The Odd Ball and Weird Issues you've had

[PFitz]

Quote

 

My favorite, but happened to an older friend when he worked as a L.I. dealership mechanic in the late 50's.

 

Dealership owner's wife got a new car. Drove it a ways and the engine stalled and wouldn't restart. Called the dealership and they sent out a mechanic. By the time he got there, he couldn't find anything wrong and the car started fine. This happened several times. Finally the dealership owner told the service manager that his wife was making his life miserable - find out what's wrong with that car or look for a new job.

 

The service manager went to the dealer's house and asked the wife to drive the car while he road shotgun. She got in behind the wheel, pulled out the choke handle all the way and hung her handbag on it.

 

Problem solved.  

 

Paul

Edited April 24, 2017 by PFitz (see edit history)

[Harold]

I had an '89 Buick Century with a 3.3 V-6 that would periodically stumble and then set the check-engine light.  Couldn't find the cause.  I checked everything I could think of, and then sent it in to the shop at the Pep Boys I was working at.   Their top tech (former NASCAR guy...very good diagnostician) spent 2 hours and didn't find the problem.  It was a dark damp afternoon, and on the way home from Pep Boys the car acted-up again.   I opened the hood in exasperation, and found the problem:  One of the spark plug wire boots had a split on the coli-pack end, allowing the spark to jump to ground.  The combination of dim daylight and damp weather made it easy to see the arcing. 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

1 hour ago, PFitz said:

My favorite, but happened to an older friend when he worked as a L.I. dealership mechanic in the late 50's.

 

Dealership owner's wife got a new car. Drove it a ways and the engine stalled and wouldn't restart. Called the dealership and they sent out a mechanic. By the time he got there, he couldn't find anything wrong and the car started fine. This happened several times. Finally the dealership owner told the service manager that his wife was making his life miserable - find out what's wrong with that car or look for a new job.

 

The service manager went to the dealer's house and asked the wife to drive the car while he road shotgun. She got in behind the wheel, pulled out the choke handle all the way and hung her handbag on it.

 

Problem solved.  

 

Paul

 

  What in the world kind of a car had a manual choke in the late '50s?

 

  Ben

[Frank DuVal]

The choke vs handbag story has been around a long time. A friend even adapted it to a Corvair, lady put transmission lever in Low to hang...

 

Now if it was early 60s, then Falcoln had manual choke. 61 (only year) Corvair had manual choke. 

 

Frank DuVal

[Guest GT52]

2 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

 

  What in the world kind of a car had a manual choke in the late '50s?

 

  Ben

Strange as it seems given the onslaught of emission standards by 1970, Mustangs with the Boss 302, Boss 429, and 428 CJ engines in 1970 had a manual choke.  I'm not aware of any American cars using a manual choke later than that, but I think there were some imports.

[Spinneyhill]

1 hour ago, Frank DuVal said:

The choke vs handbag story has been around a long time. A friend even adapted it to a Corvair, lady put transmission lever in Low to hang...

 

Best not tell your wife that story. It a pretty sexist thing to joke about. Expect to get told off!

 

In about 1973 I was doing topographic surveying to provide data for an irrigation scheme. For a while my truck was a J1 Bedford twin cab, probably about a 1971. I was heading across a paddock and we ran into some irrigation water - this paddock had border dyke irrigation already in place and it was flooded. We hit a water race at about 60 kph and bounced our way across. The windows were open about 1" and we all got soaked (4 or us).

 

Later I was crossing another paddock with a larger ditch, this time dry. It was too deep to go straight across without bottoming front or rear on the ground so I went diagonally. Halfway across, the horn came on. One front wheel was up, the other down in the ditch. I suppose a wire had been pinched somewhere. I couldn't see it. I drove on and the horn stopped immediately that wheel came up. It never happened again while I was driving that wagon. Damn good truck too.

Edited April 25, 2017 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

I had an 84 Renault Le Car with a hand choke. Last one I saw and possibly the newest car I owned with a carburetor. It ran great and was super economical.

