Intrepidation

Yeah, one of the things that sucks about aluminum is that it looks great when its new, but as it oxidizes it gets rough and dirty like you see on my engines. I know quite a few people paint their 3.5s Hemi orange when the engine is out, but I think I'd just paint it silver. Red should look nice!

Fixed.

Those heads look so nice and shiny. Plans to clean up or paint the block?

Not really, I just take pride in keeping the cars looking as good as I can. It doesn't take long to clean the engine bay. Even after 16 years of dirt buildup it only took me an hour or so to clean, and once its clean its easy to keep it that way.

Very clean Nick! I plan to repaint the bolts and plenum brackets which have rust on them black. I'll probably repaint the plenum too at some point, maybe have a shop do it. Same colors, just better paint...and more glossy.

This should be a fun thread. Post photos of your engine bay(s) of the car(s) you own. Feel free to tell us a little bit about your engine, its specs and the vehicle it belongs to. It'll be neat to see all of the different engines... ...and how clean you keep them Kicking this off will be the Intrepid, which I always keep clean: It's Chrysler's 3.5 litere, (213.583 cubic inch) High Output V6. It makes 253 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 255 ft-lbs. of torque at 3,590 rpm. The engine debuted in 1993 in the first generation LH cars, and was significantly reworked for the 1998 model year. In the 2000 model year it was only available in Intrepid in R/T guise, otherwise they used the 2.7 or 3.2 V6. LHS and 300Ms (where mine came from) came with it as standard. The Prizm I haven't really paid as much attention to, but I did finally clean it up today. 16 years of dirt and grime. The Prizm's Toyota built 1.6 liter, 97.6379 produces 105 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 100 ft-lbs. of torque at 2,800 rpm.

Good reasons, just keep in mind that truck will require considerable investment, even more so if you pay someone to do the work. Something to keep in mind when determining your budget for it.

I actually like the dump body. More interesting than a normal bed, and a bare frame just looks silly IMO. I have to ask how you plan to do this if the newer, much better condition Fleetwood gave you trouble. That truck needs a full restoration.

What he said. We can look into it, it really doesn't serve any useful purpose being inside threads.

That's exactly how I've felt since being rear ended the first time.

The clip of the semi plowing into a stopped car in the traffic jammed tunnel, that's something I'm paranoid about...the person behind me, especially a truck, paying attention and stopping in time. Doesn't help that I've been rear ended twice. I see the mixed real clips with PSAs. Most of which I've seen before, drives the point home for sure...right up until they use clips from top Gear. Sorry but I can't take it seriously when I hear: "That's toast!" Followed by: "Unless you want that to happen to you, always...wear...this." in my head watching that. But yeah, drive carefully, so many people don't.

I also recommend bagging and labeling various groups of bolts and parts. That was such a life saver when it came time to put the engine back together! Also 131,00 miles isn't even broken in yet.

I'm assuming it goes something like this: Remove the air intake Label and disconnect any sensors and vacuum lines connected to the upper intake Unbolt the upper intake and remove Relieve pressure from the fuel system Unplug the injector wires Unbolt the fuel rails Remove the fuel rails Drain the coolant via the radiator Unbolt the lower intake Clean off the gasket mating surfaces Position new gaskets and use a little rtv to hold them in place Bolt the lower intake back down, following the manufacturer;s tightening sequence and torque to spec Install the fuel rails and injectors, probably a good idea to get new o-rings for the injectors Reconnect injector wires Make sure mating surfaces for upper intake are clean, use new gasket (or if the gasket is reusable and in good shape, reuse it, I don't know if they are for 3.8s) Install upper intake, follow tightening sequence and torque to spec Reconnect sensors and vacuum lines Install intake Refill the cooling system and bleed according to manufacturer's instructions. Start the car and check for leaks. That's basically the procedure to the 3.5. I have no idea how a 3.8 is set up but I can't image it being totally different. Oh and change the oil. Everything I know about cars I've learned via the FSM/Haynes manuals, friends, online, and giving it a shot. I never had any class time at all to teach me. Do you have any idea how nervous I was working on the inside of the engine, knowing that if a bolt or keeper or tool fell into the oil channels it would mean either removing the oil pan or the heads? I just took my time and was extra, extra careful. It took me 3 weeks and some frustration, but I persevered. Nothing feels better than firing up the engine for the first time and everything going right. I saved over $400, learned new things, got to see what the inside of my engine looked like, and had the satisfaction and pride in knowing I did this complex job myself, and did it right. So if I can do a valve spring job, you can do this if you put your mind to it and take your time. Don't be afraid to stop and ask questions along the way.

