menzzer37

I have found an 85 S with 54K on it. It has the chrome s4 wheels, AT, but needs a little tlc. It has sat for 2 years, but I was able to get it to fire up today at the owner's house. The person he bought it off said it had a headgasket going out. Said it smoked a little and so he stopped driving it and put it in his garage. Interior is pretty good, needs a driver fender. I fired it up and it idled just fine! We only had 1 gallon of gas maybe less and it fired up, but ran about 1min total before it ran out. It revved smooth, but felt a little like it was lugging. I know this is a shot in the dark but I'm thinking it may be just that it was low on gas and didnt have proper pressure. Exhaust was dry and coolant level was only down 1/2 gallon and has been sitting for 2 years. How likely is it that they gasket is out? Hard to change? Is it worth 1K that he's asking?

Thanks for your help. I think it will be more fun than my 80 5spd US

Landseer

Yes.

robot808

I agree.

menzzer37

Yes what? buy it?

underdog928

$1K for an '85 that runs? Sounds like a good deal.

First thing I would recommend would be to replace the timing belt. With only 54K on the clock it's doubtful that this has ever been done and with a 25 year old timing belt, I'm not sure I would run this car at all before it's replaced. The '85 is the first in a long line of interference engines.

After that, everything else is just fun.

Go for it!

menzzer37

What about the head gasket possibility? How often do you see this?

Landseer

Ignore it. We can talk you thru a motor pull if nec.

Can be done. Many here have done them. Why does he think its HG?

Possibly just the backing rubber behind the thermostat. Most people don't realize the significance and mistake symptoms for stuff like HG.

menzzer37

No idea. He said it started smoking, so he stopped driving it. The guy was a salesman about 22 who took it to a local garage and they said probably a headgasket. He drove it home and parked it.

James Bailey

Changing the head gaskets means pulling the engine and buying a $400-500 gasket set......plus a bunch of wyait hoses motor mounts t-belt water pump etc.etc. The heads may need to be serviced/machined.If you had to pay a shop to do it figure 14 hrs to R and R the engine....another 15-20 for the removal of the intake ,cams ,heads t-belt water pump ,tensioner....Bill could easily be $4,000. Then when you do get it running you get to fix what ever it is that keeps it from running NOW and HOPE that the transmission still works and the A/C is OK... Plan for the worst hope for the best but be sure you are O K with it if it turns out badly.

jeff spahn

If you don't buy it give me his number and I will.

dr bob

Since you have access to the car pre-purchase, go do a compression test on it. That will tell you immediately if there's a headgasket failed to the cylinders and water jacket.

There are some watch-outs on the compression test procedure. Disconnect the two brains in the pass side footwell, right side, before cranking the car for testing. That way no fuel and no damage to the coils when cranking. Pull all the plugs at once. Test with the throttle wide open as you crank. Keep the battery charged while you test. RECORD the READINGS!

Landseer

Sub 1500 on a running 32V, do all that stuff after you get the title.

You could resell the MAF, LH and EZ units for $125 each overnight here, $200 for the locks, and so on. No risk exists in this purchase.
I'm absolutely not suggesting parting the car, only that your $1K is now proven safe.

WICruiser

I am not really looking for another '85 project but if you pass I would also be interested at that price.

Imo000

With one galong of gas, it should have ran a lot longer than one minute. Something else caused it to stall. Try to get it running agian, let it fuly warm up, and then test drive it. Even with a headgasket blown, it should run. The owner being a salesman doesn't help. It'shis profession to sell things, so he might jsut play things down to make a sale. I woudln't take his word for much and bring as many "gearhead" buddies with you to see the car as you can. Unless you know how to take apart and put back together an engine (any engine) I wouldn't consider doing a HG.

Marine Blue

I'd be worried, technically you have know idea what is really wrong and if the PO is willing to give it away it makes me think there is something bigger wrong with it.

The guys are right, if you're willing to part it out it will be worth it regardless but you should consider how much your time is worth before jumping in.