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Vacuumed the engine bay for about 2 hrs. Did smell like decaying organic matter, but I didn't find any bones, fur, or the like! I'm sure that some of the leaves from the air intake ventured down into the PS Cam covers, so I'll be taking those off just to make sure.
Incidentally, I talked with the seller and he said that a recent jump start from a potential buyer, using a cigarette lighter style jumper, worked on starting the car, but after that, the car wouldn't start through jumper cables. I've swapped all of the fuses, put in a new battery, and will replace the "common '53" relays today. Does this issue sound like maybe a ground connection got burned up during the last jump?, or worse, he fried the ECU?
Step 1: Open the Hood
Step 2: Vacuum out the forest
Step 3: Coming Soon...
Last edited by New2928s4; 09-01-2015 at 02:05 PM.
Reason: Added photo
They make an inexpensive battery ground strap replacement.
I would replace it no matter what.
It can look ok, but be corroded under the plastic.
This can be your first step towards addressing all the grounds on this car, and there are a lot!
Incidentally, I talked with the seller and he said that a recent jump start from a potential buyer, using a cigarette lighter style jumper, worked on starting the car, but after that, the car wouldn't start through jumper cables. I've swapped all of the fuses, put in a new battery, and will replace the "common '53" relays today. Does this issue sound like maybe a ground connection got burned up during the last jump?, or worse, he fried the ECU?
IMO you really don't want to be turning this motor over with the starter yet.
Is the belt intact inside the timing belt covers? (can see it down the little tubes on top of the covers)
I'd pull both side belt covers off so you can see the belt and cam gears, and inspect what you can see of the belt first for missing teeth or worse. Taking the belt covers off is pretty easy - especially if you drain the radiator enough to remove the top rad hose.
Then with a 27mm socket, turn the motor over by hand and watch the belt and cam gears to make sure both are turning, and turn it to the TDC marks on the crank's harmonic balancer (you'll need to clean it a bit to read the markings I'm guessing). Then check the notches on the cam gears line up with the marks on the backing plates as well. Then turn it one more full revolution again and make sure they line up still (and that it turns a full revolution without being held up).
If you're determined to try running the car before you replace at least the belt, then if all the markings line up, you can have a go (I do not advise this - the risk of the belt stripping teeth and engine bending valves is too high given the time sitting and state of the engine bay).
Worst outcome at this point is that the person who tried to jump start the car has bent some valves. A fried ECU would be cheap in comparison.
Vacuumed the engine bay for about 2 hrs. Did smell like decaying organic matter, but I didn't find any bones, fur, or the like! I'm sure that some of the leaves from the air intake ventured down into the PS Cam covers, so I'll be taking those off just to make sure.
Incidentally, I talked with the seller and he said that a recent jump start from a potential buyer, using a cigarette lighter style jumper, worked on starting the car, but after that, the car wouldn't start through jumper cables. I've swapped all of the fuses, put in a new battery, and will replace the "common '53" relays today. Does this issue sound like maybe a ground connection got burned up during the last jump?, or worse, he fried the ECU?
Assuming the coolant issue is plausible (i.e. the seller seems like a non-lying-scumbag type), the tirst steps I'd take are se if it turns over by hand, then pop the timing belt and water pump off, inspect the pump, and pop it back on with a new pump gasket, together with new thermostsat rear seal, o-ring and thermostat, and timing belt.
Then clean all the grounds, grab a couple of spare cheap type 53 relays, pressurise the fuel system (using a jumper in the relay position) and check for leaks, before trying to start it
Your goal at this stage is to prove it runs, has compression etc. I wouldn't worry about replacing anything expensive yet, including fuel lines, until the engine runs under its own steam. You might need to beg/borrow a working MAF and ECU depending on the results of trying to start it.
Once you get it running, you can throw money at it like the rest of us
How much is a little ATF? A couple of drops, a milliliter?
Drained the tank this morning. Unfortunately, there were 17 gallons left. It took about half an hour, until I got impatient and pulled off the hose and found a huge piece of tar like substance clogging the line. Time for a wash and rinse.
