What kind of car(s) do you own?

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Calvin said:
I got my 1993 Explorer that my dad passed to me in 1998 and it had over 103K miles on it. Over the years, I've driven pretty much daily until last year and now it has almost 260K miles. The only thing that I've replaced was the radiator besides the routine maintenances. It never strand me ever since and always starts on the first try. Motor and Transmission remains untouched since new... of course regular oil change and transmission changes in the past. Currently it has been sitting out because of the oil leak at the valve cover gasket which the oil drips on the hot exhaust making a burning smell and it also needs other maintenance work. It just one of my good truck I've had.

I currently have same model, but year 1997 from Ebay that I bought in 2003 with only 83K miles. Never had any problems since and only had a new brakes and routine maintenances. It currently has almost 134K miles on it.

There is some good and bad on the high mileage vehicles. It all depends on how people take care of vehicles, if there is sign of wear and neglect in the drivetrain.. ie dirty fluids, old hoses, old spark plugs wires etc for example. I would avoid that, if the powertrain looks clean and running smooth, at say, 150K miles, it is more likely it will last much longer with maintenance. Modern cars/trucks can last 250K to 300K miles without any rebuild (if maintained of course).
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Is the word "Other Maintenance Work" that you mention, includes cat converter replacements? I never see any Explorers with 260K miles when I serviced or smogged customers's Explorers at the gas station. My wife's 2000 Explorer w/5.0L has about 83k miles on it, noticed strained coolant leaking from the timing chain cover to block and intake manifold gaskets due to gasket corrsion, common on Fords during oil changed and visual inspection. No worry abt it as I intend to fix them later.
 
deafsmogtech said:
Is the word "Other Maintenance Work" that you mention, includes cat converter replacements? I never see any Explorers with 260K miles when I serviced or smogged customers's Explorers at the gas station. My wife's 2000 Explorer w/5.0L has about 83k miles on it, noticed strained coolant leaking from the timing chain cover to block and intake manifold gaskets due to gasket corrsion, common on Fords during oil changed and visual inspection. No worry abt it as I intend to fix them later.
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Ah, I believe my Explorer has 3 catalytic converters and I had one catalytic converter that went bad about 235K miles when it failed smog. I had the shop replaced one of the converter and it passed smog fine. Before that, it always passed with flying colors and never had any problems. It depends on how engine is operated, if the engine overheats for period of time (which is one of the reason converter gets plugged) or high nitrogen oxide (NO) rate, this shortens life of the catalytic converter. Like I said, it all depends on engine performance. :)

"Other Maintenance Work" refers to brakes, tune ups, coolant flushing, air filter, so on.
 
Calvin said:
Ah, I believe my Explorer has 3 catalytic converters and I had one catalytic converter that went bad about 235K miles when it failed smog. I had the shop replaced one of the converter and it passed smog fine. Before that, it always passed with flying colors and never had any problems. It depends on how engine is operated, if the engine overheats for period of time (which is one of the reason converter gets plugged) or high nitrogen oxide (NO) rate, this shortens life of the catalytic converter. Like I said, it all depends on engine performance. :)

"Other Maintenance Work" refers to brakes, tune ups, coolant flushing, air filter, so on.
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Just one cat converter replaced after 235k since purchased a new car? If so I wld say "WTF". My 95 astro has been cat converter replaced 3rd times in 165k miles since new car. The first cat converter was replaced by the dealer (due to leaky fuel pressure regulator) and 2nd cat converter was plugged ( from previous leaky fuel pressure regulator), both of them were under warranty. On 3rd cat converter ( bought it from Summit, welded it myself) was replaced due to failed pretest, and passed smog at the TEST ONLY station. My van is a good air cleaner much close to the newer cars.
Many cat converters on the OBD-I vehicles are replaced when failed smog
checks due to high emissions ( mostly NOX like you mentioned). I do cat converter functional tests to confirm if bad, send the failed vehicle out to
the muffler shop.:)
 
deafsmogtech said:
Just one cat converter replaced after 235k since purchased a new car? If so I wld say "WTF". My 95 astro has been cat converter replaced 3rd times in 165k miles since new car. The first cat converter was replaced by the dealer (due to leaky fuel pressure regulator) and 2nd cat converter was plugged ( from previous leaky fuel pressure regulator), both of them were under warranty. On 3rd cat converter ( bought it from Summit, welded it myself) was replaced due to failed pretest, and passed smog at the TEST ONLY station. My van is a good air cleaner much close to the newer cars.
Many cat converters on the OBD-I vehicles are replaced when failed smog
checks due to high emissions ( mostly NOX like you mentioned). I do cat converter functional tests to confirm if bad, send the failed vehicle out to
the muffler shop.:)
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Yes, the Explorer was bought new from my father then passed on to me when he bought a new one several years later. Sounds like your van has had problems and I'm kind of surprised a leaky fuel pressure regulator can harm catalytic converter. My Explorer never had any fuel issues or whatsoever, it always starts on the first turn of the key and runs fine. It seems like your van has some defective parts that hurts your emission systems. 4.0L OHV V-6 is the most reliable engine I've ever had driven. I had the catalytic converter replaced at the independent shop for $400 which is not bad compared to another shop that would run about $800-1200.
 
