150,461 MILE UPDATE: Oily, Tired, and Tense...

Vic 3.0 has been getting some attention lately.  First new shocks/struts, then a new fan belt, then a new fan belt tensioner, and then today a nice (overdue) Mobil 1 oil change and a set of brand spankin' new Goodyear RS-A tires.  

The belt tensioner wasn't planned.  When we installed the new belt, we noticed that it took more effort than usual to move the tensioner to get the belt on/off.  On the belt went, and out into the ether emanated a horrible screech when I started the car.  I assumed the belt just needed to seat itself into position.

Wellp, the next day the sound was SO bad, not just when the car started, but every time I had to use the throttle from a stop.  I dropped by Upholstery Guy's shop and he suggested I get a can of belt dressing.  I took his advice, and it seemed to help.  By the end of the day, the sound was gone.  BUT every time the car started up cold, that screech was there, scaring birds and neighbors.

On to Rock Auto I went, and ordered a Motorcraft belt tensioner.  I planned on installing it myself as all I needed to do was remove one bolt, but Taxi Guy did it for me before I knew what had happened!  (150,327 miles)  Now, everything is nice and quiet.  I almost think I can hear a difference as well.  

As for the tires, I waited and searched and scored a set for a decent price.  RS-A's don't have a high treadwear rating (it's about performance, not longevity) but even so, they made me realize the old set NEEDED to be replaced.  They were all over 10 years old so had some age-cracking, and had worn enough to be good for dry weather speed, but NOT safe for rain.

Now, the last time I put this much money into a car, it ended up being totaled by my mother.  I sure hope nothing happens to this one, too!!  

Winter Embarrassment...

In the almost 3 decades I have been driving, I have been driving full size rear wheel drive V8 sedans.  I know how to drive them in winter.  I have been stuck in snow less than a handful of times.

AND SO it is with some embarrassment that I type up this post!

The other day, it was in the upper 40s and sunny here in Massachusetts.  That meant snow was melting BUT still hiding ICE underneath.  I pulled into a dirt lot to take a photo of an unusual locomotive.  It never came (assumed it stopped down the tracks to work) and what ended up happening?  I decided to leave... 

Now, even though Vic 1.0 has been gone for a while, I STILL can't get used to the larger turning radius of Vic 3.0 (due to the wider track).  I misjudged a 3-point turn and the front wheels pushed into a berm of snow just before the side of the road.  I had to stop to make sure no cars were coming.  And that was what did me in.  Normally it would be no big deal, BUT Vic had enough time to sink through the watery snow and onto the ice hiding under it!

It took:

• about a half hour of time
• a bunch of sand
• a cheap emergency shovel
• an old pair of plastic get-me-unstuck mats (one of which disintegrated)
• much embarrassment 

... to get the car free.  I couldn't even rock the thing, as the snow tires simply had nothing to rock against!  Sand did NOTHING.  A slight push would have helped but I was alone and few cars drove by.  

OH, and while I was stuck there... the locomotive stopped RIGHT next to me.  I took a break and nonchalantly took my photos. 

In the end, basically, once I saw that the rear tires were burning through the ice, I knew EVENTUALLY I'd hit dirt and that would help.  FINALLY I was able to get free in reverse (unusual, especially with directional snow tires).  I stood there, looking at the aftermath, thankful the road in front of me is lightly traveled, and hoping the train crew didn't notice I was stuck.

Chalk it up to "experience".  Also chalk it up to "ice is NOT snow"!

At least I got a photo... not the best BUT I got it...

138,999 Mile Update: Get Your Snow Blowers Runnin'...

Long time, no update!  Some quick little things to share... 

138,999 - 2/3/21

10/17/20 - Vic visits the Welch's corporate office in Concord MA... those are indeed Concord Grape vines!

11/23/20 - Changed license plate bulbs

1/6/21 - Just what to do after getting the car washed... park in a muddy parking lot... snows are on...

RWD + Snow Tires = gets to park closer to the store entrance

132,509 Mile Update: It Will Now Snow...

Yesterday, Mystery Mechanic and I noticed Vic 3.0 was riding pretty badly on the highways and byways of Massachusetts.  We've been keeping an eye on one snow tire that he picked up at a junk yard (not something I myself trust).  The tire must have sat for a long time in one position, possibly low on air, because one patch of tread has a roundy-softy-wornish-rotted look.  It made it feel like an out of balance tire, probably bouncing off the pavement ever so slightly over and over.  After yesterday's trip, we said "BAH!  Might as well put the RS-A's back on".  It's March and we have had pretty much NO snow in the Boston area all season.

