Though each different in scale, these three cars were definitely our most ambitious picks yet. And all this work had to happen on a deadline or en route. So I think an itemized accounting of our labors is in order.
The Dusty Isuzu Piazza
- Towed, inoperable, home from the dealer
- Replaced battery
- Bled clutch
- First test drive
- Troubleshooting for glowing red-hot exhaust manifold: checked the valve timing, ignition timing, spark, coil, electricity supply, grounds, smoke tested the intake, checked every exhaust component, etc.
- Replaced leaky seals and vacuum lines
- Hand rebulit vacuum advance
- Replaced ground on ECU (err, aftermarket multi-spark discharge module — whatever the hell that is)
- Replaced shocks
- Changed oil
- Replace clutch slave cylinder
- Repaired water leak
- Refocused headlights
…assuming I was right — that the fuel pump was overheating — and that’s why [the car kept dying while driving it from Tulsa to the start line in Independence], I imagined that turning off the car while driving downhill would cause it to cool off during those sections and run longer. AND I WAS RIGHT! By adopting the technique of hyper-milers, I was able to drive two and a half hours without a fuel pump failure. I even took to speeding up the hills so I had more momentum going down and could leave the car off longer. This, of course, earned me a speeding ticket and a search for drugs by the police.
- Had shop in Independence replace the fuel pump
- Temporary wedge and tape fix to hoist the driver’s (right) side window closed; will track holder will need to be rebuilt somehow.
The Mystery Wagon
Feeling a bit overshadowed again here, but I did do some stuff. And that seatbelt situation turned into a whole narrative of its own.
- Fix fuse on power socket
- Replaced shift knob
- Replaced dash cluster dimmer
- Replaced collapsible cup holder insert
- Replaced driver side seatbelt
- New tires
- Tightened throttle cable
- Re-seated airbox and intake hoses
- Cleaned corroded distributor rotor and cap
- Replaced spark plugs
- Patched cylinder #4 plug wire boot
- Replaced distributor cap
Fiero the Fire Truck
(Wherein “decklid” refers to the “trunk” lid, which covers the engine and a small storage compartment because it’s a mid-engine model.)
- New tires
- Replaced windshield washer motor
- Re-seated separated cold air intake hose to air box
- Fixed decklid ajar sender connection
- Trunk release relay
- Oil change and replaced oil drain gasket to fix leak
- Replaced old locking lug nuts with plain
- Replaced lower window seals (left/right and inner/outer)
- Replaced door and decklid lock cylinders
- Cleaned and improved engine grounds to chassis
- Cleaned and improved battery ground to chassis (fuel gauge started working but still offset; volt gauge started working; oil pressure gauge started working intermediately)
- Cleaned and improved decklid to chassis ground
- Replaced battery terminals
- Replaced front compartment internal fascia mounting screws
- Replaced vacuum lines for cruise control
- Replaced perished fresh air line for idle air
- Replaced perished vacuum fittings for EGR valve
- Replaced idle air control valve (no effect)
- Cleaned rust from airbox hardware and mount
- Replaced rusted airbox retainer hardware
- Replaced cold air intake grate
- Replaced ruined air intake temperature sensor (modestly improved idle and performance)
- Replaced sunroof hardware
- Replaced all brake pads and rotors, replaced or repacked wheel bearings as needed, flushed brake fluid
- Replaced driver side CV axle
- Replaced all original plastic vacuum hard lines with steel lines
- Resprayed upper air plenum and replaced gaskets
- Replaced badly cracked EGR tube (fixed massive vacuum leak, dramatically improved performance but did not fix idle)
- Completed rebuild of headlights to fix brushes and limit switches, allowing reliable operation
- Replaced coolant fan switch sensor and rewired connector
- Replaced headlight sealed beams with LED units
- Replaced coolant overflow reservoir
- Repaired passenger side power lock actuator electrical connection
- Created and installed 3D printed custom accessory DC power strip
- Created and installed 3D printed cupholders
- Reinforced MAP sensor vacuum fitting with flex tape
- Replaced burned plug wires
- Replaced coolant temperature sensor, finally fixing idle issue and notably improving performance and fuel economy
- Replaced coil again because of connector stability reasons
- Replaced seatbelt guides
- Reattached separating passenger side rear quarter window panel
- Replaced trunk light bulb and lens
- Replaced oil filler cap
- New battery, modestly improving idle and other electrical behavior
- Replaced wiper blades
- Replaced air filter again
Also can we stop for a moment to realize: both the Wagon and the Fiero had debilitating, degenerative disorders of the spark plug wires. What?! Like, that’s a wear item you replace as part of semi-routine maintenance and an old one or a corroded connector can make your car run badly… but I’m not sure I’ve heard about plug wires actually causing a problem as big as either of us had — let alone within two days of each other.