and we're pluggin along on the boat...

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... changed the oil in the boat today...

now that's a story.

drained it out, looked like tar... not THAT thick, but black as night and sorta thick.

swaped out the filter with a new one and then dumped in quart of 5w30 (good for 'flushing') -- cranked it for a few min -- ran it for 2 min -- tuned her off... drain.. still black

put in another quart -- same procudeore

... still black

another quart later she starts to come out "ok" lookin.

at that point i was just like "blow me you dirty old car" and said to myself that i was puttin the new oil in and calling it a day.... well my grandfather says "u better check that filter" -- so, completely disagreeing with him, i did... it was all mucky -- gritty.

had to replace the NEW filter with another one! -- then dumped in 5 quarts of havoline supreme 10w40 and called it a day on that.

pulled off the distributor -- what an oxodized mess -- its not rusty, it just got "blah" lookin and made bad contacts from age... went and snagged a new brass point distro cap with a brass rotor... hopefully thaat'll hold up better.

plugs were a nightmare -- i wanted champion platinum -- three guys tell me "it'll run too hot" i'm like "hot is good!" -- they're like "hot is bad on old engine -- it'll kill seals or gaskets or whatever" -- so i went with OEM replacement delco's (cringe -- i hate that stuff -- i prefer a decent platinum or gold plug).

the manifold is a pitted rusted mess where the plugs go in... blasted it with a power washer for a bit... helped a bit -- it doesn't look half as bad after that -- and i didn't see any mechanically-hurtful rust on the engine after that either... (like no holes no dents.. just surface rust you'd expect).

snagged a set of lifetime warranty borg warner wires for 24 bucks on sale *yay me!* -- then i forgot the numbering sequence on teh engine for cylinders (remeber i pulled all the wires out!)

well round midnight (after i close up my little wanna be shop for the day) -- i find the shop manual for it - distro cap is 1 /5 / 6 / 3 / 4 / 2 / 7 / 8 in a circle starting at the wriign harness plug in -- block cylinder numbers are not labeled but couple people tell me it goes 1/3/5/7 down the passenger side from bumper to firewall -- 2/4/6/8 down driver side from bumper to firewall .... i hope that's right... cuz the damned dealer shop manual doesnt even have that listed (dont ask me who the old man ripped the manual off of - he told me not to ask either... me thinx he swiped it from my uncle many moons ago.. u can tell its ghetto old --page 6-27 states "THEORY OF HIGH ENERGY IGNITION SYSTEM" -- theory? what is this friggin thermodynamics?? sounds kinda **** to me, 70's people musta been real dumb ).

ughh what else?

umm -- alarm is in / audio is all done / just waitin on a head unit.

am i boring u all to death yet ?

sntnsupermen131

are you going to put speakers in your boat and add that to your signature too?
-Cody

Jstas

plugs were a nightmare -- i wanted champion platinum -- three guys tell me "it'll run too hot" i'm like "hot is good!" -- they're like "hot is bad on old engine -- it'll kill seals or gaskets or whatever" -- so i went with OEM replacement delco's (cringe -- i hate that stuff -- i prefer a decent platinum or gold plug).

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!

Plugs with platinum tips will NOT change the heat range of the engine. If the plugs are listed as OEM replacements, they will most likely be the correct heat range. Unless you changed the plug number to go for a higher or lower heat range, platinum plugs will do no such thing as make the engine run too hot.

Those guys have no clue what they are talking about unless there is something else you have said. In addition, heat in an engine is OK, to a point. The engine has to rech optimum operating temperature for not only the lubricants to lubricate well but also, for teh combustion cycle to be as efficient as possible. You need a certain amount of heat in the engine to make it work properly. Excessive heat will kill an engine but merely switching from a standard semi-conductor electrode to a platinum tipped electrode will not make the engine run any hotter.

Also, if the engine has a properly working cooling system designed to maintain a heat range 10% above the temperature at which the theromstat opens, how can a spark plug change the operating temperature if the cooling system is working? The cooling system operates independantly of the ignition system.

