Sigma revival

[epicfail]

im mainly using this site as a way to keep track and share my progress of my first car revival i think its great that there is a place were mechanically minded people can get together and chat about there sigmas galants etc without getting laughed at by others who say there poop boxes.

ive posted this a day late but yeah im just needing anyone who can help me with my revival of my gj sigma il have to check that tho its a 1982 station wagon i bought for 200 bucks off an old lady who never ever serviced it and had completely neglected it im tryna fix it to be my daily driver as i love them old skool cars and the under appreciated.

23\7\2010

today was an epic failure i went to go change the cooling system fluid in my gj sigma because it was disgustingly brown i dont think the previous owners ever changed it. I've had the thing for a week now and wanted to get that done first so wen i had the money i bought the bits i needed and proceeded to do it . during this i discovered that the bolts that go in to house the thermostat had been repaired with a taper and the inserts were rusty and stuffed. only after seeing it leak like a siv after i refilled it did i notice this. So now ill need to buy a thread repair kit. to top it off a bolt disappeared into the engine bay some were and illuded me till i ran outta sunlight . So now ive gone from having a partially working car to one that cant bolt back together resulting in no cooling system. plus stupidly i blindly bought a thermostat gasket for a holden not a sigma . so now i have to wait another few days to get the parts i need as im broke now after buying the car .

24\7\2010

the mystery bolt still illudes me

today i went outside to look for the majikal disappearing bolt after some looking still no luck. i didn't really see were it went but i hope not into the water jackets . I've found a way to patch it up using a different way of bolting it up until i can get to u- pull it to hopefully find a new bolts. after i buy a thread repair kit i should be good to go. ive made a list of stuff that needs doing first the list goes on but these are things that are in desperate need of attention .

radiator cap
radiator flush - in progress still
new radiotor fluid
thermostat gasket
plugs
leads
feul filter
air filter
oil change
rear brakes
handbrake cable
tyres
carby cleaner
transmision service
oil filter

and many many more
Atm i am after advice on wat i should do about my shreaded threads because im not sure if ill have to re tapper it or just put a new insert in please any feedback exept for insults would be of great help

[tango76hardtop]

either retap it or get a cheap second hand intake manifold which the thermostat housing is part of

[metaldrift]

I'd have to suggest getting a new manifold too, you could retap and helicoil it but they rarely last long, or retap and use a bigger bolt although even that generally is weaker as well, and wreckers rarely want much for sigma gear. Can I ask where about's you are? Someone on here might be able to give you a hand if they close to you, I got heap of spare bolts and stuff myself.

[epicfail]

yeah mate cheers but im mad far from u i live in south australia lol so unless u send them thru the post lol. I will try a new heli coil till i get more funds and will change the manifold later wen im more finacial. I also own a 1995 ef fairmont that needs $2500 worth of work done to it as well. so the siggy seems the cheaper fixer upper atm for me .so was just gonna patch the sigma so its atleast running again so im able to drive around instead of catching useless buses while my other car is doin wat fords do best. ( being useless and broken ).

[epicfail]

25\7\2010

IT LIVES i managed to get the cooling system connected up by using a bolt with a nut an a washer and tightening the t*tts off it and so far no leaks so success that will do till i can get a repair kit to re thread it and eventually get a new intake manifold

but now i have a new problem :- whilst i was topping up the transmission fluid today my trans fluid dipstick checker tube thing just fell straight off stoopid thing the poor baby's falling apart at the seams from age I managed to pop it back in its hole but the bracket that bolts into the bell housing has been snapped somehow (age probably).

any one have any idea where u can buy a new trans fluid level checker tube from? and roughly how much ?

I still have so much work ahead of me but im getting there slowly .

[75wagon]

Sounds like you are having some bad luck there.
Welcome.
Any chance of getting to see pics of your car?

Atm i am after advice on wat i should do about my shreaded threads because im not sure if ill have to re tapper it or just put a new insert in please any feedback exept for insults would be of great help

I've used heli-coils in the past, and found them very successful. However they are quite expensive for the kits (you get them from bearing shops), you may as suggested by tango76hardtop, find it cheaper and easier to just buy another intake manifold. You might be in luck as a lot of members upgrade to EFI so there should be a few lying around. Somewhere?

As for the trans fluid dipstick checker tube thing, a lot of members throw the gearboxes away. Start a wanted post and list the things you need, people here are really helpful to those who need help (or so I've found).

Hope this helps?

Dave...

[epicfail]

yeah not having much luck. as for putting up a pic I've yet to even take a pic of it yet!! had it only a week but will endevour to do so plus dont know how to post a picture on ere of it even if i did, so advice on that would be great too.

as for the wanted parts suggestion thats a good idea thanks ...

[PROSSER]

heres a link that will help you.

http://www.sigma-galant.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=21

[rob020]

most of the time when i loose a bolt its either (in no particular order)

under the battery tray,
on top of the balance shaft "hump" under the inlet manifold,
on the crossmember between the mount and the sump
or in the paddock/on the road after bolted it back together with a spare bolt and go for a drive...

ive got an spare inlet manifold here... stripped down to the bare manifold its light as anything, probably wouldnt cost much to ship...
i can even include the themostat housing and bolts if you like

its yours, p.m. me if you're prepared to pay postage

[epicfail]

kwl i pm u mate

i finally found a digital camra yet to see if still works ( its pretty old ) but will en devour to post a pic of my sigma soon

[rob020]

lookin forward to pics of the old girl

[epicfail]

does anyone know wether or not the 1982 gj sigma gl runs on leaded petrol or unleaded ? because ive been runnin it on unleaded and have been unsure as to wether to add that stuff u need for leaded cars. I've even forgotten what that stuff is called u add to the fuel and have no clue as to how much per litre u would put in . It'S its been so long since i have had a car that runs on leaded petrol if in fact mine even runs on leaded fuel

help will be appreciated .....

as for the pictures i will be posting them up soon just waiting for this weather to stop being so $%#t and the digital camera i had well has died so need to upload via mobile camera so eventually hopefully when i buy the cord u need to connect ur phone to the computer ill be able to uplaod the pics onto photobucket then eventually here....

