How to clean my Cutlass.

[55trucker]

I worked on cleaning up the engine bay today.  Vacuumed all the dirt and leaves in the areas that I could reach and then wiped everything down.  Replaced both grills with some nice junk yard ones and the passenger headlight bezel.  Vacuumed the interior and cleaned up the trunk area.  Also cleaned the trunk lid and trunk jambs.

 

 

 

I'm going to clean up the battery tray area and then paint it to help the surface rust from getting worse.

 

 

 

Cleaned up both strut towers and along the wiper area.  A lot of leaves and dirt in this area.

 

 

Not sure what/where these lines go to.  Any suggestions?  Sits behind the intake next to the firewall.

 

 

I don't imagine that the engine is running very well, that open hose is supposed to go to the tubing that is plumbed into the intake snorkel. It begins at the port on the forward carrier cover, snakes back around to the rear of the intake plenum, goes into a molded fitting & then to the tube plugged into the snorkel. It's all part of the PCV system. I see that the sticker is still on the rad header, you'll see the route that all concerned follows. Unfortunately the molded tubing is missing from the forward carrier cover.

 

[jiggity76]

I don't imagine that the engine is running very well, that open hose is supposed to go to the tubing that is plumbed into the intake snorkel. It begins at the port on the forward carrier cover, snakes back around to the rear of the intake plenum, goes into a molded fitting & then to the tube plugged into the snorkel. It's all part of the PCV system. I see that the sticker is still on the rad header, you'll see the route that all concerned follows. Unfortunately the molded tubing is missing from the forward carrier cover.

 

You read my mind!  I was just out there looking at the sticker and it's the emission tubing.  Thank you!  Can you maybe give me a close up of this area on the pic you posted? 

 

The car is not running at all right now, just trying to clean it up until I can get to problem solving.  I'm working on my 87 GMC 4x4 really hard right now trying to get it together.  I have the filter box and other pieces on my shelf right now along with the stuff on the driver's strut tower because I'm going to replace the hood cable and latch.  The car is missing some of the tubing due to the original owners nephew trying to do whatever to it and he kinda made it worse.  I'm hoping to rely on you guys who are knowledgeable about these LQ1's to figure out where everything goes.  The car does crank over strong but no fire.  Not getting fuel or fire or something.  Just wanted to get her cleaned up before I get down and dirty!  Working on installing the DIS and some HUD stuff tomorrow. 

 

I might go to the junk yard where that teal 94 Cutlass vert is and steal anything related to this topic off of it.  I also need a dipstick and looking into the fstb for a member.  It's got the LQ1 motor so will the 94 model year plumbing work the same as my 91?

 

Is that your car in the pic?  It's gorgeous!

[Nas Escobar]

It's got the LQ1 motor so will the 94 model year plumbing work the same as my 91?

 

Nope. Been there, done that. 91-93 vac lines interchange, 94 and 95 have different ones to accommodate the swap from MAP to MAF and were rerouted. 96 and 97 is a complete different beast.

[jiggity76]

Nope. Been there, done that. 91-93 vac lines interchange, 94 and 95 have different ones to accommodate the swap from MAP to MAF and were rerouted. 96 and 97 is a complete different beast.

Thanks Nas!  Now I know to look for years 91-93.

 

What about the dipstick?  The end of mine is busted.  Tried to use the one from the 3.1 but it's quite a bit different.  Will a 94 LQ1 work?

[55trucker]

 

 

What about the dipstick?  The end of mine is busted.  Tried to use the one from the 3.1 but it's quite a bit different.  Will a 94 LQ1 work?

You'll need a DOHC dipstick, the 91-95 make use of a *T* handle, the 96-97 make use of a *pull-ring*

[Imp558]

If that tube just goes into the air box it shouldn't be a vacuum signal or anything, just a fresh air vent. I'd probably use a coffee filter and rubber band to put something filter-like on it until you can source the proper parts just to keep dust and debris out. And a hunk of something or another in its hole in the airbox for the same reason.

[jiggity76]

If that tube just goes into the air box it shouldn't be a vacuum signal or anything, just a fresh air vent. I'd probably use a coffee filter and rubber band to put something filter-like on it until you can source the proper parts just to keep dust and debris out. And a hunk of something or another in its hole in the airbox for the same reason.

I need to take better pics of things but thank you guys.  I am going to let it go for now as the car doesn't run yet and I want to get other projects done.

[jiggity76]

You'll need a DOHC dipstick, the 91-95 make use of a *T* handle, the 96-97 make use of a *pull-ring*

I found one this morning and it's the correct T yellow handled one.  Came off of a 93 Lumina Z34.  Thank you for the response.

[Nas Escobar]

I need to take better pics of things but thank you guys.  I am going to let it go for now as the car doesn't run yet and I want to get other projects done.

 

What's causing it not to run?

[jiggity76]

What's causing it not to run?

Not sure yet, haven't really started to diagnose it yet.  My money is going towards my 87 GMC project and my new 2017 Super Duty payment so can't really throw a lot of money at her right now.  Cranks over strong just not getting fuel or fire.  Kinda like how my 89 International parts car is.

