Learned'd VIII: Less Bewbs, Same Nonsense

[Kompresshun]

Morning Ray!

It wasn't a bad weekend, but the wife had to work for half of it so we didn't do much. I cooked up some mean chicken yesterday as you saw, then I worked on a few things around the house but it was so freakin' hot that I didn't want to be outside for extended periods of time.

The car scene has changed, but the classic shows are still around too. Honestly in my area you rarely see any of the stanced crap at all. Probably because the people that can afford to spend their money on that crap aren't dumb kids.

[frapjap]

Some of the cars bounce around so much that I don't think they spend any money at all and just opt to cut their springs.
I did see some cars with WAY to much money poured into them, the halo was a ratty looking '91 Civic with full bag suspension.

That heat wave is going to make its way up here, too. Along with some lovely, humid rain.

OO! Have a hard bite on the T/A today! Looking forwards to that!

[Kompresshun]

Yeah there's too many kids rolling around in junk they've invested way too much in.

Good luck with selling the T/A Ray! Hopefully they take it off of your hands.

Today is the wife and I's 7th anniversary. Hard to believe that much time has flown by already.

[frapjap]

Congrats man!
I saw that photo of you two! SO YOUTHFUL! How old were you when you got married? 22? 23?

Are there big plans for Lucky #7?

[Kompresshun]

We were both 22. She had just turned 22 actually. It makes me sad to look at those pictures too though, because I weighed about 70-75lbs less and had more hair, but otherwise it's good memories

No big plans sadly. She has to work tonight too. We went out to dinner on Friday night to celebrate, but the kiddo was with us since we didn't have a babysitter available. I'll still stop on the way home to grab some roses and a card, but we went pretty simple this year due to everything going on.

[Bubba1]

Today is the wife and I's 7th anniversary. Hard to believe that much time has flown by already.

congrats, you newlyweds.

Some of the cars bounce around so much that I don't think they spend any money at all and just opt to cut their springs.
I did see some cars with WAY to much money poured into them, the halo was a ratty looking '91 Civic with full bag suspension.

Yep, There's plenty o' stanced old Japanese cars around here, mostly kid owners that go the cheezy cheapie route and cut springs instead of replacing with air ride. I feel bad for the passengers in those cars as their teeth must chatter when driven over tar strips or cigarettes.

[frapjap]

We were both 22. She had just turned 22 actually. It makes me sad to look at those pictures too though, because I weighed about 70-75lbs less and had more hair, but otherwise it's good memories

No big plans sadly. She has to work tonight too. We went out to dinner on Friday night to celebrate, but the kiddo was with us since we didn't have a babysitter available. I'll still stop on the way home to grab some roses and a card, but we went pretty simple this year due to everything going on.

So young, you two must have gone through so many big life changes together. But hey, when you find the right one, you find the right one- it doesn't matter when. If I'd of married the girl I was dating when I was 22, I'd probably be divorced now since shes nutso.

Yep, There's plenty o' stanced old Japanese cars around here, mostly kid owners that go the cheezy cheapie route and cut springs instead of replacing with air ride. I feel bad for the passengers in those cars as their teeth must chatter when driven over tar strips or cigarettes.

These guys were loading their cars up with people to sag the springs another 1/8" to get to the next round in the low car limbo. A police officer had actually shown up and wondered why there were so many people in one of the cars. He let 'em go since they weren't really on a road or anything.

Its kinda funny though- there were some young kids there that we were kind of laughing at because they're driving & modding the same poor cars that we beat on 12+ years before they even had licenses. I just remember the scene being more about performance, but there might have only been a handful of cars there that were oriented that way. The rest were all aesthetics. I did see a pretty sweet '88 Mustang GT with T Tops and a 5 speed though.

[Kompresshun]

If I would've had to marry the girl I was dating before Kristen, I probably would've been divorced long before now and I don't believe in divorce. Heck, if I would've had to marry most of the girls before Kristen I don't know how long I would've been able to tolerate them. I had a track record for attracting drama filled, slutty girls.

Well the verdict is in on the Miata. He had me come over to see it for myself too. It looks like it's leaking from the head gasket AND the back of the oil pan gasket. The rear main seal is dry and the area around it is too. FML.

I asked him how much he'd charge to fix it and the price he quoted me was more than the whole drivetrain is worth. He suggested throwing some stop leak in it until I decide what to do, but i'm still weighing out my options. At this point i'm pretty sure sinking more money into that motor is not a good idea. It has 170k on it and unless I totally rebuild it, there's no telling how long it's going to hold together. It really sucks, because i've replaced so much on it already but I don't think it's worth investing any more money into.

