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Shifty, I need your help!

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Comments

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Has anyone besides me ever watched an "old timer" decarbon an engine using a squirt bottle of water?

    DO NOT try this unless you REALLY know what you're doing.

    I couldn't believe what came out of the tailpipe of a Chevy 350 one time!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Water injection is an old principle; however, with fuel injected cars, you don't wanna be squirting water down your intake...might foul up the injectors...I've seen injectors rust.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,707
    I've heard of that, and a guy in the shop I worked at years ago used ATF to decarbon an engine. Also, GM sells a top end cleaner that you use in a simiar way - wonder what it does to the catalytic converter?
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    ATF can work wonders. I've seen this in person. It sure makes a lot of smoke though!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    ATF is very high detergent but personally I wouldn't do it. I would, however, add it to oil to free up a noisy lifter...duh...hydraulic lifter I mean....
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    When I was a kid, there was an "old man" (he was probably 50) who lived down the street. He had a 1955 Buick and he always used a quart of ATF along with the 5 quarts of motor oil when he changed the oil. He swore by that and that old Buick always seemed to purr.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well I wouldn't KEEP a quart of ATF running in the engine for the entire length of the oil change...but it might make a good flush if that's what he did. ATF is a great detergent but a really bad engine oil lubricant. Way too light and not tough enough for internal combustion.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    He alrays ran a quart of ATF and he left it in there.

    The last time I saw him was in the mid-eighties. He was still driving that old Buick and it looked and sounded like it always did. He swore by using ATF and in the case of that Buick, it seemed to work. Still, he could never convince me to do the same.
  • saraplaintallsaraplaintall Member Posts: 1
    My father has had his Black Fleetwood Cadillac(1974) since 1976. He is the second owner and has kept it in mint condition and not driven it very much. Primarily it's been from the garage to the street for waxing and back again.
    He is no longer able to drive it and I am not interested in keeping it. I am wondering what the car is worth and where I might look for a buyer. Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcome. Thank you!
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,707
    You might take a look at completed 1974 Fleetwood auctions on Ebay to get a rough idea. There, they seem to go for $3500-$6000.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    that's about all the money for a really nice one. This isn't an easy car to sell, so any serious offer in the range texases stated should be taken.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    but what do you think of this one? 73 Mercedes 450SL.

    This guy has had it for a few weeks and has been dropping the price. Am I nuts or does that look good for that price? What should I be looking for?

    I, of course, reserve the right to chicken out here...
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,140
    Awesome color, I love that aspect of it, I don't think I have ever seen a China Blue 107.

    If it has no rust and absolutely no needs, it's worth it. If it has any needs, anything at all mechanically, start chopping the price.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,707
    Didn't these use the thermal reactors? Or did that come later? Major negative.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Those are later. Major knock on these cars is the gas mileage and the flaky AC/Heat systems. Still it seems like a very nice car and doesn't show the usual 450SL rat-mobile danger signs.

    worth a look I'd say, definitely. Only 60K miles, too.
  • joyrider147joyrider147 Member Posts: 69
    Why are Mustangs being sold at relatively low mileage at dirt cheap prices? What is wrong with these cars that they're being sold this fast? Is it 10 years later and the fall apart?Is it because they require alot more maintenance than usual? Do people actually not like the older models and would rather have a 2005 and up version? What do you look for in a Mustang to tell if some stupid kid had the car to destroy it doing donuts in a parking lot?

    What is it like living with this car? Do you get pulled over more becuase its a high-performance car? It is more likely to get stolen because its a sports car and might not have as good a security system as Audi or BMW? Can anybody who has either a used '95 or so Mustang and one made in '99 and up- what's the insurance rates for that car?

    Which mustang with the v8 or the v6 is harder to pass emissions inspections? What can be done to the car to make it pass emissions? What can happen to an 8 year old Mustang that can drastically affect the car's performance for the worst?

    Why are Ford owners properly maintaining THESE cars only to sell the at 80,000 miles when they beat the crap out of other cars, put high mileage on them, and then sell them "as is?"

    Approximately, how many accidents each year are caused as a result of a Mustang being involved in, or contributed to, an accident(s) featuring injury or death to driver(s) and passenger(s) of other vehicles as a direct link to: drunk driving, speeding, reckless driving, street racing, etc? How many people are injured or killed while riding in or driving Mustangs each year?

