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Basic Troubleshooting Procedures For Classic Or Antiques Cars
Fixing a care these day can be a daunting task. Generally speaking, it may be only accomplished by a trained professional, the mechanically inclined or the very brave. Given my experience with "professionals", I choose to fix my own. This accomplishes two things for me, primarily satisfaction of knowing the job was done right. Secondarily, I am a notorious cheapskate and like to save myself a buck or two. In many cases, I save myself a bundle.
Fixing these newer vehicles can be a royal pain in the a**. Why did they have to go and computerize EVERYTHING? I mean, really! Even the stinking blower motors are computerized. So, unless you are fortunate enough to have a buddy with a code reader tool or rich enough to afford your own, you may very well be out of luck when trying to diagnose a problem.
Back in the day... don't I sound old? As I was saying, back in the day when cars were simple, there was only a few key things you needed to know if your car wasn't running. Primarily, if the engine turned over and the wasn't any grinding or clunking involved during the procedure, it was likely that you were lacking two things, spark or gas. Going down the checklist we can easily figure out if fuel is getting into the combustion chambers by simply removing the air cleaner or breather lid. Usually, the old cars linked the gas pedal to the carburetor, (that thingy under the air breather), by either a metal rod or accelerator cable. If the rod or cable was pulled , it moved the "butterfly valves" in the carburetor. That being said, during this action you should be listening carefully. When the cable or rod is moved, there should be an audible swishing sound. This is gasoline being into your engine. If you hear this sound and smell fuel, you're in luck because you have one less thing to worry about. If not, you have a problem in the fuel delivery system. A quick check, in this case, will be to get a small clean container and put a small amount of gasoline in it. Pour a 1/4 cup of fuel down the carb and try firing up the engine. If it fires, check to see if the gas tank gauge is working, usually, key off / key on will let you know because the level on the fuel gauge will change. If you know you have fuel in the tank and there isn't any to the carburetor, it is most likely your fuel pump has failed. Replace the fuel pump and check again. It is important to remember that a new fuel pump will take a few cranks to draw the fuel from the tank so, be patient.
So, the fuel is there and your car still doesn't want to go, not even a bit. Chances are you are not getting any spark to the spark plugs. This next step is a little trickier. Pull the rubber boot off of one or the spark plugs, place a screw driver into the boot and place the screwdriver shaft about 1/8 inch from the any metal part of the engine block. (avoid the alternator). Make sure the lights are dim or you won't be able to see what comes next. Making sure you are NOT TOUCHING the screwdriver, get an assistant to turn the engine over and watch the shaft of the screw driver for a spark. If you see a spark, replace your plugs. If you do not see a spark, replace your coil. If this have not solved the problem and you have an really old car, you will need to replace the points and condenser.
Hope that helps!
Article By: Brian Green
Looking For Vintage Car Parts is Like Looking for a Needle in a Haystack, Sometimes!
And so much more expensive too. If you own, maintain or are planning to buy a vintage or a classic car, you better prepare yourself to a tough time looking for the much needed parts to bring it back to life. Classic or vintage cars have a certain aura of distinction and there is so much history in them that many people spend many of their time, efforts and money just to have one in their garage. But this is not for everyone.
Vintage car parts can be very expensive because they are not manufactured anymore. And because of this rarity, many people tend to ask for a large asking price if they do have one that is in working condition. Finding a vintage car that is in good running condition is rare, and if there is one, you can expect it to have a huge asking price.
As one may expect, a vintage or classic car part would come as used, so there is still the fear that the part may work now, but in the near future, it may still conk out. This can cause a great dismay to the restorer. To a newbie, all of this may seem as a very daunting task. But for those who are willing to do the effort, here are some places where you can find vintage car parts.
Before anything else, make sure of the model and make of your car. Some models may require special parts and the part that you may find may not work with it just causing you to waste your time and money. If you’re not the one who’s restoring your vintage car, make sure that you bring it to a specialized auto repair shop to ensure that the work done will be satisfactory. These specialty shops have the proper knowledge and skills in vintage car restoration.
One of the best places to look for a vintage car part is through the internet. There are now numerous websites that offer used vintage car parts and they have been tested for their workability. Looking through the internet will allow you to save some time in your search. All you have to do is to specify the make and model of your vehicle and the car part that you need. Many search engines can direct you to a site where such part may be sold. By doing some comparisons between different car parts retailers, you will be able to find a particular vintage car part that can be well within your means.
For some people, going to a junkyard or two is the best way to find a vintage car part. This can be a very tedious chore for anyone, especially to those who are not really familiar with car parts. But in the end, some enthusiasts say that it is more satisfying and they can get the part for much less.
Once again be sure that you get the exact part that you need. Junkyards don’t have money back guarantees nor do they offer warranties and have return policies. You don’t want to lose money over this and surely you don’t want to waste your time.
Finding the vintage car part that you need can be easy or hard, depending on the method of search that you choose. But one thing’s for sure, it is a very rewarding experience.
