What do you think killed my Accord?

[Xist]

Yes, the rising sun, but since my vehicle isn't 7' tall, I was thinking a white wrap.

[JSH]

Or maybe sell it now since used vehicle prices are at record highs and it actually runs at the moment.

[freebeard]

This seems the most appropriate thread for keeping an aging Japanese vehicle running.

My neighbor down the lane has a gray four-door something, missing the grille and logo, possible a Civic (??). Each time he wants to drive it he clicks the starter solenoid repeatedly (scarily obsessively) until the starter engages. This time he opened the hood and thwacked something with a stick to get it to go.

Xist, isn't that an electrical ground problem?

[Xist]

Of course, she didn't let me know she was in Show Low until fifteen minutes after I left her know we were on our way.
She did thank me, though.
I am positive she made sure she would avoid the big huge jerk who, among other things, was bringing them Easter baskets.
Do you think she will drive five miles out of her way to get the Easter baskets or wait until after they drive to the Valley for Bunny Day?

Will she make up our lead while my brother and I wait for Mom to stop wandering around Basha's?

I pulled into a parking lot to inform my sisters that we made it to Payson and Mom demanded that I immediately--she's here and yelling at me.

[Xist]

I keep telling her that would be child abuse!

My Accord looks okay, but a door was unlocked, and the car was backwards, as is the tailbone cushion, despite me telling her multiple times that the fat part goes in the back, with the gap under the tailbone.
Clearly this woman, who is among the shortest 1% of Americans, wanted more distance between her knees and the pedals.
I can tell she tried to clean, but she left one of the front floormats in the back.
At least she left the key where I asked her.

[Xist]

On Sunday I drove us home from Church and gave my brother my keys to get into the house while I helped Mom. Then he took a nap and I went to visit a friend, but I couldn't find my keys.

After I came home Mom found them, but meanwhile I took my Accord, drove carefully, and watched the gauges.

She drove all right, but when I got home I checked the fluids (except the coolant).

There was just one drop of oil on the end of the dipstick and the transmission dipstick was completely dry.

I should have checked the fluids as soon as I realized she drove 5,000 miles, but I was shocked!

I checked the coolant tonight and it was at the bottom of the neck, above the fins.

Since I spent $66 filling up a car that someone else drove (without thanking me!) and in order to fill up my Camry I would also need to do so without a discount I am disinclined to spend $130 on gas within a week when I haven't driven anywhere near that far.

I decided to drive the Honda, which means that I needed to top off my fluids.

When I checked my fluids my car was warmed up and in the street, which isn't level, but flatter than Mom's driveway, so results would be even less accurate, but I am not finding a flat spot.

I put in a quart and the dipstick was dry. I put in 2 quarts and it was still horribly low.

I put in 3 quarts!

Oil capacity in my car is 4.5 quarts.

How does this change my oil change interval?!

I am more concerned with why my car burned 2/3rds of its oil in 5,000 miles--and leaked at least a quart of ATF.

[JSH]

I would drain the oil and replace it with fresh. You likely just missed severe damage to the engine because there was enough oil to keep the oil pump covered and keep oil pressure but that 1.5 quarts of oil is shot.

Going forward - top off the fluids and sell it. Let the next owner worry about fluid change intervals.

[Xist]

Sweet! I'll sell it to my sister!

[redpoint5]

Why help ungrateful people? What's her excuse for not pulling her own weight? There's tons of money to make in this labor market, and I would think especially so in Alaska. No skills necessary.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Why help ungrateful people? What's her excuse for not pulling her own weight? There's tons of money to make in this labor market, and I would think especially so in Alaska. No skills necessary.

If I've followed the Life of Xist correctly (as told through 100 different threads) the Alaskian moved from Alaska to Show Low to be with Xist. She has a job but it doesn't sound like the job prospects in Show Low are that great for a single mother with kids to support and take care of.