One bright spot for the TL is even if you don't like the way it looks (I still don't), the interior is a nice place to be, it looks nice, and that's what you look at most of the time. Congrats on the new purchase and hope you have many happy miles with it.

Well you could change the intake gasket, and then the oil. It may take time, but just ask on the Camaro forums for help. That,a long with the FSM is how I changed my valve springs...and that's a far scarier project.

Well if they had an SS people would piss and moan that it's not a coupe or a hardtop or RWD or BOF and it's committing sacrilege to the badge...

That is a classic sign that there is without a doubt coolant mixing with your oil. You should most definitely mention this, even if you just say "the oil is milky". When antifreeze mixes with oil it begins to break the oil down, and the stuff will sludge over time. The longer it goes unfixed, the worse it gets until the engine internals fail to get proper lubrication, and then you have a real nightmare on your hands. That the car is running hot is also a sign the cooling system is not working properly. Odds are good your lower intake gaskets are causing this, since you know it needs to be replaced. However there's also the chance, especially if it continues to be driven (while getting hot) that the head gaskets could go or have gone. A compression test would confirm their condition. You might have better luck getting what you want for the car if you have the lower intake gasket replaced, do a compression test, and change the oil. If you don't feel like doing that, be aware that the issues mentioned don't qualify the car as a Clean valued vehicle. So don't be surprised to get lower offers. Just giving you a heads up. If nothing else you should mention that the oil looks milky.

In Afghanistan, a car for the masses By David Nakamura Washington Post Foreign Service Friday, August 27, 2010 IN KABUL Afghanistan, graveyard of empires - and Toyota Corollas. If this war-torn nation of 29 million is a magnet for foreign occupying forces that never seem to leave, it is also the land where old Corollas from around the globe come to die. According to some car dealers in Kabul, 90 percent of passenger vehicles on the increasingly congested roads of the capital are Corollas, some more than 20 years old, with 200,000 miles on their odometers, still chugging along over rocky dirt roads. "Here is the museum of old cars," snorted Abdul Qahar Nadi, managing director of Afghan Auto Limited, the country's only Toyota distributor authorized by the parent company in Japan to sell new models. Nadi has upped his sales from 64 vehicles in 2006 to 401 last year, but he says it is hard to persuade Afghans to pay more when used models are ubiquitous. "It's not good for the health. There's big pollution," he said. (Photo timeline: The war in Afghanistan) Shipped from Japan, Germany, Canada and the United States, used Corollas pour through customs, mostly via Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, and wind up in used-car lots clustered in three hilly neighborhoods on Kabul's outskirts, having been banished from downtown during a rapid expansion of dealerships after the Taliban was driven from power in 2001. Prospective buyers can choose from a surprisingly diverse selection of Corollas, including sedans, hatchbacks, and yellow station wagons once used as taxis in faraway lands. Ahmad Murid, 30, a dealer in the northern Kabul neighborhood of Khairkana, said buyers generally prefer German-manufactured Corollas, which supposedly get the best gas mileage. White Corollas, which show less dirt than dark-colored ones, fetch up to $1,500 more than an identical model in black, he said. Drivers usually don't care about odometer readings, since they are likely to replace most of the parts, anyway. Murid was selling a 1990 model with a dingy interior and 292,213 kilometers on the dash for $4,000. How long could someone expect to drive the clunker? "Ten years," Murid suggested. And after that? In Afghanistan, a car for the masses http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/26/AR2010082606430.html?g=0

Good luck selling it. Undercutting excellent condition by a mere $370 when it's got chocolate milk in the engine probably won't land you the price you're looking for, and the longer it gets used unfixed, the more damage it will do to the engine internals. You should make it clear in your ad that oil and coolant are mixing.

It's German. yes I am helpful, I know.

I'm quite aware of that, thanks. I concomitantly get 29-31 mpg on highway trips computer averaged, actual calculating is 1-2 mpg each time off so you can take that into account if you like. City mpgs are 18-20. The last tank was about 3/4 highway. It averaged 27.3

Man that's a whole lot of info to go on.

Lack of personal responsibility, ignoring facts, failing to do fact checking, religious nuts, getting religion involved with government, lack of religious tolerance, being a tea-party moron (I bet all of the above falls under the tea party category). Buying everything on credit/spending beyond your means.

What you need is a Panther car. They can do everything.

You definitely have coolant mixing with the oil. Afraid to tell you but unless that's fixed , it's not worth $4,000.