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Author Topic: Cars suck Galen Murphy-Fahlgren Master Film Handler Posts: 405 From: Canton, MI, USA Registered: Oct 2007 posted 08-30-2008 08:22 PM                     For the last couple of months, the clutch on my car has been getting progressively worse and worse. On Monday, I ordered most of the parts I needed to replace it, expecting to lay my car up for a week or two once my sister turns 18 and gets a car and license. That way, between her car and my brother who lives with me, it wouldn't be a huge deal. Well, my car decided that it had its own plans, and the clutch completely gave it up Wednesday night. Fortunately, I didn't have unchangeable plans this weekend, so I've got enough time to work on it, but the last parts I need won't be in until Tuesday morning, so hopefully reassembly goes smoothly. Anyone else work on their own cars and relish being greased up laying on their back on concrete as much as I do? I got rust particles in my eyes today twice while dropping my exhaust before digging out my safety glasses. One of my least favorite things, so a good reason to have some eye protection on hand.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-30-2008 08:41 PM                        I don't work on my own car as a rule outside of changing light bulbs and other easily-replaceable parts because I'm just experienced enough to be dangerous, but your thread is apparently mistitled...after reading your post, it should either be "My car sucks" or "I love working on cars."  |  IP: Logged Adam Fraser Master Film Handler Posts: 499 From: Houghton Lake, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 08-30-2008 08:42 PM                        Yes, In the past three months I have replaced the engine with a higher compression one, transmission, front and rear brakes, headlight capsules, removed and installed my supercharger again to upgrade the intercooler, welded up a 2.5" mandrel bent exhaust, and many other things on my 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. I take pride in doing things myself, especially things that others would shy away from. It keeps me out of trouble and out of sleep. But I now have a 12 second 1/4 mile FWD grocery getter and a lot less cash.  |  IP: Logged Tristan Lane Master Film Handler Posts: 444 From: Nampa, Idaho Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-30-2008 09:29 PM                     quote: Adam Fraser my 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Nice. L67's ROCK. I just sold a 1998 Riviera with the same engine. I didn't do much to the internals, but I did replace the blower pulley with a smaller one to get another couple of pounds of boost, a few interior improvements, and some minor "bolt-on" things. That pushrod V-6 had over 160K miles on it when I sold it and the car still ran and drove great. quote: Adam Fraser replaced the engine with a higher compression one You don't have any problems with pump gas? Mine detonated like a sonofabitch on anything less than premium. I can't imagine higher compression being much better for the car. I'm sure it's fun though. Right now I've got two project cars. I don't find enough time to work on them anymore.  |  IP: Logged Galen Murphy-Fahlgren Master Film Handler Posts: 405 From: Canton, MI, USA Registered: Oct 2007 posted 08-30-2008 10:18 PM                     Mike, perhaps "Old beater cars suck", but the principle of cars being generally poorly packaged for working on in your driveway transcends make, model, and age. Certainly there are degrees of it (I would never touch the engine in my dad's Porsche), but getting a wrench in to break a rusty bolt loose is a universal challenge! So much easier with a lift or if you can pull the engine. Adam, you sound a lot more hardcore than me at the moment. I want to do a turbo engine build over the winter, but I'm not sure if I'll be keeping the BMW since it has some rust issues. I did promise myself I'd build at least one engine before I buy an air cooled Porsche, which I am planning on for graduation. Learning to TIG weld is a priority too. Tristan, is Washington a 93 octane state? My dad's old Audi has a really low compression ratio (7.8:1), but we were running about 22psi on a mediocre tune no problem on 93 pump gas.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 08-30-2008 11:12 PM                        At least you know how to drive a manual transmission. How many other people can say that these days? Driving a stick is akin to knowing how to run a movie via changeovers these days. Oh... and cars are awesome. The movie "Cars" sucks, though.