Bag and tag in ziplocks with a Sharpie marker, and take a lot of pictures!
Progress Thread Let's try this again...
- Thread starter Alldegree
- Start date
Making some headway here, the new heater tube and upper manifold gasket have arrived, and I’ve begun disassembly. Following the LMR video, I removed the upper manifold:
As suggested, I’ve bagged and tagged every bolt, screw, and nut that I’ve removed and taken a lot of pictures, especially of the vacuum system.
I have run into a problem, however. At this stage, the next step would be to depress the schrader valve to depressurize the fuel lines.
The problem is I don’t seem to have one. I’ve looked along the fuel rails and down past the alternator, and I see nothing. I’ve read that they’re sometimes next to the fuel pressure regulator, but I don’t see it there:
So I’ve blocked everything up with rags and closed the hood until I figure out what to do next.
The only other problem I had was disconnecting the brake booster vacuum hose, I couldn’t get the hose loose and I ended up pulling the plug from the booster housing itself
Is that ok? I legitimately could not pry that hose loose. I’m thinking I’ll probably need a new spring clamp since I mangled the old one trying to loosen it.
Also, on the matter of safety, is it safe to leave the car as it is with the fuel lines pressurized? I noticed a faint “old gasoline” smell after I started taking the bolts out of the upper manifold so I just want to make sure I haven’t created a bomb in my garage. I don’t see any leaks.
As suggested, I’ve bagged and tagged every bolt, screw, and nut that I’ve removed and taken a lot of pictures, especially of the vacuum system.
I have run into a problem, however. At this stage, the next step would be to depress the schrader valve to depressurize the fuel lines.
The problem is I don’t seem to have one. I’ve looked along the fuel rails and down past the alternator, and I see nothing. I’ve read that they’re sometimes next to the fuel pressure regulator, but I don’t see it there:
So I’ve blocked everything up with rags and closed the hood until I figure out what to do next.
The only other problem I had was disconnecting the brake booster vacuum hose, I couldn’t get the hose loose and I ended up pulling the plug from the booster housing itself
Is that ok? I legitimately could not pry that hose loose. I’m thinking I’ll probably need a new spring clamp since I mangled the old one trying to loosen it.
Also, on the matter of safety, is it safe to leave the car as it is with the fuel lines pressurized? I noticed a faint “old gasoline” smell after I started taking the bolts out of the upper manifold so I just want to make sure I haven’t created a bomb in my garage. I don’t see any leaks.
89ripper
Founding Member
The fuel tank should be vented, so eventually will depressurize. The brake booster connection fits into a grommet, i suppose its possible to ruin something if its really old, but should be fine. They are replaceable anyway if I remember right.
Im pretty sure there is a black screw on fitting at the end of one of the rails...you do not have one? If it were me id wait until car sat for a little while and just disconnect the fuel fitting. Note, some fuel will spill out but shouldnt "spray" out. Get some rags ready to catch any. Hopefully you have fire extinguisher and any other precautions taken since you are working with fuel lines
Im pretty sure there is a black screw on fitting at the end of one of the rails...you do not have one? If it were me id wait until car sat for a little while and just disconnect the fuel fitting. Note, some fuel will spill out but shouldnt "spray" out. Get some rags ready to catch any. Hopefully you have fire extinguisher and any other precautions taken since you are working with fuel lines
The car has been sitting for a little under a week, so hopefully that will work. I do have a couple of fire extinguishers and plenty of rags, so I’m hopefully covered there.
Got the old tube out, LMR’s video said I’d have to remove the fuel rail, but I had plenty of clearance to get it out. Pretty sure this rail isn’t stock. Loosening the front bolt that secures the tube to the intake manifold was pretty tough, though. I ended up accidentally cracking off some plastic on the TFI module with the edge wrench I was trying to use. Going to go to the store to see if they have anything thinner.
While I was looking for that schrader valve I noticed something concerning on the fuel lines:
They look like quick disconnect fittings between the rubber fuel hose and the rigid metal pipes, but the hoses don’t seem to be clamped and appear to be falling off. What should this area look like if the car was stock?
More roadblocks…
So I ended up removing the fuel rail after all because there wasn’t enough clearance to get the new tube in. Easy peazy.
Then I went to thread in the swivel tube to the intake manifold, and it won’t mesh. It’s like the threads are completely the wrong size or something.
I’ve tried different angles, I’ve tried cleaning the threads as best I can, I’ve tried turning longer, turning under light pressure…
Nothing works.
I also think I stripped the first thread on the swivel fitting, because you can see a bit of silver on the bottom in that picture.
I looked at the old tube, and they both look the same
I’m at a loss. Hopefully you guys have some ideas, I’m thinking getting a cylindrical wire brush drill attachment and trying to clean out the threads some more, but it doesn’t even engage.
So I ended up removing the fuel rail after all because there wasn’t enough clearance to get the new tube in. Easy peazy.
Then I went to thread in the swivel tube to the intake manifold, and it won’t mesh. It’s like the threads are completely the wrong size or something.
