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OT bought an economical car
A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable
and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, and another is that the cruise control does not work. I will start with the heater first, this being the middle of October in Illinois. i |
OT bought an economical car
Oh, and I calculated that my weekly savings (gas plus wear on the
pick-up truck) will be about $100 per week. i On 2012-10-15, Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, and another is that the cruise control does not work. I will start with the heater first, this being the middle of October in Illinois. i |
OT bought an economical car
On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500, Ignoramus28557
wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, and another is that the cruise control does not work. I will start with the heater first, this being the middle of October in Illinois. i Do you really...really need cruise control? Ive got a defective unit in my Ford Ranger...which was broken when I got the truck. Some 130k ago. Havent missed it a bit. heater..that would be a very good thing to have in Illinois. Gunner "The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination." --Voltaire |
OT bought an economical car
On 2012-10-15, Gunner wrote:
On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500, Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, and another is that the cruise control does not work. I will start with the heater first, this being the middle of October in Illinois. i Do you really...really need cruise control? Yes, I do, I may start thinking about something, and forget about the speed, and end up speeding accidentally. I much prefer driving with a cruise control. Ive got a defective unit in my Ford Ranger...which was broken when I got the truck. Some 130k ago. Havent missed it a bit. heater..that would be a very good thing to have in Illinois. Without question, I need that, or else the windows will fog up. i |
OT bought an economical car
On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:25:09 -0700, Gunner
wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500, Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, and another is that the cruise control does not work. I will start with the heater first, this being the middle of October in Illinois. i Do you really...really need cruise control? Ive got a defective unit in my Ford Ranger...which was broken when I got the truck. Some 130k ago. Havent missed it a bit. I use mine all the time, even on short trips to town, but especially on the road. It helps me avoid speeding tickets since I'd rather drive at 120+ on the open stretches. bseg heater..that would be a very good thing to have in Illinois. In the winter, heaters are good things to have anywhere. -- To use fear as the friend it is, we must retrain and reprogram ourselves... We must persistently and convincingly tell ourselves that the fear is here--with its gift of energy and heightened awareness--so we can do our best and learn the most in the new situation. Peter McWilliams, Life 101 |
OT bought an economical car
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OT bought an economical car
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OT bought an economical car
Ignoramus28557 wrote:
A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? and another is that the cruise control does not work. I will start with the heater first, this being the middle of October in Illinois. i -- Steve W. |
OT bought an economical car
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 05:42:59 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:25:09 -0700, Gunner wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500, Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, and another is that the cruise control does not work. I will start with the heater first, this being the middle of October in Illinois. i Do you really...really need cruise control? Ive got a defective unit in my Ford Ranger...which was broken when I got the truck. Some 130k ago. Havent missed it a bit. I use mine all the time, even on short trips to town, but especially on the road. It helps me avoid speeding tickets since I'd rather drive at 120+ on the open stretches. bseg With my truck weighing in some 600 lbs heavier than it did when it came from the factory....driving in excess of the speed limit costs a significant amount of money. This not including me and the dogs...shrug If folks are unable to observe simple speed limits...I have no pity for them. heater..that would be a very good thing to have in Illinois. In the winter, heaters are good things to have anywhere. "The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination." --Voltaire |
OT bought an economical car
On 10/14/2012 10:52 PM, Ignoramus28557 wrote:
... this being the middle of October in Illinois. That's interesting - it's the middle of October here in Massachusetts, too. G |
OT bought an economical car
It's August, in NY.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org .. "Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message ... On 10/14/2012 10:52 PM, Ignoramus28557 wrote: ... this being the middle of October in Illinois. That's interesting - it's the middle of October here in Massachusetts, too. G |
