blg0720

Under the hood, I'm completely helpless...almost. I know most common problems and symptoms, but I don't know what things are by looking at them. But, I DO know my engine needs help even though it runs beautifully. This is almost the condition I bought it in, although I've had the new Intake Manifold put in since then.

Fine from far, far from fine...


I know it's rusty...what is it?? And the canister hose end...where's THAT supposed to be!?


Needs the cold air intake...only working through the breather atm. Of course, my last mechanic dropped the intake manifold on the one I HAD! GRRR!


Air Cleaner needs painting at best, but if I take it off, I'll NEVER get it on again...it's barely on there as it is!


Wires that lead to nowhere and surface rusty....err...things?


HELP!

91blue_phoenix

PM'd

blp226

Well............ where to start. LOL First things first, go to the local parts house and get a CHILTON's book for you car. It will be very very very usefull. What are you wanting from it? Just to make it look nice? or make it faster? Both? You said it runs "beautifully" If you just want a driver then leave it alone. If it's not broke don't fix it. Let me know what you are wanting from it. and I'll see what kinda advice I got to give.

Don't feel bad, when I got mine it looked a whole lot worse. LOL At least yours looks like it's mostly all there. LOL , mine was missing tons of stuff. I had to rip everything out and start over.

blp226

For looks
OK, with a few minutes to think about it I have an idea. First go buy several cans of GUNK engine degreaser. Use a power washer and clean the hell out of your engine and engine bay. Don't spray the distributor and avoid any electrical conections. Buy a couple cans of black spray paint for the rusty brake booster. Then go back to the parts house you got your CHILTONs from and get a set of chrome valve covers and a chrome air cleaner. install them. 75 bucks, 8 bolts and 1 wing nut and your engine bay will look TONS better!!!!

Practical

Oil change, new belts, plugs, and plug wires. This is all stuff anybody can do themselves. you don't have to know anything about cars to do that. Any unpluged electrical conections need to be tied out of the way so that they don't creat a short or melt against anything thats too hot.

Performance

Get yourself a good set ceramic headers and run a 3 inch exhaust with a good muffler, something like a flowmaster, or magnaflow. Exhaust upgrades are always the first thing to do to get a little more kick from your ride. From there it gets a little more complicated and expensive.

neagan

iTrader: (7)

With your early year 3rd Gen, you'll find most of your needed info about parts like that (and you'll find many more confusing ones) the Chilton's will work. The TPI cars almost demand that you get the actual 'shop' manual that costs 5X as much. I suggest you go check on the for sale classifieds under 'Miscillenious Items'. The big shop repair manuals come up there for dirt cheap and will explain everything. The Chilton/Hays repair books are way to dang generic for the beginner mechanic and are frustratingly vague about how to find, diagnose, or 'how-to' info.

Definitly power wash that puppy. Bring saran wrap to cover the distributor with. If you have to go to public carwash and you can't use 'real degreaser' spray cans (which are made to use on your warmed up engine & trans) you should look at initially spraying it heavily with Simple Green before you warm up the engine, wait 30 minutes and then hose it off before going to the car wash. Have fun!!!

You'll most likely find that the real repair book is the best investment you can make; Seriously! Nitro-Nicky

blg0720

I have a Service Manual from Pontiac for the Trans Am, so that's not a problem. The valve covers may be a bit harder to come by, as the chrome air cleaner. Hawks? Rock? Ebay? I can get hold of the GUNK and power washer no problem.

I already had new plugs and wires put on, and the belts were only a year old, so I had them tightened. I've never changed oil, but I'm sure I can learn.

I hate to change the exhaust b/c I've got the original Crossfire and it's one of the non-rusty segments...how that happened, I have NO idea! But until the crossfire rusts or wears out, I'm going to leave that alone. I LOVE the throaty rumble I get from it! ...and i hate headers

It's not intended to be a show car, just a car for me to enjoy and spend time working on and hand down to my girls. I want to make the engine bay look better than it does, though. I want to be proud of what's seen when I open the hood. The carb was a good start to improving it, and now the choke is set right. Yes, it runs "beautifully", but I want it to look as good as it runs.

blp226

any advance, napa, autozone, or any other parts houses will sell valve covers and air cleaner. take your originals sand them down, repaint them and put them up in case you wanna go back to the original look.