1989 Turbo Wagon Should I Buy?

[Steve B]

Body excellent.

137,000 mi, manual Trans.

Owner knows nothing about the car.

Drives well, shifts well. Little but of a whine. 4WD button broken in shifter.

Main Problem: High, rough idle.

He wants $800. I offered $300 due to uncertainty of the cars ability to pass smog. It certainly won't with a rough, 1,500 rpm idle.

Is there a common cause for the Turbo cars to do this?

[WoodsWagon]

A vacuum leak or stuck idle air control valve could do that. Do the later EA82t's have the coolant temp controlled air bypass valves like the early ones did?

 

You can always swap the d/r 5spd from your other car in where the pushbutton 4x4 is.

 

What's your plan for the car? The EA82t's are finicky motors, and you have to be really attentive to all the coolant and vacuum hoses.

[GeneralDisorder]

Ticking time bomb. Is that really what you want? The whole turbo thing is super overated on the EA's. It's not really neccesary if you do a performance engine build on the NA engines or an engine swap to an EJ......basically it's a whole lot of 20 year old hoses, lines, and out dated electronics that will nickle and dime you to death if it doesn't just straight blow up on you one day.

 

If you just want a clean body that you can swap something else into.... the turbo's are a good start because they already have the FI pump and tank so beyond a little wiring and some mechanical work you can pretty much bolt in an EJ22.

 

GD

[Gloyale]

If you just want a clean body that you can swap something else into.... the turbo's are a good start because they already have the FI pump and tank so beyond a little wiring and some mechanical work you can pretty much bolt in an EJ22.

 

GD

 

Agreed.

 

However getting and EJ swap to pass CA emmisions is lot of hoop jumping to say the least.

 

It's possible to do....but.........

 

I say without being able to test the 4wd it's on;y worth about $500.