86 pontiac 6000

At my site in the media area is a RealAudio sound of my 1987 Pontiac 6000 running. I have over 145,000 miles on it. What you're describing sounds like what my Duke is doing as well. I think it's normal. The engine is still in good shape, yet could use a tune-up. If nothing else is wrong with it just keep it maintained and hopefully things will be ok. My mechanic and another couple of friends that help work on it think it sounds ok (both are good with cars, one is a retired auto mechanic). Sounds like we have not much to worry about. :)

I never have problems like that with mine. As soon as the foot is off the brake, I hit the gas and go flyin' :) The car is quite peppy.

-- ~ Fuzzie Dice ~ Car: 1987 Pontiac 6000 Knight Dreams (Restoration of Kitt)

I got this car at an auto salvage yard, its got 107k on it now, it still runs like a champ, looks rough, but is dependable, a few years ago I owned an 85 that had the 2.8 in it and it had over 400,000 miles on it and it still ran good, just leaked a bunch of oil

Send me the address too of the car sounds

What's "the dying problem"? When? Where? Idling? Driving? Turning? etc On something this old, that sat a lot, you want to dump the old gas and replace the fuel filter too.

Pressure wash it. GW

Now if that doesn't sound like my car! LOL! I have safety pins holding up my headliner too. :) I have to fix that. I'm going to use foam and then some new fabric. I have to seal the windshield and back window first though, as those leak and adds to the problem with the headliner sag.

What did you use for a degreaser? Mine is like that plus the PCV valve went bad recent and sprayed oil all over the valve cover. I fixed that though and wiped the valve cover clean. I have no leaks now in mine. When I first got the car in 2000, it had leaking valve cover gaskets but were replaced by the dealer I got the car at so they been fine ever since. Though I do keep very close eye on that and the head gasket, due to the fact it's the original engine in it and thus rather old. I really need to clean that engine though. I want to replace some parts with colored parts (in yellow and blue) what I can, and just keep the engine clean inside-out. The hood liner also is all bad and kinda shredded here and there. Some oil on it where the PCV valve was spraying as well.

Someone told me to use Kerosine but no way no how I want to do that! Especially since I live in an apartment complex and thus can't use such chemicals. I need something safe that can be used even if the engine is hot so I can take it to a car wash, then use the degreaser and then hose off the engine (while it's shut off, of course :) They won't let us use hoses, etc. and wash our cars here, unfortunatley. :(

-- ~ Fuzzie Dice ~ Car: 1987 Pontiac 6000 Knight Dreams (Restoration of Kitt)

OVER 400,000 miles?? 8-O I've never known a vehicle to go that long on the same engine. Wow. "just leaked a bunch of oil" is ALL? I had an '83 Chevy S-10 that leaked oil so bad that you put it in one end and it went straight out the other! That was only after 108,000 miles and the SECOND engine (rebuilt shortblock) that had about 45,000 miles on it when I got the truck (which at the time had over 90,000 miles on it). The truck was a lemon since day 1 though so I was surprised it limped along for 13 years before I had to get rid of it. Gave it to friends and they couldn't sell it so I guess they'll junk that one, unfortunatley.

I would LOVE for my car to go some 400,000 miles! I have a friend who has a Dodge Shadow with almost 200,000 miles on it. Still runs, but has it's problems. I only have 145,000+ on mine (exact mileage should be in the about section on my site). I think it has plenty of life in it, hopefully, if I take good care of it. :) I don't drive or go out much either. Just have to keep the body/interior work up as well.

-- ~ Fuzzie Dice ~ Car: 1987 Pontiac 6000 Knight Dreams (Restoration of Kitt)

I've read some things about this on a site that has recall notices up on these cars and there has been problems from the factory with stall-out issues with the 6000s, especially during turns. My car rattles on turns a little but never stalls on me. It used to stall a lot until the dealer I got it from replaced some parts. Not sure what but they said something about a "module". The only "Module" I know in the thing is the ECM (or Engine Control Module, which is actually the computer in the car that controls the engine mix, etc.) You might also want to check to see if the MAP sensor is ok.

Not surprising. :) The gauge on most of those cars only goes up to 85 mph though so it's hard to know if you peg it exactly how fast you're going after that point. Neither I nor my friends tested it. ;) But I've beat out ricers and others at intersections on fast starts. Not something I make a normal practice of, of course. ;)

15 gal. tank. I don't drive much so I only fill my 4-bangin' Duke about once every 3 - 4 months. Nice especially these days when gas is so expensive. :( Though it started getting bad on gas mileage but I replaced the oxygen sensor so things should be a bit better. I still have to give it a tune up, replace the fuel filter, and a couple other things to get it more in shape. Stuff like that sometimes can have an impact on fuel economy. But ever since I had the car, it's always been exceptionally good on gas.

My air conditioner went the year after I had it. I don't use air conditioning though as I just roll down the windows. I'm not in an overly hot climate to really need it.

Mine too. Going to seal those up sometime too, hopefully. That's why the headliner goes bad. Water even gets into the trunk as well. I put my stuffs into a small plastic storage tote in the trunk to keep the water out.

Dunno if gunk on the engine block would cause such problems or not. But the problem you're describing sounds like you might have a failing heater core (I could be wrong though, as I'm just learning this stuff myself). At least that is what I'd suspect. Is your heater actually blowing hot air at all?

On mine, I got a code 14 storing (saying that the coolant temperature is at

275 deg. F for more than 3 seconds) and I already replaced the temperature switch and the coolant temperature sensor. The engine light goes on when the radiator fan goes on, sometimes it goes off with the fan on and other times the fan just won't go off (and neither will the light). That's what it usually does. I think it's the radiator fan temperature switch or the wiring from the coolant temp. sensor to the connections on the junction box on the firewall. The engine likes to sputter (but not stall) when the radiator fan goes on sometimes. Just runs rougher. (If anyone has any other ideas, let me know).

I'm seeing the same issues with the cars as they age, by reading posts here and there on the 'net about this model car. So I guess it's just normal age. Luckily it all seems rather fixable too. :)

-- ~ Fuzzie Dice ~ Car: 1987 Pontiac 6000 Knight Dreams (Restoration of Kitt)

After awhile the rubber around the doors where the doors close agains the car will come off. Mine on the front driver side is fully off (makes it hard to unlock the door then because the door is a bit off from not setting right due to no rubber around it). You can probably use the same gasket tac that you use for stuff like the thermostat and other gaskets on the engine to re-glue your rubber back onto the doorframe. I plan to do that. It's also starting to come off on the passenger side front as well.

-- ~ Fuzzie Dice ~ Car: 1987 Pontiac 6000 Knight Dreams (Restoration of Kitt)