Oh man, I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must be to disassemble an engine and put it back together. I've stripped laptops before but this is an entirely different story. What's the prices in comparison? As in replacing the heater, opposed to buying a new engine, opposed to getting that used BMW you've been eyeing?
Wanted to be a simple man of the Earth, enjoying art and literature, the bounty of the Earth. Instead, I have to fend against governments and principalities, global conspiracies and bad social engineering, ree, my autism
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My first car was a 1980 Ford Fiesta, sweet cast iron block and head made quite well in Mexico. Aside from the metric bolts and badly designed water pump, it was a great car: 4 pot, 4 gears, very simple hatchback. Just over 250,000 miles on it and not a thing wrong with it, but one day my Pop says, "Hey, let's pull the engine, there's only 4 bolts and a couple of hook ups to disconnect."
We did. The most we did after it was out, was to check under the valve cover for clearances. So, some jumper cables, a little gasoline in a cup, turned the engine over to see how things were moving. Only had to adjust one valve a hundredth of an inch. Even installation was a damn sight better than many of the other mechanical problems we had to deal with, both for ourselves and others.
The prices... fixing the old truck and buying a slightly newer car are pretty much equal. However, since the truck's meant for towing (but not good enough to transport the backhoe or the John Deere tractor, sadly) and has an extended cab with room for 4.... it's kind of a known quantity, and quite useful in transporting stuff, unlike an SUV or a sale's rep's car.
It's kinda neat to know you can buy a new Chevy V8 (almost) Corvette engine for less than 1,500USD$ but installation... slightly easier than a faic transplant
ok im on it.
That's sweet, thank you :3
your welcome. So we can make Pico fan art.
I wish I could draw characters, I'm quite a lame artist.
But I would like to see, well, any Pico/Darnell/Nene fan made comics.
yes you did.
oh my, this really sucks!
i hope that you've managed to attend the pico day party, even if just barely....
BTW have you managed to get the things that you needed in the town?
(and to get rid of all the garbage that you wanted to throw away?)
i feel bad about you, because pico-day+NG HQ's seems to be fun, and its sad to miss such an event.
however, dont feel too bad, because you can always go in there next year!
(or in the time between)
whats new with you?
did you managed to save the car's engine? have you fixed the coolant problem?
i hope that things are better for you, my friend!
have a nice day.
Nah, couldn't make it happen in time. Still stuck with many bags of garbage, glad there's still some cats hanging around outside.
I was at NGHQ in early November for an hour, doing some local recon.
Nah, in fact the front-left brake caliper popped its top 2 days ago, just like the rear-right did last month... I can drive the truck a mile or two before it gets too hot, so I tried a late trip to wawa. I almost forgot about the anti-lock brake glitch that developed: if you turn sharp and slow (like, to park), then brake, the anti-lock computers kick in and DO NOT slow you down.. even if you do press down hard. I trust computers and sensors only so far |:
It still pisses me off to no end, that there was no audible warning about the coolant temp. They used to have a buzzer that got louder and louder the further over the oil/coolant redline you went... something useful, so you don't seize your engine lol
Looks like you've got some experience taking apart cars then, albeit problematic ones. Truth be told I don't even have a driver's license. I took lessons to drive a stick at the age of 19 (you're allowed to drive at 18 where I live) but then quit somewhere along the way and never picked it up again. Once I have money to spend I should consider taking lessons again. The Netherlands are just so small, you know? I don't really need it and that's what stopped me. I'm missing out on a lot of freedom though. Cruising route 66 is a dream I've had for quite some years now. That, and I'd like to cross Europe at my own leisure. A pickup truck definitely seems like a nice set of wheels to have. Having so much space in the back seems like a great convenience.
98% of the time, I don't need to haul anything at all! I'm going to price a few station-wagons, though they tend to suck gasoline almost as much as a truck would... only with better suspension.
