My car appears to have breathing problems. About once every 6 months, my
car comes down with
a bad case of hesitation and other vapor-lock type symptoms (varations in
ideling when sitting,
and cutting-out when the throttle isn't what the car feels as adequately
open), even when it's
running in the moderate temperature level.
For the past 2 years, I would take it to the shop and they would tell me
"It's a breathing
problem. Easily fixed." But they never told me what they did to fix it. And
though they rarely
if ever charged me to "fix" the breathing, I want to avoid the hour long
drive to the shop and
several days sans automobile (you know the old "Leave it here and we'll get
to it in a day or so."
By the way, is "or so" mechanic language for "a week"?)
Today, while scouring my bently manual for some reference to it, I found a
notation under
"scheduled maintenance" about "check breathing and evaporative system".
My question is, what the hell am I checking for?
Wednesday, I did a compression check, changed the plugs, rotor, point. The
plug wires and
dizzy cap are new as of February, the air-filter still looks operable (I
put a new on one
every spring. It's not pristine but it's definately not gunked-up.) and the
coil is only 2
months old. The oil is changed every 2k miles like clockwork (and was done
about a month ago
less than 1k miles).
Now, I'm pretty sure that my car does not have hay-fever, and I would think
asthma would be
more reoccuring than every 6 mos. or so. But honestly, what the hell is the
breathing problem
and not only how do I fix it, but how do I keep my little buddy from
aquiring it?
As a last note, I removed the hose going from the breather on the valve
cover (to the carbon
canister) and it appears to be running better today. But the oil coming out
of that thing is
a bit too masculine a smell and I don't like the idea of running the car
with the valve cover
breather open like that.
Terry L. Thompson
'76 Spit 1500 with the sniffles
Maryland (for now)
|