1997 TOYOTA TERCEL oil temperature

Publication No. OM16502U
Part No. 01999-16502
Printed in Japan 07- 9801- 04
Quick index If a service reminder indicator or warning buzzer comes on 65 . . . . .
If your vehicle will not start 119
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If your engine stalls while driving 122 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If your vehicle overheats 123
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If you have a flat tire 124
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If your vehicle needs to be towed 131 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tips for driving during break- in period 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to start the engine 113
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General maintenance 142
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Complete index 183
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Gas station information
Fuel type: UNLEADAD gasoline , Research Octane Number 91 (Octane Rating) or
higher
See page 101 for detailed information.
Fuel tank capacity: 45 L (11.9 gal., 9.9 lmp. gal.)
Engine oil: API SH, energy- Conserving llº multigrade engine oil or ILSAC multigrade
engine oil is recommended.
Use SAE 5W- 30 if normal temperatures are above -18 C (0 F).
See page 156 for detailed information.
Tire information: See pages 159 through 163.
Tire pressure: See page 178. T6
I

105
FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of lu-
bricating and cooling the inside of the en-
gine,
and plays a major role in maintaining
the engine in proper working order. ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are
as follows. Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil is left on the cylinder wall when a piston
moves downwards in the cylinder.
High negative pressure generated
when the vehicle is decelerating sucks
some of this oil into the combustion
chamber. This oil as well as some part
of the oil film left on the cylinder wall is
burned by the high temperature com-
bustion gases during the combustionprocess.
Oil is also used to lubricate the stems
of the intake valves. Some of this oil is
sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is
burned along with the fuel. High tem-perature exhaust gases also burn the
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve stems.
The amount of engine oil consumed
depends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions
the vehicle is driven under. More oil is consumed by high-speed driv-
ing and frequent acceleration and decel- eration.
A new engine consumes more oil, since
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls
have not become conditioned.
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may be-come diluted and make it difficult to
judge the true level accurately.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for re-
peated short trips, and consumes a nor- mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This is because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it ap-
pear that the oil level has not changed. The diluting ingredients evaporate out
when the vehicle is then driven at high
speeds, as on an expressway, making itappear that oil is excessively consumed
after driving as high speeds.
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL CHECK
One of the most important points in proper vehicle maintenance is to keep the engine
oil at the optimum level so that oil function
will
not be impaired. Therefore, it is essen-
tial that the oil level be checked regularly.
Toyota recommends that the oil level bechecked every time you refuel the vehicle.
Failure to check the oil level
regularly could lead to serious
engine trouble due to insufficientoil.
NOTICE
For detailed information on the oil level
check, see Checking the engine oil levelº
in Chapter 7-2.
Facts about engine oil consumption

11 5
CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure that the parking brake if fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat- tended while the engine is run- ning.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill, reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat
and not work properly.
Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking
on a slippery surface. Sudden ac-
celeration or engine braking,
could cause the vehicle to spin or skid.!
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has high-speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph)
may result in tire failure, loss of
control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to de-
termine whether the tires on your
vehicle are high-speed capability tires or not before driving at suchspeeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a lon-
ger stopping distance, and it may
pull to one side when the brakes
are applied. Also, the parking
brake will not hold the vehicle se-
curely. Make sure you have ethylene-glycol
antifreeze in the radiator.
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze.
NOTICE
Check the condition of the battery and cables. Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape to provide enough power for winter starting.Chapter 7-3 tells you how to visually in-
spect the battery. Your Toyota dealer and
most service stations will be pleased tocheck the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See Chapter 7-2 for recommended vis-
cosity.
Leaving a heavy summer oil in your
vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota dealer- he will be pleased to help. Keep the door locks from freezing. Squirt lock de-icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing. To open
a frozen lock, try heating the key before in- serting it.
Winter driving tips

123
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you
experience a loss of power, or if you
hear a
loud knocking or pinging noise,
the engine has probably overheated.
You should follow this procedure 0
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in Pº
(automatic) or neutral (manual) and
apply the parking brake. Turn off the
air conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine
running and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not, turn
the ignition off.
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure. CAUTION
! 3. Visually check to see if the engine
drive belt (water pump belt) is broken or loose. Look for obvious coolant
leaks from the radiator, hoses, and un-
der the vehicle. However, note that
water draining from the air condition-
ing is normal if it has been used.
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts. CAUTION
!
4. If the engine drive belt is broken or coolant is leaking, stop the engine im-
mediately. Call a Toyota dealer for as- sistance.
5. If the engine drive belt is O.K. and there are no obvious leaks, check the
coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add cool-
ant to the reservoir while the engine is
running. Fill it about half full.
Do not attempt to remove the
radiator cap when the engine and
radiator are hot. Serious injury
could result from scalding hot fluid
and steam blown out underpressure. CAUTION
!
6. After the engine coolant temperature has cooled to normal, again check the
coolant level in the reservoir. If
necessary, bring it up to half full again.
Serious coolant loss indicates a leak in
the system. You should have it
checked as soon as possible at your
Toyota dealer.
If your vehicle overheats