Can you get a learner's permit? Then you could borrow a friends car, drive around a park or empty parking lot, till you get used to the gears, and hill starts. It's a good skill to know, driving stick, almost no one in the US remembers how to shift any more... and it's much more efficient!
Haha a learner's permit, I had to google to see if that even exists where I live. I don't think it does. Remember that Sleepycabin episode where Shad talked about getting his driving lessons? The Netherlands are pretty similar in that way (It's probably just as expensive. Although our driving schools are probably less likely to rip you off). Practical lessons teach you how the car works, and then there's theory which teaches people stuff about the road. You have to pass an exam for theory before you move on to the driving exam and only then will you be able to request a license. I sat behind the wheel in a friend's car a few times before, but despite (barely) knowing my way around the car, I'm just very behind on my theory and find it hard not to panic on the road. I really haven't done this in too long lol. What surprised me about America is the roads are generally very wide. In the Netherlands you have a lot of crammed roads such as this one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fietsstrook_Herenweg_Oudorp.jpg
I stumbled upon that image just now, but that's actually really close to where my father lives. You could practically see his house if it wasn't obscured by some trees up ahead. Such a coincidence! According to the wiki page that image appeared on the Netherlands has one of the most dense road networks in the world. That's actually kind of surprising.
Now how do you get Sleepycabin? Every time I go to their podcast page, the links won't work, do you have to log in or something? I'd like to USB them over to my phone, or listen to them offline.
In the US, almost all roads are supposed to handle tractor trailers (cargo lorries), there are very few restricted roads for commercial traffic. However I do see the appeal in having lanes like the one linked, as well as having the homes set back from the road, good sightlines for backing out. Hey, at least those trees breathe cool air on hot summer's nights.
I've never logged in on their site and don't even have an account. Maybe there's other ways to reach their podcasts that I do not know of, but I usually listen to their stuff on either soundcloud or youtube. If you want it on USB then I recommend downloading their vids to mp3 on your computer. Clipconverter is a good site to help you do that.
https://soundcloud.com/sleepycabin
https://www.youtube.com/user/SleepyCabin
I don't think the Netherlands have many roads that restrict commercial traffic either, if any at all. That little road I showed earlier for example has plenty of trucks coming through on a daily basis. American trucks are beasts compared to the ones I've seen in Europe though, heh. My father actually used to drive trucks for a Dutch supermarket chain. I went with him quite a few times as a teenager.
I'll try soundcloud then, or email sleepycabin and ask them what my password is, and hope they have podcasting available on their site... whatever gets them the most money I guess. I found a YT to mp3 converter site a while ago, maybe I'll give that a shot if all else fails. Still trying to settle into the downstairs at my old house... it's too hot upstairs, and I don't expect any houseguests in the near future
That's funny my Pop used to drive commercial trucks too, but considering the distances involved, he got out of it, was driving him a little loopy (more than usual).
damn, this car problem sucks....
so, what is the brand/model of your truck? (im just curious).
was it always full of mechanical problems, or did they started to happen now, due to the truck's old age?
i guess, if this truck brings you more trouble than its worth, then you could sell it and buy a cheap, used car. maybe.
and yes, i agree with you, you just can't trust technology nowadays...
i mean, we have many awesome stuff in our lives, technologically-speaking, but sometimes, even the best sensors fail when you need them the most.
(just like your coolant temp buzzer/warning system thing... it stopped working?! what a piece of crap!)
also, have you been checking your coolant's level regularly?
its a must in old cars.
my uncle told me that, its one of his many ''car advices'' that he gives me...
oh well, i hope that you will be able to fix everything, and dont worry, you will attend the NG HQ pico day party next year!
you are a great person, and i wish the best for you.
may your luck be always good!
and if you want to create art/music/to write stuff in here, you should do it, you are a very good storyteller, in my opinion.
i like your posts.
be well, man!!!!