[Mike36]

Several years ago I bought a used Dodge 1/2 ton. It was a very solid truck. Drove it 2 years, no problems. Then when turning in my driveway, it quit running. Everything dead. Looked around under the hood, but didn't see any problems. OMG I hate electrical problems! Got in the cab, turned on switch, turned on radio so I would hear it if I found a problem under the dash. After wiggling a few things with no luck, the radio started playing. I was surprised because I hadn't touched anything. I thought about it a little, but couldn't come up with any reason for the radio to start playing. When I started to get out from under the dash, the radio quit playing. I then realized the only thing I had touched was the clutch pedal. Pushed the clutch a little by hand, radio started to play. Wait a minute! How can the clutch control the radio? Thought about it a little. When depressing the pedal enough to take all slack out of the linkage, it made a ground!!! Looked under hood again, no ground strap from engine to body. Weird problem, easy fix. Truck ran perfect for 2 years without that strap.

 

[Restorer32]

Bought a new '87 Ford F150. Drove it about 2 weeks when a rear tire went flat. Jacked it up, removed the lug nuts and the wheel would not come off the hub no matter how hard you kicked it. Put enough air in it to get it to the dealership. Explained the problem to a very skeptical service manager. Well, 3 hours later they finally got the wheel off using a torch and a grinder, Other rear wheel had the same issue, Turned out Ford had a batch of slightly oversized rear axles. When the wheels were mounted and torqued down the center hole in the wheel was pressed down over the slightly oversized axle. Required 2 new axle shafts to fix.

[28 Chrysler]

3 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

Bought a new '87 Ford F150. Drove it about 2 weeks when a rear tire went flat. Jacked it up, removed the lug nuts and the wheel would not come off the hub no matter how hard you kicked it. Put enough air in it to get it to the dealership. Explained the problem to a very skeptical service manager. Well, 3 hours later they finally got the wheel off using a torch and a grinder, Other rear wheel had the same issue, Turned out Ford had a batch of slightly oversized rear axles. When the wheels were mounted and torqued down the center hole in the wheel was pressed down over the slightly oversized axle. Required 2 new axle shafts to fix.

I had the similar problem with a 1962 Buick Special. I got the car free  because of bald tires and the stuck wheels.

I took the lug nuts off heated the wheels and used a BFH. After I got the wheels off I filed the center out. (Olds F85 wheels ?)

[PFitz]

19 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

The choke vs handbag story has been around a long time. A friend even adapted it to a Corvair, lady put transmission lever in Low to hang...

 

Now if it was early 60s, then Falcoln had manual choke. 61 (only year) Corvair had manual choke. 

 

Frank DuVal

With all the silly, bone-headed stuff I've seen done to, and with, cars in my 50+ years association with automobiles, it would not surprise me to find out that  has happened to others.

 

I've never seen it in print, but I've heard that engine problems associated with misuse of the choke was one of the reasons behind why manufactures went to automatic chokes.  Just glad my ex never had a manual choke car.  

 

Paul

[cheezestaak2000]

On 4/25/2017 at 3:48 PM, PFitz said:

With all the silly, bone-headed stuff I've seen done to, and with, cars in my 50+ years association with automobiles, it would not surprise me to find out that  has happened to others.

 

I've never seen it in print, but I've heard that engine problems associated with misuse of the choke was one of the reasons behind why manufactures went to automatic chokes.  Just glad my ex never had a manual choke car.  

 

Paul

this might be considered an "issue". in the mid 70's, honda civics had a semi-automatic choke. it was designed to be applied manually, and open automaticly. a few of them didn't work so well, if some one went out and started the car to warm up while they went back inside to have their coffee, the choke might stay on, overheat the muffler, and set the rear carpet on fire. another myth-buster about those "perfect" japanese imports.

 

[Guest]

Volvos had manual chokes until 1970 in the U.S.  I was at a Volvo show over the weekend, and was discussing what a nice anti-theft device it is in 2017 (for a cold engine, anyway.)  Ford Couriers (aka Mazda B2000s) had manual chokes through at least 1978, but they were the semi-automatic type (knob/pull went in automatically as the engine warmed up.)

Edited May 4, 2017 by Writer Jon
punctuation! (see edit history)

[JamesBulldogMiller55Buick]

1 hour ago, Writer Jon said:

Volvos had manual chokes until 1970 in the U.S.  I was at a Volvo show over the weekend, and was discussing what a nice anti-theft device it is in 2017 (for a cold engine, anyway.)  Ford Couriers (aka Mazda B2000s) had manual chokes through at least 1978, but they were the semi-automatic type (knob/pull went in automatically as the engine warmed up.)

