Lesson #1: The timeliness of part delivery is more important than the cost of the parts.
I placed my order for parts a week and a half ago. Thus far, half of the parts have arrived. It is a rather frustrating situation to be in, as I have no car to drive. Life would be much worse if I needed to travel more than several blocks, if the temperature was much lower, or if it was windy outside.
I have been able to get around by bike so far, but not for much longer. The first snow has come, and the temperature has dropped below 0F.
Update: All of the parts were delivered by the 29th of November. That puts the latest-arriving part nine days after the order date. I should have some grace here, as UPS likely shut down or slowed their operation over Thanksgiving weekend. Still, I will never again make the mistake of ordering parts with anything other than Next Day or 2nd Day delivery.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Radiator Update #1
A friend and I drove out to where my wife had left the car. It started up without any trouble, which means that spraying coolant had likely created a short which caused the starter to fail when she had first experienced the problem.
My line of thinking was this: if I could get the car closer to Grand Forks than Fargo, my insurance company would pay for towing to Grand Forks. I put in a bit more coolant and watched it drain out. With some rough (and rather uneducated) calculations, I determined I should be able to make it at least 10 miles/10 minutes before needing to shut the car off to cool down. That would be about how far I made it.
I let the car rest for a good solid 30 minutes. When I tried to fire it back up, Casper just clicked at me. If I couldn't get the car back to Grand Forks, I couldn't very well perform the repairs... I would have to pass this one up.
I gave in and called the insurance company regardless. It was 7PM on a Sunday evening. The rep I spoke with did some searching and tried to patch me through to several 'local' wreckers to no avail. After wasting nearly 30 minutes on the phone, he decided to give me the number of a 24-hour wrecker in Grand Forks.
Fast-forward to today: the bill came in at $218.50. The insurance company is evaluating it to determine what portion they will reimburse. The wreckers were kind enough to charge the battery, and I was able to drive my car from their lot to a friends' where I could perform the repairs in a heated & well-lit garage.
It appears to just be the radiator. I've already got it removed, along with the radiator fan, all of the coolant hoses, etc. While things are out, I've got extra elbow-room to test sensors and other hard-to-reach items.
I compiled a list of parts to order, and here's what I've got:
My line of thinking was this: if I could get the car closer to Grand Forks than Fargo, my insurance company would pay for towing to Grand Forks. I put in a bit more coolant and watched it drain out. With some rough (and rather uneducated) calculations, I determined I should be able to make it at least 10 miles/10 minutes before needing to shut the car off to cool down. That would be about how far I made it.
I let the car rest for a good solid 30 minutes. When I tried to fire it back up, Casper just clicked at me. If I couldn't get the car back to Grand Forks, I couldn't very well perform the repairs... I would have to pass this one up.
I gave in and called the insurance company regardless. It was 7PM on a Sunday evening. The rep I spoke with did some searching and tried to patch me through to several 'local' wreckers to no avail. After wasting nearly 30 minutes on the phone, he decided to give me the number of a 24-hour wrecker in Grand Forks.
Fast-forward to today: the bill came in at $218.50. The insurance company is evaluating it to determine what portion they will reimburse. The wreckers were kind enough to charge the battery, and I was able to drive my car from their lot to a friends' where I could perform the repairs in a heated & well-lit garage.
It appears to just be the radiator. I've already got it removed, along with the radiator fan, all of the coolant hoses, etc. While things are out, I've got extra elbow-room to test sensors and other hard-to-reach items.
I compiled a list of parts to order, and here's what I've got:
- Radiator
- Upper Coolant Hose
- Lower Coolant Hose
- Thermostat and Thermostat Gasket
- A/C & Power Steering V-Belt
- Alternator V-Belt
All said, the order cost me $243 shipped.
I will also be taking the time to clean the coolant reservoir. Once everything is put back together, I'll see about cleaning out the engine compartment with a pressure-washer. I've read this is safe to do, so long as you run the engine while you do it and be sure to stay away from places which cause the engine to sputter.
More to come. I apologize for the lack of pictures, and hope to get some taken and uploaded soon.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Radiator
My wife called me yesterday to let me know the car started spewing "smoke" (steam), and when she popped the bonnet there was coolant everywhere.
Damn.
She got a ride home from a friend, but our car is still ~50 miles away from here. I'm about to head out with a friend of mine to assess the damage. My wife described the radiator as having a crack down the side/seam. A new radiator will cost ~$150 shipped, and I might even be able to get that price for overnight/2nd day.
The cleanup will be a pain. There was evidently enough coolant in the engine compartment to short something, so the battery is allegedly dead, as well. Wish me luck!
P.S. - Soon I will be posting a list of my "starting tools" and modify that list every time I'm able/forced to to add something to my toolkit.
Damn.
She got a ride home from a friend, but our car is still ~50 miles away from here. I'm about to head out with a friend of mine to assess the damage. My wife described the radiator as having a crack down the side/seam. A new radiator will cost ~$150 shipped, and I might even be able to get that price for overnight/2nd day.
