help doing engine swap in my '92 eagle 2000 GTX ('92 Galant)

[Woosky117]

yes it did illuminate for 5 seconds.

and you said you wanted pics of the instrument panel?

here they are.



and my blower/heater fan is not working either.


ok, so today i got the car jacked up again, and got down to removing the timing belt cover.
ill be continuing tomorrow with removing the remaining timing belts.
boy, is it ever good to have the insturctions this time! lol

 

[cspetros]

I think I just figured out why your tach isn't working. I think the connection is working just fine. If the Check Engine light didn't come on and stay on, that means the ECU is getting a satisfactory tach signal (the ECU uses it (pulses) to determine if a cylinder doesn't fire).

Your new DOHC Ignition Power Transistor outputs GROUND (LOW) pulses for the tach signal. I believe your SOHC tach is looking for a HIGH signal. I'm basing this off of a post I read on here, and on the diagrams.

I saw that you posted a want ad for a 9000RPM tach/guage panel. Make sure it's from a newer model. If it's not too expensive, I suggest going with that. Adapting the tach signal (it can be done) to work with a tach that doesn't display an accurate reading might be more trouble than it's worth.

Beside the fact that the 9000rpm guage would read accurately, the speedometer goes up to 145MPH (230KPH). So if you ever go that fast, you'll know it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

 

[Woosky117]

cool, thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

btw, i just removed, and replaced the ballance shaft belt, and now im going to see what i have to do to get that crank bolt back on.

 

[cspetros]

Hey!! If you only have that one side off the ground, put the tranny in 5th gear, and tighten it that way. The other wheel has to be on the ground though, otherwise it will spin. Oh, and use a socket to tighten it, instead of the 1/2" drive hole; Using that hole can break the bolt.

 

[cspetros]

About that blower fan... Did it work before when you used to drive the car? Or is it a recent issue?

The blower relay on these cars goes bad after a while. If yours hasn't been replaced, it's time for it to

Here's a post on where it is: Blower Relay

One way to test it is to kick up in there with your foot (taking care not to break anything) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Sometimes that will jolt the relay enough make it turn on.

 

[Woosky117]

yes the blower did work before, this just hapened after the swap, and the new harness.
btw, are there any wires that are supposed to plug into the blower motor? i couldnt find any socket...

yeah, putting the trany in 5th is a good idea. ill have to do that tomorrow, just to make shure its tight.

so the timing is now set correctly! and i believe my belt is tight enough, but then again, im not sure.
it runs smooth now, all i have to take care of is the idle.

oh, and i just want to know if this is normal... this thing right the here makes loud clicking type noises when the key is in the 'on' position, i dont hear it when the engine is running tho.
it sounds more like... you know when you have air in your water hose, an the water is like making bubbles or something in the hose...or better comparison, it sounds like when you kink the garden hose, and it lets air bubbles thru every once in a while. thats kinda what it sounds like. what is it?


heres a picture that better shows where its located. its right under the intake tube.


and i just thought of this... but the tach that im gonna have to get....needs to be canadian.
mph vs kph

if i have no other choice, ill take the american one... but i would prefer it in kilometers. lol

so tomorrow i plan to set the idle correctly, and if all goes well, get the car inspected on thursday. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[cspetros]

You should probably search for a tach in Canada, in that case. I think the European ones may also have kph too.

That thing making the clicking noise is the ISC (Idle Speed Control) Stepper motor. It regulates airflow when the engine is idling. On that ECU you bought, did the owner say that the Caps had been replaced? If not, that ECU might be a ticking bomb. You might want to pull it out and check it for leaks. Here is a thread about this: Replace your Caps. or your car may EXPLODE.

About the blower motor, there should be a connector coming down in the same area as the others (see pic). Check your old harness for the connector, also.

 

[Woosky117]

thanks for the info, ill be sure to check it tomorrow.

btw, im bringing my car in for inspection tomorrow.
i hope everything passes... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif

i couldnt get my hands on a pair of aligator clips, and those are required to set the idle correctly. but id only be setting it by ear, since the tach is still messed up.
but it should be able to pass inspection without it... i hope.

