Real World Event Discussions
In the garden, and RAIN!!!!
POSTED BY: SIGNYM
UPDATED: Thursday, December 25, 2025 04:27
VIEWED: 1005090
PAGE 92 of 1154
Thursday, October 18, 2018 5:59 AM
Quote:OK, equivocal.
No, sorry SIX, no advice on the car. I'm pretty good at dxing my onw car, but I have to drive/ listen to it myself to figure out what the problem is.
I'll think about some simple diagnostics you might run. Like, for example- the tailpipe. Is it coated with black carbon? Does it smell like gasoline? - SIGNY
Hard to tell. My exhaust system is just about defunct. It's pretty rusted out and the car is loud. There's actually a hole toward the front of the car where the bulk of the noise comes out. There was a lot of black soot around the back of the car all over the place, but then again, I haven't washed that car in ages, so who knows how long that was building up.- SIX
Quote:If it's coated with carbon, the inside of the tailpipe won't be "dirty", it will be a deep, light-sucking velvety black.
Hmm... ok, some other thoughts on the topic. Except for the "misfires", does the car run smoothly, or does it run rough? - SIGNY
Rough. The steering wheel would shake in your hand it ran so rough.
Here are my thoughts ...
If it's a case of being rich, which causes backfire, then you'll see it in a carbon=coated tailpipe, and if its REALLY rich you'll smell gasoline. - SIGNY
This could be the case. Never smelled gas, but the tailpipe is dirty.- SIX
Quote:I have idea idea what kind of soil is in your area, but if it's grayish then you might just be picking up road dirt.
Whoops. I've only put on about 25k miles since I've owned it, but that filter was VERY dirty. - SIX
Dirty like black? Or dirty like leaves and sand and stuff? IF you have a carburetor then backfires also blow out thru the carburetor and up thru the air filter, and you'll get carbon on your air filter as well.- SIGNY
It wasn't black. Just very, very gray and a lot of leaves and crap.- SIX
Quote:The car will continue to run ... sort of ... even if you shut off the ignition. Kind of knock and rattle because the gasoline vapors auto-ignite, even without the spark plug firing them. In fact, that's what high-octane gas is supposed to solve: "engine knock", when the gasoline "goes off" before it's supposed to and creates a pinging, rattling, or knocking sound, especially under acceleration. But that doesn't sound like your problem.
If the valves are coated with carbon, which takes up space in the engine and reduced the cylinder volume, creating higher compression ratios and causing backfires, you will see that in general "running rough". In addition, sometimes the car will continue to "diesel" even after your turn it off.- SIGNY
What is "diesel" in that context?- SIX
Quote:I'm really beginning to think its just dirty spark plug wires or a dirty/broken distributor cap. Seriously. There's a lot of voltage in those lines ... enough to cause a little lightning bolt (spark) in your engine ... and if your wires aren't clean the electricity can "leak out". I know it sounds crazy, but it's true, and it's a really cheap try: All you need is WD-40 and some of that dielectric grease that you already have.
If it's a timing belt problem or the distributor timing if off, I would imagine that the problem would happen all the time ... well, maybe not ALL the time, the timing might be OK enough to run at higher speeds (if the timing is too advanced) or at lower speeds (if too retarded) but you would definitely feel it at more than just startup. - SIGNY
I do feel it at more than just startup. Sometimes I can start the car with little problems, but before I get on the expressway if I'm stopped at a light the car can misfire really bad and stall out. This only seems to happen on extremely humid nights, and only when the car has been outside of my garage all night.- SIX
How to:
https://itstillruns.com/clean-spark-plug-wires-2283270.html
******
Quote:
Did some research on seafNOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Thursday, October 18, 2018 6:10 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:Quote:OK, equivocal.
No, sorry SIX, no advice on the car. I'm pretty good at dxing my onw car, but I have to drive/ listen to it myself to figure out what the problem is.
I'll think about some simple diagnostics you might run. Like, for example- the tailpipe. Is it coated with black carbon? Does it smell like gasoline? - SIGNY
Hard to tell. My exhaust system is just about defunct. It's pretty rusted out and the car is loud. There's actually a hole toward the front of the car where the bulk of the noise comes out. There was a lot of black soot around the back of the car all over the place, but then again, I haven't washed that car in ages, so who knows how long that was building up.- SIXQuote:If it's coated with carbon, the inside of the tailpipe won't be "dirty", it will be a deep, light-sucking velvety black.
Hmm... ok, some other thoughts on the topic. Except for the "misfires", does the car run smoothly, or does it run rough? - SIGNY
Rough. The steering wheel would shake in your hand it ran so rough.
Here are my thoughts ...
If it's a case of being rich, which causes backfire, then you'll see it in a carbon=coated tailpipe, and if its REALLY rich you'll smell gasoline. - SIGNY
This could be the case. Never smelled gas, but the tailpipe is dirty.- SIXQuote:I have idea idea what kind of soil is in your area, but if it's grayish then you might just be picking up road dirt.
