James writes:

Hello, last year during one of my morning walks I passed a nearby home where an S-Class Mercedes was parked on its driveway. As I approached, the silhouette was that of an early 2010’s Mercedes S-Class with noticeably flared wheel arches. As I passed by I observed the model identification on the left side of the trunk. Instead of the anticipated S 550 badge, it displayed a CLS 550 badge.

I did eventually meet the owner, an elderly man who could not provide any information about his car. And by this time he had replaced this “CLS 550” with a newer S 580 Mercedes. I did research on the internet, but no luck with a possible CLS 550 S Class.

I am fairly certain with my identification that this vehicle is at least an S-class Mercedes. (As a previous owner of a 2014 CLS and a current owner of a 2022 CLS, I have some familiarity with Mercedes models.) So, are the trunks of this S-Class and the CLS Class of this era interchangeable, and a junkyard CLS trunk was used to repair a damaged S-Class trunk? Or, the S-Class Mercedes needed its trunk repaired and the repair shop put the wrong model identifier on the repaired trunk?

I seriously doubt there ever was a CLS 550 S Class Mercedes. What do you think?

Sajeev answers:

Dang, I really would love to see a photo of this machine. But I share your doubt, and I suspect someone with an S-Class Benz bought those CLS 550 emblems from a place like eBay to be cheeky.

I get the vibe, however. Both the W221 (2007–13) and W222 (2014–20) bodies of the S-class have a distinctly sleek, curvilinear CLS flavor to them. Once the CLS hit the ground running, all sedans (save for Rolls-Royce) had to re-think their position as being staid and stately. Perhaps the CLS offered the sedan a lifeline to coolness in the wake of CUV/SUV dominance. Even the S-class can’t be immune to this trend.

Adding a body kit to the S-class also aids in the CLS-ification of these flagship Mercs. But let’s focus on the phrase “flagship”, as that answers your other question. Sheetmetal on a flagship isn’t interchangeable with cheaper models from the same brand. Not that the CLS is a bad car, but it’s based on the smaller E-class: That trunk lid is unlikely to have the same hard points as an S-Class.

Even if it technically could bolt up to an S-class, the surfacing and cut lines would make absolutely no sense. There’s a good chance you saw an S-class with an aftermarket body kit that made it look sleeker, and the owner decided that it became a CLS in the process.

And the W221 makes a rather awesome CLS-daddy. It’s hard to tell what’s an actual “wide” body kit on these cars, as this era of S-class came with flared-out rear fenders from the factory. But there’s also the issue of looking at 2-D photos on a computer screen, which is my current conundrum.

What say you, Hagerty Community? Did James see a widebody S-class, a CLS-class, or just some CLS emblems on that big-body S-class Mercedes?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Phil writes:

I have a beautiful 1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria Town Sedan. I would like to get the car re-chromed, but cannot locate a service provider in Maryland. I’m trying not to drive the car too much, because I am not interested in adding a huge amount of mileage to something with 31,000 original miles and great paint.

Sajeev asks:

What a beauty!  Sedans don’t get enough love in my book, and I am glad you are caring for this one. Would you be comfortable removing the chrome and shipping it to a business? That might help me with your answer.

Phil answers:

My current mechanic is dealing with health issues, so I’m not sure he could help remove parts and ship them off for re-chroming. The car is in phenomenal condition, and perhaps I’m just being picky.

I’m happy with this car so please do not spend a huge amount of your time on this.

Sajeev concludes:

Here’s the perk about emailing pistonslap@hagerty.com with your automotive questions—it’s my job to spend a huge amount of time on this! And if there ever was a car to go out of my way for, this is definitely it!

But the term “huge amount of time” is relative. I’ve already discussed the need for auto enthusiasts to embrace the Google Near Me search, and Chrome Plating Near Me is no different. When I click on the second link in my last sentence, my preferred plating shop in Houston shows up first on the Google Maps, and is the second website in its list of suggestions. The reviews are overwhelmingly good (but not five stars, as that’s often a red flag). Their website gives you the right amount of insight into the work they do, the company history, and how they operate as a business.

So I did the same search, except for a chrome shop in Maryland. One company ranked as high as my shop in Google search, so I was immediately intrigued. Their website has the right amount of content, and they seem willing to get the ball rolling (i.e., send pics of your chrome issues) via their contact page.

Another good website served up to me by Google was this one. While they have five stars, that’s not really a red flag because they only have six reviews collected. So you have at least two options in your area, but you can scroll down the “near me” search and see if other shops work better for you.

In case it needs to be made clear, I am not specifically naming or recommending any shop, as I can’t verify their work from my position as an armchair quarterback. This is where I pass the ball to you, so you can send them photos of the trim, and see what vibes you get back. Tell them your needs and concerns, and see how good they are at reassuring you. My biggest concerns would be quality and turn-around time, so you might ask pointed questions about those in particular.

If these two businesses aren’t as rock-solid as you’d like, expand your search by using the zoom feature on the Google Map or enter a different location in the “chrome plating near (location)” search.

