Try To Sell Or Part Out 83 Rabbit

[DrAnonymous]

I was driving to work late last week and the rabbit died as I came to an intersection. After I got it restarted, I was able to get it through and it died again. The engine didn't sound right at all.

When I popped the hood, poking around revealed the timing belt had come off. After towing it home and pulling the timing belt cover, I discovered the belt was broken. The belt is only a year old, so I'm very surprised that happened.

So I'm to the point now where I want to retire this car and move on. Earlier that morning, I had noticed the main A/C bolt that mounts the compressor to the bracket had snapped at the threads. Its the 2nd time its happened, even using a grade 8 bolt. The alternator is also starting to wear, because the mounting bracket is messed up and it allows the alternator to wobble against the bracket / bolt. This elongates the brass bushing in the alternator mount.

A friend, who helped me get this car running again, said to just park it and piece the car out. The compressor is less than a year old. Alternator, battery, radiator, fan, and overflow tank are all a year old as well. His theory is that I'd get more parting the car out than trying to sell it and have to explain all the quirks.

I wanted to put a new timing belt on just to verify the condition of the engine, since I'm afraid of messed up valves now. Can folk give me their two cents on what I might do? I love the 30+ MPG I get even with an automatic, but I don't want to spend time under the hood when I could be spending that with my kids and taking care of the house.

[bscutt]

Where are you located?
I would get everything lined back up properly.put the belt on, and turn the engine over by had for at least two full crank rotations. Also pull the valve cover and make sure all the valve lifters are moving up and down properly. If nothing binds and all the lifters move you can try starting it but be ready to kill it. Chances are there's at least some valve damage but you could get lucky.
Too bad to have that happen especially with what you have put into it. You can piece it out, then look for a 90-92 Corolla (second best car ever made) and get 30 mpg out of the automatic, driving easy. They are super easy to work on and parts are plentiful and cheap. My son has one and I have done a lot to it but the engine and transmission are fine and have not been apart.

Anyway good luck to you. BTW I have had the bolt problem on the compressor too and have been thru several iterations on replacements. Usually get a couple of years out of it. Same goes for the alternator bushing problem and have made some shims to tighten things up there too but it's just a design flaw and I live with it.

[Fatmobile]

Pulling the valve cover should let you know if the valves are bent.
If not,..; turning the cam or crank should let you know,... at least on mine I was able to turn the crank completly around without hitting a valve.

[DrAnonymous]

So last night I put the new timing belt on. I have bent valves for sure. The motor sounded very different with possibly some metal sounds, but that was most likely just my loose brackets and such. Unless I somehow really botched timing it, things look bad.

Glad I"m not the only one to have the bolt and alternator issue. It really is a dumb design.

I live in Tucson, Az. Looking for any parts, since I have plenty to sell.

Anyone want this thing? How much should I look to sell it for? I figured $500 would be great, since it has tires less than a year old, new battery, AC, alternator, radiator, overflow, motor mounts, radiator fan. Suggestions on parting it out?

Of course now I need to figure out what to replace it with. I love diesel now, since this thing just came back to life so easily. Was thinking of a Mercedez diesel. Any suggestions?

[bscutt]

For the Mercedes diesel I like the 240D with a manual transmission. There's actually one here on craigslist now (DC area). They are reported to hit 40mpg highway but it's a heavy car so that may be a little exaggeration. The 300TDs are much nicer and luxurious but only hit about 30 mpg and I've never seen one that was not automatic. If you want an automatic that's probably the way to go. Again they are heavy so city driving could suck some fuel. Diesel choices are limited in the US unless you can find a diesel Camry or Isuzu Imark but both are pretty rare and those are 25+ year old cars. Otherwise an early 90s Corolla s a great car if you find one that's been kept up and you can live with a gasser. Amazing reliability out of that vintage Corolla.

[damac]

what was the brand of the timing belt? just old or chinese?

[Quantum-man]

Interesting how the car died, then lived long enough to move off again. Clearly not the timing belt at the initial point.Fascinating...

[DrAnonymous]

The belt I believe I got from here local at a place called Merle's. they normally sell better than average parts.

Sigh. Looking for a new car isn't fun. Off I go though.

[bscutt]

So no chance you will just go get a new head and fix it? Probably less than a new car. Hopefully no piston or rod damage and I know it's a pain to pull it all apart but it may not be a huge problem to fix. At this point if my engine goes I will do whatever I have to to replace it. The car is just too enjoyable to drive even with the quirks for me to give it up. Recharged my AC last night and had crisp cold AC on the drive home in 95+ weather (105 heat index). Nice. Hope it doesn't leak out, R12 is getting hard to find and expensive and I am not crazy about converting it.

[DrAnonymous]

I'm sure I could fix it, a friend says I'm an 'idiot' for not doing that. He's also not married and trying to balance raising kids, work, and all that.

I opted to post it on craigslist for $550. I got a storm of responses from folk. There were enough serious ones that I will have it sold by today I'm sure. At present a nice guy from Canada wants it, as he has an 81 truck and loves the engine. I'm hoping it works out, as that makes for a great story on how I brought it back to life and then it went to live in Canada.

You should convert that R12 over. The cost of stuff isn't worth the price IMHO.

[Quantum-man]

Clearly if you were inundated then, you under priced it. Heads are avaiable on Ebay cheap. Last month whilst experimenting I left the tensioner nut finger tight , drove 7 molss and killed the head, or at least the belt and the cam, but £35 later I have the car back on the road, (+£30 for a new belt from the stealership)

[bscutt]

Agree on the R12 but still have a stash, some from 1994, some acquired since. When it's all gone the conversions will begin but only have 2 vehicles running it now and leaks have been very slow (my 92 F150 bought new has been topped off 4 times in 21 years, total about 2 pounds) so I have a few years left if I stop helping friends and family members.

Good luck on the sale.