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Car Problems Suck

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Car Problems Suck Empty Car Problems Suck

Post by pvtnum11 Thu Dec 17, 2009 6:20 pm

Okay, so I got three cars. I'm nuts, but you all knew that already.

My Blew-it (Buick) is having coolant problems, of the drip-drip kind. Can't seem to find the leak. I might try that seal-a-radiator stuff and see if that helps. It only seems to keap when the car is NOT running, so it might be a hose, but since I hae plastic end-tanks on my radiator, it might be a hairline crack forming, like what happened with Slavic.
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Car Problems Suck Empty Beater Car

Post by pvtnum11 Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:12 pm

(Woot, 100th post.)

Muahahahaha...! Gotta love quickie radiator leak-stop gunk. Cheaper than a radiator and a set of hoses, and nowhere nearly as much work. Ah, the cheap fixes one can tolerate, when one drives a car that cost less than my laptop.

My car only dribbles water (too dilluted to be called "coolant" by now) after a drive up Makakilo hill, due to the heavy loading that the hill places on the engine. Won't overheat, but it gets kinda warm. Radiator hairline crack dribbles after I turn the engine off - I'm guessing that the flow of fluid keeps the pressue in the coolant system below some value so the crack doesn't leak until after the flow stops and pressure increases. It doesn't leak at all when I drive it to work, that's mostly downhill and level and it's early in the morning.

I probably need to find out where two quarts of oil went, though. I took a long shallow right-hand turn and I saw the low oil light briefly light up. Checked it once I let it sit for a bit, and the dipstick was DRY. Not a good thing. I put two quarts into it, and it's happy now. I'm not burning any oil, as I don't leave a trail of bluish and stinking smoke behind me when I'm driving, so I'm thinking my car is marking its territory wherever I park it.

I was going to change the oil, but since I just doubled the amount of oil in the crankcase, I'll settle for a filter change and top it back off to spec. Maybe I got a crummy filter gasket. If not, I can shove some oil conditioner stop-leak in and see if that does anything.

A/C isn't blowing very cold anymore, so I'll probably have to top that off too. Gee, three fluid leaks. Not bad, but a perfect score woudl be seven fluids: Gas, steering, transmission and brakefluid aren't giving me headaches... yet.

Oh, and did I mention that my muffler has a GINORMOUS rusted-out hole in the bottom of it? That's why it's so ungodly loud when I'm sputtering up Makakilo Drive. Did I mention that I have some strange flaking substance on the sheetmetal that passes for paint? And dents and dings all over? All I need now is a burned-out headlight and I got myself a real fine beater. All this can be yours for a mere 900 bucks, how could I possibly say no to such a tempting offer?

Seriously, I need to start driving the TTA. It has problems of its own (like having too much torque and horsepower for mere mortals to control) but it's far more fun to drive. And faster, but no A/C.

See? You guys with your fancy new cars are totally missing out on the absolute thrill of wondering if your car will get you where you need to go...! Well, unless you're driving a late-model Toyota. Then it's getting you there way faster than you wanted.
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Post by Ambush Wed Feb 24, 2010 4:25 pm

pvtnum11 wrote:(Woot, 100th post.)

Muahahahaha...! Gotta love quickie radiator leak-stop gunk. Cheaper than a radiator and a set of hoses, and nowhere nearly as much work. Ah, the cheap fixes one can tolerate, when one drives a car that cost less than my laptop.

My car only dribbles water (too dilluted to be called "coolant" by now) after a drive up Makakilo hill, due to the heavy loading that the hill places on the engine. Won't overheat, but it gets kinda warm. Radiator hairline crack dribbles after I turn the engine off - I'm guessing that the flow of fluid keeps the pressue in the coolant system below some value so the crack doesn't leak until after the flow stops and pressure increases. It doesn't leak at all when I drive it to work, that's mostly downhill and level and it's early in the morning.

I probably need to find out where two quarts of oil went, though. I took a long shallow right-hand turn and I saw the low oil light briefly light up. Checked it once I let it sit for a bit, and the dipstick was DRY. Not a good thing. I put two quarts into it, and it's happy now. I'm not burning any oil, as I don't leave a trail of bluish and stinking smoke behind me when I'm driving, so I'm thinking my car is marking its territory wherever I park it.