What you can expect from platinum plugs is better gas mile, better cold starting capabilities, better starting, quicker throttle response and very long life unless the engine is not operating properly. The benefit toplatinum plugs is not performance like so many people think. The benefit is, no corrosion. Platinum, like gold, does not corrode. It is tougher than gold though so it will stand up o the abuse that is a combustion chamber. Since it doesn't corrode, it lasts a long time and maintains it's original performance for a longer period of time.

I'd go back to the place where you got those plugs and complain to management. Then go someplace where they don't have high school counter jockeys working a summer job and get the platinum plugs that you originally wanted.

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re plugs -- the bosch platinum 4 / delco rapid fire / champion platinum ultra supposedly (even in product literature) produce a hotter in chamber temperature...

the only reason i even sorta listened to what they said is the dude at David Cadillac / Olds over here (the only good caddy dealer in teh area) said that he rebuilt a mid 70's eldorado, put the rapid fires in it, and burned up his gaskets or his seals or something.....

it sounded kinda fishy but i didn't wanna even chance it even if its a 1 in a million... i'm tryin to keep this cheap, simple, and just get it goin good... if i had to rip open the engine that'd totally defeat the purpose and nullfiy the project.

RuSsMaN

As far as the 'black' oil, couple things I've found to work over the years. Berrymans (B12?), or regular automatic Tranny fluid (high viscosity). Add a quart or so, run it at idle for 10-15 min, drain it out, fill as normal.

Cheers,
Rooster

Jstas

It is physically impossible for a spark plug to produce a hotter chamber temperature unless there is more fuel and/or air entering the chamber. Gas burns at the same temperature at the ideal air/fuel ratio of 14:1 I believe it is. Spark plugs alone will not change that. They may produce a more efficient spark but the temperature increase that may result from that will not cause gaskets, seals or rings or even valve seats to burn up. If any of those do, there was a problem with them to begin with.


I would highly advise AGAINST dumping automatic transmission fluid into your cranck case. Transmission fluid is not the same kind of oil as motor oil. Transmission fluid will strip out all the oil from the seals and end up causing leaks and failures of seals. The reason being is, the seals soak up oil and expand in the spot they are in. That is how they seal. If you strip that oil out, the seals shrink and dry out. When you refill the crankcase with oil, the seals will never soak up as much oil as they did before and therefore leak and even fail so badly they can destroy the engine. On top of that transmission fluid does not lubricate as well as motor oil. Using ATF in your cranckcase is a sure fire way to kill your oil pump.

The Berryman's stuff will work. But not the B-12. That is a fuel additive for cleaning injectors. You shouldn't use it on a carb because it will eat the seals alive. Marvel Mystery Oil will work and any other one of the various Motor Flushes out there. They are mostly a mixture of straght 30 weight and kerosene with other detergents added. However, they can also strip oil from places it shouldn't be and should be used with care. High-mileage engines that were neglected, I'd advise against it. About the oil thing all you can really do is do what PBD already did. Multiple, consecutive oil changes. It's the only sure fire way to know that you won't destroy your engine. It can be expensive but I'd rather drop a couple hundred on the oil and filters than a couple grand on a new engine. You other option to clean it all out, a fresh rebuld. You take the engine apart, send the block and heads out for a remanufacturing and the reassemble. Lotta work and can be just as expensive as buying a whole new motor but I can promise you that it will work.

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forgot to reply to this earlier...

cody - i already did - lol -- look at the last one -- the audio's been done for days.

re - oil ---- i've got 3 cases of oil sittin in the garage for years now(grandfather had gotten 6 cases- 3 left - with like 15 dollar rebates and on sale - basially it was free oil... like 5 or 10 yrs ago -- but its still all good, none of it has settled and its still like it was then) --- 1 1/2 case of 10w30 -- half of 5w30 -- and one of 10w40 -- so i used the **** generic 5w30 on teh flush -- if i have to flush more i'll use the 10w30... car likes w40 -- dunno why... just does... its "jerky" with 30 -- feels loose when u pump the gas... duno if that makes any sense. so i threw like 5 qts of havoline supreme 10w40 in there.

now that u mention it -- u're right john -- about the plugs -- and its my own dumb **** fault for listening to idiot -- i should have known better dude... half of me wants to take the delco's back -- the other half of me is like "then u gotta pull em out and put new ones in, and god i really dont wanna spend that hour and a half of time."

