Hello! So the wife and I were starting to see a need for a 2nd car (we have a trusty 2000 Camry) and were thinking of going the practical route. That is, until I saw this funny lookin' station wagon in the local park-and-sell lot. I taunted my wife that I was gonna buy it to which she responded "Fine! Do it!" It looked pretty good for an old 80s wagon, and it looked remarkably like that one station wagon from Back to the Future that I had always thought was completely hilariously awesome.
Long story short, 3 days later it was mine. She's a 1985 Wagon Base with 155,000 miles (only 3,000 more than our Camry). The previous owner bought her from someone else for nostalgic reasons and the only offers he had on it were from 2 separate dudes who wanted to run it into the ground, so he opted to sell it to a kid like me who wanted to keep her going as long as possible. I think of her as a rescue. I got her for $1800, so I guess you guys can tell me if I got ripped or not.
The one kicker is I'm an almost total noob when it comes to really *working* on cars. I've changed the oil in the Camry, and I can change a flat, but beyond this kind of stuff, I don't even know the lingo. Hence, the Eagle and I will be learning much from each other! ;) It's a good thing she's my secondary car, but I do plan to use her as a daily driver of sorts.
EXTERIOR:
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/01.jpg)
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/02.jpg)
The passenger side has trim. This side doesn't because the PO took it off to fix a rust spot, but...
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/08.jpg)
...he never got around to it and lost the trim. :( In any case, the spot is about as big as a quarter, so that's an issue.
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/02b.jpg)
There's a good amount of this on the hood, too. I'll need to look into the best ways of taking care of this stuff asap, so any suggestions or experience is appreciated.
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/02a.jpg)
You can see the first of a couple things the PO did. He was the type to get cars and work on them, so he wasn't shy about tinkering. I believe that tow hitch and the light hookups behind the license plate are his handiwork, as well as the exhaust, which he redid.
In his own words: "Fenders are stock but painted. I had the carb rebuilt and a cast aluminum valve cover to replace factory plastic one. New front shock, ball joints both sides, air conditioning upgraded and 2" straight pipe exhaust with a flows master super 40 muffler" She sounds good, but he left off the catalytic converter because our county doesn't require an emissions test, so I'll need to install one of those somewhere down the line.
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/06.jpg)
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/07.jpg)
A couple issues here. Need to fix the headlight alignment there, and I that's a huge crack in the grille. I'm thinking I'll poke around for a good-looking Spirit grille as I think I like the look of those.
ENGINE:
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/03.jpg)
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/03a.jpg)
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/04.jpg)
I believe this is something to do with the AC? PO was a plumber so he rigged up this and the oil resevoir plug back there.
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/05.jpg)
Another issue. He found antifreeze on the floor mats once and since he never drove it in the winter, he bypassed the heater core. Might need a replacement core.
Other than that stuff, the alternator belt squeals like a stuck pig in first and I haven't been able to decipher how to tighten it, and there's something up with the carb settings (or it's just too dirty) so she's moody when I start her and she's stalling during idle pretty predictably. Those 2 things are priority one right now, so I'm hopefully gonna have a car-knowing friend help me out with them this weekend.
Any observations, advice, experiences or comments appreciated. Hopefully I can learn quickly and start paying back any help I get!
first off welcome to the nest, second nice wagon, and third the car in back to the future was infact an Eagle.
replacing a heater core is a pita.
welcome to the nest
Quote from: Mernsy on October 13, 2012, 03:31:56 AM
Here's a couple "Hot-To's" to get you started.
http://www.amceaglenest.com/~iowaeagl/guide/index.php?title=Alternator_Belt
http://www.amceaglenest.com/~iowaeagl/guide/index.php?title=Curing_Carter_BBD_Carb_Issues
http://www.amceaglenest.com/~iowaeagl/guide/index.php?title=Other_Carter_carb_tips
Amazing. I had seen that alternator belt page, but not the carb ones. Thanks!
Quote from: maddog on October 13, 2012, 05:21:38 AM
first off welcome to the nest, second nice wagon, and third the car in back to the future was infact an Eagle.
Thanks! Yeah, I found that out when I was cramming research to decide if I wanted to buy it or not. My dream car of cars would be to pick up a DeLorean DMC-12 somewhere, but they're only getting more expensive or more broken as time goes on, so the Eagle fills that hole in my soul.
Welcome. Love the brown and wood. Great look for the Eagle!
So without touching anything (except adding new side mirrors) I took it to get a safety done and she only got 1 fail. Need new front brake hoses. The guys at the shop were amazed at the condition, especially the lack of rust. Good deal for $1800, I think!