I was going to change the oil, but since I just doubled the amount of oil in the crankcase, I'll settle for a filter change and top it back off to spec. Maybe I got a crummy filter gasket. If not, I can shove some oil conditioner stop-leak in and see if that does anything.

A/C isn't blowing very cold anymore, so I'll probably have to top that off too. Gee, three fluid leaks. Not bad, but a perfect score woudl be seven fluids: Gas, steering, transmission and brakefluid aren't giving me headaches... yet.

Oh, and did I mention that my muffler has a GINORMOUS rusted-out hole in the bottom of it? That's why it's so ungodly loud when I'm sputtering up Makakilo Drive. Did I mention that I have some strange flaking substance on the sheetmetal that passes for paint? And dents and dings all over? All I need now is a burned-out headlight and I got myself a real fine beater. All this can be yours for a mere 900 bucks, how could I possibly say no to such a tempting offer?

Seriously, I need to start driving the TTA. It has problems of its own (like having too much torque and horsepower for mere mortals to control) but it's far more fun to drive. And faster, but no A/C.

See? You guys with your fancy new cars are totally missing out on the absolute thrill of wondering if your car will get you where you need to go...! Well, unless you're driving a late-model Toyota. Then it's getting you there way faster than you wanted.

Ian, I think it's cool to have 3 cars when you're married in case one takes a dump. You should just invest in another car when you can so you both have newer, reliable and up to date cars. Doesn't have to be ANYTHING fancey. Just keep the TTA and work on it for fun. It would be sweet, but it may take awhile since cars ain't cheap.
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Post by pvtnum11 Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:19 pm

Car's ain't cheap - well, they can be, if you don't mind treating them like disposable Bic pens. My upper limit on a disposable car is a thousand bucks. More if it's a decent vehicle, it depends. And I hate new car payments.

I'm actually kind of fond of the beater Buick, IN SPITE OF all it's issues. Comfy ride is a plus over the TTA's bone-jarring ride. Something to keep in mind when you get your Supra. They make aftermarket adjustable shocks so you can hae a smooth ride, and switch to stiff settings when you want to have a bit more fun. I'd get them, but since it's just a Trans Am, I'd rather spend the coin on other things, like:

Fuel Pump hotwire kit (factory wiring is thin, better wiring ensures more voltage to the pump)
Mount bracket for MAF Translator (it's just stuffed into a nook right now)
MAF-to-Turbo hose section
Fuel
Install Scanmaster
Install boost-vacuum gauge and Knock Indicator in two-gauge A-pillar pod
Fix A-pillar rust issue
Fuel
Replace T-top support bracket (got the parts, can't get the old one out)
Did I mention fuel yet?
Brakes
Paint touchup (full paint later)
...and that's just minor stuff...
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Car Problems Suck Empty Tim wants this but doesn't know it yet

Post by pvtnum11 Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:35 pm

Car Problems Suck 1986-b10
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Car Problems Suck Empty Or this, but it'll cost more ('87 GNX)

Post by pvtnum11 Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:36 pm

Car Problems Suck Buick_10
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Post by pvtnum11 Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:41 pm

I almost traded my TTA for an '87 Regal Turbo T, dark blue color with a few mods already tacked onto it. It was seriously nice. Instead of the piee of crud '95 Buick Century I'm driving now, I could've gotten a 1987 Buick Regal (naturally aspirated 305 V8) instead, but it looked like it had some issues. Heh, the Century has issues, and V8 power would've been good.
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Post by pvtnum11 Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:13 pm

So, I was perusing craigslist for a beater car to replace my beater car and came across a 1990 Firebird base model, with the V8 L03 option and a manual transmission. According to the ad, the A/C even works. Solid roof. Same interior color as my Turbo Trans Am, and it looked decent inside.