My brother has a 1967 Datsun Fairlady.

The choke is semi-auto , as you describe

[ply33]

Back in the 1970s when I was using my '33 Plymouth as a daily driver I kept having fuse failures. On this car there is only one fuse, mounted on the back of the ammeter, that protects everything except the ignition circuit (which is unprotected). The fuse failures were confusing to me: Generally, but not always it would happen at night. And the fuse element was always intact, that is it had not blown as you would expect melting the metal in the center of the fuse. The failed fuses looked fine but would show bad on a ohm meter.

 

I took to occasionally pulling the fuse while driving, looking at it, and putting it back. Strangely, that seemed to make them last longer.

 

Finally, one time when checking the fuse I noticed it was hot. Checking further, the fuse holder clips were riveted to metal conductors behind the ammeter and the rivets had corroded. Any larger current load (like having the lights on) would heat up the fuse holder. Since the fuse was mounted vertically, the heat would melt the solder in the end caps and some of the solder in the top cap would drop to the bottom of the fuse. In pulling the fuse out to check it I had apparently been rotating the fuse mitigating the solder transport.

 

Taking the dash assembly out, cleaning the rivet and soldering it took care of the problem and I haven't had that issue recur even though the car is now twice as old as was then.

[padgett]

The "first car" thread reminded me of an incident years ago when in the service but prior to experiencing SEA. Was doing an electronics install on Ascension Island (had a missile tracking station there) and we had a number of deuce and a halfs (M35 6x6). Now the most prominent feature of Ascension island was Green Mountain. The top was reached by a narrow, twisting road and the largest vehicle to make the top had been a 4x4 lineman's truck.

 

Now when off duty there was nothing to do, could not go swimming because of the blackfish (something like a salt water piranha) can only play so much pinochle and shoot so much pool that in an off moment it was conjectured a deuce and a half could make the top of the mountain and a bet was made that if it could be gotten up there the loser of the bet had to get it back down.

 

Did find out that when empty it was possible to support  on the edge of a cliff with the rearmost axle over thin air while making a multipoint turn. When the TDY was over that deuce and a half was still on the top of Green mountain.

[cheezestaak2000]

 

ONE OF THE BIGGEST NIGHTMARES OF MY OLDS MECHANIC CAREER.a 1974 olds ambulance that kept having weird electrical problems. first the reason it had them was because of the front shocks were worn out. what the hell you say? the front tires were hitting the front inner fenders, the genius body conversion company saw fit to run the main body wire harness on the UNDERSIDE of the inner fender, since it was plastic, nothing shorted out, but the insulation rubbed off the wires and everything connected to almost everything else.blow the horn and the flashing red lights would come on, stuff like that. ok, got all of that fixed and found out the voltage regulator had the gen putting out about 17 volts, causing tail light bulbs to blow. esay job to replace bulbs on a 98 sedan, but on ambulance, had to discharge the airconditioner, remove the entire rear a/c unit to get to the bulb. ah, the good old days. anyway, have fun with your restoration of the olds ambulance.

[Doug Novak]

Reminded me of when in the lat 60's my buddy George bought a 1954 Cadillac Hearse.  They were really inexpensive as nobody wanted a used Hearse, wonder why, they were fantastic rides? Anyway there were rollers in the back for moving the caskets in and out that George wanted to get rid of and replace the floor with tiles, the kind you need to glue down. It was winter with snow on the ground and after school we started  removing the rollers and gluing in the tiles. George brought an electric heater out and put in the back of the Hearse to keep us warm and to keep the glue from freezing, plus help it dry. Guess we forgot to read the warning label about inhaling the fumes.  I think we unintentionally got stoned! But, after laying in the snow for a while we both recovered and wondered if we had died, would we have taken our last ride in the Hearse?

I think we fully recovered.  The Hearse was a Chick Magnet and we used it for years to carry our Band Instruments around, to and from the gigs. Originally George wanted an Ambulance but they cost too much, back then in the late '60's, for a 17 year old..

