ebay or junkyard?

Post by **kcodyjr** » 04 Feb 2010, 09:49

I have a 1996 855 base, leather/3rdrow/tracs/nothingelse, black/beige.

It has wrong with it:

* both ball joints
* both drive axles
* both headlight lenses
* windshield
* evap emissions hose (CEL on)
* weakening head gasket
* weakening heater core
* needs a thermostat
* a.c. evaporator leaking
* dent in drivers rear door
* front carpets shot
* front seat leather shot
* clearcoat peeling on hood and roof
* radiator bent, not leaking
* tires pretty much suck

It has right with it:

* straight body, the dent was minor
* still goes straight, don't ask me how
* engine still purrs, don't ask me how
* transmission still smooth
* rear and 3rdrow interior
* paint still intact
* horns and grille replaced
* SilverStar hibeams
* SilverStar Ultra lobeams
* interior lights all working

I put some Bars Leaks into the coolant to get me through its final weeks under my care. The whitesmoke at the tailpipe and pancake smell inside disappeared within minutes. I think the car is still fundamentally sound, but needs a whole lot of work to remain viable, and pass MA inspection.

I have no interest in a project car. Even if my own mother bought it new, which she did. I could probably take care of the glass and go looking for a lax inspection station, but that's a $400 or more gamble that I'm also not interested in.

As for the radiator, some butthead with a pickup backed into it and ran his tow hitch through my grille, and pushed one of the horns right into the radiator. It still works and didn't crack so I didn't bother replacing it.

It has Cetus wheels on it, but I'll probably be keeping those as winter rims for my 97 GLT, although I could be convin$$ed to leave them on the car.

The question is: would anyone buy it in that condition, maybe to convert into a track toy, or should I just call the boneyard and be done with it?

Thanks,
- Kevin

Post by **jblackburn** » 04 Feb 2010, 10:18

Definitely a lot wrong with it...but you could part it out, or sell it to someone who needs parts. Put an ad up on craigslist or ebay and see if you get any interests in it within 2 or 3 weeks - after that, I'd junk it. Take some pictures of the good parts and they will help motivate the sale a bit - interior, back end, etc.

People always need new transmissions/engines/interior parts for their 850's

Post by **patrioty3k** » 04 Feb 2010, 12:01

Put my {son's} '96 glt on craigslist 2 weeks ago,and a body shop owner came and drove it away for $300,junkyard wont give much or anything at all,I posted it for $400 and got about 10 offers within the first day,lasted 2 days on craigslist,so a lot folks are looking for these...

Post by **kcodyjr** » 04 Feb 2010, 12:10

Good tips, I'll take some pictures this weekend if the weather holds.

Also, it occurs to me... let this thread serve as testament to just how f***ed up these cars can get, and still start up and drive.

Thanks,
- Kevin

Post by **kcodyjr** » 04 Feb 2010, 23:22

*sigh* *facepalm*

One last brainfart before I go burn up a (now proverbial) roll of film.

What if I just let the f**ker sit, assuming my landlord will let me get away with it, which he probably will so long as I keep it registered. A cracked windshield is an easy eyesore to keep hidden from the street.

Yes, I have a love-hate relationship with my handed-down-from-Mom brick. I hate to take on a project and I hate to let the thing go. I like knowing its whole history and love not having to slow down for turns. It's not going all that fast anyway on 168hp.

At 199.x K miles and a straight body, I know the car theoretically has hundreds more K left in it. It could probably be inspected in a less stringent state as it stands, except the glass of course.

Given now to mid-spring to save for parts, and boneyard parts where possible, that thing could be a lot cheaper to fix myself. Given it has no real resale value and we couldn't possibly buy another used car, we're stuck with only one working vehicle no matter what I do.

So, assuming the goal is merely a safe s**tbox, inspection items only:

Headlight lenses are easy. Windshield is $200 if I drive it to the shop.

Evap hose. Sounds easy? That's the line from the tank to the charcoal canister, right? Any reason I can't just splice in a piece of fuel line?

Ball joints and drive shafts. Can I trust used parts, and how difficult a job are these really? What else should I check in this area?

Tires. Only one or two are below spec, and they don't have to match to get a sticker, nor be new. Same size would be good, though strictly speaking only side-to-side matching is required. The rears could be a size larger or so.

Thermostat. I've recently learned that a lack of coolant pressure means the temperature sensor won't get a good reading, which means it'll deliver a mixture for a cold engine, even though it's at full temp. This causes somethingorother to go wrong which sets off the CEL, causing an emissions failure. Shouldn't that be knocking? I don't hear any.

Non-inspection necessaries:

a few more bottles of bars leaks, just in case

go back into the pcv system and make sure i did it right, redo clamps to stop the oil leak; also replace dipstick o-ring.

I've been told I can hope for 6 months of decent running with bars leaks in the coolant, then it'll need a head gasket. Anyone care to dispute or confirm that? What effect will sitting still have on it?

How long can I keep the steering system up that way? What is the final failure mode of a power steering rack and pump that leak? On my old 242 I could have simply cut the PS belt and called it a day, at least until the rack-and-pinion got loose. Is there a way to simply shut the assist off in an 850?

Everyone's been a big help around here already and I almost hate to ask for more, but I know you all like thinking through problems as much as I do, or you wouldn't own older Bricks.

