Ok, I'm sure more than one of my friends are going to want to get in line to slap me for this... but my friend the wrench is at least on my side.... I've bought another one.
Yes folks, that's right, after a rather accidental discovery on craigslist, I'm just about to acquire a black 1987 4-door sedan. Or maybe I should say 87AMCEagle1's former 1987 4-door sedan; it was his after all. The current owner doesn't have the time to work on it any more and for the price, I couldn't say no. Both owners have done quite a bit to keep this bird in the land of the living, so I guess it's my turn... with all the spare parts I have, I'm sure I've got a fighting chance (now to get some brake lines and figure out what to do with the carburetor. Expect me to be conversing in "The Shop" shortly hahaha.)
Here's his original For Sale listing for it if you want a better idea:
http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=15346.0 (http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=15346.0)
The current owner still has all of 87AMCEagle1's paperwork for it as well. Everything down to the original sales slip from Camelot Motors.
I'll have pictures taken of it soon, although it's no ROTM :) And I guess this'll be a new project car thread for me as well. Hopefully this one will be substantially shorter than the one for my '83 Sport Wagon 8) .
Congrats! So have we ever seen any pictures of this one? Any literature from Camelot may be worth posting on the AMC Heritage History Forum's dealership boards as well.
Quote from: IowaEagle on May 18, 2009, 04:45:02 PM
Congrats! So have we ever seen any pictures of this one? Any literature from Camelot may be worth posting on the AMC Heritage History Forum's dealership boards as well.
Well, I'm sure there's a bunch of goodies in the stack of papers and books that 87AMCEagle1 included with the car, but probably no pictures. And I guess the dealership was at 1010 Central Ave in Albany, NY. A google search indicates that the property is now a Pep Boys (go figure) and there's probably nothing left of the original buildings. I'll see what's in the paperwork and add photos if there's anything good. I saw the full color "calendar style" dealership brochure tho, and it's practically new.
Well, best to make a start here. So far the major issues (that I found) are:
1. Idle deteriorates as engine warms up.
I've seen many posts about the Carter being a source of bad cold start/idle, but nothing like this: This little bird fired up nice and quick after giving it the customary pedal pumps (engine was cold). The fast idle speed sounded normal (no tach on this one), no odd sounds, and healthy smelling & looking exhaust; on the whole a nice healthy sounding 258. After about 5 mins of idling though, the idle became progressively slower and she started to putt with increasing frequency. I shut the engine off before it could die, but I sensed that stall was imminent.
I can tell there has to be a few vacuum leaks just by taking a look at the smog vacuum lines living on top of the valve cover (no smogectomy either), could this be the cause? The current (and I think previous) owner said it needed "a new carb". I'm interested to know what people think of this.
EDIT: The previous owner performed the TFI "Juice Box" upgrade, so I know that's not the cuplrit.
2. Rear passenger side brake line bad.
The brake lines running to the rear passenger side wheel are clearly bad. Any suggestions on brake lines that people have used with decent success in salty environments (winter road salt)?
3. Body rot.
Thankfully I've got a guy who can do body welding for a decent price. I know I have to replace the rear driver side door, but luckily I have a complete set of replacements that comes with the car! There's a rusty spot in the trunk near the rear edge of the leaf spring as well, but that's already been prepped for repair. There's significant rot at the rear edge of the front passenger wheel extending along the rocker. There's rust underneath the vinyl top near the rear opera windows (one side has had the vinyl mostly removed already). Luckily the undercarraige appears to have been well painted by 87AMCEagle1 and seemed to pass the knock test all around.
4. Misc.
I observed a slight bit of dampness around the driver side of the plastic valve cover after I shut it off. It looks like it's not quite all the way flush to the rest of the block, but I could be wrong. I've already resigned myself to having to do the aluminum replacement at some point anyway. And since I've already done one, it shouldn't be any more difficult.
The vacuum system may have leaks. Since I live in CT, I'm exempt from emissions on both my eagles so the smogectomy may likely be on the adgenda.
