Rust Bucket

[Player0]

Just spent 4 hours working on the wagon today. Its a 1987 Chevy Celebrity wagon. If you remember, the doors had been sticking. Well, the driver side door is frozen solid. I can't open it. But I did pull the passenger side door apart. I used about a can of WD40 and sprayed every single thing I could, and used a wirebrush to scrub the rust off where I could reach. After much fighting, pulling, cuts, dirt rust and spray, I got the entire door latching system freed up and oiled. It now opens and closes like a breeze.

Unfortunately, I think it will continue to rust, and will eventually seize shut again. I would have to replace the entire mechanism, and Im not even sure I could do that by myself. I would need to replace the doors on the wagon, and thats probably more expensive than the thing is worth.

So I was checking out the rest of the wagon, cause it's been sitting for about 8 months. I turned it on and stepped on the throttle, and the damn thing stuck down!! Wow...scary. I could barely pull it back up with my foot. Not safe. So. I used WD40 on the throttle where it connects to the engine, and i sprayed the pedeal hinge too. It's perfectly free now. However, my concern is it locking up again. There's the throttle cable. Is there anyway of lubricating the cable itself? Everything feels gooey and sticky. Is this safe, or does it need to be replaced/serviced? This will be my wifes car, and shes a very timid and inexperienced driver. If it ever sticks, im not confident she will keep her cool, not freak and shift it to neutral.

I also found that the muffler is in worse shape than I thought. I replaced the muffler on this car two years ago. Yet it's rusted and broken off again! Does that sound right? Two years on a muffler?? Im not sure if the guys used a recycled muffler or something. But now I need to get another one for the car.

The wagon has 170,000 miles on it. It's rusted as hell. It runs so rich, all you smell is exhaust. It's falling apart, and its a rolling tetnus shot (good thing I cut my foot up and had a tetnus already). It has basically all new breaks and tires. The engine still has good compression, and is quite powerful, except for injector problems. Probably needs 02 sensor work, a lot of things like that. It drinks gas (runs too rich, like I said). It's not worth a lot of money though. But I think it's safe, and has another 10,000 miles in it at least. These Chevys are hard to find.

How much to get the throttle taken care of? How much for a new muffler and some new brackets and piping?

Thanks!

[Synthohol]

wow, sounds like an adventure in anxiety land!
first off, it sounds more like the throttle plates stuck in the carb/throttle body than the cable. second white lube in a spraycan will lube the window parts for a good while.
third if short trips are all the car does, you can go through a muffler a year easily from condensation rotting the exhaust from the inside out.
i can call my buddy on mon or tues for exhaust prices, bt i imagine around 110-150 cat back.
if you have that much rust from sitting, be weary of the brake rotors and drums as they are very suceptible to rusting up and causing dangerous brakes.
i had a couple throttle scares in my time, at least you were in park!
i took a 427 tri-power corvette out once and the throttle stuck when the front tires hit the ground going into 3rd gear (car popped wheelies:):)) and the float stuck in one of the carbs and poured gas out the vent.
i shut the ignition quickly as i was doing around 75-80 on broad st. fixed the linkage and float and brian and i drove the car back to the station.

[Farabomb]

i took a 427 tri-power corvette out once and the throttle stuck when the front tires hit the ground going into 3rd gear (car popped wheelies) and the float stuck in one of the carbs and poured gas out the vent.

That was the yellow one right? That car was FUN :D

[Player0]

"first off, it sounds more like the throttle plates stuck in the carb/throttle body than the cable."

It's a fuel injected V6, if that makes any difference. They weren't stuck per say. Just sticky. The WD40 did work, but again, I worry about it sticking back up again.

"second white lube in a spraycan will lube the window parts for a good while."

What is White Lube, and are there any product names I should look out for?

"third if short trips are all the car does, you can go through a muffler a year easily from condensation rotting the exhaust from the inside out.
i can call my buddy on mon or tues for exhaust prices, bt i imagine around 110-150 cat back."

Yeah, the car did very short trips for about two years. I'm glad to know that's normal then. Under $150 sounds about right what I paid last time. I wonder if it's worth the money to repair?

"if you have that much rust from sitting, be weary of the brake rotors and drums as they are very suceptible to rusting up and causing dangerous brakes."

The break system is all quite new. It wasn't always sitting for the whole 8-9 months. It maybe got used once per month. It was mostly rusting before then too. However, the breaks seem more 'touchy' than normal. I was rolling on the driveway, and the slightest touch would lock the wheels. They seemed fine at higher speeds. Maybe im just used to the Hondas piss poor breaks. Better breaking too much than too little I guess.