I know I said I'm not interested in a project and I'm really not in the mood, but for some reason, letting my Mom's old car die at 199K seems like giving up too easily...

Thanks,
- Kevin

Post by **jblackburn** » 05 Feb 2010, 10:20

If all you need is a running, working car, and don't care at all about the way it looks, then fix it up! Mechanically, the thing will last and drive forever. Most mid-90's American cars are struggling to make it past 150K miles. If you want to keep it nice and everything working...that's a different story.

The head gasket is do-able yourself once it goes with some basic tools and a lot of time and patience. But you'll save yourself quite a bit of money.

Evap is easy.

Don't use a used axle. You'll more than likely tear the CV boot getting it off a donor car to begin with. These aren't that bad of a job either with some jack stands. Being strong helps too

Tires you can pick up some used ones for $20/tire or so (I think Tauruses use the same size as the N/A ones?)

Thermostat is $15 and a very easy fix. Usually it takes the temp sensor with it, but if you don't have a light for it yet, or bad running you'd think to be associated with it, just change the thermostat for now.

To disable the power steering if the pump dies, you'd have to re-route the serpentine belt and find a shorter belt. The rack is a PITA, but you can easily find a new pump from a junk car - they very rarely go bad.

Post by **kcodyjr** » 05 Feb 2010, 15:46

Yes; running, working, and ugly as sin, will do just fine. I have the 1997 GLT for the times I don't want antifreeze getting on my shoes.

All it has to do is pass inspection and continue being reliable. Heat and radio are a bonus, and they do work, mostly. The seat heaters are making up for the main heater's current lukewarm output at highway speeds.

As a bigger bonus, I can smoke in it, spill my coffee, carry Christmas trees on its roof, drag sod and flowers around in the tailgate, and open up gaps in the snowbanks when the plow is taking too long to show up; all without feeling bad about it. This car has been a "working girl" all its life, under Mom's stewardship as well as mine.

Maybe I could even paint some fake rust around the wheel wells. I do go into Boston once in awhile, and obviously old and beat means obviously not going to swerve if someone obstructs my lawful right of way. On the other hand nah, I'd still swerve, because a straight Volvo crash cage is worth saving until I really need it, no matter how bad it looks.

Re: temp sensor. The CEL is on and the temp gauge goes wonky, but it appears to be sane. It overcools when moving, more so going faster or on colder days, and stabilizes at the halfway when sitting still idling. It's also a reliable predictor of how warm the heat will feel. I've been attributing that to stuck-open thermostat and resulting pressure loss.

Re: head gasket. Time and patience are in abundant supply, since it's a second car. What's my measure of failure? When the bars leaks isn't plugging the leak anymore? Say, emptying the overflow reservoir in a week? The coolant light works and I carry a couple bottles of premix.

Re: drive axles. I've learned the state doesn't care about the CV joints, only that the grease doesn't get on the road. I could just put a boot kit on each side and let it keep clicking. It won't do any worse than strip out and disengage, requiring a tow, right?

Re: ball joints, aka control arms. Am I better off with an aftermarket part from fcpgroton, or a used OEM off a junk car? Seems like the kind of thing that wants to be new, but I'm wary of critical stuff being non-OEM.

Re: tires, I'll start with the junkyard that towed what's left of my Sable last week. I think they were the same size. Note, I forgot to mention I put a set of Cetus rims on the wagon a couple years ago. Same size as steelies.

Actually the s**tbox has the good rubber at the moment, but it's getting put on the GLT, which came with worn sneakers on mint wheels. Cars, especially the lower parts, look like hell in the winter anyway. Nobody will notice the curb rash. The better rims will come off the base wagon in May, the Michelins will go back on, and the GLT will get a brand new set.

Thanks!
- Kevin

FCPEURO · Post by **FCPEURO** » 05 Feb 2010, 17:21

If you are just looking to get the car back on the road and don't care about the look, then I agree, fix that baby up. I would not use used parts from a junk yard, you can get all the parts from use for not much more then what you would pay for the used ones and you know they are going to last because they are new. Check out our website when you get a chance. it is http://www.fcpgroton.com

If you have any questions about parts or anything, please let me know.

Post by **jblackburn** » 05 Feb 2010, 19:18

The head gasket will be fine for a while, but when you start to eat a lot of coolant or lose a lot of power, stop driving it before you bend rods. Water doesn't compress very well.

Get the CEL read and figure out what it's mad about. It could well be the temp sensor or EVAP system, but it could be something more serious. The open thermostat is the main cause of the heat issues though...the water is constantly running through the radiator.

The control arms I wouldn't get used. Too important...as the name implies, they actually help you control the car.

Axles should be fine then as long as it will pass inspection. NC is picky about that. Slab some grease on there and get the snap-on boot things (it's either IPD or FCP that sells them) and you should be able to keep them going for a little while at least.

Klausc · Post by **Klausc** » 06 Feb 2010, 10:27

Thermostat is cheap and easily replaced. The heater core needs to be replaced if you have antifreeze on the floor, a fairly easy 2 hour job, and could be part of your coolant loss.
I wouldn't bother with the axles or control arms until it gets warmer, and after you pass inspection.

The killer for inspection is the evap system code. You need to find the leak.

Get replacement lenses for the headlights, use a hard piece of plastic to straighten out the cooling fins on the radiator, and when the CEL is no longer on, replace the windshield and get the inspection.