Author Topic: My car's christmas present to me... (Read 467 times)

Starfury · « **on:** December, 23, 2009, 06:15:56 PM »

Is a leaky r/f brake somethingorother. Pedal's been a little soft lately, and I checked the fluid yesterday and found the rear reservoir low. I also checked the dipstick and found traces of water. Again.

I'm beat. I cannot win with this car. Every time I fix something, something else pops up. Or else whatever I fixed comes back or gets worse.

I think when I go home for Christmas, I'm going to park the fastback and try to take my mom's Corolla back down here:( It really hurts me to even consider that, but I don't have the time or resources to keep fixing the same things over and over again. I need a car that works.

I can run the Corolla until I get my fox body on the road, which will hopefully be early spring. Then I can tear the fastback down a little, re-gasket the engine (or swap the stroker rotating assembly to a roller 5.0 block), fix the brakes, get new headers, etc.

*cry*

Mach1ne · « **Reply #1 on:** December, 23, 2009, 06:36:09 PM »

The only counseling that I can give you is that "you are not alone".

My car, and I am sure the cars of others, present us with these types of Christmas presents 365 days a year.

Hopefully you can forgive it and give it something back.

Remember that it is better to give than recieve.

68EFIvert · « **Reply #2 on:** December, 23, 2009, 07:40:58 PM »

Sorry to hear that. You do seem to have a string of bad luck lately. Have a great holiday and try to forget about it for a few days.

AzPete · « **Reply #3 on:** December, 23, 2009, 07:46:46 PM »

Yep.....mine gave me a new starter today plus an added bonus hidden under the dash of a new wiper switch. Fixed the starter and will decide what I want on the wiper switch. And this is my only car until the new one arrives.

lethal289 · « **Reply #4 on:** December, 23, 2009, 08:01:27 PM »

Quote from: AzPete on December, 23, 2009, 07:46:46 PM

And this is my only car until the new one arrives.

Did you lock them down on a date yet Pete?

AzPete · « **Reply #5 on:** December, 23, 2009, 08:04:46 PM »

Well, it is supposed to be built (7 days) and being shipped now. Left Wayne, Mich. on the 21st..... Delivery is scheduled for the 28th but Ford has a 7 day window after that date.

B67FSTB · « **Reply #6 on:** December, 23, 2009, 09:53:37 PM »

When things brake down twice , you have to look further and find out what the source is. :po
When it is always a different part that brakes down , your car will eventualy get better. :vic :vic

RyanG85 · « **Reply #7 on:** December, 23, 2009, 10:03:38 PM »

Quote from: B67FSTB on December, 23, 2009, 09:53:37 PM

When things brake down twice , you have to look further and find out what the source is. :po
When it is always a different part that brakes down , your car will eventualy get better. :vic :vic

Well said!

Starfury · « **Reply #8 on:** December, 24, 2009, 11:29:47 PM »

Unfortunately this is the only car I own that is street-worthy at the moment. I don't have the time or resources to tear the engine apart and figure out why the hell it keeps dumping coolant into the oil, let alone to fix all of the other leaks. At the most, I have two days to tear something apart before I need it to run again.

I'm in Stockton now, car made it ok (with an eye on the oil pressure gauge). I think it's just going to stay here:(

B67FSTB · « **Reply #9 on:** December, 25, 2009, 12:24:05 AM »

Probably your head gaskets are blown.Don't drive the car because your oil pressure will be ok but the engine internal aren't lubricated enough.If the oil pressure is down , its too late and you have alot more costs to repair the engine.

Starfury · « **Reply #10 on:** December, 25, 2009, 08:40:13 AM »

Yeah, I know, but I didn't have a lot of choices, and the oil isn't milkshaked yet. It's not going anywhere anymore, though.

I don't get the blown head gaskets. It was doing this before I replaced the heads, and I torqued those properly and used good Fel-Pro Performance gaskets. Plus, there doesn't seem to be any oil in the coolant. I need to run a compression check.

B67FSTB · « **Reply #11 on:** December, 25, 2009, 02:46:53 PM »

Did you resurfaced the cylinderheads when you changes the cylinderhead gaskets?
Could it be that your block or cylinder is cracked due to no antifreeze and your engine could have been frozen in the past.
Is there a possibilithy that the timing cover may be the cause.Aluminium that is corroded away where the water passages are?
Just some suggestions.

Starfury · « **Reply #12 on:** December, 25, 2009, 04:16:19 PM »

Heads are new Trick Flows. I rebuilt the motor about 25k miles ago, at which point the block was checked for cracks and the decks were resurfaced. No problems until maybe 5 months ago, and the motor hasn't overheated before or since.

I'm considering the timing cover as a possible culprit. Although I tore it off when I did the heads, the mating surfaces to the block aren't in fantastic shape. I would've thought the RTV I smeared on it would have sealed it up, though. Again, no problems until 5 months ago. But if the compression check comes out ok, I'd think it would have to be the timing cover.

Regardless, it's going to sit for a while. The whole idea behind the fox body project is to turn it into my daily driver so I can work on my fastback. Once I get that running, I can funnel money into parts for the fastback, like headers (which I sorely need), timing cover (if needed), tires/wheels, and maybe a roller cam conversion if I feel like getting that far into it. Hell, maybe I'll even skip my 5sp conversion and just swap some 3.73's in the 8.8" rear I have sitting so I can take advantage of the new close-ratio toploader I installed.

daveSanborn · « **Reply #13 on:** December, 25, 2009, 04:49:02 PM »

Quote

I think when I go home for Christmas, I'm going to park the fastback and try to take my mom's Corolla back down here:( It really hurts me to even consider that, but I don't have the time or resources to keep fixing the same things over and over again. I need a car that works.

I like this plan. Having to depend on a classic car as daily transportation isn't the best move. It can be done, but it's a PITA sometimes.

Most of the forum members here only use their classic Mustang(s) on a recreational basis.

Replacing cylinder gaskets is a piece of cake..... but I'd be a little nervous doing it if I knew I had to have the car ready and running for work on Monday. It's so much easier when your classic car does not have be depended upon for anything other than going for a fun drive.

Park the FB, drive the Corrola, get the Fox fixed for a daily driver..... and then get back on the FB.

B67FSTB · « **Reply #14 on:** December, 25, 2009, 11:49:01 PM »

Quote from: daveSanborn on December, 25, 2009, 04:49:02 PM

I like this plan. Having to depend on a classic car as daily transportation isn't the best move. It can be done, but it's a PITA sometimes.

Most of the forum members here only use their classic Mustang(s) on a recreational basis.

Replacing cylinder gaskets is a piece of cake..... but I'd be a little nervous doing it if I knew I had to have the car ready and running for work on Monday. It's so much easier when your classic car does not have be depended upon for anything other than going for a fun drive.

Park the FB, drive the Corrola, get the Fox fixed for a daily driver..... and then get back on the FB.

+1 honestly

AzPete · « **Reply #15 on:** December, 26, 2009, 05:40:16 AM »

I have used a classic '66 for work for two years prior to my retirement. It never let me down,,,,,,,but it also was totally restored. While waiting for my new car to come in, I have been using the one I own now as my only car. Two months (2400 miles) now and all is well. I replaced the battery before I started driving it regularly and the other day, the starter went out. Not much of a problem but you have to have the options to get it fixed fast.

If one is going to drive a classic daily, it is best if it has been gone thru as a driver restoration as a minimum, plus it helps if the owner/driver has mechanical ability or a shop he can count on quickly.