More on my love/hate relationship with cars.

Tonight I decided I'd go down and terrorize the local cruisers and their jap crap. I hop in my car and low and behold, it won't start. I clean the battery cables, no juice. I clean them again and in the process break off the positive cable end.[:(!]

Out of shear stubborness I head to the parts store in other car and buy new cheap-ass cable end. Replace cable end and jump start the car and now the alternator isn't charging.[xx(]

I give up and I'm going to bed. While all the ricers are tearing up the strip my POS sits in the garage. Sometimes life really sucks.

More on this tomorrow.[pissed]

What kind of car? I hope is has some cubic inches! [:D]

Didn't see your user name. Duh. Olds?

Olds??? Please. It's a Trans Am with a 400. The battery and alternator took a dump so it's off to the parts store to drop another $100 in the beloved hotrod. God I hate cars sometimes.

Plus sometimes doesn't it seem that the faster you make them the more un-reliable they become.
Just like SA rifles, the accurate you make them, the more tempermental they become.

Ok, returned from store, parts installed, everything back to normal. Why does this crap always happen to me?[:D]

I can relate to you 455, last night I decided to take my '84Z28 IROC clone out for a ride(had'nt driven it in a couple a weeks).  So I run it through a few cloverleaf intersections and then go to a nearby industrial section for a few drag strip style passes.  The first pass it feels real good,the 3:42 posi fed 245/50s spin just a little and hook, trans shifts at 4 grand and I hear the nice stereo bark as both tires get rubber, again the trans shifts at 4 grand and i wind up through 3rd.  Just about the time I hit 4 grand the engine dies! Ah CRAP!  I coast to a stop wondering WTF?  Try to crank the engine thinking "could'nt have broke nothin, did not hear any unusual noises" finally engine starts but dies right away. Well it could not have jumped time, so I continue to try to start and it keeps quit'n. Finally, after about 5 mins it stays running, barely, and I limp home apprx 3 miles  happy that I dont have to push or tow the car.  

I run a diagnostic and determine the MAP sensor crapped out (brand new by the way, sorry assed new parts!) now it lives again. I just wish you could buy decent parts  it seems that a lot of new electronic parts are crap nowadays as well as all rebuilt parts! (just rebuilt the rebuilt altenator I put on this car last year and replaced the rebuilt starter I put on it last winter!)

CAR PARTS SUCK THESE DAYS!!!!!!!!

You guys ought to try doing this stuff for a living. I do! It sure takes the "fun" out of car ownership and project toys. Thats why I have more gun projects than cars. I don't drink or dabble in drugs, so there has to be some form of pleasure in my life, and it ain't cars anymore...loose-round

The mass airflow sensor on my 85 Tuned Port IROC was a piece of S too. I think I was on my third one when I sold the car.

M4-AK

Folks I've got the answer for those of you driving third generation F bodies with your RPO LG4's or L69 HO's.
I took delivery of my new '84 Z-28 on January 4, 1984. By the 14th of that month the engine bay was home to a fresh 355 ci small block producing approximately 300 horse. Played Hell with the warranty but I bought it to drive not for the warranty.
After six months I decided it needed more power. In went a dyno proven 472 horse tunnel rammed small block displacing 355 cubic inches.
Still not satisfied I pulled the small block and dropped in it's first big block. A 454 putting out some where in the neighborhood of 425 to 500 horse. This was great but still not enough. It was time to get serious.
Serious came in the form of a factory crate LS7 454. Off to the machine shop for a complete balance, blue print, head job, Luntai roller valve train, Weiand Team G intake, Holley 1050 Dominator and Vertex magneto. Results......835 horse on Racing Head Services dyno in Memphis on Cam2 and no NOS. Results of that? Too much power. The thing was like driving on ice.
So now she is sitting in the garage with a nice mild LS7 dynoing in at a respectable but drivable 722 horse. Five speed with .7:1 over drive, 2.91:1 rear gears and a top speed of 225MPH....but only with the T tops on and the power windows in the up right position.;) She now has close to 20,000 miles on her. I quit showing it when I ran out of places to put the trophies.:p Not too bad for an old girl that is now 17 and a half years old.

Ask me some time about my wheel standing '68 SS Chevelle drag car that I had to sell after my third divorce.  

Hay Loose Round, I am a Mechanic in Houston.
Where are you in Tx?  Give me an E mail if you are in Houston, we can get togeather for some real gun talk.

   
    Falcon out.

455,What's wrong with an Old's????

What's wrong with Olds??................they are not Pontiacs.[:D][:D]

What year is your Trans Am?  If it has a MAP sensor, it can't be THAT OLD!!  By old I mean Pre-'74, when points started giving way to electron. ignit. and before '79 when computer control became the norm.  I have  '66 Vet. 327, orig. w/ 300hp.  Had it for 26+ years.  Super easy to work on.  I don't know if your ride has a Voltage Regulator, if it does this could be a source of you Bat/Alt problems.  When in doubt, find an old timer to fix it.   Good luck.... Ray

My Trans Am is a '78. No map sensor or compucrap. It's a snap to work on but the timing always seems to suck. Anyways, she's all better now.

I have a small political connection in my town, and an Autozone parts store wanted to come to town, OK fine, we can always use the business, but somewhere in the permitting and building of this place the statement was made that Autozone, as well as many other discount parts houses, sell "seconds" parts not the higher quality parts, i was a little off put by this and did'nt believe it till I went thru three power brake boosters before I went to Napa and paid about ten dollars more and did'nt have to take it off anymore
Remember-YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR

I once owned a Holden HQ or HZ Ute, yellow, black cabin, 5 speed manual geearbox. Compliance date of 1975, and used to belong to a Bikie gang in Western Sydney. Sold it. Chewed the petrol at $90.00/week.

Now drive a Ford Falcon XF sportpack Ute. Compliance date of 7/91. 4.1L, 6 cyl, duel fuel (petrol//LPG). Goes like buggery, and is feral as....
Real Aussies drive Utes!

I once owned a Holden HQ or HZ Ute, yellow, black cabin, 5 speed manual geearbox. Compliance date of 1975, and used to belong to a Bikie gang in Western Sydney. Sold it. Chewed the petrol at $90.00/week.

Now drive a Ford Falcon XF sportpack Ute. Platinum in colour. Compliance date of 7/91. 4.1L, 6 cyl, duel fuel (petrol//LPG). Goes like buggery, and is feral as....
Real Aussies drive Utes!

Sorry, I thought you had a muscle car.
Damn, I had a pic. Won't work. [>(]

Ok, let's not get into the whole which car is better thing. I'll settle it right now--Pontiacs are the best.[:D]

Why would a Ford guy stick up for Oldmobiles anyway?? I'm just kidding Oldsmobiles are cool---my Granpa drives one.[:)]