bran3b

I asked earlier if I should save my '81 5-speed or part it out. The answer was a unanimous SAVE HER! So I figured I should start a revival thread.

Here is the latest. The car will start with starting fluid or a little gas directly into the intake. Now that I have proven that I am moving on to the fuel delivery which seems to be dead, hopefully just contacts at the pump, it is getting power but maybe not enough.

To get it to turn over I had to trace all of the aftermarket alarm wires. This wasn't that tough once I removed the hundreds of zip ties. Along the way I found a hardwired radar detector that also has to go. Somewhere along the way the original ignition switch was replaced with one mounted in the console, so I will be ordering a new cylinder and re-key it to the original key. when the switch was bypassed they cut out the round plug that goes to the switch, so I will have to find one somewhere and install it properly.

Yesterday with some help I pushed the car into the garage and tore apart the driver's door to fix a broken outside door handle hinge but was sidetracked by trying to get the window down so that I can open the door from the outside. As it sits now the instrument panel is on the workbench, the steering wheel is on the passenger seat and the door is blocked open with a 2x4.Seems like the more that I work on it, the worse it looks but now that I am this far in, I will get it driving.

Here is the current to-do list:
1) resolve fuel delivery issue, suspect pump
2) replace ignition switch/key cylinder
3) bleed and inspect clutch, replace hydraulics as needed
4) put the dash back together
5) repair outside drivers side door handle

Here is a pic of the dash after taking it apart. All of the hanging wires belong to the alarm and radar detector.

Landseer

If you haven't yet, remove the electrical CE panel.

Clean, inspect rear side for melts, re-fuse with original style fuses. (New Buss style are too long / variable in length).

Anyplace you have a melt or deterioration in a wire at the CE panel will indicate a circuit problem that you need to isolate.

And clean 2 grounds on passenger side cam cover (including one hidden under emissions valve)

Randy V

An admirable pursuit, sir.

M. Requin

Good decision, glad you decided to bring her back! Just add fuel lines to your list, if you haven't done so already.

AirtekHVAC

Keep it going.....

The hardest thing about my restoration has been keeping the thread updated....

See my thread sometime, on. #30, might find something that helps you.

Good luck!

The Forgotten On

Yay! another 81 that will be saved. Mine was in worse condition than yours interior wise and I have to fix issues from the wiring for an after market alarm that the PO removed. You still having the wires there which will make them easier to track. Your interior is way better than the condition mine was in so you have a good solid project to work on. That first start up is a very rewarding experience. Keep us updated.

bran3b

Not a lot of updates today.

I was able to get the ignition tumbler to work, it was frozen up for some reason, then verified that the switch itself seems to be good. I also tracked down a picture of the ignition switch plug so I can make plugs to replace the missing plug.

I also bought 4 more 16" phone dials, these have tires that I can roll the car around on and were cheaper than getting all new Bridgestones, those will have to wait.

I removed the fuel pump and drained the tank, holey mackerel was that stuff nasty! Tonight I will order a new pump.

I got the driver's window down by powering the motor directly, now I can close the door without having to climb in from the passenger side. I will order the door handle hinge and window switch along with the fuel pump.

Since I will be back at work tomorrow not much will get done, if anything. Same for most of the week. I just hope to get the oil changed and the instruments plugged in so that I can fire it up and check things out more thoroughly next weekend, once the fuel pump is here.

The Forgotten On

This is the same fuel pump. Just costs a lot less.
I like to help people save some cash to put toward other things when I can.

bran3b

Have the new fuel pump installed and have fuel up to the rails but still won't start without me feeding fuel into the intake. I am thinking that the injectors aren't firing. I did flush the fuel lines but didn't replace the injectors so they could be clogged but then I would expect a misfire but I am getting a big fat nuthin. Will dig into the injection next.

I did a quick check on the electrical and all looked good, I should probably dig deeper into the wiring too.

Ducman82

How's the green wire from the distributor?

bran3b

the green wire looks ok. the plug on the end away from the distributor looked a little frayed at first but on closer inspection it seems ok. I hooked up a noid light late yesterday and it flashes as you would expect so I think that the injectors are at least getting an electrical signal. Right now I suspect low fuel pressure buy I don't have an adapter for my gauge, although it has been ordered. So to recap, I have spark and air, I have fuel but unknown pressure from a new pump. The old gas was very bad, I flushed the lines but the injectors could be clogged although I would expect at least a missfire as one of the 8 injectors spit out a trace of fuel. I will report back once I test the pressure.

Hai gebissen

Good for you. I really like the earlier cars. Don't give up!

I removed a similar ridiculous amount of wiring and associated alarm/radar detector junk from my car when I first got it. Took several hours but it felt good to put it back to the way it is supposed to be.

bran3b

I made a little progress. I had to make an adapter from the fuel rail to my pressure tester, but once I did that I was able to check the pressure. When I crank the engine, the pump runs for a few seconds as expected and the pressure hits 30psi but the car never fires. I hooked up the noid light and it flashes as I expected so I am getting signal to the injectors. Is there a way to test the injectors? Since the fuel was so old I am thinking that maybe the injectors are gummed up and not doing anything although I would expect at least one cylinder to fire.

bran3b

Back to this thread after chasing the green wire for a while. Here is the latest, not much has changed. I replaced the green wire but using a noid light I get a very weak flash so my next step is to chase grounds starting at the fuse box. Of course if the weak noid symptom sounds familiar, please mention it since I am only grasping at straws anyway.

curtisr

How's it going?