FW: <VV> Houston - we have a ...

[Chris & Bill Strickland]

 > > Hindsight is 20/20 but that doesn't do me any good right now. My 
fear is ...

well, yes, and no, and maybe. if we knew why you were going down the 
road without spares, we might be able to judge what was going on in your 
mind, and thusly, better interpret your statements --

like, "Looked at my dash and the GEN light was bright red." -- well, 
when did it come on? while you were looking in the mirror? previously? 
or don't you know for the same reason you didn't have spares?

if it was on for 5 miles and you didn't notice it, well, your engine is 
probably fine, because when you go to drive it again with a new fan 
belt, you won't notice anything even if it isn't fine, so since you 
won't notice it, it must be fine.

I say this in all sincerity, because some people are just not good 
potential Corvair owners. People like my nephew. My nephew, (don't ask 
where he picked up the 'mechanically oblivious' gene, but he did) drove 
his 1995 Isuzu with the 3.2 V-6, the one that drives the water pump off  
the back of the timing belt, until the pulley on the water pump pulley 
had turned blue and the belt had melted to all the various parts it 
contacts -- I imagine that since the water pump wasn't turning because 
the bearing had gotten so bad that the impeller broke off a blade on the 
block and that had jammed the pump and thus the cams weren't turning in 
sync either, that something on the dash would have indicated trouble, 
not to mention the screaming of that belt turning the stationary water 
pump pulley blue and the smell of burning rubber.  Now, my nephew isn't 
typically classified as 'STUPID' -- he does have a degree from a well 
known liberal arts college -- he just don't got a feel for machines. 
Anyway, he drove it until it quit going while trundling down the 
Interstate, got out his cell, called his dad and asked what was wrong, 
"It just quit running" -- that was when the cell got handed to me, and 
no, I couldn't hear the stereo running in the background .

How much old leaked oil has accumulated on your engine? Does it normally 
smoke like an old oil stove even when the red light isn't on? Does it 
leave a Large grease spot on the area where it is parked? Is the back of 
the car all oil spotted, even though you washed it yesterday? Or, is the 
engine pristinely clean, even on the underside, and you wouldn't mind 
parking your Spyder in the living room of your mother-in-law if the 
front door was large enough?

All this stuff makes a difference, so treat us gently. some of us aren't 
as young as we used to be and it takes a while before we can figure out 
if you really need help and whether or not our help would be going to 
good use -- some of us may only have a little time left and we don't 
want to be wasting it.

 > > ... what if I have damaged the engine.

if you have, it will cost a lot of good money to fix it. Some of life's 
lessons don't come without a cost -- like my nephew, all the books and 
websites list that Isuzu 3.2 as an interference motor - 24 bent valves 
at $25 each. It isn't though, so ...

Godspeed!

Bill Strickland
w/ 95 Trooper added to the stable (got 20 mpg last week on 600 mile trip 
in the snow with a 5000# 4X4)