OT bought an economical car
On 2012-10-15, Steve W. wrote:
Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? The air does flow, but it is not hot, at best it is a bit warm. i |
OT bought an economical car
On 2012-10-15, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
On 10/14/2012 10:52 PM, Ignoramus28557 wrote: ... this being the middle of October in Illinois. That's interesting - it's the middle of October here in Massachusetts, too. G What a coincidence@ |
OT bought an economical car
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:10:09 -0500, Ignoramus9672
wrote: On 2012-10-15, wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 23:30:27 -0400, wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500, Ignoramus28557 wrote: the cruise control does not work. I recently made a trip from Georgia to Michigan and tried to use my cruise control for the first time in years. Pushed the button and nothing happened. I pushed and held the button down for about a minute. It was very slow kicking in but within 15 minutes it was working fine. Something freed itself up and it has worked ok since that date. Try exercising yours too. Great idea! Were you holding the speed with gas pedal, as you pushed the button? Yes, I was just experimenting. I tend to drive "head up and locked" on long trips. Anything to relive the tedium. |
OT bought an economical car
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:10:37 -0500, Ignoramus9672
wrote: On 2012-10-15, Steve W. wrote: Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? The air does flow, but it is not hot, at best it is a bit warm. Check to see if all the vent duct plates move when you cycle through the various options. You can hear little doors closing and the air circulating in the different vents as you work. I don't know if the Passat is manual or vac controlled, so it could be a vacuum motor, switch, or tubing problem. And feel the box which houses the heater core. It should be hot if water is circulating in it. Some vehicles have shutoff valves added by the previous owner, so look for that, too, if you haven't already. Old Dodge pickemups had cables to their shutoff valves. If all that seems OK, you'll probably have to remove one of the heater core hoses and see if you can blow through the core. Sometimes heater hoses collapse internally, sometimes cores plug up. Blow air through those, too. Both should be easy to exhale through once the coolant is gone from them. -- To use fear as the friend it is, we must retrain and reprogram ourselves... We must persistently and convincingly tell ourselves that the fear is here--with its gift of energy and heightened awareness--so we can do our best and learn the most in the new situation. Peter McWilliams, Life 101 |
OT bought an economical car
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:11:03 -0500, Ignoramus9672
wrote: On 2012-10-15, Bob Engelhardt wrote: On 10/14/2012 10:52 PM, Ignoramus28557 wrote: ... this being the middle of October in Illinois. That's interesting - it's the middle of October here in Massachusetts, too. G What a coincidence@ Wow, ditto here, but it's the start of Summer in Oz... -- To use fear as the friend it is, we must retrain and reprogram ourselves... We must persistently and convincingly tell ourselves that the fear is here--with its gift of energy and heightened awareness--so we can do our best and learn the most in the new situation. Peter McWilliams, Life 101 |
OT bought an economical car
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:10:37 -0500, Ignoramus9672
wrote: On 2012-10-15, Steve W. wrote: Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? The air does flow, but it is not hot, at best it is a bit warm. Okay, then it's either a water flow problem or an air flow problem. You have to see if there is a heater valve and it's opening all the way, and the core isn't clogged with crap - blow air through it forwards and backwards and see what you knock loose or get through. Some cars leave the water flow through the heater core on 24/7, and control the air going through the heater box to go through or around the heater core when set to vent, with either a vacuum actuator or a little motorized operator. Is your damper door stuck? Is the heater core coming up to operating temperature? Either the core is clogged, or the valve isn't opening. If the core is clogged, or worse leaking, all depends on the car as to how easy it is to replace it. A lot of GM cars and trucks aren't that bad, and most of the Asian & European cars have figured out it's not wise to antagonize your customers with huge repair bills for stupid simple stuff. BUT... Most Fords it's a Royal Pain In The Ass to change the heater core - they mount the Heater box to the assembly line and build the ENTIRE FRICKIN CAR around it - and you have to reverse that procedure to change it. That job you farm out to someone who knows all the tricks to partly disassemble, cut and fold as needed, and slide the bad core out and new core in through a crack - every model is slightly different. Fans, if it works on High but not on some of the other speeds, first thing you check is the resistor pack. You'll usually find it in the direct air blast of the fan output, sometimes in the scroll housing itself. Open wirewound resistors that burn out and starts dropping the slower speeds one or two at a time. If +12V power isn't making it to the resistor pack on certain speeds, then it's the Fan Switch in the heater control panel. Or the fancy- schmancy Temperature-Control thermostat gidgie in a luxury car. Adding complex electronics is always fun when the car gets older. -- Bruce -- |
