56 year old
Male
from Menlo Park, CA
Views:
Don't drive it if you can't fix it.
sticker wall
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...(a BBQ)
posted in: shade tree garage, news on May 21, 2010 at 08:59 PM
Umm, anyone for toast?
I drove the MGB to Oakland for a meeting (losing a wiper arm on the 880), and when I got home and parked, something smelled funny. I couldn’t decide if it was oil burning, or electrical in nature. So I opened the bonnet, and (ta-da!) it was both. The oil cooler had sprung a leak (leaving a puddle on the front valance), and the starter had apparently caught on fire—I say that since the ceramic solenoid boss was blackened, cracked and split in half, dangling below the car from the positive battery lead. All the other starter wires had melted clean through and were just dangling. How it managed this while I was driving (and not using the starter) I’ll never know.
Fortunately I had just picked up a free oil cooler from a guy who was cleaning out his garage. The starter was back-ordered, so it was a while before I could get it back together. Meanwhile, I had plenty of crimping, splicing and heatshrinking to do. And I found another wiper arm in the barn. Yay!
Comments
firewisinger's Garage
May 21, 2010 at 09:07 PM
sometime it rains…sometime the sun shines…last week my power chair seized a motor and gearbox…yesterday my minivan developed a very loud exhaust leak…LIFE IS GOOD…lol :)
tinkerbug Garage
May 22, 2010 at 08:58 AM
I feel for you. I’m all excited about my upcomimg trip. But cant sleep at night thinking of all the things that could go wrong and leave me stranded
virgil's Garage
May 22, 2010 at 10:36 AM
We love the old cars, but it makes us nervous when we take off on a trip, especially on a busy interstate. Never know if you’ll get back under your own power.
Shade Tree Garage
May 22, 2010 at 04:25 PM
Actually, until last summer, the MG had never stranded me anywhere in 21 years (that’s not a brag a lot of British car drivers can make). But the heater valve blew out in heavy traffic on a hot day, and it warped the head before I could get to the shoulder. It turned out it was due for some engine work, since the cam was worn to a nub and the lifters were hammered due to the lack of ZDDP in modern motor oil. But I don’t let anxiety stop me from driving them anywhere—multi-day rallies, long road trips, daily commutes. The more you drive ‘em, the more reliable they are, is my experience. Know your car, and carry tools…
