MSP Advice: Sell or Part Out?

[Ehawley]

Here is my dilemna. I own a yellow MSP with 60k miles. It runs like crap and won't pass inspection. I have tried to get it back as close to stock as possible and the dealership (or anyone else) still won't touch it. They called today to tell me that the o2 sensors were stuck at one reading and the the car is running pig rich at idle (ironic for an MSP I know). It has an internal code and won't pass inspection at this point.

I owe $5k on the car. I just want to get rid of it at this point so I don't have to make a payment on a car I don't drive. I would like to get as much money as possible so I can get another project car (without a payment).

Option 1: Sell the car as is. I would be surprised if I could get $10k for it as is.

Option 2: Part it out. I have a Ion intercooler, exhaust, ported and polished head. Then I could tear stock parts off as requested. I have a garage and sitting on the car wouldn't be a big deal as I don't expect to be moving anytime soon.

Obviously, option 1 is less of a hassle (assuming I find a buyer), but I am not sure if I could make more money by parting it out.

Anyone have any experience parting out cars who would like to offer some advice?

[talontsi97]

I say part it out and try to make some of the mod money back then sell it.
o/t id be interested in your fmic setup if you could get me some pics of it. thanks and good luck

[xgeoffx801]

Pics of intercooler and price. That is if your going to part it out.

[ItsSlow]

If the o2 sensors are stuck at one reading, that obviously means they are faulty.. Get new ones and see what happens.. Also, what code is it throwing?

Personally, Id get it running first then try to sell it.. Its hard to sell a car that isnt running correctly..

[fatti03msp]

i would say get it running, im not sure what setup you have by i was getting a system to rich code and my BOV was to soft all of a sudden and my MAF was not relocated. So it ran like shit and i couldnt get it inspected. So if you have a BOV and not a relocated MAF tighten up the BOV and rev up the engine and see if any air is coming out of the BOV. If so then your BOV is bad like mine and you will need a new one. That is just suggestion doubt it will be the problem, But i figured id let you know cause its and easy temp fix. Until you get a new BOV.

[bazooka joe]

part it out (lot of work) you could at least get your $5 grand

[Matrix]

If the o2 sensors are stuck at one reading, that obviously means they are faulty.. Get new ones and see what happens.. Also, what code is it throwing?

Personally, Id get it running first then try to sell it.. Its hard to sell a car that isnt running correctly..


I second that. Get it running first. Wouldn't it suck to sell the car for a loss of thousands of $$ just to watch the new owner replace the O2 sensors and drive it fine?

[-pixy-]

Don't completely part it out. If you don't make 5k off the parts you are going to be stuck with a loan and a shell of a car, I would sell off the mods, and trade for stock parts + cash, use that money to fix up the car enough to get it running. Then sell it, you will get more for a running stock car than you can for it's parts.

[BOOSTR]

I'd try and fix the car and sell it. Parting it out could take a while and the bank is not going to wait for the payments.
Before you go replacing the sensors make sure that you don't have any leaks at any point in the exhaust. Barring some major issue, you could probably fix the car rather easily. 60K is not a lot of miles, unless they were all balls to walls miles! What is the CEL code,idle at vacuum and driveability issues?

[Ehawley]

It was the random multiple cylinder misfire code. It has been throwing it forever it seems. I threw it on the last engine and this one. The tech says both o2 sensors are pegged at 44 volts. Not sure what the odds of both o2 sensors dying at the same time are. I am thinking of trying to pick up a used ECU and seeing if that makes a difference.

The dealership won't touch it, they barely wanted to do any diagnostic on it.

[ItsSlow]

Misfire? Wouldnt that have to do with the coils and not the o2 sensors?

Yea, Id try a different ECU and see if that changed anything..

[fatti03msp]

i had the exact same problem and i had to get a new ECU and it was all fine after that, same code and does car just bog out and you cant really get above 60

[Ehawley]

It idles like crap but actually still pulls decently under acceleration. The vac pressure at idle bounces from 0 to -10, it hits -15 when I let off the accelerator at speed.

The dealership did a pressure test and a lead down test and everything appeared ok. Guess the ECU is the next step.

[bazooka joe]

It idles like crap but actually still pulls decently under acceleration. The vac pressure at idle bounces from 0 to -10, it hits -15 when I let off the accelerator at speed.

The dealership did a pressure test and a lead down test and everything appeared ok. Guess the ECU is the next step.

you had the mpi on there for a while, right? if it's the same ecu, maybe it got toasted from a wiring issue...just a thought? (dunno)too bad you couldn't borrow one and try it out before buying?

[livelyjay]

Do not part it out, you will regret it if you do. www.car-part.com will be your friend as you try to get it back to running condition. You should be able to find an ECU on there for cheap, and if it doesn't solve your problem, sell it on this forum. Also check out www.oxygensensor.com if you want to find deals on O2 sensors. The non-OEM versions are much cheaper, but you have to wire them in yourself, but I have done that before and it's no big deal. Just keep posting your issue on here and I'm sure all of the brain power on this forum can get your car running again.

[BOOSTR]

In addition to that possibility, he may have a vacuum leak as suggested by such a low reading and the multiple misfire code. Faulty EGR or fuel injector issues could throw that cel as well.

[Matrix]

In addition to that possibility, he may have a vacuum leak as suggested by such a low reading and the multiple misfire code. Faulty EGR or fuel injector issues could throw that cel as well.

But on two different engines? Unless I am reading this wrong, he has had the same codes on his original engine and now his second one. What you're suggesting is possible, but I think it's much more likely to be an electrical/ECU problem.