Just Bought a 92 XLT Auto- Help me fix it? :)

[westcovinajoe]

Hi,

I am new to this type of vehicle and there are several issues with it and a need a good dose of advice, as my tight budget forces me to keep this car and procede carefully with any repairs.

:exp: Issues:

1. It seems like the automatic transmission is having trouble shifting, especially from 1st to 2nd at low speeds. When I go fast like merging on to the freeway, it performs better.

2. The gas and oil gauges don't work. The gas shows empty and the oil just hangs in the middle.

3. The seat belts, the above steering wheel gear shifter, and door handles are very worn, and I would like to get them replaced.

4. The hatch door doesn't stay open, the springs appear dead.

Okay I paid $1250 for this 92 xlt, and it is something I want to keep. Since I am only mildly handy, and my previous cars were Toyotas, I am not used to fixing this stuff. If there is some way of finding out how to replace things like gear shifters and seat belts and door handles I would appreciate it so much.

Also, if you could advise me as to how to go about getting my tranny working better. Do these transmission services that some places do, do anything? They usually cost like $100...

If someone here wants to take me under their wing, I would appreciate it so much, and maybe make a small donation to you, or to you favorite charity.

Thanks, and I look forward to your replies,
Joseph in West Covina

 

[walterd140]

Welcome & I hope you keep coming back. Sounds like you have a lot of minor work to do. Not bad for a 92.
1. Tranny service will get you fresh fluid & filther. For the year of the truck you might try it. Could resolve the sluggishness

2. Gauges for me are pretty reliable. I would check the fuses under the dash. Might have blown one.

3. Seat belts can be found at the junk yard. Usually any year can go in & it does not have to be 2 or 4 door. Might even be able to experiment with removing them at the yard so you don't mess up your interior.
Above gear shifter??? Are you talikng about the indicator that tells you what gear your in? (P, R, N, D, D, 2, 1?). If so try some simplegreen or windex to clean the lense. If the letters are worn, junk yard when you get the belts.

4. Back hatch not staying open is most likely your 2 pistons being bad. They connect from the body to the hatch on both sides above the tail lights. Any part store should have the replacement. I think they are about $20 a piece. My 94 has these, no spring back there.

Good luck with your new purchase. How many miles?
Walter

 

[westcovinajoe]

Thanks so much for the reply.

By the gear shifter I meant the thing you grab and move to change from park to drive or reverse. The handle itself. It seems kinda worn out. I am used to the floor type shifters seen in Toyotas, and not these traditional style connected-to-the-steering column ones. Maybe they all feel a little less sturdy...

The engine has 209,000 miles and I "think" the engine is pretty good given the way it sounds and performs and the way a neighboring 92 Explorer sounds. LOL...

I will get the trans service as soon as possible and there is a Pick Your Part junk yard nearby, where I might find the seat belts.

Thanks for the reply again and I am so grateful this site is here.

Got some work to do,
Joseph

 

[Maniak]

The fuel gauge not working (staying on empty) is somewhat common.. Usually its the float that is bad (sunk).. When you replace it, you replace the pump too.

The Oil pressure gauge is just an analog idiot light. Look for a thread called "fake oil pressure" for info on converting it to a real gauge. Otherwise, it just sits about the middle when you have 5+ psi.. and drops when < 5psi

~Mark

 

[westcovinajoe]

The fuel gauge not working (staying on empty) is somewhat common.. Usually its the float that is bad (sunk).. When you replace it, you replace the pump too.

The Oil pressure gauge is just an analog idiot light. Look for a thread called "fake oil pressure" for info on converting it to a real gauge. Otherwise, it just sits about the middle when you have 5+ psi.. and drops when < 5psi

~Mark

Is the fuel gauge thing something a regular guy like me could fix? The hardest thing I have done to this point is oil change/radiatior flush/headlamp change etc.

If it is too complicated for me, how much should I expect to pay to get it fixed? By the way a sincere thank you.

Joseph

 

[Maniak]

Yes, but it takes a while.. even more if your anywhere near the rustbelt..

you have to drop the tank..

You also need special tools to disconnect the high perssure fuel lines (the same tools you use to take off the fuel filter) that you can get form most autoparts stores..

 

[techieman33]

You can order new door handles from ebay for a few bucks a piece, though you will probably have to paint them. And as far as your trannsmission goes I would be that it's on it's way out, mine started doing the same thing a couple weeks before it went out. Good luck.

 

[westcovinajoe]

HI and thanks again.

Does anyone know how to remove the lights from the interior? I am talking about the door and overheard lights that go on when a door is open.

When I checked the hatch after I closed it the lights stayed on. I will fix it when I can but how do I take out the lights so the battery dont die??

Or will that do it?

Help???

Joseph

 

[westcovinajoe]

Any thoughts?

Can't get the door lights to come out, got the overhead out. How/what do I do?