OT bought an economical car
In article ,
"Bruce L. Bergman (munged human readable)" wrote: On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:10:37 -0500, Ignoramus9672 wrote: On 2012-10-15, Steve W. wrote: Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? The air does flow, but it is not hot, at best it is a bit warm. Okay, then it's either a water flow problem or an air flow problem. You have to see if there is a heater valve and it's opening all the way, and the core isn't clogged with crap - blow air through it forwards and backwards and see what you knock loose or get through. Some cars leave the water flow through the heater core on 24/7, and control the air going through the heater box to go through or around the heater core when set to vent, with either a vacuum actuator or a little motorized operator. Is your damper door stuck? Is the heater core coming up to operating temperature? Either the core is clogged, or the valve isn't opening. If the core is clogged, or worse leaking, all depends on the car as to how easy it is to replace it. A lot of GM cars and trucks aren't that bad, and most of the Asian & European cars have figured out it's not wise to antagonize your customers with huge repair bills for stupid simple stuff. BUT... Most Fords it's a Royal Pain In The Ass to change the heater core - they mount the Heater box to the assembly line and build the ENTIRE FRICKIN CAR around it - and you have to reverse that procedure to change it. That job you farm out to someone who knows all the tricks to partly disassemble, cut and fold as needed, and slide the bad core out and new core in through a crack - every model is slightly different. Fans, if it works on High but not on some of the other speeds, first thing you check is the resistor pack. You'll usually find it in the direct air blast of the fan output, sometimes in the scroll housing itself. Open wirewound resistors that burn out and starts dropping the slower speeds one or two at a time. If +12V power isn't making it to the resistor pack on certain speeds, then it's the Fan Switch in the heater control panel. Or the fancy- schmancy Temperature-Control thermostat gidgie in a luxury car. Adding complex electronics is always fun when the car gets older. -- Bruce -- Ahhhh!!!! I jumped into this thread late... However, I'll bet you a buck your Passat has a 'cabin air filter'. It filters all the air feeding the HVAC. If loaded up, it explains the low airflow issue. These things are 'out of sight, out of mind', and throw old timers who don't know of them curves. I'm not familiar enough with VW's to tell you where yours is off hand. Look in your owners manual, or Google for more info. They're usually easy to replace, and most all DIY parts stores now carry them. Good luck, let us know how it goes. Erik |
OT bought an economical car
Ahhhh!!!! I jumped into this thread late... However, I'll bet you a buck your Passat has a 'cabin air filter'. It filters all the air feeding the HVAC. If loaded up, it explains the low airflow issue. These things are 'out of sight, out of mind', and throw old timers who don't know of them curves. Snipped... Erik Cringe... re-reading the thread indicates that I mis-read the all important part about you having sufficient airflow... sorry about that. Other posters have you well on the way to a solution! Erik |
OT bought an economical car
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:10:37 -0500, Ignoramus9672
wrote: On 2012-10-15, Steve W. wrote: Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? The air does flow, but it is not hot, at best it is a bit warm. i Plugged heater core..or something is obstructing the heater core/fan Or the valve under the hood at the heater core in/outs are plugged Or..it could..could be missing the thermostat...but thats less likely Gunner "The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination." --Voltaire |
OT bought an economical car
On 2012-10-16, Bruce L. Bergman (munged human readable) wrote:
