I'm in Milledgeville.

The car turns 20 years old this month -- build date of June 1991. I just can't believe how much car you get for the money, even when it's not a deal quite like this one. People are asking $2k for a similar year Civic shell with no engine. Don't get me started on the price of mid 80s Corollas!

I would have said "The same thing you planned to do with it when you thought it didn't work!"... especially if that involves selling for a good price.

FWIW, I had no idea power steering fluid could end up in the intake. I know there's a vac port to adjust steering effort, and that the pump can blow fluid all over the alternator, but I hadn't heard about it ingesting the fluid.

 

Yeah I know I should of said that, but I was just trying to strengthen the SC community. Plus when he's practically giving it to me since pick-a-part was going to pick it up for like 4-$500, I didnt want to provoke him to hike up the price...LOL
I think he knows that I will do some good with it and that he knows that he will be able to see it all the time and say to himself "WOW! that use to be my car" I know thats what I would do.

 

Oh and about the p-steering fluid, yeah theres a valve on the side of the pump that fails and allows the fluid to be ingested through the intake by way of the vacuum lines that runs from the nipple just below the Lexus emblem on the upper intake plenum to the nipple on the intake after the air cleaner. Just locate the lines vac-lines from the IAC valve follow them up to where they connect cap them off. Remove the valve go get you a oil drain plug with the same thread pitch as the valve and a rubber plug as small as you can find cut and use the larger end thread the plug in tighten and reinstall to the pump done and done.Heres some pics of what things look like:
The first two pics are mine and the next two are courtesy of CL member "OLT"




Hope this helps.

 

Nice find looks clean for the price.

 

Great job. I'm sure that SC was very grateful..

 

nice save!

 

Good job man! My hat is off to you.

 

That is a ncie pickup. I have a rear passenger side window if you want it. PM me. I want it gone, if you want to work up a deal. I also have a ton of parts for the tan interior.

 

It's already been replaced -- it was the first thing I bought after getting the car. Was $85 on ebay. It can't be easy to remove one that's intact either. It was a major PITA to install it after ripping out the broken window. I applied urethane around the opening, inserted the new window, and bolted it all down tightly -- and it leaked. A few rounds of silicone later it's now sealed.

I never did ask about the back seat. I'm shooting for black seats but I can't even SEM the ones I have. They're dry rotted, moldy, and cracked to pieces from the sun so I would consider dying some nicer tan ones black. Shoot me a PM with the price but I cant guarantee anything right now.

 

Hey moojohn ur doing a terrible job... lol... ill take the car off ur hands for $850 jk no man really that car is going to thank u in the long run by giving u years and years of reliability! man fix my power steering!!

 

I haven't kept the thread as updated as I should, though there hasn't been a terrible amount of progress over the summer.







Since these pics I have painted all the emblems silver. The 20 yo gold plate looked awful and I wasn't about to buy new (or someone's used) chrome. I think it looks great now; the emblems go with the wheels nicely. The door pillars have been patched with carbon fiber vinyl from ebay which was much easier than painting.

I'm going to put the new door panels in soon but I want to reinforce the weak spots first. I also hope to refinish the wood on them.

The trans is also making a noise at idle, like when your power steering fluid is low. I'm hoping it will be fixed with new fluid and filter but knowing my luck it'll be more of an issue. Too bad since the trans has been excellent.

 

MooJohn, any updates yet on the transmission noise? I'm very interested in the progress of this car. I love that you saved her from being junked!

 

Looks sooooo much better then when you first picked this up...way to bring it back! Are there any parts you need? Post up a request, there's a lot of members with some good parts for sale.

 

MooJohn, you coming up for the next Hennessey meet? Whenever it is... I just want to see the progress, cause it diednt look like the pics do her justice.

 

Out of funds at the moment but I hope to get the trans fluid and filter swapped. I'm 90% sure that's where the noise is coming from.

It's not in any condition to show up at a meet just yet. The door panels (which I did buy from 1992Lexus btw) aren't in and the idle can't decide if it wants to work right or idle at 3k. The ECU is rebuilt, the TPS tests good so the next thing to try is a used ISC. It astounds me that a $100 part on any other vehicle in the world is $700+ for this car so I'm stuck with another 15+ year old used part. I've already tried cleaning & lubing the current one.

My DD Lincoln Continental is in need of a trans fluid flush too (doing the ol' Ford overdrive shudder) and it gets priority right now. Yes, I have an old man sedan to go with my old man coupe, but it does have an intake & Superchips programmer to go with the 4V DOHC 4.6