Part of my Blog description is fixing old Chevy's in addition to the health care info, sports and politics. I haven't posted anything on this topic yet, but looking at the past couple of weeks, now is the time.
My second oldest daughter (age 19) has had a slight string of bad fortune when it comes to cars. She recently purchased my wifes car (an Oldsmobile) and within 2 months of owning it, she blew the head gasket. So for the next couple weeks, she shared our '95 S Blazer with my wife and while driving home from work 2 weeks ago, red-lined the motor and blew that up as well. The Olds in in my garage, waiting for an engine transplant, the Blazer is parked beside my garage and will undergo an engine rebuild this spring.
This leaves only one car for three drivers, each needing to be somewhere at the same time. But there, parked behind the garage, a large black/grey/rusty, 1984 Chevy half ton pick-up truck, no tailgate, no muffler, couple bolts holding the bed to the frame and box full of garbage to be hauled to the dump; sits in wait. This is by far the best $300 investment I have ever made!
After several attempts to get it started, I replaced the battery (took it out of the Olds) and got it to run, a little. Took it to the dump, and actually brought it back! Empty, this time. But then we couldn't get it started again. I figured a good tune up might help. So, I replaced the plugs, cap and rotor. No help, it still wouldn't start-No spark!
After sleeping on the issue, I remembered I still had several parts from my old '86 Suburban. I dug through a box and found the distributor and swapped it into the pick up. One turn of the key and it started right up. But, of course, I wasn't satisfied. I knew the carburetor was in need of a rebuild,and I had just done the Suburban's a few years before, why not swap that as well? Due to changes in computer connections between '84 and '86, the swap did not work. So, I rebuilt the carb and put it back on the pick up. Runs much better, until this week. Wouldn't start again. This time a horrific grinding noise was made when trying to start it. Good news, this wasn't an engine noise! So I pulled the starter (did I mention I had to replace the starter in my Tahoe a month ago?) and it crumbled in my hands. Luckily I had a "Lifetime" warranty, and replaced the starter. It works sooooo much better now! Drove it all day today without any problems.
For now we have two working vehicles for three drivers.
How is it that a doctor knows so much about fixing cars? Well, when I was attending Northwestern College of Chiropractic, I worked part-time at a service station and learned a lot about fixing cars and fixing people. Funny thing is, both require the same skills to be successful.
Both the mechanic and doctor must take a history of the complaint (it hurts to do this/it makes a noise when I do this), do a thorough examination, do a differential diagnosis, do the treatment and test the result. And just like your mechanic telling you to bring it back in a couple of months for routine maintenance, I, as the doctor recommend coming back in a couple of months for routine maintenance. It is always much more expensive to fix/treat a problem, then it is to prevent a problem.
Love to hear your comments, please leave one!
My second oldest daughter (age 19) has had a slight string of bad fortune when it comes to cars. She recently purchased my wifes car (an Oldsmobile) and within 2 months of owning it, she blew the head gasket. So for the next couple weeks, she shared our '95 S Blazer with my wife and while driving home from work 2 weeks ago, red-lined the motor and blew that up as well. The Olds in in my garage, waiting for an engine transplant, the Blazer is parked beside my garage and will undergo an engine rebuild this spring.
This leaves only one car for three drivers, each needing to be somewhere at the same time. But there, parked behind the garage, a large black/grey/rusty, 1984 Chevy half ton pick-up truck, no tailgate, no muffler, couple bolts holding the bed to the frame and box full of garbage to be hauled to the dump; sits in wait. This is by far the best $300 investment I have ever made!
After several attempts to get it started, I replaced the battery (took it out of the Olds) and got it to run, a little. Took it to the dump, and actually brought it back! Empty, this time. But then we couldn't get it started again. I figured a good tune up might help. So, I replaced the plugs, cap and rotor. No help, it still wouldn't start-No spark!
After sleeping on the issue, I remembered I still had several parts from my old '86 Suburban. I dug through a box and found the distributor and swapped it into the pick up. One turn of the key and it started right up. But, of course, I wasn't satisfied. I knew the carburetor was in need of a rebuild,and I had just done the Suburban's a few years before, why not swap that as well? Due to changes in computer connections between '84 and '86, the swap did not work. So, I rebuilt the carb and put it back on the pick up. Runs much better, until this week. Wouldn't start again. This time a horrific grinding noise was made when trying to start it. Good news, this wasn't an engine noise! So I pulled the starter (did I mention I had to replace the starter in my Tahoe a month ago?) and it crumbled in my hands. Luckily I had a "Lifetime" warranty, and replaced the starter. It works sooooo much better now! Drove it all day today without any problems.
For now we have two working vehicles for three drivers.
How is it that a doctor knows so much about fixing cars? Well, when I was attending Northwestern College of Chiropractic, I worked part-time at a service station and learned a lot about fixing cars and fixing people. Funny thing is, both require the same skills to be successful.
Both the mechanic and doctor must take a history of the complaint (it hurts to do this/it makes a noise when I do this), do a thorough examination, do a differential diagnosis, do the treatment and test the result. And just like your mechanic telling you to bring it back in a couple of months for routine maintenance, I, as the doctor recommend coming back in a couple of months for routine maintenance. It is always much more expensive to fix/treat a problem, then it is to prevent a problem.
Love to hear your comments, please leave one!
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