Oh great gurus of garage gnowledge!
I have a few questions for you gents (since you seem so good at
answering other people's questions. Sometimes you even sound like you
know what you're talking about!) Okay, there are several things going
on with my car, and before I go to the shop, and go into shock from the
repair cost and time lost driving the car, I want to see if I can fix a
couple of the "features" of the car (ala the Microsoft credo, "it's not
a bug. It's a feature.")
Starting with what I'm most concerned with on the 76 Spitfire 1500.
1) I noticed hesitation the past few days. The carb has been tuned for
spring/summer and the temp. has dropped to the 30s ere during the
evenings. So, I figured it was just carb tuning...But when I drove it in
the day, and the engine was warm, I had the same hesitation (I know,
it's a four-banger, but it shouldn't take me 40 seconds to get the car
upto 35mph). So, I decided I'd make sure the plugs weren't fouled, and
when I removed them, there appears to be a white coating on the plug
tips. Now, since the bentley manual makes no comment of "changing
plugs" on a regular basis. I'm assuming this NOT a normal feature for a
1500 cc engine to deposit on on the plugs. Is this a dead give-away of a
problem or is there some kind of analysis I can do (with the simple
mechanical tools I own). (btw : the car has had new bearings,
thrust-washers, timing chain, a valve-job, rebuilt Strom. carb, and new
exhaust et. al. all done within the past 5 months).
1b) Anyone else try to deal with car problems, by not doing anything
and hoping the problems go away? (Just wondering if that's actually
worked for anyone).
2) At night, when I turn the lights on & the engine revs drop by
around 200 rpms. Upon looking at the Bently manual, I realized that
testing the alternator was a little more difficult than I had thought it
would be. Anyone got a more simplified way of testing it?
3) Anyone else too embarrased to go to any of the car shows because
your car looks like crap? (I love my car, don't get me wrong. I even get
compliments on it from people all the time...but) The DPO did a bad
laquor paint job on it, about 3 years ago and it's fading, chipping and
cracking in places. (despite the new interior) I'm embarrased to be seen
in the car. Anyone have a suggestion in the VA area for a body/paint
shop that can do a decent job for under $2k? (I can probably swing $1k
right now). Or am I doomed to miss every british car show due to my
embarrasment?
I would just ask my local Triumph Guru Pete McHugh for some answers to
these questions, but I have more trouble keeping track of phone numbers,
than the President has keeping track of who he slept with the night
before.
Thanks again to Pete for saving the life of my car last summer (he's a
true Gaurdian Angel of Triumphs) - his house looks like the
Triumph/White-Elephant Graveyard.
Also my Kudos to Motorhead Ltd. in Merrifield VA. for allowing me to
indenture myself into their service (to do their web-page in exchange
for the work they've done on my car. (At this rate, I should be out of
indentured servitude by the year 2005).
BTW, if you know anyone that wants to work in the parts dept. at
Motorhead, I'm sure they can use the help. And you can get lots of
parts for your cars cheap...REAL CHEAP.
(Quote of the day - "Uh, no Larry. I don't know where that last
thermostat went....By the way, I need to take off early today to put a
new thermostat on my car.")
Terry Thompson
Anecdote:
This morning my neighbor sees me removing the plugs on my car and she
says "It's good that you know how to work on your car, I always have to
take mine into the shop". And I said "I actually, don't know how to work
on my car. I just have this constant urge to tinker with it."
She says "yes, my boyfriend says he always has to attempt to fix his car
himself. It must be some kind of male instinct."
So I said, "Well, yes there's that, but I also feel that if I truely
need to take my car into the shop anyhow, I might as well make the
problem worse so my mechanic will have to work to earn every penny. I
feel it keeps his job fresh and challenging."
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