82 pace car - wife wants fixed... where to start.
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 405
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From: South Florida (NW_Broward)
Car: 1989 Firebird
Engine: 2.8L V6 MPFI
Transmission: Beat to heck 700R4
82 pace car - wife wants fixed... where to start.
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OK, here goes, this car has sat through the five hurricanes, was under a tree for a week (summer t-storm if you believe it), and has been on fire. Wife can't bear to let her go but its gonna need to come off her moms driveway in the next few months.
OK so her old friend "fixed" a hole that he didn't think ought to be there with quiksteel putty. (it was in the non-functioning AIR tubes BTW, great friend lol), she drove it right afterwards and when she got back from the store the whole engine compartment was aflame. After the fire department put a few thousand gallons of water on it, she wouldn't run anymore. She had a guy she knew who was going to do it all for a flat rate, but again her lovely friend gave in to the sun towing guy who wanted to bring it to his own shop. (Offered 15% off parts and labor and he bought...) So the bill skyrocketed to $2500 before my wife found out, all they did was replace all wiring and everything that melted. Didn't go into the motor at all. Car did run, but the guy at sun towing told her "it has 3 weak cylinders".
It ran well enough, then started overheating and intermittently not starting. I ended up doing almost all of the ignition (module, cap, rotor, wires, plugs, coil) and the timing chain, but I was never able to get it reliable. I figured a headgasket went and that was the cause of 3 weak cylinders and now the not starting.
Tree fell on it and cracked the windshield and put a nice dent in the front fender, and other than that its sat for 2+ years.
Other than draining the fuel tank, battery, belts, and maybe the plugs again, where should I start? The last I remember it would run, but not on all 8, I recommended she find a new motor.
OK, here goes, this car has sat through the five hurricanes, was under a tree for a week (summer t-storm if you believe it), and has been on fire. Wife can't bear to let her go but its gonna need to come off her moms driveway in the next few months.
OK so her old friend "fixed" a hole that he didn't think ought to be there with quiksteel putty. (it was in the non-functioning AIR tubes BTW, great friend lol), she drove it right afterwards and when she got back from the store the whole engine compartment was aflame. After the fire department put a few thousand gallons of water on it, she wouldn't run anymore. She had a guy she knew who was going to do it all for a flat rate, but again her lovely friend gave in to the sun towing guy who wanted to bring it to his own shop. (Offered 15% off parts and labor and he bought...) So the bill skyrocketed to $2500 before my wife found out, all they did was replace all wiring and everything that melted. Didn't go into the motor at all. Car did run, but the guy at sun towing told her "it has 3 weak cylinders".
It ran well enough, then started overheating and intermittently not starting. I ended up doing almost all of the ignition (module, cap, rotor, wires, plugs, coil) and the timing chain, but I was never able to get it reliable. I figured a headgasket went and that was the cause of 3 weak cylinders and now the not starting.
Tree fell on it and cracked the windshield and put a nice dent in the front fender, and other than that its sat for 2+ years.
Other than draining the fuel tank, battery, belts, and maybe the plugs again, where should I start? The last I remember it would run, but not on all 8, I recommended she find a new motor.
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Posts: 4,075
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Car: 04 Silverado
Engine: 4.8
Transmission: auto
Originally Posted by bobdole369
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OK, here goes, this car has sat through the five hurricanes, was under a tree for a week (summer t-storm if you believe it), and has been on fire. Wife can't bear to let her go but its gonna need to come off her moms driveway in the next few months.
OK so her old friend "fixed" a hole that he didn't think ought to be there with quiksteel putty. (it was in the non-functioning AIR tubes BTW, great friend lol), she drove it right afterwards and when she got back from the store the whole engine compartment was aflame. After the fire department put a few thousand gallons of water on it, she wouldn't run anymore. She had a guy she knew who was going to do it all for a flat rate, but again her lovely friend gave in to the sun towing guy who wanted to bring it to his own shop. (Offered 15% off parts and labor and he bought...) So the bill skyrocketed to $2500 before my wife found out, all they did was replace all wiring and everything that melted. Didn't go into the motor at all. Car did run, but the guy at sun towing told her "it has 3 weak cylinders".
