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If I do remember those 60’s buicks still was using hydramatics transmissions wasn’t they? Plus they was highway geared. So it doesn’t surprise me they would get at least 20mpg+. Most the cars that like wasn’t “Luxury” or upscale cause Lincoln, Buick and Caddy, Chrylser was all the top tier brands for the big three. But your Fords, Chevys, Plymouths,Dodges was the lower end stuff. they normally didn’t have the slush o matic transmissions or highway gearing. Also depending on car/truck class. For your econobox car i consider anything less than 30 quite horrible.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/05/best-worst-fuel-economy/index.htm <– quite recent list too
your 2nd check should be fuel. check the fuel filter for clogs (Prolly be best to replace as it would been long overdue anyhow). Even if you replaced the pump and cleaned out the tank you gotta remember there was prolly fuel sitting in that filter for good long time. Cause It sounds like to me it’s starved for fuel. Also if its running hot. You might wanna also flush out the coolant and put new coolant. And a new thermostat for good measure.
I think Car Part Kings might be good as they have been giving Eric good parts for the fixing it forward series. Can always call Auto Zone, O’reilly’s, Advance, or NAPA. Out of all the companies I’ve had the best luck with NAPA for local to you. However your best bet is looking at the each of the places and contacting them and asking them where they got X part at. If its the manufacturer that Toyota used its more 90% likely the part that has the same OEM specs as the original and just cheaper and just rebadged.
Just remember that the part will more then likely not be the lowest cost one. Prolly either in the higher end of the mid range or the most expensive one but it will still be cheaper then what the Dealership will charge you.
You should be alright in doing this. Don’t kink the line. How old is the dakota btw? if its old body on frame of the late 80’s to the late 90’s just run along the top of the frame rail making sure you secure it down or else its gonna rattle like crazy rub and youll have the same problem you started with Using self tappers with a metal or plastic wire/hose tie down would be fine. IF you wanna be doubly sure water wont get in and rot the frame use some thin rubber on the back of the tie down when you secure it.
I agree about emissions equipment. OEM is your best bet. However with that being said if your are willing to some some research sometimes you can get the same exact part from a different place from the same manufacturer that gave it toyota and save yourself some dough. This info sometimes can be really hard to dig up though.
I’ve personally done this my old 1996 Bonneville. I wasn’t gonna pay the GM price for so i did some research found the manufacturer of the part and looked around for the part at the various online parts hubs. I saved about 30% or so off it.
Well you are right one hand and wrong an another. Cause modern tech on that 5.0 mustang they are able to design the carb digitally and test it digitally to see what is the best design through simulations. Alot of those cars in the 50’s and 60’s that could do good gas mileage was the normally base engine models. In most American cases it was a Straight 6 with a single barrel carb. Some europeans used a straight 4 that would have more in common with a motorcycle motor then a car motor. The higher end models with the v8’s tended to get worse and once you got in the luxury side of things you may as well just have a tanker truck follow you.
The thing about modern cars is that you can do more with less. Not even less than 30 years ago a 4 cylinder would be been seen as something your parents econobox has wasn’t that powerful at all. Fast forward 30 years and now you have cars that can blow the doors off a big ass v8 muscle car and get better fuel economy too. Thanks to advances in electronics and turbocharging and supercharging and just better quality fuel in general.
You exactly wouldn’t call a 2015-6 mustang Ecoboost 4 cylinder amenic would ya? It’s because we figured out that displacement does not equal power. It’s kinda a of a 2nd muscle car movement in a way. Instead being bigger and badder its a race to see who can do more with less and still be an economy car by the government.
I think sometimes people are biased toward electronics in cars. I get it. You can’t hit electronics with a stump in the head.
They do a lot of important things.. Just remember cars from the late 70’s and most of the 80’s when emissions controls was starting.They had to detune engines to make them meet emissions.
Just look at what they do. They’ve made cars have more gas mileage than ever before and have oodles of power and meet emissions. They’ve also made the cars faster and safer too. Also they have done more to make repair actually easier and quicker for technicians. Giving them a basis on which to diagnose issues or see issues that can’t be seen, smelled or even heard. Yes there is fault codes stored on the computer but they also serve a benefit to you too. Things that might maybe need to be looked at in the future before they become major problems. In some respects it’s made cars more reliable too! If you take off your rose tinted nostalgia glasses for a minute. People used to buy cars every 2 years and they could barely reach 100k before something major needed to be looked at. Now cars if maintained right can easily last 10+ years without no major repair issues. People dont seem to realize that during ww2 there was real concern about cars not being to last throughout the war. Due to lack of raw materials for making new ones that wasn’t be purposed for the war effort.
So there is nothing to fear. In fact in a way it empowers you to know what to look at and when to look at it.
You might wanna also look into getting a Adblue system retrofitted to your car as well. I hate to say even with everything brand new you are still gonna have to pay the higher taxes. They will do it as “incentive” for you to get the car off the road.
My problem with Scotty Kilmer is this. He is good for News bite style of videos. That is it. He glosses over the work required to do a job. He cannot take criticism even if its constructive. He loves to make broad generalizations about brands of cars.
Frankly the guy is nothing more then a guy who should of retired 20 years ago and can’t adapt to how the industry has changed and wants to whine and complain about everything.
[quote=”Ryanflex2003″ post=163210]I’d say thermostat as well. Should be able to change it out yourself as thermostats generally require just a few bolts to remove the housing and some draining/refilling of the coolant. Sometimes its extremely cramped, but nothing a good ‘S’ wrench can’t work around. Keep us updated![/quote]
The problem I have is 1. I have none of the tools required. I only have a set of nut drivers and screwdrivers from my days as a tech for working on PC’s. I also don’t really know anyone that would let me use there tools (I have family who do have them but that part of my family is one of those , “Whats in it for me types and love to start drama over nothing types too”). I also cannot stand no more then 5 minutes at most on my back before my legs go numb.
[quote=”ArmedsouthernEr” post=159373]A flex fuel vehicle can run any mixture. They have a sensor to tell the computer the alcohol content of the fuel. A non flex fuel engine cant run e85 due to the fuel strategy and algorithms programed into the computer. Also the rubber components of the fuel system are not compatible with E85. Also yes I have seen many suburban’s, Yukon’s and expeditions that are Flex Fuel[/quote]
I knew about the rubber components not being compatible. Interesting how the sensor can know the correct ratio even if it’s mixed with both. Is the sensor measuring the water content of the alcohol to get this ratio? (I assume a dealer level scan tool can tell exactly what the sensor is doing)
I didn’t know that there was more cars then that. I guess they don’t advertise it as such on the badge. Cause the only time I’ve even seen it is on Ford Sedans. Namely Fusions and Taurus with the badging.
Ya I know that techinally any engine can run it. I am more worry about the fuel system and delivery and if the car would be smart enough to know the things was mixed in a different ratio then e85 would be.
Most of the Flex fuel cars I’ve are Fords. Mainly the Sedans. I know my last car before my current was flex fuel capable.
Depends on what you wanna do if you wanna specialize in say like certain brands of cars then the dealership is your best option. However the people who tend to work there aren’t really too keen on helping teach a newbie cause it can cut on time for flat rate. This is not all of em but from what I’ve heard and talked to a few techs at various Dealerships.
Indie shops can be a lot better if it’s ran well if they use flat rate then such as dealerships you have the same problem. However if the shop is just normal maybe hourly workers or commissions or something like that you will find people more apt to help you learn.