2000 GMC Sierra pick up truck, the cooling system was rusting internally from the moment my Pop bought it new from the dealership. Unlike older cars, this one doesn't have a radiator cap (as such) that will release when it hits a certain pressure... in fact it won't release any pressure at all, and may be why the engine cooked.
Nah, there never was an auditory warning built into the truck, that's something that used to come as standard on a lot of late 20th century vehicles.
hmmm...
i see.
also, its strange: old cars HAD an awesome radiator pressure release cap, and the new cars dont have one? WHY?
this is so stupid! (of the car companies...)
unless they do it so that everyone can break their cars more often, and so that they can get them at the mechanics shop more often. (but i doubt it would be worth it in the long run...)
either way, i will suggest you two things:
either 1) get a new radiator for your truck, and install a custom warning system in it...
OR, 2) buy a new car, that is more reliable+sturdy. (a ford car is a good choice, also toyota's, nissan's, a chevy, or some cheap audi, if its possible)
really, this is a very bad car problem, and those 2 seem like the inly ''good'' solutions.
i still believe that buying a cheap used car can be a cheaper choice in this case.
let me know what happened with your car/what happened next...
also, whats new with you?
we had some rains in here, man.
While walking to the mini-mall, I found a guy with a truck similar to mine, on the phone, hood up... brake line had disintegrated, so we got talking, and he said that little plastic cap on the overflow tank, actually does release pressure (or that's what he was told at least). He said he's also got a head gasket leak that's internal...
I cleaned out the truck the other day, I'll call the tow company tomorrow and see how much it will cost to get the thing across town. Better find a piece of paper to write down all the things that are wrong with it, so the mechanic knows the score.
Yeah we had rain here too today, but I went out between the drops, so my feet didn't get muddy or wet. Hate wet feet, had enough of that in my youth for a lifetime.
hmmm... whats up?
i hope that the mechanic's bill wasn't too expensive...
also, its a good thing that you've found a person who is familiar with those truck casket cap issues...
perhaps you guys can find a solution about this problem.
ah yes, i also hate getting my feet wet, its a lame feeling.
thankfully, the weather now is good.
also, whats new with you?
im ok, planning some stuff, and working...
be well!
He did a quick look-see, and it doesn't look good. The brine they spray on the roads ate the brake lines as well, cost to repair is 700$ Likely gonna sell it to him and take my chances on something else and hope the same de-icer didn't eat my future wheels
Nah, life sucks and will likely get worse. I've been putting it off but I'll buy a mic, and start speaking. I haven't put on a show in over 16 years, think I'm due for some exposition....
i see.
i wish you better luck on your next wheels!
also, dont despair; sometimes things get better. it happens.
I got a phone card tonight, so I'll call the mechanic tomorrow, go from there...
Whirlguy
Oh yeah, I remember that! Man, cases such as these make you wish to be a DIY guy with scraps parts lying around. Are you getting around just fine? How long did you own the car for?
VicariousE
Well, my Pop bought it new in 2000, and knew by 2003 (about the same time I lost my password here), he noticed the heater wasn't putting out consistently. By 2004-5 he discovered a shit-ton of rust in teh orange coolant, so he flushed the system, took almost the whole day to do. The closest guess: out of all the components, we figured the heater core must've rusted, for that amount of crap in the system.... anyway, the heater core is the first thing they install in teh engine compartment, and the absolute hardest thing to replace.
It's possible it was something else, but with a head gasket leak, the head might be warped or cracked internally, can't tell till you start peeling the engine back.
No, not getting around... gonna clean out the truck, pay a guy to take it to my mechanic, who has offered to buy it from me, if I don't want to pay to have it fixed. I'm leaning towards spending the $ on a new engine, and his disrection on the rest of it, so long as it's under 3 grand or so :\ otherwise gambling on a sweet slightly used BMW looks tempting! So many upper-middle class ppl here buy their kids new cars... the market for used has never looked better, but I'd like to keep the gas guzzler.... if the heater works, I'll take it, you know?