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-30-2008 11:16 PM                        quote: Galen Murphy-Fahlgren the principle of cars being generally poorly packaged for working on in your driveway transcends make, model, and age. Very true! I'm in the auto parts business by day. People who try to work on their own late-model cars without the right equipment probably replace a lot more parts than they really need to.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 08-31-2008 12:02 AM                     In April, I tagged me this 1990 Ply RS Turbo from one of the BLVD dealers here in Nampa for a grand: Thing ran pretty awful and found out why: Horrible boost leaks everywhere, timing was way out of kilter, No. 1 spark plug well was full of water *gasp* which killed that plug, knock sensor wire was ripped off giving me a CEL light causing weakened turbo response, two motor mounts collapsed, one injector was acting up, no. T-stat installed ... and the T-belt was in horrible condition. After shoving 400 bucks into the T-belt area of replacing the two belts, all the pulleys, autotensioner, dried out that sparkplug well (figuring that I might of had a cracked head down in that well to get water in it, but got lucky on that area), replacing two mounts, "T-stat" and flushing the junk, rust and crud out of the block and radiator, removed the AC condensor since the AC was disconnected, finding a good knock sensor out at the local junkyard, fixing all of the leakage, getting timing back to specs...and finding out that the 4G63 motor in this thing is a JDM EVO-1 motor with a large TD05-big16G turbo hanging on the front and getting a new set of injectors from a DSM forums member that had a new set of injectors plus fuel rail, I now can manage to press my front seat passengers in their seat without any problems when I hit boost..... and with no engine managment of any kind....just that danged torque steer is present with these turboed FWD cars that have unequal CV axles. Oh, and EVO-1 motors were hitting 255hp out of the factory. ..and if I behave and keep the throttle from hitting boost during shifting and driving, I can still hit close to 30mpg with this "road rocket." ..now for the body work to fill in door dings and a good repaint job. And this is my 3rd DSM to play with ... I love sports cars ... quote: Tristan Lane Mine detonated like a sonofabitch on anything less than premium Was there any form of engine management software to be had for the ECU in that vehicle you let go so you would't be detonating that motor to death? ..and if your vehicle ain't a new one, stay away from E85 fuel. Granted, it's 105 octane, but the ECU absolutely hates that fuel since the ECU has to work overtime just to barely make the setting work for that fuel. Otherwise, a massive mod job for the ECU to accept E85 and make the motor run effectively. - Monte  |  IP: Logged Adam Fraser Master Film Handler Posts: 499 From: Houghton Lake, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 08-31-2008 09:22 AM                        I have a DHP Powrtuner for tuning software (works on late model GM V6's) for tuning along with headers, 42.5 lb injectors, intake, ported SC, ported Lower Intake Manifold and other things. It takes a lot of fine tuning to keep detonation at bay. I run 19* of WOT timing with a 2.9" pulley and no knock retard with 9.5:1 compression. BTW, E85 can be run on these but you need 65 lb injectors and a lot of work tuning. We have access to about 200 tables in the PCM with currently available software. Sweet car monte, DSM's are sweet.  |  IP: Logged Tristan Lane Master Film Handler Posts: 444 From: Nampa, Idaho Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-31-2008 01:21 PM                     quote: Galen Murphy-Fahlgren is Washington a 93 octane state Nope, We have 87, 89, and 91.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 08-31-2008 01:55 PM                        quote: Galen Murphy-Fahlgren Anyone else work on their own cars and relish being greased up laying on their back on concrete as much as I do? Yes and no. I don't relish the actual process, but do the sense of achievement after having successfully completed it. When I was a student and had no other choice, I did almost all my own maintenance on a succession of old bangers. Nowadays I keep telling myself that I'm going to give myself an easy life, just let the garage do everything and cough up whatever it takes, but actually I still do some maintenance. What I don't do are jobs that involve jacking the car up, putting it on axle stands and crawling about with my torso underneath it. Living on my own, there'd be no-one to raise the alarm if an axle stand collapsed and there was a crush injury situation. Call me paranoid if you like, but it's not a risk I'm willing to take. I did