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Thanks for the advice. You've mentioned a thing or two I've been thinking about. The block heater is one. I'm thinking of getting the one that replaces the freeze plug. It seems that it would be the most effective one, since it would heat the water which is able to spread the heat throughout the block. I could plug it in when I come home and have the cord connected to a timer so it would turn on an hour or so before I need to leave.
I need to check to see how to start a mileage log here. Is that something offered as part of the forum, or do you just start keeping track in the signature?
Will the MPGuino work with a car as old as mine? Do you have one? I'd love to get at all the info one of those could give me.
How do I test to see if the head has been warped? I've never noticed the plugs looking bad, but then again I haven't looked at them for a while. I'll have to check them this weekend. If I do have to replace the HG, I'll definitely let you know. Right after I get done throwing things and crying, that is.
On the other hand, if it got bad enough to need that level of work, I'd seriously consider going fully electric. I'd hate to give up the range of a gas engine, but maybe I could set up a generator system like the chevy volt has.
Truth be known, I wouldn't mind going partially electric right now. I just don't want to spend the cash on it yet. Maybe if I could find the things I would need used and cheap, it would be worth it. I could start on it, without taking it off the road if I used a transaxle from a front wheel drive in place of the rear axle. I could weld the steering straight and drive it as I added the electric drive parts. I don't know whether it would work or not, but it sounds interesting to me. If I integrated the controller for the motor into the gas pedal, I could run either the gas engine, the electric motor, or both together, depending on what I had powered up and in gear. The most time consuming part would be finding a transaxle of the correct width, and actually getting it welded in.
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