Wow! what a bad start but getting better week!

[GeorgiaVol]

Had a pretty bad start to the week. Monday our car locked its engine up. At the same time my other car, the Tahoe, has had a leaking radiator I have been putting off until I could come up with $400-$500to put a new radiator in. So we were stuck with no vehicles. What a pickle. Well I was able to work out a deal with my local mechanic, and a really nice guy. I traded him the car to fix my truck. But there was a problem. Shop was 30 miles away. Tow would cost 75-100 dollars each. I talked to my old landlord into using his dolly and towing the car to the shop with my wife following in the truck, stopping every so often to refill the radiator. Well they both made it. nother problem. We didnt have a ride to pick it up the next day. ARGGGGH! So I had to ask my landlord for another favor. Well, we picked up the truck today, and it runs like a champ. Now we are shopping for a replacement car. Unfortunately, I will probably have to trade the Tahoe in to get another car. I dont want to but I cannot afford 13-15 mpg as a daily driver. Im gonna miss that truck.

On the bright side, we had planned a trip to Florida this week but moved it to Thanksgiving week. So we almost got stranded out of town. Guess the Good Lord knows what He is doing after all.

 

[Staunton Dan]

My car had a similar problem. It was leaking water/antifreeze on the driveway and I couldn't find the leak. Was hoping it was a hose which was a simple fix. Found out from a friend of mine after pressurizing the system and putting the car on a lift that the water pump was leaking. Now on most cars that wouldn't have been too bad to fix but I have a Mitsubishi engine and it takes 4-1/2 hours to get to it and put it back together. Then the timing belt should be replaced because everything else being off allows you to get to it. I have over 100,000 miles on my car so that was a given. Big bucks to fix it which I didn't have. SOLUTION, for the fuel pump at least. A few ounces of brake fluid in the radiator swells the seals and it stops the leak most of the time. So far it has done the trick. He said that it might go a couple years without leaking. I don't know. The timing belt could go at anytime. We'll see what happens but for now I may have avoided a big expense that I'd like to avoid for a while longer.

 

[capsoda]

I do all my own mechanicing so I rarely have problems. Helps to have a big shop full of tools too. Where do you go in Florida Matt?


Hey Dan, when that belt goes it will probably eat the head. I hate all these aluminum motors.

 

[GeorgiaVol]

the radiator was cracked halfway up the tank. Too big for any stop leak stuff. I had an Avenger with a Mitsu engine, and it's water pump went out. I do all my own work on cars, but I couldn't even FIND the water pump. The weep hole carried the water about a foot away before you could see it. The water pump was behind the timing cover. I just took it to a mechanic. Kinda funny, after fixing mine for $400 he said the next one was gonna be $800. Even he said that was a @#$@# to change out. My Buick I believe either dropped a valve or broke the timing chain/belt. It gave no warning of either. Just went all rattly then wouldn't turn over anymore. We are going somewhere just south of Orlando. Gonna be right on the beach. Solid week of not even thinking about work, I can't wait.

 

[capsoda]

Yep, the smaller parts get the better they can hide them and without a dealers manual you just about can't work on the dad burn things. It is getting worse with the hybrids. You want to see some funky stuff look under the hood of one of those.

We are up on the panhandle. Don't know why more bottle folks don't come up here. We have the whitest beaches in the world and it is a great place to lay around. It is the off season right now and mostly locals are hanging out. I guess we don't get the hype that they get around Orlando.

 

[ajohn]

Just got my work truck back last Tuesday.Had the motor replaced ,$2300.00.
Ran great for one day.AARGH!Blew the tranny.Just had the tranny rebuilt a little over a year ago.Had lass than 60 grand on the tranny.The shop I got the tranny done at said tough luck,warranty expired at one year.
Best est.$2,600.00.CROOKS!
Went out and bought a book and dropped the tranny myself (with a friend)yesterday.Found a guy who could look me square in the eye after he heard my speech about the reason this country is falling appart,and getting it done for $950.00.
Just got one problem.....HOW DO YOU GET YER FINGER NAILS CLEAN???

 

[GeorgiaVol]

baby oil works good, but you gotta have a good tooth brush (not your wife's)

As far as my vacation goes we usually go to the pan handle, we just wat to go farther south this time. plus the wife has some family down there we might sneak a turkey leg off of. One of my favorite places was St. George Island. It was real nice. But Destin and PC was good too.

 

[capsoda]

Next time you head for Pensacola gimmie a holler. I was raised there and I live just over the state line in Seminole, AL. I haven't dug there in a while but I could check it out or we could just burn something dead and eat it.

 

[ajohn]

OK,Now I gotta put it back in [] Piece of cake?[8|]...

 

[Road Dog]

ORIGINAL: ajohn

Just got my work truck back last Tuesday.Had the motor replaced ,$2300.00.
Ran great for one day.AARGH!Blew the tranny.Just had the tranny rebuilt a little over a year ago.Had lass than 60 grand on the tranny.The shop I got the tranny done at said tough luck,warranty expired at one year.
Best est.$2,600.00.CROOKS!
Went out and bought a book and dropped the tranny myself (with a friend)yesterday.Found a guy who could look me square in the eye after he heard my speech about the reason this country is falling appart,and getting it done for $950.00.
Just got one problem.....HOW DO YOU GET YER FINGER NAILS CLEAN???

Gojo hand cleaner. Lot of folks use Latex Gloves.