Sorry to be so desperate and lame.

 

[nascar_intimid]

stick a screwdriver in the seam and pop out the plastic lense...
add lucas tranny fluid additive to the tranny, 15 bucks a pop and you don't need to drain any fluid, works like a charm after about a week....

 

[westcovinajoe]

stick a screwdriver in the seam and pop out the plastic lense...
add lucas tranny fluid additive to the tranny, 15 bucks a pop and you don't need to drain any fluid, works like a charm after about a week....

Thanks! Got em out!

I will try the lucas stuff definitely.

Thanks,
Joseph

 

[DeRocha]

First check the headlight switch. It is used to adjust the brightness of the dash lights and as a manual overide to turn on the interior lights... If that isn't your problen then I would open each door and push the door pin in manuall to see that it easily goes in and springs back out (If it doesn't spring back out then it could be rusted into place causing the lights to stay on... the rear hatch doesn't have a pin type switch, rather the switch is attached to the left (ie driver's side) latch mechanism. You can manually close the latch and use the normal handle to open it again...

 

[RangerX]

Is the fuel gauge thing something a regular guy like me could fix?

Here's my fix for the dead fuel gauge, cuz I'ma regular guy, too. Fill the tank and reset the trip odometer. Drive normally until you run out of gas, then note the mileage so next time you fill up before you get too close to that number! And if you have been carrying a 1 gal gascan around, pour that in and you're good to go.

I also suggest you buy a manual for your year Ex at the parts store, it'll help you alot with most things.

 

[Maniak]

Personally, I don't like to run a tank out of gas. Our fuel pumps use the gas to cool the pump.. When you run it out of gas, it gets hot.. If the pump is already iffy, you can take out a pump by running it out of gas..

What I did when my fuel gauge was bad was run for about 100 miles.. Then fill the tank again.. Then figure my mileage.. Assuming the 100 miles was my "typical" driving I just multiple my mileage by 18 gallons and I know thats how far I can go..

I know you can fit more than 18 gallons in the tank, but if you figure @ 18 you won't be suprised when you get lower mileage than usual on some week becuase you drove differently than the norm and got less miles to the tank.

~Mark

 

[DeRocha]

Personally, I don't like to run a tank out of gas. Our fuel pumps use the gas to cool the pump.. When you run it out of gas, it gets hot.. If the pump is already iffy, you can take out a pump by running it out of gas...

Mark is right on the money... I would never purposely run any vehicle out of fuel; it is never a "good" thing to do. As Mark indicated you just need to calculate your average fuel ecomony (ex 17 mpg) and multiply this by your fuel tank capacity 19.3 gallons (or as Mark suggested a gallon or two less to give your a cushion) and you have your max distance.
17mpg x 19.3 gallons = 328.1 total miles per tank (Empty)
17mpg x 18.0 gallons = 306.0 cushion miles per tank (~22 miles until empty)

 

[westcovinajoe]

Thanks again fellas.

I have saved this thread to my favorites and over the next several months I hope to restore my "X" to her former glory. At least I got the light bulbs out...

I will be back often,
Joseph

 

[RangerX]

Mark is right on the money... I would never purposely run any vehicle out of fuel; it is never a "good" thing to do.

Eh, I never said it was a good thing to do. My point was that it's the easiest and cheapest way to deal with a broken gauge.

My gauge has been broken for six years, I now just use my odometer as my gas gauge.

Yes, I'm lazy and cheap.

 

[DeRocha]

Eh, I never said it was a good thing to do. My point was that it's the easiest and cheapest way to deal with a broken gauge.

My gauge has been broken for six years, I now just use my odometer as my gas gauge.

Yes, I'm lazy and cheap.

Correct.. you never said it as a good thing... but you also didn't say it could be bad... Mark's solutions is the same as yours without having to run the tank dry, IMO it is a better method. Now if someone wants to run their fuel tank dry that is fine with me, just as long as they have the pros and cons before doing so..

 

[nascar_intimid]

First check the headlight switch. It is used to adjust the brightness of the dash lights and as a manual overide to turn on the interior lights... If that isn't your problen then I would open each door and push the door pin in manuall to see that it easily goes in and springs back out (If it doesn't spring back out then it could be rusted into place causing the lights to stay on... the rear hatch doesn't have a pin type switch, rather the switch is attached to the left (ie driver's side) latch mechanism. You can manually close the latch and use the normal handle to open it again...

If the pin was stuck in then the lights would be off....hence the door being closed. Good train of thinking though....

 

[DeRocha]

If the pin was stuck in then the lights would be off....hence the door being closed. Good train of thinking though....

I take it you have not dealt with rusty door pins? As I mentioned if the pin is stuck in place due to rust the rust will cause the wire to become grounded to the body thus causing the lights to stay on (same affect as the pin being fully extended and the metalic end contacting the body)