Project A4

[ScottyB]

i guess i should update my fantastic journey through major automotive repair.

i got the car back on monday night, approximately 4 and a half months, 5 rental cars, and 2 secondary cars since it was flatbedded to the shop the week before christmas. it was like getting into a time capsule. my pine branch twig was still hanging from the rear view mirror, dried up and no longer smelling like the holidays. i will tell you this -- it felt really good to drive it under it's own power again. it's like meeting an old friend.

the cost had bloated to far beyond my original budget. in the end i had to buy a long block because the auto-tranny block i was sent was trash. the machined recess for the intermediate shaft to sit in had been beat up in shipping and nobody found out (mechanic should have, if he knew his stuff) until the car was put together and started. it allowed the intermediate to make a terrible racket (think, deisel) upon startup. of course, since the entire engine had been put together at that point, the block was unreturnable since we had used it and could be blamed for improper assembly techniques, trying to return a different/damaged product instead of what i bought, etc. i have spoken with the engine supplier and am negotiating a refund of some kind.

if i don't sell the car, i will recoup some costs by selling my old cylinder head and some timing belt assembly parts.

all in all, i have learned a hard lesson and it sucks. jen has been very upset, i've been upset, and my parents have been upset (feeling guilty for passing on a "faulty" car even though i've tried to explain it was my fault) and my parents-in-law have been upset with worry that my "lemon" will quit on me in some downtown ghetto and i'll be in trouble. all i can say is this -- in the event you screw something up in a big way like i do, stick with WHO YOU KNOW. it's not the time to try someone that the locals say are "pretty good with *insert car brand here*" just because they are closer/cheaper. the other big lesson i learned is that in a big job like this, let the professionals do the professional work. i tried to source an engine and it turned into a mess. i should have let the mechanic do it himself, and allowed him to take the heat if something was wrong with it instead of me taking the blame and having to deal with it.

anyway. the car is utterly filthy, covered in grease and dust from a 1/3 of a year enduring shop life. it still billows smoke when hot at idle from the diesel still burning off inside the exhaust -- it's embarrassing. and as of the other day i've had a bit of an issue with my car dropping into a soft-limp mode (har har) where it's limiting itself to 10 psi instead of 14-16 due to some sensor whacking out...i'll be getting in touch with someone who has a diagnostic tool and see what we find. otherwise, it's quite happy to go down the interstate at fast speeds and the new engine is very quiet. i'll be treating her to a wash, oil change (i don't trust what the mechanics put in it), and some new diff/tranny fluid. maybe a vacuum.

jen's Xterra was patched up and returned to us on tuesday as well, so we got both our cars back in quick succession. it's almost like things are normal again!

i will be doing some general maintainance but i don't see myself putting any money into this car, unless necessary, for a long time, assuming i keep the car. maybe a year from now i'll find that it's still giving back to me what i've tried to give to it and my urge to make it into something special will be re-ignited. maybe come fall it will find a new owner. i think this thread may be at an end....only time will tell.

thanks for the help with everything throughout this, guys!