Welcome! ;D
RE: photo that you captioned as the PO being a plumber---That round device is indeed the A/C compressor. The fittings with the red and blue plastic caps indicate someone converted the A/C to a newer refrigerant.
To tighten the alternator belt...there is a square hole in the mounting bracket below the A/C compressor. The scheme is to insert a half-inch drive into the square hole, loosen the mounting bolts and use the half-inch drive to move the alternator in or out as required to tension the belt.
This forum has all manner of info needed to keep your Eagle running. Don't hesitate to ask here! :eagle:
Welcome! Looks like a nice solid car and the price seems pretty good. These cars can be tempermental but they are simple minded vehicles, most quirks are vacuum and or carb related. Most of the drive train parts are still readily available at any parts store and many other Jeep cherokee and wrangler parts can be retrofitted with minimal work to fit. Body and interior parts are a bit harder to come by....so if you ever to run across one in a junk yard dont hesitate to grab the headlight buckets, and door handles if they are good because those always seem to break, and any other trim pieces you may need....just because it may be a while before you see one again..
I like the battery hold-down, and that oil cap is great. Apart from the heater core being a difficult fix, that looks to be pretty solid.
Did a tune up on it today and with new plugs and wires, it starts up and idles WAY better. The plugs we pulled out were gapped wrong and burnt. There were remarks to the tune of "Wow, I'm surprised it runs!"
As for the 1 fail from the safety, it was due to old front brake hoses and calipers/pads. We got all the parts ready to go, but someone has used external torx bolts on the calipers (which require an e-torx star socket or universal socket to get off), and on top of that, they've gone and coated the buggers in locktite so we all but stripped one trying to pry it loose. A friend of mine even went and picked up one of those stupid GatorGrip sockets that claim to handle stripped bolts, but the bolt destroyed the pins in the socket (haha). Taking it in on Tuesday to a shop to get the bolt extracted, and once we replace all the brake guts, she'll be road-worthy.
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/starboltwtf.jpg)
heat. as in a torch breaks lok tites bond.
External torx is a new one for me. I've seen lots of regular torx and hex fasteners on an Eagle.
I hope you are in a warm climate as you will have no heat or defroster for the windshield. I found out that even in Fl you need defrosters. I found one of those old plug in to the lighter defroster boxes to use until I fixed the heater core. That took me a solid 8 hrs and an extra hand here and there. that includes searching for the right tools.
Ok, new one: It's an automatic and the rpms rev up just before shifting. It happens most in the 20-35mph range. I'll go to accelerate and it will accelerate normal, then rev, then shift, then drive normal.
I just did a tune up, but we haven't tinkered with the timing or the carb mixture at all. She's still stalling occasionally when it's really cold. Is it possible this is a related problem or am I for sure looking at a transmission issue?
Probably the two are unrelated. The stalling is usually vacuum related, the hoses get old and leak. The solution is to go to the parts store and get lengths of common vacuum hose and start replacing it. Enough of a leak will make it too lean when cold.
How's the shifting on the transmission besides that? Could the linkage rod just be misadjusted or missing the spring?
I didn't have too much time to mess with it this morning, but it shifted into park/reverse/neutral etc just fine. I still need to try it at speed in2wd mode. I want to say it got better the longer I drove it, and it's been below freezing here pretty regularly. I'm not sure if temperature can affect such things.
So tonight I drove it for more than 5 minutes at a time and once it had been running and going for ~10 minutes or so, the shifting smoothed out significantly. Hopefully it's just the freezing weather and the fact that the most I've been driving it lately is in 5 minute bursts to the bus stop and back.
one thing that seems to help with the automatic transmissions is to start them in neutral and let it warm up that way.
Thanks for the suggestions! It's been shifting just fine after warming up a bit. I'm gonna take it in sometime and get as many fluids flushed and replaced as possible just to wipe the slate clean on that front. Drove it ~30 miles today to work (instead of taking the bus like usual) and it did wonderfully!
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/107511/eagle/christmaseagle.jpg)
Sounds to me like a trans filter and fluid change is in order. Believe once done you will see and feel a huge difference in how the trans preforms. But good luck on getting the trans pan to seal properly.
Hey! I'm selling some repair manuals over here: http://forums.amceaglenest.com/index.php?topic=40879.0
MR 251 vol 1&2 and MR 254.
Quote from: maddog on November 15, 2012, 02:30:50 AM
one thing that seems to help with the automatic transmissions is to start them in neutral and let it warm up that way.
This is completely true.
In neutral your torqueflite transmissions fully charge the torque converter. In Park the torque converter is allowed to drain down somewhat, so the resistance on the motor is slightly less. With slightly more resistance and slightly higher internal pressures the trans will warm up faster.
