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wow... I haven't been on rennlist in 8 years. It is good to be back!
This '79 5 speed has been sitting in a garage untouched for 15 years. I believe it ran fine when parked and seems to be in good shape besides a mold problem. I trailered it home on Sunday and am hoping to get it running... soonish.
Today's Progress:
pulled the plugs and put oil in the cylinders. I broke:
a coolant line that goes to... the oil breather hose that hooks to the air filter box.
an extremely brittle vacuum line that goes from the front of the fuel distributor to a plastic T (also broke) that goes to the vacuum advance on the distributor and somewhere on the passenger side. Next:
change the oil, more oil in cylinders and turn the engine by hand a few times before I tackle the fuel system. Question:
I should probably just do a search... but does anyone still sell a OB vacuum line kit? a coolant hose kit? I forgot how many lines and hoses are on these cars. Every one is about to break.
The first lines you need to replace are the fuel lines, and when you do you will find they are at least as brittle as all the others, but a lot scarier...
Nice looking car. Would be good to get some more pictures. I am assuming that it's the interior that's mouldy. Some pre/post clean up pics would be interesting.
I got a silicon vacuum line kit somewhere. 928 Motorsports, I think. Roger may have also, because he is like that. Might have just been ebay. I'm happy with it in any case.
Coolant hoses tend to last a long long time. I generally do not replace them, but if I did I would go factory because they last so long. The exception to this would be the the hose between the block and the heater value as well as the heater valve itself.
You will want to do at least the supply fuel hose, but can probably wait till you get it running.
You might consider waiting on the oil change until you get it running. You will likely have huge issues with your fuel system with lots of cleaning and rebuilding and testing required. Its very common to end up with fuel in the oil during this process, so you will probably want to change the oil after that.
You might consider waiting on the oil change until you get it running. You will likely have huge issues with your fuel system with lots of cleaning and rebuilding and testing required. Its very common to end up with fuel in the oil during this process, so you will probably want to change the oil after that.
I'll second this suggestion, as I just got my '78 started a month or so ago and found that I pumped some fuel past the rings while getting all of the fuel distribution lines to the injectiors purged free of air.
As others have already pointed out, the fuel hoses are likely questionable, the supply lines are under a lot of pressure on a CIS equipped engine, and can cause a spectacular fire if one lets go near the exhaust manifolds.
I found that the non-pressurized fuel return hose on top of the tank was rotten on my car as well, with only the inner rubber being still intact. This is on my repair list for the very near future...
Wow. I worked on it for 13 hours today... I pulled the carpet and soaked the interior with concrobium. I'm not sure what it'll do to the leather but it murdered the mold. While I was waiting for that to dry I put more oil in the cylinders. Couldn't find a socket to turn the engine, though. Opened up the tank and drained it. The fuel is kind of ok... which is shocking. Pulled the fuel pump and hooked it to 12v. It twitches but doesn't spin. I'm ordering a new one tomorrow. I spent hours replacing the fuel filter. so much penetrating oil. Had to get the filter out along with the accumulator so I could get enough leverage on the filter to remove it. Eventually got it out and the new one fit. I cracked open the supply line at the fuel distributor and blew out the line with compressed air. Again, I'm surprised at how Ok the fuel is. Then I cleaned every square inch of the interior with a high pressure steam cleaner, then leather cleaner, then some leather conditioner. Currently have the whole car open with fans blowing through it. I hope that takes care of the mold.
Going to replace the fuel pump, turn over the engine, get a new battery and see what kind of electrical nonsense I've got going on. Thanks for the advice about not changing the oil - I'm going to push that for when the car is running.
Today's question is... How crazy should I get about cleaning the fuel system? Like, drain as much out, put fresh in, then run the fuel pump for a while to cycle fuel around? OR, take everything apart and clean the hell out of it with... I don't know what.
Finally, I'm a little nuts about ethanol (I believe it screwed me over on a different CIS car and I know it gave me all kinds of problems with my '71 Gremlin) I don't think this car has ever had ethanol in it (I know the PO and remember them talking about never filling up with it. I kind of feel like that's why the gas is not awful... Can you buy non-ethanol fuel anywhere in the Midwest? Maybe at a regional airport or something? Or, should I get over it and stop worrying?
THANKS! here are some new pictures: some people have fuzzy dice in their cars... I have fuzzy carpets and fuzzy seats concrobium and sunshine. F this. Steam cleaned long day...
You can get non ethanol fuel easily where you are. It's a bit harder here in CA . You can use google and non ethanol gas stations will show up.
The car however was designed to run up to 10% ethanol from the factory so I wouldn't worry about it if you actually drive the car.
I would look into either getting or renting a large ozone generator. It will destroy any mold in the car and remove the smell. It's what hotels use to get rid of the smoke smell in hotel rooms.
Just be sure to not run it too long because ozone eats away at plastic and makes it brittle. Just look at the engine bay wiring as an example
As for cleaning the fuel system I would run to car and set the CIS pressures properly before disassembling the system if needed. I would just look at the filter screens and clean those as needed.
I'm eyeing a '79 near me (no roof, no rubbies) that has been stored for years, so I should be going through much the same process myself starting in a few weeks.
Renting an ozone generator is a great idea. That cloud of mold blows out the vents the first time is going to be rough...
Glad to know that ethanol is not a real problem. I forgot to add that I found an internal fuel pump. I'm going to replace it with an in-tank screen, new external pump, hook up my fuel pressure gauges and cross my fingers.
You might try hooking up the fuel pump backwards. Sometimes running it in reverse will dislodge whatever is stuck in there. Sometimes.
CIS systems hate dirt. There's too many tiny little passages that need to be the right size. Any grunge in them will affect the operation. Most folks who have had to deal with a CIS car that sat for that long have ended up going through the entire thing.
Normal 10% Ethanol should not be a problem. I've run it in my 944 for the past 14 years, including having a tankful of it (with SeaFoam for stabilizer) sit over every winter. I run it in my 928 on a regular basis too.
However, if you are bound and determined to run 'pure gas', it's not all that hard to find. Shell premium is no ethanol. So are some of the other brands. You might look for 'recreational premium' gas. Some small engines should not run ethanol, so there are places that cater to them.
Probably too late for fuel pump advice, but I always use Wabro. My testing shows they out perform Bosch, and I have never had one fail. Autozone has them for $93 packaged as a kit under some other name. USA made etc.
I have read that acetone is good for cleaning the varnish inside fuel lines so could you run it backwards through the pump? Not sure if there are rubber seals inside that could be harmed?
03-13-2019, 12:37 AM
Let's get this OB started
. You can use google and non ethanol gas stations will show up. 
