Project10AE's 10AE#2 Rebuild...
 

So I wanted to start a build thread once I started actually building... (so far I have spent far more time repairing). What I have here is a 10AE (my 2nd) that was previously owned by a mechanically declined drifter apparently. The whole car screams 'HACK JOB' and therefore no repair is a simple repair.

The eventual goal is a tasteful rebuild that stays close to the cars roots while improving on areas that can be done so without detracting from its style or history.

For now, however, let's just get it running!

First issue to tackle... The car had a horrible alarm install done that was preventing the car from starting as it kept thinking it was being stolen. Remove that bucket full of garbage and let's keep moving along...

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Second issue is an idle that will not go below 1500rpms. Great for annoying EVERYONE around you, especially when the car came equipped with the standard 'muffler shop special' 4' exhaust



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Yes it's loud, yes it's heavy, yes it's rusted and has broken off the poorly welded hanger. Don't worry, it will be replaced by the Racing Beat exhaust I have for it soon enough.

Anyway, while chasing idle issues (vacuum leaks everywhere. Have to replace the turbo inlet pipe still due to a huge crack in it...) I discovered the cheapo radiator that was put in the car was rigged to work and was doing a poor job at that. I acquire a stock replacement to get it working and decide to change the water pump at the same time just for fun. Bad idea...

This brings us to the next issue. Two of the coolant line ports were so corroded and eaten by the coolant that they just broke off or disintegrated upon removal. Anybody see any issues with just drilling them out a bit and tapping them for a brass nipple to put the hose on instead?



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Pending my decision there, I'm going to start cleaning up the parts that are going back in since I'm kinda stuck until I fix that mess. Hopefully I will have some progress next week then! (Not that it matters because I discovered that the previous owner ran the OMP lines too close to the air pump belt and they were almost chewed through. Need to replace those now as well before I get the car moving).

"Anybody see any issues with just drilling them out a bit and tapping them for a brass nipple to put the hose on instead?". No issue there. Easy fix to tap aluminum and put in new brass.

your idle is likely the thermowax vavle passageway being blocked. i had an identical issue.

it would only come down from "cold idle" after the engine bay got warm enought ot affect the thermowax valve.

It's entirely possible. I'll check it out once I get my turbo inlet fixed. The huge crack in that isn't helping haha. It was odd though. I would start the car and drive it for 30mins and the whole time the idle would suck. Then if I started it up again it would run PERFECTLY the next time... With the amount of crud I found in the coolant system its perfectly reasonable to expect everything else is clogged up as well.

how long were you letting it sit before starting it again? that is EXACTLY what my car was doing. but id wait like 20- mins. i d run to the store, shop and come back and it would idle just fine.

someone suggested just taking a blow gun to the coolant passage hose that goes to the left/rear of the bac. while i think that would work, all the blow guns i have are equipped with a "safety" that vents to atmosphere under like 2psi, so it didnt work. I also had to use a tiny screwdriver to open up the passageway.

lastly, that gasket isnt made anymore. i cut mine out of gasket paper. not hard. for the holes i used a drill bit to make sure they were round

Yea that sounds like mine.

I have a blow gun without the safety so I will try that and see what happens.

Thanks!