kboyd
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Posts posted by kboyd
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You can order a reproduction of the 1983 Chevrolet Camaro Shop Manual (or any other GM Shop Manual) from Helm Incorporated (www.helminc.com) for $100.00 and it covers the 305 cid engine and transmission used in the 1983 Avanti. Helm Incorporated is the original OEM Shop Manual source for GM and several other manufacturers. Word of warning, when I ordered one for a 1983 Camaro a few years back it came printed single sided and loose. I had to take it to my local Office Depot and have it bound and the volume of the manual was about two reams of paper. But that aside, the manual provides a detailed OEM source for diagnosing and repairing drivetrain problems.
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Second the advice offered by Jim78. Avanti's tend to pass a lot of heat from the engine compartment into the passenger compartment and if you live in a warmer climate, having A/C is virtually a necessity if you are going to enjoy the car during the warmer months.
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I have been experiencing the same problem with the fuel gauge in my 83 as Dan S and though the information provided by WayneC is helpful it does not get to the meat of the question which is where is the best place to start looking. Removing either the fuel gauge or the gas tank sending unit in an Avanti is a bit involved and it would be good to know if anyone else has experience dealing with this problem before diving in so one would know where is the best place to start looking.
Also does anyone know if Avanti's have a problem with the fuel float in the gas tank getting waterlogged or chemically breaking down overtime. That would cause similar erroneous fuel gauge readings independent from the electrical connections.
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If you cannot find the "door clip removal tool" locally, you can order one from Studebaker International. They have it listed on their website for $5.95.
I own an 83 and the procedure Gunslinger outlined is still current for that model. If you have a remote control mirror on the driver's side you will also have to remove its door panel hardware but it is all out in the open and rather easy to figure out. The only difficulty I encountered is there is a directional aspect to how the door handle clips are installed. One of mine was put on the wrong way and it made it very difficult to remove because the clip removal tool had a clearance problem with the handle and it would not release the clip. Note the direction of the clips in the handles when you take them off and put them back the same way when you snap on the door handles back on. You will thank yourself if you ever have to take the door panel off again. One other thing, if you have the remote driver's mirror, be sure and reinstall the door panel hardware the same way that you took it off or you will end up with a mirror that behaves rather strangely when you move the control level.
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Kevin,
If you come up with a source for the door panel plastic/chrome trim strips would you post it on the forum. I need one to replace the driver's door trim strip on my 83 (RQB 3699).
Ken
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I was wondering if anyone knows did the 1983 paint peeling problem start with Blake's restyled 1983 Anniversary models or did the problem apply the whole year's production run. Looking through Bob Johnson's Avanti index, it appears the majority of 1983 Avanti's were built to the traditional design with chrome bumpers.
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If you have not already discovered them, Bob Johnstones website has hand drawn circuit diagrams for the 1972 thru 1981 model Avanti. The diagrams look kind of crude on first inspection but I have found them to be accurate and they have helped me sort out some electrical problems on my 1983. The diagrams can be found at the following link:
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In the interior of my 1983 model Avanti, the electric door locks work from a toggle switch mounted on the bottom of the instrument panel, to the right of the steering column, about 4 cm to the left of the interior light that is above the center console. The switch is a center neutral SPDT momentary connection switch where electrical connectivity is made in either direction as long as you hold the toggle. When you release the toggle, the switch returns to the central neutral position.
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When I had the refrigerant in my 83's A/C system converted to R134a a couple of years ago, a problem developed that caused the magnetic clutch on the compressor to burn up. There was considerable smoke but thankfully no fire. The shop that changed the A/C refrigerant claimed the problem was the rheostat in the A/C temperature control was not passing enough current to properly engage the magnetic clutch on the compressor. This lack of current caused the compressor clutch to slip which resulted in overheating. They installed a relay that passed current directly from the battery to the compressor clutch when the system engages and thus far this has corrected the problem.
