it's an 88 base 4cyl auto. About the only option it has is AC but the best part is it's got 21516 original miles on it! bad news is that it won't run, not getting gas. That and it's been sitting outside somewhere for the past 25 years so the paint job is shot and the PO burnt a hole in the passengers seat....and the rear view mirror fell off on the way home ..but first things first, getting it to run again.
I've always really liked the beachwood interiors. Put some Mr. Mike's seat covers on and an engine swap and you'll be golden.
------------------ -Chris '85 V6 SE 4sp (SOLD) '88 GT - Series 3 SC3800 w/ 3.5" pulley, 1.8" rockers, 3" exhaust, 3.5" intake, 3.29 gearing. Installed and tuned by Sinister Performance '99 Kawasaki Vulcan 500, owned since new '03 Sentra SE-R Spec V (Prepping to sell) '09 G37x Sedan w/ Premium & Nav (wife's car) '13 G37xS Sedan (new daily driver)
for now I think I'll leave it as is and just drive/enjoy it...or actually my wife will ....she already laid claim to it. I've got 2 others that are projects (GT under the cover beside it) so I just need some help getting it running for her as is. Then we can start to modify it, she's already demanded power windows, locks and mirrors.
[This message has been edited by DLCLK87GT (edited 09-23-2013).]
Originally posted by Boostdreamer: Swap the entire door. Jonathan
Exactly, already looking in the mall ....and it doesn't even run yet! The trick is going to be finding the inner Beachwood door panels. The doors themselves should be easy....
Change the oil, remove the spark plugs, squirt some oil in the cylinders, and try to turn it over with a good battery. Make sure you get some oil pressure just turning it over. The engine could be pretty dry from sitting.
I picked up an 88 base coupe that had only been sitting for 4 years. Same thing. Wouldn't start. Fuel pump was dead. After replacing it, it still had no spray from the injector. It had a bad connection at the injector, so I cleaned that and had to tap on the injector while someone started it. The injector finally started to spray a little fuel, then more and more and it finally started. At least with the duke there's only one injector and it's very easy to access.
Sitting 25 years? Yeah, I'd squirt some Lucas Oil or Marvel Mystery Oil or some kind of lubricant into the cylinders. A little every day for about a week before trying to start it with the plugs removed. Cover that side of the engine with a towel so it doesn't blow the oil all over everything. Fire hazard, you know. Fortunately, unlike the V6, your oil will get to all parts of the rings because the piston sits vertical as opposed to 60 degrees.
swapping the doors can lead to issues with door panel alignment. I always recommend swapping internals. That is a great time to clean everything up anyway. Also.... for the holes where the window cranks were, buy OEM map pockets. That is what I did and it looked stock. A lot easier than trying to find good door panels.
I picked up an 88 base coupe that had only been sitting for 4 years. Same thing. Wouldn't start. Fuel pump was dead. After replacing it, it still had no spray from the injector. It had a bad connection at the injector, so I cleaned that and had to tap on the injector while someone started it. The injector finally started to spray a little fuel, then more and more and it finally started. At least with the duke there's only one injector and it's very easy to access.
Sitting 25 years? Yeah, I'd squirt some Lucas Oil or Marvel Mystery Oil or some kind of lubricant into the cylinders. A little every day for about a week before trying to start it with the plugs removed. Cover that side of the engine with a towel so it doesn't blow the oil all over everything. Fire hazard, you know. Fortunately, unlike the V6, your oil will get to all parts of the rings because the piston sits vertical as opposed to 60 degrees.
That's what happened with that 88 Gt I picked up as well in ohio. Would not start, replaced the pump and still would not start... messed with the relay, started right up.
Awesome. That looks like a great jumping in point. Low miles. Looks un-PO'd. That's un-Previous Ownered. Same as Momma's Grey Ghost 87, untampered with 25K miles on the odo. Congrats in the score.
Do you know how long it has been sitting? Maybe I missed this in your post. Did someone clean the interior or was it that way when you got it? Wonder what magical goodness the Fiero gods will bring under the seats!
