DanD

Anytime buying a used vehicle is always a crapshoot. What I've always ask my clients to do is bring the vehicle they are interested in; to me or any independent garage, away form the dealership that is selling it. Regardless of the pressure the sales person puts on you. One of three things happen during the inspection. It gets a thumbs up that it's a decent vehicle. Take it back and tell the dealership they should be ashamed at trying to sell you such a piece of crap. Lastly the vehicle has potential but needs certain things repaired before purchase; giving you bargaining power. IE: The brakes pass safety inspection; but within 2-3 months it'll need a grand worth of work. I wasn't just asking this for my clients sake; it was for me as well. If it's a decent vehicle the client doesn't mind (as much) spending money on. In other words I rather work on a decent vehicle then some sort of junk; no one is happy when that happens. Dan.

Don't give up on your vehicle. Your tech will find the issue, if he hasn't yet. Good luck; there always an answer to every problem. Dan...

Any word on the diagnoses of the van? Or should we all hold our heads low as another vehicle dies? Sorry for joking but I am interested in the outcome? Dan.

100% brother. Today things are built and monitored with one thing in mind. Planned obsolescence!!!! Dan...

Sorry man, I closed my shop last Sept, after 42 years of head-scratching, unusual jobs. Jobs that the gremlins were too slippery to catch, the first few times out fishing for them. You seem to have trust in the shop you're dealing with, give him as many kicks at this as he is willing to. If this gremlin doesn't want to show his head while at the shop, all he can do is try this or try that and see what happens? Maybe have your guy throw a used throttle body on it; just for worst and giggles? There are tons of Caravans in the wrecking yards. If your Tech has a good repour with a yard and explains the issue. The wrecker' would likely refund or just lend him one for the test? I know as a Tech, we shouldn't just be throwing parts at a vehicle; but if the gremlin has you by the balls you may have to start fighting dirty as well. Dan.

I know you were not asking for fix suggestions, but try a replacement throttle body unit. There are three throttle position sensors for the system. There are two redundant sensors on the pedal assembly and one feedback on the throttle body. All three must match as the accelerator is moved. Now if the throttle does not stay in sync due to the throttle blade binding in worn bushings or the stepper motor has an intermittent electrical fault stopping it for a second; the PCM will see this and throws the engine into limp-in mode. This is not a sure thing without catching the issue while test equipment is attached to record the event, but I have had to replace hundreds while I was going after this same type of customer complaint. Dan.

Well, I can't go on that long of a road trip, but I'd be into a day's worth of crop touring; once I get the Chevy back on the road. How times have changed, a crop tour used to mean hitting the country roads right after picking up a 2/4 at the in&out store. Now it actually means looking at the crops and scenery. LOL I'll let you know Lew when the car is ready. Just a couple of warnings, Roscoe will likely be riding with us and the car only has 4/60 air conditioning. Dan...

Something has changed, it has stopped doing it for/to me? Thanks to whoever deserves! Dan...

When I come to the site and scroll down the "General Discussion" page to see the threads. The page reloads and sends me back to the top of the page. If I can be fast enough to click on a thread, it'll go there. After that everything runs normal, as in I can go anywhere on the site without the reloading issue? But it all starts over again after closing the site and then returning? What's wrong? Is it a setting on my computer? This doesn't happen anywhere else I visit? Dan...

Enjoy!!! That's all I can think of to say? ENJOY!!!!!!! Dan... Just thought of something else! Pictures of your adventures?

Oh Man, I look at the picture of your Skeeter in the shop and I can see my 50 Chey sitting right beside it. Someday I'll have a man cave that will house my toys and hobbies. Until then I'll keep dreaming of yours! Very nice Lew! Enjoy. Dan...

You're digging a deeper hole here man, hopefully, it's one you can climb out of? Advertising on an open message board of an under-the-table service is very foolish. Sorry, I felt obliged to post; it will also be my last on this thread. Again: Sincerely. Dan...