The bigger difference is really that if you slam it into drive from Park the torque converter sometimes lags and does not top off instantly, causing a slow start initially. The shifts are very soft and slow until the pressure catches up. This is especially true of worn or aged transmissions. The torque converter fluid level is also the reason (besides manually limiting the up-shift RPMs) you'll sometimes see a difference between starting in "1" versus "D".
Ever notice that you're supposed to, according to the service manuals, have your car in "Drive" stopped by the emergency brake when accurately checking the fluid level? I always check mine with it running in "Park," but that's not totally accurate. If the engine isn't running the fluid level will look much higher than it actually is because the torque converter is allowed to drain down fully. With the engine running the torque converter is filling at the same time its draining, so it stays high enough to check with the dipstick.
Quote from: mutatedjellyfish on November 12, 2012, 10:40:14 PM
Ok, new one: It's an automatic and the rpms rev up just before shifting. It happens most in the 20-35mph range. I'll go to accelerate and it will accelerate normal, then rev, then shift, then drive normal.
Make sure you check your kickdown linkage. The kickdown linkage connects your throttle to your transmission. When you push the gas pedal it should push a link on the transmission to let it know to downshift. If that's loose your transmission gets very confused.
I've seen several horribly adjusted. Adjust it so that it just comes snug at idle and starts to move as soon as the throttle starts to move.
I've also seen some missing a return spring. The return spring usually is at top near the throttle cable but some are down lower. The return spring must be there or the kickdown will float around as you drive and the transmission will shift for no reason.
Welp, the shifting thing was getting a bit worse, so I took it in to get looked at and the shop is saying that the tranny is shot. Suddenly my good deal on an awesome car is significantly less so. :(
$1200 for a local guy to rebuild it. Daaaamn, I only bought the car for $1800...
Transmission shops can be shady, second opinion from a recommended shop should be considered.
Quote from: dkoug on January 17, 2013, 12:50:35 PM
Transmission shops can be shady, second opinion from a recommended shop should be considered.
Agreed, some tranny places can be shifty (no pun intended), so get another quote if a second option is available. There's nothing exotic about the Eagle transmission. It's just a three speed Chrysler Torqueflite, and how many millions of those were made over the years?
Another place in town quoted $1500, heh.
I say rebuild it yourself. It is the easiest trans on the planet to rebuild. A complete rebuild kit is around $100 (not including hard parts).
To be honest, with these prices, I'm kind of considering it. Then again, I'm a car novice, so it scares the heck out of me.
Get a 727 from an '80 or newer Grand Wagoneer. It's the big brother to your current trans and they go for $100-$250 because they don't burn out as often (clogged cooler in the rad kills most mopar trans)
So bad news... the worst news, probably. The tranny guy looked at it and not only is the transmission hosed and the case empty of fuel (so there's been a pretty bad leak), but the transfer case is also completely empty of fluid, so that's probably destroyed too. In addition, the CV axle on the front passenger side is shot and needs to be fixed asap.
I just don't have this kind of money, so I think I'm gonna have to cut my losses and unload this thing for whatever I can get for it. I'd love to give it to someone who can fix it or use it; someone who has the know-how to do it themselves instead of rely on other people. If anyone knows anyone, I'm in Utah. Everything else is in pretty good shape except for this big stuff.
Honestly, if you're feeling frisky it wouldn't be as expensive to do it yourself...
Yeah I don't have the tools or the time or the know-how. If someone wants to come out here and help me through it all, I'd LOVE to learn, but I don't see that happening, especially while I'm working 60-hour weeks. :P
where is here? I'd check around for shops that specialize in Jeeps. Local shop is $500 labor to put a used trans in.
That's a real shame. It's a good looking car.
I've done CVs in the driveway before, that's easy. Transmissions can be rough. Don't give up on the transfer case if it's not full of metal shavings, it may have a few miles left if it hasn't been bone dry.
If you can find someone unloading a 998 or 999 from any jeep with a 258 or V8 it will slide right in. You may be able to pick up a transfer case still connected. Wranglers used them for a long time.
Good luck.
Don't give up on it yet! Shops are notoriously hungry for $$$ and scam artists abound. If I knew where you were at I'd suggest someone near you to go to (I'm on International lists for AMC and Jeep)
First thing I would do is put ATF in the tcase (takes less than an hour to do and not $$$) and then a can or STP engine oil treatment in the trans and check fluid level in NEUTRAL, not park. When you start the car, warm it up in neutral and not park or the fluid won't warm up (Mopar trans have the stupid design of no fluid pumping in park). Put it in gear and let it sit till it fully engages when cold before making it move.