Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Spark plug boogers, a cracked radiator, and possibly a blown head gasket.

Xist · 05-18-2018, 10:38 PM

Fatal error, moron at keyboard.

My brother decided it was a good idea to find the stomach flu on Tuesday. My car overheated on Wednesday, and I was trying to figure out how to test my compression tester when my stomach decided it was angry with me. I watched the last episode of "Monk," threw up, and did not accomplish anything else the rest of the day.

I guess that I got my pressure tester from O'Reilly. I found my receipt and was about to return it, but it said there was a forty-eight-hour deadline. I might as well have tried anyway, but I figured that I would use it again, and I have. The Autozone one was different (and 50% more expensive, although I liked it more), but it read 0 PSI for the first two cylinders. I did not test the others, I put in the spark plugs, borrowed a wire from the parts going into my Accord, and drove to Speedy Automotive here in Show Low. I have gone there many times over the last fourteen years and they have always treated me well, while I have not had consistently good experiences anywhere else.

Bry told me that they could not test for a bad head gasket without a radiator, so I bought one for $77 from Napa (with Veteran discount). All of the guys laughed at how small it was. Swapping it was easy enough. The most difficult part was finding the bracket. It had fallen between the radiator and the bumper. I filled up with distilled water, drove to that fire department, parked, and popped the hood.

The engine was not smoking, the radiator cap was a little warm, the hoses were warm, and I did thirty-five celebratory push-ups.

I drove home and tested compression with both kits at the same time. My kit read zero for each cylinder. The borrowed one read 0-0-150-180.

There also seemed to be a bit of an oily sheen when I topped off the radiator.

The car seems to drive well enough, but this will only get worse with time. I am trying to find a rebuild kit.

I could only find five 2000 - 2002 Insights in the entire country and zero 2003 - 2005s. If I had a million dollars I would fly to Gaithersburg, Maryland, purchase this one, and drive it back: https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/...572925510.html

This one is technically in Arizona, but nobody goes to Buckeye without an exceptionally good reason: https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/c...591981261.html

$3,000 for an eighteen year-old car sounds awesome. That is almost as much as I paid for both of my cars combined! However, it has fewer miles than either of my cars had when I purchased them.

$3,975 for a 2001 Insight with 98,900 miles in Northern California: https://chico.craigslist.org/cto/d/2...592952921.html

$3,000 for a 2002 Insight with 374,000 miles in Wisconsin: https://eauclaire.craigslist.org/cto...562454415.html

$1,450 for a 2002 Insight without air conditioning and 230,000 miles in New Jersey: https://southjersey.craigslist.org/c...591954235.html

This one is currently going for $200 in Nebraska: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2000-Honda-...Va94zv&vxp=mtr

05-18-2018, 10:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
Xist Not Doug Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Show Low, AZ Posts: 12,186 Chorizo - '00 Honda Civic HX, baby! :D 90 day: 35.35 mpg (US) Mid-Life Crisis Fighter - '99 Honda Accord LX 90 day: 34.2 mpg (US) Gramps - '04 Toyota Camry LE 90 day: 35.39 mpg (US) Don't hit me bro - '05 Toyota Camry LE 90 day: 29.44 mpg (US) Thanks: 7,225 Thanked 2,217 Times in 1,708 Posts	Life is harder if you are stupid Fatal error, moron at keyboard. My brother decided it was a good idea to find the stomach flu on Tuesday. My car overheated on Wednesday, and I was trying to figure out how to test my compression tester when my stomach decided it was angry with me. I watched the last episode of "Monk," threw up, and did not accomplish anything else the rest of the day. I guess that I got my pressure tester from O'Reilly. I found my receipt and was about to return it, but it said there was a forty-eight-hour deadline. I might as well have tried anyway, but I figured that I would use it again, and I have. The Autozone one was different (and 50% more expensive, although I liked it more), but it read 0 PSI for the first two cylinders. I did not test the others, I put in the spark plugs, borrowed a wire from the parts going into my Accord, and drove to Speedy Automotive here in Show Low. I have gone there many times over the last fourteen years and they have always treated me well, while I have not had consistently good experiences anywhere else. Bry told me that they could not test for a bad head gasket without a radiator, so I bought one for $77 from Napa (with Veteran discount). All of the guys laughed at how small it was. Swapping it was easy enough. The most difficult part was finding the bracket. It had fallen between the radiator and the bumper. I filled up with distilled water, drove to that fire department, parked, and popped the hood. The engine was not smoking, the radiator cap was a little warm, the hoses were warm, and I did thirty-five celebratory push-ups. I drove home and tested compression with both kits at the same time. My kit read zero for each cylinder. The borrowed one read 0-0-150-180. There also seemed to be a bit of an oily sheen when I topped off the radiator. The car seems to drive well enough, but this will only get worse with time. I am trying to find a rebuild kit. I could only find five 2000 - 2002 Insights in the entire country and zero 2003 - 2005s. If I had a million dollars I would fly to Gaithersburg, Maryland, purchase this one, and drive it back: https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/...572925510.html This one is technically in Arizona, but nobody goes to Buckeye without an exceptionally good reason: https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/c...591981261.html $3,000 for an eighteen year-old car sounds awesome. That is almost as much as I paid for both of my cars combined! However, it has fewer miles than either of my cars had when I purchased them. $3,975 for a 2001 Insight with 98,900 miles in Northern California: https://chico.craigslist.org/cto/d/2...592952921.html $3,000 for a 2002 Insight with 374,000 miles in Wisconsin: https://eauclaire.craigslist.org/cto...562454415.html $1,450 for a 2002 Insight without air conditioning and 230,000 miles in New Jersey: https://southjersey.craigslist.org/c...591954235.html This one is currently going for $200 in Nebraska: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2000-Honda-...Va94zv&vxp=mtr