got a free 1991 Loyale wagon, few questions/saying hello!

[kadrocker]

My bro had a 1991 Loyale wagon that he gave me. He drove it for a few years, he was gonna junk it, so he asked me if i wanted it before he went through with it. Heck yeah! Free car! It's front wheel drive, automatic, 168k miles.

 

It runs and drives pretty good. It has a few small issues that need addressed- for example- someone stole the catalytic converter. So i definetely need a new one. The passenger side seatbelt motor doesn't work, well, it doesn't move, it's stuck right in the corner of the track. The rear defrost doesn't work either, but i'll take a look at that. The AC doesn't blow cold, i'll have to see what's up with that.

 

One random question that's bothering me to know end! You know the buttons "AC", "HEAT", "BILEV" ect? What is the top button?! The nameplate fell off so i'm not sure what it does! I'm guessing defrost. The nameplate wasn't on when my brother got the car, so he never used that button.

 

 

i guess my questions are...

1. How big is the catalytic converter in and out? 2 inches?

2. What's the top button?

3. How should i go about trying to fix my seatbelt motor? Think it's the motor itself that went bad?

4. Where can i get a blue center console? Mine is missing, and it wasn't in there when my brother got it. Ebay my only option?

5. On my dash the "DOOR LOCK" light is on and the seatbelt light flashes. What's up? The light doesn't go off even when i use the manual lap belt.

 

Help me out fella's!

[SoobieDoo]

i guess my questions are...

1. How big is the catalytic converter in and out? 2 inches? I think 1-7/8", but I'd measure the open pipe to be sure. It sounds like it was just your second cat that was stolen, 'cause your main cat, with O2, is in the Y-pipe. If so, just run pipe, or maybe a glasspack for a resonator.

2. What's the top button? Defrost is correct.

3. How should i go about trying to fix my seatbelt motor? Think it's the motor itself that went bad? JY, or advertise here in the "wanted section".

4. Where can i get a blue center console? Mine is missing, and it wasn't in there when my brother got it. Ebay my only option? JY, or advertise here in the "wanted section".

5. On my dash the "DOOR LOCK" light is on and the seatbelt light flashes. What's up? The light doesn't go off even when i use the manual lap belt. I'd look for the sensors, then annihilate them!

[Subruise]

welcome to the board. everything you need to know you will find here. make friends with the search function for technical stuff. i have a 91 loyale too, its 4wd, lifted 2". good score on the free subie, cant get better than that (maybe two free subies). the door lock light is on to tell you that the doors arent locked. if your loyale is like mine and has power locks an you lock them.... the light will turn off. please post pics of the free car!!

 

RV

[987687]

Yep, the DOOR LOCK button goes off when all the doors are locked. Seatbelt light is probably because that seatbelt is broken. Before you call it dead, check the connections and relays. There's a bunch of relays and connectors for the auto seat belts on that side under the seat. So I'd start there. If the driver's side works, it probably isn't the computer....

I have a set of auto seatbelts, so if you can't find one PM me. I'm in Maine, so it might be expensive to send.

I'd go to a JY for the trim stuff, they're almost all blue. So you're in luck there.

 

Also, do you have emissions testing where you are? I'd be tempted to just weld in a bit of pipe... But I'm cheap like that

[kadrocker]

Thanks for the replies guys! I appreciate the advice/hints already!

 

I'll post pictures once i find my digital camera, it's around somewhere!

 

I'll check the relays and such for the seatbelt.

 

Here in PA, we get a yearly inspection and the car won't pass if I just put a straight pipe on, darn. So i'm forced to get a cat. I live in Adams County, and in this particular county we don't have emissions testing, but we do need all the factory equipment. And I'm fine with that- I didn't pay anything for the car, so if I need to put a whole new exhaust on, I won't be upset.

 

 

 

87687 - I'll keep ya posted if I'll need the seatbelts, let me check a few things out. Thanks for the offer!

 

Wish I had one of the 4x4 Loyale's! Would be the ultimate snow vehicle! My other cars are a 2005 Chevy Cobalt, that my wife drives 90% of the time. I drive a 1976 F150 that my dad bought new. A big ol' 2x4 truck in the snow bites!

 

I've done a lot of work to the '76 getting it running and trying to make all the stuff work on it again. I'm no mechanic, but i do enjoy trying to figure out how cars work. I'm used to carburators and v8s! Still learning about fuel injection and computers. I think the Loyale will teach more a lot!

[Ricearu]

Thanks for the replies guys! I appreciate the advice/hints already!

 

I'll post pictures once i find my digital camera, it's around somewhere!

 

I'll check the relays and such for the seatbelt.

 

Here in PA, we get a yearly inspection and the car won't pass if I just put a straight pipe on, darn. So i'm forced to get a cat. I live in Adams County, and in this particular county we don't have emissions testing, but we do need all the factory equipment. And I'm fine with that- I didn't pay anything for the car, so if I need to put a whole new exhaust on, I won't be upset.

 

 

 

87687 - I'll keep ya posted if I'll need the seatbelts, let me check a few things out. Thanks for the offer!

 

Wish I had one of the 4x4 Loyale's! Would be the ultimate snow vehicle! My other cars are a 2005 Chevy Cobalt, that my wife drives 90% of the time. I drive a 1976 F150 that my dad bought new. A big ol' 2x4 truck in the snow bites!

 

I've done a lot of work to the '76 getting it running and trying to make all the stuff work on it again. I'm no mechanic, but i do enjoy trying to figure out how cars work. I'm used to carburators and v8s! Still learning about fuel injection and computers. I think the Loyale will teach more a lot!

 

I have that console, $10 plus shipping if you want it. I will take pics when I get home. The motor may have come unplugged, check behind the pillar trim, also if it is trying, try to help it and if it gets stuck again, get it to the normal riding position and unplug the motor until you can replace the track.

 

and yes 1wd trucks suck in the snow. I may be from texas but I used to live in colorado.

[987687]

You live in PA, the land of awesome junk yards. Whenever I'm in PA I haul a load of car parts back with me because I can always find them cheap and in nice condition down there

[MilesFox]

i guess my questions are...

1. How big is the catalytic converter in and out? 2 inches?

2. What's the top button?

3. How should i go about trying to fix my seatbelt motor? Think it's the motor itself that went bad?

4. Where can i get a blue center console? Mine is missing, and it wasn't in there when my brother got it. Ebay my only option?

5. On my dash the "DOOR LOCK" light is on and the seatbelt light flashes. What's up? The light doesn't go off even when i use the manual lap belt.

 

Help me out fella's!

 

1. Do you mean the cat in the y pipe, or the one in the center section. 1-7/8" sounds right, but some sections behind the heat shield might be 1-3/4"

2. Defrost. If all your settings only blow out of the dash vents, check the vacuum hose from the vac canister to the passenger side of the intake and see if it has come off.

3.Look near the bottom half of the back seat and look for a tool pouch with an allen hex valcroed to the carpet. You should be able to manually crank down the seatbelt where ot should be, and then just manually unclip it to get in and out.

5. door lock light is on any time any one door is not locked. To lock the front door from outside, hold the handle up as you close the door, or it will pop unlocked. this is an anti-lockout design feature. The rear doors have child lockouts to prevent the door from opening from the inside

[Subruise]

Look near the bottom half of the back seat and look for a tool pouch with an allen hex valcroed to the carpet. You should be able to manually crank down the seatbelt where ot should be, and then just manually unclip it to get in and out.

 

i always wondered what that was for... thanx

 

RV

[kadrocker]

Hmm. I wonder since there's technically a cat on the car I can get away with just a straight pipe where the 2nd cat used to be. Whatcha think? Think that pass inspection? Guess I can always ask my mechanic.

[987687]

Hmm. I wonder since there's technically a cat on the car I can get away with just a straight pipe where the 2nd cat used to be. Whatcha think? Think that pass inspection? Guess I can always ask my mechanic.

 

If you ask, he'll say no. If you just do it... it might go un-noticed. Although a shiny section in rusty exhaust is a little hard to miss.

There's a chance they have a book/catalog that shows how the exhaust system should look and if you're missing a part it fails.

[Ricearu]

here in texas, they don't check, I would just use 1 aftermarket universal cat. as long as it has a cat, it should pass.

 

every year I tell the inspector my car is stuck in 4wd, they "two speed idle" test it. where instead of rolling it on a load dyno, they just rev it with the sniffer in the tail pipe and it doesn't sample NOx

[987687]

Well it will already have a cat in the Y pipe. But in PA they tend to be pretty strict about it.

[SoobieDoo]

Although a shiny section in rusty exhaust is a little hard to miss.

 

You should treat that section with salt water to match!