I just got off the phone with my mechanic, and after eleven or so weeks of waiting, he finally tells me that he cannot finish my car, because the accelerator cable won't line up since the new AE101 4A-GE engine is out of a RHD car. Also, he said that my A/C and power steering won't work because they don't mount up, so he says he can't do finish car and that it's impossible to do. >>

So I'm wondering what everyone with a JDM engine swap has done in order to get their accelerator cable to work. My mechanic said something about since the engine is from a right hand drive car, the accelerator cable is on the wrong side, or something like that. It's obvious now that he's incompetant, at least when it comes to working on Toyotas, and I'm furious. Over the weekend I'll probably get my car towed to a shop in Seattle to get the rest of the work done, because I've put up with enough crap with my mechanic.

i'm really sorry to hear that dude. 11 weeks?!?!? that's crazy long to be celica-less >>

how far are you from seattle anyway?

-AJcelica+Nov 7, 2003 - 3:00 PM

cool! i'm just a couple of hours north of you then >>

Vancouver, BC, Canada >>

This post has been edited by AJcelica: Nov 7, 2003 - 10:49 PM

they buy some steel cable for about $10 and make one long enough.

its not hard at all.

dont pay him anything. take it to another shop that will make custom accessory mounts for the PS and AC

-Coomer+Nov 7, 2003 - 3:04 PM

sphinx I think he means the ps / ac from the 4age doesn't mount in the same place as stock ps / ac.

Bad luck bro >>

Coomer...you mechanic is not resourceful...don't pay him a penny...after 11 weeks, he had time to do research or fabricate something...don't loose hope, buddy, your problem has a solution...it's just the MECHANIC that can't find one. >>

i would not pay the mechanic what he was asking just for the simple fact that it took 11 weeks and he still hasn't got you a running car.

I'll make sure that he doesn't get a dime of my money. I've got my parents and a lawyer to back me up if necessary, so on Monday I plan to talk to my mechanic, figure out exactly what is and isn't done, and then determine where to take my car to get the remainder of the work completed.

The trouble is finding a new mechanic, because the only other shop in town that deals with import engine swaps has blown up or destroyed a few engines on some cars from the area. So what I'll probably end up doing is having the car towed up to Seattle, which is two hours and approximately 150 miles away, because there are many reputable shops in the Seattle area that should be able to finish up my swap. I'm worried that I may not be able to afford what some good shops will charge though, and if that happens, I probably won't be driving my car until next summer. >>

well, I had an e-mail from a guy that had a functioning silver top. But It's gone now.

I suggest getting on Celica.net. they can help you.

Can you please take some detail shots of your engine bay, harness, underneath the car and so forth.

Please send all to me.

-west_minist+Nov 9, 2003 - 2:36 PM

Coomer, you know you are so respected on these boards. I'm pretty sure that if we could, everyone on here would jump at the chance of kicking that guy's butt for you. >> .

The news about your swap is horrible. I'm sorry your mechanic is inable to work on your Celica. If he didn't know exactly how to do it, he should have never agreed to take the job!

Didn't you say something a bit back about how he said he was going to "do your swap for free" if he didn't finish within a week or so. Well, I think that this is his way of getting you out of his hair because he knows he won't get paid for any of it. With his logic being, "Why keep working when I won't get paid anyways." So if he tells you something is "impossible", he figures you'll leave and go to another place. I'd take him to court and sue him. Hit me up if you want to talk about it.

This post has been edited by Inferno: Nov 9, 2003 - 8:27 PM

-Inferno+Nov 9, 2003 - 5:26 PM

stuff'll buff out. i went out to my car one day to find marks ALL down the side. Theres a jeep in the lot that matches the colors so i think im going to break out it's windows.

what a turd for a mechanic, like i told you before... just tell him his existance serves no immediate purpose

-Andason+Nov 9, 2003 - 8:43 PM

-Inferno+Nov 9, 2003 - 6:57 PM

-Andason+Nov 9, 2003 - 6:43 PM

sorry to hear about your dillema. and let me just say nothing is impossible. i got a freind of mine who's dad runs a small shop up here in east podunk alaska and he was able to swap a jdm spoon prelude engine into freakin' 80's accord. granted when he was done he said he'd never do it again, but he did it!!!!!

Coomer, you may want to get the car out of his shop b4 getting real nasty with him, he could say you owe him lots of money and slap a Mechanics Lien on it...think this thru, maybe talk to the lawyer before going off on him, wouldn't want to see your car tied up in a legal battle.
If you can get it out of his shop as is without paying much I'd take it and run, then take your time and finish it yourself, the hard part is done, the rest is just finding the right brackets etc, and bolting it all on, maybe get A/C and steering pump units from a car that had your new eng in it?

-Coomer+Nov 9, 2003 - 8:25 PM