It ran well enough, then started overheating and intermittently not starting. I ended up doing almost all of the ignition (module, cap, rotor, wires, plugs, coil) and the timing chain, but I was never able to get it reliable. I figured a headgasket went and that was the cause of 3 weak cylinders and now the not starting.
Tree fell on it and cracked the windshield and put a nice dent in the front fender, and other than that its sat for 2+ years.
Other than draining the fuel tank, battery, belts, and maybe the plugs again, where should I start? The last I remember it would run, but not on all 8, I recommended she find a new motor.
OK, here goes, this car has sat through the five hurricanes, was under a tree for a week (summer t-storm if you believe it), and has been on fire. Wife can't bear to let her go but its gonna need to come off her moms driveway in the next few months.
OK so her old friend "fixed" a hole that he didn't think ought to be there with quiksteel putty. (it was in the non-functioning AIR tubes BTW, great friend lol), she drove it right afterwards and when she got back from the store the whole engine compartment was aflame. After the fire department put a few thousand gallons of water on it, she wouldn't run anymore. She had a guy she knew who was going to do it all for a flat rate, but again her lovely friend gave in to the sun towing guy who wanted to bring it to his own shop. (Offered 15% off parts and labor and he bought...) So the bill skyrocketed to $2500 before my wife found out, all they did was replace all wiring and everything that melted. Didn't go into the motor at all. Car did run, but the guy at sun towing told her "it has 3 weak cylinders".
It ran well enough, then started overheating and intermittently not starting. I ended up doing almost all of the ignition (module, cap, rotor, wires, plugs, coil) and the timing chain, but I was never able to get it reliable. I figured a headgasket went and that was the cause of 3 weak cylinders and now the not starting.
Tree fell on it and cracked the windshield and put a nice dent in the front fender, and other than that its sat for 2+ years.
Other than draining the fuel tank, battery, belts, and maybe the plugs again, where should I start? The last I remember it would run, but not on all 8, I recommended she find a new motor.
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iTrader: (4)
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 683
Likes: 2
From: Florida
Car: '87 Trans-Am
Engine: LB9 (305 TPI)
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42 or 3.73..figuring it out still
No offense here, but I recommend a new car. It sounds like one of those can o worms deals that will never be right unless you do a frame up resto on it...and its not one of those cars that seems like you want to spend that kind of money on.
If its one of those sentimental things that just cant be let go of, then I guess what motor does it have now? If it is a good platform to just rebuild, then I would build the motor it has rather than replacing it or swapping anything out...it will just add to the existing problem especially since all the work that has already been done is for the present motor. Start there. With the motor out, you could always go through and make sure all your wiring and such is satisfactory so youre not messing with that when you put the motor back in. I always like to do driveline and brakes first. Get them reliable first and youll be happier in the longrun. Body damage and what not can wait. Start with the motor and work back to the tranny and diff...making sure the brakes are all happy and then see where you stand.
If its one of those sentimental things that just cant be let go of, then I guess what motor does it have now? If it is a good platform to just rebuild, then I would build the motor it has rather than replacing it or swapping anything out...it will just add to the existing problem especially since all the work that has already been done is for the present motor. Start there. With the motor out, you could always go through and make sure all your wiring and such is satisfactory so youre not messing with that when you put the motor back in. I always like to do driveline and brakes first. Get them reliable first and youll be happier in the longrun. Body damage and what not can wait. Start with the motor and work back to the tranny and diff...making sure the brakes are all happy and then see where you stand.
Supreme Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,296
Likes: 0
From: ohio
Car: 1997 S10
Engine: 4-Cyl 2.2 Liter
Transmission: Automatic
Originally Posted by 82 Iron Duke
lol dude i cant tell you where to start but i can tell you what i would do. since its a pace car i would restore it there where not that many produced and if doen well there a VERY nice looking car
would you mind getting any pics of the car? do not junk it restory it 
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