[Shotimes] Back on the list

[Dave Kegel]

Way to go Randy!  You coaxed another three pager out of 'ole George.  LOL!

Welcome back.

Dave Kegel
----- Original Message -----
From: "George Fourchy" <krazgeo@jps.net>
To: <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: February 13, 2003 9:40 PM
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Back on the list


> On Thu, 13 Feb 2003 20:11:59 -0500, Randy Smith wrote:
>
> >Just wanted to write a note upon my return.  Some of you might remember
me,
> >but I've been gone for over 9 months now probably.  I've been looking at
new
> >cars for the past 3 months, but I can never make up my mind.
>
> Hey Randy.....Welcome back!!
>
> >Here is the list I need to fix on mine currently;
> >
> >Clunking in the back, particularly below 30 degrees.  99% sure it's the
strut
> >mounts.  Went to have them replaced for $300 and the mechanic changed the
> >quote to $400 something when I showed up.
>
> That's definitely something you CAN do, for a LOT less than what they
quoted you.
> The easiest aid you can get to doing the rear struts is to go to Sears and
get a set
> of those very skinny ratchet box wrenches.  You need the 13 mm to remove
the nuts at
> the top of the rear strut towers inside the trunk.  If you have the
ratchet wrench,
> you can do about an hour's work getting those nuts off in just a couple of
minutes,
> without doing a lot of disassembly.  Then go to the SHOTimes website and
check out
> my instructions on removing the struts.  They're pretty
straightforward....do one
> side at a time so you can use the other as a guide for assembly and
disassembly.
> You can spend about 60 or 70 bucks for all the rubber parts for both
sides, at a
> dealer if you can get a discount, and have them in your hand, or order
them from
> SHONut Performance and Josh Teixeira.  His site is on the Website too.
Check his
> prices before you go to the dealer, so you are armed with knowledge.
>
> >Power steering barely works when the car is cold and it's below 40degrees
out.
>
> My Turbo Coupe did this also (10 years ago) when it was in a snowy
climate.  It had
> well over 150K miles before it ever got there, and I can't say if it would
have done
> it when new.  I asked a dealer in Ok City which I trust, and was told it
isn't
> uncommon for this to happen.  The system had never been flushed.  After
about 10
> minutes of idling, it worked fine.....just had to warm up.  There are P/S
cleaners
> and leak sealers you can get at auto parts stores that can refurbish (to
some
> extent) the system if you add them to the fluid....you might try that
first.  I've
> heard recommended something called Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak and Rack
> conditioner....supposed to be pretty good.  I'm about to try that in a
couple of
> systems I have.
> >
> >Something seems loose in the front end.  The three main things I feel are
just
> >a strange kind of loose vibrating from the right front when I make a
sharp
> >right at relatively slow speed.  Second if I'm rolling along at a steady
speed
> >in the power band in 1st or 2nd and nail it, it almost seems like the
subrame
> >shifts.
>
> You can get down there and tighten the subframe bolts easily enough.  They
can work
> loose, especially if you have aftermarket harder bushings installed.  The
Delrins
> tend to dent a little bit, allowing some looseness in the bolts to develop
over
> time.  The most likely scenario for your looseness, though, is the strut
bushings.
> All the cars out there are getting on in mileage now, and the tension
strut
> bushings, which insulate the struts that go from the front of the subframe
to the
> lower control arms are beginning to shrink and deform, causing the tires
to move
> back and forth relative to the fender opening.  You can change them,
getting new
> higher performance ones from Josh T. at SHONut.  They are a pretty good
deal...you
> just missed a group buy.  To remove them, it is easiest to remove the
lower control
> arm as well, and so you might consider changing that, since the lower ball
joint is
> non greasable from the factory, and probably a bit worn.  The inner
bushing for the
> LCA, where it connects to the subframe, is also a wear point by now, and
you might
> be running a little more negative camber in your wheel alignment than
you'd like
> because of it, which will wear the inside of the tire.  To remove the
lower control
> arm, you almost need to pretty much remove the knuckle, except for the
axle nut,
> so....if your axles are original, you might consider pulling them, too,
and getting
> them rebuilt, or swapping them for some rebuilts.  You'll have new boots,
CV joints,
> and you can check the bearing in the knuckle for wear.  This is a lot of
servicing,
> but when you are approaching 200K miles, things wear that don't usually
get thought
> about, and if you swap all these things out, if they need it, you can have
a nice
> tight front end when you get it all together.
>
> > Third is that the tires break loose way too easily lately.
>
> Regarding snow tires and their actions....I'll have to leave that to
denizens of
> snow country....I don't participate in that program!!  ;-)
>
> >Ignition cylinder; keeps dinging like the keys are in when I get out.
Wiggle
> >the black ring and it stops.  How hard is this to change?
>
> That's just a function of wear in the ignition tumbler.  That is
replaceable.  I did
> it long ago when the Lowrider was stolen and recovered.  Others have done
it more
> recently.  There is a hole on the bottom of the steering column, on the
right lower
> side, where you insert a long slim piece of piano wire or other strong
item and push
> a button, then the tumbler will come out after you twist it to the run
position
> (with the battery disconnected).
>
> >It's also been about 85k since it had it's first 60k service.  I think my
> >idler pulley bearings are bad too.
>
> Hopefully the information we have about finding new/adaptable idler
pulleys is on
> the website.  The pulley for the Gen 3 is a lot cheaper than the one for
the V-6
> engines, and is interchangeable.
>
> Glad you're back!!
>
> George and the Lowrider....still roaring along, just turned 259K miles,
holding at
> 23-24 mpg on my (soon to end) Keystone Cops commute!!
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