score a minor victory earlier this year though. The car got through its MOT,* but the garage pointed out that the front pads and discs 'have only got 500-1,000 miles left in them' and quoted £180 to replace the lot. Whereas I'd always been happy to replace the oil, oil filter, plugs, air filter, coolant etc., I'd always been a bit chary about something that involved taking the wheels off and faffing with safety-critical components. Anyhow, after having established that a complete set of replacement pads and discs could be had for £55 on the Internet, I thought 'fook that', ordered them and did the job myself (bleeding and replacing the brake fluid while I was at it), taking care to double-check that I'd followed every step in the Haynes manual instructions completely. After a very cautious test drive (including three emergency stops on open and clear roads), I was satisfied that everything worked OK. Incidentally, the garage weren't trying to scam me: one of the discs was deeply scored and a pad on the other side was worn down to the metal in one or two spots. I had to buy a torque wrench and a pair of axle stands (which of course can be re-used in future jobs), which pushed the project cost up to around £100, but even so I made a clear saving of around £80 compared to having it done by the garage. * MOT = an annual safety check all cars in Britain have to have if they're over 3 years old.  |  IP: Logged Galen Murphy-Fahlgren Master Film Handler Posts: 405 From: Canton, MI, USA Registered: Oct 2007 posted 08-31-2008 04:44 PM                     Yeah, I hope to get to a point later in life where all the work I do on my car is for fun. I do enjoy working on cars, just not my daily driver. I actually could pay a shop, maybe even the dealer, to do this, since I had a budget for fixing crash damage to my other car that I'm now going to sell, but this job is just at the threshold of my abilities, so I think it is a good experience. I do lament the timing, but that's life. I did my brother's front brakes the other day, he'd let the pads wear down to the steel backing plate without mentioning the racket they made. The caliper pistons had come out past the O ring seal, so I had to remove the calipers completely to work them back in, which doubled the difficulty of the task. Next time, I'll make him take it to a shop since he can't be bothered to have me fix it before the problem gets critical.  |  IP: Logged Paul Turner Expert Film Handler Posts: 115 From: Corvallis, OR, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 09-12-2008 12:45 PM                     Most of my cars and trucks are diesels since I score used cooking oil and make it into fuel. There is very few things as greasy as an old diesel engine. This may seem painfully obvious, but use rubber "examination" gloves when you work on the car. It avoids the fingernail scraping needed to get the dirt out before serving popcorn. When I shop for food handler's gloves, I go up a couple grades for the good ones. They give better traction for hand-turning nuts and bolts and allow you to put your hand in the pan of used oil when you dig for the pan plug. It gets to be a habit since the gloves are so cheap. Even when I work on my newer spotless Harley, I put them on to keep fingerprints off the chrome. Coveralls and safety glasses help with the rest.  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 09-12-2008 03:05 PM                     I have a 1985 Oldsmobile Toronado that I bought in 1986, that has never been to a shop other than the one time that it was recalled by GM, and I had to go to the dealer for a free repair, and one other time when the 4-speed with overdrive front-wheel drive transmission died on the highway. Had it rebuilt. 115,000 miles, and it still runs great. I'm getting ready to replace the heater core. I've replaced the water pump, radiator, thermostat, A/C compressor, AIR pump, and done MANY tune-ups and a carburetor rebuild. Dont get me started on rear coil springs, load-leveler shock absorbers, and front shocks, brake pad replacements, etc, etc... I have a 1984 Mercedes Benz 190E. So far, I've been able to get this $200 car running exceptionally well. I have a 1983 Ford F-150 truck with the 351 gas hog engine. It was a rolling klunker when I got it for free. Now, ALL of the systems, including air conditioning, are in fine condition. Our coot friend, Phil, has seen it with his own eyes! Yep, I work on my own cars. Wouldn't have it any other way. I dont want a newer car. Old is fine.  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-12-2008 04:04 PM                  quote: Bruce Our coot friend, Phil... Brad Jr =  |  IP: Logged

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