The cleanup will be a pain. There was evidently enough coolant in the engine compartment to short something, so the battery is allegedly dead, as well. Wish me luck!
P.S. - Soon I will be posting a list of my "starting tools" and modify that list every time I'm able/forced to to add something to my toolkit.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
ISV
For a short while after replacing the intercooler hose everything was peachy. Then our idle became erratic. It would surge to ~2000RPM then drop to ~1000RPM, and sometimes it would oscillate within that range.
From my reading, it became clear the idle stabilizer valve (ISV) was the likely culprit. Thankfully, this was another simple repair.
The ISV is located on the back side of the intake manifold, and is connected to two hoses and an electrical socket. This valve can become dirty over time and will gum up. The repair process was to remove the valve and to clean it out with throttle-body cleaner. Many people make it a point to stress the use of throttle-body cleaner as opposed to carb cleaner, as carb cleaner lacks lubrication. The idea is that if you were to use carb cleaner, this valve could potentially seize up over time. May as well do it right the first time.
Both hoses connected to the ISV are held on by hose clamps, which can be removed with a flat-head screwdriver. Once the hose clamps are loosened, it may take a considerable amount of pulling and twisting to disconnect the hoses from the ISV. The electrical connector has a metal clip that must be depressed while you pull to remove it.
With the ISV removed, simply hose it with throttle-body cleaner until crud stops coming out. You want the cleaner to be coming out clear. It may help to prop the ISV up someplace and let it soak for a while. I left mine sitting for ~20 minutes to soak after the cleaner had begun to come out clear, then sprayed some more in for good measure. Putting things back together should be a straightforward.
A can of throttle-body cleaner is cheap. I can be certain I would have been charged at least $40 for a mechanic to solve my problem, and quite a bit more if they felt it necessary to replace the part. The throttle-body cleaner cost me ~$5, and the whole procedure took no more than half an hour.
Casper now idles steadily at 1000RPM.
From my reading, it became clear the idle stabilizer valve (ISV) was the likely culprit. Thankfully, this was another simple repair.
The ISV is located on the back side of the intake manifold, and is connected to two hoses and an electrical socket. This valve can become dirty over time and will gum up. The repair process was to remove the valve and to clean it out with throttle-body cleaner. Many people make it a point to stress the use of throttle-body cleaner as opposed to carb cleaner, as carb cleaner lacks lubrication. The idea is that if you were to use carb cleaner, this valve could potentially seize up over time. May as well do it right the first time.
Both hoses connected to the ISV are held on by hose clamps, which can be removed with a flat-head screwdriver. Once the hose clamps are loosened, it may take a considerable amount of pulling and twisting to disconnect the hoses from the ISV. The electrical connector has a metal clip that must be depressed while you pull to remove it.
With the ISV removed, simply hose it with throttle-body cleaner until crud stops coming out. You want the cleaner to be coming out clear. It may help to prop the ISV up someplace and let it soak for a while. I left mine sitting for ~20 minutes to soak after the cleaner had begun to come out clear, then sprayed some more in for good measure. Putting things back together should be a straightforward.
A can of throttle-body cleaner is cheap. I can be certain I would have been charged at least $40 for a mechanic to solve my problem, and quite a bit more if they felt it necessary to replace the part. The throttle-body cleaner cost me ~$5, and the whole procedure took no more than half an hour.
Casper now idles steadily at 1000RPM.
Intercooler Hose
So it begins. Discounting the replacement of the driver-side window regulator, this is my first repair. There is no better way to begin than with something this simple.
The intercooler hose is prone to cracking. Well, all hoses are prone to cracking, as I have come to understand. In my case, it cracked along the bottom so a visual inspection was useless.
I had brought the car into the repair shop I always brought it to due to idling issues and was told I could either replace the hose for ~$100 plus labor or they'd simple "patch it up" as a short-term fix for free. The guy in charge explained to me his concern over diminishing returns for the car and yada yada, so I went with the patch job.
Initially things worked well-er than normal. After a few days the "patch job" started to become a "spotty patch job", as the car would howl when I stepped on the gas. At this time, a friend began to call the car "Casper". It's a good name. It stuck.
However, the howling bothered me to no end, and I figured it must not be good for air from the engine compartment to be drawn straight into the intake manifold (of which, until recently, I did not know the name). All I had to work with was my mechanic referring to the part as an "intercooler hose," and that would have to be enough.
Some short Googling later, I found the part I needed for a whopping $33 shipped. Knowing what the part looked like made locating it under the bonnet much simpler. The great news: the part sits at the very front of the engine compartment.
It is helpful to know what role this part plays. It sits between the intercooler and the intake manifold for the turbocharger. The short story: the intercooler cools air coming from the exhaust as it heads to the turbocharger's turbine. With a cracked intercooler hose, air from the engine compartment is being drawn in instead of the air from the intercooler. It is also possible the air from the intercooler is exiting into the engine compartment, which would also not be desirable.
There are two hose clamps which hold the intercooler hose in place, and both can be easily loosened with a flat-head screwdriver. After they are loosened, the old hose can be removed by tugging or twisting from side to side. Upon removal, attaching the new hose should be a no-brainer. Once the new hose is firmly in place, tighten the hose clamps down to the same tightness as before.
