DemonicPupil

I went and bought an 88 Vert and had to drive it from VA to PA. Somewhere around 300 miles.

The fun parts of the story:

Clouds of smoke so horrible, I couldn't see the people behind me, they couldn't see me.

Overheated in 5th gear cuz the engine has no power (5th/6th out)

Ran in 4th whole way at around 65ish.

Thanks to the above, had to stop and get gas all too soon.

First gas station is closed (I'm on empty) car is smoking like a bitz

Cops pull in and tell me where 24/7 station is at and follow me there. (my girlfriend is driving my 86 GXL)

I used PA tags that didn't belong to car with old registration and they told me that chances were good I'd get pulled over when I got back to PA. They let me go though and we were all laughing at the smoke.

Get back on the road and about 10 miles from PA border, MD cops pull me over because I was "swerving" inside my lane. I was in my lane but I was "swerving" ok.

Write me three tickets for no registration, no insurance(I deserved this one), and wrong plates.

Send me on my way (Did I mention both cars were overflowing with parts? Seats hanging out the vert trunk. GXL filled with a hood, fender, etc. etc)

Get all tags and crap for it and go back to drive it home. Didn't get 18 miles before it died on me (go figure)

So here's the bad:

I need some help in diagnosing this and wether or not you think the engine is screwed. I stopped at a gas station and go a coke, car wouldn't restart (yes i let it warm up before i got to gas station) I got pissed and after a while said screw it and push started it and popped the clutch. (This got it working woohoo)

I get back on the highway and suddenly the car starts shaking really bad and making funny noise. I figured with all the other problems thus far, this was a minor thing as it was still running. Anyways, so shaking really bad for about 8 miles, It started to get really hard to hold my speed. (It was running REALLY nice after the station, got up some really good speed and even ran really well in 5th around 80-85) I decided to take it out of gear and coast a little bit, the engine just flat out dropped to 0 RPM and shut off. I threw it in 4th and got the engine running again on the cars momentum but the shaking was HORRIBLE!! so i pulled off the road and let the engine die. I came to a complete stop and then cranked the engine. It shook a little but definitely wouldn't start. The temp on the car was low and didn't overheat but it looked like coolant had exploded in the compartment.

I think I was as specific as possible. Thoughts?

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (8)

I think you need to tow it home and start pulling that engine. Give that tired old friend a rest.

Seriously, sounds like it might have let an apex seal or 3 go there at the end. IF it cranks over in a slower, duuuuh-duuuuh-duuuuh sound and reminds you of an old lawnmower trying to start, it's lost compression somewhere and there isn't any fixing for that.

BLKTOPTRVL

I would check with your I-agent... When I used to buy cars, I would just tell my insurance agent and he would tell me that I have a "30 day binder" or some such... I don't remember. But it covered the purchase of a new car until I could get it fully insured. That may be a thing of the past though.

As for the plates, when I bought new cars, I would just drive them home with no plates at all.

I was stopped once, I showed the officer the bill of sale and the title, and off I went.

jhammons01

I think you got the very last mile out of that motor. Have fun with the rebuild. Take your time and enjoy it.

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

the plugs probably fouled due to the oil going through it, driving it after that point probably killed some internals though due to the load being put on the single firing rotor. losing coolant probably killed the whole engine.

DemonicPupil

Cool, so if rebuilding is an option then none of you think I destroyed rotors or housings? I won't get a chance to pull the motor and start dissasembling it for at least another month or two so I guess I'm just worried about what I'm going to find. Since summer is coming, I plan on moving the motor/tranny from my 86 GXL into the 88 vert... hopefully won't run into any problems doing that.


Thanks folks

jhammons01

don't wait to tear it down. It may rust inside. Tear down is cheap. Plus you'll have a goo idea what you need to do to get it up and running again.

I think think that if you get it apart and get the insides all cleaned you'll be better off when you get ready to rebuild.

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (8)

I second that, do NOT let a coolant seal motor sit. Water + bare metal + time = rust. Rusty parts cannot be reused. Many parts inside should be reuseable as of right now.

If nothing else, pump the chambers full of oil or atf or whatever you've got, to displace the coolant and prevent rust. It isn't a bad idea to drain the coolant before doing this, then remove the lower plugs and crank the engine for a while to expel any pooled up water...then treat the internals with oil.

RacerXtreme7

iTrader: (2)

DAMN IT!

I sold the vert to DemonicPubil. I was sketchy as to weather the car would make the trip from VA to PA and let him know I wasn’t comfortable about it (I even asked about a truck and dolly). But in all honesty I thought it would have been fine. My girlfriend drove this car for more then 3 years trouble free, but I knew and said that this engine was on its last leg. I feel horrible that Josh did not make the trip home. I did however load him down with loads of goodies (2 fenders, front bumper, storage bins, GTU seats, center consol, door handle, and the complete vert etc, YEAH, I'm still baffled that he got all this to fit in a vert and GXL ). I guess letting the car sit for 3-4 months did it in. The car used to puff at start up and at WOT, but never any were in between. The fuct up thing is, I got the car running and went over every imaginable thing to make sure it would be as reliable as possible for its new owner and the car ran fine the day of the sale. I idled it for 45minutes in the driveway and took it for a couple miles on the interstate at 80mph and no probs. Wouldn't you know it, and this is the GOD's honest truth, when Josh shows up and I start the car for him it starts to smoke profusely. Both his and my bad luck, more so his I guess.

I have a running 90 GTU engine that needs rebuilding. It runs fine, but smokes like 10 hippies in a van with a bag of weed during start up. So I know it has reusable engine parts, just bad oil seals and control rings. Bonus is it’s a series 5 so it has high compression rotors and lighter weight rotating assembly that you can HAVE free Josh. All that I ask is you come get it or pay someone to come get it and or ship it. It’s still installed in the car and I don’t know when I’ll get it pulled out, but it does not sound like you’re in a hurry.

The vert engine will be fine if you add 100% radiator fluid (DO NOT ADD WATER) and fill it back up. When I replaced the radiator before you picked it up, I used a 60% radiator fluid to water ratio. So just fill it back up (requires you get it running for a few seconds or somehow get the water pump turning (use a high speed drill ), pump it full of fluid, then pull the plugs out and fill the chambers full of engine oil or ATF and turn the engine over a few times and re-install the plugs. Plug the intake and exhaust ports and the engine will be fine to sit for a good while as long as you don’t leave the hood off it or expose the car to loads of humid air or water/rain.

I really do hope things work out and am sorry that the vert did not make it. We both knew I was uneasy about it making the trip. Everyone here knows my honesty (Kevin, aka RotaryResurrection can vouch for me as many many others can, and or look up my reputation on the good/bad guy in the classified section here). Hit me up if you have questions or need more free parts and about the free core I’m offering you .

I am glad however, that the car went to a good home were it will be kept on the road rather then get parted out

~Mike………….