How to replace trunk hinge on 2003-2008 Toyota Corolla

My 2004 Corolla trunk has been making creaking noises for years, and it finally gave out on me.  One of the pins snapped when closing.  Note: it was NOT the pin that attaches the entire hinge with the rest of the car. It was the other pin that holds the two hinge parts together.

The part that broke was 64503-12160 (#5 below):

Olathe Toyota sells it new for $56.78, but I was able to find it at a junkyard for $25.  This junkyard did not charge for admission, so their prices are a little higher.  It might be $10 or $15 at your junkyard.  Even though the price wasn't that different, going to the junkyard helped teach me how I was going to get it out.  Also, one of the workers helped me remove the part, and I don't think I would have been able to get it out without his help.  But I'm doing this writeup, so explain what I did and document my lessons learned, in case it might help someone else.

The hinge that broke was the passenger side (right side).  Here's the steps I did to remove it.  You will very likely need someone to help you hold the trunk up.  I wouldn't attempt this without someone to help.

1. Make a note of where the torsion bars are attached to the trunk and hinges.  If you don't do this, you will probably still figure it out, but taking a photo of the hinges will remove any uncertainty.
2. Disconnect torsion bar for the right side from the hinge.  In my case, it was already disconnected.  To disconnect it, put on gloves and eye protection, and use the flat side of the lug wrench and wedge it between the torsion hinge near where it connects.  You're using your lug wrench for leverage, and also to get a grip on the torsion bar.  Have someone close the trunk about half way, and using the lug wrench, twist out the torsion bar so it detaches from the hinge.  You will likely hear a loud noise as it detaches, and warn your helper that the trunk will be very heavy.  MAKE SURE YOUR HELPER DOESN'T DROP THE TRUNK ON YOUR HEAD ONCE THE TORSION BAR IS DISCONNECTED, because the trunk will all of a sudden feel much heavier.  You can use bungee cords attached to the rear door latch and the trunk, to help hold up the trunk. Use microfiber towels between the trunk and the cords to avoid scratching your paint.
3. Remove the torsion bar from the trunk.  Once the torsion bar is disconnected from the trunk, it should be pretty straightforward to remove the torsion bar.  You just have to use your hands to move the bar around and navigate it around the trunk holds and around various wires.
4. Repeat for the left torsion bar.  Once both torsion bars are removed, the trunk will be very heavy. If you are parked on flat ground, the trunk won't be able to stay up by itself, without bungee cords.  Parking on a slight down slope such as driveway may help keep the trunk up, but you don't want the trunk falling on your head.
5. At this point, both torsion bars should be removed.  The hinge will still be connected the car through a pin you need to remove.  You need to remove the plastic panel behind the rear seat to access the pin.  There should be plenty of youtube videos for how to remove the plastic panel, such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1qy5nw3Iak  - Here's some tips for removing this panel  (A) I had trouble getting 1 of the 7 plastic clips out hold back the panel behind the rear seat.  6 came out fine, and the 7th one just wouldn't come out with my phillips head screwdriver.  I had to pry it out, but it also took spraying WD40 on the screw head and inside the body of the clip.  The clip broke, but I was find just getting it out.  I think the WD40 helped, and if you use it, cover up your interior and plastic panels with a micro fiber towel in case the WD40 sprays around.  (B) Be extremely careful pulling up on the panel that covers the rear speakers.  There are 3 white plastic clips holding in that panel, but you might break the panel if you pull too hard. It's about a $200 panel if you brake it.  Instead, use a mallet or hammer inside the trunk to hammer out the 3 clips.  After that, the speaker panel will then just lift right out.  You don't need to pull out the 2 smaller clips in the trunk using plyers, which just hold in the rear speaker wires. If you remove those, it's not a big deal to push them back in, but it's unneeded.
6. Once the rear speaker panel is removed, you can then visibly see the pin you need to remove.   You can close the trunk for this step.  Use a standard flathead screwdriver to pry out the pin about half way.  Then, use a wrench or plyers like a hammer to carefully to firmly tap out the pin, but hitting it on the non-head side.  Be careful not to hit the rear windshield.  Once you can no longer tap it, then use plyers to grab the head-portion of the pin, and wiggle the pin out.  You will still need to use a moderate amount of force to wiggle out the pin, but it's possible.
7. Carefully open the trunk.  The hinge will still be attached to the trunk with the 2 12mm bolts.    Have your helper lift up the trunk, while you unfasten the 2 12 mm bolts.  Then quickly reattach the new hinge to the trunk using to 2 12 mm bolts - all while your helper is holding the trunk.  You'll want to be quick, because the trunk is heavy.
8. The next step is to hammer the pin back into the hinge behind the rear seat.  Have your helper position the trunk and hinge into the correct position and angle, and use a standard hammer to carefully hammer in the pin   If it's aligned correctly, it won't take much effort to hammer in the pin.
9. Replace the two torsion bars.  Put in the non-hinge side first into the hole, then attach the other side to the trunk.  Finally, using your gloved hands with eye protection, bend the torsion bar down using your gloved hand down while using your other hand to position the hinge in place.  Your helper should be making sure the trunk doesn't fall on your head, while they also help close the trunk slightly to position the hinge in the correct spot.  You do have to use some pretty sure bend down the hinge in the correct position, but it shouldn't be too difficult to reattach it using this technique.
10. Reattach the panels behind the back seat. Make sure the two guides on the bottom of each side panel fits into the hole.  This is easiest if you attach the two side panels first, before reattaching the 7 phillips-head clips behind the rear seat.