[Imp558]

It would still be a good idea to put tape or something over open stuff like that to keep bugs and dust out. If it hasn't run in a long time you may have varnish in the injectors. More likely a ground or something else silly.

[jiggity76]

It would still be a good idea to put tape or something over open stuff like that to keep bugs and dust out. If it hasn't run in a long time you may have varnish in the injectors. More likely a ground or something else silly.

Good idea.  Tomorrow I'll put the air filter box back on to keep stuff out of the intake.  I'll put some tape over the end of that tube.  By the way, I got my plumbing mixed up and the tube coming out of the front cylinder head cover is the one I need.  If you told me that already, I apologize.  Feel like a dummy.  I'll have to wait til I get some more cash and then I'll pull one off of the 93 Lumina Z34 at the yard.

[jiggity76]

I found the other end of that emissions tube, it was down deep up against the firewall.  Connected it together and good to go.  Thanks again for everyone's help. 

 

I took out the trunk mat since it wasn't original and found a nice one.  Also put back the spare tire and jack hardware like it should be.  It was all jumbled and pieces in the wrong areas.  Cleaned it up and looks really good and original now.  Still working on the DIS wiring harness but car is coming along - at least getting all the odds and ends fixed.  Going to pull the luggage rack off of the 89 parts car since it's damn near perfect where as the 91 car is loose and beaten up.

[jiggity76]

Everything under the hood is organized and cleaned up.  Got the air box, battery, and windshield washer bottle back in.  Also replaced the vacuum tube that goes from the front valve cover around to the back of the motor and into the intake fixed.  Thanks to everyone who posted and helped me out with this project!

 

 

There is just one thing I don't know where it goes.  Anyone have any ideas?  I could look on my parts car but wanted to see if anyone here knew where this connector plugs into.  It comes from the fuel pump relay/positive battery cable area.

 

 

Since the battery is charged up I played around with some of the electronics.  Here are the things that work.

 

All exterior and interior lights.

Both front windows and outside mirrors.

Moon roof works great, holy crap!  (wasn't expecting it to work at all).

Power trunk release.

High beams and turn signals.

 

Things that don't work

 

Digital dash, worried about this one.  Check engine and battery charge dummy lights come on but nothing else.  Anyone have any ideas?  Bad cluster?

Power locks.

Not sure of the ECC since it's unhooked right now as well as the radio.  HUD is also unhooked since I'm going to continue to work on the DIS upgrade.

Radio/CD as it's unplugged too for the DIS upgrade and not sure of the power antennae.

 

I might switch out the cluster with a couple of spare ones and see if it comes on.  If they don't and I know the spare ones work, what else could be going on with the digital dash?  I haven't checked any of under hood or under dash fuses yet.

 

Also looking for the correct black T handle shaped engine oil dipstick too.

[Imp558]

We just went through that a couple months ago with someone else. That's the "Fuel Pump Prime" wire. If you power it you will hear the pump turn on. You don't need it.

[jiggity76]

We just went through that a couple months ago with someone else. That's the "Fuel Pump Prime" wire. If you power it you will hear the pump turn on. You don't need it.

Ok, so it's just a dummy wire then?  I'll just put it off to the side and maybe zip tie it to the other wire bundle.  Thank you.

[Imp558]

no it was intended as a means to test the fuel pump. but the fuel pump relay also has a place where you can power it and at the same time test the power to the relay so nobody actually uses the fuel pump prime wire

[jiggity76]

no it was intended as a means to test the fuel pump. but the fuel pump relay also has a place where you can power it and at the same time test the power to the relay so nobody actually uses the fuel pump prime wire

Cool, I didn't know that they built that into the cars.  Like I said, I'll just zip tie it out of the way.  Do you have any ideas on the cluster?  Should I just change it out with the spare that I have and see if it works?  Can these clusters be rebuilt?  What about a bad fuse?

 

I have a buddy coming over this Saturday to help me with the DIS by the way.  I'll let everyone know how it goes.  I printed off all the info for the DIS upgrade to help us out.

[Imp558]

Saar is our local digi-dash guru.

[jiggity76]

Saar is our local digi-dash guru.

Ok, I might give him a shout.

[Psych0matt]

Thanks! I still watch your YouTube video every once in awhile. Did you add the DIS to yours or was that factory. Manic said that DIS was extremely rare for 91's. I like that your speedo shows up on the cluster since HUD cars were not suppose to do that. How hard was it to do that? Want to maybe do that to mine.

the dis, hud, and ub3 cluster were all added by me, and they were all pretty easy.

[jiggity76]

the dis, hud, and ub3 cluster were all added by me, and they were all pretty easy.

When the time comes, I would like to pick your brain if you don't mind.  Everyone says it's strange that my car is not pre wired for the DIS even though it's a factory HUD and UB3 cluster car.

[Psych0matt]

Iirc all I had to do was wire up two wires for power and a single splice into the aldl port

[jiggity76]

Iirc all I had to do was wire up two wires for power and a single splice into the aldl port

Thanks!  Good lord I love your GTP coupe!

[Imp558]

Thanks! Good lord I love your GTP coupe!

Always been my favorite on the forum