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:10:37 -0500, Ignoramus9672 wrote: On 2012-10-15, Steve W. wrote: Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? The air does flow, but it is not hot, at best it is a bit warm. Okay, then it's either a water flow problem or an air flow problem. You have to see if there is a heater valve and it's opening all the way, and the core isn't clogged with crap - blow air through it forwards and backwards and see what you knock loose or get through. Some cars leave the water flow through the heater core on 24/7, and control the air going through the heater box to go through or around the heater core when set to vent, with either a vacuum actuator or a little motorized operator. Is your damper door stuck? Is the heater core coming up to operating temperature? Either the core is clogged, or the valve isn't opening. If the core is clogged, or worse leaking, all depends on the car as to how easy it is to replace it. A lot of GM cars and trucks aren't that bad, and most of the Asian & European cars have figured out it's not wise to antagonize your customers with huge repair bills for stupid simple stuff. BUT... Most Fords it's a Royal Pain In The Ass to change the heater core - they mount the Heater box to the assembly line and build the ENTIRE FRICKIN CAR around it - and you have to reverse that procedure to change it. That job you farm out to someone who knows all the tricks to partly disassemble, cut and fold as needed, and slide the bad core out and new core in through a crack - every model is slightly different. Fans, if it works on High but not on some of the other speeds, first thing you check is the resistor pack. You'll usually find it in the direct air blast of the fan output, sometimes in the scroll housing itself. Open wirewound resistors that burn out and starts dropping the slower speeds one or two at a time. If +12V power isn't making it to the resistor pack on certain speeds, then it's the Fan Switch in the heater control panel. Or the fancy- schmancy Temperature-Control thermostat gidgie in a luxury car. Adding complex electronics is always fun when the car gets older. -- Bruce -- Bruce, yes, I will check along those lines. In any case, the repair should not be too expensive. i |
OT bought an economical car
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:28:54 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote: On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:10:37 -0500, Ignoramus9672 wrote: On 2012-10-15, Steve W. wrote: Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? The air does flow, but it is not hot, at best it is a bit warm. Check to see if all the vent duct plates move when you cycle through the various options. You can hear little doors closing and the air circulating in the different vents as you work. I don't know if the Passat is manual or vac controlled, so it could be a vacuum motor, switch, or tubing problem. And feel the box which houses the heater core. It should be hot if water is circulating in it. Some vehicles have shutoff valves added by the previous owner, so look for that, too, if you haven't already. Old Dodge pickemups had cables to their shutoff valves. If all that seems OK, you'll probably have to remove one of the heater core hoses and see if you can blow through the core. Sometimes heater hoses collapse internally, sometimes cores plug up. Blow air through those, too. Both should be easy to exhale through once the coolant is gone from them. First things first - is the engine warming up? If the thermostat is bad the engine temp might never get over about 110F - which will not produce much heat. |
OT bought an economical car
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:29:12 -0700, Gunner
wrote: On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:10:37 -0500, Ignoramus9672 wrote: On 2012-10-15, Steve W. wrote: Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? The air does flow, but it is not hot, at best it is a bit warm. i Plugged heater core..or something is obstructing the heater core/fan Or the valve under the hood at the heater core in/outs are plugged Or..it could..could be missing the thermostat...but thats less likely Gunner "The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination." --Voltaire A lot of VW's had a "safety stat" that would lock open if it EVER overheated. I would check engine operating temp first - if not up to about 170-ish replace the stat. |
OT bought an economical car
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:30:01 -0700, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:11:03 -0500, Ignoramus9672 wrote: On 2012-10-15, Bob Engelhardt wrote: On 10/14/2012 10:52 PM, Ignoramus28557 wrote: ... this being the middle of October in Illinois. That's interesting - it's the middle of October here in Massachusetts, too. G What a coincidence@ Wow, ditto here, but it's the start of Summer in Oz... In the story "October the First Is Too Late", by Fred Hoyle, people don't get to take for granted that dates are the same around the world. It's been a number of decades since I read the book, but I recall Hoyle posited time slips of days, and later of centuries or millennia, which I didn't find plausible. http://www.mprinstitute.org/vaclav/Hoyle.htm http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/749363.October_the_First_Is_Too_Late -- jiw |
OT bought an economical car
On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500
Ignoramus28557 wrote: snip It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work... If you have the V6, this post may be of interest: http://www.passatworld.com/forums/61...ng-system.html -- Leon Fisk Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b Remove no.spam for email |
OT bought an economical car
In article , Bruce L.
