Professional Check-Up

Eric came by today and did a thorough look through of the engine and necessary steps to get the Hondamatic back on the road.

First he poured a little gas into each cylinder to check the piston seals.  Since gas is so thin, if there was any leak or gap in the seals the gas would just empty out through it.  There was no movement in the level of gas in any of the cylinders whatsoever.  This is GREAT news!!

Second we looked at the head and valves and gaskets and Eric walked me through the process of our next move.  Eric actually showed me where the head gasket blew - it was a charred spot next to the 3rd and 4th cylinder wall.  I guess he could tell by looking at the damage that I had not driven the car much after it blew.  He was correct.  Remember, I just drove it around the block and then parked it and only started it up again to move it into the driveway.

Third he complimented me and Collin on a job well done with the extraction of all the parts.  We only lost one piece the whole time and it was a spring that goes onto a knob type bolt.  Eric explained that this spring is actually used to keep the bolt tightened on so it doesn't rattle around.  Not too tragic that it's gone, but we should try to find a replacement nonetheless.

My to do list compiled by Eric looks like this:
1. Make sure auto parts store can locate gaskets and heat shields
2. Bring the head to the machine shop - maybe they can adjust the valves as well?
3. Bring the alternator too to have inspected
4. Bring the intake manifold to get cleaned
5. Bring the valve cover also to get cleaned
6. Ask auto parts store how much a new copper radiator costs - If it's too expensive then get the original one  inspected and cleaned
7. Take out radiator to clean or replace

After the head is inspected and IF it is still good:

8. Buy the following:
head bolt tap
timing belt
water pump
a new and good thermostat
fuel filter
spark plugs
oil
etc...
9. Sand down the block with a piece of 2x4 wrapped with 80grit sand paper until it's nice and smooth
10. Call Eric to get the Hondmatic put back together

Things Are Moving?

I called Eric and I was so happy!  He was so nice and not intimidating at all.  He laughed and joked with me and is super willing to come take a look at my car. 
He also mentioned that replacing the head gasket may be the only thing necessary as this is a common problem and occurence with these old Hondamatics.  One way to find out of the piston seals are bad is to pour solvent on top pf the cylinders and see if they hold the fluid or if it seeps down. 
The only way, of course, for Eric to know for sure what we are dealing with is for him to come take a look in person.
He wasn't able to make it over last night since he had to go fix a friend of a friend's wheelchair but he will come over on Friday evening and we'll pop the hood and discuss.

New Direction

We've come so far as to get down to the block.  Up to this point I think we'd still been kicking around the idea of only replacing the head gasket and putting the engine back together.

We could...that option is still open.

I wonder if that is what is holding me back?  Am I still trying to save as much money as I can and do as little as possible even though I had already decided the minute that billowy white cloud materialized out of my exhaust pipe that I was going to keep the Hondamatic until the bitter end? 

Maybe I'm nervous because talking to the repair guys intimidates me.  They all have their opinions about my Hondamatic and they all lean towards giving up or if not so explicitly stated then inbetween lines such as "we can't find parts" or "we don't do engine rebuilds but we can put a used motor in... a motor that we can't find."  And so on. 

Where does this tenacity come from?  Why this car? 

I don't know.  Because I own it, because I have the title maybe.  Because as a teenager I had fantasized about moonlighting as a mechanic possibly.  Because there is no reason why my Hondamatic can't be my classic car.  It isn't right or fair for other people to tell me that I shouldn't put any money into this car when ther are hundreds and thousands of classic cars out there that people put back together and put on the roads.  Is it really only the muscle cars from the 60s and 70s and VW bugs and 50s or earlier cars that are worth rebuilding and keeping in good condition?  I tell you what, when my Hondamatic is the last one running and looking nice people will want to come see it. 

I will get the Hondamatic in gear again!  I got a number from a guy at Action Autoparts for another guy who does this kind of work.  He'll either come to me or tow the Hondamatic to his shop and fix it right up. 

I just need to make that call.

Useful Things

Collin found these babies on Craigslist for $20!!  So in a mad dash from work to the ATM (because I just don't ever carry cash), with a few wrong turns to the freeway in rush hour, through a never before visited neighborhood (thank goodness GPS was invented) I got to the car ramps and procurred them before we met up with friends for dinner while Collin took Itsy (Assistant Pug previously mentioned in an earlier post) on a walk and made sure she had dinner and went to the bathroom.

Whew!

Putting the ramps to good use, Collin changes his oil in the Oldsmobile.  For which I am grateful.  I get the pleasure of driving this car this weekend instead of his Accord, since the Accord is also due for an oil change at the dealership (it's more complicated??) and Collin will be driving it there.  Yes, I work this Saturday and Collin works both nights.  We may never see each other while I try to save more money to get the Hondamatic running.

At the moment we are waiting for an engine lift that a friend owns to become available to us.  Then we can get the rest of the block out to take it to the shop to have rebuilt.  Then we'll put it back in whent he shop is done. 

I cannot wait to have my car running again.  I miss it.  And did I mention that my mom got me some car mats at the Grocery Outlet to protect my red shag carpet? 

This oil pan is going to be so full when we're done with it.