I have survived week one of Midget ownership.
Some of you howled when you found out I took the car to the shop, but, let me
be honest here, I am dumb as dirt when it comes to working on cars. I have no
experience, no tools, nothing. Trust me, for the sake of the car, you want me
to take it to a mechanic.
As usual, nothing here is as simple as hoped. My whole wiper switch was
replaced. Wipers now work, but cannot be turned off unless you pull some plug
under the dash (I asked, but was not shown). Mechanic tells me I need a new
wiper motor to fix the problem. Fine, I say, but I am told his parts guy is
off till Labor Day, and that this part is almost impossible to find, and, the
motor is year specific to the '78. If this is true, why does the Moss catalog
have the wiper motor available, but says nothing about the '78 cars needing a
'78 only motor? Also, windshield spray not working. I am on day 7 of a 20 day
temp registration-I do not have a lot of time to waste.
Next item. Car has Weber carb. Car backfires when backing off throttle at
anyhthing over 3,000 rpm. Mechanic tells me he leaned it out as much as he
could, but it still backfires. I'm told it is an older carb, but was given
some instruction as to tell whether or not it needed to be replaced. Guys, it
was so far above my head he may as well have been speaking Swahili. So, I
don't know if I need a new carb or what. The car runs a little rich. It
passed emissions today, which is obviously important. I am totally in the
dark here.
Next item. Thermostat. I am told it is not there, or not connected. Car sits
in traffic and gets hot, then the idle deteriorates, and the oil light
flickers a bit. List member tells this is the result of oil thinning out due
to high heat. This I can understand. I tell mechanic I obviously want a
thermostat. I am given a set of instructions I again do not understand. I
tell him I don't have a clue about this stuff, but it gets me nowhere. So, I
have no thermostat, no indication mechanic wants to do it for me.
Sadly, I am told that this guy is incredible with these cars. BUT my wife and
I feel like he is simply disinterested in our car, or in helping us get the
car right. For $350 he replaced a piece of fuel line, the switch for the
hazard lights, installed the wiper switch, changed the oil, took it for a
drive, leaned out the carb and made a temporary fix to get the driver's side
mirror on the car. With my car in his garage, I asked him how to do
something, and he couldn't show me, write it down, anything. For all the
praise I hear about this guy, I guess I just don't see it. My local garage
takes better care of me with my Jetta.
Yes, after today I did ask myself if I should even own this car. I love
it-but I find it a fault that I cannot diagnose nor service it as a severe
detriment to those who own and service these cars. I am not trying to be
ignorant-I simply do not know, but I need to be taught in a way I can
understand. I only want what is best for this car, and I know I am not the
person who can provide that service at this time.
Onto the next problem. Mechanic complains that the clutch does not feel
right-says it should only feel that way if it is new, or if the hydraulics
are on their way out. I am told to keep track of the clutch fluid. I looked
at it tonight, and it is filled to the top. I will pray, and hope it stays
that way.
On the passenger side, under the hood, right above the wheel well, there is a
translucent container with a tube coming out; it looks like it leads to the
radiator-the container is totally empty. What goes in there? I have the
original owner's manual, and I can't find it.
I know I've come here with many questions, and I am sure more will follow.
Please understand that I am learning all of this for the first time. I've
shelved my male ego and simply confessed I have not a clue how to help this
car myself. But, I love it, and I love to drive it, and enjoy it. This past
week, the best part of my day is to fire this car up and go for a drive along
the shore. That alone makes me wonder how I ever got along without this car.
If my mechanic is too elite for a newbie like me, that I can understand. A
guy almost made me an offer on the car this weekend, and he recommended his
place where his XJ-6 is serviced, so I might give him a shot. All I know is
that this car must pass inspection in a few days, so whoever is willing to
help wins my $$.
Tom
78 Midget
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