 

[Woosky117]

FAIL!

my car didnt pass inspection. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bawling.gif

turns out it was worse than i thought...
bumpers are rotten
the drum brakes are rotten
the break lines are rotten
control arms are rotten
and i just found out that the caps werent replaced on my ecu!

and if that wasnt enought there's still all the other crap that dont work! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

im so discouraged right now... i already put $2000 into this thing.
i cant realy afford to put in any more.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bawling.gif
what do i do?

and the mechanic told me that he doesnt think its worth it to fix the car at all!
now im realy upset about this. i was hoping do be driving this car this weekend... but we know that wont happen.

Life sucks when you got no money! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[cspetros]

Who is this mechanic? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif Be sure he isn't trying to pull one on you. Did he give you a list, and offer to do the repairs himself? I'm not sure what the inspection standards are where you live; they sound strict. I trust NOBODY but myself and a select few with my cars. How else can one be sure the job is done right? Being like that has forced me to learn how to do things myself.

Alright, aside from what I said on FB, here's what else I have to say/ask:

-->ECU Caps: This is a serious issue. Who sold that ECU to you? Did they tell you the caps had been replaced/not replaced? Anyhow, send a PM to Terry Posten about recapping it, unless you're brave enough to do it yourself. He has worked on the ECU's in both of my Galants /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worthy.gif. Here's his info page: Terry Posten; ECU Caps replacement. ALSO, your IDLE ISSUE may be due to this. A clickety ISC seems to reflect this in many cases.

-->Brake lines: relatively easy fix. On a 17+ year old cars, they deteriorate, especially if they're not in use. Napa carries them.

-->What exactly is wrong with the bumpers? I didn't know they went bad, unless they're rusted through or something.

-->Wheel cylinders (for the brakes?), brake drums: What's up with the one's on the car?

-->Brake discs/shoes: One of the easiest fixes on the car. Napa carries them.

-->Control Arm: Is it rusted through also? Read this post: Control Arm Rusted Out
---------------------------------------------------

Truthfully, how bad is the rust on the car? I'm talking about everywhere on the car, not just on the suspension areas. Intuition will tell you if something is too rusted to carry a load safely. You might consider posting up some pics, if they're easy to take (I personally hate taking pics with my cell phone). If not, just describe it.

I know the car has a certain element of sentimental value to you. But, it comes to a point. With that in mind, you need to find out if the rust is manageable. If it's eating into major structural parts, the frame may not be salvageable. I know you've done some replacement/welding on the car already.

At the end of the line, if it turns out that the frame is not salvageable, and if you're still into this project: you have a good engine and tranny, you might consider getting a Galant shell and transplanting your good stuff into it. I remember in the first post you ever made, you said that there were other 2000GTX's around where you live. Are there any junk yards/etc. up there also?

If it turns out that the frame is alright, I suggest hitting it with some Ospho (Ospho website) or something like that, immediately, and recoat it on the bottom (NateCrisman used something called POR15: Look at this thread. Also, look at this thread: Jepherz's thread about all of this. )

I hope some other members chime in about this. I've never dealt with major structural issues like this. Right now, the important thing is establishing how bad the rust issue is, and if it's containable.

Regarding the idle, how does it behave? And the check engine light... there are ways to read the code ( See this page). When everything else is settled, you might think about getting a Palm datalogger (they're extremely cheap, and they're one of the best tools you can have for diagnosing problems). But, that's a story for later...

We've all had these sorts of experiences. Just remember what I said earlier. Also, nowhere on this site will you read a post about how easy and effortless it is to resurrect one of these cars /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. I don't want to give you false hope, either /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif . The project is in your hands. We're just here to help /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

(BTW, I'm glad you replaced that balance shaft belt.)

 

[Woosky117]

wow. it will take me all night to answer all those. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

he was a trusted mechanic. and he gave me a list. he said he does some of that stuff, but literaly told me like 4 times that its not worth fixing. i was like i heard you the first 3 times. i felt like telling him where he can stuff his wrench.
here's the list. (boy... mechanics are almost as bad as doctors! the other side of the page was worse)


rear bumper is rotten
right front bumper is rotten
left front lower control arm - rotten
rear break lines - flex to wheel cylnder (x2)
front break lines - flex to flex (short)
rear drums
rear shoes
hold down kits
may need 2 wheel cylinders??
engine light is on
won't idle

and then there is all the rest that we already discussed.

the bumper? yeah, its rotten alright. i had even forgotten about this, because at the time it didnt seem imprtant.
there is nothing holding the bottom of the bumper to the frame except for that wire.


its a whole lot worse than i had thought.


the entire back end of that bumper bar is simply gone.... eaten by the worst enemy known to metal. rust. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif


i would have to sleeve that entire thing with new metal.
as for the front bumper, there was a spot that i missed, and didnt bother fixing, because i didnt think it was important.
but it is rusted thru.
as for the main body, it still seems fine. that undercoat that was applied 17 years ago realy did wonders.

not sure whats wrong with the brakes... they just look realy rusted.
i can still get full wheel lock and swing that end around on pavement. i dont even need to swing, i get wheel lock going straight too.
but thats with the handbreak. and it has always worked well. but it did lock up last winter, but only because it had been engaged for about a year and a bit at that point, and i fixed that the good old low-tech way. beat it with a hammer.

i didnt get a chance to check the control arm, but from what i remember, they deffinately didnt look the best.

my engine still has a certain bumpiness to it, so i know i probably screwed up somewhere with that timing.

the only real bad parts with the rust, are the places that werent protected by the undercoat, or the paint. the bumper bars seem the worst off tho.

btw, im going on vacation again, so i dont know how many chances ill have to check stuff out here, but you can bet ill try.
ill be going to Pugwash, in Nova Scotia. Campmeeting. lots of fun.
at will be week off work, and a week break from my car.

Chris, i told you it would take all night, and here it is 3:30AM just finishing up, and i still didnt answer all the questions. lol

i am so tired right now, and i still have to go pack. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif
and thanks again chris. you realy are an encouragement. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worthy.gif
hit me up on fb whenever you have time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[cspetros]

I take it that they use salt on the roads up there in the winter time? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Those bumpers look pretty sickly. On a brighter note, they are replaceable. The front and rear metal pieces pictured unbolt from the body. It would not be advantageous at all to re-sleeve them. What you'll find when you unbolt them, I'm not sure.

I'm going to do a double take and say that it may have been a good thing that he inspected the car like he did, especially on the brake components.

It's almost 3:30am here so I'll finish this up in the morning. Have a good vacation /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif.

 

[Mark LaVallee]

Something can LOOK bad, and not necessarily be bad. Something could BE bad and look ok. Needless to say, the rebars for the bumpers look terrible. So, I'd do something about replacing those with rust free units. Probably from one of the many part outs around here. The brake lines are no big deal, and could be fabbed by anyone familiar with rust work. Terry can do your computer, I'll bet that gets rid of your CEL and idling dilemma. Ohm out your IAC before you install the reman brain so you don't flame the drivers. As far as the brake drums, hardware kits and shoes, they're cheap.

When you're getting cars inspected, if it looks like dookie, it probably is. Clean, paint and generally make the car look as good as possible BEFORE it hits the inspection lane. I was always predisposed to look at a clean car easier.

 

[cspetros]

Quote:
i felt like telling him where he can stuff his wrench.


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowroflr.gif Hopefully you told him how much work you'd put into it already.

Quote:
Clean, paint and generally make the car look as good as possible BEFORE it hits the inspection lane. I was always predisposed to look at a clean car easier.


+1 on that, fo' sho' /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif. If you didn't before, definitely deep clean the car inside and out before you go back to him. Take care of all the cheap mechanical stuff (brakes, etc.) hindering you from passing the inspection. Get that ECU taken care ASAP. Take off the bumpers and check out the areas where they were bolted up for rust. If it's surface rust, get some rust converter (the Ospho I mentioned, or something similar [I think some kind even comes in a spray can], at Napa), and coat it well. Think of the rust as if it were an infection on your car. Infections are bad. Your car is sad because it doesn't like having rust infection. You must rid the car of the infection to make your car not sad /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

I'm not sure what the rest of your summer looks like. Classes start back up on the 17th of August for me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif. I hope you get to finish this before you have to devote your time to something else. I'd be out there helping you in person if you weren't dang 1500 miles away.

Peace out.

-Chris

 

[Woosky117]

thanks for the confidence guys.

and yes we use quite a bit of salt on our roads.
it car hell. lol

right now im going between if i should continue the build now, and maybe get the car done in time for school, or to get some cheap beater for the year, and use that to commute with to school. and leave the eagle as more of a long term project.

i realy only have 1 month left, and thats without me even having the parts yet, let alone finding them, and eventualy installing them.
it would be cutting it realy close...

a little too close for comfort.

my vacation was amazing btw.

oh, and we got a new puppy!
hes only 5 weeks old.
he is a sheep dog / lab mix.
ill get a pic of him up here eventualy.
his name is shadow.

he keeps waking me up at night cuz he wants to go out.

but as for a car... right now im surfing kijiji looking for a vehicle localy.
generaly something below $1000
a quarter ton pick up, preferably japonese.

ill let you guys know what happens.
if you find anything good, that is close to me, let me know!

i could also go far a car.

any of the options that i am looking at MUST be in working order, and be able to pass inspection.
i can handle a little body work.

anyway, its late here.
ill try and get that pic of the puppy on her tomorrow. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[cspetros]

If I were strapped and needed a car quick, I'd try to squeeze my cash till it screams for mercy but still try to get something halfway decent. Something foreign like a late 80s early 90s Honda Accord, Mazda, etc. My Galant is only my second car, so I'm only going by what other people in my family have experienced. My cousin had an 88 Accord, and she drove it all through college. It had over 300000 miles on it before the automatic tranny finally died. The engine still ran though. Granted, she did keep up on the maintenance. My Dad's old Subaru GL sedan lasted for years, and finally died.

You might put a post up over in the anything goes section and ask other members what they've done in situations like these and what reliable beater's they've had.

Are you going to college this fall or are you still in HS?

I want a puppy too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hsugh.gif.

 

[Woosky117]

i graduated HS in 2008.
i was working for the last year, and now im gonna be going to college this fall.
btw, this is my puppy.
he is part sheep dog, part lab. and hes sooooo cute!


right now for a vehicle, im looking at a 1996 nissan king cab XE pickup.
its got a 2.4L 4 cylinder engine, and its rear wheel drive. gets about 21mpg. other sites say it gets about 27mpg highway, and 23mpg city.

this is what the ad says.
1996 Nissan pickup, black and blue paint with pinstripping between colors. The body is in excellent shape for its age and has been undercoated every year. It has a 2.4 liter 4 cyl. engine with a 5 speed trans. which is very good on gas. There are currently 348,000 kms on it and if maintained, will go at least 350,000 more. All new brake system installed and all fluids have been flushed and replaced. I have a Sony headunit installed along with 4 MTX Audio speakers. **I also have 4 brand new Goodyear Nordic winter tires mounted on factory chrome Nissan rims which i am including**.





and hes offering to sell it for $1500 (CAD)

 

[cspetros]

That puppy is just plain cute. I want one, but I'm not allowed to have one where I'm living right now.

The truck looks good too. 348k kms is about 216237 miles. Have you test driven it? Does it burn/leak oil? What radio stations were pre-programmed into the radio /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Sometimes you can tell about things like that.

Let us know.

 

[Woosky117]

i havent test driven it yet, but im going to on friday.
they live in PEI, so the radio stations would be different there.

i saw on some reviews, that some people have these things running more than 500k miles!
super reliable, and from what ive been told, still runs great.
in addition to the brake systems and all fluids being replace, the fuel lines have all been replaced.

ill see what its like when it gets here.

im also considering a 2000 toyota echo. that one is going for $2000.
4 doors. 1.5L 4 cylinder. standard.


- 1,496 cc 1.5 liters 4 in-line engine with 75 mm bore, 84.7 mm stroke, 10.5 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder
- Unleaded fuel
- Fuel economy EPA highway (l/100km): 6.2
- Multi-point injection fuel system
- Main 45 liter unleaded fuel tank
- Power: SAE and 80 kW , 108 HP @ 6,000 rpm; 105 ft lb , 143 Nm @ 4,000 rpm

what do you think?

i also checked out the stats for the nissan pickup.
- 2,389 cc 2.4 liters 4 in-line front longitudinal engine with 89 mm bore, 96 mm stroke, 8.6 compression ratio, cast iron block, light alloy head, overhead cam, automatic valve adjustment and three valves per cylinder
- Unleaded fuel
- Fuel economy EPA highway (l/100km): 8.7
- Multi-point injection fuel system
- Main 60 liter fuel tank
- Power: 100 kW , 134 HP @ 5,200 rpm; 154 ft lb @ 3,600 rpm

 

[cspetros]

I like the truck better than the Echo /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif. But that's just me. You can haul car parts in the back of the truck, too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.