My parent's driveway now have decent cars. The 94' wagon sitting on the grass. 2005 Subaru GX (relatively new), 2008 Ford Mondeo (Brand new) and '98 Ford Festiva.
 
JClarke said:
My parent's driveway now have decent cars. The 94' wagon sitting on the grass. 2005 Subaru GX (relatively new), 2008 Ford Mondeo (Brand new) and '98 Ford Festiva.
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Your father's Ford Mondeo is nice. That s like American Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.
 
I had to pull out an alternator in the old skyline i had, that had to be replaced, quoted the cost for the new one whumped me out for $1200. I thought fuck that, so went to wreckers then find out its hard to source and would be $400 whoa still too high, there was no hope. A freind said me to pull mine apart which i did, which involved pulling out the radiator out of the car just to get access the alternator, annoying as it was, but it wasn't that bad once I just knucked it in. He explained the internals are good just the brushes are worn down, replace that. I went to an engineering workshop where there are lots of milling machines and lathes and stuff, they happened to have a pair of exact brushes according to the specs, coded as stamps on these brushes. To find this workshop and the brushes once i got there took a bit of detective work but it paid off so well that the brushes were only $4 for the pair. The pair was to refer to the north and south 'poles'. I then went home and repaired the alternator donned back it the car. To my amazment it worked, the whole thing was going to be $1200 parts alone, labour would be easily 200-300 maybe more due to the way radiator is in the way and some screws were stubborn as shit and stripped by soem pricks before i owned the car. All the way down to four bucks and my own time to fix it.
 
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Grummer said:
I had to pull out an alternator in the old skyline i had, that had to be replaced, quoted the cost for the new one whumped me out for $1200, i thought fuck that, so went to wreckers then find out its hard to source and would be $400 whoa still too high, then a freind said me to pull mine apart which i did, after pulling out the radiator out of the car just to get in (grrr at that but it wasn't that bad I just knucked it on) then he explained the internals are good just the brushes are worn down, replace that. I went to an engineering workshop milling machines and shit in there, they happened to have a pair of exact brushes according to the specs as in codes stamped on these, to find this took a bit of detective work but it paid off so well that the brushes were only $4 for the pair (N & S as in alternating) I then went home and repaired the alternator donned back it the car. To my amazment it worked, the whole thing was going to be $1200 parts alone, labour would be easily 200-300 maybe more due to the way radiator is in the way and some screws were stubborn as shit and stripped by soem pricks before i owned the car. All the way down to four bucks and my own time to fix it.
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Oh yeah rebuild the alternator is pretty each and brush is mostly cause issue for alternator fail.

In real world, Mostly auto mechanic don't deal with rebuild alternator for customer because waste of time and high labor.


What year of your Nissan Skyline?
 
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it was a 1982 model, real old if you scroll back in this thread you'd see a white one, that is as close as you'd see, I never took a photo of it, shame i know. back then i didnt own a camera :(
it was a real nice car, i developed an attachment to it before I was forced to sell it as it wasnt fit for the road due to a structural rust at one beam junction in the rear end, that was a real downer. The car was so good that slike i doubt id find another car to better it im my opinion, it was in sync with my personality. Just like a great pet.
 
:shock:
C.C.Sinned said:
gone!

me -1939 Chevy Panel
wife - 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan
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aww so you sold those two 1966's cars?


I used to have a eagle talon sport car 1990. It's sold to someone else and replaced to mini van but minivan is gone for good. :yay: i hate minivan!
:shock:
 
Frisky Feline said:
:shock:

aww so you sold those two 1966's cars?
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yes, i miss them and it makes me sad
ththhugsmile2.gif
 
C.C.Sinned said:
:smoking:
39chevypanel.jpg
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Your car looks sweet, dude! I take it you must be doing all the body work and everything yourself? There's less and less hot rodders today.



This is/was my second car, that I got in my teens. I worked on it a lot on my own back then. The car is driven by my younger brother now.
I grew out of that phase of life some years back.
5v8y0h.jpg

2m2cl93.jpg


Before: 5th generation Celica
Now: 2008 Toyota FJ
Life changes eh?
 
naisho said:
Your car looks sweet, dude! I take it you must be doing all the body work and everything yourself? There's less and less hot rodders today.
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actually, it was built by a guy in New Hampshire to haul his Harley.

I always wanted a 33 Chevy and put in a 409 mill. When I was searching for a project car, the car and parts for it were the original goal . the original plan was to build a car and we would built it together. after he graduates high school we would take a road trip around the US...

Saw this Panel and changed plans a bit. I've always loved them. yet they are so hard to find I gave up on the search a long time ago. saw this and started thinking about my Son and our future trip. the panel would have more room for our gear, tools and everything. It was different, rare and more suitable for our trip. plus the price made it a deal. it had a lot of issues which are fixed now. I drive it around. collect parts we want. after we move, we will strip the truck down to the frame than build it our way. the goal is to make it look an early 60's speed shop truck. 327 mill, vintage edelbrock tri-power intake with 3 holley carbs, vintage edelbrock fuel log, finned valve cover, th350 auto trans, 10 bolt posi rear, diamond pleeted interior, maple floor, lots of body mods, painted in metallic midnight blue and black....
 
thanks.

at the moment a 350 from a 72 nova. that will stay in until 327 gets overhauled. chose the 327 because it is more period than a 350
 
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