"i had a couple throttle scares in my time, at least you were in park!"

Thats hilarious! (I think). What ever happened to that monster?

Oh...before I get the wagon back on the road, what else should I check? Any fluids I should be concerned with? Still wonder if I should have the throttle looked at?

[Synthohol]

Originally posted by Farabomb
That was the yellow one right? That car was FUN :D oh yeah!!!:)

player, any aerosol white lithium grease in a can will do just fine:)

ck all fluids and lights and blinkers and such.
most of all make sure the radio works!!

[Player0]

So WD40 sucks huh?

Can i use the lithium grease on the throttle?

[Synthohol]

wd not suck
throttle yes

[krucibus]

It's a fuel injected V6, if that makes any difference.

If it's fuel injected, that means no carb, so no throttle in the regular sense. Most fuel injected cars DO have an air-only throttle plate in a "throttle body" plumbed prior to the intake maniforld. To access this you disconnect the fresh-air intake duct, as opposed to removing the air filter cover on top of the carburetor.

Once you've freed up your throttle cable and sprayed it with lube, it is frequent use that keeps it smooth and free, so at the very least if you don't drive it too much you should at least start it once or twice a week and warm it to normal temps, then goose it a few times to "exercise" cables and linkages as well as internal moving parts (Springs, valves, oil and fuel pumps, etc.), as well as getting engine oil back on all internal moving parts, which seeps out and settles with lack of use.

Internal parts will still have some oil on them, and are not likely to rust anyway being isolated from external air inside the engine, but you'll have less problems if you do this frequently.

Running an unused car frequently also slows down deterioration, as seals and belts and hoses can dry up or set and develop leaks and other problems.

Basically, your problems with the car rusting should be addressed before they get worse. Removing the rust and lubricating are a good first step, but you should also work on stopping and preventing it. If it's paint and stuff and you're not real handy with it, find a good body shop, although you might find it enjoyable to buy some manuals, tools and supplies and learn how to do it yourself. This applies to mechanical, electrical, and interior work, too. There is nothing on a car that can't be fixed if you set your mind to it. I self-taught myself since I didn't have enough money to have others do my fixes when I was a teen, and since then I've never taken my cars to a mechanic.

Unfortunately, I think it will continue to rust, and will eventually seize shut again. I would have to replace the entire mechanism, and Im not even sure I could do that by myself. I would need to replace the doors on the wagon, and thats probably more expensive than the thing is worth.

If you continue to lube your vehicle, that's good maintenance, and you will NOT have to replace these things. If anything, you can usually replace the actual components that are corroded, or have them repaired, such as the door hinges or the latch. If they're not available at your local auto parts dealer, try a junkyard (Yes, you can get good parts in one, just match the model or body style for your make!), or a restoration parts supplier, such as Year One or The Paddock. These last two will send you a free catalog for your cars model and year, and they also have websites. Year One is also easy to contact by land-line if you prefer: 1-800-YEARONE.

Toss me some more stuff, and I'll see what I can do for you. The more specific you are, the more I can help.

:beetle: :mini: :cherokee:

BTW Water Displacement Formula #40 rocks!

[spldart]

If it hasn't already been done so I little hole punched in the muffler just above a seem center of the panel the exhaust tube affixes will allow excess water to drain out. I find many popular muffler shops will do this to prevent rusting of the muffler.

[spldart]

Motorcycle shops sell these cool devices that clamp on a cable end and allow an aeresol lubricant straw to affix to it. This allows you to drive spray grease right up through a cable to the other end. Light greases like lithium are good for this.

[Player0]

Hmm. Thanks for the tips guys :) I guess ill go buy some lithium stuff. The cable might just be as easy to replace. I should check out some prices.

Good info here tho :)

[Player0]

Hmm, seems like neither of the two stores I checked out sell the cable.

[krucibus]

Try this linky (http://www.autopartscorner.com/chevrolet-celebrity-1987.html)

Happy motoring:)

[krucibus]

Actually, this one (http://www.chevrolet-engine-parts.com/cele_002-1987-engineparts.html) might be better. I'm Googling, there's plenty of others.

here (http://www.chevy-autoparts.com/1-chevy-1987.htm)
here (http://www.replacementautoparts.com/cv_1987_cele--001_4.html)
here (http://www.chevypartx.com/engine_parts/cele_002-parts.html)

And many more.