The 4WD operation is unconfirmed. Once I get it on a lift I'll know for sure, but for now I'm going on the current owner's word that it works properly. If not, no big deal since at worst it's the transfer case and I've got a spare one of those too!
Progress to be noted as it occurs.
Guessing bad vacuum lines are causing the problem as it warms up. Different vacuum circuits come into play as the engine warms up. Circuits which may not be operating (leaking) when first starting the engine.
Yes that is the correct location for Camelot,I still have some bagged AMX parts from them that have thier logo on them.I got a fair warning they were closing and was prompted to purchase some things.Actaully it is now a Nissan Dealership were they were, but was originally part of the Chrysler lot next door.
Well, went to pick up the new bird today.... and had to leave her. Why you might ask? Well, in true homage to Murphy, she wouldn't start. I got her to turn over once, only to die seconds later. So with no way to get her onto the trailer to take her off to her new home, we left with heavy hearts and selected curse words to return another day with more supplies in the hopes of getting her loaded up and on her way to the shop.
The good news is: I think she's just out of gas (D'OH! :merror: )
And for all you build sheet fans, I did manage to locate a build sheet under the front passenger seat. It's a bit ragged so I didn't dare try to extract it for fears of completely destroying it (I also cut myself trying) but it's there for when I decide to try and retrieve it. Makes me wonder if the '83 has the same present in store for me.
Well with a sacrifice of many hours and some of my blood, it's on to another day... hopefully the Eagle gods will smile upon us next time.
They usually get stubborn like that for a good reason. The Eagle probably foresaw that it was not a good car hauling day.
Quote from: IowaEagle on May 23, 2009, 08:54:45 AM
They usually get stubborn like that for a good reason. The Eagle probably foresaw that it was not a good car hauling day.
Well IE, I think you're definitely onto something here. Turns out that our hauling truck was running a little funny that day and today we discovered that two spark plug wires were swapped on it, causing it to run rough. Probably wouldn't have made it a fun drive back home with the eagle in tow and I guess the Eagle knew it. So with that little issue fixed (and a can of gas with us), we successfully carted this new bird back to the shop. Now the work begins. Hopefully there won't be too much left to do in order to get it driving on its own again.
Pictures and updates to follow soon.
Wish me luck.
Yup -- very wise birds these Eagles are.
Well, she's finally in the shop. Seems the idle problem is proving more elusive than we thought. Seems when it's cold it'll turn over with a shot of starting fluid and run fine, but shut her off and it's back to the staring fluid. We'll have to do more investigating and find out why the heck she doesn't wanna start. The brake lines also seem ok, so looks like we may be troubleshooting the system the messy way. I'm still hoping to have her driving around before the weather starts getting cold again, but time will tell.
I did have a brief opportunity to snap some shots of her while she was being put up on the lift, so here they are:
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEcU2qLqI/AAAAAAAAAdY/Lzd_vSocipU/s400/IMG_6637.JPG)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEcr8d3EI/AAAAAAAAAdc/5lsxkWKYcOc/s400/IMG_6638.JPG)
The vinyl had been removed from the passenger side for rust inspection. I fear the driver side is probably worse.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEdLL4qiI/AAAAAAAAAdk/apBQ75Jesjk/s400/IMG_6639.JPG)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEeHLuLbI/AAAAAAAAAd0/LtwB_fltInw/s400/IMG_6643.JPG)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEbpJBWzI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/-bNuL3j093A/s400/IMG_6635.JPG)
The rust through the passenger side rocker (and the underside of it)... gotta see how hard this is gonna be to repair properly.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEdkY-fII/AAAAAAAAAds/1uhQSyirZ6Q/s400/IMG_6641.JPG)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEbcm9vkI/AAAAAAAAAdM/e8xOHaMiA3g/s400/IMG_6634.JPG)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEd1eyYLI/AAAAAAAAAdw/5VM_SkyXxPQ/s400/IMG_6642.JPG)
The rear passenger door... soon to be replaced.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEdRW1nII/AAAAAAAAAdo/OVOX_WvV1V8/s400/IMG_6640.JPG)
The undercarriage... looks pretty good
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEZwdFi5I/AAAAAAAAAc8/-yFexexYpmk/s400/IMG_6630.JPG)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEaU1L-xI/AAAAAAAAAdA/26gv_hTf7RM/s400/IMG_6631.JPG)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEaxxJaXI/AAAAAAAAAdE/6Fx9m35iBGk/s400/IMG_6632.JPG)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_l3utyPFIJ_Q/ShsEbPZ4GaI/AAAAAAAAAdI/iUSIGiVF0h8/s400/IMG_6633.JPG)
More shots to follow when I get more time to take them.