How to fix a 2005 Toyota Sienna coolant leak

If your Sienna is overheating, but only while idle, you might have a coolant leak from the "valley".  It's a lot of work to reseal the coolant valley gasket, but it's mostly just a lot of bolts, with some other steps.

This is the go-to video to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6QC0p7x1cw  Watch the whole thing (multiple times).

He skips some basic steps, so watch this video for step-by-step instructions for the initial steps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R_v3vn0rNo

Here's another video with some more step-by-step instructions for the middle steps, especially for removing the 3 bolts behind the intake manifold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLx8wArDpnQ

This video might have additional hints for locations of bolts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv71aCmJaE8

Here's some torque specs: https://www.tsienna.net/knock_sensor-2306.html

More torque specs:

 

This picture will help  you find all the bolts:

 

This will help you find bolts too: 

 

This is the intake valley plate that has the leaky gasket.  It will be helpful in finding the locations of the 10 bolts.

Finally, here's some details which worked for me. I used Toyota FIPG, which I bought on Amazon.  The directions say wait 15 minutes, but I waited 16 hours.  However, when I added coolant it leaked a whole bunch.  When I drove it, it leaked more.  I didn't do anything at all the next 3-5 days, and didn't drive it.  After 3-5 days, I topped off the coolant, and it didn't leak at all. Not one drop.  The coolant level stayed the same.  I drove it about 150 miles, and no leaks, and no overheating at all.  The temperature is right below the mid-point, which is perfect.  I think it just took 3-5 days for the FIPG to fully cure.  Maybe I used too much?

One of the hardest parts was getting the 3 bolts out behind the intake manifold gasket.  The two on the drivers-side were 12 mm, and they weren't too bad.  I was able to squeeze a 1/4" breaker bar with a socket, or a 1/4" socket wrench and it came right out.  The 14mm bolt on the passenger side was much harder.  Feel around just to the right (closer to the driver) of the 14mm bolt, and there is a 10mm bolt.  Loosen that 10mm bolt with a 1/4" socket wrench, which will move some of the hoses out of the way, which will give you more room to get the 14mm bolt out.  (Don't remove the 10mm bolt - just loosen it).  Then this 14mm wrench will be super helpful in getting the 14mm bolt out: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082M8Z6G9  With those tricks and tools, it's really not that hard to get those 3 bolts out.  Some people complained about putting back in the 3 bolts, but I didn't have any major troubles, especially if the 10mm bolt is loosened.  (Don't forget to tighten back that 10mm bolt).

There is some risk in dropping your tools or bolts, so you can tie medium-gauge fishing line (8-10 lb?) around your tools or bolts, which helps if you drop something.  I did drop a few bolts, but I got lucky and was able to recover them - one time because it fell on the ground.

The 14mm flexible head ratcheting wrench - one of my favorite tools in my toolbox.  Although I have no idea if I'll use it again.  It was fun to use.

How to fix a 2005 Toyota Sienna power sliding door

If the power sliding door works when you pull on the door handle (either inside or outside), but it doesn't work from (1) the key fob, (2) the square button next to the door, or (3) the button on the roof near the driver console, then you probably have a bad sliding door lock actuator.  You can buy a replacement part on eBay for about $16, free shipping, and free returns.  

It's a little tricky to swap it out, but here's what worked for me.

Start with this video, which will show you the basics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivC0WdRTkNY&ab_channel=RicoL

But... take seriously his warning about stripping the brass Phillips head screws.  I stripped both.  I didn't really try the soldering iron technique, but you could try that.  Be prepared to drill out the screw if you still strip it though. But stripping it and drilling it out isn't the end of the world.  (I stripped it and had to drill both out).