Since the A/C temperature control and fan switches did not work all that well to begin with, I replaced both with units I ordered from Nostalgic. Not sure I buy the slipping magnetic clutch explanation as the source of the clutch overheating problem since it turned out the shop failed to replace the A/C dryer when they purged the R12 refrigerant and it had become plugged with gunk from the solvent used to flush the A/C system. Since both repairs were done at once, I do not know which one was the actual problem. Maybe it was a combination but in any event, the A/C system is now working fine. My only complaint is the need to top up the R134a refrigerant charge every spring but it will hold through the summer. I am under the impression this is a common complaint with R12 to R134a refrigerant conversions if you do not also replace the rubber hoses. In any event, topping up the R134a refrigerant charge is a relatively simple procedure that I do myself.
Given the glass area, Avanti's can be rather warm in the summer without A/C so you might want to go ahead and get your system working though given the age of the components, if I had it to do over again I would replace the A/C temperature control and fan switches before I had the system recharged. Given that your A/C system is currently disconnected, you will probably need to replace the A/C compressor since the axis seals on the existing compressor will probably leak when you recharge the system. Remanufactured GM A6 A/C compressors are reasonably priced and available at most auto parts stores. Also plan on replacing the inline refrigerant dryer.
Good luck.
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Check with Studebaker International.
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Sounds like you have an automatic choke problem. Take the air cleaner off when the engine is cold and make sure the choke plate closes when you press the accelerator. If it doesn't, it might just need to be adjusted or you may have a mechanical problem with the choke mechanism.
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Do a Google search for "Duckbill Toggle Switches" and you should find something that will work.
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I had a similar problem with the door locks on my 83 and after trying different lock lubricants which only seemed to make the problem worse, I ended up repacing the door lock tumblers.
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I had a similar problem with the door locks on my 83. Ended up replacing the door lock cylinders which fixed the problem. The 83 uses the same door lock cylinders as used on the 83 Chevrolet Caprice and they are routinely stocked at major auto parts retailers. The replacement cost is modest, it seems like it was around $10.00 or $15.00 for the two replacement lock cylinders. The only minor hassel with the swap out was removing and reinstalling the flat spring on the end of the lock cylinder which needs to be reused. Once you fiddel with it a little you will see how it works and the level of effort is minor. Also, using a sheet metal dolly as a knocker works great for replacing the larger flat spring that mounts the lock cylinder to the door.
Recommend you take one of your door lock cylinders down to a major auto parts retailer and see if they can match it up. A similar vintage GM vehicle would probably be a good starting point.
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Here are some links to Bob Johnson's website that has fuse panel diagrams for the 78 and 82 Avanti II. Suspect your 80 uses one or the other of these fuse pannel versons. There are also some hand drawn Avanti II wiring diagrams on the website that might help. They look kind of crude on first inspection but I have found them useful.
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I do not know for sure but i am under the impression that the last few years of Altman Avanti II production the cars were equipped with the Chevrolet 305 engine and the GM 700 R4 automatic four speed transmission the same as the 1983 Blake cars.
A R&T roadtest I have for a 1981 Avanti ii lists the drivetrain as "a Chevrolet 305 cubic-incher coupled to GM's latest 4-speed lockup automatic". Perhaps someone else knows the exact year the GM 700 R4 was introduced.
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By definition your car is a Blake Avanti since he bought the company in October 1982 from the Altman heirs. The confusion is that some (if not most) of Blake's 1983 production volume was just a continuation of the Altman 1982 Avanti II model. These cars were equipped with chrome bumpers and the only difference I see between them and the last of the Altman Avanti IIs is the change in the script on the front and rear where the "II" was dropped.
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Some of the the Blake 1983 Avanti's were continuations of the Avanti IIs from previous years though they did not carry the Ii designation on the front and rear model name emblems. My 1983 (RBQ 3699, assembled in May 1983) is one of these cars. The twenty-five 20th Anniversary models were resyled with body color bumpers among other changes. The following link shows a build sheet for the 20th Anniversary models.
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The Stewart Warner tachometer in my 83 Avanti has started having random periods where the indicated RPMs move up or down even though the engine is running at a steady speed. It normally reads around 2,000 RPMs at 60 MPH, but occasionally it will read as high as 3,000 RPMs or as low as 1,500 RPMs at the same steady state speed. Usually this occurs after the car has been driven for over an hour. If my math is correct, the tachometer should be reading around 2,200 RPMs at 60 MPH assuming a 26" tire and an overall final drive ratio of 2.87 (contemporary road test) but I do not know exactly what differential ratio the car is equipped with. The fourth gear reduction for the GM 700-R4 transmission is 0.70 so if the car is equipped with a 4.10 rear end (which seems reasonable) the overall 2.87 reduction cited in the roadtest seems reasonable.
Suspect the electronic controller for the tachometer is breaking down when it heats up but what I am trying to find out is the controller a separate component in the Stewart Warner tachometer circuit or is it built into the tachometer. Has anyone else experienced a similar problem with a Stewart Warner tachometer and how did you fix it?
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I thought I would give some feedback on the resolution of my problem incase someone else encounters the same problem somewhere down the road.
The culprit was the SPDT toggle switch (Aux Switch) on the console that controls the Driving lights. When this switch is in the forward position it energizes the parking/tail/console light circuits even when the ignition is off. Since my car is not equipped with Driving Lights, up until this point I had assumed the switch did not energize anything but obviously I was wrong.
Many thanks to Bob Johnstone's Avanti Pages that had a hand drawn diagram of the Ananti II's parking/tail/console light circuits showing how the "Aux Switch" could energize these circuits even when the ignition is off. After spending the better part of an afternoon checking out the primary switches, I was beginning to fear that I had an internal short somewhere in the wiring harness. That evening I looked through Bob's Johnstone's pages and found the wiring diagrams and walked out the car and fixed the problem with a switch flick. Obviously I had accidentally turned the switch on when I was fiddling with the heater controls and did not notice it.
Also, thanks to "Gunslinger" for his quick response and advice.
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When I took my 83 Avanti out today, everything was working fine but while driving and messing with the heater controls, I noticed the red light under the dash and the console heater control lights come on as though I had turned on the headlights on which I had not. When I got home and shut the car off, the headlight warning buzzer came on as though I left the headlights on. I checked the headlight switch and it was off and got out of the car and discovered the front parking lights, side marker lights, tail lights, license plate light, and the console heater control lights were on. I cycled the switches a few times to no benefit. I finally had to disconnect the battery to kill the lights.
Has anyone else had this problem and what was the fix?
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Major question is do you plan on repainting the area that you patch.
If you do not plan on repainting, using a product like 3M Strip-Calk (also known as "Dum-Dum") will work. Dum-Dum is a black nonhardening waterproof puddy that has been used in cars for years to plug holes and seal windows. It is available from some larger autoparts stores and automobile paint stores (I recently purchased a box from O'Rileys Auto Parts). Nice thing about Dum-Dum is it is relatively permanent but can be easily removed if you decide to go for a more permanent solution somewhere down the road. It seems to have an almost indefinite shelf life and it will soften when you start neading it with your hands. Easy cleanup/removal with mineral spirits.
If you are going for a more permanent solution, fiberglass is an option since it will chemically bond to the car's body though is it is messy to work with on a vertical surface. Another option is a product like "Marine-Tex" which is sold at marine supply stores (e.g., West Marine) for filling holes in fiberglass boats among other uses. It is available in small quantities (2 oz) and comes in gray or white. The product has been around for years and it has a proven track record. Easy to work with and paintable.
I personally would not use Bondo for plugging small holes in a fiberglass body but others might see it differently.
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The seat back release handle for the Avanti Recaro seat is the same as that used in the Porsche 944. The part number is: 911 521 817 00. I purchased a couple off of the web for $1.95 each. They were a direct match for the one that I lost. I do not recall the vendor's name but there were several on the web selling the part. Be worth a Google search to see if one of them also carries the adjuster knobs.
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Why not try an ignition wire set for a 1976 Nova equipped with a V8. The overall size of the engine is the same as that used in the Corvette but GM did not waste any money trying to make it fancy.
Electrical for gauges
in 1965-83 Avanti
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Check out the wiring diagrams at the link in Bob Johnstones website. They may provided you the information you need to sort it out. Good luck.
https://studebaker-info.org/Tech/Diagrams/AEC/aec.html