next round of plugs are champion platinums (gold's if i can find them -- i'd like to put the damn "truck plugs" in there -- nicest plug i ever owned and its gold not platinum even tho gold isn't supposed to be as "good" as platinum...) -- i may do them next summer...

re - atf in the motor - not on my life... i have refused to use detergent oils, oils with teflon, or any other crap for many moons now -- i perfer pure synthetics, but i realize they dont necessarily "mix" with dino oil -- u cant put half and half in a motor... that being said, john's comment about the "soaked" engine is one of the reasons i chose not to do synthetic -- i didn't want a conflict.

the only thing goin in there besides oil is me.

today i had a spare hour and i drained 2 1/2 of the 5 1/2 gallons out of the coolant system.

i was gonna try to flush it all out but my buddy's father made a good point regarding trying to flush out an old coolant system - by the time u flush all the crap out, u may have left holes in it.

no biggie -- it wasn't brown -- a foggy green actually... got most of the gritty crap out -- ran it open for 10 min -- sealed it up - dumped in the same amount that came out ( 2 1/2 straight coolant) and then let her run another 15 --- check the level and had to add an extra quart or so to get it "up to the top" and the reservoir to the "full" line.

most people dont change power steering fluid.. i do.. i'm glad i do.

its spposed to be purple, some older cars suposedly have an "oil-ish color" PS fluid -- either way -- this was brownish black and jacked up looking.

sucked it all outa the reservoir with a turkey baster -- dumped in about half a quart (total capacity is about a quart) -- of Dextron II ATF (it works in a pinch as PS fluid -- its just trannie fluid)... ran the mtor -- cranked the wheels back and forth a few times on the jack so no resistance from standgin still -- sucked it out again, i could see i had flushed through some more ****... not much tho - didn't look bad -- dumped in a fresh 3/4 qt of the Dex III , ran the motor, spun the wheels back and forth and then topped it off.

I'm replacing drive belts tomorrow --- jsut a PS / AC one -- and then a generator one -- 2 belts aint bad...

doing a carb gasket / spring / whatevre the hell's in there refit kit and fuel filter as well.. shud keep me busy till 5 pm prolly ...

i've never done any of this **** before (besides plugs) so it kind of takes me 10x longer than it should.

i keep checking the oil in the dip stick and its clearish-golden-ish clean... so i'm not sweatin that much at all -- it was ash black before. i think i got all of that.

the car really starts and purrs like abeast --- its smooth -- even tho its just in the garage still u can really tell a world of difference with only a small amount of work done so far.

i may need a new AC compressor for this --

.... are there any like aftermarket AC compressor companies? i'm not to keen on buying a rebuilt AC comp for this thing - its had two in its lifetime and both sucked... this one doesn't seem to be doing any better... if worse came to worse i'd yank it and get a shorter drive belt for the PS... but i dont want to do that -- i'd gladly go aftermarket before that. ideas??



next week / weekends plans include tranmission fluid / filter and rear differential -- any suggestions on how to proceed -- anything i should know about ahead of time to look for / do (like the bad motor oil - flush it out kinda thing) ????

i'm growing slightly more confident and am willing ot takle more of this than i had imageined before -- if i have my way all Pep Boys will be doing is checking timing / flushingout the gas tank and fuel system / and bleeding -redoing the brakes (dont wanna fk up and have a 3/4 ton batterying ram rollin down the street).

thanks again guys...

sntnsupermen131

might want to check the brake shoes in the back
and gets the drums and rotors rotated
-Cody

Jstas

Geez! There's alot of stuff here!

OK, first off, about the 10w-40 vs. 10w-30. The 40 runs better because it is thicker. Modern engines are built to closer tolerances so they take much longer to get to the point where different weights in oil are noticable. Anyway, the 10W-40 feels better because it is filling the gaps that have widened over the years. Keep changing it with 10W-40. The 30 weight oils will be fine to flush with because they are lighter and won't strip away the heavy oil in the seals but they will move the deposits of sludge. Keep in mind that they won't remove all of it and watch your oil pressure. You don't want sludge clogging up your oil pump or pickup. It'll starve the engine for oil and you'll end up spinning a bearing or throwing a rod. That would be a bad day. Also, because the 30 weight oils are new, the detergents that are in them will be much more potent than if the oil had 3,000 miles in it. It'll be better at clearing sludge away.


Also, the oil additives are nothing more than snake oil. Some have benefits but the benefits are negligible when you take the average 3-5K mile oil change interval. All they really do is fake people into beliving that thier oil changes will last longer. So they think they save money by changing the oil less 2 or 3 times a year. They save what, 60-70 bucks? Then you go and look at the price of these additives that they throw in every oil change. They end up spending several hundred more on additives which give them a false sense of security which leads to a messed up engine down the road. The answer never comes in a bottle. Unless it's BARH-DOL then, that stuff plugs up oil leaks like nodoby's business! It's almost like dumping 90 weight gear oil in the crankcase! I only use it if I'm trying to get rid of a crappy car. I've only used it once, to unload a clapped out Hyundai Excel. But it was probably clapped out the second it rolled off the showroom floor.

That Havoline oil is the best dino oil I have ever used. I have never had it lose pressure or anything! Very good oil, very durable and stands up to incredible abuse! Those guys at Texaco know what they are doing. As far as synthetics go, AMSOIL, hands down, is the absolute best out there. That's what I use in my truck. Costs me 70 bucks a case but worth every penny!

Oh yeah, oil is supposed to be black when it comes out. If it is like syrup, that's bad. If it is runny, like water, that is how it is suppose dto be. It should smell a tad like kero and be black or a realy dark brown. If it smells burned, you are pushing your engine too hard. Buit black oil is ok. Gungky, gooey, syrupy oil is bad.

The Champion Gold plugs aren't really gold tipped. They aren't any better than the platinum electrodes. Gold is just the name they gave to them for the marketing value. They have some cheesy gold thing going on inisde the insulator but gold is just too soft to make an effective spark plug electrode. The Champion Gold plugs are basically Truck plugs for the engines that typically come in cars. Personally, I like the Autolite Platinum and double platinum plugs. But that's me.

The cooling systems can be problematic like your friend's dad said. As far as topping off, you want a 50-50 mix. Straight coolant does not transfer heat nearly as well as water. But water freezes and doesn't lubricate as well as coolant. So you need a 50-50 mix to get the best performance. I also started adding a bottle of Redline Water Wetter. It seems like snake oil and I didn't think it would do anything for me. It was on sale so I figured, what the hell. Damn, was I impressed! Stuff did exactly what it said it would! Water Wetter is a chemical blend that reduces teh surface tension of the water so that the water will spread out over the surfaces it is supposed to be coolin rather than ride along over it. Increases the efficiency of your cooling system. It also has lubricants that compliment what is lready in your typical Ethylene-Glycol blend of coolant.

Power steering fluid is another oil that is supposed to change colors. It does that because of heat and pressure. It comes in all shades from clear to red to purple and for all intents and purposes is Dexron II ATF. Same viscosity, same weight and so on. Actual power steering fluid has additives to clean and maintain all the seals and prevent sludge build-up with ATF doesn't have. At least not for a power steering system.

A better way to drain the pump and system is to take the line off that runs to the rack or box. Then let the pump suck the system dry. All you have to do is let it idle away. It is also good to periodicaloly change your power steering fluid because, like brake fluid, it can pick up moisture and dirt which leads to spongy feeling, uncommunicative steering response and feel. But again, if it looks brown, that is ok. Black usually means it's dirty and/or burned. Burned power steering fluid can be light brown but has a distinct burned smell to it. If it smells and/or looks burned, you may need a new pump. They are fairly cheap, 20-60 dollars in most cases. If the pump is good, you may have a bad rack or recirculating ball steering box. Those are expensive 150 and up. Just an FYI.

As far as AC goes, you may want to convert to R-134a. It's easier to get parts and coolant for and you don't need to be licensed to work on it anymore. Other than that, check out Vintage Air. They have all kinds of AC systems for older and custom vehicles. They may be able to help you out.