Not so difficult, eh? This got me thinking: I saved $70 plus whatever I would have been charged for labor to perform a repair which ultimately took ~10 minutes of my time. I trust the mechanics who have been working on my car, but perhaps I should be taking a more active role in repair? It certainly wouldn't hurt to learn how engines work, or how the electronics works as well.
Now I am here. I have made a promise to myself: this vehicle will not go back to a mechanic unless it needs to be fully lifted off the ground, fitted with parts too heavy for me to lift, or repaired with tools which I simply cannot afford. In sticking to this promise I know I will learn new things which will be very useful down the road. Join me, if you desire.
The intercooler hose is prone to cracking. Well, all hoses are prone to cracking, as I have come to understand. In my case, it cracked along the bottom so a visual inspection was useless.
I had brought the car into the repair shop I always brought it to due to idling issues and was told I could either replace the hose for ~$100 plus labor or they'd simple "patch it up" as a short-term fix for free. The guy in charge explained to me his concern over diminishing returns for the car and yada yada, so I went with the patch job.
Initially things worked well-er than normal. After a few days the "patch job" started to become a "spotty patch job", as the car would howl when I stepped on the gas. At this time, a friend began to call the car "Casper". It's a good name. It stuck.
However, the howling bothered me to no end, and I figured it must not be good for air from the engine compartment to be drawn straight into the intake manifold (of which, until recently, I did not know the name). All I had to work with was my mechanic referring to the part as an "intercooler hose," and that would have to be enough.
Some short Googling later, I found the part I needed for a whopping $33 shipped. Knowing what the part looked like made locating it under the bonnet much simpler. The great news: the part sits at the very front of the engine compartment.
It is helpful to know what role this part plays. It sits between the intercooler and the intake manifold for the turbocharger. The short story: the intercooler cools air coming from the exhaust as it heads to the turbocharger's turbine. With a cracked intercooler hose, air from the engine compartment is being drawn in instead of the air from the intercooler. It is also possible the air from the intercooler is exiting into the engine compartment, which would also not be desirable.
There are two hose clamps which hold the intercooler hose in place, and both can be easily loosened with a flat-head screwdriver. After they are loosened, the old hose can be removed by tugging or twisting from side to side. Upon removal, attaching the new hose should be a no-brainer. Once the new hose is firmly in place, tighten the hose clamps down to the same tightness as before.
Not so difficult, eh? This got me thinking: I saved $70 plus whatever I would have been charged for labor to perform a repair which ultimately took ~10 minutes of my time. I trust the mechanics who have been working on my car, but perhaps I should be taking a more active role in repair? It certainly wouldn't hurt to learn how engines work, or how the electronics works as well.
Now I am here. I have made a promise to myself: this vehicle will not go back to a mechanic unless it needs to be fully lifted off the ground, fitted with parts too heavy for me to lift, or repaired with tools which I simply cannot afford. In sticking to this promise I know I will learn new things which will be very useful down the road. Join me, if you desire.
Casper the Friendly Car
My wife and I drive a 1989 Audi 200TQ, which has been dubbed (by one person, at least) "Casper" due to the ghostly howl which used to emit from the engine compartment (more about this later).
For a car that is now of the legal age to purchase cigarettes, it has its fair share of problems: electrical quirkiness, oil leaks, air hoses corroding, interior deterioration - the normal bullet-list of complaints common to most vehicles of the same age.
This blog is intended to be a detailed account of my venture into auto repair. Hold onto your butts, as this could get very interesting. I should warn you now that I know next to nothing about engines or automobiles, and my understanding of the electronic systems contained in most cars isn't much better.
However, I do have the Internet on my side. In my case, there are resources like http://www.audiworld.com/ and http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/, as well as a plethora of sites dedicated to selling the parts I need at low cost.
I have already made some small repairs, which I intend to document on this site as a reference for others. I will do my best to include images - with labeling where appropriate - and possibly videos.
Above all, this is intended to serve as a record of my foray into the territory of the mechanic. It is a frightening place for most, but it is not an unwelcoming one. Please join me on this exciting adventure!
For a car that is now of the legal age to purchase cigarettes, it has its fair share of problems: electrical quirkiness, oil leaks, air hoses corroding, interior deterioration - the normal bullet-list of complaints common to most vehicles of the same age.
This blog is intended to be a detailed account of my venture into auto repair. Hold onto your butts, as this could get very interesting. I should warn you now that I know next to nothing about engines or automobiles, and my understanding of the electronic systems contained in most cars isn't much better.
However, I do have the Internet on my side. In my case, there are resources like http://www.audiworld.com/ and http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/, as well as a plethora of sites dedicated to selling the parts I need at low cost.
I have already made some small repairs, which I intend to document on this site as a reference for others. I will do my best to include images - with labeling where appropriate - and possibly videos.
Above all, this is intended to serve as a record of my foray into the territory of the mechanic. It is a frightening place for most, but it is not an unwelcoming one. Please join me on this exciting adventure!
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