Whoops. I've only put on about 25k miles since I've owned it, but that filter was VERY dirty. - SIX
Dirty like black? Or dirty like leaves and sand and stuff? IF you have a carburetor then backfires also blow out thru the carburetor and up thru the air filter, and you'll get carbon on your air filter as well.- SIGNY
It wasn't black. Just very, very gray and a lot of leaves and crap.- SIXQuote:The car will continue to run ... sort of ... even if you shut off the ignition. Kind of knock and rattle because the gasoline vapors auto-ignite, even without the spark plug firing them. In fact, that's what high-octane gas is supposed to solve: "engine knock", when the gasoline "goes off" before it's supposed to and creates a pinging, rattling, or knocking sound, especially under acceleration. But that doesn't sound like your problem.
If the valves are coated with carbon, which takes up space in the engine and reduced the cylinder volume, creating higher compression ratios and causing backfires, you will see that in general "running rough". In addition, sometimes the car will continue to "diesel" even after your turn it off.- SIGNY
What is "diesel" in that context?- SIXQuote:I'm really beginning to think its just dirty spark plug wires or a dirty/broken distributor cap. Seriously. There's a lot of voltage in those lines ... enough to cause a little lightning bolt (spark) in your engine ... and if your wires aren't clean the electricity can "leak out". I know it sounds crazy, but it's true, and it's a really cheap try: All you need is WD-40 and some of that dielectric grease that you already have.
If it's a timing belt problem or the distributor timing if off, I would imagine that the problem would happen all the time ... well, maybe not ALL the time, the timing might be OK enough to run at higher speeds (if the timing is too advanced) or at lower speeds (if too retarded) but you would definitely feel it at more than just startup. - SIGNY
I do feel it at more than just startup. Sometimes I can start the car with little problems, but before I get on the expressway if I'm stopped at a light the car can misfire really bad and stall out. This only seems to happen on extremely humid nights, and only when the car has been outside of my garage all night.- SIX
How to:
https://itstillruns.com/clean-spark-plug-wires-2283270.html
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Thursday, October 18, 2018 9:47 PM
Huh, interesting video. I have to say, the "clatter" from the sticking lifter(s) was definitely eliminated!
There are some very powerful solvents - aside from oil or alcohol-based - that will take sludge and carbon out of the system. One problem with the ones I'm thinking of, tho, (dimethyl formamide, methylene chloride, and the like) is that they will also dissolve all kinds of gaskets like the head gasket or the gasket under the carburetor. So I'm assuming that they aren't using THOSE solvents!
*****
Yes I see ...
Quote:A "moisture drier" can be any kind of alcohol (or acetone) because water mixes in with the alcohol, and then the alcohol/water mixes with the oil or gasoline. So any water in the bottom of your crankcase or gasoline tank will be flushed out.
Sea Foam Motor Treatment is a Blended Petroleum Product, NOT A CHEMICAL and is widely used as an old oil residue reducer and moisture drier in any oil crankcase.
It's a common problem with oil refining: dewatering the oil. There is always some residual water at the bottom of the storage tanks, and SOME water dissolved in the product, even if only 0.1%. In winter, can be a SIGNIFICANT problem if the water "drops out" (goes out of solution) and freezes in your gas line or filter. There used to be something called "dry gas" ... which used to be diethyl ether (before they got all weirded out about the propensity of ethers to form explosive peroxides on storage, and substituted alcohol instead) and it worked like a charm. Better than alcohol.
I imagine that they use "aromatics" (toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene) as part of their carbon/ sludge dissolver, since aromatics are safer for silicone gaskets.
I would look at Lucas more closely. There have been problems with some oil additives swelling the gaskets ... head gasket, carb gasket, valve cover gasket ... and then when you go back to regular oil the gaskets over-shrink and then leak. I had that problem with my 2001 Civic when the shop used a modern synthetic oil once (I always ask them to use "regular") and then when it got another oil change - with regular oil- it started leaking like a sieve.
But FWIW I looked up Sea Foam+complaints and didn't find any.
-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake
"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND
America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876
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Thursday, October 18, 2018 10:00 PM
Running late today. Couldn't sleep last night.
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Thursday, October 18, 2018 10:07 PM
Sorry to hear that you didn't sleep well. I have many sleep problems myself; they were enough to cause me to retire early. I didn't even realize how badly I was sleeping until I had the time/luxury to start bird-dogging solutions one-by-one. All can be traced back, ultimately, to massive allergies: blocked nose; chronic sinusitis; swollen tongue, soft palate and throat; aches and pains from food sensitivities kicking up arthritis.
If you have sleep problems I hope you can bird-dog the causes until you get them resolved!
-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake
"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND
America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Friday, October 19, 2018 2:45 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Huh, interesting video. I have to say, the "clatter" from the sticking lifter(s) was definitely eliminated!
There are some very powerful solvents - aside from oil or alcohol-based - that will take sludge and carbon out of the system. One problem with the ones I'm thinking of, tho, (dimethyl formamide, methylene chloride, and the like) is that they will also dissolve all kinds of gaskets like the head gasket or the gasket under the carburetor. So I'm assuming that they aren't using THOSE solvents!