Now, the rear diff fluid. Make life easy on yourself and stick a magnet to the diff cover. A strong one but a small one. You can usually get one of decent strength at a ardware store. Stick it to the diff cover and then drive the car for a week. What this does is it attracts all the metal shavings in the fluid to the magnet and they stick there. When you goto change the fluid, you don't have to scoop out as much metal shavings. You have to drive it though to get the gear oil in the diff flowing to push metal shavings past the magnet. Even if you have to put the car on stands and let it idle in drive up in the air. Put the magnet as close to the bottom of teh diff as you can too but make sure it is on the diff cover otherwise, you are still scooping. All diffs will have metal shavings. That is how it is. Gears run against each other and wear pieces off. Even with lube.

To change the diff and trans fluid, get a shop manual and follow the instructions. Seriously. They are straightforwards but every trans and diff is different so what I might tell you if I try to describe it, may not work for you. Advice though, when going to drain the lube, loosen only enough to be abl to pry the diff cover or trans pan off without it falling. Reason is, if you pull the whole cover off at once, everything you eat for like 2 weeks is gonna taste and smell like gear oil or ATF 'cause you are gonna get it everywhere. If you loosen only enough so that fluid starts to flow out, into your bucket, you can drain all the fluid before dropping the pan or cover and making a mess! Also, on that diff cover, take that magnet off and clean out the shaving. Make sure there isn't any left in teh diff case either. Shavings and stuff is bad and will kill teh diff gears pre-maturely. The magnet may not work as well as it seems but it will help. Some guys will weld a magnet inside the diff cover but, a weld can weaken and break. If you thought metal shavings were bad for gears, imagine what a chunck of ferrite would do!

So that's my advice, take it or leave it. Really a novel though, sorry for teh long read.

sntnsupermen131

i heard it was bad to change your transmission fluid unless its been changed on a regular basis...he explained it to me and i cant remember the reason why...now im going to be wondering why this whole day...i think ill talk to him today...if i remember ill ask
-Cody

CPHILHOWER

PBD, This Boat sounds like it has a GM 350 with HEI. Am I correct? I personaly liked the idea of having the coil above the Dist. Used to rebuild those about 10 years ago. When I was in Votec.
Plugs, Platinum lasts longer than standard plugs. The Heat range may be a little different for the Bosche +4 and AC stock. But the manufacturer made the calculations. So it will work with no problems. All new cars use Platinum plugs.
The dirty oil? Get a oil flush additive. Not the 5 minute. Might be too severe. use according to directions.
Chris

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chris -- its actually a 500 cid caddy specific 8.8L -- the 350 was the lower power option and an engine available in other GM cars... often mistaken for the 502, the 500 is not a "bored out" 400 something (which the 502 is)... the 500 is a "base" (not stroked) block that can be stroked up to 570 by a good mechanic who knows his **** (and that certainly aint me). stock HP w/ smog kit is 197 (post 1974), stock HP w/ out smog kit is 400 torque 500 (1970 to 1973).

cody -- i'm getting new raysbestos lifetime warr. sloted / drilled rotors on front and matching pads... the rear drums are $250 dollars each special order from pep boys (New old GM stock from one of their suppliers)-- cheapest i could find was a generic from autozone for 179 each -- but mechy dude said they'd probably be ok with just a good turning... even if they're on the verge of not passing insp he'd let it go as long as it performed well and wasn't in any serious risk since he realizes the car isn't gonna be driven more than 2 or 3 thousand miles a summer TOPS. doin new shoes too... new shocks all around -- i'm debating between basic gabriel pep boys shocks and monroe sensatrac's in front / monroe sensatrac heavy duty in rear ?? opinion ??????

john -- glad to hear that i at least used decent oil it was kinda sludgy... well not sludgy - but just heavier than what i'd normally see when i have the oil drained outa my truck at the shop... it hasn't been changed in nearly 10 yrs. hasn't been started more than 10 times, never driven, in that same period, so i wudn't of that it'd have been as bad as it was... oh well.

the reason i have been in love w/ champion truck plugs is because the dodge 318/360 were notorious for having a tick or a knock with even the factory plugs -- i read over 20 sources that recc'd the champ truck plug, tried them, and was insanely pleased.. i figured if they can make a plug that decent for my truck, they probably make a good normal plug for everything else.