This was clogging the fuel line at the exit of the fuel tank
Also, the cover for the fuel pump and filter are completely corroded, so much so pump and filter are completely corroded, so much so that I could peel it off by hand. Same with the straps for the tank. Will have to find a solution eventually.
Also, when I was cleaning out the engine bay I saw a large thick foil at the back, that's definitely peeling towards the edges. Is this OEM as a heat shield? Should I patch it up? or does it mean a previous owner took out the engine? You can see it in the photo, just barely.
"Disconnect the battery. Drain the tank from the bottom. Flush it out a few times with several gallons of fresh gas mixed with a small amount of B12 Chemtool. Plug the tank back in. Fill it with gas and a very small amount of B12 to break down the sludge in the fuel lines. Pull the lines from the back of the fuel rails. Take old cake icing containers and cut holes in the lids and push the fuel lines into the holes so the old fuel in the lines will go down into the containers without splashing or spilling. Prepare a water hose and a fire extinguisher for safety. Disconnect the ignition coil. Turn the engine over. If fuel flows into the containers, Score! Let it push the old gas out at least enough to clear them. If no fuel comes out replace the fuel pump relay, the fuel pump fuse, and replace the fuel injection relay. Turn the engine over again WITH THE WATER HOSE AND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER HANDY. If no fuel comes out, replace the fuel pump and filter. Turn the engine over. If no fuel comes out double check your relays, fuses. When you get fuel flowing, let it flow and run into the containers. The fuel will be amber colored from the 8 years it sat in the fuel lines and turned to varnish in the junk yard. Get all of the amber colored fuel out until it turns into fresh gasoline. Reconnect the fuel lines correctly. Disconnect the fuel pressure regulator, connect hose to the fuel rails and push clean fuel through the fuel rails past the injectors into containers. This washes the varnish PAST and off of the injectors.
Reconnect the fuel pressure regulator. Reconnect the ignition coil. Turn the car over and see if it fires. If no fire, start checking sensors and test for spark AFTER THE GAS AND FUMES HAVE EVAPORATED. Check Jetronic!
Why do so many people work backwards or tear down the whole fuel system? When you add pressure washing to a fuel tank, you add water in a place where water shouldn't be. The 928 is a pretty simple car to understand. If I left anything out please tell me. Please don't say anything about cleaning or renewing injectors or injector lines. How about getting the car running before you start replacing things that aren't broken? Just my two cents. I never post new threads so I figured why not."
How much is a little ATF? A couple of drops, a milliliter?
I'd put in about 60ml per cylinder so it gets around most of the cylinder wall when you turn the engine by hand. Let it seep past the rings while you take timing belt covers off.
Turning the engine over by hand with the plugs out has no risk of hydrolock anyway, and you've got a fair bit of work dealing with checking timing marks and removing the old timing belt so you can feel the water pump bearing by hand.
If you need to spend money, the things I'd be buying now are:
Flywheel lock tool (can get away without this - stick it in 5th gear and park brake on - but you'll want one once you're ready to start spending)
Kempf timing belt tension tool
Timing belt
27mm deep socket on a 3/4" breaker bar to undo the crank nut
If the water pump turns and doesn't feel lumpy, just leave it on there and not try to deal with the likely very corroded M6 bolts holding it on just yet. String a new belt, tension it, and plan to go back in there later to break/drill/replace water pump bolts once you've proven the engine has compression and runs.
For the fuel system - don't replace anything yet (its easy to spend $1k on the fuel system.. so don't start.. avoid spending money until you get the engine running or at least prove it has compression). If it doesn't leak with 2 gallons of fresh gas and the fuel pump running (jumper the fuel pump relay to make the pump run), then check fuel delivery (can check at the front of the right fuel rail with some hose and a clamp - 19mm wrench to remove the cap there), and add it to the list of jobs for "once it runs"..
08-30-2015, 12:48 PM
