Answer: I’ve seen all sorts of things in oil pans including metal shavings, rust, and bugs. I have to admit that you had me stumped on this when you said that the residue that you encountered dissolved back into the oil when it was stirred. I asked around but didn’t get any answers that sounded reasonable until I spoke to Bobby at Kermies Auto Works in Kings Park. He’s seen this a few times and discovered that it is most likely the residue from an additive that was intended to seal an oil or water leak. These additives are designed to find their way to a leak where they solidify enough to stop the leak, yet they will dissolve in the oil so they won’t clog oil screens or passages. This is the only answer that I received that makes sense.
Question: I just purchased a 1956 Chevrolet four door sedan that hasn't been started in 10 years. When I removed the oil pan, the remaining oil had some kind of "sand" type substance in it, When stirred it seemed to dissolve into the oil. This "grit" was not on the oil screen or anywhere else in the engine. The engine was not “frozen” and spun freely by hand. After sitting for so long, is it possible for the additives in the oil to separate out and become visible?
Answer: I’ve seen all sorts of things in oil pans including metal shavings, rust, and bugs. I have to admit that you had me stumped on this when you said that the residue that you encountered dissolved back into the oil when it was stirred. I asked around but didn’t get any answers that sounded reasonable until I spoke to Bobby at Kermies Auto Works in Kings Park. He’s seen this a few times and discovered that it is most likely the residue from an additive that was intended to seal an oil or water leak. These additives are designed to find their way to a leak where they solidify enough to stop the leak, yet they will dissolve in the oil so they won’t clog oil screens or passages. This is the only answer that I received that makes sense.
0 Comments
Question: I live on Long Island but I spend my winters in Florida where I have a 1972 Ford Torino station wagon with the 351 CID engine and factory air conditioning. The car is in great shape and my family uses it all the time during the summer. The only problem is that the air conditioning keeps breaking. I had the compressor replaced, then the condenser, then the evaporator, then the hoses. Now the compressor has failed again. It gets very hot during the summer and I would really like it to function properly. What can I do to keep the air conditioning working?
Answer: Replace it with modern components. It’s as simple as that. This is the perfect time to do it since your compressor has failed again. With many classic cars, originality is of primary importance, so owners are obligated to replace worn components with similar original components. Not so with your 1972 Torino station wagon in which staying cool is much more important. This allows you to take advantage of modern technology which is readily available, works better, and is likely less expensive than your original components. Since all of the major components of your A/C system have already been replaced, I would replace your failed compressor with a modern unit made by a company such as Sanden. It won’t look original when you open the hood, but it will work great and it will probably last the life of your car. Any good air-conditioning service facility should be able to accomplish this with ease. Or you can bring it to any hot-rod shop. They install these systems on a regular basis. Question: I am 52 years old and I have a 2000 Camaro SS convertible with 11,000 miles on it. It is my sunny day car and garaged year round. I've had it for 4 years and only put 2,000 miles a year on it. I change the oil and filter once a year with Mobil 1, and I have flushed the engine coolant and brake fluid once. What should I be doing to ensure the car operates properly for a long time? Can you recommend a book focused on maintaining this type of car?
Answer: Even though your car is a bit newer than most of the classic cars that we discuss, the basics are the same for just about any car that sees limited use. Although the Mobil 1 oil is far superior to conventional oil, I would rather see you use conventional oil and change it the spring and fall. We’ve addressed the reasons why in past columns, but suffice it to say that once a year is not enough, even with the limited use that your car sees. I believe that the factory recommends flushing and filling the coolant every five years and this should be fine. The brake fluid need not be replaced under ordinary circumstances. Limited use is not always a good thing when it comes to cars, particularly the fluids. Even the factory recommends a long interval between transmission services, so the next time that it is due, I would switch to synthetic fluid and I would do the same for the rear axle. You may even see a small increase in gas mileage. The best book for maintaining this car is your factory owner's manual. Follow the recommendations, along with the modification we’ve discussed. The LS-1 engine in your Camaro is capable of going 200,000 miles if properly maintained. If you are 52 years old, that means that at the rate you’re using the car, it should last another 100 years. You may want to start using it more. Question: I live on the East End of Long Island and I own a 1951 Buick convertible. The car is garaged year round and is only used during the summer. The car was restored about 20 years ago and is holding up beautifully except for the chrome. I’ve had to re-do the chrome three times since the car was restored. Each time that it’s been done it cost over $5000 including labor, and now I have to do it again. Is there anything I can do to make the chrome last longer?