*****
Yes I see ...Quote:A "moisture drier" can be any kind of alcohol (or acetone) because water mixes in with the alcohol, and then the alcohol/water mixes with the oil or gasoline. So any water in the bottom of your crankcase or gasoline tank will be flushed out.
Sea Foam Motor Treatment is a Blended Petroleum Product, NOT A CHEMICAL and is widely used as an old oil residue reducer and moisture drier in any oil crankcase.
It's a common problem with oil refining: dewatering the oil. There is always some residual water at the bottom of the storage tanks, and SOME water dissolved in the product, even if only 0.1%. In winter, can be a SIGNIFICANT problem if the water "drops out" (goes out of solution) and freezes in your gas line or filter. There used to be something called "dry gas" ... which used to be diethyl ether (before they got all weirded out about the propensity of ethers to form explosive peroxides on storage, and substituted alcohol instead) and it worked like a charm. Better than alcohol.
I imagine that they use "aromatics" (toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene) as part of their carbon/ sludge dissolver, since aromatics are safer for silicone gaskets.
I would look at Lucas more closely. There have been problems with some oil additives swelling the gaskets ... head gasket, carb gasket, valve cover gasket ... and then when you go back to regular oil the gaskets over-shrink and then leak. I had that problem with my 2001 Civic when the shop used a modern synthetic oil once (I always ask them to use "regular") and then when it got another oil change - with regular oil- it started leaking like a sieve.
But FWIW I looked up Sea Foam+complaints and didn't find any.
-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake
"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND
America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876
Yeah. I just threw the name Lucas out there. The guy who made those vids seemed to think that he wouldn't be using it again. There are other types of similar products out there if I feel the need to do it. It's really not much of a leak that is left after fixing the major one. It's just the very minor leak I've had for 10 years that prohibits me from parking on my old man's driveway. :)
Started up the car this morning with zero issues after leaving it outside of the garage. It was around 90% humidity. Drove it around a few miles with no signs of misfires. I'm not going to consider this issue fixed until spring when it's really humid and rainy all the time in the morning, but for now things are looking much better. Looks like $100 well spent this week. :)
Do Right, Be Right. :)
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Friday, October 19, 2018 8:35 AM
Ya'at-eeh, SIX.
Sounds like progress!
-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake
"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND
America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Friday, October 19, 2018 12:26 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Sorry to hear that you didn't sleep well. I have many sleep problems myself; they were enough to cause me to retire early. I didn't even realize how badly I was sleeping until I had the time/luxury to start bird-dogging solutions one-by-one. All can be traced back, ultimately, to massive allergies: blocked nose; chronic sinusitis; swollen tongue, soft palate and throat; aches and pains from food sensitivities kicking up arthritis.
If you have sleep problems I hope you can bird-dog the causes until you get them resolved!
-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake
"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND
America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876
Last night was pretty easy to solve. I ate too much after 6pm and my body never got to digest it properly before I had to take my meds. So, I am trying to do better tonight.
I don't sleep well. At least not right now. Mostly because of stress from living in this place and trying to find another place.
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Friday, October 19, 2018 11:33 PM
Bright sunny day. Off to get some recycling done and see what else.
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Saturday, October 20, 2018 2:01 AM
Quote:
Sorry to hear that you didn't sleep well. I have many sleep problems myself; they were enough to cause me to retire early. I didn't even realize how badly I was sleeping until I had the time/luxury to start bird-dogging solutions one-by-one. All can be traced back, ultimately, to massive allergies: blocked nose; chronic sinusitis; swollen tongue, soft palate and throat; aches and pains from food sensitivities kicking up arthritis. If you have sleep problems I hope you can bird-dog the causes until you get them resolved! - SIGNY
Last night was pretty easy to solve. I ate too much after 6pm and my body never got to digest it properly before I had to take my meds. So, I am trying to do better tonight.
I don't sleep well. At least not right now. Mostly because of stress from living in this place and trying to find another place.- BRENDA
If you don't drive, it must be very difficult to look for a new place. I hope you have some other resources available ... internet postings or FB or housing authority or some kind of neighborhood bulletin board (internet or otherwise). Here we have a website called nextdoor.com which has been very helpful as you can query the most local of areas (the dozen or so blocks around your place) or expand it to perhaps several miles around. If you have that website in your city, I recommend it.
*****
Today, I boogied out of the house early to hit my most-local native plant nursery. They inventory and put out new stock on Monday/Tuesday (when they're closed) but if I wait until the weekend they might run out of the things that I want (like what happened last time). So today I got all of the things that were on my list ... two more Catalina cherry to complete the privacy screen, a bunch of buckwheat (cinereum/ashy-leafed and parvifolium/seacliff), more golden bunch-grass (purple three-awn) ... and found a few things that I knew I wanted but didn't know were available - foothill penstemon and mahonia repens (a loverly layered groundcover for the shade, which is already growing happily in another part of the yard.)
Today is a toasty 89F, and tomorrow will be an even toastier 91F ... and I have other things to do today and tomorrow ... but there's supposed to be a big cooldown on Monday which will give me the oppty to plant more of my plants.
Does the happy dance!!
-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake
"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND
America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME