Hey everyone, so my 92 white MX-6 LX doesn't run, but I know how to get it in driving condition again. The question I'm asking: is it worth it to fix it or just scrap/sell it?
This one's a doozy.
So here's the background of the vehicle. Engine head cracked and headgasket cracked. Took one from a 91 NA Probe and a new gasket. It ran fine. I already had another vehicle so I only drove it around the neighborhood block once every other week after replacing the head. Awhile after the swap, car starts jerking, and then wouldn't start again. I tested the engine and it was fine, so it was probably the fuel system. But since I had another car, and off to school, the MX-6 sat there.
That was 5 years ago.
Now, the tires are cracked and the exhaust pipes past the catalytic converter are cracked everywhere. I took out the fuel pump last week and washed it - it now works again. Doing so, I noticed that the fuel tank has a lot of rust in it from sitting for a long time - it had 3/4 tank before it died but the bottom area has a lot of rust too, from what I can see from the fuel pump hole. I can't get the fuel tank off to clean it without taking off the exhaust/muffler system - it's a cheap aftermarket pipe and not OEM. I tried to twist open the bolt holding it to the cat converter, but one of the hex washers won't bulge and the wrench stripped it round. I don't know how to proceed after that happened.
Here are my options, which one should I go with? The most important thing for me right now is to be as cost effective as possible. The economy sucks, I lost my job, and I plan to go to graduate school but it'll leave me $50K in debt per year.
- Forget fixing anything else, leave the fuel tank and exhaust. If it starts, drive it to a junkyard. (I know, ouch, it was my first car). I can probably get about $200-$300 for it to be scrapped, if I'm lucky. Or should I part it out? It's an automatic transmission car, blue interior.
- Fix it properly, order a new exhaust system or take one from a junkyard, clean out the fuel tank, replace the tires, then sell it for about $700. How much would a complete exhaust minus the catalytic converter cost? Also, what can I do with regards to the stripped washer in order to take out the rusted/damaged exhaust currently on it?
What's the most cost effective option? Is there something else I have not thought of?
Please let me know your thoughts on this, and I'd appreciate any tips that can help me take the fuel tank and exhaust off.
Cut the stripped bolt off with a hack saw blade or a grinder and buy find an new nut/bolt.
It's probably not worth much to part out, if you do scrap it (which would suck call around and see if you can sell the stock cat to a metal recyclers they pay +- 200$ each for mx6/626 cats here.
Just take a rag and soak up all the gas (wear gloves) pour a bit of clean gas through the filler neck and use it and a clean rag to get the rest of the rust, put in medium grade fuel and get the car running, after one tank burns off change the fuel filter.
shop around online for the tail pipe resonator and muffler (try rock auto first), get the gaskets and put it on yourself (it goes on easier then the old one comes off).
You might not have money but you still have internet and time so use that to save some money, (always got to the checkout when comparing prices, factor in shipping).
Have you pulled the engine codes?
If not run a search for that.
It will take around $200-250 to get the exhaust/tailpipe parts, $180 from the local junkyard. Haven't pulled codes yet but there will probably be a few sensors tossing out errors left and right.
I think for the immediate future, I'll try to fix it up. Since I don't know too much about cars, it'll be a good and cheap learning experience.. Besides, I don't think the scrap value will change much even if I somehow do more damage than good. Plus, I haven't seen a 1st gen MX-6 on the road in many years, and in the bigger picture, just a few hundred bucks to sell it when compared to $50K debt/yr for school, it just doesn't seem significant.
Wow, $200 is a lot for a stock catalytic converter. I called a few scrap yards here in Charlotte, NC; the most I was offered was $60, and $280 for the entire car by going on it's curb weight.
Wow, $200 is a lot for a stock catalytic converter. I called a few scrap yards here in Charlotte, NC; the most I was offered was $60, and $280 for the entire car by going on it's curb weight.
Quote from wiki:
"The catalyst itself is most often a precious metal. Platinum is the most active catalyst and is widely used, but is not suitable for all applications because of unwanted additional reactions[vague] and high cost. Palladium and rhodium are two other precious metals used. Rhodium is used as a reduction catalyst, palladium is used as an oxidation catalysts, and platinum is used both for reduction and oxidation. Cerium, iron, manganese and nickel are also used, although each has its own limitations. Nickel is not legal for use in the European Union (because of its reaction with carbon monoxide). Copper can be used everywhere except North America,[clarification needed] where its use is illegal because of the formation of dioxin."
Platinum has a higher value then gold, palladium is almost 20 times more valuable then silver.
Well of course the scrap yard is gona screw you on the cat and sell it to a metal recycler, just like the local guy who buy's the used cats from garages (he travels from shop to shop buying cats and when he gets enough he drive to the metal recycling facility offering the most money).
Look for a local metal recycling place that buys them.
Depending on the market it is sometimes better to sell a car for metal weight to a recycler then take it to a scrap yard.
At my shop we parted many F2/F2T and have sold 30+ catalytic converters, the guy buying them shop to shop offered 120$ (I though, if he is willing to pay 120$ here at my shop they must be worth more) "No", 160$ he said, "NO" 180$ he said, "Not for sale". When I got home I ran a search to find out where this guy was selling his, I got 220$ each for the 10 I had at the time.
This guy tried to make 1000$-400$ off me, he is a parasite, a useless middle man making his money from the lack of knowledge of others. And the people selling him the cats are they stupid, don't they wonder why someone would carry and offer so much money for cats. One of the other garage owners came to brag about the 600$ he got from the guy for 12 various model cats he had in his shop, he was pretty pissed a few days latter when I showed him 2200$ for the 10 I sold to the metal bakers.
