4g61t.org

I bought this car new in '89 ($5800) and it performed admirably for 13 years, racking up 250,000 miles with negligible issues. It hasn't been driven (on the road) since 2002, but it still looks great and I'd like to get it running again (for nostalgic reasons). At the end, in the summer of 2002, it developed a "hard start" condition where it would always turn over fine every morning but would not "catch" and start running. I'd turn the key and hold for a few seconds for several tries (10-15) before it would stumble and bumble enough to "catch" and run. The rest of the day it was fine (including the drive back home from work), but the next morning, same hard starting.

My conclusion was I had a bad fuel pump, so I dropped the tank to remove it. Turned out the tank was a total loss (badly corroded inside) and so I purchased a new replacement ($250). But what ended up stopping me from putting everything back together was the "holster" (or sending unit?) that held the pump in place. On removal, it got damaged - the short rigid fuel lines going into the pentagon-shaped head of the "holster" were pretty rusty and they got crimped as I tried to break the connections free. I haven't been able to find an acceptable replacement (except at the dealer, which wanted $500 for a new one because the pump and "holster" are only sold as one unit).

Does anybody have any ideas what I can do here? Junkyards don't seem to be an option, as most of these cars have long since been crushed, or - if they're still around - also have badly corroded gas tanks and "holsters". This part is very simple - mostly just flimsy sheet metal with the short elbow pipes up top. Seems like I should be able to sandblast it and weld a couple new lines on it, but a few welders I asked to do this didn't want to touch it.

Sounds more like a dieing ecu issue honestly, notorious problem in our csms. Send a pm to turboshawn or 89mirageman, those two are our biggest parts scavengers and they might be able to grab one for you. If you have it off the car, you should be able to finagle it around to get it to work (pound a screwdriver into the crimped sections to expand it?).

_________________
Had a:
1991 Eagle Summit ES Hatchback - 4g15 12v 5spd
1991 Dodge Colt -4g15 12v 4spd
Have a:
1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass - 468BBO TH350
Round 3:
1990 Dodge Colt-4G63T 5spd

Yeah - you know, after I hit the "send" button on the post I realized that I had forgotten to mention that also at the end (in '02) the computer's Check Engine light came on for the first time ever, cycling through 5 seemingly unrelated codes at once:

13: Air Intake Temp Sensor
14: Throttle Position Sensor
15: Motor Position Sensor
21: Coolant Temp Sensor
25: Barometric Pressure Sensor

So actually my FIRST conclusion was what you just mentioned - that the ECU was history. So I bought one from a junkyard in TN (that allegedly came out of a running Colt), and it DID make the Check Engine light go away, but not the hard start. So I replaced the (original) fuel filter on the firewall and that's when I noticed no fuel flow and decided the (also original) fuel pump had to be bad.

Getting back to the "holster", though - you say "pound a screwdriver into the crimp", but wouldn't that likely cause more damage? I think as it is now, fuel will flow, but my concern is it'll also leak. A co-worker (who's also a car buff/restorer) suggested that I just sleeve a fuel-grade hose over the elbow(s) and slap some hose clamps on it to keep it in place. Sounds doable, but I'd really like to see fuel flowing through the lines under pressure before I put the tank back in place.

Questions:
1.) The "holster" definitely needs to be cleaned off (very rusty-looking). I'm sure I can get it sandblasted, but could it also be painted (or is there no such paint product that can be submersed in gasoline)?

2.) Could I hook the system up with the tank on the ground and run the engine to make sure there are no leaks? Will I need to cap the filler hose/hole?

3.) The engine hasn't been turned over since the summer of '05. Do I have to pour oil anywhere before cranking the engine and/or should I hand-crank it first? It's a 5speed.

If the tubing crimped close to the end, cut it off and slip a hose over it with a hose clamp like your car guy friend mentioned. You really don't need to worry about flow with a 4g15 unless it's squished over 50%.


1. You can't paint any part of it that sees gas though you can clean the rust off of it, then just fully fill the gas tank as often as you can. They usually rust up when people only put in 1/4 tank of gas continuously and leave the upper half of the tank exposed to moisture.

2. Yep, you could even stick the unit in a bucket full of gas, just remember that gas will be sucked out as well as coming back due to the return line.

3. You'll be fine with an oil change. If you're really paranoid about it, get a can of fogging oil, pull the plugs and spray some in there. You'll probably run a little rough from any rust and moisture that started in the cylinders but take it out and giver a little WOT and engine brake a few times and it'll scrape the walls clean and reseat the rings.

_________________
Had a:
1991 Eagle Summit ES Hatchback - 4g15 12v 5spd
1991 Dodge Colt -4g15 12v 4spd
Have a:
1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass - 468BBO TH350
Round 3:
1990 Dodge Colt-4G63T 5spd

1.) Can't exactly recall, but I may have been doing the 1/2 tank thing you mention at some point.

2.) I'll probably use the new tank

3.) Good to know. I'll just go with the oil change

Thanks..o