So i went to look at an 88 vert the other day and it had a few problems.

The driveshaft is junk, its got an ear broken off where one side of the rear u joint sits in, im assuming this happened from push starting it, since the starter is also out on the car.

so i need a driveshaft, and a starter.

The clutch master cylinder is also bad, it squirts fluid inside the car when you depress it.

I honestly didnt look at the car very hard, im going to go over it a little more throughly before i commit to buying.

So what im wanting to know is what else should i look at before buying this car, where can i get a driveshaft, other than mazda (unless i dont have a choice) and since the master cylinder is out, is there a better aftermarket replacement? maybe adjustable?

Im assuming the work needed shouldnt be very bad, im a pretty capable mechanic, ive got a lift and every tool i could need, ive just never really worked on an fc.

Thanks for any help, Mark

 

www.mazdatrix.com

When you have more posts (10), you may use the classifieds section to pick up used parts as well.

 

I'm super paranoid about not being able to hear this car run, and the guy is pretty sketchy.

is there anything i can do to make sure its not giant paperweight?

 

It sounds like a piece of **** honestly.

 

its an 88 vert, with 70k miles, its clean as a pin other than the problems listed and he wants 1k for it

 

Ah gotcha, it's worth it to me to pick up something with a clean shell as mechanical stuff is easy for me. A used driveshaft and starter will be easy to acquire. Is is possible to push start it? You can drive around a parking lot without the clutch. It'll at least allow you to see that it runs/accelerates smoothly through the rpm range. Clutch master is easy to rebuild/replace too.

 

Driveshafts and starters are plentiful and cheap in the used section. Go with a new master cylinder and slave at the same time. You'd probably be looking at $150 in parts to get you going.

As for the car, if the seller isn't willing to fix the car, it isn't worth much to him. Lowball him and don't be afraid to walk away. 1k is too much for a car with a blown engine. At the very least, do a compresssion check. http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/2n...ion_check.html

 

i havent really looked under the hood hard at it, could i put a starter in it with basic hand tools sitting on the ground?

Push starting it is what destroyed the driveshaft in my opinion. he said the starter went out, then he started bump starting it, then the driveshaft broke. just a guess though. so i cant bump it because of the mangled driveshaft

The guy seems like an idiot. he wants to sell it to pay off his "fines"......

ive always been paranoid about buying rotarys off of people that dont understand what they are.

 

Eh, push start it anyways. If it works consider picking it up, if not, be ready to walk. Yes you can install the starter in a parking lot with basic tools and maybe a jack. What are you going to do, ruin the driveshaft further?

 

Buy a starter from Autozone/Kragen/NAPA/etc..., jack the car up, and bolt it in. If you end up not buying the car, you can always return the starter to the store. Or better yet, make the seller do it.

I would not buy the car without getting the engine running. A blown engine will typically have a rough idle, and be hard to start. If you use a gauge to test per the link above, beware that some of that info is incorrect. You must remove the schraeder valve from the gauge, and you should expect to see ~100 psi per pulse.

 

I'd try push starting the car and then just rev it in neutral. Or install the starter. It's a pretty easy job. If the engine runs and rev's easy, it could be worth 1k. If you can get it warm and get good compresion numbers, it'll give you some indication of how much life the engine has left in it.