Bergman (munged human readable) writes On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:10:37 -0500, Ignoramus9672 wrote: On 2012-10-15, Steve W. wrote: Ignoramus28557 wrote: A while ago, I mentioned that my pick-up truck, while very comfortable and capable, was a fuel hog. Since I have to drive a lot nowadays, and mostly just to commute to my warehouse, conduct business and not move any machinery, a car would suffice. I bought a 1995 Volkswagen Passat with 122,000 miles on it, for $750 plus buyer premium, in an auction. So far so good, it drives great. It also does about 27 MPG, which is far better than my pick-up. It also looks decent and not rusted out. I put about 150 miles on it already and I am very happy. It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work, What doesn't work? No fan? No fan speeds? No water flow through the core? Leaking core? The air does flow, but it is not hot, at best it is a bit warm. Okay, then it's either a water flow problem or an air flow problem. You have to see if there is a heater valve and it's opening all the way, and the core isn't clogged with crap - blow air through it forwards and backwards and see what you knock loose or get through. Some cars leave the water flow through the heater core on 24/7, and control the air going through the heater box to go through or around the heater core when set to vent, with either a vacuum actuator or a little motorized operator. Is your damper door stuck? Is the heater core coming up to operating temperature? Either the core is clogged, or the valve isn't opening. If the core is clogged, or worse leaking, all depends on the car as to how easy it is to replace it. On my old Passat It was a major job to replace the core. I had to take out the whole dash to get to it; never quite fit as well after, :( Fans, if it works on High but not on some of the other speeds, first thing you check is the resistor pack. You'll usually find it in the direct air blast of the fan output, sometimes in the scroll housing itself. Open wirewound resistors that burn out and starts dropping the slower speeds one or two at a time. If +12V power isn't making it to the resistor pack on certain speeds, then it's the Fan Switch in the heater control panel. Or the fancy- schmancy Temperature-Control thermostat gidgie in a luxury car. Adding complex electronics is always fun when the car gets older. -- Bruce -- -- Chris Holford |
OT bought an economical car
"James Waldby" wrote in message
... In the story "October the First Is Too Late", by Fred Hoyle, people don't get to take for granted that dates are the same around the world. It's been a number of decades since I read the book, but I recall Hoyle posited time slips of days, and later of centuries or millennia, which I didn't find plausible. jiw Some Greek and Russian Orthodox countries used the ancient Roman calendar until after 1900: http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars...countries.html If you happen to become unstuck in time: http://www.csgnetwork.com/juliangregcalconv.html jsw |
OT bought an economical car
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:07:25 +0000 (UTC), James Waldby
wrote: On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:30:01 -0700, Larry Jaques wrote: On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:11:03 -0500, Ignoramus9672 wrote: On 2012-10-15, Bob Engelhardt wrote: On 10/14/2012 10:52 PM, Ignoramus28557 wrote: ... this being the middle of October in Illinois. That's interesting - it's the middle of October here in Massachusetts, too. G What a coincidence@ Wow, ditto here, but it's the start of Summer in Oz... In the story "October the First Is Too Late", by Fred Hoyle, people don't get to take for granted that dates are the same around the world. It's been a number of decades since I read the book, but I recall Hoyle posited time slips of days, and later of centuries or millennia, which I didn't find plausible. http://www.mprinstitute.org/vaclav/Hoyle.htm Very strange concept. -- To use fear as the friend it is, we must retrain and reprogram ourselves... We must persistently and convincingly tell ourselves that the fear is here--with its gift of energy and heightened awareness--so we can do our best and learn the most in the new situation. Peter McWilliams, Life 101 |
OT bought an economical car
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:30:45 -0400, Leon Fisk
wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500 Ignoramus28557 wrote: snip It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work... If you have the V6, this post may be of interest: http://www.passatworld.com/forums/61...ng-system.html Sounds like the Germans made a hash out of designing the coolant system if it had to be bled in such odeous ways. Btw...any one care to give me a few hints on a 97 Saturn overheating problem? If I pull the hose off the upper end of the engine..the return line..and put a garden hose in it to keep the radiator filled while running..I only get the volume of the garden hose back out of the engine while its running... It just spurts and sputters a very small amount of water from the engine without the hose. I replaced the water pump 8 months ago..... Autozone. Did it fail? How much volume should a saturn water pump actually push with water in the radiator? More than spurts and ? Gunner "The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination." --Voltaire |
