Why Me?!

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ok, after spending what seems like alot of money lately on the big ol buick (new master, wires, blower motor, carb parts) in the last week and over 1000 in the last year (dual exaust, new rad, water pump, etc.) she decides to be a [censored]! <BR>Since it had been running the best it ever has I decided she deserved a bath. so today i took it to the car wash, to get all that winter salt off, runnin fine... start up to pull out, missing not to bad, but missing. wet wires mabey i think, but brand new?? Go for a drive to mabey dry them, no difference. Get home, see lots of smoke from exaust.. hmm. pull out plug from which cylider i think is missing and along comes A WHOLE BUNCH OF COOLANT!! WHY!! How could washing my car blow a head gasket, crack a head or whatever has happened? God I'm not to happy <BR>I'm also broke so she'll be sitting for a while

[Guest Skyking]

I remember years ago my father saying, "cars aways seem to run better after being washed," sorry to say, not in your case......hang in there!

[BUICK RACER]

I washed my '79 Skyhawk one friday night after a trip to NY the previous weekend, went to work on Saturday, and spun a bearing just down the street from the plant, on the way to meet a real estate agent to look for a house! The thing only had 5,000 miles! Had it towed, had to rent a car, got it back later the next week, and what fun, sorry to hear about the bad news, hang in there! RV

[NTX5467]

I doubt your wash had anything to do with that situation. I concur that the timing is terrible for that to happen, but at least you were close to home instead of on a trip to show it off or something.<P>On the bright side, now you have a reason (though not planned by any means) to make sure the heads and valve seals are both in good condition. If one head gasket was marginal and failed, the other one might not be far behind. Hopefully, it's not a cracked head. It might also be a good time to replace the timing chain as they used to "jump" about the 80,000 mile mark on some of those older V-8s.<P>Any further engine things you do now will be "insurance" for not having to do them later. While it's static, you can also let it know you still like it by waxing and detailing it plus other little things that will make it look better (without much monetary outlay) whether it's running or being parked.<P>Timing can be everything and sometimes it's terrible.<P>NTX5467

[Guest]

When my brother was 17, he had a 64 Corvair. He went to the car wash to wash some of the oil off the engine...It leaked about 10 quarts per minute. It NEVER ran again. I do not know why it would not restart, but the "repairs" that took place after the wash job sealed it's fate. Well we were young. I am sure now that I could make the car run , with enough time and money, BUT hey it was a Corvair????