Decent ride you got there. Check for a leak in the gas line, that will cause starting problems, check the rubber at fron and back first.
Yes, the front under carriage looks exceptionally good.
That Eagle looks like a decent project launching point. Good luck with it.
Well, yes it's been more than 120 days but at long last this little black beauty made it's first flight in many years tonight. Outfitted with brand-spanking-new antique plates and snow tires I managed to take her for a short and somewhat shaky loop around town.
To add my $0.02 into the tire size debate, I outfitted her with a set of four Firestone Winterforce M+S studdable snow tires, size 215/65R15. I got them at a pretty reasonable price at a local Sears and I must say they look rather snazzy. In addition to the rather intricate sidewall design, they really look good proportionately with the vehicle. In looking for new tires, I reviewed all the size suggestions posted here but after consulting with my mechanic friends, we decided that a 205/75R15 would be too small and that the 215/75R15 set that was on there would probably rub since the suspension isn't perfect (and since I think they were made in 1997, they were getting replaced regardless). I'll be sure to update more on how the new ones work out, but so far so good.
Despite the super cool new plates and spiffy new tires, the ride didn't quite go as well as I could have hoped.
After a rather uneventful warm up (at which point I remarked how deliciously evil the car looks from the front with just the parking lights on a dim street), the stalling issue cropped up again like clockwork. Seems she's still having problems with idling once warmed up. It took me a little bit to get the hang of having to drive with two feet and manually shift to keep her from dying out, but after a few hair raising stalls, I managed to keep her running for the most part. We still evidently need to do more adjusting with the Carter and we also noticed the kickdown isn't... so back to the salt mines with that one.
I also noted that the gas gauge is most decidedly not working. I'm unsure whether the problem is the more common dead sending unit, or whether the gauges might be the problem because....
The temperature gauge seems to have lost it's mind in that it starts off in the middle of the range and, as the car warms up, pegs at the top of the dial. The car has coolant and is clearly not overheating, so I'm wondering what the cause might be. More research through the forums for me tomorrow haha.
On the flipside of that coin however, I did notice a number of good things such as:
The license plate light works!!! Someone call the media because this has to be a freaking miracle. I was tempted to take a picture for posterity. Seriously.
The heating/defrost part of the HVAC system works like a charm. Even does a decent job of defogging the windshield, which is more than I can say for most modern cars.
The transmission shifts cleanly and what I'd assume to be normally. The shift button is nice and strong and the shifter locks into place firmly (but is still remarkably easy to shift between N and D quickly when needed haha). Even the backlight in the shift indicator works.
All other interior and exterior lights seem to work properly from the trunk light to the dashboard to the radio backlights.
Finally, and hopefully I'm not whammying myself here but, it seems like the 4wd does engage. The feel of the car suggests that I'm getting power to all four wheels so I'm crossing my fingers that the Select Drive system is still alive and well.
Well, that's all for the moment. More will come soon I'm sure. For now I must prepare to brave another New England snow storm without 4 wheel drive.
Sounds like you have made some progress. That is good. The gas gauge could be the gauge or the sending unit. Mine does not work. When the gas tank gets near empty the needle starts jumping. Then I know it is time to get gas. My sender unit seems fine, so I know it is a connection to the gauge or the gauge itself. I have a replacement one, but after having the dash apart to install the radio a few years ago I swore not open the dash unless I absolutely have to to keep the car running.
Good luck with the stalling issue. I fought a stalling issue a few months ago.