that "snake oil" coolant additive -- i'm gonna try that next time i drain it see what it does...

the PS was utterly filthy, it smelled aweful, i dunno if this is the right smell but does "burnt rubber" mixed with "burnt motor oil" -- does that smell kinda resemble what u're sayin by "bad" smell? lol

i dont think the pump is bad -- i mean it works great, no leaks, maybe there is something messed up in the other area like u said, but i think its just that the fluid was never changed since the car was bought off the dealer lot... is it bad to just have changed the fluid and periodically check the fluid for consistency and "burnt smell" and leave it alone until i notice something? or should i have a mech look at thepump ??

if i swap over the AC as u say to the new style -- is it as simple as swapping out the compressor? or would there be other do-dads to switch?

thanks for the tips on the diff / trannie -- i'm gonna go find me a huge **** magnet as per your inst. its a good idea and makes a lotta sense. far as rear gear fluid tho - is there just liek generic stuff thats good all around or are there some better than others?? good lookin out on the slow cover pull off -- u're right, i dont like the taste of oil. :mad:

and john, u dont write novels, they're just very nicely worded instruction manuals... LMFAO.:D

I got the belts today -- **** looking things but they'll do... got the carb rebuild kit too (looking at it) what a goddamn nightmare... this is gonna be a lot harder than i thought... if u see me posting a string of nothing but curse words and exclaimation points with no complete sentences or even real words... chances are i'm working on the carb. 14 bucks for it -- not bad -- its got a ton of **** in it too.

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hey john - if i drive it to jersey and buy the '70 headers , u wanna swap em over and rip off the smog kit? i'll wax u're Lightning .... lololol

sntnsupermen131

ive heard some good things about those monroes...they can take a beating from what ive heard
and i was just talking about replacing the brake shoes in the drums...not the whole drum...you can get them rotated and just get like an old toothbrush and clean out all the dust and stuff thats collected in the hard to get to places inside, get them rotated, and new brake shoes...drums last forever....i dont think there would be much point in replacing them
those rotors sound sweet!
you should just replace the drums with rotors too...lol...i think conversion kits are around $750 though..too much for me...but itd stop on a dime!
an 8.8L?
aka. car i would never drive cuz i would kill my self
i think my truck is a 5.7L
thats a big **** engine
as far as the a/c is concerned...there is something else you have to replace...i cant think of the name...its a cylinder shaped thing...that and more than likely some hoses will have to be replaced...but nothing hard core i think
-Cody

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*grumble* hoses, cylinder things... *grumble* -- sounda like a paint in the **** but i'm gonna lookinto it.

ya cody i figured the better front brakes would make up for any inadequacy in the rear -- i mean if the rear were shot tho hell i'd friggin spin the car like a top and end up dead, but as long as nothin major is bad in back, drilled /slotted fronts will be good ****.

its 8.8L but its a pig dude... u dont want it -- trust me -- they are absolute dogs unless u are a decent mech and can modify it... once modded it's a BEAST.

personally i'd rather have a straight 6 diesel... but i dont think that'd go over too well in a land-boat... lol.

i'm tossing around the idea of doing the brakes myself -- that's somethin i gotta sleep on -- but right now my total repair bill of **** i had to pay for is like 105 bucks ... and expected shop bill of about 600 -- if i do the brakes myself that's gonna be virtually cut in half, if not less.

if i do absolutely everything myself (dunno if i can) and i'm not too picky on parts-- i can probably get out the door for like 300.

sntnsupermen131

at least buy the brakes...look at the manual...and if it doesnt look too intimidating give it a shot
my truck...more specifically....the front drivers side tire is making the most god awful squeaking ive ever heard
it sounds like the brakes are going out...but they were replaced not too long ago and it does it while im driving...when i press the brakes a little...gets louder...press the brakes a lot...it totally stops...going to get a water hose...wash everything off...then arm myself with some wd40
do you feel lucky squeak?
lol
i hope i dont have to take the tire off to find it...i really dont want to take the tire off...lol
but tomorrow im going to be off so i guess i could do it then...i wouldnt worry about it...but it sounds so bad...
-Cody

