New guy with an old Eagle

[Jawbone1021]

Hello. I’ve looked at this site for a bit, but just now joined. I purchased an ‘80 AMC Eagle Limited in Medium Brown Metallic a little while back. It’s in okay condition. The engine has some problems, but there’s no major rust. It has either 279,000 or 379,000 miles on it. I’ve wanted one for a long time, and I’m very happy with the specifications on this one. If anyone knows of any parts (it needs quite a few), please tell me. I’m in Minnesota. Thanks.
 

[vangremlin]

Welcome to the Den!  Nice looking Eagle you have there, I hope you have lots of fun with it.  Let us know which parts you are looking for specifically, this is a very helpful group.

[Jawbone1021]

Welcome to the Den!  Nice looking Eagle you have there, I hope you have lots of fun with it.  Let us know which parts you are looking for specifically, this is a very helpful group.

Thanks. I’ll try to compile a list of parts. I’m trying to keep it as stock as possible, but it’s hard to find the right parts, especially for an ‘80. I’ve checked out Kennedy American, and it seems to be a very helpful site, but it doesn’t have everything I need. I doubt I’ll be able to find any sun visor mounts anytime soon. I’ll make sure to keep you folks updated.

[AMC of Houston]

Are the visor mounts just loose?  Or missing?  There's a way to tighten them up some.  Mounts from any AMC "small" car will fit (Hornet/Gremlin/Concord).

[Jawbone1021]

Are the visor mounts just loose?  Or missing?  There's a way to tighten them up some.  Mounts from any AMC "small" car will fit (Hornet/Gremlin/Concord).

The mounts are broken, with pieces of them missing, and I don't have any sun visors, either.

[MIPS]

ISTR the earlier Eagles used plastic visor mounts and the later models used metal. Mine were salvaged from an '84 and unless that too is special on an '80 it should screw right in.

I've never checked myself but supposedly the visor mount for the Pinto and Mustang were the similar. At least the rubber boot for the automatic floor shifter is.

[Jawbone1021]

ISTR the earlier Eagles used plastic visor mounts and the later models used metal. Mine were salvaged from an '84 and unless that too is special on an '80 it should screw right in.

I've never checked myself but supposedly the visor mount for the Pinto and Mustang were the similar. At least the rubber boot for the automatic floor shifter is.

Hmm, then I’ll probably try to find the metal mounts. Are sun visors from other AMC models compatible, as well?

Does anyone know of any retro transparent bug deflectors fit for an Eagle? I love the upright style rectangular shields.

[MIPS]

That's the big thing I love about the Eagle. This was a car where AMC threw everything at the wall to refresh their entire model lineup from the 70's, excluding the Pacer which by this point was so commercially unsuccessful they didn't want to touch that concept again. If it wasn't a part they were outsourcing from GM/Chrysler/Ford it was something they had already in production for the last decade so a lot of things silently cross-reference.
I think the visor arms for a Marlin/Ambassador with similar lobed ends might also fit.

[Jawbone1021]

The coolant overheated on a short, five minute drive in forty-five degree Fahrenheit weather. Any ideas what could have caused it? Only the coolant was hot, not the engine. I recently put in a new battery, maybe that was part of it? Also, when the transmission is in ‘Neutral’ or ‘Park’, the engine acts like the pedal is pushed into the floorboard; it revs as much as it can until it’s put back in gear. Also, when I let off the throttle, the Eagle acts like it’s cruise control is engaged; it stays at the same speed it was when I let off the throttle.

[MIPS]

First thing that comes to mind is the temperature sensor on top of the head is air-bound. With a cold engine fill the system from the radiator but don't put the cap on yet, unscrew the sensor and put it back in as soon as coolant starts coming out the hole. The next thing that comes to mind if there's any coolant flow through the heater core (which would indicate the water pump is working at all). Worst-case your head gasket has been blown but you'd be seeing bubbles in the reserve tank at that point.
Could also be a sticking thermostat. The heater core bypasses the thermostat but if it's stuck closed a line restriction like that is gonna get the coolant good and hot.



Disconnect the throttle linkage from the carburetor and that will tell you if something attached to the linkage like the cruise control (or the throttle cable...or a badly adjusted throttle linkage to the transmission) is sticking the throttle open or if someone's driven the idle screws all the way in.

[Jawbone1021]

First thing that comes to mind is the temperature sensor on top of the head is air-bound. With a cold engine fill the system from the radiator but don't put the cap on yet, unscrew the sensor and put it back in as soon as coolant starts coming out the hole. The next thing that comes to mind if there's any coolant flow through the heater core (which would indicate the water pump is working at all). Worst-case your head gasket has been blown but you'd be seeing bubbles in the reserve tank at that point.
Could also be a sticking thermostat. The heater core bypasses the thermostat but if it's stuck closed a line restriction like that is gonna get the coolant good and hot.



Disconnect the throttle linkage from the carburetor and that will tell you if something attached to the linkage like the cruise control (or the throttle cable...or a badly adjusted throttle linkage to the transmission) is sticking the throttle open or if someone's driven the idle screws all the way in.

I'll have to try those. Thanks.
The idle screw is most definitely the cause of the second problem, now that I think back to it.

[Jawbone1021]

The engine is burning through oil. The exhaust manifold also gets really hot. Any ideas?

[MIPS]

Burning oil either means your valve guides or your rings are leaking. Excessive blowby on the PCV system also indicates worn rings.

A hot exhaust manifold is normal, unless it's starting to glow, in which case you are running too rich, your timing is way off or if you have secondary air it's stuck sending air upstream. (though at that point it would also be backfiring)