1995 Beretta Base Resto

[95BerettaBase]

Well, this has been 10 years in the making. I've wanted to fix the body and any other problems with my car since the day I bought it. This is going to be a slow and tedious process because I work 6 days a week. I will be asking for a lot of help because I will have a lot of questions.

I know how to do body work because I've restored a Corvette and constantly paint parts for friend's vehicles. What I will be asking for help on is the engine. I've never taken an engine out of a car before. My brother is very mechanically inclined so he will be a big help. Please have patience and bear with me.

I plan on going through the engine and replace what needs to be replaced. Its pretty much just a general look over to ensure everything is in good working order and I have no leaks. The body has several areas of rust, most noticeably the door jams. The rear fenders aren't too bad, but will require some time.

Last, but not least, new tires/wheels, bushings, struts, shocks, springs, Addco sway bar, and anything else I can get my hands on. I hope this goes smoothly........

[2.2H8TA]

Thats pretty much what I need to do to mine, it's been sitting sense 09', and hasn't been ran sense Oct 2010, but i got a 4cyl. Good luck man, hope it works out for ya'! I'll be goin' over mine this summer also.

[jackattack193]

I know the feeling, my resto has been going on for 1 year now almost to the date - about 3 more weeks to go for me! Be persistant and keep checking this site out - believe me, it'll keep you motivated! Good Luck with it!

[woody90gtz]

Get her done! (The drivetrain work is the fun stuff when compared to body work.) haha

[95BerettaBase]

Go figure the first day I decide to take her out on the road to go get some gas and I already have a problem. I fired her up and let it warm up for several minutes. I pull out onto the road and go about a mile before the temperature gauge shoots right up to the red, then it goes back down to a quarter, then slowly goes back up. I said f**k it and went and grabbed the truck. Gas shot up to $4.19 before I even had a chance to fill up.

So what could be the prognosis? Temp. sending unit, stuck thermostat, etc?

[DTMAce]

Check your coolant level, may have air in the system from sitting. Mine has done that before. lol

Top her off, let it run and warm up, but if it keeps fluctuating like that, really hot then cool off a lot, then the t-stat may be junk.

[95BerettaBase]

About the coolant level.........

Years ago a mechanic broke the fitting at the top right side of the radiator where line runs in from the coolant tank. I can pour coolant into the tank, but it will never fill. Its just a small leak from the fitting so I'm thinking the coolant has to be going somewhere. I just can't figure where. There is never coolant on the ground or in the oil. LIMG was replaced 60,000 ago. I never can smell burnt coolant when I'm standing by the car. It kind of baffles me.

I thought maybe the system might need to be bled, but if I have a small leak in the fitting, then the system will lose some pressure so bleeding it would be pointless.

[95BerettaBase]

Well, I think we found the problem. My oil looks like chocolate milk. The LIMG was replaced about 60,000 miles ago with Felpro gaskets. I really thought it would have held up longer than that.

Its either that or the head. When the intake was replaced the head wasn't.

[Wanako]

it may be your head gaskets then. Felpros last a long time, but since you're going to be deep in there, I would just do all of them at once.

[woody90gtz]

Did you use the metal Fel-Pro gaskets? They are the ones to get. I'm sure of the PN for a 3100, but I know they make them. Or you could 3400swap it...

[DTMAce]

Yep, sounds like LIMG or head gaskets....

Time to think about whether you want to change them and trust you haven't killed your bearings, or just go with a 3400 swap. It will be the simplest, and you will have gains with it. I'm already looking for my 3400.

[3X00-Modified]

Seeing it was done 60k ago, I'm assuming he used the plastic Felpro ones... Just judging that by how many years to do the miles and knowing how long its been sitting.

The felpro plastic gaskets are no better than stock if you over torque the valley bolts, they will still crack and then the DexCool is known to eat away at plastic, so thats another downer.... Thats why the best thing is the Metal ones, Or newer Factory GM ones that have the metal slugs to prevent over torque, and switching to a less destructive coolant. I suggest something thats phosphate-free and silicate-free. I use Peak Global Lifetime coolant in all of my cars.

I always say too, 9 times out of 10, unless you blew the FUK out of the headgasket, chocolate milk color points to LIMG... Most head gasket leaks will be a slight spray or leak into a cylinder, so you will get coolant into the combustion area, and not so much directly in the oil, you'd have to almost hydro lock a cylinder to get it to leak past the rings and contaminate the oil that bad.

[KFLO 93 GT]

Sounds like... 3400 swap?

[95BerettaBase]

Well I ran it for a total of 10 minutes down the road on a fresh oil change. When I got back I drained my old oil that was in the pan into a container and that is when it was noticed. I haven't been running the motor. I parked it and haven't fired it since then.

As for the 3400 swap......I don't think it will happen. I've always told myself that I will get 300,000 out of the stock motor. I'll probably just end up dropping a new 3100 in her. I just want to have a nice cruiser than looks good. It would be nice having the extra power, but I have NO mechanical expertise and don't know anyone willing to deal with the swap.

Jon, I did use the plastic gaskets I think? I could have swore when I bought them they were metal though.

Sorry there are no pictures in this thread right now. As stated before, I work a lot. I've been up for 31 hours at the moment and have 7 more to go before I can get some sleep.

[KFLO 93 GT]

I'm a traveling swapper.