I got a g20

[Fenvy]

... from my friend, I get to look at it for days before I decide whether I want to pay for it or not.

it is 1992, 180k miles and he just want what junk yard will take it for... $800

interior is 7 out ot 10 but here is a couple of issues

power steering is leaking

won't start unless it is jumped (what could it be? battery? dying alternator?)

yeah, so shoudl I take it?

[nametakennow]

If those are the only issues and that PS leak isn't too bad/you don't mind fixing it yourself, I say go for it.

Get the battery tested, then check the alternator.

[Fenvy]

If those are the only issues and that PS leak isn't too bad/you don't mind fixing it yourself, I say go for it.

Get the battery tested, then check the alternator.

yeah I was thinking about those 2 things myself. Except the owner took it to mechanic and said that it was not the battery or the alternator... I think I should bring it to kragen or whatever and go from there

[nametakennow]

Starter click with key turn?

[Fenvy]

it clicks, I Actually isolated one of the many problems. The batter is dead, I can start the car fine as long as I jump it. I turn it off and start again and it will not start again unless jumped.

After it jumps, I removed the ground wire from the battery and the car did not die, indicating a working alternator

there used to be an ECL but I can't find it anymore... can I pull the code still if the cel is not on?

[AZhitman]

I have a FSM for the G20 if you need it.

I paid $500 for my 95 G20t with a bad motor, and it's an awesome little car.

I say offer him $600 and roll with it.

[nametakennow]

If the light isn't on, you're not going to be able to pull the code.

There's also an FSM link in my sig if that'd be easier.

[Fenvy]

thanks for the fsm

by the way there is a noise, my friend said mechanic told him it is the AC compressor dying... can I remove the AC compressor and its belt to make sure that it is the AC and not the engine?

by the way my friend is willing to take 500$ for it. I am goign to buy a battery today and perform an engine wash lately to get it up and running.

*EDIT*under MA-10, diagram show that the AC pulley, alternator and crankshaft pullley are connected. I believe there is a tensioner near the alternator... can I loosen the tensioner there, let the belt come off of alternator and the AC pulley and start the car like that? I am trying to make sure the noise is from the AC and not the engine
Modified by Loveless at 2:19 PM 12/27/2006

[nametakennow]

That should work.

[Fenvy]

I am pretty new at this thing... if I want to wash the engine, can I just remove the battery, cover up distributor/intake and spray water all over the engine bay, air dry and turn it on? this thing is dirty as hell

[AZhitman]

Yep - Use some Gunk or other engine cleaner (buy 2 cans).

Throw some saran-wrap over any exposed connectors, save yourself some potential headaches later.

A can of Seafoam through the engine and changing all the fluids is a good idea too....

[Fenvy]

this thing need all 3 cans for all 3 places

good idea though, I was hoping to save my seafoam for my s13 but it is not due for quite a while.

[Fenvy]

I pulled the kick panel off and saw a port looks like obd port

so I look at the manual and the car is actually 1994

I am just going to jump the obd port to pull the code

[Fenvy]

****! the paper clip trick didn't work

cel didn't flash

so um where is the ecu? I opened the passenger side kick panel and it is abs unit

[nametakennow]

Under the center console near accelerator.

[Fenvy]

I pulled the codep0325 - knock sensor 1 cirsuitp1400 - egr solenoid/valve

are these easy fixes?

also damn auto transmission slips in 1st gear from stop to go, I need to baby it to get it going.

[Fenvy]

for code p0325 - okay, under EM-7, I see that knock sensor be sitting against the firewall, between intake manifold and the block... doesn't look easy to change

as far as EGR goes... I am not sure it is EGRC-BPT valuve, EGR value, or EGR temp sensor...

[nametakennow]

I think the EGR thing refers to the valve on the back of the intake mani. Pull that assembly apart and clean it/check the valve.

[SpecVDan]

A can of Seafoam through the engine and changing all the fluids is a good idea too....

lol, seafoam is awesome when you use it. it looks horribly wrong. we smoked out the entire block at my friends house

[Fenvy]

bad news, due to neglect and leaking, there was barely any oil in the engine or the transmission case. (where is the fill hole for atf? I can't find it in FSM, both in AT and MA section, so I used the check oil hole to fill it up)

I changed the oil and ATF today, did seafoam in crank case and vacuum line. Distributor cap, rotor. I was going to do fuel filter but I want to run seafoam through the gas tank so I Can change the spark plug and fuel filter at the same time.

I didn't get the chance to check to see if the noise is from the AC compressor or the engine itself because I can't get the alternator off. I didn't want to get too dirty today. But since there was oil starvation (one point even the oil pressure warning light came on) so I don't think it looks good.

Where could and should the damage be? What should I do next? I ordered a leakdown tester online, shoudl I still bother with a compression test?

[nametakennow]

See how the leakdown goes, maybe you got lucky.