Watch this video at the 2 and 7 minute marks to see how to remove the sliding door panels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlJA7p4n0mI&ab_channel=TeddyHashee

Unfortunately, there was another very helpful youtube video that explains how to detach the regulator from the sliding door's window, but the author has removed that video.  There are 6 10mm bolts to remove it.  It's tricky, because the sliding window tries to fall (due to gravity and not being attached to the regulator).  If you have 1 (or 2) others to help you, that will help a lot.  But it's not necessary.  You can do all you need yourself with blue painters tape to hold up the window.  It uses a lot of tape, but it should be less than 1 roll.  You can try suction cups, but the ones I bought from Amazon were only good enough to keep the window up if it was rolled all the way up, due to the short cords.

This video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHUvj6wuAQw&ab_channel=MT) is helpful in explaining what to do if you strip the brass Phillips head screws holding the actuator to the door panel.  He drilled it out, and I ended up having to drill it out too.  He doesn't explain how to drill it out, but I used a 1/4" bit to get the head off, and then a 3/16" bit to pierce a hole to do the final detachment.  I did drill a little bit of the black metal panel, but my washers were still barely wide enough to cover the whole.  If I had to do it again, I'd try a smaller bit - or just get larger washers.  The video has helpful information about which metric screws to buy at Home Depot.  I used hex head bolts, with an M4 16 mm screw length, which worked perfectly.  I also used the only M4 washer Home Depot had, but I probably should have used a larger washer (too).

The first video explains how to use a 90" screwdriver to get the screw off, but I'd avoid that technique.  I found it easer to just completely remove the black panel (well it was still mostly attached to the door, but I could fully bend it down onto my lap), giving yourself plenty of space to work the drill.  Had I done that to begin with, I might have been successful with a Phillips head screwdriver - especially if I used a soldering iron.  But if you already stripped the screw, then still take off the black panel, and you have plenty of room for your drill.  You do have to remove the 6 10mm bolts to detach the window regulator from the window.  It's kind of tricky (such as moving the window up and down to access the bolts, but doable.  For the window switch, I elected to remove the outer plastic panel by removing the 2 brass screws connected to the window switch, which was much better than trying to remove the electrical connector.  You will need to move the window up and down during the repair anyway, 

How to show HTTP POST Request parameters (through Inspect) on a popup window

I wanted to see what HTTP POST request parameters were being sent using the "Inspect" feature in Firefox.  The page was a popup, and when I clicked on "Inspect" and reloaded this page, a different page appeared.  I solved it by temporarily opening all new links in the same window.  You can open the Inspect frame, go to the Network tab, and then click on the link that will open the new window.  This blog says to do this in about:config:

browser.link.open_newwindow => 1
browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction => 0
browser.link.open_newwindow.override.external => 3

Ironically, I'm opening the above link in a new window. :)  So test it out.

How to replace 2010-2015 Prius Lift Hatch Struts

This video helped me replace the Prius lift hatch struts.  I bought OEM replacements from eBay (from a dealer).  When popping off the metal tabs, you'll have to use a small enough screwdriver head.  I found a good sized one in a kit like this:

Copy the video: you'll want to pull the tab toward you, and then push the metal tab up (or down).  Be sure you don't mess with the new one:  you don't have to pull out the metal tab on the new one.  Just pop it in.

Tips and Tricks for Imation RipGo! Mini CD-R MP3 Player

I got a new-to-me Imation RipGo! mp3 player recently.  It burns and plays mini-CD's in mp3 format.  It's almost 2-decade old technology, but it's fun so far playing around with it.

Here's what I've noticed so far:

- I can't get it working with the USB connection to any computer.  Perhaps it only works with 32-bit .operating systems?  But you can burn CD-R's on your laptop, and just use those discs in the player.

- I've heard that CD-RW disks don't work.  I've heard that anything larger than 185 MB discs don't work.

- I had trouble with many mp3 ripping software programs, including ffmpeg and AIMP.  They would create mp3s fine, but those mp3s wouldn't play in the RipGo.  The filename would be read, but it would just skip to the next song.

- Instead, if you use itunes to rip the mp3, those mp3's work fine.  (Convert to wav first, then use itunes to convert to mp3)  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204310

- Don't use 48,000 encoding.  Use 41,400.

- If the battery is really drained, nothing will turn on.  Just let it charge up for an hour, and try again.  If the battery is really low, the LCD screen won't even display that it's charging, even though it is.  Just be patient.

- Yes it's slow, and there's weird noises when the track starts.  What do you expect from 2-decade old technology?

How to record internal audio on your Mac

This is a pretty good concise tutorial for how to record internal audio on your Mac, while listening to the sound at the same time.  It uses Sunflower and QuickTime, which records the audio as a lossless ALAC .m4a file.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHzq6hdH3ok

Once you've set up the multi-audio output, you can't adjust the volume using the keyboard volume buttons, but a workaround is to temporarily change the output back to the internal speakers (or headphones), adjust the volume, and then switch the output back to multi-audio output.