Which means we will get whacked with a major Nor-easta' next week.

Once all the snows were off, we also noticed another one for the junk-pile... that one has cracks on the rear sidewall that look scary.  So next season I will have to do some shopping!

On the 9th, Vic finally got it's oil change, after 9 months and about 3,500 miles.  The mechanic pointed out that there were traces of "animal activity" under the hood.  Sure enough, while we had the air compressor going today, I took a peek myself and there were piles of nuts and birdseed on the intake manifold.  It took a while to blow it all out. 

The exhaust leak is still there but hasn't changed much.  Still need to source that issue out.

Doesn't look like much, but this patch was enough to make the car ride badly.

2017 Snow Tire Swap

Today was the day, SNOW TIRE DAY.  Off came the Goodyear RS-As, on went the speed rated Goodyear Ultra Grips.  That only leaves Todd's Interceptor to do.  Vic has hit the 181,000 mile mark (didn't get a photo this time!).

Well, THAT explains the slow leak......................

10/14/17 - Boxboro MA

SHOCKING!!

11/2/16

I can't believe I have been driving Vic 2.0 for a year now!  One stupid thing I did was to NOT take the snow tires off last spring.  Things came up and they just never came off.  So I drove in the heat with snow tires... needless to say, now I need to replace 2 of them!

I knew that the rear end has been leaking oil/grease, but a while ago I noticed another stain on the driveway, this one in the area behind the rear passenger wheel.  I thought someone was leaking brake fluid, but everyone's car seemed fine.  Wellp, I think I know what the stain is now.

Driving with snows on in summer, you can feel a little "squishy" at times.  So I didn't notice anything amiss.  A few weeks ago I started feeling a little... well... the way the rear of the car handled didn't feel quite right.  Then I went over some speed bumps, and it hit me:  a shock leaked.

When I go over a speed bump, the front end bounces evenly, but when the back goes over, the rear "wiggles" unevenly.  I did the old fashion shock-check (aka: push up and down on the rear bumper) and sure enough, while the car doesn't bounce much thanks to the police spec springs,  the passenger side DOES bounce more than the driver side.

Yup, snow tires never came off this year...

For kicks, I went to a dealer and was quoted roughly $80 each.  Need to decide if I am going aftermarket, or try to score a pair cheaper.  I sort of can't spend the money, but I can't stand a car that doesn't handle properly!

Another thing that NEEDS to be remedied at some point, but isn't a pressing matter, is the stereo system.  I MISS my old speakers and Sony deck.  The wiring harness won't work with the car's factory wiring, and me and wiring do not mix.  Hopefully when I hit the lottery I can make some upgrades...

UPDATE: Snow Tires Off

May 10th saw Vic's snow tires come off, and alloys with Goodyear RS-A's go on.  The spring ritual resulted in the revelation that I now need front brake pads.  Those got ordered today.  The day also included starting up Todd's '04 Mustang after it's winter slumber, getting an inspection sticker for it, and the mass murder of a huge flock of what looked like winged ants that had infested his garage.  As of this second, Vic is outside with a car-cover on, due to trees dumping "propellers" and general shmoo all over the place.   

UPDATE: Snow Tires On

Originally, the weather forcast said snow this week.  Now it looks like less of a chance, but Todd and I figured it was a good idea to initiate the annual Snow Tire Blitz. 

We started off taking off my alloys and Goodyear RS-A's, and put on steels and Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice's... The two front ones may have to be junked after this winter, but the rears are still good.

Next, we had to plug one Firestone snow tire, move the cars around, and swap the Firestone with a police spec Goodyear Ultra Grip from Todd's mother's car that was originally his.

Next, we moved cars again, sifted through Todd's collection of tires and rims, and installed two Goodyear Ultra Grips on Todd's car. 

THEN we tried to make heads-or-tails out of all those tires laying around the place... some junk, some good, some on rims, some not. 

Lastly, back in my own driveway, I managed for the first time to get all 4 center caps on my wheels all by myself!  The key seems to be a rubber mallet and no fear of denting them. 

I hope you followed all that!