I’ve tried different angles, I’ve tried cleaning the threads as best I can, I’ve tried turning longer, turning under light pressure…
Nothing works.
I also think I stripped the first thread on the swivel fitting, because you can see a bit of silver on the bottom in that picture.
I looked at the old tube, and they both look the same
I’m at a loss. Hopefully you guys have some ideas, I’m thinking getting a cylindrical wire brush drill attachment and trying to clean out the threads some more, but it doesn’t even engage.
You may have to get a tap.and run it down the threads on the intake.
I remember I had a hard time with mine years ago but I just kept at it and it took.......finally!!!!!
I remember I had a hard time with mine years ago but I just kept at it and it took.......finally!!!!!
Swivel fitting is in after more scrubbing with a wire brush and some brake clean. There was some resistance all the way in, but I’m hoping that was the mineral deposits combined with the thread locker or whatever that red schmoo is in the the heater tube end.
Either that or it’s cross threaded and I’m going to need a new manifold. I haven’t tightened it all the way down because I’ve read that it could crack, I’ve actually done that in the past with the temp gauge sender.
Anyway, I got the vacuum connections figured out, and I was trying to recenter the intake when I noticed the gasket had folded in on itself and torn. I’d use the old one, but it’s torn at one of the bolt holes and I’d rather just use a new one.
So that’s gonna be just about it for this weekend, hopefully next weekend I’ll have a new gasket, hook up everything else, flush the cooling system, and this whole saga will be over.
Either that or it’s cross threaded and I’m going to need a new manifold. I haven’t tightened it all the way down because I’ve read that it could crack, I’ve actually done that in the past with the temp gauge sender.
Anyway, I got the vacuum connections figured out, and I was trying to recenter the intake when I noticed the gasket had folded in on itself and torn. I’d use the old one, but it’s torn at one of the bolt holes and I’d rather just use a new one.
So that’s gonna be just about it for this weekend, hopefully next weekend I’ll have a new gasket, hook up everything else, flush the cooling system, and this whole saga will be over.
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OldManRiver
Active Member
I got a bad feeling looking at that pic, looks cross threaded like you mentioned .That fitting should be threaded in much further than the two threads of engagement you have there. The ones I've installed threaded in damn near down to the hex with full thread engagement.
I’ll back it out and take a look. Better to know now than after everything is put together.
Ok, so I don’t know what’s going on:
I don’t see much damage on either of the fittings, but the paint is gone on the heater tube end. There’s some scraggly stuff on the manifold side but I think that’s just gunk from between the threads. Unfortunately my phone isn’t good at taking detailed closeups.
If it was cross-threaded, then I’d imagine it was just barely so. If I need a new manifold there’s some pretty good options for sale in my area. I would definitely hand it over to a shop at that point though, before I start having to replace the whole engine. Let me know what you guys think.
I don’t see much damage on either of the fittings, but the paint is gone on the heater tube end. There’s some scraggly stuff on the manifold side but I think that’s just gunk from between the threads. Unfortunately my phone isn’t good at taking detailed closeups.
If it was cross-threaded, then I’d imagine it was just barely so. If I need a new manifold there’s some pretty good options for sale in my area. I would definitely hand it over to a shop at that point though, before I start having to replace the whole engine. Let me know what you guys think.
I’ve been looking at those, I’ll pick one up this week. I’m reading the threads are 3/8” npt, is that correct?
It [sounds] correct but I do not know specifically. That size would be part of any small kit though.
Ordered a new gasket, just trying to figure out exactly what size tap/thread chaser I need.
I’m pretty sure I know the thread size is 3/8-18 NPT, so based on that I think I need something like this to do the job.
I’m also reading here that the manifold shouldn’t be installed while doing this to avoid getting metal shavings in the cooling system, but somebody else suggested taping a hose fitting to a shop-vac and just sucking out whatever falls in.
What would you guys do? I’m planning on flushing the whole system anyway, wouldn’t any shavings come out then?
I’m pretty sure I know the thread size is 3/8-18 NPT, so based on that I think I need something like this to do the job.
I’m also reading here that the manifold shouldn’t be installed while doing this to avoid getting metal shavings in the cooling system, but somebody else suggested taping a hose fitting to a shop-vac and just sucking out whatever falls in.
What would you guys do? I’m planning on flushing the whole system anyway, wouldn’t any shavings come out then?
Pack the tap or chaser with grease and go slow. This has been done for years when tapping the oil return into the oil pan for a supercharger. IF anything gets into the intake then just vacuum it out.
Apparently it’s 1/2-14 NPT, luckily the set I got at Harbor Freight had both.
Ran the tap through with plenty of grease like AeroCoupe said. As far as I can tell, nothing fell into the manifold and the tube threaded in with full engagement almost all the way down. It’s still 2 or 3 threads from bottomed out to avoid splitting, but it’s in there with a healthy amount of PTFE, so I think it worked. Thank you all for your help on this, I’d probably either be looking at new manifolds or still scrubbing the bejesus out of that fitting. Unbelievable how much crap gets up in those threads over what I assume was a very long period of time.
I’ve got a new gasket ordered which should be here this weekend, so we’re back in business.