I was quite amazed when I bought my 83 to find all lights working and the heater strong, with original core and blower motor, with a current 142k miles on it.
Your sending unit is probably the culprit (temp gauge), and that's extremely easy to replace, and they're cheap, around 15 bucks... Just remember to let your engine cool down first ;)
Congrats on a fairly successful maiden voyage.
Quote from: tougeagle on January 12, 2011, 01:38:06 AM
Your sending unit is probably the culprit (temp gauge), and that's extremely easy to replace, and they're cheap, around 15 bucks... Just remember to let your engine cool down first ;)
Well that's simple enough. Much better than having to try to rip the dash apart. One question that maybe someone can clarify for me though:
I looked up the replacement temperature sending unit on a few different websites and keep coming across listings that specify that it's for the station wagon and lists no other matches. For example, I've included a few links below. I would assume this is the right part regardless of which body style the car is but am I correct?
Auto Zone TU134: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Temperature-Switch/1987-AMC-Eagle/_/N-iib6xZ9gsmf?counter=0&itemIdentifier=45267_77401_0_4610 (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Temperature-Switch/1987-AMC-Eagle/_/N-iib6xZ9gsmf?counter=0&itemIdentifier=45267_77401_0_4610)
Advance WT398: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Coolant-Temperature-Sensor-BWD_3999645-P_425_R|GRPSESWAMS_547238774___# (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Coolant-Temperature-Sensor-BWD_3999645-P_425_R%7CGRPSESWAMS_547238774___#)
JC Whitney 30475G: http://www.jcwhitney.com/engine-coolant-temperature-senders/p2018931.jcwx?filterid=c1651d17210y1987j1&_requestid=5235710 (http://www.jcwhitney.com/engine-coolant-temperature-senders/p2018931.jcwx?filterid=c1651d17210y1987j1&_requestid=5235710)
Not to worry. We all use the same I-6 engine (at least from the factory) -- except for those with I-4's. The sender will fit all 258's regardless of which body style its in.
That's what I thought. Thanks again IE! Guess there's some more part numbers for the list.
Well, I've finally got the idle problem fixed! After having the carter professionally rebuilt (and you'd be surprised how few carburetor mechanics there are left these days), we're working out the final little putts in the idle before this car will finally, at long last, be roadworthy.
I did, however make a rather puzzling discovery that I'm putting out to the general population since I'm somewhat at a loss:
This 87 has what appears to be the mid to high range stereo system being that it's fully digital and has AM/FM/Cassette. I also happened to discover that I have four 4" round speakers as part of my boxes o' parts that came bundled with the vehicle which I fully intend to install since the rear deck speakers are clearly worn from age. However, when I took a look at the front passenger door, I made the startling discovery that there were no speaker holes or grilles in the panel! After going to the original driver's door and checking it, I found it too had no speaker mounting. I then spent some time searching the front of the interior but being unable to find a front pair of speakers. The new driver's door is bare and has no clear mounting hardware anywhere. I also noted that the glove box speaker mount had the original blank plate still in place, confirming that there was never a dash mounted speaker either.
So my questions are:
1. Would this car have been equipped with AM/FM/Cassette and only the two rear speakers?
2. Are the front speakers hiding somewhere that I wouldn't expect?
???
It appears you may have a radio delete car that over the years someone stuck a system into, but did not want to mess with the door speakers.
Thanks again IE for imparting more of your encyclopedic knowledge of Eagles. I wouldn't have thought that an '87 would have still been available with a radio delete.
I read through this post: http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=12804.0 (http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=12804.0) and my supposition is: given there's original-looking (read: old and weathered) rear deck speakers and fender mounted antenna and the head unit is a seemingly correct AMC digital AM/FM/cassette, could the car have been re-fitted with a stereo by the dealer?
I did some more inspecting of the car and found that the previous restorers had begun to run new wiring around the car but never finished it. It seems they originally intended to cut the door panels and install speakers, but I'm less inclined to cut intact interior pieces. (Despite this car's ragged appearance, I still want to try my best to keep it somewhat original).
