I have a 82 Berlinetta with a 5.0 carb and auto. I have read some of the posts and I believe part of my problem is the cat. The last plugs that I took out were carbon fouled and wet with gas.(old gas, 2 years. I added octane boost and 5 more gallons gas.) I have had it running (if you can call it that). The car seems to idle fine (little rough after 2 years), but it will idle. When it is out on the road and I step on it it begins to miss and sputter. Also the trans sounds like it is going to explode( grinding and clashing and a roar) when I hit the gas. I am also wondering about the O2 sensor, is there one or two. And do you know what parts store sells a sensor socket or do I need one? Thank in advance. All ideas will be helpful and seriously considered.

 

Whenever you are going to store a vehicle for more than a couple of months you should put some fuel stabilizer into the fuel tank. If you are storing the vehicle for a long time such as more than six months I'd go ahead and drain all of the fluids(oil, coolant, and gas(use a pump, not a piece of hose and your mouth)). Not sure about the trans. fluid though. Used oil gets very caustic if it sits for a while. When you start it up after months/years you're cirulating that caustic oil through the passages in the engine (that can eat up bearings after a while). After a while gas will gum up in your tank as well as in your carb. Carbs have a bunch of small holes that the fuel goes through. Imagine if they were gummed up (kind of like arteries that are clogged with fat). When storing the vehicle I'd also take out the spark plugs and replace them with some dessicant plugs from Eastwood or wherever you can find them. These help to pull out moisture from the cylinders, thereby preventing rust build up. There are other stuff that needs to be done when storing a vehicle, but that's another story.

I believe that your car is sputtering because those passages in the carb have that build up of gummy fuel. I'd try using both an in tank additive, that'll help clean the fuel lines, as well as an aerosol carb cleaner. Did you replace the fuel filter?

Your tranny may have the same problem. The fluid went bad, and its having a hard time going through all of the passages in the tranny. As an extra precaution I'd get the tranny flushed (not just changing the fluid and filter in the pan). There's a way of flushing it yourself, but I'd have to find the article, and I don't know how mechanically inclined you are. If you take it to a place to have it done, ask people for a reputable shop. Don't fall for the free examination gimmick. I did and it ended up costing me an arm and a leg. Tell them what you want. No more No less!!!

Stock, there is one O2 sensor on the driver's side exhaust manifold. A socket designed for removing and replacing (r&r) can be very useful. It can be tight trying to remove the sensor, because you have to first get the socket onto the the long sensor housing. installing it is a little easier. Most autoparts stores will cary the socket. It should run you between 7 to 10 bucks. If you're really on a budget (who isn't). you may be able to get it off with the right wrech, vise grip (but again it's pretty tight down there so I'd go with the right tool for the job. If you are removing it from on top (under the hood), the brake lines from the master cylinder can make your job a heck of a lot harder. You may have an easier time changing it from underneath.

SAFETY FIRST! Use proper jackstands, or wheel ramps and use chocks for the tires, etc.etc.

 

One more thing. If you take your car to a shop to be serviced and you trust the mechanic and what he has to say, then by all means listen to him. Just because I had a bad experience with a shop doesn't mean that you will. What I'm trying to say is use your best judgement. Don't be rushed or bullied into making a decision. Be aware of any scare tactics that some places use in order to get more money out of us. Hope I've been of some help. Us enthusiasts need to look out for one another, don't you think?

 

Just thought of something that you may be interested to know (if you already don't). When fuel is produced at the refineries, many chemicals and additives are added to the base product. Some of these chemical additives vary from Summer to Winter. I read an article on the subject a while back, but forgot most of it, oops. These seasonal additives help a vehicle to run better for the given air temperture range for the particular season. Most drivers could care less because they use their cars every day, and refill the tank frequently. Now for those individuals that have classic cars, antiques, pretty much any car that doesn't see the light of day to often, much less the road, these people don't fill up the fuel tank to often (hence the need to pump out the fuel or the use of a fuel stabilizer).

Hypothetically, let's say that you stored the car in winter, and it had fuel that was "winter grade" and then you took it out a year or two later during the summer. Well you may experience some drivability problems because the fuel that is in the tank isn't formulated for the hot days of summer.

Just thought you'd be interested in that tid bit of info.

 

Thanks coach. You didn't mention the cat being clogged. Does that mean you think I might be off base? I guess I should have mentioned that I bought the car from someone that had it sitting for two years. (Yea, I am a little slow at fixing things, but I hope not that slow.) I am somewhat mechanically inclined. The idea about flushing the trans myself is an idea. Think you can find the page on how to do it? I will read it to if I think that I want to give it a try. I grew up on a farm, so I have had to do many things myself. Again, thanks for the input.

 

The cat could very well be going south. But it's usually cheaper and easier to eliminate all of the smaller-possible causes first, before going after the costly repairs. You did mention an interest in changing your O2 sensor; have you been getting a trouble code (check engine light coming on)? If you are getting a code for the O2 sensor, how long have you been seeing the Check Engine Light.

Another thing came to me yesterday about the car sputtering and running rough. Water in the fuel would also show up with those symptoms. If you fill up at a gas station that has been around for a long time, the large-underground tanks that store the gas could have deteriated to the point where moisture is seeping in. Unsuspecting drivers are then filling up their cars with gas that has a little bit of water mixed in. Usually if a driver thinks that this has happened, he would go to the parts store and pick up a bottle of fuel treatment that would mix with the water and allow it to pass through the system. One word of caution with any fuel additives; make sure the additive is compatible with the fuel that you are using and that it is compatible with catylitic converters. Some of the products can cause harm to the cats. MEOW!!! So read the labels on all of the products you are considering.

I'll start looking around for the article. By the way, I had some relatives who lived near Denver. Colorado has some beautiful landscape. Some of my fondest vacations were spent up there in your neck of the woods.

I'm in no way a professional mechanic. But like a lot of enthusiasts who aren't, we pick up what we can from articles, shows on tv, friends, and from doing things ourselves. We've all got the cuts, bruises, busted knuckles, dirty fingernails, and oily clothes to prove it.

 

This is going to sound stupid. But have you checked the fluid level in the trans? If it is low, then that may be the cause of the noise. The fluid should be a nice healthy reddish/pink. If it is dark-brown, it isn't in good condition. If the fluid has a burnt smell to it, it be a sign of wear.

There is some debate among mechanics as to whether trans fluid should be changed. Some believe that it should be changed regularly (not to sure about the intervals though), while others believe that the fluid should never be changed. Who's right depends on who you ask. I remeber asking a shop, that I trust, about a problem that I was having with my trans. She said that if the tranny is going bad it's best not to change the fluid.

The car's previous owner may have known that the car's trans was going bad, so he stored it until he could save up to have it repaired. Never got around to it, and then decided to sell it.

As for the article, I'm still looking in my magazines. It may have been in a book that I'd checked out from the library. So, it may take some time to find. In the meantime, you may want to post the trans question on the transmission board/forum. I remember bits and pieces from the article, and I'd hate to give someone incomplete information.