I just picked up an 88 to work on yesterday. It needs some body work (hood) and some engine work, but I like it. Yesterday I drove it home which was less than a mile and the sucker was dogging hard. It wouldn't keep an idle and when I started to go up any hills there was barely any power to do it. I changed the oil in it to be safe but could not get it to start after that. It turned over good until the battery went tits up but never started. I am figuring it probably has a bad apex seal which is causing the shitty compression, enough so that it won't even start now, but I am gonna try again today.

Its all good, the car has 102,000 miles on it and is very clean. The clutch/tranny is good and everything works mechanicaly. The car has drop springs and a factory rear spoiler which dress it up a bit. The guy I bought it from was going to do a V8 swap but decided not.

pull the plugs see if you hear loud distinct wooshes. if you do that's a good sign. if you don't very bad sign https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...DIR#>/wink.png you might just have bad plugs or clogged injectors. only one way to find out https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/smile.png

Thanks for the info. Can I reuse the 0-ring on the injectors if its not cracked or decayed after I take them out and check them out. The Chiltons says to replace it, but for right now would it be ok. I would like to just get it going. Thanks

Well I replaced the plugs and got it running again. It still will not keep an idle and runs rough at low rpm's. There was some smoke on start up but it cleared up pretty quick. I am going to change my wires and see if that helps. I will probably do the ATF just to see what happens also. Go Matsuda!

Well I replaced the wires but it didn't make much of a difference. I cranked the engine over with the plugs out to see if I could hear the Apex seals going by. The front rotor sounded good, but the rear rotor was definitely missing a swoosh or two. So I guess its rebuild or replace eh? I sure would love to stick a TII in there, but I'm minus the drivetrain https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...#>/biggrin.png

Sounds like you've got a good project car, lol....as for the turbo drop in, your missing a lot more then the drivetrain(speaking from experience https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR )



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I will take your advice, I've read your posts with all the stuff you had to replace or buy new, and I definitely don't have the dough for that. I am very serious about doing the rebuild myself and maybe having a shop port and polish the housings while they are apart. I figure I have about 1500 to throw at the engine. If I do the work myself I should be able to do a pretty complete rebuild and spend 300 for the porting and polishing, all equaling somewhere around 1500. Those with alternative ideas let me know, I appreciate the advice. Thanks