Ah, I think to myself, this'll be an easy sell to the wife. The 305 cubic-inch L03 engine is a reliable workhorse, not known as a performance plant, but dependable. Plus aside from smaller diameter bores, it's a small block chevy - the aftermarket for the SBC is huge. You can knock down 20-plus miles per gallon with the manual transmission, too. Solid roof car, so no worry about leaks. Plus, I can swap bits of the interior to spiff up the TTA if I wanted to. My back seats look terrible. One bolt, out the lower seat cushion goes, and bam, new seat cusion goes in. Easy. Plus, I'd love to teach my wife how to drive a stickshift. Although with her driving habits, she'd probably get a ticket within a few weeks. She has a lead foot. I'd ditch the Buick, probably give it away to someone who needed an A-to-B car.

Nope. She said no. She says that once we buy a house, I can get whatever I want, but until then, it's make do with my Buick and TTA. I'll probably ditch the Buick once I get the TTA running, anyway, who honestly needs two cars?

So, this is what I'll get once I get the house:

Car Problems Suck 1991_v10

Vector W8. American supercar. Twin-turbo six-liter V8, ran through a three-speed automatic. 0-60 in four seconds. Designed to last the lifespan of the owner, using aircraft-grade hardware, and even then it weighs 3200 pounds. Late '80s, early '90s. Only 22 made.
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Post by pvtnum11 Mon Apr 05, 2010 5:19 pm

1,700 bucks? That's a nice beater car's-worth of money.

Okay, so Saturday I finally got off my butt and shoved a fresh battery into my Firebird. Registration dies end of the month, and to renew it, I need safety done. Fired right up.

My leaky two-piece rear main seal had oozed oil onto the exhaust crossover pipe (links the driver's side header over to the turbo up-pipe) so once the exhaust got all nice and toasty, the car smoked for a bit. Five minutes, all the oil had burned itself off. The seal only leaks when the car is stopped. I'd change it, but unlike the G-body cars that have the same engine, I can't simply drop my oilpan to gain access to the rear main bearing cap, where the seal sits. Sucks not having a for-real frame...

No, F-bodies are a total pain to work on. Have to raise the engine up two or three inches IN THE ENGINE BAY so you can work the oil pan off. Transmission cross member is in the way from just dropping the pan.

Supposedly, once you manage to get the oil pan off, the cap is only two bolts, and a plastic tool to remove the seal half that's nestled between the crankshaft and the block. Then it's finangling the new half in, bolt up the bearing cap, reinstall the oil pan and you're done.

Anyway, I hope to get safety done this coming Saturday, then I can drive the car again. I ended up tooling around Kapolei for about half an hour, even took it onto the freeway for a QUICK blast up to seventy miles per hour. (I was still getting passed!) Not bad for a 21-year-old car.
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Post by pvtnum11 Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:35 pm

Alas, my car doesn't look this good.

Car Problems Suck 89tta_11

But, it didn't look that good even when I got it. Part of the reason why I could afford it at all - these things come in two flavors: Really nice or really worn out. Getting the latter to the former category costs a bunch. I'm just happy it runs. Fastest car I've ever owned. If you're prone to getting tickets, it's not the car for you.
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Post by Ambush Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:34 am

pvtnum11 wrote:Alas, my car doesn't look this good.

Car Problems Suck 89tta_11

But, it didn't look that good even when I got it. Part of the reason why I could afford it at all - these things come in two flavors: Really nice or really worn out. Getting the latter to the former category costs a bunch. I'm just happy it runs. Fastest car I've ever owned. If you're prone to getting tickets, it's not the car for you.

Nice. Remember the Camero I looked at that resembled that pic.
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Post by pvtnum11 Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:24 am

...You mean the Trans Am. It looked better than mine.

I remember that one, no rear wing and it had the LG4 carb'd 305 (5-liter) V8.

Replacement wings are only 300 bucks and small-block aftermarket is HUGE.

How much did that guy want for it again? Seemed like an okay deal, IIRC.
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Post by pvtnum11 Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:35 am

Yay, I has a new car!

Well, not really. 1999 is not new.

Buick Park Avenue, also known as a Medicare Sled. Full-sized luxury car, all the bells and whistles. Leather power-adjustable seats, trip computer, remote trunk release, CD/Cassette/Radio, kitchen sink...

So, now I have to figure out what I'll do with the Century, now that I no longer require it. Four cars is a bit much - especially since I do most of the driving.

Car Problems Suck 1999-b10
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