Today is my first and last Saturday free for some time, so I decided to spend it getting outside and working on car stuff.
I started by checking the fluids, which seemed to be at good levels despite something continuing to burn even after I had the valve cover gaskets replaced. The oil was pretty dark though, and while I have been topping it off it hadn't been properly changed since September.
I decided to take the Firebird to Oil Can Henry's despite only needing the one point of their Famous 20-Point Oil Change Service. They apparently don't see many 3rd-gens there; one tech said the engine 'looks like the same V-8 in my truck' (I doubt it, being a V-6), and I had to point out to the other tech where the air filter was so he could check it. (It's a K&N lifetime filter. PSYCHE.) After changing the oil and topping off my 'clutch fluid' I was on my way.
Coworkers have made passing reference to a U-Pull parts yard on 99W out by Sherwood, and I figured it was worth a look. Ten months into ownership I am still plagued by door troubles, and I don't want to try fixing it until I've had a go somewhere else.
I paid my $2 to get in and lo and behold, there is a fresh 25th-anniversary Camaro right by the entrance. I set about destroying the door. It was filthy work, but I stripped it down as much as I could. I could now see how the interior door handle works but did not figure out how one was supposed to remove it. I removed it anyway. I could also see the infamous window gear that is missing teeth on my Firebird, but destroy as I could I was unable to reach it. I decided to abandon it for now, as even with my new working knowledge of the mechanisms holding the door together I do not think I can even get to the door handle without destroying the door.
With door handle in hand, I set off into the main area. The internet provided me with a list of all the 3rd-gens on the lot. However, unlike the 25th-anniversary these cars have seen better days. I was hoping to find better sun visors, but most of the cars have had their head liners removed. There was a Camaro that looked like it had started life as red and been painted metallic blue, like my Firebird. I was sad for it and tried to put the t-tops back in place to keep the rain out.
In the end, I did salvage a body piece from a '91 Firebird and some seat belt parts from a '90 Camaro. I tried to acquire an EGR solenoid as well, but couldn't figure out how to remove what I was assuming was it. I set off for home filthy and exhausted.
I had never actually been out to that section of 99W, but was pleased by what I found. Sherwood is just outside the conglomerate of cities in the Portland Metro Area and has some nice divided highways to and from it. I was able to open up a bit and let the Firebird do its thing.
Then the clutch pedal stopped working.
No comments:
Post a Comment