Toyota Camry Problems

I ASSUME you've tried different pumps. The rate of delivery can vary. Try easing the nozzle out a fraction from the filler neck, though it does seem your car has a problem, possibly with the venting of the tank.

I WOULD rule out the Commodore immediately because its six-cylinder engine will be too thirsty for your budget. But any cars fitting your price range will almost certainly be unreliable and expensive in the long run. Even though you're stepping up in price range, $5000 will buy an old car that is only marginally better than the cheapies you've been driving. You'll be better if you can spend $10,000 on a car that's still got some life left in it. I'd recommend a five-year-old Nissan Pulsar, Ford Laser, Mitsubishi Lancer or Toyota Corolla. They will still accommodate four and will be much cheaper to run than the Magna, Camry or Commodore.

LIKE anything used, there is a risk. Though you might be told a motor has done 30,000km, there's no way of knowing the truth, so a warranty is important. Fitting a rebuilt engine is the best course, but the risk of fitting a second-hand imported unit is worth considering given your car has such high mileage and won't be worth much anyway.

GENERALLY carmakers recommend changing the cam timing belt about 100,000km, but Toyota's service point is 150,000km and there's no reason to question that recommendation. There is no history or belt breakage with the Camry so I would stick to the Toyota recommendation.

YOUR research is correct. Toyota might on the whole build bland cars, the Camry being one of them. But they are well built and generally very reliable.

IF YOU'RE not satisfied with the manual, by all means take it back to Repco and ask for a refund. If the shop is smart it will give it to you. Haynes is a British company so the manual will be for the British market and the units will be imperial. Gregorys make a local manual that is available, according to the folks at Wheels of Time, ph: 9792 3944.

THE market is flat so your trade-in figure is a little optimistic. I would work on $1000 less.

LOWERING a car changes the geometry of the suspension, and the drive shafts, which may account for the amplification. A vibration will often travel through the car, causing other components to resonate. Go through the normal driving process that you know causes the vibration, and while you're doing it identify when it occurs, at what speed, whether slowing down, accelerating, brakes on, brakes off, coasting and so on. I'd check the brakes, looking for a sticking calliper, uneven pad wear, or foreign objects stuck in the disc. The things you mention seem to be focused on what's happening as a result of the vibration, not the cause of the vibration itself.

IT'S hard to assess what damage might have been caused internally to the engine -- that could vary greatly depending on the heat of the fire and for how long it burnt. The wiring shouldn't be a big problem to replace, and an internal inspection of the engine should be revealing. I think it's premature to write it off without checking, so I would take it to a Toyota dealer for assessment.

IT'S cheaper to do it without removing the injectors. I have found that to be effective. Removing the injectors is probably more effective, but costs more. I would take the in-car route first.