gunnermaiden
Proven Member
- 72
- 1
- Jul 27, 2016
-
Phoenix Area,
Arizona
First off, apologies for the LONG read in advance.
Secondly, I'm very sorry if some things have already been mentioned in this post, I could not seem to find the clear details and answers I was looking for.
Thirdly, hello everyone!
I have a 99 GS (auto) 420a non turbo that I picked up as a running-project to have it built the way I want. My main goal right now is to restore it and have the proper work done on it to continue keeping it on the road the way it was meant to be. These cars are more and more difficult to find in good, unmolested condition and I want to save this car. Fortunately for me, money isn't a problem but that does NOT mean I am wasteful with my funds, I am a careful spender and rather particular because I used to be poor as fck and I worked hard and long to be where I am now. Moving forward,
The kid who owned it before me destroyed it. Wires every which way, leaking trans, lots and lots of electrical problems, which seems to be most of my problems. Here's a description of the things going wrong that I believe are all electrical related:
-Rough start. Starts everytime, just roughly
-Will not run cold, must wait for it to warm up
-Rough idle -- sometimes bogs down and almost stalls out at stop signs/lights
-Dash is obliterated. The only thing that functions properly is the speedometer. Won't display anything.
-Interior lighting (when the headlights are on) flashes on and off randomly and can't seem to stay on
-A/C is out. Recharged it, blew cold, but then made my PCM(?) overheat and then A/C lost power (being in Phoenix, it's a big deal to not have an A/C)
-Upon driving, trans is unpredictable. Some days it has zero issues, moving through no problem. Other days it won't move into third. I believe this is electrical considering how the rough the wiring is visibly. However, it leaks and I don't know the status of the leak.
-I guess I might as well mention that the doors only open from the inside, no door panel cover on the driver's side, and no radio in it at all. The previous owner removed it since you have to leave the windows down to get in it and it looks like he messed with the wiring behind the radio compartment as well.
There are a lot more issues, although the electric is my main concern right now since I am mostly concentrated with how healthy it runs and not how it looks/how comfortable it is at the moment. The body is straight with no rust (AZ car). It might be at 177xxx original miles, but I don't know how accurate that reading is on the dash considering nothing else on it works properly.
I did drop it off at a garage that specializes in restorations last week. This week I received an email from the owner that said this:
Ac system low on freon, serviced system & ac does blow cold at this time but shuts off do to computer temperature going high. The Gauge on the dash shows normal but when you hook up the computer scanner it show high above 230 but then loses temp & drops below normal and back up. Lights on your dash like the check engine light not coming on, there are several codes that come up on scanner. The starting issue has always started but sometimes not so easy. With all the wires just routed places, I think that the best place to start on this car would be a new wire harness & PCM
So here's what I need a second opinion on. My quote is roughly 10 hours worth of labor to replace and rewire the harness and PCM. Which is going to end up to be around $1k or so (it's stated that is could end up being a bit less in the end). Is there ANYTHING else I need to have replaced for this particular part of the project? Any related related relays /computers other than the PCM? Any fuses? Suggestions to look for to advice the shop on? Owner of the shop has not yet responded to what the codes are saying exactly. I know that 2 off hand already are going to be for the exhaust and the airbag (aftermarket parts installed by previous owner), but I have no clue what the rest could be. Note: I am going out and buying the replacement parts and dropping them off at the garage since I wanted to be the one to pick the parts, which is why I am asking these questions
Secondly, I'm very sorry if some things have already been mentioned in this post, I could not seem to find the clear details and answers I was looking for.
Thirdly, hello everyone!
I have a 99 GS (auto) 420a non turbo that I picked up as a running-project to have it built the way I want. My main goal right now is to restore it and have the proper work done on it to continue keeping it on the road the way it was meant to be. These cars are more and more difficult to find in good, unmolested condition and I want to save this car. Fortunately for me, money isn't a problem but that does NOT mean I am wasteful with my funds, I am a careful spender and rather particular because I used to be poor as fck and I worked hard and long to be where I am now. Moving forward,
The kid who owned it before me destroyed it. Wires every which way, leaking trans, lots and lots of electrical problems, which seems to be most of my problems. Here's a description of the things going wrong that I believe are all electrical related:
-Rough start. Starts everytime, just roughly
-Will not run cold, must wait for it to warm up
-Rough idle -- sometimes bogs down and almost stalls out at stop signs/lights
-Dash is obliterated. The only thing that functions properly is the speedometer. Won't display anything.
-Interior lighting (when the headlights are on) flashes on and off randomly and can't seem to stay on
-A/C is out. Recharged it, blew cold, but then made my PCM(?) overheat and then A/C lost power (being in Phoenix, it's a big deal to not have an A/C)
-Upon driving, trans is unpredictable. Some days it has zero issues, moving through no problem. Other days it won't move into third. I believe this is electrical considering how the rough the wiring is visibly. However, it leaks and I don't know the status of the leak.
-I guess I might as well mention that the doors only open from the inside, no door panel cover on the driver's side, and no radio in it at all. The previous owner removed it since you have to leave the windows down to get in it and it looks like he messed with the wiring behind the radio compartment as well.
There are a lot more issues, although the electric is my main concern right now since I am mostly concentrated with how healthy it runs and not how it looks/how comfortable it is at the moment. The body is straight with no rust (AZ car). It might be at 177xxx original miles, but I don't know how accurate that reading is on the dash considering nothing else on it works properly.
I did drop it off at a garage that specializes in restorations last week. This week I received an email from the owner that said this:
Ac system low on freon, serviced system & ac does blow cold at this time but shuts off do to computer temperature going high. The Gauge on the dash shows normal but when you hook up the computer scanner it show high above 230 but then loses temp & drops below normal and back up. Lights on your dash like the check engine light not coming on, there are several codes that come up on scanner. The starting issue has always started but sometimes not so easy. With all the wires just routed places, I think that the best place to start on this car would be a new wire harness & PCM
So here's what I need a second opinion on. My quote is roughly 10 hours worth of labor to replace and rewire the harness and PCM. Which is going to end up to be around $1k or so (it's stated that is could end up being a bit less in the end). Is there ANYTHING else I need to have replaced for this particular part of the project? Any related related relays /computers other than the PCM? Any fuses? Suggestions to look for to advice the shop on? Owner of the shop has not yet responded to what the codes are saying exactly. I know that 2 off hand already are going to be for the exhaust and the airbag (aftermarket parts installed by previous owner), but I have no clue what the rest could be. Note: I am going out and buying the replacement parts and dropping them off at the garage since I wanted to be the one to pick the parts, which is why I am asking these questions
. Shop owner is very knowledgeable about DSMs and is always willing to help. A plus is that they're in Phoenix!
. Definitely going to check that out tomorrow after I close up my shop. 
.
glad to hear your eclipse is working out
. I do know the stereo harness is not hooked up at all, the wires and harness were left bunched in a rat's nest inside the stereo compartment not attached to anything. PO ripped the stereo out after he broke the door handles off and busted a door handle rod inside the door and apparently decided to take the whole wiring for the stereo with the stereo as well. There's not even any wires for the speakers 
. This is why we can't have nice things, hah. 
