GM keeps creating new formulas and calling them a replacement for older ones. III(H) is alleged to be an adeuqte substitute for dex iii. I mean the iii has to be relevant somehow.

I'm not changing the fluid again. Nor replacing the filter again. If once wasn't enough a 2nd change will likely accomplish nothing.

There could be a different issue. I guess after a year though there's little hope of a simple fix changing much. I'm even afraid to try the Lucas as it could make things worse.

So ... put the Lucas in. And an unlabeled quart of red Pennzoil fluid. After I draimed out nearly 2 quarts. I think it's worse. I'll give it some more miles, like I have a choice. Possibly but unlikely change the fluid again. I know in my head tjat this tranny is toast. Drained fluid was very murky.

I have to get on removing the other tranny. Thing is I'll have to remove the emgine, or rather half of it, to facilitate removal through the top. The whole engime won't come out. 2001 Venture. Then remove the tranny. For the longest time while contemplating this I was goimg to drop the whole subframe. But it's easier the other way, or less crap to remove, lass chance of scfewing up alignment or whatever. Oi vay.

Well drove the heap today some, not in blazing daylight hours, after 10pm. The heat might make all the differemce, but car is doing alright. Maybe even better then before Lucas. I didn't go far, ~12 miles round trip. No noticeable bangs. It let out a few bangs the other day.

Question is, IF car is "fixed" enough to drive it 50 miles from home, would fresh fluid and another bottle of Lucas extend the lifw of the car even longer? We'll see. Really have to drive it in the daytime and see how it does. I was fixing to totally flush out everything umtil I drove it earlier.

My friend says his mother will never drive again. She has an older Focus sitting in the driveway. 12k on the odometer. But he drove them somewhere and hit a tree! No discernible damage to the car and no one was hurt (not even the tree). He doesn't like driving it (even before striking dat tree), and hia brother who's somewhat knowledgeable of cars is concerned there's structural damage. I'm not concerned. My hooptie's engine has been doing the Fleetwood Mac song and dance (going it's own way) since I got it. Changed the motor and tranny mounts 5 years ago and whatever the lower engine mount bolts to was cracked! Ah well, screwed it all back together and here I am. Alive. Breathing (but not as good as I could be due to 80+ extra pounds). I don't let no stinking structural damage get in the way of my cruising.

It takes about a week of driving, say 10+ individual drives for the full effect of the detergent and internal seal re-swelling, so it's about as good as it gets after that.

Focus.. they went a bit flaky in general after about 2011 for a few years, but the prior ones were good enough cars as long as the rocker panels didn't rot out. Most of the problems in older ones are they are shagged out from use and rust, so getting one in good shape usually means a bunch of miles left in it. Rubber parts, hoses etc, though usually age with time rather than miles, so those can come due before "expected" mileage. If the front crossmember isn't bent, the radiator isn't sitting half in the engine etc, it's prolly fine. Should probably get checked for alignment though. Sometimes you can get hold of a body manual that will tell you what measurements should be corner to corner across engine bay and between strut towers etc, so you can tape measure it to see if it's tweaked.

I just took it for another spin. ~20 miles round trip. Needed fishing line to repair the screens I JUST REPLACED. The 2 big boys figure no estinking screen is going to keep them in the house at night. Maybe if reinforce the screens w/50 lb. test the "little" monsters will have met their match. The 2 of them together weigh nearly 50 lbs.

Oh yeah the car. Still stinks like a mofo (and this is 35 - 50 with barely any stopping. Prolly be worse in the daytime with stop and go. Truthfully it rides alright. No thumping. Some weird shifting, different then before. I'm nearly confident enough to go see a friend 50 or 60 miles away.

The stink is burning fluid no doubt. Due to worn out clutch packs or some such? No precious liquid in a bottle will fix that - ?

I give no thought to the condition of the (earlyiah 2000s iinm) Focus, if that ever pans out. I'd drive it and see how it feels. There's also a nice car in Long Island cheap. Not sure if I'd drive. Prolly take the bus to Penm Station then boogy onto a train. Do love them trains.

This car was an inspiration for me with my 1967 Camaro. Back in the day, it humbled many far more expensive cars. The legendary Big Red Camaro!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaGlW_NCYns

kixs wrote on 2015-10-27, 09:59:

My family car... Opel Astra H 2005 caravan CDTI 1.7 74kw - nice for moving large amounts of computers, CRT monitors and boxes of […]
Show full quote

My family car... Opel Astra H 2005 caravan CDTI 1.7 74kw - nice for moving large amounts of computers, CRT monitors and boxes of components 😁 Otherwise I like it as it's very reliable and with my light foot very economic too.

I used to log fuel consumption and there is also a small picture here:
http://www.spritmonitor.de/en/detail/472678.html

Now-a-days I have even lower fuel consumption - around 4.2 to 4.5L/100km (that's around 55MPG US).

