sat too long...

[runs.like]

After a few years away from the nest (yep it's still the nest to me)I recently bought another eagle- 88 wagon.
I spent over an hour inspecting this thing and the body/subframe are free from everything but a little surface rust.  Mechanically it seemed pretty solid, aside from needing a pitman arm and outer tie rod end (which was not a huge surprise)  Took it for a test drive and everything appeared good = no scary engine sounds, shifted correctly, 4x4 worked etc, etc.  SWEET, I'LL TAKE IT. A little negotiation saved me a few hundred bucks but I still payed $1800- thats OK its a solid eagle, right??
Well, it's been 5 days of driving maybe 30 miles a day, besides driving it home about 90 miles. 
after some new use.------- Got a "fantastic" lifter tick,  serious clunk in 4x4, tranny not kicking down, steering gear box is leaking.  Not to mention that "it totally slipped PO mind that the fuel gauge doesn't work under 1/4 and there's a slight leak when  tank is full"  or that exterior door handles are dropping like flies- seriously all the handles worked when I inspected the thing but after a little use they are all crapping out. 
At this point I'm trying to figure out if this thing is worth throwing money at or should it be getting a fresh new "For Sale" sign.   I was totallt up for a little retro work and tinkering but this has turned into a way, way bigger project.
??

 

[JayRamb]

Did you buy it from a trusted person or a complete stranger? I bought my recent Eagle from amcjoe. Very reputable and AMC longevity love for the cars. He disclosed everything to me.

I bought Ella the Eagle in 2009. He was an AMC guy, but boy was he shady. I got it home and I fund all kinds of quirks that happened. I had to soak a lot of money in to Ella but she was just not cared after, but she was a diamond in the rough. I am glad I stuck with her. The car was a fantastic adventure and my first Eagle love. There are shady guys out there that put Lucas oil in the engine and tranny, then it wears thin and BOOM! Problems!

Good luck with the Eagle. I hope we can help you out!! Hang in there!

[runs.like]

Did you buy it from a trusted person or a complete stranger?

Good luck with the Eagle. I hope we can help you out!! Hang in there!

Complete stranger.  Seeme like a nice guy but.....

[carnuck]

Handles (upgrades) are available new. Same as Wrangler 1/2 door handles (NOT full door ones!)

[eaglefreek]

Any almost 30 year old car will probably need some attention unless the previous owner went through everything. Most of the things you mentioned are fairly easy fixes if you have a place and the tools to work on it. The clunk is probably just a transmission or mount or something loose. If you were to try to sell it, you would probably take a pretty good loss.

[runs.like]

The bright side is I don't want to sell it, i just wasn't planning on starting a project this size but since Its now a project car I guess I am going to go full throttle.   A good looking and perfectly functioning Eagle is my dream car and seeing as I am just finishing up my wife's dream car, a 1970 Mercedes 250, I guess it's my turn to throw money at a car project.
I've got a heated space, the tools and a decent amount of experience- just lacking money right now.

As I wait for more money to show up  I am going to get all the plastic, trim and door handles pulled as well as the leaky roof rack.  Fill all the holes left from th removal .  Get rid of the old worn out wood grain. Clean up any rust I happen to find and get prepped for some paint - actually I'm thinking of doing the whole thing with spray on bed liner. 
By then I should have procured the steering components and some new door handles so at least it's usable.  Then I can start looking into the transmission and engine fixes or replacement.

So thats the plan. Stay tuned.

[carnuck]

Why throw away the rack? I fixed the leaks in mine with removing the headliner and well nuts and replacing them with fender washers (large outer diameter washers that barely fit around the original screws) and locknuts on the inside with a large flat rubber washer and some silicone sealer between the fender washer and roof.

On the lifter click, find a can of CD2 engine detergent.  (after ensuring it doesn't have an orange filter on it)

Tranny not kicking down is likely the passing gear linkage fell off or out of adjustment.

The clunk will require you looking at each Ujoint, the axles, trans mount, tcase chain play and diff slop.

Does it need a Pitman or Idler arm? If idler, then that could be your clunk. Bad shock on the steering will do it too.

[runs.like]

Why throw away the rack? I fixed the leaks in mine with removing the headliner and well nuts and replacing them with fender washers (large outer diameter washers that barely fit around the original screws) and locknuts on the inside with a large flat rubber washer and some silicone sealer between the fender washer and roof.

.....

Does it need a Pitman or Idler arm? If idler, then that could be your clunk. Bad shock on the steering will do it too.

Not really ready to pull the headliner right now.  I can throw some tiger hair bondo and a little paint on the roof rack hole  to seal 'em up and if i ever get to pulling head liner it'll be easy enough to recover the holes. 

Does need a pitman arm and tie rod but idler seemed ok, maybe I should do it when I'm under there....

[JayRamb]

Also, try tightening up the intake manifold bolts. They do loosen up but be careful not to overtork!

[runs.like]

OK got a new problem thats going to require some diagnosing.

Took a quick cruise to the store on this snowy day in VT.  when I arrived I noticed a bit of a brake smell coming from the rear wheels. 
Figured I'd take a look when I got home.  Came out  and went to drive away but the rear passenger wheel would not turn, in reverse it was fine but trying to go forward it was frozen.  I jacked it up, pulled the tire and put it in nuetral.  The wheel was easy to spin backwards but would not move forward at all, i had a tool box with me so i considered pulling the drum right there but decided that was best done at home so i put the tire back on and called for a flat bed.  i figured I'd move it to make loading easier and low and behold the wheel turned.  Drove about 6 miles home and the drum is definetly hot but not crazy hot.   What the heck??? any ideas??
gonna get out the TSM and  pull the drum tomorrow, any help would be apperciated.

[carnuck]

Messed up brake shoes or hardware unless the axle bearing cage is broken. I had the output bearing on a 999 do that and the Dodge van wouldn't back up. I took it apart and put it together twice. before giving up and taking it to a good shop. They opened it up and checked everything and were puzzled, then it suddenly went away. I drove the van on the highway and suddenly the rear wheels locked up because the cage went the other way. The whole back end of the case was blown out and the converter exploded. We got another case and discovered the governor had a LPOS in it, which slammed the trans into first gear when I went to pass someone.

[runs.like]

I pulled the drum and found this:



This is the axle shaft oil seal, correct??

After some time with the TSM I'm pretty sure and axle bearing is beyond my scope, I dont have the  tool to pull axle or a good way to press the bearing off.   I guess I'll remove the hub and replace the oil seal(?)  Hopefully, doing that, along with rebuilding the brakes will cure the problem.

suggestions??

[carnuck]

If you can remove the hub, then the bearing pretty much falls off after that. I had a few spun ones that needed chiseling to get them the rest of the way off but it wasn't that hard. The race needs a 3 legged internal puller with a slide hammer to get it out easy but i have used a piece of pipe, a chain and a bolt with a large nut/washer instead.

[runs.like]

ok,
I have no idea what the race is.  looking at TSM and RockAuto I see no mention of it, pardon my ignorance please.  I assume it is also replaced when doing the axle bearing??  What parts do i need to buy??

I'll do this if i can.  Any help would be much appreciated.  explain how your puller works if you don't mind.

Thanks

[carnuck]

The bearing is made of the cone (with the rollers) and race (the piece the rollers roll on)