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I've been looking for a 87-90 GTA for about three months all over SoCal and even all the way out to PHX. Looked at quite a few either in person or via pictures/text.
Finally found an 88 GTA L98 asking $2300 obo. 130K, interior great shape (camel cloth), pwr windows and mirrors actually work, even the auto hatch closing mechanism!
It has quite a few little gremlins though, like turn signal/cruise control stick is broken, headlight motors work but the gears are broken, and it failed emissions recently. Plus its got a few small dents I'm going to try and tap out if I can and paint it back to its original maroon color (currently white). Bondo on the front passenger fender which I will replace in the future. Pretty much needs EVERY vacuum line replaced as well... seriously they're all pretty rotten which is probably the root cause of the emissions problem. It's got a new cat, distributor cap, fuel pump (but the fuel gauge reads only half fulll when full of fuel), and some other misc. stuff.
Anyways I've dusted off my old 82-92 Camaro Chilton manual and have been reading here so this bird is well on her way to her former glory.
Drove 170 miles to buy it, got a great deal and towed her back on a u-hual trailer behind the Yukon. Totally worth the 6 hrs of driving and tank of gas. She still runs like a champ!
Congrats on the new TA. It's good to see third gens saved here in So Cal.
After you sort of our hoses she might just pass smog. Did they swap the plugs, wires, and dist rotor as well when they did the cap? May be a good time to do all of that as well.
Congrats on the new TA. It's good to see third gens saved here in So Cal.
After you sort of our hoses she might just pass smog. Did they swap the plugs, wires, and dist rotor as well when they did the cap? May be a good time to do all of that as well.
No to the plugs and wires. It's been awhile since I changed one but I remember it being kind of a waste to change the cap without the rotor right?
First thing I noticed too was the EGR wasnt hooked up to a vacuum line. It was the ine that runs from the back of the intake manifold and hooks to the top of the EGR.
I'm pretty excited. i've had a 99 T/A, 93 T/A, an 85 Z-28 an 07 350Z and the third gen has always been my favorite. Of course it was my first car but nevermind that.
I remember it being kind of a waste to change the cap without the rotor right?
Yep and only $5 or less more too, but never put anything past previous owners. I've found a number of gremlins and oddities with my Formula so far to keep me on my toes.
Yep and only $5 or less more too, but never put anything past previous owners. I've found a number of gremlins and oddities with my Formula so far to keep me on my toes.
Yeah I got the impression that he may have bit off more then he could chew. Either you pay alot of money to someone to fix all the problems or you pay a lot of time tinkering trouble shooting and researching to get it right.
Im considering taking it too a smog shop and seeing if it will pass with the egr actually hooked up to the the vacuum source but that would be way too easy if that was the actual problem.
It failed on the NO level being about twice as high as allowed. Which I suspect is from it running rich (can smell the fuel in the exhaust). Took it for a drive with the vacuum line connected and noticed the smell was gone.
I dont have a emissions tester so the most scientific method I have is my nose.
If I was smart and didnt want to waste money on a failed test I could lay hands on a volt meter and vacuum tester to properly test all the emissions equipment but my instincts tell me that was the problem. Hmmmm decisions.
Yeah I got the impression that he may have bit off more then he could chew. Either you pay alot of money to someone to fix all the problems or you pay a lot of time tinkering trouble shooting and researching to get it right.
Im considering taking it too a smog shop and seeing if it will pass with the egr actually hooked up to the the vacuum source but that would be way too easy if that was the actual problem.
It failed on the NO level being about twice as high as allowed. Which I suspect is from it running rich (can smell the fuel in the exhaust). Took it for a drive with the vacuum line connected and noticed the smell was gone.
I dont have a emissions tester so the most scientific method I have is my nose.
NO can be highly affected by the EGR, so it may juuust pass with that if the valve is functional.
Back from the dead! 😅 4 years later, finally got it finished (mostly). Need to hit the hood with polishing compound and wax, see if I can restore the rims, and put some correct size tires on it. But its almost there.
Here is the GTA with the rims restored and the correct wheel caps, and tire size. 99% complete. Im trying to decide what to do with the antenna hole. Also I need 4, yes 4 correct lug nuts with the outside threads and black plastic lug nut covers. Almost there.
07-03-2015, 11:39 PM
I've found a number of gremlins and oddities with my Formula so far to keep me on my toes. 