Now all the shops sell the cats to the Metal recycler them selves.
I hope you guys don't mind if I turn this thread into a progress report/log for the car that I'm working on.
Now, as I said above, I don't know much about cars. I managed to get the washer unscrewed from the mid-pipe to the catalytic converter after a bit of hammering and muscle-tearing. The pre silencer - I think that's what it's called, according to the pdf repair manual in this forum - is cracked at the joint with the pipe to the cat due to rust, and the previous weld didn't hold. Can I *try* to weld a replacement pipe to it, or is it better to buy a new/newer one with the pipe already attached?
Also, when I pulled on the pipe, the catalytic converter dropped to the floor on one end... some black powder spewed out - please please tell me that it's just carbon gunk rather than expensive platinum and that I didn't break the catalytic converter. From what I've read and searched on the internet, the platinum and other rare elements coat the honeycombs in the cat. So, the catalytic converter should be fine as long as the honeycombs are intact and not clogged. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Things to do next: 1 - take the rest of the exhaust off, now that I know one end is removable. I know the repair manual said to take it off from the tail end and go forward, but I want to take the whole thing off rather than bit-by-bit; and plus I needed to know that it was still possible to take the pipe off from the cat converter because of the rust. It'll be impossible to take this exhaust off bit by bit because all of the washer screws are rusted shut. 2 - take off the fuel tank for a cleaning. 3. - reassemble/replace parts as needed. 4 - it's alive again.
After taking out the rusted/nonfunctional fuel pump; soaked it in gasoline for a week. Still nothing. Opened up the fuel pump to dump out debris, and resealed it to the best of my ability. Hooked up to a 12V power source, and it seems to work again.
October 20, 2011 - Went to junkyard, torn off the fuel injection system and cylinder head (Mazda one cracked along with head gasket - white smoke with coolant) off of a 91 Probe. Installed the next day. It was the reason that it wasn't driven for the past 8 years. Finally fixed it. $120
December 17, 2011 - Went back to junkyard to take off the tailpipe off of a 89 Probe. Just the part from the mid section to the main/rear muffler. Spent $9. Ordered the midsection from AdvanceAuto ($76 - $25 coupon + tax + shipping = $61). Manufactured by Bosal.
December 30, 2011 - all tailpipe sections installed. Car cranks but still no ignition. Took out fuel injectors, soaked in gasoline for 2 days. Installed, after may attempts, the car finally started.
It runs!
Jan 7, 2012 - changed the automatic transmission pan gasket, filter, and oil. It was a royal pain in the ass. Car starts, but it takes some effort and attempts. Probably bad spark plugs or clogged fuel injectors.
Jan 14, 2012 - Decided to drive it around the neighborhood for the car to get things flowing again. CV joints still needs to be replaced. Brakes squeal, but nothing too serious.
Later Jan 14, 2012 - Neighborhood power went out. Decided to let the car drive for a bit. Turned the key, Boom. smoke started rushing out from under the hood. Engine bay caught on fire. Had the fire under control after 2 minutes - the house water hose was frozen solid.
The plastic oil reservoir under the intake/throttle exploded and ignited - sending a mixture of motor oil, gasoline, and fire all over the engine bay. Still assessing damage, but the plastic pan split in two - I might just get rid of the entire thing and block off the junction in the intake duct. A few melted wires will need to be replaced, especially the ones connecting to the fuel injector cables.
Close call, glad I wasn't on the road when it happened.
Final, and hopefully last, update - replaced 2 wires, and re-wrapped them in electrical tape; resealed the reservoir box thing and now the car starts up again. I think that should cover it to get it road-legal. Just need to flush the coolant and get a newer set of tires, but it should pass inspection as-is right now.
I think it's good to go. I'm only looking to get maybe 3 more years out of this car. Anything more than that will just be bonus. At the very least, even when it dies, it'll be worth around $400 in scrap if it's too expensive to buy parts.
there is no oil reservoir on a f2. are you talking about the intake baffle?
It's that box thingy with a tube connecting to the middle of the intake duct.. Not sure what it's called. It's located right between & below the duct connecting the air filter to the throttle.
yea. thats just a intake baffle. that should be dry. no oil or anything should be in there. sounds like you have alot of blow by. might want to check your PCV valve while your messing around with the engine.
dude i live in charlotte. i haven't seen a 626 or mx6 of my body style since i moved here. what area do you live in? i wanna check out your car some. i have a 91 626 lx by the way.
Took the spoiler off today; it needs to be repainted.
And the 'intake baffle' or dynamic chamber - at least it's what the repair manual refers it as - exploded open again. No fire this time, just some smoke... which means there was probably a small fire that burned itself out.
Have no idea what's wrong. It's not the PCV valve - it functions fine and still really clean. The intake duct is a little moist but it also doesn't seem to be coming from the breather tube connected to the valve cover. It seems to be leaking from the throttle body. Could a leaky fuel injector cause this? It seems (but i'm not sure) to be a mixture of motor oil and gasoline that pools at the opening of the throttle body. Or could it be a vacuum leak somewhere? possibly from the fuel pressure regulator?
It's not drivable until that's fixed.. as I don't want to drive a vehicle that could catch on fire at any time.
In other news:
2 CV joint axles are coming in this week. $130 upfront - $55 core charge. I just hope I have the proper tools to change it. At any rate, it'll be a pain.
I live about 1 mile away from the SC Lancaster border. So, deep south Charlotte. If everything goes according to plan, I'll be taking this car to DC for grad school at $50K/year later this summer. Not worth it, but it's not very easy finding a job right now for someone without a lot of work experience. So.. yeah, I'm pretty cheap right now, and watching the cost for parts piling up to fix this vehicle is very... not fun.
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