My best wishes to you. Sincerely. Dan...

Not to put a downer on your idea of helping (for money or not) with people's boat electrical installs/issues. Like Cliff said it could turn into something good, but I would strongly suggest you look into liability insurance; before you touch a "stranger's" boat. You could be in for a world of hurt if you burn a boat down or let the smoke out of an expensive piece of equipment; due to your installation/repair. You may be thinking it'll never happen, I'm careful, but things can go wrong that you had no idea that it just had. I understand your intent and I think it's a great idea; just cover your ass!!!!!!!!! Another thing is, that you'll likely find it hard to get insurance, due to you are not a registered business; it's a pretty vicious circle. Sorry but I'm talking from over 40 years of experience in the automotive repair business. I'd hate to see a young person get knocked on their ass for trying to move forward in their lives. Dan...

X2 Dan...

I'm not saying to give a hand out to just anyone; but take a few minutes to listen to them, listen to about how they got to their state. I don't know if I received even 75% of the truth from the guy, I found curled up under the blanket, but it was enough to make me want to help this kid. When I was applying for a position at Seniors for Seniors, I had to have my fingerprints taken and checked at the police station. While waiting in the parking lot for the station to open (Yes the Police station is closed to the public as if it were a grocery store????). I watched people coming out of the shadows. Folding their tents and sleeping bags; gathering whatever possessions they had and walking away? Man some of them looked scary as crap (I locked my truck's doors) others were very nice, giving a wave and hello. What's the right thing to do I DON'T KNOW???? Dan...

It looks like there's not a lot of interest in this thread, and I understand. Homeless people have a stigma associated with them. They're all drug addicts or lazy assed people, but not all of them; we all could try and (IF they want help) help. I have to tell you about what my sister has been doing for the last 4 years. I didn't even know about it until yesterday; this is after I explained my parking lot deal with the homeless man. She and her husband have been going to thrift, secondhand, and places like Value Village stores buying knitted sweaters, blankets anything that the yarn can be pulled from and taken apart. With this yarn she makes toques, in three different sizes; baby, young kid, and adult. When done she places them in plastic grocery bags, with 50 hats in each. My brother (in-law) then takes the bags to places like the women's shelter, homeless, and the Salvation Army. This year's count hit 1500+ toques, other years were 1000-1200. My Sister Andrea never goes to make these donations, she's just happy seeing people wearing her toques. Toques that can be seen worn around St. Thomas. I am so proud of these two mid 70 year old's doing something to help others and not wanting any recognition for it. Thread dedicated to Andrea and Edgar. My family my heroes. Dan...

I was going to visit my sister this morning; it was about 11:30 and decided to grab a burger at Micky D's before heading to St. Thomas. This Mc Donald's shares the lot in a small mall. As I pulled into the lot, I saw a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk. He was holding a cardboard sign, that said "I'm hungry can you help?" I didn't think much of it and went on to the drive-through and ordered my burger and fries. As I was driving out I saw that this homeless man was now laying down, all curled up into a ball. I stopped and went over and asked him; if he was ok. He sat up and said that he was hungry. I went to my truck and gave him my burger. He gave me a very sincere thank you and a handshake. I have never even thought of doing this before, but it felt good that I may have helped someone. Dan...

I'm thinking that a lot of people are overlooking Hydrogen cell fueled vehicles. Yes, it'll mean stopping at a fuel station, and eventually, we might get gouged again price-wise? But we can produce our own hydrogen at home right now. At this time I do not know of a system that can produce enough (homemade) hydrogen to supply a vehicle, but the way technology is going it won't be long before there are systems; as long as there is consumer demand for it? With hydrogen, there is no high voltage battery pack to power the electric motor(s). There's no gasoline or diesel-fueled engine to charge batteries or power the vehicle. Safety-wise, if there's an accident that ruptures a fuel tank (cell), all hydrogen wants to do is head for the shy and as fast as it can! Where does gasoline and diesel go, possibly feeding a fire? Some Reading And a bit more reading Sorry but duel fuel (Electric/fossil) is a double jab up the ass. One last thought, what is the environmental impact of building all these batteries? Let alone what do we do with them when they are burnt out? Dig a deeper hole to bury them? Dan.