OT bought an economical car
Ignoramus9672 wrote:
On 2012-10-15, wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 23:30:27 -0400, wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500, Ignoramus28557 wrote: the cruise control does not work. I recently made a trip from Georgia to Michigan and tried to use my cruise control for the first time in years. Pushed the button and nothing happened. I pushed and held the button down for about a minute. It was very slow kicking in but within 15 minutes it was working fine. Something freed itself up and it has worked ok since that date. Try exercising yours too. Yeah, most conventional cruise controls on engines with directly-operated throttles use engine vacuum to operate a diaphragm. If the control valve gets crudded up with engine fumes, it might stick for a while, and then break free. If that doesn't work, you can probably trace the vacuum line from the actuator (usually a metal cylinder with a hose coming out one end and a throttle cable on the other.) Follow the hose to the control valve, and maybe a few drops of mild solvent in it might clear the gumming. These things are all plastic, so make sure to use something that won't attack it. And, first, probably check the buttons, connectors and fuses for an electrical problem. Possibly the buttons have also gotten gummed up and are not making contact, repeated pressing might break through. You should have gotten a hybrid - you could get 50 MPG! But, probably would have cost more than $750. Jon |
OT bought an economical car
Gunner wrote:
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:30:45 -0400, Leon Fisk wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500 Ignoramus28557 wrote: snip It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work... If you have the V6, this post may be of interest: http://www.passatworld.com/forums/61...ng-system.html Sounds like the Germans made a hash out of designing the coolant system if it had to be bled in such odeous ways. Btw...any one care to give me a few hints on a 97 Saturn overheating problem? If I pull the hose off the upper end of the engine..the return line..and put a garden hose in it to keep the radiator filled while running..I only get the volume of the garden hose back out of the engine while its running... It just spurts and sputters a very small amount of water from the engine without the hose. I replaced the water pump 8 months ago..... Autozone. Did it fail? How much volume should a saturn water pump actually push with water in the radiator? More than spurts and ? Gunner Which model and engine? Is the thermostat installed when you do this test? If so is it in correctly? The thermal bulb needs to face the block side of the system. Pull the thermostat out and try the test again. Next hit a parts store and grab a coolant system pressure tester. (they are loaner/rental tools and AZ should have one) Test it to see if it holds pressure as it is also possible it has an internal leak causing an overheat. -- Steve W. |
OT bought an economical car
Jon Elson wrote:
Ignoramus9672 wrote: On 2012-10-15, wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 23:30:27 -0400, wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500, Ignoramus28557 wrote: the cruise control does not work. I recently made a trip from Georgia to Michigan and tried to use my cruise control for the first time in years. Pushed the button and nothing happened. I pushed and held the button down for about a minute. It was very slow kicking in but within 15 minutes it was working fine. Something freed itself up and it has worked ok since that date. Try exercising yours too. Yeah, most conventional cruise controls on engines with directly-operated throttles use engine vacuum to operate a diaphragm. If the control valve gets crudded up with engine fumes, it might stick for a while, and then break free. If that doesn't work, you can probably trace the vacuum line from the actuator (usually a metal cylinder with a hose coming out one end and a throttle cable on the other.) Follow the hose to the control valve, and maybe a few drops of mild solvent in it might clear the gumming. These things are all plastic, so make sure to use something that won't attack it. And, first, probably check the buttons, connectors and fuses for an electrical problem. Possibly the buttons have also gotten gummed up and are not making contact, repeated pressing might break through. You should have gotten a hybrid - you could get 50 MPG! But, probably would have cost more than $750. Jon Most cruise units on modern vehicles are fully electric. Gets a signal from the ECM to hold the throttle. Either way a bad switch or sticky cable is a possible item. -- Steve W. |
OT bought an economical car
Steve W. wrote:
Yeah, most conventional cruise controls on engines with directly-operated throttles use engine vacuum to operate a diaphragm. Most cruise units on modern vehicles are fully electric. Gets a signal from the ECM to hold the throttle. Iggy said it was a 1995, not sure what sort of throttle scheme they used, but I'm guessing from the age it probably is mechanical. Jon |
OT bought an economical car