[metaldrift]

because sigmas have a jap design engine they dont need valve saver put in them, I've run my 1980 gh for last 5 years on unleaded no prob's. U can put some in every 3rd time you fill the tank if you wish but not needed, instructions on how much to fuel ratio are on the bottles, nearly any servo will have some if wanted.

[ozgdgalants]

Hi Metaldrift & epicfail all S-G people
RE valve lube for sigmas & galants cars with 1.6 saturns engines Don't need it. 2.6 Astron Don't need it. But wont harm to give them some now & than? [............. [2.0.... 2 litre..... Astrons] HAVE TO HAVE VALVE LUBE IN THE TANK AS THEY DON'T HAVE HARD VALVES IN THE HEAD. Easy fixed replace head with 2.6 one or get 2.0 head reco with hard valves & seats . I hope this helps everyone? There was a old bloke i use to chat to with a sigma wagon 2ltr astron had a reco head but no valve job it run ok for a while with no valve additive buggered up the head was not covered under the warranty cost him extra to reco the head one valve bent just marked the top of piston??? Lucky for him not the whole engine. just take the extra time to put the valve additive in the tank? or the head will let you no when it needs a reco?. thanks wayne ozgdgalants.

[metaldrift]

huh, rightio, wonder if he just had bad valves but u might be right. I've had 3 x 2ltr GH's and one had reco head, other two original head/valves and I've never used valve saver and never had a prob, but might explain why the GH I just got had one really burnt out valve, although other 7 where all good.

[rob020]

hmm, i didnt know that, i always thought the 2.0 and 2.6 heads were identical except for the cam...

i also thought that any aluminium head would have hardened valve seats and iron heads are the ones to question

learn something new everyday

[epicfail]

Finally got a pic of my old girl















looks like a bucket of bits lol needs cleaning badly lol





hope you like it

[epicfail]

i scrubbed out the num plate for security reasons but yup there she is it worked hope you like it .

shes a stubborn old thing but works reasonably ok .

the timing is way out on it. does any one know how to set the timing correctly on these old things ??.

i used to own a galant wagon and to set the timing on that i used to just turn a screw on the carby . but cant seem to do it on the sigma .any help on how to do this would be appreciated thanks.

[shuggy]

timing has nothing to do with the carby, its the distributor. are you sure its timing? if it is then you have to undo the bolt holding the dizzy down and turn it while the engine is running to get the highest idle speed

[colta51]

the screw you are talking about on the carby wood be the mixture screw.. the timing is set as shuggy decribes!

[colta51]

good to see more people from adelaide too..

[epicfail]

ok thanks guys ill look at it tomorrow as u can tell im a bit of a noob with cars lol need all the help i can get ...

[epicfail]

to shuggy
-----------

I am pretty sure its the timing because wen i go to turn it off sometimes the engine continues to chug a bit eventually stopping after 5 seconds or so . in the past other cars i have owned have done this wen there timing was out. and also im always having to run it with the choke on because if i take the choke off it will idle too low and cut out while i am driving . also when i put my foot down to take off it seems like its flooding and takes a while to respond and sometimes coffs a bit but eventually sorting itself out. im open to suggestions tho mate
its so sluggish at the moment and i dont know wats wrong with the poor old tired thing . but I know for a fact the 2.6 litre engines arnt supposed to have the same power as an old fiat 500 lol. atm i think an old fiat would thrash my car its so bloody slow takes for ever to get up to speed .

to colta
---------
yeah i wish there were more pple from adelaide 2 but nice to know im not the only one lol

to every one
---------------
However if anyone can shed some light as to what else the problem may be or thinks they know a solution all ur suggestions and advice is welcome as the more advice i get the better

thanks

[rob020]

mean as wagon, love the roofracks, are they factory? look like they were stolen off a vc commodore or my old subaru wagon, lol

[shuggy]

you have a few problems, yes could all be timing way too retarded, but here are a few things.

run on - carbon build up in the combustion chambers or too cold a plug, the carbon gets red hot and ignites the fuel instead of the plugs doing it.. also check your fuel shut off solenoid is working alright.

hesitation in accelleration, yes could be a serious timing issue but more likely the accellerator pump diaphrame on the carby is shot..

but yes could be timing that is causing pinging and a red hot combustion chamber causing run on..

there are a number of different things you are gonna have to look at and go by an ellimination process

good luck!

[epicfail]

thanks mate im tippin its the carby tho looks pretty raggard

[epicfail]

to robo20 yeah not sure if the roof racks are factory

its not a bad lil car just problematic but thats why i love it always something to work on

[epicfail]

I know this might sound really retarded but do u think a carby from a mitsubishi colt will work on sigma 2.6 engine ?

[colta51]

upullit is yore best place to go for a carby cost faark all and you get to pik out the best looking one
or a falcon weber!