How to load SP ATRAC1 songs on your Sony Net MD Minidisc Walkman in Fedora Linux 32

This will likely work with other Linux flavors besides Fedora Linux 32.  This is pretty exciting that you can (1) load SP quality audio on your Net MD, not just LP2 and LP4, and (2) you can load songs without Sony's SonicStream software.

This guy's script did the trick for me: https://www.reddit.com/r/minidisc/comments/934333/writing_to_minidisc_over_usb_heres_how_im_doing_it/

Download that, download vuori's fork linux-minidisc and netmd here: https://github.com/vuori/linux-minidisc, compile linux-minidisc, clone md_downloader from here https://github.com/derwhalfisch/md_downloader, plug your NetMD into your computer via a USB cable, and run the script like this:

./script.sh /path/to/wav/or/mp3/files/*

I forked vuori's linux-minidisc repo, because I wanted to add a python script to delete a minidisc: https://github.com/mhwong/linux-minidisc

Here's how I compiled linux-minidisc:

git clone https://github.com/mhwong/linux-minidisc.git

cd linux-minidisc

qmake-qt5

make -j8

# That's all you should have to do.  This will create the netmdcli/netmdcli executable.

Now you can load .wav files onto your Net MD like this:

./script.sh /path/to/wav/or/mp3/files/*

Here's some gotcha's I ran into:

• Python2 is no longer available on Fedora 32 via dnf, so download the latest stable python2 source, and compile and install it
• qt4 didn't work for me.  Use dnf to install qt5, to build linux-minidisc
• The main repository for linux-minidisc also didn't work for me, so I used the vuori version which worked
• When transferring files, your LCD screen on your Net MD recorder may not look like the files are being transferred, but be patient and let it transfer for a few minutes for each song.
• I tested this with a .wav file but not an .mp3 file
• Many of the commands you'll have to run as root
• You will have edit the source of script.sh to set your configuration variables (at a minimum, the netmdcli path)
• The python utilities in linux-minidisc, specifically the downloadhack.py, did not work for me to load in LP files.
• You can, however, successfully use lsmd.py to confirm that the file is on your Net MD correctly, in the correct LP format.
• I added a script to erase the entire minidisc on the commandline, in a new fork (https://github.com/mhwong/linux-minidisc).  Run "./netmd/eraseDisc.py".  Be cautious, because this will erase your entire disc, with no confirmation requested.  This might erase write-protected tracks, too.
• My device is a MZ-NE410
• I installed ffmpeg using this: https://computingforgeeks.com/how-to-install-ffmpeg-on-fedora/
• I got a usb error when verifying the transferred file, but the track still seemed to transfer ok.

How to load songs on your Sony Net MD MiniDisc Walkman using SonicStream and Windows 10

The following woks for my MZ-NE410.  I've always wanted a Sony MiniDisc player, ever since I saw them in stores like the  The Good Guys and Circuit City, back in the 90s.  Well, 3 decades later, I finally have one.  I bought a Sony MD Walkman MZ-NE410 from eBay, which is a "Net MD" model, from around 2003.  There is not optical or line in to record tracks.  Instead, you have to connect a USB cord to your laptop, and have the "SonicStage" software.  This software was last updated in 2007, but it still runs with Windows 10.  There are some tricks you have to do to get it running.  This is what worked for me:

http://forums.sonyinsider.com/topic/29620-guide-to-getting-your-net-md-walkman-working-on-windows-10/

In order to install the .inf driver, I had to turn off driver signing, which can be done like this:

https://jbcomp.com/disable-device-driver-signing-in-windows-10/

Finally, the SonicStage software didn't recognize my MiniDisc player when my USB cord was plugged into a USB hub.  When I plugged the USB cord directly into the computer, it worked fine.

Dr. Dr's "The Chronic" will be my first MiniDisc album.

The songs will be transferred under LP2 quality, which is 132 Kbps.  If you want SP quality at 292 Kbps, you'll need to use linux-minidisc.  See my other post for how to do that.

How to backup audio (music) CD's to your Windows 10 hard drive

I tried a few tools that didn't work, but here's what ultimately worked for me:

• Create a bin and cue file from your audio CD using ImgBurn (https://www.imgburn.com).  Choose the "Create image file from disk" option, and then choose "*.bin" for the "Save as type" option.
  
  
• Once you have the .bin and .cue file, you can mount the .cue file as a virtual drive using Daemon Tools Lite (https://www.daemon-tools.cc/products/dtLite).
• If you need the offline installer, it's here: https://www.filehorse.com/download-daemon-tools
  
  
• Once the .bin and .cue file is mounted as a virtual drive, you can use iTunes to create mp3's or lossless ALAC files.
  
  
• Alternatively, if you want to burn the bin and cue file to a blank CD-R or CD-RW, you can use ImgBurn. Choose the "Write image file to disc", and choose the .cue file.