I'm thinking maybe it would be a good time to find a 1.8 and swap into it, or maybe even go all the way and do a V8 swap.

[Kompresshun]

After some time to think it over, I called him back and told him to slap the transmission back in it then throw some stop leak in it that he recommended. I figure if it plugs up the leak for a little while, that'll give me some time to figure out what I want to do for sure. That motor isn't worth throwing any more parts at anyways, so I don't think putting some Lucas stop leak in it will do any worse damage than has already been done.

I think the best plan is to find another used engine though and build it outside the car, then drop it in. Go ahead and build a block with upgraded internals, so it's ready for boost right away and shoot for 250hp or better.

[frapjap]

Bummer man!
Honestly though, if you did the water pump and timing belt, the head gasket really isn't any harder. The downtime and finding the actual time part will suck, but its really straight forward and not all too tough to DIY. You could do it over the winter though.
That stop leak stuff will eventually ruin your radiator.

How much did he quote you?

[Kompresshun]

It needs a head gasket and the oil pan gasket replaced. I went over there while he had it apart. Basically it leaks from everywhere I haven't replaced a gasket or seal yet. The motor has to be at minimum raised up to change the oil pan gasket, but honestly should be removed. If i'm going that route then I think it's already too much invested in the motor, when I could get a used engine and build it out of the car for only slightly more and have it right. The engine has 170k on it... can I really expect another 30-50k out of it? I doubt it.

The stop leak he's going to use is oil stop leak. It's leaking oil from both areas, not coolant. Miata's can develop an oil leak from the head gasket at the rear of the engine and apparently it's pretty common. I would never use coolant stop leak, but I trust him enough that if he recommends it then it's probably safe to use for a while.

He quoted me $400 for the oil pan gasket and $800 for the head gasket. I've already paid $300 for what he's done so far. Obviously i'm not having him do anything else to it, or soon i'll have more in labor than the car is worth.

I'm just trying to make a wise decision here and I don't think throwing money at a tired engine is very wise. It still runs and can be driven, so i'd rather just build something nice for it rather than putting lipstick on a pig.

[frapjap]

I've never heard of the oil additive, but that doesn't mean it won't work.
$400 for the oil pan gasket seems really high considering loosening the motor mounts and picking up the engine on the cherry picker is all the hard work. I understand your sentiment on not spending more than its worth. Thats where I went with my Miata- I didn't want the cost of the build to exceed the value of the car. I was a little over, but the enjoyment makes it worthwhile. IMHO, you can expect another 50k out of that engine, easy.
Here is another way to approach the problem- you're moving closer to your new job and you're going to keep the car and drive it during the spring/summer/fall on nice days. Assuming you put around 5,000 miles on it a year, thats 10 more years of driving left in the engine. 6 years if you get 30,000 miles from it. That is a lot of value/dollar. You've already done the water pump and timing belt. That engine won't need a damn thing aside from oil changes and to be wrung out on the twistys. There are some really high mileage cars on that FB group "miata club" that have clearly been neglected and abused. I agree with you- spending the money at the mechanic is not a good financial decision, but a DIY job would get you on the road for 1/4 of that, assuming you need might need a couple of new tools.

[numbnuts240]

yay i get to shop for a car. boo it's not for me. my old man is looking for a daily that's reliable, good on gas, cheap/easy to repair, 4-door, and <5k. he has a pick up, but it's getting to be too much fueling it every week just putting around in it and not necessarily using it for its intended purpose. must be auto in case my mother has to drive (read: in case they take it to a picnic/party and my dad decides to have a few beers). what are some good options to keep an eye out for?

[Kompresshun]

Ray, I guess you're right really. I probably should just DIY the head gasket first and then do the oil pan later maybe since it's more involved. It seems odd that the oil pan would leak, because it's really uncommon but it does happen from time to time so I guess i'll go ahead and do it. I'm thinking while I have the head off I may go ahead and put new lifters in it though. That way I can get rid of the cold start noise.

I'm still thinking that I may pick up another block eventually though if I find one for a good deal. Just to build and save for when it does finally take a crap. I'm definitely not worried about investing more money than the car itself is worth though. I just didn't want to invest more in the engine than it was worth. The car itself will be getting a lot more work in the future. I plan on fully restoring it by the time i'm done.

Tito - I always say the same 3 vehicles for a reliable 4 door: Nissan Maxima, Toyota Camry, or Honda Accord. Safest bets out there. There are some others, but you really can't go wrong with one of those.

[WDRacing]

The oil pan gasket should be pretty easy bro. Compared to the head gasket it should be a cinch. Sorry all this is on your plate while you're in the middle of moving.