    Would I be better off driving a 135i twin turbo BMW? They go for the same price as a fully loaded Mustang but hold their value well, has better engine, suspension, transmission, very sporty, etc?

    Thank you for your response.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well, lotta questions here. I'll try to answer the interesting ones.

    First off, modern Mustangs are mass-produced cars. There are a gazillion of them around, so one would expect the equation of supply and demand to dictate a very reasonable price for an older used one. Your gain, original buyer's loss. This would be especially true for the V6, which, when new, could be purchased for relatively little money to begin with.

    Sure, the V8s are likely to have been raced around. I suppose you could tell abuse by: 1) certain types of street racing equipment 2) rubber deposits under the rear wheel wells 3) repair receipts for a lot of clutches 4) no service records, lots of chips and dings, stained carpets or a list of non-working items ("the AC just needs a re-charge; it just needs a tune up; haven't had time to replace the arm rest, blah blah"). Deferred items you can see suggest deferred items you cannot see.

    I also have to challenge the idea of a Mustang as a "sports car". That's a stretch.

    Of course a BMW will hold value better over time but I suspect that neither car will be a great "investment". Also the BMW will cost far more to maintain once the warranty runs out.

    As for insurance, if you are a) young b) unmarried and c) want to insure a high horsepower car....well, bend over.

    Last of all, if you are asking why you don't see any ultra high mileage Mustangs for sale....well...you've kind of answered your own question....

    Selling ANY used car while it is still clean and under 100K makes total sense. I would do the same. A banged-up, 150K Mustang V6 is worthless.

    PS: Sure they get stolen, Easy to part out. Any car is easy for a professional to steal. If they can't slam it and wire it, they'll flatbed it, and if they really want it bad, they'll put a gun to your head and ask you want you think.

    So give up on the idea of a "theft-proof" car. All you can do is deter the very amateur types.
  • joyrider147joyrider147 Member Posts: 69
    I see that you have a very good perspectivee on cars like these. I've been reading about Saabs, Volvos, and Honda Civics driven cross-country for years and they end up putting 900,000 to 1 MILLION miles. True, most likely, my car won't see that many miles and I don't drive that much, but a car that is capable of accomplishing feats like that are ASTONISHING! I even seen an Audi A8 diesel travel 800 miles on one tank of fuel!

    I'm looking for an astonishing car, not one that is JUST looks, but is beautiful to look at, yet I can love that car for doing what people regard as impossible or absurd. Although Mustangs and BMWs don't sound like good investments, what should I look for in a car that I can enjoy driving, yet is very dependable, peppy and exciting, but yet the car can hold its value and get a reasonable amount of usage out of? Or if not hold the value, at least one that doesn't break down once a week.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well maybe something like the Honda S2000? How about a new Corvette?

    Personally I don't believe those "one million mile" stories. In theory you can keep ANY car alive for one million miles if you pump enormous sums of money into it. Sure, one million miles on 4 engines, 5 transmission and 6 paint jobs. Well, so what?

    Whenever I really investigate high mileage claims, they don't have an evidence in 99% of all cases. It's bar talk mostly. You'd be quite fortunate to get 250K out of any car--that's statistically speaking the best most of us will ever see...either accident or structural failures will get us after that.

    Besides, what is the point of driving a car beyond 250,000 miles? Unless you restore it, it probably becomes dangerous and unreliable anyway, or if not that, certainly rather shabby-looking.

    Cars are built for a certain lifespan, like people. A few beat the odds but they aren't in their prime when they do so.

    I think a Porsche Cayman would be a nice car to own as well.
  • cccompsoncccompson Member Posts: 2,382
    Well, it's not all bar talk. One of my employees has 225,000 plus miles on a '99 Accord that he bought new. He drives it about 25K annually on business. He says it still runs like new with only recommended maintenance having been done.

    In his case, age will likely start to take its toll before mileage does.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well 225K is within statistical lifespan limits. That's a LONG way from 500K or the one million fairytales you hear now and again on the Internet.