Let me see... almost 8 years later and it's still my wagon 😉

In a few months it will be 18 years old... So cheap running and reliable I just don't care about buying a newer car 🤣

Yeah I'd loved to have found a vehicle like that in Canada, the Jetta and Passat wagons are here with diesels but not all that common/cheap. We had Astras twice, but only with petrol, once way back, it was an Asuna or Pontiac maybe, for a year or two, then 2008 it was a Saturn, only the hatch and with a larger petrol motor. Ppl who got them were happy, but feels too much of a risk for lack of spares for me. In theory there's BMW and Merc diesel wagons but they're super uncommon, I think a lot of years only the sedan/saloon was available with the diesel, and some years no wagon was available at all.

edit: heh that 90s "Astra" we had is a whole 'nother level of "it's complicated" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daewoo_LeMans

BitWrangler wrote on 2023-07-15, 04:25:

Yeah I'd loved to have found a vehicle like that in Canada, the Jetta and Passat wagons are here with diesels but not all that common/cheap. We had Astras twice, but only with petrol, once way back, it was an Asuna or Pontiac maybe, for a year or two, then 2008 it was a Saturn, only the hatch and with a larger petrol motor. Ppl who got them were happy, but feels too much of a risk for lack of spares for me. In theory there's BMW and Merc diesel wagons but they're super uncommon, I think a lot of years only the sedan/saloon was available with the diesel, and some years no wagon was available at all.

edit: heh that 90s "Astra" we had is a whole 'nother level of "it's complicated" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daewoo_LeMans

NO THANKS, VW no way not for me. I had seen fair share of issues that required parts and many fussy stuff breaking, the big bucks parts and small parts that is difficult to replace. In comparison, I had 1987 caravan with 2.2L 3 speed auto from 2003 but actually put it on road in 2006 due to money and priorities repair, saving up more money, (had 2 week vacation in 2005), and drove it daily for few years more. The main issues was initial neglect by previous owner and sloppy repairs that I had to deal with before putting it on road, replace the head just in case to assess the engine's condition and exhaust and intake gaskets. Cylinders walls are fine, pistons are fine. Replaced original carb that was destroyed by previous mechanics with weber carburetor from a VW bus, Once done, it gave me no issues and the "mayor" issue was transmission once midway through it's life with me. It took one adjustment of bands and change filter and fluid to get it back into happy mode. Eventually the rust got the body and engine finally got stuck when cold weather comes around, engine preferred warm weather or heat it up when plugged in. Cylinder two was partially bad whole time.

For what I spent on it is pretty good. I'd consider Toyota, some GM models or Chrysler some models is great. Ford and Mercedes can keep their money.

Worst thing to get that car that was neglected that I was not aware especially that 'van, that is what gives issues for sure, except if for example VW known issues that needed constant repair then that not good to have.

Cheers,

Still driving my pontiac (and no the lucas hasn't changed anything). My friend did send me a photo of the escort. Maybe this weekend ...

Got the Evo out of the garage for the first time in 3 years. Got sad it was parked in there for so long, and it needs to be driven so the seals stay lubricated. Worked on it a little bit, a few visual updates. Full size spoiler, replaced some carbon pieces on the hood, carbon vortex generator, rain deflectors above the windows, AEM OBD2 multi-gauge, new rims/tires. Replacing the timing chain and ball joints / bushings next since I'm at 123k miles.

That's pretty damn spunky 👍 Why you no drive it for 3 years?

Because I have 3 other vehicles and I didn't want to put a ton of miles on it.

My Grand Prix caught on fire at Wallyworld. I knew it could happen, which is why I had a fire extinguisher at arms length. Idiot fire fighters wouldn't let me near it though. It wasn't worth it anyway, it could have exploded. A tragic end to a pretty good car. Extreme ultra violence.

So I've finally taken possession of mums 74 super beetle after she promised it to a 5 year old me.
She's owned it since new even predating meeting my father. It was their wedding car, visited every state in Oz accept WA and Tas. It took me to school and what I learnt to drive with.

It's never been restored and mechanically in really good condition with the original 1600 engine.
Body wise it had the engine bay cover replaced when still brand new, windscreen was replaced in the mid 80's after a rock from the truck in front smashed it that I have vague memories of and has gone through 2 rear quarter floor pan panels and entire side panel during its life, apart from that its all-original panels/glass with no rust to speak of.

Worst thing is the paint which is turning into chalk or cracking with age. Dad's been using cheap spray paint to "keep it sealed" but up close it does look shabby.

Now that my parents have retired they only really use dads car and with me moving back to Oz and needing a car it just made sense.
Work is only a 40km round trip so using this as my daily driver. The wifes car does the bigger trips and for a town car is fine in a dry climate really, I've no need to get anything else.

Very nice bug, gotta love that 'roo bar B^)

I know all the Aussies say it's a roo bar, but I heard that the secret intention is to nail a thylacine for science.

That thing is adorable and with a repaint it should look amazing.

Kirby the Love BUG. ( VW )

Take a best driving school first, in order to focus on learning to know and how what to look for and proactive driving. This bug is a death trap, hence telling you to learn right. Crushes really easily than you believe in a accident, especially that steering wheel is a spear.

Years ago I watched a blog on restoring a bug. And I was at one place when I was boy watching guys take out few bolts and took 4 people to lift upper bug shell off the base with wheels on it and the engine.

Cheers,