New Mechanic

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by monroe74

Studebaker...

No, it was a plain-vanilla OHV. I guess like a slant-6 except not slanted. And definitely 100% cast-iron, like you said. There was probably close to zero aluminum under that hood.

I had wondered because I have a friend who, back about 1980 or so, had a '60 Lark with a flathead 6. I later had a '62 Rambler American with a flathead 6 which I wound up rebuilding. The Rambler had a fascinating engine...intake manifold cast into the head (carb mounted directly on the head) and exhaust manifold looked like a piece of about 1 1/2" EMT with a cap on one end and three holes corresponding to the exhaust ports on the block. The Stude had, IIRC, a fairly conventional flathead.





'72 Mazda RX-2

A guy in my neighborhood has one. It might be exactly that year. It's immaculate. It almost never comes out of the garage. It makes a very nice sound. I've never had an opportunity to meet the guy and talk to him about it.

When they run right, they're a lot of fun...especially to backfire in a tunnel or under an overpass! I have a '73 sitting in the driveway right now that I'll probably never get around to fixing...a 60k mile original...straight but needs a complete restoration...

[R.I.D.E.]

72 RX2 was a neat car but an unbelievable gas hog, 13 MPG in a 2000 pound car! I bought one with 12k miles on it at a salvage auction and the engine was shot. Fortunately Mazda put a new one in for free.

My best friend at the time bought it and fell asleep at the wheel at 2 AM and ran off the road, hit a culvert and was thrown through the windshield. It was 2 hours before anyone saw him there, but he survived and we lost touch with each other over 20 years ago.

I had a 65 Lincoln Continental tank, (suicide doors) with a 430 that got better mileage than that RX2.

The wankel engine has never been good for mileage.

Joe Bob are you sure you aren't talking about an engine that had overhead intake valves and underhead exhaust valves. I know they existed but can't remember which make it was. Could have been one of the early jeeps.

It would be kind of hard to have the carb and manifold on the head in a flathead engine, since the head would not have intake passageways. Not meant as an argumentive comment, it's just because I am confused.

93 Civic, dont worry about my Ahole self criticism, I have seen every kind of reaction from people when I told them things could get very difficult in situations similar to yours. I called it terminal disaster anticipation, the art of trying to predict the worst possible case scenario. Some people respond with cursing and insinuations about your intelligence and your intention to screw them out of many times the real cost of a repair.

In one sitaution a car was towed into my shop for a diagnosis. It had been jumped with reversed polarity, and fried the fuel injection so badly it filled the cylinders with liquid gasoline. Then the idiot pushed it to 40 MPH and dropped the clutch trying to start the liquid locked engine that would not turn over. Now he has three bent connecting rods.

When the car came to me it had a bra over the front end which we took off to diagnose the problems. I didn't pay a lot of attention to the body damage that was covered by the bra, it was old and the bare metal was covered with surface rust.

When I called the owner to tell him he needed the engine replaced, the fuel injection system replaced, and it was going to cost close to 5 grand, he basically told me I was a @#$%^&*( crook and he would be at the shop in 10minutes.

Sure enough 10 minutes later an Air Force Colonel in uniform shows up. First thing he says to me is that I wrecked his car! His teenage son was standing next to him as he lit into me with every word and accusation you can imagine. I told my partner to call the local police and get a deputy there quick before I ripped the SOB'S arms off and shoved them down his #$%^&*( throat.

The whole time the kid is sitting there without saying a word. After the Colonel leaves and the car is towed away, it took me about 2 hours to calm down. Never in my life have I wanted to literally disassemble someone soo badly. The next day the kid calls me on the phone and tells me that my diagnosis was perfecct and he had doen exactly what I told them had happened.

You thing the #@$%^&* Colonel would pick up the phone and call me to apologize for what his kid had done?

A I didn't get paid a dime for my diagnosis which was perfect.

regards
gary

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by R.I.D.E.

Joe Bob are you sure you aren't talking about an engine that had overhead intake valves and underhead exhaust valves. I know they existed but can't remember which make it was. Could have been one of the early jeeps.

It would be kind of hard to have the carb and manifold on the head in a flathead engine, since the head would not have intake passageways. Not meant as an argumentive comment, it's just because I am confused.

Somewhere I have a picture I took of it, but I don't know where it is right now.

Here is a picture of one just like mine, however...the picture is from a 1939 Nash Lafayette, but the engine is basically the same one:

[XyKo]

It's tough finding a good mechanic. I recently found one, whom was a friend of my dad. Even though he doesn't have a nice shop, etc. his work is superb. He doesn't have a connections to get parts, but if you bring them to him, he charge super cheap labor. Last week I had my universal catalytic converter welded in by him for $60, this includes the extra piping. I called a few places and all charges $120-200 to do this.