    And you're right, his car will literally fall apart, even if he could rebuild and coax and lovingly drag his engine to 500K.
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    what should I look for in a car that I can enjoy driving, yet is very dependable, peppy and exciting, but yet the car can hold its value and get a reasonable amount of usage out of?

    NSX, if you can find a good one.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    NSX, if you can find a good one.

    Or a 911.
    Good NSX's aren't cheap,but neither are the Porsche's.
    NSX is more rare, and can be used as an everyday car.
    Their aluminum bodies do make them expensive to fix though.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You should be able to get a very nice older NSX for around $30,000, and a nice nice older 911 for perhaps $18,000 (1983 to 1989 models).

    911 can also be an everyday car but will not perform at NSX levels...the older 911s I mean.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    I know a Guy who delivers Pizzas in his 911. Not 100 percent sure of the year though I think it is a SC. What year did those run through?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yeah they are pretty bulletproof. Just take 'em in to Hans and Dieter in April and in October, give them $750 each time, and you're good to go.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 236,830
    The last SC was in 1983, I think...

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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yep, '83. Then they went to the excellent Carrera (best models have the G50 transmission), then they fell on their face with the 90-91 C2 (avoid) and then back in the ballgame in 1992.
  • joyrider147joyrider147 Member Posts: 69
    I have a 1986 BMW 325es with a inline 6 and automatic. I also have a 1984 BMW 325e with the same engine and a MANUAL transmission (doesn't run due to possible fuel contamination). Both appear virtually identical to each other, except for those small differences. I'm looking to swap parts as a hobby between the cars until I have a nice looking, running, sporty BMW. And maybe have the other car as a source of parts. Anyways, I have several questions: 1) How do I go about changing the 325es from a automatic transmission to a manual? What has to be swapped to make the swap over? 2) How do I remove the contamination from the 325e to get it to run right? Do I have to remove and replace the fuel pump, fuel lines, injectors? Or do I disconnect the fuel line from the injectors, decontaminate the engine, and use the electrical system to bleed the correct fuel through the lines using the car's fuel pump?

    I appreciate any hints, suggestions, etc. on this.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    For fuel contamination, that depends on what you mean. If it's bad gas, or water, you'll have to drop the gas tank, clean it, bolt it back up, then change out your fuel filter after you've run some gas through the lines that go BEFORE the fuel filter. I don't know that you'll have to mess with injectors or anything between the filter and the engine.

    For a transmission swap, you'll need a pedal assemply, and of course the flywheel, starter and bell housing from the stickshift car. Also the appropriate master brake, master clutch and clutch slave cylinders that go with the stickshift pedal assembly.

    I'm guessing the entire console from the manual trans car will have to be transferred inot the automatic as well. Then you'll have to use your manual trans driveshaft and maybe the differential, depending on the gearing differences between the automatic trans diff and the manual trans diff.

    I'm not sure how you'll get your speedometer to work.

    Hopefully, the holes to bolt on the manual transmission pedal assembly are pre-drilled; otherwise you'll have to weld it into the firewall of the automatic car.

    I have to say this is a lot of work for cars that arent' worth all that much. Had you considered getting both running, selling both and just buying a manual trans. car? They really don't cost very much for that era 325.

    I've converted two cars from auto to manual but they were later model convertibles, so it was worth it. They weren't BMWs though. I've never done one of those but I don't see why not. Should be fairly straight-forward parts swapping.
  • iamaliamal Member Posts: 1
    Help!
    I am looking for a rechromed, or rechromable, rear bumper that will fit a 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Sedan.
    AL @ 330-649-0775
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited October 2012
    Hi Al,

    first off, let me advise you to NEVER post your phone number in a public forum, since a web crawler might pick it up and sell it to a telemarketer. Edmunds Hosts don't edit people's posts, but you can--or you can delete it.

    But, to your question-- best I can do for you would be to suggest that you buy a copy of Hemmings Motor News or go line at www.hemmings.com and peruse the "Cadillac Parts" section of the classified. Even if you don't specifically see a '76 Cad bumper listed, by all means call any vendor who is advertising Cadillac salvage parts. These guys all know each other, and they may be able to find you something through their unadvertised "network".

    I think this is the surest, fastest way to solving your problem.
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