2024: What are you doing today?

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Figured out part of  my daily driver Honda car problems.  Goofy starting some daze, the next day the car starts fine.

Battery was going out. It had bad daze, then a good day.

Walmart exchanged the battery under warranty... 3 yr warranty , it was 35 months old.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Started this project yesterday,,  Daily driver Honda  car again. Wheel covers are plastic. Argent silver in colour.

THey were scuff'd , faded, paint flaking off,  etc.  Lug nutz hold them on.  I removed them , re-installed the lug nutz.

I washed them about 3 times.  With Simple Green, Dawn dish soap.  THen used the powder TSP to make sure they were clean of tire treatment stuff so the paint would not fish eye.

Scuff;d them with 400 grit wet- paper.  ALso used a red scuff pad. Bought a near Argent Silver paint at Home Depot.

The wheel covers  look much better.  I f I had the space here. I would repaint the car.  It has the typical clear coat paint flaking, falling off on the roof , trunk lid, etc.

[jaybee]

Ugh, I'm trying to figure out to do about clearcoat on my Fiesta. Not the whole car, just the front fascia, where I hit a coyote at 13,000 miles. Everything else is really sound, the car is in fantastic shape, so it feels wrong to not do something, but I'm not sure what.

[chimp koose]

I think detailers have a product they wipe on that is like a fresh clear coat

[jaybee]

Thanks, I'll look into that. There are also some catalyzed, automotive quality, rattle can clears out there. A good bit of work, but this car is in really good shape for its age, with nothing except a little dent in one of the rear doors that doesn't even have chipped paint.

And clicking HVAC blend doors, but that's pretty minor for a 10 year old car.

[idrivejunk]

Jaybee, my junk has dual zone climate control (well, it did) and I just reach under the dash and turn a knob made from a broken blend door actuator when I need to switch between hot and not. I keep meaning to put a lever on it and use a choke cable but it is hardly worth any effort.

Saw a conversation about "wipe-on clear" other day:

https://www.chevelles.com/threads/patina-preservation.1175068/

On my junks, when I use Duplicolor 1K spray paint clear to make bumper repairs, they are visible within a year and completely gone in two. 2K would be much better.

[idrivejunk]

Oh... You guys will probably like Josh's Stude tubs too. 

I miss doing customizing.  

[kb426]

Matt, who did the chassis on the Stude?

[idrivejunk]

Same guy.

[WZ JUNK]

I have been messing with the old truck.  Today I changed out the 180 degree thermostat for a 195 degree.  The higher temperature rated thermostat improved the cooling.  Out on the interstate at 75 mph it ran cooler than yesterday with a slight higher outside temperature today.  I think that the 195 is cycling and letting the water have more time in the radiator and it cools more.  The 180 is probably staying open and the water never stops moving.  I am open to any thoughts anyone may have.

[jaybee]

I've always liked the look of using another set of cut down pickup fenders for inner tubs. They look like they belong, for good reason.

[chimp koose]

Ya those inner tubs look very classy.

[idrivejunk]

They hide the fender bolts too.

[idrivejunk]

I have been messing with the old truck.  Today I changed out the 180 degree thermostat for a 195 degree.  The higher temperature rated thermostat improved the cooling.  Out on the interstate at 75 mph it ran cooler than yesterday with a slight higher outside temperature today.  I think that the 195 is cycling and letting the water have more time in the radiator and it cools more.  The 180 is probably staying open and the water never stops moving.  I am open to any thoughts anyone may have.

In my power tour years I found the air deflector under the core support to be critical for highway cooling. Also, system pressure. Be it pinhole or loose clamp, air-only leaks high in system such as heater hose may not lose water but still prevent proper pressurizing.

At what temp reading do you declare overheating? Is your expansion tank in the radiator or seperate? Does it have a proper cap for the style?

Clutch fan or electric? If electric, do they run on highway?

I'm no help and am guessing you want excess highway temp suggestions but theres you a reply.

[kb426]

Off to Pueblo tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing friends and seeing how the show is. Because it's the 50th Back to the 50's, I wonder if the numbers will be down? The 48 is as clean as it will be for the next 4 days. I will kill a lot of bugs on the trip but I don't clean the truck until I get home.