I am a self-taught mechanic with a good selection of tools and little serious knowlege. I know some things well, but am ignorant of others. I just bought a '91 LX convert with 5.0 and 5-spd manual--kinda neat car with original paint, original (shabby) interior, healthy sounding motor, good transmission and an attractive price. The most pressing problem appears to be the clutch cable/linkage, and I read all about it and am convinced I can deal with that in the near future, but my problems just got a little worse last evening just before dark.
I had detailed under the hood, fixed an exhaust hanger, fixed a couple of interior trim fittings, I just go over it to find out if its safe to drive. So I fired her up, after a brief warm-up I backed out of my driveway and the ignition just went off with no clue why. I'd crank it and it would lite up for a split second and then go off again. After doing this ten times or so I found that if I held the key on manually and kept it from going to the "ON" position, it would run, so I drove it back into the carport like that and called it a night.
Today I got out my tools and began diggin into the steering column looking for the cause of my troubles, and after removing every bolt and screw in sight I now have everything loose and rattley, but it is still not disassembled, now there are other problems. There is an electrical device, white plastic, behind (forward of) the ign switch, attatched to the large aluminum part and it has come adrift, and I don't see how it comes apart, its come loose but I need to get it out to re-fasten it, so it would seem. I see another white plastic piece with copper 'rocker switches' lying inside the plastic dash panel under the gages. They apparently fell out of the plastic box I'm referring to??
I tried to remove that lower dash panel, it had three screws at the bottom edge--I removed them, now the panel is sorta loose but will not come off. I hate to force it too much because it's obviously fragile. How do you remove this panel?
It gets worse: I found online the method of removing the ignition switch, I got it out without drama, but the wire secured with a small plastic fitting is broken, the little tab was perhaps broken before I got it out. I wonder if I can superglue the small tab on the ignition switch, or must I buy another switch? Is it important to fix this little plastic part?
There are many crimp-on connectors from a previous "mechanic"--the wires to the cruise control are crimp connected,--there are others.
I forgot to mention, as I began today I started by disconnecting the neg. terminal on the batt, and find both cables are loose, put together with clamp-on terminals, they just look bad altogether--I am going to NAPA tomorrow for a pair of new batt cables, and that should get me over one more hurdle.
So I am tired today and got no gratification. My steering column is in pieces and I can't go much further without removing the plastic panel under the steering column.
Is there a place to get info on this area of the car online or should I buy a Haines book or some other (Chilton)? Often they just say "Remove steering column and related fittings" without telling exactly HOW to accomplish that. Am I just in over my head?
I admit I don't really know what I'm doing, but I usually win in the end and from then on I can fix it like a pro. The first time through is always a bit(ch). Any suggestions you may have would be welcome.
I had detailed under the hood, fixed an exhaust hanger, fixed a couple of interior trim fittings, I just go over it to find out if its safe to drive. So I fired her up, after a brief warm-up I backed out of my driveway and the ignition just went off with no clue why. I'd crank it and it would lite up for a split second and then go off again. After doing this ten times or so I found that if I held the key on manually and kept it from going to the "ON" position, it would run, so I drove it back into the carport like that and called it a night.
Today I got out my tools and began diggin into the steering column looking for the cause of my troubles, and after removing every bolt and screw in sight I now have everything loose and rattley, but it is still not disassembled, now there are other problems. There is an electrical device, white plastic, behind (forward of) the ign switch, attatched to the large aluminum part and it has come adrift, and I don't see how it comes apart, its come loose but I need to get it out to re-fasten it, so it would seem. I see another white plastic piece with copper 'rocker switches' lying inside the plastic dash panel under the gages. They apparently fell out of the plastic box I'm referring to??
I tried to remove that lower dash panel, it had three screws at the bottom edge--I removed them, now the panel is sorta loose but will not come off. I hate to force it too much because it's obviously fragile. How do you remove this panel?
It gets worse: I found online the method of removing the ignition switch, I got it out without drama, but the wire secured with a small plastic fitting is broken, the little tab was perhaps broken before I got it out. I wonder if I can superglue the small tab on the ignition switch, or must I buy another switch? Is it important to fix this little plastic part?
There are many crimp-on connectors from a previous "mechanic"--the wires to the cruise control are crimp connected,--there are others.
I forgot to mention, as I began today I started by disconnecting the neg. terminal on the batt, and find both cables are loose, put together with clamp-on terminals, they just look bad altogether--I am going to NAPA tomorrow for a pair of new batt cables, and that should get me over one more hurdle.
So I am tired today and got no gratification. My steering column is in pieces and I can't go much further without removing the plastic panel under the steering column.
Is there a place to get info on this area of the car online or should I buy a Haines book or some other (Chilton)? Often they just say "Remove steering column and related fittings" without telling exactly HOW to accomplish that. Am I just in over my head?
I admit I don't really know what I'm doing, but I usually win in the end and from then on I can fix it like a pro. The first time through is always a bit(ch). Any suggestions you may have would be welcome.