If you come at lunch time, they usually order KFC and you can eat with them for free. Even offered me a cold beer.

[justpassntime]

[QUOTE=Ford Man;109987]

Originally Posted by 1993CivicVX

I'm really mechanically uninclined.

You could always go to Auto Zone and pick up a service manual for your car. They are less than $20. and most of them give step by step instructions to do about anything you need to do to a car. When you have a problem get it out and study it before starting and if you are still not comfortable with making the repair yourself you can have the service manual right there with you while doing the job or if it's something you don't have the tools to do such as major engine or transmission repair then you can always get a mechanic. Just remember most mechanics are now getting $75-100 dollars per hour. You can save yourself a bundle of money and most things are not that hard after you study it a little bit.

Or you could download the Honda factory manual from the link below, more detailed, easier to understand and free!

http://www.hondahookup.com/manuals/

You have to sign up to download the manual. It's easy and worth it.

[thornburg]

[QUOTE=justpassntime;111061]

Originally Posted by Ford Man

Or you could download the Honda factory manual from the link below, more detailed, easier to understand and free!

http://www.hondahookup.com/manuals/

You have to sign up to download the manual. It's easy and worth it.

Does anyone know of a source like this for Toyota manuals?

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by XyKo

It's tough finding a good mechanic. I recently found one, whom was a friend of my dad. Even though he doesn't have a nice shop, etc. his work is superb. He doesn't have a connections to get parts, but if you bring them to him, he charge super cheap labor. Last week I had my universal catalytic converter welded in by him for $60, this includes the extra piping. I called a few places and all charges $120-200 to do this.

If you come at lunch time, they usually order KFC and you can eat with them for free. Even offered me a cold beer.

This is my dream mechanic. You're not *that* far from me. Maybe I'll move to Boston. Always thought it'd be a nice town to live in. /me drools....

[Otistheminivan]

Originally Posted by 1993CivicVX

This is my dream mechanic. You're not *that* far from me. Maybe I'll move to Boston. Always thought it'd be a nice town to live in. /me drools....

SO how'd you make out with the repairs?

John

[monroe74]

Originally Posted by theholycow

SHIFT!!!!" but she refused to shift.

Thanks for that funny story! Yes, I decided it would be wiser to not even try.

Originally Posted by Ford Man

I rolled a MG Midget back in 1981.

Sounds like an interesting story. Long ago I had a '65 Sprite, which is basically the same car.

When I rolled my '63 Lark, it was not as bad as it sounds. I was going amazingly slowly, and just managed (while investigating cornering limits) to tip up the car so it ended up resting on the passenger side. The roof was facing north, and the undercarriage was facing south, and the driver's door was facing the sky. I had to climb up to get out of the car. The whole thing was quite an adventure, but never close to life-threatening. Rolling the Midget sounds truly scary, though.

Originally Posted by JoeBob

I have a friend who, back about 1980 or so, had a '60 Lark with a flathead 6.

I just learned through the magic of wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studebaker_Lark) that the Lark did have a flathead until 1960. But in '61 they gave it a new head (OHV).

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by Otistheminivan

SO how'd you make out with the repairs?

John

Thanks for asking. I just got my car back. $450 paid in cash (he offered a reduced fee if paid in cash) Said he test drove it about 20-30 miles with the aim to get it to overheat. But it didn't overheat. He said he isn't ruling out the possibility it might overheat in the future due to a bad head gasket. But here's fingers crossed I won't have to bring it back for overheating again. He did say it is burning oil (I never saw blue smoke but he says he saw blue smoke). I was told when I bought the car it was burning a quart every 3,000 miles but I haven't experienced it burning that much. Mechanic said that since the engine is old and tired I'd probably be better off replacing the engine or saying bye bye to the car altogether if it turns out there is a bad head gasket and the car becomes undrivable due to overheating. He also said he knew of a few VXes lurking around the area where I live, which I thought was pretty cool, since many mechanics are not familiar with the VX trim (this mechanic seemed to know a fair amount in the context that the VTEC engine has variable timing and therefor has potential for tuning for power increases)

anyway, that's about the extent of it. I like the mechanic for having the time to talk to me, answer questions and his opinion on the viableness of the car's future. Based on the impression he gave me, I may only get another year out of the car. He seems to err on the side of caution rather than giving false hope. But I hope to keep it alive longer than that! Thanks again to everyone for the help here.