My thoughts are...

Get it put together like you said and ignore the leak for a bit.

Something to consider as an option is to wire up an electric vacuum pump and connect it to the valve cover. Block off everything else as far as PCV goes. The electric vac pumps from older Chevies and some Mustangs will pull a solid 3 psi of vacuum. Which will stop just about any oil leak unless it's severe. It also removes the blow-by from the crank and increases the seal on the piston rings.

Probably cost $150 all in, with new parts.

[Kompresshun]

The oil pan is worse than the head gasket from what i'm reading. You either have to drop the subframe on the car, or remove the engine to change it because of how it sits in there. It's totally doable, but it's not nearly as easy as the other oil pan gaskets i've changed in the past.

He said it would be ready to pick up at lunch time. He's putting the Lucas oil stop leak in it before I pick it up, so we'll see if it helps. Honestly I normally wouldn't consider an additive, but it's oil based so I figure it can't do much damage. Beyond that i'm not gonna worry about it for right now.

At least I can still enjoy driving it for the rest of the season, even though I won't be taking it to TOTD. Maybe i'll tackle the gaskets this winter if we get moved into a new place.

[numbnuts240]

Tito - I always say the same 3 vehicles for a reliable 4 door: Nissan Maxima, Toyota Camry, or Honda Accord. Safest bets out there. There are some others, but you really can't go wrong with one of those.

i'm shying away from maximas, as well as a clean tl i saw on cl because i hate working on fwd v6's and i already know i will be the one tasked to do all the maintenance work on it. well my dad will be tasked with it, but then he'll just call me over to "help" and i'll end up doing it all myself anyway.

[frapjap]

yay i get to shop for a car. boo it's not for me. my old man is looking for a daily that's reliable, good on gas, cheap/easy to repair, 4-door, and <5k. he has a pick up, but it's getting to be too much fueling it every week just putting around in it and not necessarily using it for its intended purpose. must be auto in case my mother has to drive (read: in case they take it to a picnic/party and my dad decides to have a few beers). what are some good options to keep an eye out for?

In addition to the Maxima, Camry, and Accord you should keep an eye out for the GM Series 2 3.8l cars- Grand Prix, Impala, Bonneville, Monte Carlo, Buick Park Avenue, Olds 88, Buick Regal, Buick Lacrosse, and Buick Lucerne. They get approx 29-30mpg on the highway and always seat 4 comfortably. The series 3 is the newest version and can be found in:
2004–2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
2005–2009 Buick LaCrosse
2006–2008 Buick Lucerne

I think your dad can come in under 5k easily with the Series 2 engine and very likely with the Series 3. Very easy to maintain, and very cheap parts with plenty in the junk yard!

Ray, I guess you're right really. I probably should just DIY the head gasket first and then do the oil pan later maybe since it's more involved. It seems odd that the oil pan would leak, because it's really uncommon but it does happen from time to time so I guess i'll go ahead and do it. I'm thinking while I have the head off I may go ahead and put new lifters in it though. That way I can get rid of the cold start noise.

I'm still thinking that I may pick up another block eventually though if I find one for a good deal. Just to build and save for when it does finally take a crap. I'm definitely not worried about investing more money than the car itself is worth though. I just didn't want to invest more in the engine than it was worth. The car itself will be getting a lot more work in the future. I plan on fully restoring it by the time i'm done.

The oil pan is a rarity, I agree. But it does happen occasionally. New lifters would be a nice add on. I've heard of folks on miata.net cleaning them really well and getting away with that, too.

I agree with Brian, too. Drive it as-is and when you see the deal for a low mileage block come up- buy it. The vacuum pump thing will work, too. Another option is to add a bung into your exhaust and run a line from the breather on the lower right corner of the valve cover (while facing the engine bay) to the bung in your exhaust and you'll scavenge pressure that way and will cost less than the vacuum pump. I am plumbed for this mod, but my bung hits the motor mount and is thus plugged up at the moment. Measure twice, cut once my friends.

[Kompresshun]

If you're shying away from FWD V6's you're limiting your options of course. If you can live with a FWD 4cyl then i'd go for a Civic or a Sentra. Outside of that i'd like for a Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, or Town Car. Decent gas mileage, dead nuts reliable, comfortable, and easy to work on. There's always an older Lexus LS400 too - hard to go wrong with those.

[Kompresshun]

The oil pan is a rarity, I agree. But it does happen occasionally. New lifters would be a nice add on. I've heard of folks on miata.net cleaning them really well and getting away with that, too.

