem is more likely to be the clutch throwout bearing locating sleeve which slides on the gearbox input shaft. It was a problem specific to early mobel Hyundai Excels, probably because those Krafty Koreans were too tight to put a dollop of grease on the shaft during assembly. I would find a decent old school mechanic to fix the Celica and then decide whether to sell it or keep it because it will be worth almost nothing in its present circumstance.

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- Tony Lanterman on Mar 02, 2011
  
  Richarbl has this exactly backwards. The clutch slave cylinder is used to disengage the clutch plate. When it fails (at least on a 22R based Celica), pressing on the clutch pedal causes fluid to squirt past the bad seal instead of pressing the slave cylinder's piston. Last time I replaced one of them on a '83 Celica it was a $16 part. Replacing it required 30 minutes and both 12mm and 10 mm open end wrenches. The master cylinder rebuild kit was a bigger pain but still a cheap part at $22. When the clutch master cylinder fails on one of these it will leak down the clutch pedal onto the driver's side floor mat (which it will disolve). Run a hand up the backside of the clutch pedal. If it comes away slimy, that needs to be replaced.
  
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