[elky] Re: Sprint in the shop

  • From: Mary McCarthy <printces@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: elky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:31:20 -0700

does Chris sell fussy smokey taillights for Blazer or I am I shopping with someone else on eBay?


Mary
Chris sells carburetors too? I was under the impression that he sells chemical compounds like POR -15.

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*From:* John Christensen <johncgg@xxxxxxxxx>
*To:* elky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Sent:* Tuesday, September 20, 2011 8:43 PM
*Subject:* [elky] Re: Sprint in the shop

One of the last times I took the El Camino to a repair shop for anything, I decided my time was worth more than $45 for a tune up. That was pre-header days.... now it's about an hour and a half, or $75 of my time. Anyway, I paid the $45, and got the plugs changed. That was it. It was a Computer controlled carb, and they didn't do anything to that. When I opened the distibutor cap, because it looked like the same one, the center carbon electrode had broken in half, and fell out. Obviously, the tune up didn't include a cap and rotor.

I was so pissed, I don't take anything to a mechanic any more, unless, after reading about the procedure, I don't have the tools, or I have potential to do serious damage if I screw it up (Like timing belts on the Pathfinder.... I paid for that).

I may farm out the A/C, but only after I can find the right parts to put hoses back on. There are missing parts after the conversion to serpentine. I found one on eBay for about $80, after I spent 20 for one at a junk yard that ended up having holes in it.

I have been putting off the body mount project I am in the middle of for literally YEARS. Now I have to weld on it to get it back in shape, but the welder arrived today. It came with everything to use the CO2/Argon, except the tank. Before I spend the money right now.... on the setting inside the welder, it says to use heavier flux core for the 1/4" steel. That would mean no gas. Should I spring for the wire and hold off on the gas for the moment? Anyone with welding experience out there???

Get a Edelbrock carb from Chris and bolt it on yourself Saul. It was a piece of cake when I did it, changing from the computer to non. I had to change the distributor too, and you won't have to do that. 4 bolts and linkages, and you will be home free for 2 or 300 I think.

Check it out!
JC



On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 8:12 PM, Saul Marsh <saulmarsh72@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:saulmarsh72@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:

    Hello all,
    Been two weeks since I sold Clustertruck, and I don't miss it as
    much as I thought I would.  We've had some nice days that would
    have been great for working on cars, so if I feel like picking up
    a wrench I'm just gonna have to do maintenance on my new Sprint or
    work on the lawn mower or something.  Anyway, the new Sprint (the
    '76 I bought in May) is in the shop, and I now remember why I
    don't like bringing cars to a mechanic.  Just expensive.  My
    intent was for the guy to rebuild the VIR in the A/C system, just
    like he had recently done to his own '76 El Camino.  However, he
    found a few more problems and it looks like I'll be getting those
    fixed instead.  The carburetor has a fitting that leaks and won't
    tighten, and might need to be replaced with a rebuilt carb.  I
    thought the car smelled awfully bad of fuel, but Clustertruck
    smelled even worse so I just assumed that smelly cars is something
    you lived with when you drive a '70's carbureted car.  Apparently
    not the case.  I hope this helps.  I also will be getting an A/C
    hose replaced, the system evacuated, and refilled with R-12.  But
    I'm not quite clear on whether this means I'll be getting nice
    cold A/C again (of course....right as the temps have dropped where
    I don't need it anyway).  The mechanic said the windshield
    defrosting in the winter could be affected if the A/C system gets
    too dry.  I don't know.  If I had more time I'd read up on it in
    my repair manual.  For now I'm taking the guy for his word, and
    realizing it will be a little bit of time for me to save up money
    before my next repair (whatever that may be).  Right now, the only
    thing wrong with the car is that the "ice cold" A/C is at best
    mediocre.  When I drove it in our triple digit heat this summer, I
    ended up smelling bad due to sweat, on top of smelling bad due to
    a leaky carb.
    And I took the bus home today, while I leave the Sprint at the
    repair shop. It took an hour and a half for my normal 25-minute
    commute.  Would love to take the bus more often, but that's just
    too much time.
    Anyway, that's all for now.
    Saul
    '76 GMC Sprint





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