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These newer cars have such good manegment systems that we thend to forget the basics.

Here's the distributor cap I just changed out on my 2002 5.9 Dakota.

41,000 miles on this cap. The wires didnt look too good either.

I really like the first picture. Cool photograph.

Last week, my daughter called me from the side of the road, "I was driving down the highway when the engine's RPM started going at 6,000 so I pulled over. What should I do?"

"Well, start by checking your oil & transmission fluid. Tell me how much there is and what it smells like."

"Ok, I'll call you back in a few minutes."

20 minutes later she calls back. "Some guy pulled over to help me. He checked the oil and said that it was only showing up 1/4 way up the stick so he added some, then he told me to get back on the highway while he watched to make sure I was ok. So I'm driving now and the RPMs are only 2,000 but the car is making a funny shaking sound and . . . whoa, something just fell out of the car. I'm pulling over again."

When I drove out to where she was pulled over, I looked under the hood to find a rod had punched through the side of the engine.

This after I had just changed the brakes & rotors the weekend before and had a shop replace two axels that morning.

I hate cars.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

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I like cars. I just hate working on them. After the 70s, I have trouble comprehending everything under the hood. I gladly pay others to check and fix stuff.

These newer cars have such good manegment systems that we thend to forget the basics.

Here's the distributor cap I just changed out on my 2002 5.9 Dakota.

Again, I don't know much about newer cars, but I didn't think distributors were used anymore. I don't remember seeing one in any of the vehicles I've owned in the last 2 decades.

Speaking of "car stuff" This is the shop in the building that I inspected on Friday:

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They had 4 top fuel dragsters. They fired one up while I was in the attic above the shop.

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Saw this on return from a family day trip today. You better believe we turned back for a closer look. It turned out to be a 250 inline 6 banger. Not very sought after but a rather rare survivor. The car looked good driving past but up close inspection revealed the typical rough nature of these oldies.

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I like cars. I just hate working on them. After the 70s, I have trouble comprehending everything under the hood. I gladly pay others to check and fix stuff.

These newer cars have such good manegment systems that we thend to forget the basics.

Here's the distributor cap I just changed out on my 2002 5.9 Dakota.

Again, I don't know much about newer cars, but I didn't think distributors were used anymore. I don't remember seeing one in any of the vehicles I've owned in the last 2 decades.

Speaking of "car stuff" This is the shop in the building that I inspected on Friday:

Click to Enlarge
tn_2009712234416_DSCN1793.jpg

34.89 KB

They had 4 top fuel dragsters. They fired one up while I was in the attic above the shop.

The 5.9 is one of Mopars last old school V8's. My 98 Cherokee with a 4 liter 6 also has a distributer. I think it was the last year for them in the Cherokee.

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This after I had just changed the brakes & rotors the weekend before and had a shop replace two axels that morning.

Make sure they didn't punch the oil sending unit, oil filter or oil pan in the process. Find out why the oil leaked out.

Thanks for the tip. I've already got a mechanic doing a quick forensic once over to figure out what happened. I mentioned your suggestions to him. I'm mostly trying to figure out why it started revving at 6000 rpm on the highway. My first thought was that the new axels had somehow disengaged themselves. But they're still tightly affixed. I suspect that it's related to the automatic transmission.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

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This after I had just changed the brakes & rotors the weekend before and had a shop replace two axels that morning.

...My first thought was that the new axels had somehow disengaged themselves. But they're still tightly affixed. I suspect that it's related to the automatic transmission.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

Sorry, Jim...

but I just can't help myself. Whether Walter is gone for good or not, I can't let this pass. After all, I'm sure you'd want to know. (Haven't I heard something like that before?)

If you are talking about your car, it's axles. Being near the frozen North like you are, you may be thinking about figure skating. In that case, it's axels.

Like I said, I can't help myself. I'm kinda O/C about spelling...

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This after I had just changed the brakes & rotors the weekend before and had a shop replace two axels that morning.

...My first thought was that the new axels had somehow disengaged themselves. But they're still tightly affixed. I suspect that it's related to the automatic transmission.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

Sorry, Jim...

but I just can't help myself. Whether Walter is gone for good or not, I can't let this pass. After all, I'm sure you'd want to know. (Haven't I heard something like that before?)

If you are talking about your car, it's axles. Being near the frozen North like you are, you may be thinking about figure skating. In that case, it's axels.

Like I said, I can't help myself. I'm kinda O/C about spelling...

Good catch, thanks. As an ex-figure skater I should know better.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

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