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:39:25 -0500, Jon Elson
wrote: Ignoramus9672 wrote: On 2012-10-15, wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 23:30:27 -0400, wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500, Ignoramus28557 wrote: the cruise control does not work. I recently made a trip from Georgia to Michigan and tried to use my cruise control for the first time in years. Pushed the button and nothing happened. I pushed and held the button down for about a minute. It was very slow kicking in but within 15 minutes it was working fine. Something freed itself up and it has worked ok since that date. Try exercising yours too. Yeah, most conventional cruise controls on engines with directly-operated throttles use engine vacuum to operate a diaphragm. If the control valve gets crudded up with engine fumes, it might stick for a while, and then break free. If that doesn't work, you can probably trace the vacuum line from the actuator (usually a metal cylinder with a hose coming out one end and a throttle cable on the other.) Follow the hose to the control valve, and maybe a few drops of mild solvent in it might clear the gumming. These things are all plastic, so make sure to use something that won't attack it. And, first, probably check the buttons, connectors and fuses for an electrical problem. Possibly the buttons have also gotten gummed up and are not making contact, repeated pressing might break through. You should have gotten a hybrid - you could get 50 MPG! But, probably would have cost more than $750. Jon Check the brake lights too. In many cases, no brake lights (or a bad connection at /or bad brake switch will prevent the cruise from engaging. |
OT bought an economical car
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OT bought an economical car
Leon Fisk wrote:
If you have the V6, this post may be of interest: http://www.passatworld.com/forums/61...ng-system.html Yeah, I think this has even been on Car Talk a couple times. Jon |
OT bought an economical car
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:01:12 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote: Gunner wrote: On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:30:45 -0400, Leon Fisk wrote: On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:52:20 -0500 Ignoramus28557 wrote: snip It has only two problems, one is that the heater does not work... If you have the V6, this post may be of interest: http://www.passatworld.com/forums/61...ng-system.html Sounds like the Germans made a hash out of designing the coolant system if it had to be bled in such odeous ways. Btw...any one care to give me a few hints on a 97 Saturn overheating problem? If I pull the hose off the upper end of the engine..the return line..and put a garden hose in it to keep the radiator filled while running..I only get the volume of the garden hose back out of the engine while its running... It just spurts and sputters a very small amount of water from the engine without the hose. I replaced the water pump 8 months ago..... Autozone. Did it fail? How much volume should a saturn water pump actually push with water in the radiator? More than spurts and ? Gunner Which model and engine? SL2. No idea of what the motor is. The SL2s all appear to be the same 4 cylinder. Is the thermostat installed when you do this test? If so is it in correctly? The thermal bulb needs to face the block side of the system. Pull the thermostat out and try the test again. I had to take the termostat apart. The bulb element is part of the intake connection. When you buy a thermostat for the car..it includes the hose bib. Next hit a parts store and grab a coolant system pressure tester. (they are loaner/rental tools and AZ should have one) Test it to see if it holds pressure as it is also possible it has an internal leak causing an overheat. Ill do that. No water showing in the oil at all and no water or oil coming out the exhaust....so that leaves out most head gasket /cracked block issues It acts like the impeller on the pump simply isnt doing much of anything. Gunner "The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination." --Voltaire |
OT bought an economical car
Jon Elson wrote:
Steve W. wrote: Yeah, most conventional cruise controls on engines with directly-operated throttles use engine vacuum to operate a diaphragm. Most cruise units on modern vehicles are fully electric. Gets a signal from the ECM to hold the throttle. Iggy said it was a 1995, not sure what sort of throttle scheme they used, but I'm guessing from the age it probably is mechanical. Jon 95 "should" have electronic. But it depends on when the car was actually built. 95 was a fun year due to the OBD II changes. Either way they are very similar with about the only real difference being the actual actuator. The sensors and stuff are a lot alike. -- Steve W. |
OT bought an economical car
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 21:18:46 -0500, Jon Elson
wrote: wrote: Check the brake lights too. In many cases, no brake lights (or a bad connection at /or bad brake switch will prevent the cruise from engaging. WOW! That's really GOOD! Yes, if the brake switch circuit is messed up it will keep the cruise from engaging. Jon Over 40 years experience speaking. |
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