1992 Quasar Beretta GTZ - Updated.

[90GTZHO]

Sorry to hear about the maintance issues with the car.Look at it this way my car doesn't leak any oil and everything works.And i do mean everything and im still dumping money into it.Maybe i need help.LOL.....Just give it time you will get it fixed up again.

ROFL! I can so relate to that!

Mike, first thing to give it away is the beveled edge, all the larger pullies were beveled. The HO pullies were flat faced

[SuzukiGhostRider]

Looks like the head and timing have been done. We already know the timing has been played in recently and I've seen signs of headgasket replacement. Looks like the old 086 head must have cracked or warped becuase it now sports a 456 head. I'm guessing they screwed up the pulley along with everything else when they did the head and timing, and so replaced it. Pulled the plugs today to look for the two valve reliefs, but enough carbon was on the pistons I couldn't tell if they were there or not.

This thing sure PULLS like an HO ,but it's within the realm of possibility that they replaced the LGO motor with an LD2 motor when the head went out.

I really doubt it though both from driving it and knowing the timing has DEFINITELY been messed with in the recent past and the headgasket SURELY looks to have been done. It's also a common auto shop thing to just get what the parts store has handy (that being the 456 head) instead of hunting for the 086 head. Also, the head is VERY clean and "new" looking compared to the rest of the engine, including the cam towers.

And going off of the work I've CORRECTED in this car, I'm betting on them replacing the pulley after screwing it up.....

I dunno though for sure right now. Only way to know will be when I pull the motor apart for it's rebuild. IF it is an LD2, I'll replace the pistons ,swap one of my 086 heads in, toss in my spare HO cams and call it good.

Best case scenario, it's an LGO with the head and crank pulley replaced.

Worst case scenario, it's a VERY healthy LD2 replacement engine.

Oh, and Geoff, I knew about the pulley differences, I was more concerned with the oil leak when I had it on the lift yesterday and TBH paid no attention to the pulley until you mentioned it. Thanks for pointing it out though as I've been so busy fixing this car up to par,I'd not even CHECKED the head casting number or pulley out. I went off of the power of the motor and it felt right.

[SuzukiGhostRider]

Oh, note on the project. ALL oil leaks are officially FIXED and SEALED UP!! Yay!!!

So, now no antifreeze leaks,no sticking t-stat's, no oil leaks. Now to replace that tank and be fluid leak free. THEN on to the minor details listed above to complete her, then paint/body and tint.

I'm still quite happy with my purchase. Though I have something close to $2k in this car already including purchase price and trip costs....

[Money pit Beretta]

Cool man keep up the great work!

[speedy]

easy way to find out- dyno.

[90GTZHO]

The other tell sign is if the power comes on all of a sudden at about 4500. LO motor have such a flat power curve, they have constant power and nothing really much happens when your foot goes down, even with a stick.

[SuzukiGhostRider]

Yeah, Speedy, let me run right out and drop $350 to tell if my motor has 150hp or 180hp. That makes sense when I can rebuild it for the same amount of money or less.....

Geoff, that's the thing. It pulls pretty strong up top.

[SuzukiGhostRider]

So, I now have a question. I looked up a '92 Grand Am GT and Bosch makes fuel pump complete assemblies for BOTH the GA GT and '92 GTZ and guess what? SAME EXACT part number 67327. So following logic and common sense this would mean the tanks are the same for both cars in depth, and lock ring/mounting hole size as well as gallon size one would think. So, I looked up a fuel tank for a '92 GA GT and it looks IDENTICAL to mine except it's metal vs plastic.

This is the question. Does anyone know of any shaping differences because the GA GT tank is listed to also fit only the '93 up Beretta's but it looks EXACTLY like my plastic tank. I'm a tad confused on what the difference could be? It's damn sure not the lock ring/hole size or pump assembly. They are IDENTICAL part numbers. And the tank looks to be shaped EXACTLY like mine...

Help please. If this is correct, I can order a new Spectra Premium fuel tank from RA for under $80 vs $390 shipped!

[1988GTU]

IIRC GA had different style suspension starting around that year. With different suspension you'll have different amount of room for a tank to be strapped in place.

So to sum this up... I dunno. lol

[90GTZHO]

Mike i know the fuel tank and rear suspension on my old 94 GA SE looked identical to my 90 GTZ with the exception it had a lil more room under the drivers passenger seat and it was plastic not metal. I do not see a reason why you couldnt use the GA tank. Now i know the 95-96 tanks are a lil different so i would stick with 94 and older

[SuzukiGhostRider]

Hmm.... thinking I may just take the chance and order the GA tank. Worst case scenario, I have to send it back.

[tvc3-gtz]

good thinking.. plus arent plastic tanks lighter?

[scd88ga]

Mike, your "direct" gas tank interchange is all models of 90-92 Beretta's and Corsica's only.

If you can swap over to a 93+ tank, then the sky is the limit, because that tank was used in a ton of different Chevy's, Pontiac's, Buick's, and Oldsmobile's from 92-98...

[SuzukiGhostRider]

Well, gas tank ordering is no longer an issue it appears. I found some absolutely awesome stuff call Magnum Instant Gas Tank Repair. See link.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/access ... ing=search

I normally have VERY little faith in these products , but am a believer in JB Weld and Water Weld. So I thought I'd give this a shot. For $4 wth... The water weld I HAD used to patch the seam previously came off rather easily. No wonder it was leaking again. This new stuff promised right on the package to set in "the presence of gas or diesel" and no need to drain or remove tank. In other words will set in a wet OR dry environment. Call me skeptical , but I was cynical but thought what the hell, worth a try.

Bought it , removed the water weld, cleaned up the "wound", mixed the "instant gas tank repair" up, and proceeded to mold it to the seam WHILE the seam was leaking fuel on my work space. Took about 10 or 15 seconds before I could get the Magnum to begin to take hold (during those 15 seconds I was going "yeah, that's what I thought....) and lo and behold... It really DOES set up in gas!! It took started sticking well in the leak seam, stopped the leak almost immediately. I kneaded the Magnum to the tank well, and let it set. Nary a drop or seep or anything ever since. 2 hours later , as promised on the package , it was ROCK HARD and cured TO the tank. Cures in 2 hours full strength, permanent cure in 12 hours. I let it sit a good 4 hours before I even moved the car. Put $10 in high test in, been running around with 1/2 a tank of fuel and not so much as a HINT of wetness thus far. Looks like this stuff might actually work well!

New problem, well kinda, one I had already suspected. Cooling fan won't kick on when the temp gets over 200*F as it should. ASSUMED bad CTS as I'd already tested the fan by hooking up my OBDI code scanner and it immediately kicked the fan on and left it on for the duration. Replaced the CTS today, checked the relay by leaving the tester hooked up, KOEO, and pulling the relay plug. Fan stopped immediately. So, fan is good, relay is good, CTS is good. I cannot get the fan to run by switching to Defrost as almost ALWAYS works, or by turning the A/C on Max (no surprise as the A/C doesn't work, no charge). Only with the scanner jumping it.

So, the only thing left I can think of is the pigtail to the CTS itself. I've checked for broken wires and found none. The plug looks OK, but I see rust corrosion in one of the connectors and the wires, while seeming to be firmly attached, LOOK a tad "pulled away" at the plug....

Ideas?

[Cliff8928]

You can't read the temp with your OBDI scanner?