Jstas

the PS was utterly filthy, it smelled aweful, i dunno if this is the right smell but does "burnt rubber" mixed with "burnt motor oil" -- does that smell kinda resemble what u're sayin by "bad" smell? lol

Yes, that would be the bad smell.

i dont think the pump is bad -- i mean it works great, no leaks, maybe there is something messed up in the other area like u said, but i think its just that the fluid was never changed since the car was bought off the dealer lot... is it bad to just have changed the fluid and periodically check the fluid for consistency and "burnt smell" and leave it alone until i notice something? or should i have a mech look at thepump ??

Old fluid gets worn out and can be the source of teh bad smell too. As far as checking it out, not really much to check out. If it gets hard to turn or the belt starts slipping and squealing when you are turning, the pumps bad. But be careful. A noisy pump is usually bad but that doesn't mean that something like the rack in the rack and pinion steering or teh steering box in teh recirculating ball steering box isn't bad. They could have caused the pump to go bad.

if i swap over the AC as u say to the new style -- is it as simple as swapping out the compressor? or would there be other do-dads to switch?

It may or may not be that simple. Sometimes, all you have to do is drain the R-12 oil and refirdgerant and load it up with new R134a oil and refridgerant. Other times, you hav to replace the compressor and some other parts. You may want to get it looked at by a mechanic you trust.

thanks for the tips on the diff / trannie -- i'm gonna go find me a huge **** magnet as per your inst. its a good idea and makes a lotta sense. far as rear gear fluid tho - is there just liek generic stuff thats good all around or are there some better than others?? good lookin out on the slow cover pull off -- u're right, i dont like the taste of oil.

don't get a huge **** magnet. Get a small one that is strong. If the magnet is too big, it won't work right.

Diff fluid though, you might want to go with a synthetic from like Redline or Royal Purple. Otherwise, just use whatever diff fluid you can find that is the proper weight.

Jstas

Also, about the trans fluid. Unless you pull teh trans and drain the torque converter, you are not going to get all the fluid out. So if you don't want to go messing with all of that, make sure you know how much fluid you pulled out and put that much new stuff back in. The trans dipstick is usually good for guaging that but, if parked on a hill or with half teh car on jack stands and teh other half not, you can get false readings on the dipstick.

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ya i think i've decided i am going to get the brakes and at least attempt to do them myself...

if all goes well i'll just mount it up and then have the mechanic bleed the lines, make sure pressure is right, and give em a once over when he puts on new tires (maybe rims).

after hearin all this i'll prolly leave teh AC alone until the compressor seizes up -- regardless if it works or not.

Systems

be careful...if the pulley stops turning youll burn up your brand new belts
-Cody

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that would be a bad thing... :mad:

Keske944

Vinnie all I can say is "Man You got Problems"

nuff said

sntnsupermen131

Originally posted by PoweredByDodge
that would be a bad thing... :mad:

lol...yeah
but they dont usually freeze up...mine had a freon leak so i would have air...but not cold air...and the bearings went out in the pulley and the pulley moved crooked....threw the belt off...but it didnt break the belt....voltage dropped...i thought my alternator **** the fan again...lol....looked under the hood and there was a mess of belt...put it back on thinking it was a one time thing...came off again a little later and realized what had happened
-Cody

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i just saw fast and furious 2 today, its left me wanting to trade in my truck and like sell everything i own and buy a Charger.

Keske944

Chargers do kick some serious river ****. Espically from a normally asperated engine. I'm partial to the 1970 Plymouth Hemicuda's but good luck finding one of thoes there were less than 700 made I believe.

sntnsupermen131

i almost cried when they wrecked that charger in the first movie...
and it was my brakes that were making the squeaking noise
i found out when i remembered that i changed the brakes out on my dads truck 2 months ago and not mine
so off to buy some $50 wagner brake pads
-Cody

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here's hopin u can stop the truck at the lights on teh way there cody...

i saw a hemicuda at the local pep boys - dude was pickin up floor mats or some **** -- i've never heard such a growl out of an engine before -- it was an angry car. and i loved it.