144Automatic transmission Parkº
mech-
anism
Check the lock release button of the se-
lector lever for proper and smooth opera-
tion. On a safe incline, check that your ve-
hicle is held securely with the selectorlever in Pº position and all brakes re- leased.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT Items listed below should be checked
from time to time, e.g. each time when refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in the
tank. See Chapter 7-3 for additional infor-
mation.
Engine coolant level Make sure the coolant level is between
the FULLº and LOWº lines on the see-
through reservoir when the engine is cold.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa- tion when the engine is cold. Battery electrolyte level Make sure the electrolyte level of all bat-
tery cells is between upper and lower level
lines on the case. Add only distilled water
when replenishing. See Chapter 7-3 for
additional information. Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct. See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-tion.
Engine oil level
Check the l
evel on the dipstick with the en-
gine turned off and the vehicle parked on
a level spot. See Chapter 7-2 for addition-
al information. Power steering fluid level Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the HOTº or COLDº
range depending on the fluid t emperature.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa- tion.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See engine exhaust cautions in
Part 2.) Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip-offs
that in-
dicate service is needed. Some important
clues are as follows: Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A leak under the vehicle (however, wa-
ter dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monox-
ide leak. Drive with the windows open
and have the exhaust system checked
immediately.)
Flat-looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when driving straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspension movement
Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake or clutch pedal; pedal al-
most touches floor; vehicle pulls to one
side when braking
Engine coolant temperature continual-
ly higher than normal
Does your vehicle needrepairing?

151
Be sure that the ignition is off if you
work near the electric cooling fans or radiator grille. With the ignition
on, the electric cooling fans will au- tomatically start to run if the engine
coolant temperature is high and/or the air conditioning is on.
Use eye protection whenever you
work on or under you vehicle where
you may be exposed to flying or fal-
ling material, fluid spray, etc.
Used engine oil contains potential-
ly harmful contaminants which
may cause skin disorders such as
inflammation or skin cancer, so
care should be taken to avoid pro-
longed and repeated contact with
it. To remove used engine oil from
your skin, wash thoroughly with
soap and water.
Do not leave used oil within thereach of children.Dispose of used oil and filter only
in a safe and acceptable manner.
Do not dispose of used oil and fil-
ter in household trash, in sewers or
onto the ground. Call your dealer
or a service station for information
concerning recycling or disposal.

Remember that battery and igni- tion cable carry high currents or
voltages. Be careful of accidental-
ly causing a short circuit.
Add only demineralized or dis- tilled w ater to fill the radiator. And
if you spill some of the coolant, be sure to wash it off with water to
prevent it from damaging the parts or paint.
Do not allow dirt or anything elseto fall through the spark plug
holes.
Do not pry the outer electrode of aspark plug against the center elec-
trode.
NOTICE
Use only spark plugs of the speci- fied type. Using other types will
cause engine damage, loss of per-
formance or radio noise.
Do not overfill automatic trans- mission fluid or the transmissioncould be damaged.
Do not drive with the air cleaner fil-ter removed, or excessive engine
wear could result. Also backfiringcould cause a fire in the engine
compartment.
Be careful not to scratch the glasssurface with the wiper frame.
When closing the engine hood,
check to see that you have not for-
gotten any tools, rags, etc.

156Engine oil selection Use API SH, Energy-Conserving IIº mul- tigrade engine oil or ILSAC multigrade en-
gine oil. Recommended viscosity (SAE):
SAE 5W-30 is the best choice for your
vehicle, for good fuel economy and
good starting in cold weather.
If you use SAE 10W-30 engine oil in
extremely low temperatures, the en-
gine may become difficult to start, so
SAE 5W-30 engine oil is recom-mended.
API service symbol
ILSAC certification mark
Oil identification marks
Either or
both API registered marks are
added to some oil containers to help
you select the oil you should use.
The API Service Symbol is located any-
where on the outside of the container. The top portion of the label shows the oil
quality by API (American Petroleum Insti-
tute) designations such as SH. The cen-
ter portion of the label shows the SAE vis-
cosity grade such as SAE 5W-30.
Energy-Conserving IIº shown in the low-
er portion, indicates that the oil has fuel-
saving capabilities. Oils marked Ener-
gy-Conserving IIº will have higher
fuel-saving capabilities than oils marked Energy-Conservingº.
The ILSAC (International Lubricant Stan-
dardization and Approval Committee)Certification Mark is displayed on the front
of the container.