I can't wait for the first ride pics!
ps. Dibs on the recall weather strip if you part hehe. kidding..
Exactly, already looking in the mall ....and it doesn't even run yet! The trick is going to be finding the inner Beachwood door panels. The doors themselves should be easy....
You won't need new door panels if they are as good as they look in the pics. Just add map pockets to the doors to hide the crank holes. Done!
Woo-Who! Do you know how long it has been sitting? Maybe I missed this in your post. Did someone clean the interior or was it that way when you got it? Wonder what magical goodness the Fiero gods will bring under the seats! I can't wait for the first ride pics! ps. Dibs on the recall weather strip if you part hehe. kidding..
That's it about an hour after we got it home, didn't touch it. I did a carfax on it and in 88-89 is had the first listing with 10k on it, i think it was for inspection, then nothing until 6 years ago when it was sold and the DMV listed the milage that it shows now 21516 so it hasn't run in at least 6 years. The kid i got it from got it from his buddy who bought it dead so who knows, could have died back in 89-90 and been sitting ever since. I got the little old lady who drove it to church story, then the fuel pump died, she had it replaced but then it died again and she just let it sit. All the original paperwork is in the console but nothing with recent dates. It's got a service sticker on the door but it's too faded out to read.
[This message has been edited by DLCLK87GT (edited 09-24-2013).]
Originally posted by DLCLK87GT: That's it about an hour after we got it home, didn't touch it. I did a carfax on it and in 88-89 is had the first listing with 10k on it, i think it was for inspection, then nothing until 6 years ago when it was sold and the DMV listed the milage that it shows now 21516 so it hasn't run in at least 6 years. The kid i got it from got it from his buddy who bought it dead so who knows, could have died back in 89-90 and been sitting ever since. I got the little old lady who drove it to church story, then the fuel pump died, she had it replaced but then it died again and she just let it sit. All the original paperwork is in the console but nothing with recent dates. It's got a service sticker on the door but it's too faded out to read.
Wow, cool. So any thoughts as to why it's not running? Or have you gotten that far yet?
Originally posted by weloveour86se: Wow, cool. So any thoughts as to why it's not running? Or have you gotten that far yet?
It's not getting fuel for one reason or another. So far I’ve; replaced the pump relay, checked the fuse, checked the plug on the firewall and tried to jump the pump at the ALDL and no pump noise. I tried to crank it and the battery was weak so it barely turned over. Last night I put the battery on a charger, pulled the plugs and dumped in Marvel Mystery Oil. Tonight I'm going to unhook the fuel line at the TB and try it again to see if any gas comes out, if not the tanks coming out Saturday morning. I already got a new pump and yesterday I ordered from TFS the twin hose that connects the tank to the fill tube so I’m probably going to drop the tank Saturday regardless. Clean it out, replace the pump and clean & calibrate the sending unit. A couple things that I won’t have to worry about afterwards, especially since this is going to be my wife’s toy. Edit to add; don't really want her doing the walk of shame.
[This message has been edited by DLCLK87GT (edited 09-25-2013).]
...... don't really want her doing the walk of shame.
You'll REALLY pay for that if it happens.
I would also replace the radiator cap. And the one on the thermostat housing. To me it would just be cheap 'insurance' because of sitting so long you don't know how flexible the gaskets will still be. You might also think about doing a coolant drain/flush/refill. If you haven't already that is. If you haven't, you have no idea how old that stuff is. Check the heater core housing for debris. Several threads have shown what can build up inside there. At least one caught fire.
Originally posted by n7vrz: You'll REALLY pay for that if it happens.
I would also replace the radiator cap. And the one on the thermostat housing. To me it would just be cheap 'insurance' because of sitting so long you don't know how flexible the gaskets will still be. You might also think about doing a coolant drain/flush/refill. If you haven't already that is. If you haven't, you have no idea how old that stuff is. Check the heater core housing for debris. Several threads have shown what can build up inside there. At least one caught fire.