Now you need to find someone willing to remove the parts from your Ford that you can trust. Is a Classic Car Mechanic Near Me search also in order? (Same principles apply, quality and turn-around time is important, because you don’t want your classic put on the back burner while they work on newer cars.)

Best of luck in your hunt! Or maybe just “happy motoring,” if these flaws aren’t worrisome enough to address? Sometimes they aren’t, especially on a car so original.

Have a question you’d like answered in Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Jay writes:

I’d love to hear Sajeev’s thoughts on the changes passenger vehicles have undergone pre-1967 to today.

Of course, these changes include complexity, i.e. safety/emissions/reliability etc., but also the nature of passenger transport. Vehicles are no longer point-to-point transportation, but a living room on wheels.

Sajeev answers:

Jay, your point about cars being “living rooms on wheels” resonates with me. There’s a parallel between where we live and the inherent designs of our vehicles, and I bet it’s one that many folks can appreciate. Put another way, while it’s true that vehicles have permanently altered the landscape of the cities we live in, cities have also forced changes to what automobiles get made and which never see the light of day.

So this won’t be a Piston Slap article about the car itself, because we can’t possibly live in a vacuum this time ’round.

One of the biggest reasons why cars don’t live in a vacuum is urban sprawl. Sprawl has made life better for many, but no far-reaching plan is without consequence as the decades march on. Sprawl incentivizes travel, and luckily, cars improved over time. Cars have filled in the gap between one’s place of residence and place of business.

And cars have become roomier, faster (higher compression engines, overdrive gearing on the highway), have better NVH controls (padded materials, asphalt/butyl insulation, etc.), and justified their existence via reducing smog when urban density and increased populations became a concern. That extra speed from punchy 1950s small-block engines also brought about increased safety since 1967 (collapsible steering columns, airbags, ABS brakes, etc.) making for safe and comfortable personal transportation. All good stuff.

With my rant about Malaise Era engineering in mind, remember that vehicles are always exposed to the latest technology of their time. Cars from the 1930s were influenced by Streamline Moderne products that cleaned up their airflow at speed, space travel and small block V-8s were common themes for the 1950s, and computer science (ironically) underpinned neoclassic style in that 1970s Malaise Era.

The advancement of the automobile was once a progressive dream come true, but these days it feels more run-of-the-mill. Platform sharing means SUVs are actually sedans, and your engine can get replacement parts anywhere from the UK to Southeast Asia. No matter the country of origin, everyone adapted by making bigger, quieter and faster vehicles, at any price range.

Perhaps that is expected at such ridiculous asking prices in today’s market. Not designing a car that can effortlessly cruise at 85 mph with a plethora of airbags, handling nannies, active cruise control, a great stereo and a quiet interior for five occupants, means your business will be run out of business. (Unless you’re in China, but that’s a whole ‘nother ballgame.)

But cars do not operate in a vacuum; rather they are a byproduct of the available technology, financial constraints, consumer feedback, and city/state/federal government input. Where we live tends to dictate our automobile purchases, so I apologize in advance for projecting these wide-ranging impacts into a single city—one that might not represent your specific location.

Yes, I am talking about the urban hellscape that is my hometown of Houston, Texas. I remember when there was a national 55 mph speed limit, and it didn’t seem like a big deal in the city. Congestion wasn’t terribly bad most of the day, nobody knew the term “road rage,” and we were all taken aback when they were building a second loop around the city. Perhaps I was naïve in my youth, as I thought urban sprawl would end at this second loop.

Now we have three loops, some of the worst congestion in the nation, 80+ mph speeds on the freeways that are a daily occurrence, and the roads are getting kinda dangerous for pedestrians and motorists alike. I’m not suggesting that correlation equals causation, but one likely reason Houston motorists behave this way is because we’re stuck in our vehicles for a disturbingly long time. We are the embodiment of the city with living rooms on wheels.

Houston is likely an edge case, too extreme for other parts of the country. But odds are you have seen how urban sprawl changes your landscape, either as it encroaches on your property or how your tax dollars are spent maintaining/expanding all these roads you never use.

While technology, economies of scale, and innovative design continue to advance the automobile as Jay suggested, I can’t help but think these are both needed and encouraged by the way we, as a society, live. And as our commutes get longer thanks to urban sprawl, we absolutely need the aforementioned living room on wheels.

But my thoughts are never the end of the story. What say you in the comments section, Hagerty community?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Alan writes:

I have an original Ford Taurus SHO from 2010. Your recent comments on cheap plastic parts hit home. Within about three years, I noticed that the “chrome” surrounding both taillight lens covers were peeling.

On later models, Ford didn’t bother with this detail, apparently it just wasn’t worth it.

The chrome peeled about halfway around the taillights, then stopped. The part that remains sticks well and won’t come off, so I’m left with an ugly taillight that is rare and low enough volume as to be considered an orphan. Is there an option to re-chrome plastic?

Sajeev answers:

The short answer is yes, some chrome shops are equipped to re-chrome plastic trim. While you might not find one locally, there’s always the option to pull the offending item off the vehicle, stuff it in a box, and ship it off to a specialized shop.