The concept executed here: http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=22001.0 (http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=22001.0) is very cool and I may just copy it since it provides a non-invasive alternative.
I read thru and I couldn't find if your starting (after car turned off) problem was solved.
I had the same thing with my eagle, and it was the fuel pump (if not a leak). I described the issue, and everybody here posted back "Fuel Pump". I was having the same issue you are/were.
I fact checked my memory with the AMC literature of the day and any radio configuration remained an option, even in '87. The entry level radio, then, was the AM/FM monural unit.
Quote from: Whuntmore on April 07, 2011, 12:13:06 AM
I read thru and I couldn't find if your starting (after car turned off) problem was solved.
I had the same thing with my eagle, and it was the fuel pump (if not a leak). I described the issue, and everybody here posted back "Fuel Pump". I was having the same issue you are/were.
Actually, we originally thought all our problems were due to the fuel pump being bad, but after much diagnosis we found that there were actually two problems causing it to not want to start/run: a clogged PCV valve and the carburetor dumping fuel. The solution to the carb problem was a full professional rebuild. It now starts and runs fine and I don't think we ended up replacing the fuel pump after all (so I have a spare fuel pump just in case haha). I should be writing the driving report in a few days. We should have all the idle settings fine tuned by then.
Congrats on getting the engine stable. **Sends out the Ring Girl with her card that says "ROUND 12"** Looks like you are getting the better of the issues. Good luck.
Quote from: Hawk258 on April 15, 2011, 12:36:26 PM
Congrats on getting the engine stable.
Well the term "stable" is somewhat ill-defined since I can tell it's still got a few bugs in the system but thus is our lot with our old-fashioned carburated cars.
Sadly, the front rotors are the part now keeping it from full operation since they've been deemed too far gone to turn and need replacement before a full alignment can be performed. We did find out that the AM/FM/Cassette is fully functional and seems to sound just great.
On a more wonderous note...
The gas gauge has been ressurected! Yes, believe it or not, a simple removal and cleaning brought the gas tank sending unit back to life and it's now (mostly) reading the fuel level properly. (This was born of necessity since we got tired of having to stop by the gas station on every test drive.) So, with any luck, a new temperature sender will bring the dash gauges back to full functionality and make life all the much easier (now if it only had a vacuum gauge...)
ROUND 13!...
Well I'm a proud papa for sure. On Thursday I finally got this bird in service and flying again and I've been loving it. It's been a fun but interesting time learning this car's eccentricities and getting used to driving it. I will say that I've gotten quite the reaction to it already on the road. I did discover that the car has a minor roof leak near the front windshield that's causing a drip between the front seats near the shifter. It's not a major leak, but I'm hoping it's not going to be too hard to trace and seal it. The alternator belt also seems to not like working so well in wet weather, but I'm hoping a change of belt will silence it.
The one problem that does bug me is a nasty pinging I get under load once the engine is warmed up. Connecticut uses a 10% ethanol blend of gasoline that I'm sure is more than partly to blame so I'm currently trying out mixes of 87 and 89 octane to hopefully compensate for our non-recommended gasoline. Anyone have any tips?
I use 92 octane minimum (i also have fuel injection) may want to check your timing if that persists.
Quote from: philotomy on June 12, 2011, 11:13:02 PM
I use 92 octane minimum (i also have fuel injection) may want to check your timing if that persists.
Thanks Phil, your Eagle looks a lot like mine, minus the rust of course :) And yeah, I've noted that a few members have advised running a minimum of 89 octane so that's my next step once I've burned through the rest of this tank (I've currently got a 50/50 mix of 87 and 89 in it). My timing was recently checked and set to spec before it hit the road; I believe it was 8 BTDC but since this car has a "Juice Box" ignition modification, I was unsure if the stock numbers were still valid. I know at one point IE mentioned that cars with modified ignitions may require timing as far back as 12 BTDC but we're thinking retarding the timing any more will worsen the pinging. Trying higher octane gas is the first step, so we'll see if that doesn't help before trying more invasive fixes.
