FW: <VV> Houston - we have a ...

[Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per]

Of course, there is a reason that they call them "Idiot lights" right ?


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris & Bill Strickland" <lechevrier at earthlink.net>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>; <ilikeoldcars at bellsouth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 5:06 PM
Subject: Re: FW: <VV> Houston - we have a ...


> > > Hindsight is 20/20 but that doesn't do me any good right now. My
> fear is ...
>
> well, yes, and no, and maybe. if we knew why you were going down the road 
> without spares, we might be able to judge what was going on in your mind, 
> and thusly, better interpret your statements --
>
> like, "Looked at my dash and the GEN light was bright red." -- well, when 
> did it come on? while you were looking in the mirror? previously? or don't 
> you know for the same reason you didn't have spares?
>
> if it was on for 5 miles and you didn't notice it, well, your engine is 
> probably fine, because when you go to drive it again with a new fan belt, 
> you won't notice anything even if it isn't fine, so since you won't notice 
> it, it must be fine.
>
> I say this in all sincerity, because some people are just not good 
> potential Corvair owners. People like my nephew. My nephew, (don't ask 
> where he picked up the 'mechanically oblivious' gene, but he did) drove 
> his 1995 Isuzu with the 3.2 V-6, the one that drives the water pump off 
> the back of the timing belt, until the pulley on the water pump pulley had 
> turned blue and the belt had melted to all the various parts it 
> contacts -- I imagine that since the water pump wasn't turning because the 
> bearing had gotten so bad that the impeller broke off a blade on the block 
> and that had jammed the pump and thus the cams weren't turning in sync 
> either, that something on the dash would have indicated trouble, not to 
> mention the screaming of that belt turning the stationary water pump 
> pulley blue and the smell of burning rubber.  Now, my nephew isn't 
> typically classified as 'STUPID' -- he does have a degree from a well 
> known liberal arts college -- he just don't got a feel for machines. 
> Anyway, he drove it until it quit going while trundling down the 
> Interstate, got out his cell, called his dad and asked what was wrong, "It 
> just quit running" -- that was when the cell got handed to me, and no, I 
> couldn't hear the stereo running in the background .
>
> How much old leaked oil has accumulated on your engine? Does it normally 
> smoke like an old oil stove even when the red light isn't on? Does it 
> leave a Large grease spot on the area where it is parked? Is the back of 
> the car all oil spotted, even though you washed it yesterday? Or, is the 
> engine pristinely clean, even on the underside, and you wouldn't mind 
> parking your Spyder in the living room of your mother-in-law if the front 
> door was large enough?
>
> All this stuff makes a difference, so treat us gently. some of us aren't 
> as young as we used to be and it takes a while before we can figure out if 
> you really need help and whether or not our help would be going to good 
> use -- some of us may only have a little time left and we don't want to be 
> wasting it.
>
> > > ... what if I have damaged the engine.
>
> if you have, it will cost a lot of good money to fix it. Some of life's 
> lessons don't come without a cost -- like my nephew, all the books and 
> websites list that Isuzu 3.2 as an interference motor - 24 bent valves at 
> $25 each. It isn't though, so ...
>
> Godspeed!
>
> Bill Strickland
> w/ 95 Trooper added to the stable (got 20 mpg last week on 600 mile trip 
> in the snow with a 5000# 4X4)
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