Free Ford Tempo Diesel and GMC Diesel Pick up

[vacationtime247]

Well, it's done....almost. Still need a few misc parts such as a new electric fan motor. Need to check it, seems the engine gets to warm and the fan doesn't turn at full speed. May be the relay, need to check. Drove it to work today and it seems decent enough. Had several of these, just another car to me. Seems a lot bigger than I remember. Guess that's partly due to jumping from the Escort / RX-7 to the Camaro.

Need to be rid of several of my cars, but which? Feel my OCD, bipolar disorder, manic depressive, hoarding, psychological malfunctions taking over. 9 cars. Can't decide which to keep. The Escort, it gets good mpg with my last 2 tanks at 36 mpg. It was given to me from my grandparents The RX-7? Only first gen convertible I've ever seen. The Supra, just have to much time and $ invested to sell. Only option is to finish it. The Pinto? Was given to me by my now deceased Grandmother. The Chevy truck is scrap metal, so that's 8. The diesel tempo? How could I ever part with it? 122ci of Diesel power with a 5 speed. The IROC? Don't need or even really want another hot rod. The F-350. Fits the whole family and every guy needs a truck. Also, diesel idi 5 speed, hard to find. The Alero is my wifes and I'm not even going to touch that subject. Which 5 should I keep? Anyway, here are some more pics. Total invested so far is @$1200.
VT247

[vacationtime247]

Here is a video of the IROC. It's ready to sell, dependable enough now.

The Tempo is in the garage. Took the starter off and tried to bench test it. It's junk. Won't spin over. Kind of stinks 'cause a new one is about $150. But, that's not the only problem I have.

List of things I need to get it going keeps getting longer. The back brakes need re-done. New lines (will do both sides), new brake shoes and hardware. Might as well replace the rear axle wheel bearing seals. Probably need new pistons on each side. But, when it's done, it should stop good then. Need new windshield wiper. Going to just fix the drivers side, take off the passenger and Rain Ex the windows. Going to need new exhaust. Tore out the headliner. Mice had made yet another nest. Have holes in the headliner from mice, nice. Even better is the smell. Makes me hungry for Taco Bell.
VT247

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WstXYcj44p8

[vacationtime247]

Got the truck all scrapped out. All the aluminum and sheet iron I'm taking to the scrap yard in the back of the Ford truck. Listed the body shell only, stripped to the bones, for $100 on Craigslist. Sold it 2 hours later. Now, just 1 non running car and that's the Tempo but it's in the garage. Going to order a starter tomorrow before work.
VT247

[Frank Lee]

Don't know about the diesel specifically, but on all my other Fords the only thing that's ever wrong on a "bad" starter is the brushes are shot. I've gotten new brushes locally for under $20 and the job is pretty simple. I think it's much better than a reman/new/junkyard starter replacement.

[vacationtime247]

Think the magnets inside are deteriorate. Took it all apart and turned it over manually with some pliers. Had magnet chunks falling out and lots of rust flake fall out with the case apart.
VT247

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Don't know about the diesel specifically, but on all my other Fords the only thing that's ever wrong on a "bad" starter is the brushes are shot. I've gotten new brushes locally for under $20 and the job is pretty simple. I think it's much better than a reman/new/junkyard starter replacement.

[vacationtime247]

Holy smokes, IT RUNS! Put on the new starter last night and got it running this morning. Puffed a little smoke out then ran clean.

Exhaust is shot, needs all new exhaust. Will go with a single straight pipe factory size all the way back. Have the muffler shop tuck it up as close to the body as possible for my future belly pans clearance.

Need to redo the whole rear brakes. Got new pistons, drum pads and hardware kit. Will have to cut a section of the brake line to find out what size it is. Will use couplings, custom bend a new line and connect where the old tube is still usable.
VT247

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW1KqVnxkuw

[vacationtime247]

Finally finished off the brakes. Now it can stop, which is always a good thing. Couldn't drive it until the brakes at least worked. Replaced the rear brake lines on both sides, the cylinders, shoes, hardware, calipers, pads, drivers side front brake line.

Got a new exhaust welded up at the local muffler shop. Single straight pipe all the way back.

Need to get the belts changed and new oil filter. Has dual filters on it, odd. Going to coroplast up some floor pans and great stuff foam the rust hole sites. Redneck I know, but whatever works. Dual purpose belly pan. Needs windshield wipers, they've biodegraded into nothing. Fix the shift support from the shifter to engine tube, rusted through at one spot. Coroplast fix the lower doors. Drill through and secure coroplast on the lower 1/2.

Still has a lot of 'needs' but at least it's drivable. Plan to title and register it on my next day off & the DMV is open. Here are some after pics. Took forever to scrub all the filth off the car. Inside is decent now too. Anyway here are some updated pics after the fixes.
VT247









Prime & Purge the fuel



Worst area of rust on the car, under the drivers feet. I'm going cheap with double coroplast shoved in. It's solid for the most part, has some areas with issue though.



Only has 114,000 miles on it. Title says 96,742 *odometer - actual.



Need to fix the brace for the shifter / engine brace. Still shifts good though.



Coroplast cover sections for the lower doors by drilling holes and screwing in.

[Christ]

Totally the correct way to do it.

[vacationtime247]

Pretty much exactly what I've done. The important structural areas are solid. Surface rust mostly. Driven it around town to get it repaired and to test it. Drives good....enough for me.

Wanted to do a before and after photo group, so here it is. From stuck in the mud up to the rims, leaves and nuts packed under the hood and rodent nests filling the inside to running, driving and clean.
VT247

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

If the Tempo doesn't have fatal structural rust, I'd just run it.

From this, just pulled from the field into my driveway.



To this, pressure washed, hand scrubbed, pressure washed again.



From this, nuts, leaves, hood insulation, sticks etc stuffed under the hood by a squirrel.



To this, hours of hand pulling all the junk under the hood out, pressurized air gun the engine then pressure washing clean.

[vacationtime247]

Tried to weld the engine to shifter brace back together but it broke. Have another solution for that. Drill holes through the shifter plate and up into the body in 2 locations. Secure with all thread, washers and bolts to each side to hold. Will try and get pics up of how I fixed it. Below is a previous pic of the area I'm refering to.

Replacing all the belts. The timing belt, serpentine belt and alternator belt. The timing belt also drives the water pump. Which should be a good thing. The serpentine belt drives goes from the engine pulley - A/C - Power steering, idler pulley, back to the engine pulley. The power steering has another short belt to the alternator. Would like to do comparisons with all the belts on vs no accessory belts and an extra battery.
VT247