Thanks for the encouragement and advice, Jack Redman and jacka2,
Tommiez, Rednipcan, and all--I really appreciate it.
We're looking forward to taking a weekend trip as soon as possible,
hopefully by May. Before we set out, I want to get the repairs made
to the Toyota, including the exhaust, steering, and air bags. My
husband did get the Chilton's manual, and it's been helpful already.
I had a few thoughts and questions to share: My friend said we
should fix the idler arm in the steering system sooner rather than
later because big vehicles in need of steering repair will shake
other parts loose and cause extensive damage in a short amount of
time. This friend also suggested we go for headers and a two-pipe
exhaust to improve horsepower and fuel economy. He guessed headers
and exhaust would cost around $400, not too much more than the $150
for a regular muffler replacement. Does anyone ever put headers on
Toyota microminis? I know my friend had dual exhaust, etc. on his VW
camper, and it did improve performance significantly. Would headers
alter the vehicle's performance negatively in any way? Would it
affect ground clearance any?
I don't have the transmission paperwork at hand right now, but I'll
post the details as soon as I can locate it. I do know the parts
breakdown isn't very detailed, but I'll report what I have.
My husband asked the local Toyota dealer service manager what the
compression should be (thanks also for your input, jacka2), and he
said around 170 is normal. He said it's possible to have too-high
compression, often due to carbon build-up, that anything over 220-230
is too high, but that 190 is just fine.
Re. Rednipcan's comments about compresssion numbers matching, I have
heard it's important for the numbers to be in the same range--I once
had a '69 Skylark Special Deluxe (with a 350 engine) with compression
readings ranging between 90-130 and was told this unevenness
indicated more of a problem than the actual compression levels
themselves.
(I was wondering, do folks here use any engine or fuel additives to
improve performance and/or engine life in their Toyota motorhomes?)
A more thorough inspection of the rig reveals only one new problem,
though I'm hoping it's not too major. There's a slight bulging in
the paneling along the refrigerator (we have the Santa Fe Odyssey
model, if that means anything to anyone), which is located next to
the bathroom in the rear. There's a panel covering the side of the
fridge and going along the back of the couch, and in the middle of
this panel, it bows out slightly and there's a one-inch crack in the
paneling. There's no visible water damage, but I wonder if there's
some sort of water leakage/moisture coming from inside the paneling,
from the fridge, or what caused this.
We didn't notice it when we bought it, and it doesn't look too bad,
but I'm a little concerned. Other than this, things look good.
One last question (for tonight!): The folks we bought it from put a
10" or so television into one of the upper cupboards, and put wood
trim around it so it's sealed in. He used open-cell foam to cushion
the tv and make it fit into the space, but this can't be okay, as
electronic equipment must need more ventilation than this. I wonder
if it's safe for it to be in a cupboard space at all--does anyone
else have any insight or experience with this sort of issue? Is it
okay for the tv to be inset like this into the cupboard space above
the couch? Will it overheat and create a fire danger? Any thoughts
or opinions welcome.
best,
Rosannah