Ran the tap through with plenty of grease like AeroCoupe said. As far as I can tell, nothing fell into the manifold and the tube threaded in with full engagement almost all the way down. It’s still 2 or 3 threads from bottomed out to avoid splitting, but it’s in there with a healthy amount of PTFE, so I think it worked. Thank you all for your help on this, I’d probably either be looking at new manifolds or still scrubbing the bejesus out of that fitting. Unbelievable how much crap gets up in those threads over what I assume was a very long period of time.
I’ve got a new gasket ordered which should be here this weekend, so we’re back in business.
New gasket is installed, upper intake is installed and torqued down, everything is all set except for coolant, distributor cap, spark plug wires, intake pipe, and the throttle cable.
As I was positioning the throttle cable bracket to the side of the throttle body, I felt something come loose. I figured it was just a bend in the cable sliding along the firewall or something.
I tightened the bracket and reattached the cable, but now my gas pedal seems to sit lower than before and it’s more loose than usual. It actually flops around when I pull the throttle from the engine bay.
I pulled out the driver’s seat and climbed into the drivers side footwell with my fisher-price boroscope and managed to get these images:
There’s a lot of slack, and that grey cylinder thing on the cable moves with it when the throttle is pressed, but I don’t think it’s supposed to.
Front and back of the throttle pedal where the cable attaches.
I’m going to dust off the service manuals, but I don’t think this pedal is stock based on what I’ve seen on the internet. Also in the video I saw, the cable doesn’t have that grey cylinder on it, so I don’t know what that is but I have a feeling it’s what came loose.
I wish I could get my hands up in there to fiddle with it a little more, but I can’t. Should I just disconnect the throttle cable and pull out the gas pedal so I can see what’s happening?
As I was positioning the throttle cable bracket to the side of the throttle body, I felt something come loose. I figured it was just a bend in the cable sliding along the firewall or something.
I tightened the bracket and reattached the cable, but now my gas pedal seems to sit lower than before and it’s more loose than usual. It actually flops around when I pull the throttle from the engine bay.
I pulled out the driver’s seat and climbed into the drivers side footwell with my fisher-price boroscope and managed to get these images:
There’s a lot of slack, and that grey cylinder thing on the cable moves with it when the throttle is pressed, but I don’t think it’s supposed to.
Front and back of the throttle pedal where the cable attaches.
I’m going to dust off the service manuals, but I don’t think this pedal is stock based on what I’ve seen on the internet. Also in the video I saw, the cable doesn’t have that grey cylinder on it, so I don’t know what that is but I have a feeling it’s what came loose.
I wish I could get my hands up in there to fiddle with it a little more, but I can’t. Should I just disconnect the throttle cable and pull out the gas pedal so I can see what’s happening?
Took out and reinstalled the pedal, it’s still loose but maybe a little better? I think it may have been like that before.
Everything is back together and I was ready to flush the cooling system, so I hooked up the vacuum filler/tester I bought online a couple weeks ago and turned on the air to run a vacuum test.
And nothing happened. No vacuum. Not even a twitch of the needle.
I could have a massive leak, but is it possible my compressor just doesn’t have enough power to generate a vacuum powerful enough to register on the gauge?
Everything is back together and I was ready to flush the cooling system, so I hooked up the vacuum filler/tester I bought online a couple weeks ago and turned on the air to run a vacuum test.
And nothing happened. No vacuum. Not even a twitch of the needle.
I could have a massive leak, but is it possible my compressor just doesn’t have enough power to generate a vacuum powerful enough to register on the gauge?
I’ve decided to just fill the system with water and see if anything leaks out. I went to start the car, and it wouldn’t crank. The battery was a bit low, so I put it on the charger overnight and tried again this morning, and same result.
So clearly I jiggled a wire or hooked something up improperly to where I now have electrical issues. Here’s what I’m looking at:
-All interior/exterior lights work, as do the hvac fans, radio, and dash lights.
-When I turn the key to start it, everything goes dark except for the handbrake warning light. No cranking or click or anything.
-the battery tested at 12.7v, which I’m reading is a full charge.
Something like this has happened in the past, and I think it was fixed with a new starter solenoid. If that’s the case, this will be the third or fourth one the car’s burned through since I bought it so there’s clearly a deeper issue.
If not, i guess I’ll have to lock and load the parts cannon and work back from the starter. I have a new one, I just haven’t installed it yet.
So clearly I jiggled a wire or hooked something up improperly to where I now have electrical issues. Here’s what I’m looking at:
-All interior/exterior lights work, as do the hvac fans, radio, and dash lights.
-When I turn the key to start it, everything goes dark except for the handbrake warning light. No cranking or click or anything.
-the battery tested at 12.7v, which I’m reading is a full charge.
Something like this has happened in the past, and I think it was fixed with a new starter solenoid. If that’s the case, this will be the third or fourth one the car’s burned through since I bought it so there’s clearly a deeper issue.
If not, i guess I’ll have to lock and load the parts cannon and work back from the starter. I have a new one, I just haven’t installed it yet.