LOL, no kidding. I think AAA will be a must have. Once i can get it to run i'll go through it and change all the fluids, filters and probably start changing out the hoses too. Pretty much everything rubber will be dry rotted from sitting. Forgot to mention that i had to dissasemble the rear calipers in the PO driveway, they were frozen solid and she wouldn't budge. So that will be another thing on the to-do list. Not much good to get it running if it then wont stop!
if its been sitting for 25 years, the piston rings are junk. you will need to tear it down, hone the cylinders and re-ring it. thats sitting way too long for it to fix itself by oiling the rings alone.
if its been sitting for 25 years, the piston rings are junk. you will need to tear it down, hone the cylinders and re-ring it. thats sitting way too long for it to fix itself by oiling the rings alone.
Not necessarily. As long as there was no moisture in the motor it should be fine. And I’ve got no real idea how long this has been sitting. I'm just going by what Carfax shows, 1 report in 89 with 10k and 1 in 2008 with the 21k. Sometime in those lost 20 years it died and got parked. If however the motor is no good then I’ll just sell it (or part it). I don’t need another project. Some minor tinkering is fine but I’ve already got 2 major projects, don’t need a third. And FYI, My Formula (project #2) sat in a field under a pine tree for over 8 years. It's got almost zero rust, started up and runs like a champ. Just because 1 might have had that problem, doesn't mean they all do.
The PO tried to start it right before we showed up to look at it, and again while we were there. The battery was dead so it only turned over once or twic, enough to tell me it wasn't locked up.
Not necessarily. As long as there was no moisture in the motor it should be fine. And I’ve got no real idea how long this has been sitting. I'm just going by what Carfax shows, 1 report in 89 with 10k and 1 in 2008 with the 21k. Sometime in those lost 20 years it died and got parked. If however the motor is no good then I’ll just sell it (or part it). I don’t need another project. Some minor tinkering is fine but I’ve already got 2 major projects, don’t need a third. And FYI, My Formula (project #2) sat in a field under a pine tree for over 8 years. It's got almost zero rust, started up and runs like a champ. Just because 1 might have had that problem, doesn't mean they all do.
friend of mine dropped off an engine that was sitting for less than half of that and the rings are junk on it already. thats why when I saw 25 years I was like uhh. no way lol... you gotta admit that is a very long time and the rings will basically rust-weld themselves to the cylinder walls. I wish you the best of luck!
The PO tried to start it right before we showed up to look at it, and again while we were there. The battery was dead so it only turned over once or twic, enough to tell me it wasn't locked up.
Cool so the motor turns freely. How does the tank smell? Furniture store-ish? Like varnish? All the rubber bits from our sending unit melted after sitting in gas all those years. Thick black sticky goo.
So have you took a quick wiff yet? Maybe just open the filler and stand there?
After dumping out a good 4 gallons of gas into a tank that I have no idea what to do with....I brought the tank to the local DIY car wash and blasted it out. WOW I couldn't believe the crap that came out of the tank. No rust, the tank seems pretty rust free but I'd guess the tank was close to full however many years ago it died, and the 8-9 gallons of gas evaporated down to about 2 gallons ( I put in 2 when I got it) and the tank is full of crap. It's so bad I might just look for a new tank unless you guys know of a good way to de-crud a gas tank?
Wow nice ^^^^^. Sarcasm. But looks not so bad. IDK about washing a tank out as we just replaced ours with a known good one.
Check the fuel feed line while your there. Ours was gunked up so bad you couldn't get a puff of air through it. Once fuel gets past the filter it can't go back to the tank. Any gas that was in the line when parked has been sitting in there all these years. IDK but it seems like your right on top of things. More so then I ever was.
BTW Momma here just drove off in her 87 driveway cluttered car of 18 years. We been daily driving it and she runs great so far. Rides like a new car. Yours will too soon I hope!! Again congrats on the great find!! Have fun.
That and it's been sitting outside somewhere for the past 25 years so the paint job is shot and the PO burnt a hole in the passengers seat....and the rear view mirror fell off on the way home ..but first things first, getting it to run again.
I've got 2 others that are projects (GT under the cover beside it) so I just need some help getting it running for her as is. Then we can start to modify it, she's already demanded power windows, locks and mirrors. 
hehe. kidding..
