Hey Tom!
Hang in there! We weren't howling 'at' you. There are some people here who
can diagnose these cars in their sleep and fix them with their eyes closed.
I am not one of those people. I seem to be able to handle the mechanical
end of things. I am electrically challenged ( and I come from a family of
electricians). And I can't seem to tune the thing ... but I'm trying to
learn. Like you, I brought the car to a garage and paid them to do what was
necessary to get the car on the road. They couldn't do it right away and I
managed to trace the electrical faults in the 1 week waiting time. They did
the rest and I figured that that would get me off to a good start. ( I was
wrong, I found out on the drive home that I needed a clutch. It would work
until the car warmed up and then massive slip. When I found out that the
engine had to come out to change the clutch ... massive disappointment.
But, I did it myself and enjoyed it. ) I'm sure that you will enjoy
working on yours to some degree also. And I think I know how you feel.
Someone here will tell you the basic set of tools to get you started or
check the archives at: http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=spridgets
You can get them them as required. Like Guy said ... buy a manual.
Something sounds wrong to me with the wiper story. I don't understand why a
switch won't shut off the wiper motor. If it isn't getting power, then it
shouldn't run. Anybody?
... and try a Guinness some day. :)
Robert D.
-----Original Message-----
Subject: Overwhelmed by Mechanic (Long)
>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 sid
e
>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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