Answer: As you probably suspect, the reason that the chrome is degrading so quickly is because of the salty environment in which you live. Assuming that moving to a dry, salt-free location is not an option, there a few things that you can try. Although $5000 is a lot of money, it’s a bargain considering the amount of chrome on your car. A more realistic figure for a quality job, including labor, should be much closer to $10,000. This leads me to believe that you are not getting a particularly high quality job done, which if cared for correctly can last for decades. When most people think of high quality chrome plating, they generally think of a finish that has a high luster and is free of imperfections such as sanding scratches. But another important attribute of a high quality chroming job is its durability and resistance to corrosion. Chrome plating usually begins with a layer of copper, although this is sometimes skipped as a cost saving measure. The next layer is nickel, and finally chrome. It is the nickel that not only gives the chrome its shine, but protects it from corrosion as well. In order to assure a high degree of corrosion resistance, shops apply a very heavy layer of nickel. Shops that offer the highest level of corrosion resistance use two different nickel layers, a semi-bright nickel followed by a bright nickel. When the circumstances are right for corrosion to start forming, a galvanic reaction between these two nickels tends to spread this corrosive activity across the entire surface of the chromed item rather than focusing it in a small area where it can penetrate to the underlying steel. This is the process used by most major new car manufacturers to ensure the longevity of their products. Keep the chrome clean and waxed and it should last for decades. Question: I recently bought a 1958 Jaguar XK150. It looks great, and it ran great for about a week. Every time I try to use it something else breaks. Things even break while it is parked in my garage during the week. Is it legal to blow up your own car if you do it on your own property?
Answer: I can’t help but notice that you sound a little angry. I’m not sure if it is legal for you to blow up your own car, but you might want to think about the insurance implications. To me this sounds an awful lot like “automotive suicide” and there might be a disclaimer for that in your policy. Although it might not be as satisfying, you might just want to sell the car. Alternatively, you could consider having it “sorted out.” You don’t mention specifically what kind of problems you are having, but all classic Jaguars require a fair amount of routine maintenance. However, before you even reach the point where routine maintenance will keep your Jag on the road, it must be “sorted out.” This process involves repairing anything that is currently broken, as well as tending to areas that are known to be problematic and are likely to cause problems in the future. On a Jaguar of your vintage, many of these problem areas are electrical in nature and repairing/replacing connections, as well as checking and renewing ground connections will likely eliminate some of the problems that you are experiencing as well as prevent future problems. I would suggest that you bring it to a Jaguar specialist and pay them to listen to your tales of woe, look at the car, and give you their recommendations. They might feel that it’s too much of a mess to repair economically, or they may feel that a few hours of work will alleviate many of your problems. They might even recommend blowing it up. I received this interesting question the other day:
I’m considering the purchase of a 1968 Jaguar XK-E Roadster. The car has been restored to concours quality standards. During the restoration the entire driver side and passenger side floor pans were replaced due to rust. The rest of the sheet metal on the car is original. I’m concerned that the replacement of the floor pans will impact the future value of the car. What are your thoughts? My Answer: My thoughts really don’t matter. What matters is the thoughts of a potential buyer should you decide to sell the car, or a judge should you decide to show the car. That being said, theoretically if two IDENTICAL Jaguars are restored to EXACTLY the same condition, the one with the original sheet metal will be worth more, and will be easier to sell. However, we live in the real world, not a theoretical world. XK-Es were particularly prone to rust, and there are several shops around the country that are capable of restoring even a heavily rusted example to “as new” condition. Although it would be ideal if the floor pans on your potential purchase were original, their replacement is probably alright if done properly. An XK-E that has undergone a restoration to concours quality standards is a significant investment, so I would recommend contacting the JCNA (Jaguar Club of North America). Find a JCNA judge in your area and have him or her review not only the car, but its provenance as well. It is important to understand that with these cars, provenance is equally as important, if not more so, than the replacement of floor pans. The fee that they will charge will be well worth the investment. |
Categories
All
Archives
January 2017
About Steve
Steve was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1957. He grew up in a time
and place where cars were worshipped, and none more so than the
“American Muscle Car,” although this was a phrase that wasn't coined
until decades later.By the age of twelve he was repairing just about
anything with an engine. |