1976 Olds Starfire GT

[76StarfireGT]

I bought this car three days ago for $400. I wasn't actually looking for a project car, though I've always wanted one, I needed a daily driver to replace my 3.1 Lumina which has sprung a hole in the gas tank that has made my life very expensive. I had $600 for a beater car, and stumbled on this car and couldn't resist getting it. It has 74,xxx miles on it and I'm hoping is in strong running and driving shape although I'm still going through it. I found this site while trying to research information on this car and I'm hoping that somebody will be able to help me. Right now it has a bad vibration and a really low RPM idle, I'm going to go through and check all plugs and wires tonight (well, if it ever stops raining that is) and hope that it's either that or the carbs. I also have a few nice dents and a very dented door on the passenger side (the way I see it at least it looks pretty from the side I'm on). Right now if anyone could offer me any sort of advice on this car, and I'm also wondering how big the gas tank is but worse comes to worse I can figure it out by filling it.

I'll post pics later if anyone would like to see it. Everyone I have talked to so far that has actually heard of this car has said they haven't seen one since the seventies.

Edit: It is the one seen in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25031&p=123996#p123996
That's also the same backyard that it's in for the picture in my garage

[GizmoN]

Welcome to our world...

[Sirshredalot]

The gas tanks are REALLY small...I believe only somthing like 8 or 10 gallons.

IVe got a fuel cell so I am really not too positive on that though.
Welcome to the boards

God bless
-Shred

[GizmoN]

According to the h-body.org library, Starfire brochure, the gas tank capacity is 18.5 gallons.

[Sirshredalot]

Did the starfires come with a bigger gas tank?

My daily driver truck has a 16 gallon gas tank and its HUGE compared to the monza gas tanks.

Ive got an 8 gallon fuel cell in my car and id estimate that a monza gas tank would hold probably 2-3 more gallons based on my eye-ball meter...tops.

Wow....18 gallons...I was wrong one other time though...

God bless
-Shred

[gerbsinmd]

Yep 18 gallons according to the owners manual for a 77 Monza.

[76StarfireGT]

Thanks for the welcome guys, glad to be here seems like a great community and I hope to become a regular contributor to the best of my abilities though I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable as you guys.

18 gallons is huge, guess I get to go longer between fill-ups though

What's the easiest way to drain the gas tank on one of these? Can I do it without dropping the gas tank? I don't have access to a lift so not having to drop the tank would be best. I took the plugs out and they smell like bad gas so I'm thinking I should probably drain the tank before I run any more of it through the carbs.

The fun part is that after I took the plugs out, and put them back in (I didn't want to change them out yet cuz I don't want to burn them with more bad gas while I was testing them for spark) I fired it up and it ran just fine, idled fine with hardly any vibration and I took it to the end of the driveway and back and it acted fine.

Edit: Anyone know if all the other clones had the same seats in them? All seats but the driver's are nice, just need one.

[gerbsinmd]

There isn't an easy way to drain the tank, but when a significant amount of gas is in there I have used a floor jack to lower one out of there. If it runs good now, I would head to the gas station, fill it up with gas and then head to a parts store and get a couple cans of Seafoam, it comes in a metal can, dump one can in immediately and then dump the other one in the next tank, it'll clean a whole bunch of crap out of the tank and carb and you should be fine. Seafoam is great stuff!!!

[76StarfireGT]

Hmmm that sounds like a great idea, I'm going to run down to the parts store and see if they sell that, then I have to find a way to get it to the gas station without getting arrested (I can't afford to have two cars on the road so she has to be pretty much done before I can put her on the road). Thanks for the tip. I had already bought some octane booster and stabilizer hoping that would kind of even the gas out once I put new gas in it, but this seems like it'll be real good at cleaning everything out.

-Eric

[GizmoN]

Don't forget a spare fuel filter and the necessary tools. The first time I took out my Skyhawk I ended up with a clogged fuel filter from so much stuff in the tank. Just carry the spare with you for a short time until you are sure the system is clean.

[marco_1978_spyder]

Dude, DONT DRIVE IT TO THE GAS STATION!

That brings back all too fond memories of 2 years ago, when I tried to drive -an OLDS STARFIRE parts car home.

Long story short I got stopped by a Trooper - same state as you New York- and got in a big mess, including having a Revoked licence for a year and a big fine. Dont do it! There pricks nowadays. (for cars without insurance) even if your just going down the road for a sec.

an Easy way to drain the tank, is to put a battery in the car. Attach a long piece of rubber tubing to the engine compartment fuel line. Run it into a large gas container, turn the key on.

[cjbiagi]

The pump won't run by just turning the key on, you have to have oil pressure to maintain voltage to the pump. (Marco, I KNOW you know that ) You would have to jump the connections on the oil pressure switch for it to run. I forget which terminals, I'm sure someone will chime in.

[spyder_xlch]

It's the two outside terminals.