I agree with Brian, too. Drive it as-is and when you see the deal for a low mileage block come up- buy it. The vacuum pump thing will work, too. Another option is to add a bung into your exhaust and run a line from the breather on the lower right corner of the valve cover (while facing the engine bay) to the bung in your exhaust and you'll scavenge pressure that way and will cost less than the vacuum pump. I am plumbed for this mod, but my bung hits the motor mount and is thus plugged up at the moment. Measure twice, cut once my friends.

I would just clean the lifters, but I figure if i've already got them out then why not replace them instead?

Yeah I think picking up another block is the best plan, especially if I can squeeze some more life out of this one. That way I can take my time building it and build a really badass engine for it.

[Bubba1]

Tito, there are many good choices out there for 5k. Accords and civics are obvious choices, as well as corollas. You might want to add Toyota celiac, Acura integra or Rsx, later honda prelude, Susie wrx, Nissan sentras are not bad either aren't bad. As far as crown Vic or grand marquis, I had 3 of them. Yes rwd,comfortable, big, but they are not dead nuts reliable. They are average at best. Their main charm is that they're very cheap to acquire and people move over for you thinking is a cop car.. I'd also be wary of American cars like Buick, whose reliability numbers are inflated partially by the older folk who owned them, who tend to put less total and less Severe mileage, and maintain better. You also might look at hyundais as they've improved a lot in the last 6 years.
You might also look at zoom. Zooms like the miata or 3.happy hunting

[frapjap]

my old man is looking for a daily that's reliable, good on gas, cheap/easy to repair, 4-door, and <5k. must be auto in case my mother has to drive (read: in case they take it to a picnic/party and my dad decides to have a few beers).

Tito, there are many good choices out there for 5k. Accords and civics are obvious choices, as well as corollas. You might want to add Toyota celiac, Acura integra or Rsx, later honda prelude, Susie wrx, Nissan sentras are not bad either aren't bad. As far as crown Vic or grand marquis, I had 3 of them. Yes rwd,comfortable, big, but they are not dead nuts reliable. They are average at best. Their main charm is that they're very cheap to acquire and people move over for you thinking is a cop car.. I'd also be wary of American cars like Buick, whose reliability numbers are inflated partially by the older folk who owned them, who tend to put less total and less Severe mileage, and maintain better. You also might look at hyundais as they've improved a lot in the last 6 years.
You might also look at zoom. Zooms like the miata or 3.happy hunting

5/6 criteria ain't bad! Old age must be kicking your butt.

I'd stay from the subarus. Not fun to work on. Sentras and corollas are solid though. The boats aren't tough to work on, but they do require upkeep.

[Bubba1]

5/6 criteria ain't bad! Old age must be kicking your butt.

I'd stay from the subarus. Not fun to work on. Sentras and corollas are solid though. The boats aren't tough to work on, but they do require upkeep.

Yeah, also think I need new glasses, but in my defense. I'm using a little iPad. I.m currently sitting in Johns Hopkins hospital, helping out a friend who's undergoing chemo right now. Nice folks here.

[numbnuts240]

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4605732690.html

no mention of mileage, though.

[Bubba1]

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4605732690.html

no mention of mileage, though.

184000 miles, not a bad looking Car',but I think it's priced full retail, so there should be ample room to haggle it down. Might want to check out edmunds.com

[numbnuts240]

i totally missed the mileage box in the upper corner. kind of on the higher side of what i was looking for. if only they wanted to spend another 10k, and then let me have it.

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4600692611.html

[frapjap]

i totally missed the mileage box in the upper corner. kind of on the higher side of what i was looking for. if only they wanted to spend another 10k, and then let me have it.

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4600692611.html

You dad would look like the man in that thing. And probably get pulled over a lot for looking like a pimp.

Yeah, also think I need new glasses, but in my defense. I'm using a little iPad. I.m currently sitting in Johns Hopkins hospital, helping out a friend who's undergoing chemo right now. Nice folks here.

Sight and glasses aside, it must be awesome to be retired. You're right though- very good folks. I have a friend who works as a high up dietitian there. If you see a MS, RD, LDN Clinical Nutritionist something or other who has long brown/blonde hair & is looking very fit, give her a holler.

[Bubba1]

Retirement doesn't suck, but I think I'm busier now than When I worked full time. Like today, after I take my buddy home in md, I'm rushing north to volunteer at a cruise night tonight near home.

[frapjap]

I bet that is a hell of a lot more fun than working full time! :P

[Bubba1]

I bet that is a hell of a lot more fun than working full time! :P

For the most part. But, retirement also means more difficult to avoid doing chores around the house.