I also just clocked my first 100 miles on it (we're now just past 56300) and I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. It's a lot different than the V8 powered, fuel injected Crown Victorias I'm used to for sure.
I tried opening the hood today to check the fluids and do a regular inspection and *snap* the hood release cable breaks. I sat there for a minute with the handle in my hand and didn't know whether to scream or cry. I've placed a wanted ad in the appropriate section for anyone who might happen to have an extra one of these lying around somewhere.
:'(
edit: For my own reference and anyone else who might end up in this predicament, there's a workaround in case you're "locked out" of your engine compartment by this unfortunate happenstance:
http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=25127.0 (http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=25127.0)
Well ,worst case scenario you could do what I had in place when I bought the car,my cable is about 8" long with a b(http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g205/philotomy/Declf.jpg)all of tape on the end
Don, i honestly think that the vermonster is by far my fav eagle on the planet. just wanted you to know that!
Well, now we return to the "good, bad, and ugly" vein of posts for my latest update:
The good:
A healthy dose of 93 octane totally cleared up the pinging problem. Clearly these cars like to eat well. So now hopefully I can step it down a grade or two and maintain these results. Sadly that's going to have to wait...
The bad:
She died last night at a stoplight and wouldn't start again. Once we got her looked at it was determined she has no spark. The cause is likely the "Juice Box" module fitted to the front passenger wheel well. We're not sure what the module contains, but it clearly has some form of coil. Whether or not it has an ignition module in it also is yet to be determined (check out my related post in the Engine Electrical Systems thread here: http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=35914.0 (http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=35914.0) )
The ugly:
The original maker of the "Juice Box" is defunct (their domain name is no longer valid and is now a placeholder/advertisment) so finding a replacement is likely impossible. Since we don't know what function(s) it provides, we can't really do anything until we figure out what the heck it does (if anything) beyond functioning as the ignition coil.
So she's once again laid up in the garage and off the road. It was a fun week with a decidedly crappy ending. And my post from my '83 seems to have vanished as well, so now I have to try and track down all the reference material it had in the thread.
:banghead:
I have been running mine on 93 octane , and watching the vaccumm gauge on steep pulls uphill.Seems when it gets down around 5 , it starts pinging.I just back off the gas a wee bit, and stay in the slow lane. ( wich really isn't slow, people still do 65 in a 55 in it ) : ).It used to ping and sometimes even smoke on 87 octane and really getting into it uphill at higher speeds, greater loads.I suspect it could use rings or a valve job , but it gets it by for now.
Well to first clear up some things left over from my last post, I managed to figure out that The Brain in the car had died (ECM) and that was the reason the car abruptly went dead. Also thankfully, they're widely available! So a quick trip to m local parts store and she's back on the road again.
The bittersweet part is that I've moved to Florida and had to leave both of my birds in storage back in CT. I'm hoping at some point soon I'll have the funds to ship at least one down here and continue to work on them since I now have the possibility of learning DuPont paint! So I'll keep updating as I go here. Hopefully I'll be doing the body repairs on both of them before too long.
Wish me luck!
Best of luck to ya!! Youll have alot better weather to work on them for sure.
Well, so far I've spent 6 hours a day for the past three weeks learning how to properly MIG weld on a vehicle (and giving myself a few burns in the process). But for now I'd say: so far so good. My instructor is also a restorer of older cars so I'm trying to pick his brain as much as possible on the tricks of the trade. Hopefully I'll be at the point soon where I'll have my birds back in my garage and on its way to being restored.
Now if only I still had the post about the wagon, I'd be all set... :(
In a week or so I triumphantly return to this old bird to continue with her restoration. And now I'm armed with the ability to rebuild carburetors and use a MIG welder (which are going to be invaluable I'm sure lol). Now if only we could figure out how to tighten up the steering so lessen the terrible dead spot it has. Well, more updates to come shortly on this and the other project bird (who's thread went bye-bye inexplicably :-( ).. Stay tuned...