Edited May 20, 2017 by Doug Novak
fixed Hearse spelling (see edit history)

[Guest]

You probably mean a "Hearse".  Hurst is a company that makes shifters.  http://www.hurst-shifters.com/

[JamesBulldogMiller55Buick]

1 hour ago, Tinindian said:

You probably mean a "Hearse".  Hurst is a company that makes shifters.  http://www.hurst-shifters.com/

Hurst also invented and makes the "Jaws of Life".

http://www.jawsoflife.com/

Without Hurst, more people would get an earlier ride in a Hearse.

[Doug Novak]

Thanks for the Spell Check Guys! Which brings to  memory the time my C10 Pickup Manual 4 speed Transmission broke. It was a Saginaw with a Hurst Shifter. I lost all gears except fourth. I nurse it to my buddies garage to get it fixed. He called and said it was non repairable and would need to be replaced. I said where can I find a Muncie Four Speed. They said good luck finding one! We called a Tow company to come get the truck and I told them it needed to be a Roll Back. They didn't have one but knew somebody that did and would send him.  30 minutes later a Lincoln Roll Back Truck shows up and on the Door it says "We Specialize in Antique and Mussel Cars Repairs, Spicer's Motors. Scott Spicer" was a local guy, well know for Show Cars and Restorations. We had my truck loaded and I said to Scotty, "Do you know anybody that wants to sell a Muncie Four Speed for my Truck?"  He says I have one that I restored 3 years ago sitting on a shelve back and my shop, nobody wants it  because it's a Wide Range M22, which would be perfect for you truck. I said turn the truck around and take it to your Shop I want it.

 

What's weird is it seems like some things bad happen for a good reason, and my Truck and his Transmission were  supposed to find each other. Plus Scotty and I have become good friends.

 

The Truck is a '69 C10 Chevy that my Dad bought new and after his passing I took Title to it.  Other things happen with Dad's truck and I think it's him doing it. Things like Street Lights turning off when I pass under them, get's my attention.  I had two friends in the truck one night and we pulled in to a large Gas Station with 12 Pumps under four canopies each with at leased 10 Lights . I had told my friends about the Light Thing and when I opened the truck door the light directly above and only that light immediately burned out!  My friends got out and said we'll walk home see you later. Sounds Spooky but I like having him around.

Edited May 20, 2017 by Doug Novak (see edit history)

[JACK M]

14 hours ago, Doug Novak said:

Thanks for the Spell Check Guys! Which brings to  memory the time my C10 Pickup Manual 4 speed Transmission broke. It was a Saginaw with a Hurst Shifter. I lost all gears except fourth. I nurse it to my buddies garage to get it fixed. He called and said it was non repairable and would need to be replaced. I said where can I find a Muncie Four Speed. They said good luck finding one! We called a Tow company to come get the truck and I told them it needed to be a Roll Back. They didn't have one but knew somebody that did and would send him.  30 minutes later a Lincoln Roll Back Truck shows up and on the Door it says "We Specialize in Antique and Mussel Cars Repairs, Spicer's Motors. Scott Spicer" was a local guy, well know for Show Cars and Restorations. We had my truck loaded and I said to Scotty, "Do you know anybody that wants to sell a Muncie Four Speed for my Truck?"  He says I have one that I restored 3 years ago sitting on a shelve back and my shop, nobody wants it  because it's a Wide Range M22, which would be perfect for you truck. I said turn the truck around and take it to your Shop I want it.

 

What's weird is it seems like some things bad happen for a good reason, and my Truck and his Transmission were  supposed to find each other. Plus Scotty and I have become good friends.

 

The Truck is a '69 C10 Chevy that my Dad bought new and after his passing I took Title to it.  Other things happen with Dad's truck and I think it's him doing it. Things like Street Lights turning off when I pass under them, get's my attention.  I had two friends in the truck one night and we pulled in to a large Gas Station with 12 Pumps under four canopies each with at leased 10 Lights . I had told my friends about the Light Thing and when I opened the truck door the light directly above and only that light immediately burned out!  My friends got out and said we'll walk home see you later. Sounds Spooky but I like having him around.

 

I wonder if he would have turned your lights out if you had let it go to scrap.

[keiser31]

Years ago, a buddy of mine rebuilt a Dodge Power Wagon engine and when he started it, there was no oil pressure. It baffled him for DAYS so he decided to take the engine apart to figure it out. Turns out, he had been smoking a joint and the roach fell into an oil line blocking oil pressure and he didn't know it until he pulled the engine apart again. Weird, but self-caused problem.