Engineering Explained has lost his mind again.

[Xist]

So, don't read the article?

Even when I replace the head gasket on my Civic my cost-to-own will be low over its lifetime, and I have had that car for five years now!

As far as I know, nothing else has broken since I parked it five months ago!

[redpoint5]

Sure, if I lived in SF, I'd probably not keep a car there. I'd trade it in for a gas mask and some waders so I can navigate the feces while keeping my cloths clean. Then again, I'd never live in SF, even if it were the only city in the world. Living on a boat then sounds much more desirable.

As far as the head gasket, what caused it to blow in the first place? If the underlying problem isn't addressed, it's likely to blow again in the future.

[freebeard]

As far as I know, nothing else has broken since I parked it five months ago!

Quite the optimist.

My Superbeetle has been parked twice as long. For one thing, the starter doesn't crank. I've got five gallons of fresh (month old) gas, but I need to find some way to siphon or pump what's in it, out.

[Xist]

My radiator cracked and somehow my car overheated driving seven miles in 70° weather. I stopped when my started overheating, but the radiator cap was cool. I did not realize that it was cracked, empty, and not working. I needed to attend training a mile away in order to start work, so I drove.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I've got five gallons of fresh (month old) gas, but I need to find some way to siphon or pump what's in it, out.

We faced the problem of removing 20 year old fuel from a Buick, and my dad had the genius idea to take the exhaust from a shopvac and insert it into the fuel filler neck. Then we directed the fuel line at the carburetor down into a bucket. Pushing it out seemed easier than pulling.

Originally Posted by Xist

My radiator cracked and somehow my car overheated driving seven miles in 70° weather. I stopped when my started overheating, but the radiator cap was cool. I did not realize that it was cracked, empty, and not working. I needed to attend training a mile away in order to start work, so I drove.

Did you get the head and block inspected? If it warped due to overheating, a new gasket probably won't last long.

[Xist]

I took my Subaru head to an engine shop. I plan on doing the same with my Honda.

[freebeard]

I was thinking about borrowing an electric pump and pulling it from the carburetor end. Maybe I'll try that. I've got the shop vac.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by freebeard

My Superbeetle has been parked twice as long. For one thing, the starter doesn't crank. I've got five gallons of fresh (month old) gas, but I need to find some way to siphon or pump what's in it, out.

Why? Shouldn't be a problem. I just finished putting the engine back in my Toyota pickup, after about 10 months (life got in the way, so what should have taken maybe a couple of weeks kept getting postponed). Gave it a shot of starting fluid, and it fired right up, and runs well.

[freebeard]

Procrastinating. I don't want to sell it; best car I've ever had.

If I was't going to get an Arcimoto FUV when it becomes available, I'd hold it.

[niky]

All depemds on where you live.

Where I live used to be farms from horizon to horizon, with the rail line cutting through town and a highway that was deadly at night because the trucks wouldn't bother slowing down for this one horse town.

Used to be a joy to drive. Get out on the two-lane, peg the pedal and you could be pretty far away in a pretty short time.

Nowadays, our old town is officially a city. With traffic, traffic lights and more traffic. It takes me an hour and a half to take my kid to school. And she only studies six miles away. I have to get her up before the crack of dawn and out to school an hour and a half before the bell rings just to avoid the hassle (and without traffic, that six miles back and forth still takes me three quarters of an hour).

My occasional work is in a city twenty miles north. And that's a good two to three hour commute at rush hour. Sure, I can save some time by driving, but taking public transport means I can actually sleep part of the way instead of stewing in bumper to bumper traffic.