A Quandary about an old pickup truck

I’m not sure if this is a GQ or an IMHO but I’ll start here.

I have this old pickup that stupidly I allowed to sit idle for more than two years. The front brake rotors are rusted and the emergency brake won’t release the rear wheels when I let it out. I tried to start it this past weekend but it would only turn over. It didn’t seem like any fuel was getting into the system. I have another thread re: the gas in GQ.

I like this little old truck ('84 Mazda B2000) and would like to fix it up and make it live again. I don’t desperately need it, although I could use it at my new place as a runabout/light hauler kind of thing. So the sentimental/fix-it guy part of me wants to fix it up, and the sensible my-life-is-complicated-enough part of me wants to have the Salvation Army take it away as a donation.

At this point, like I said above, the brake rotors are rusted and the rear wheels are locked, so there’s a lot to do there. I think I might be able to start it if I can sort out the fuel problem. And of course there’s the stuff I can’t see and don’t know enough about which is why I’m here asking this. Obviously a good deal of money will have to be spent, but not as much (I think) as if I were to buy another truck.

So what do you think? Is it possible to get it fixed and running again without it being ridiculously expensive, or is it hopeless and I should just bag it and take the tax write-off?

It depends on how nice you want it to be when you’re done.

The stuff you’ve described (locked rear brakes and maybe a fuel pump) sounds to me like about $300 and two weekends of screwing around.

But if you want to restore it to pristine like-new condition (though I can’t imagine anyone doing that to a Mazda pickup, which is (cough) not one of the shining stars of the automotive firmament), you’re probably talking something like $10 grand and a year and a half.

i am sure i could get it running for no more than the price for a few gallons or fresh gas.

here is my strategy (im serious, so don’t think this is a goof!):

get the old crap gas out, or put in enough fresh to make it viable. make sure the pump is working. if you need to get that sucker fired up so it pumps long enough to draw fuel, try lots of starting fluid or pour a little raw fuel into the carb throat.

if it was running when you parked it last, it should go again!

okay, lets say it starts up. cram it in gear and point it away from the kids! those brakes will let loose eventually (actually, you can do this to the rear wheels by jacking and supporting, then once you have the rears working to some degree, and you know you can stop if need be, then tackle the fronts)

yes, this is auto mechanic barbarism, but its cheap and lets you know real quick if the thing is worth saving. I did something very similar to this to a Jeep Wagoneer that was abandoned in the forest. Once the snow melted, and it was free of its icy grip, we got it fired up and proceeded to drive it to Las Vegas! It let me know real fast what was wrong and needed attention. (i did make it, but it took a while)

my point with the brakes is that the pads/shoes will wear on the rust and eventually “fix” themselves. If they are too far gone and wont budge at all, it may be a sign that its not worth it.

i’m a shit mechanic, but everything i own runs, so i guess im doing something right once in a while!

on review, this is all very bad advice. forget i said anything and commence pointing and giggling at me for the fool i am!

ok- more info on the brakes

rears: if the parking brake was set, the brakes are frozen in the “on” position. if you release the handle and nothing happens, try crawlin’ under and manually jerk around the cables. sometimes the cables are just sticky and dont return correctly with just the spring pressure. if there is a little rust twixt shoe and drum, the only thing there to pull the shoes away from the drum is a couple of little springs and often bangin’ on the drums will loosen them up and return the shoes to the “off” position. from there, get them spinning and the shoes will “wear” some of the light rust away.

fronts: assuming these became frozen in the “off” position, we have another problem. there is probably more than just light surface rust, but the way i see it, you have to bust them free before you can get the drum off anyway, so do what you can to get them turning.

or, tow it to midas for the free inspection and let them deal with busting them loose, then finish the job for about 1/4 of what they quote for the job!:smiley:

You can always get a die grinder equipped with a paint scraper pad to cheaply remove the rust. A cheap way to “resurface” the rotors. Or, you could go the little more costly route and remove the rotors and take them to a shop for professional resurfacing (Which I don’t think is really necessary in this circumstance).

Rear brakes-- can you get to the rear and back them off manually?
If not, a good way to get stuck rear drums off is to bang on them (not too hard, mind you) on the middle part (nearer the axle area). Use either a rubber mallet or a ball peen hammer (flat side). Sometimes the rust holding them in tightly will be jarred loose.

Do not try to pry them off from the sides, you will warp them and end up having to buy new drums. And for the aforementioned banging on the drums, don’t bang way too hard, I’ve seen them warp that way too.

IIRC, some foreign models (Asian) gas tanks have a drain plug on the bottom of the tank. Check for this first.

Another good thing for you to do after getting the rest of the brakes in order is to fully bleed the brake system. After two years there will surely be a lot of water in the brake fluid (Brake fluid is…hydroponic(?)…anyway, it draws moisture) and that may have caused rust in the system. Check for leakage at the wheel cylinders and the calipers.

You can always pay for my plane fare and I’ll be glad to come over and help you for a case of beer. :smiley:

Older Mazda trucks are great! My first car was a 1989 Mazda B2200 pickup that got me all the way through high school and college. I wonder where it is now. Oh, I know, it is sitting in front of our new house. I have a newer car and I don’t drive it every day now but it starts up like I do every time I ask it to. I used it to haul supplies from Home Depot and run 200 miles round trip to New Hampshire this weekend. It has never had an engine or mechanical problem other than a failed clutch which would not have happened if I were the only person driving it for the last 5 years. I know several people that have had similar luck with models like yours. I still love mine more than anything and I say invest the energy to fix it because it will reward you with great reliability.

Ah, this is encouraging. It’s good to see my instincts aren’t totally off. gatopescado, I was thinking the same thing about just putting the car in gear and forcing the brakes. I think I’ll go under and fiddle with the cables first, though, then maybe use a mallet on the drums.

Yeah if you force it, it could work, although maybe it may cause some damage to the brake hardware. Don’t forget about possibly fiddling with the adjuster also.

Yeah if you force it, it could work, although maybe it may cause some damage to the brake hardware. Don’t forget about possibly fiddling with the adjuster also.

…and I second what Shagnasty said. I had a second-hand Mazda truck (before they started getting made by Ford) and it was previously owned by the parts store I worked at part-time. Now you know how delivery drivers drive (well, at least the guys at our store) and that truck was very reliable.

Yeah, you need fresh gas…I would take the old gas out, there is a plug on the bottom of the
gas tank to do this (be careful). Then put in new spark plugs ($8 for 4, I know I just bought some) &
a fuel filter ($5) prime it first by putting gas in ( I did this by sucking it in carefully into its bowl).
This should get it going. I dont know about the drums, are you said you look at them on the inside
or outside, cause they are usually rusty on the outside.

good luck, mack!

one of my personal failings is that i’m “Attila the Mechanic” and always looking for the cheap or free fix, cause i’m usually working on something worth nothing and i’m a tightwad. (i have only paid for one of the 9 cars i own, and coincidently, that is the only one that it totally unreliable!)

my advice was given assuming the truck was runnin’ when last parked, and the brakes were working reasonably well then. if they were screwed up 2 yrs ago, they didn’t fix themselves while sittin’! :smiley:


Jesus was in a Coma.