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candace
New User
Apr 8, 2013, 10:08 AM
Post #1 of 6
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1997 Toyota Celica
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I have a 1997 Toyota Celica, st., 1.5 liter engine. It also has an automatic transmission. Sometimes when I start it I hear a squealing/whining sound which quits after first few minutes. in park it idles okay, but in drive when stop at a stop light it has a rough idle. a couple of times when idling the engine misfires a little, until u excelerate and get up to full speed. when is it does idle roughly, and you step on the gas just a little to get it up to about 10 RPM's in the rough idling stops. It always starts, never has trouble starting. Car has plenty of power, transmission shifts smoothly, and engine appears to run just fine except for this title, misfire issue, and I repeat car never does lose engine power.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 8, 2013, 11:09 AM
Post #2 of 6
(2384 views)
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Re: 1997 Toyota Celica
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Just curious - did both the noise and rough idle happen at the same time? I tend to think it's two things going on, probably a belt driven accessories for the noise but it should never idle rough. Code must be set by now so get them read and post the #s you get.
For noise you could try taking belt off for a quick test when you know it would do it and if it's gone spin all the items for one that isn't right,
T
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candace
New User
Apr 8, 2013, 11:45 AM
Post #3 of 6
(2365 views)
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Re: 1997 Toyota Celica
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Squealing noise is just after you start it, and only last a short while. rough idle is only when you are in drive and parked like at a stoplight. the idol is not rough when it is in park only in drive and you are not moving. other web sites think it could be a spark plug wires, bad spark plugs, distributor cap, or even the distributor. I talk to a mechanic, but he wanted $700 to replace a distributor. I think that is just ridiculous. he also told me that he cannot get a new distributor, when I even talk to free auto parts stores and they said they could get me one within 24 hours. thank you for your reply and I was just curious as to what other people might think that it is. when driving the car runs just fine Toma does not lose power at all.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 8, 2013, 12:03 PM
Post #4 of 6
(2356 views)
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Re: 1997 Toyota Celica
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Squeal just when first started is probably a belt too loose beyond any self tensioner if done that way on this and what can do that is the alternator is working hard for several seconds to recover loss from the starter to start it.
Keep on letting it run rough and you'll kill you catalytic converter and still need to fix the problem that makes it run rough. What's wrong with getting code readings? This may point to a single cylinder or who knows until you do? There could just be a code pending and no check engine icon/light yet,
T
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candace
New User
Apr 8, 2013, 12:10 PM
Post #5 of 6
(2346 views)
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Re: 1997 Toyota Celica
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Thank you for your reply, and I really don't even know what code readings are? I am going to have a couple male friends of mine check it out this weekend, and see if they know what it is. The alternator was just replaced a few months ago. I am trying to avoid taking it to a mechanic because the one mechanic that I talk to this morning has alleviated my trust in Him. Despite these issues, the engine seems to run just fine. Engine also only has 81000 miles on it. I am going to start with the belts, spark plugs and plug wires, and distributor cap. thank you again for your kind reply, have a great day. also, I love the cat!
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 8, 2013, 2:47 PM
Post #6 of 6
(2334 views)
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Re: 1997 Toyota Celica
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candace: I wasn't taking you as male or female just a guest of the site. Just because something is mechanical doesn't mean it's a "male" thing to understand. Plenty of full blown, well qualified techs are female. Plenty of "males" don't know diddle so toss that whole idea. That's up there with "men" can't do laundry, or iron clothes too. I can do that but hate it like almost everyone I think.
If you were not treated properly by a person or shop there are others. You just had an alternator so a careful technician should have also inspected the belt and made sure it was good and tight enough not to squeal. I think that is that problem as already said.
Codes: Your car has a computer that monitors many systems, circuits and functions. It can be hooked up to a machine (code reader) and gives you information it has in its memory. You do not necessarily need to have a warning light on for it to have one and since this car is capable of running rough if only at certain times it's watching - a ha! When something is strong enough, or plain wrong it will put an amber colored light on, I think most Toyotas use an icon of an engine rather than words like "check engine soon" or "service engine soon" are a couple. Many auto parts stores will read the code(s) for you for free but you want the #s not any advice beyond that yet as the parts stores generally do not fix the car they sell parts and may suggest or tell you what you need. Don't buy anything until a real tech can interpret the codes and what action is needed.
It appears that you aren't going to fix this yourself so next is to find a mechanic/tech that you like to deal with that has the credentials AND treat you as a customer not anything about gender or other flavor of any sort about you. You should be able to explain what the car is doing and let the person diagnose it and it's fine to ask up front for a call of what it will take to fix the car and you decide from there. Normally there would be a charge for checking it out.
A bad or problematic thing to do is to tell a tech what is wrong or exactly what to fix unless you are sure of something then YOU are at fault if it doesn't work out so- rather tell the tech what it is doing that isn't right and let it go from there. Fine to say a brand if you are buying tires or something else. In this case it isn't running properly so needs to be diagnosed and go from there.
* Glad you like my "Kitty" - she sits and watches me type away no doubt wondering why the heck I'm doing this and not entertaining her.
You should concentrate on finding the right shop and tech for now.
Note - I've used both "tech" and "mechanic" which are essentially the same thing just two different words for that.
Have a great day,
Tom
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