I had a 16' starcraft with a 40 Suzuki oil injected 2 stroke. That was the max HP for this tiller boat. With the factory settings on the motor, I could never get my speed down to where I wanted it. So I popped the hood and lowered the idle speed: great I got the boat down to the speed I wanted. But then I ended up with an engine stall if I dropped to an idle too quickly. If I took my time bringing the motor to an idle, the thing would plug along all day long. To cure this I added an electric solenoid to the throttle stop, connected to a toggle switch. When I was out cruising around I turned the solenoid on, keeping idle at the recommended speed. Then when I wanted to troll I would turn the solenoid off dropping my idle. My point being is don't be afraid of the larger motor, there's always a way around one issue or another. You may also want to increase the number of friends you have? On a day you're going to be drifting and casting, invite slim. Then on a day you're trolling ask BUBBA, on days both slim and BUBBA are with you, the 25hp will have a day to stretch its legs and love it. LOL Dan.

What time was supper again????? LOL All the best Brian!!! Dan..

Talking of daughters, she's another one where I can be very proud of!!! Michelle like her brother were both raised here in London. Attended the local public school and secondary. She then went to Laurier U in Waterloo Ont. and got her BA in history and the arts. From there she went on to Ottawa U and received her law degree. She is now working at McKenzie Lake Law firm (here in London) as one of their lawyers. I tease her a lot, about being an ambulance chaser, as she is a personal injury lawyer. LOL. It feels so good knowing that my kids (& grandkids) are set and going forward. I won't even begin on their spouses other than saying my son's wife is a nurse at sick kids hospital (a very hard and emotional job) and my daughter's husband is an engineer working at General Dynamics (London Ont.) building armored vehicles. Dan... PS: Come on everyone tell us about what your kids and or family have done to make you proud!!!

My son texted me a pic of my small (under 4' when opened) feeler gauge set? I thought what the hell is this about, and then he explained. He goes on to say, Dad did you ever think that when you bought these feeler gauges, they'd someday be used on a prototype Corvette? Not sure what the issue was (a vibration of some sort) with the Vet, but my son was called in to try and help find the answer? He knew where he had to measure was going to be very tight, that's why he grabbed my small feeler gauge set. After rectifying the issue with a few shims; Andy was offered a ride in the prototype, with the test driver for GM in this 2024 corvette. "Dad this is the fastest car I have ever been in" A nice feather in his hat at GM's Michigan proving grounds. Not to brag (Yes I am), but he's being noticed by the heads of engineering of Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC. When he was 10 or 12, he said to me that one day I want to work at a large company, building cars. His and my dream has come true!!! Andy was raised here in London Ont. He went to UOIT in Oshawa and has his BA in Automotive Engineering. He was offered a job as an engineer with GM in Warren Michigan. This was after he sold his design (working at Cooper Standard at the time) of the 2016 Camaro, Corvette, and Cadillac engine mount. He commutes from here in Ontario to Michigan most days. "Dad I'll take their US monies, but I am Canadian and not going to live south of the border". Proud!!! Hell Yeah!!! Dan...

I know I complained about oil companies and their somewhat legal price-fixing, but the taxman is also standing there in the line with his hands out. Approx. $0.28 of every liter of gasoline is "the road" tax. Road tax was supposed to go away after our economy recovered from WWII? I guess we're still paying? Now if road tax actually went directly to veterans or their families since WWII or the other conflicts that Canada has been involved with, I wouldn't mind. Where are the two bits + going??? Dan.

The oil companies haven't lost their senses; if anything they know how to manipulate people, getting us accustomed to this NEW normal! Dan...