So, after about a month of putting this old black bird into service as my daily driver, I've filled the gas tank once and averaged 18mpg under mixed conditions. On the whole, the car has performed admirably and continues to amaze me. No, the a/c didn't spontaneously come back to life, however the left turn signal indicator did, which made me endlessly grateful that I don't have to try to replace it.
Today marked its first return to the shop to correct a minor brake line leak at the rear passenger wheel cylinder, tightening of the front driver side suspension, and replacement of the power steering and fan belts. During driving, I noticed that the power steering would occasionally start to hiccup or stutter which caused us to check it. We found that the power steering belt had over 3" worth of flex to it. After discovering that there was no adjustment that could be made to tighten the power steering belt, we opted to replace the belt since I had almost two spare belt sets lying around. After removing the old belt, we discovered that it still bore the original AMC logo and markings, with a date code of 1186:12! :o This leads me to believe that this old Dayco belt survived intact for 26 years and was still (somewhat) viable when it was removed! Amazing!. I'll attach a photo of it once I get it uploaded. Guess they just don't make them like they used to haha.
Wow! That crazy about the original belt. Glad the car is working good for you.
on one of my spirits i had a similar belt. still had the amc logo on it. but with the new alternator (175 amps) and the new battery, and then the huge stereo draw ;) the belt gave way and was thrown into the corner of the engine bay.
It's isn't easy to find how to do it but there is a way to adjust the power steering belt. I think there may be a write up in the 'pedia.
Of course, yours need replacing anyway. Are you having your old belt mounted so you can hang it on the wall?
So, I'm approaching the 60,000 mile mark with this old bird and I have to say I'm loving it. After a snow-icane, a blizzard, and all the normal trappings of New England winters, the old Camelot Eagle, that was originally intended as a parts donor for my (still being restored) 83 Sport wagon, has ended up being a very reliable, somewhat economical, and extremely capable daily driver. So far the only major repair has been an alternator belt, and even that wasn't much of a deal since I keep a spare set of Gatorback belts in the trunk (win!).
I can now say pretty definitively that the 4WD is in full working order and with the Winterforce snow tires I've yet to have so much as a slide in it in pretty much any conditions. Even driving uphill on a snow covered road, it's kept its footing without any noticeable slipping. My main concern at this point is the looseness of the front end. It appears to become tighter if the 4WD is on, but in 2WD mode it seems to be very sloppy. Any ideas where to start on this one? I'm wondering if the steering might need tightening somehow?
Aside from a pesky leak around the windshield and some sticky door latches, I can't really say there's much to complain about. I've driven this car mostly in short trips to work (~5 min.) but have had it on a few highway outings and a couple of rush-hours and it's taken it in stride for the most part. I do drive it like a grandmother 99% of the time though.
After charting the fuel consumption over 11 fills I've found it's getting an average of 15.08 Miles per Gallon with it's best being 19.6 and the worst 10.78 (was a lot of 4wd driving and short trips). I do love that I fill it approximately once a month. Gotta love the 23 gallon gas tank! The 4WD does have an impact where it goes down to on average 13.
I'm getting ready for the 60,000 mile maintenance, and hopefully I can improve it some if I have the time and extra cash. I'll update more as I can. I have noticed that Pep Boys does still stock the Motormite headlight adjusting screw interestingly enough. And it's always amusing to hear the comments I get driving it around. Most of my co-workers love it (one of whom owns a Jeep... lol).
Also, does anyone out there know of any way to get a (preferably digital) copy of the shop manual any more? I thought someone around here sold them at one point but I haven't been able to find any info lately. Now that I have a garage, I'm far better suited to work on her, and I'd rather not pay $80 for a printed copy if I can avoid it.
I, through not so legitimate means... obtained a copy of the *A common repair shop* software which includes most of the eagles after 83 I think.
It's a huge set of files, but I could burn them to a DVD probably and drop them in the mail for the cost of postage if you want. I could also probably upload and host them if you have a decent internet connection and can wait for it to download. I can check for you when I get home tonight if you are interested.
Uploaded the files you would need. Domestic 83-2003 repair info is 6.83 Gb and the install disc you need is 127.9 Mb. PM me if anyone wants the links for download.