But the short answer is also the wrong answer, in the case of a 2010 Ford Taurus SHO. I’d be remiss if I didn’t offer a better alternative.

Take it from this NOS Ford parts huntin’ fool with a Project Valentino: Finding Ford replacement parts online or from NOS parts vendors is a wiser move. Just because the dealership says it’s no longer available doesn’t mean the parts aren’t collecting dust elsewhere. They are hidden in remote corners of the internet, while the intended recipients are depreciating themselves right into the junkyard. It is the opposite of low volume, high demand vehicles like a Porsche 911: I still feel a smidge guilty for speaking this truth in another Hagerty article, as it feels like rubbing salt in their wounds.

The first thing you need is a part number, like BG1Z13404A for the right side tail lamp. Plop that into a search on eBay Motors. If you don’t find what you need (at a fair price) immediately, make that a saved search in your account and get notified for new inventory by email.

We got lucky with this particular part. Only $90 with free shipping for a bit that’s new in the box? Sign me up, and never think about re-chroming again. You can expect freshly plated chrome to be more than double the price, and that might be me being generous.

But let’s say eBay Motors brought you no joy. It’s then time to check the NOS vendors just waiting for you to Google them. Here’s the link, and you’ll find the most luck if you scroll down to Green Sales, Inc. first. They have the most stuff, and are a well-kept secret for Ford nerds. (Sorry about that, Ford nerds.)

Here’s the important thing to keep in mind: This advice changes if Alan was restoring something like the little chrome strip around the top of the dash of a 1969 Dodge Charger. But for a 2010 Taurus SHO owner? The world is your oyster: The Internet will serve up just about anything you need. From there all it takes is a phone call or a few mouse clicks to seal the deal.

I’d wish you good luck finding new tail lights with fresh chrome, but I have a feeling you don’t need it!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Danny writes:

Sajeev,

Last spring I bought a 2005 Volvo S60 with transmission issues for $550, thinking it would be an easy fix and flip that would provide a little extra spending money for my other car projects. At first, I installed a used transmission from a salvage yard, and the car drove well for a few weeks, then it wouldn’t move at all. The ATF looked like someone mixed chocolate milk into the fluid, so I returned that transmission and got my money back.

I then took the original transmission (Aisin AW55-50) to a rebuilder, who has had it since September. It took ages to source good rebuild parts for decent pricing, and now I’m still waiting for the transmission to be rebuilt, as the shop is backed up with other customer projects. My questions are:

• Do I remain patient while this car takes up space in my garage?
• Will the rebuilt transmission prove trustworthy?
• Should I instead part out this extraordinarily clean (though boring) sedan, cut my losses and get my shop space back?

Sajeev answers:

The one perk of Danny’s situation is that there’s no wrong answer: buying an “extraordinarily clean” car for $550 means you don’t have a lot of money tied up into this investment. Hauling it off to the junkyard would be a net loss, but parting it out and selling the good stuff on eBay/Facebook Marketplace will likely earn you money.

Parting it is the smart move for your checkbook. But that kinda stinks, as most car folks prefer to save a clean car from doom. We enthusiasts are usually aware of a wide array of repair options, but unfortunately they all have pitfalls.

Danny’s experience hits on common problems with both local junkyards and local transmission rebuilders: accessibility to the right part at the right time is almost always a crapshoot. It’s not a big deal if you need a gearbox for a vintage Ford or Chevy, but it gets dicier the further you get away from a C6 or a TH400. I reckon your bad gearbox from the junkyard, and logistical issues with local rebuilders, is far from uncommon. It doesn’t help that this particular transmission from this era of Volvo doesn’t have the best reputation, either.

The superior alternative might be buying a low mileage, used transmission from an online parts aggregator like Car Part, or the publicly traded junkyard juggernaut known as LKQ. LKQ seems to get the best quality/age/mileage stuff for modern automobiles, shelves it in their warehouse, and makes it stupid easy to purchase. I’ve had reasonably good luck with clicking around LKQ’s website (or buying from them on eBay Motors) and just waiting for the stuff to arrive at my door.

Their warranty is pretty decent (especially if you pay a mechanic to install it) and sometimes they deliver the parts straight to your door. That’s what I recommend to Danny, and even though it’ll cost more, paying a shop to install it might be the smartest path given the warranty scenario. That’s the type of servicing that really helps on resale too, which I expect you’d do with this Volvo sometime in the near future.

Let’s step back and list all the choices in this particular automotive conundrum, with their pros and cons laid out for all to behold:

• Local Junkyard: Limited selection, but sometimes you find a diamond in the rough for dirt cheap.
• Local Rebuilder: You’re at the mercy of their level of staffing/customer service, but the convenience can’t be beat.
• Online Junkyard: Parts will generally cost more, but you aren’t limited by local inventory and can spend more for something with less mileage.
• Online Rebuilder: Can have a better quality product and customer service than a local, but it can cost more, and take more time when factoring in a local mechanic’s time for installation.

Odds are I’ve missed a few options in Danny’s sketchy transmission scenario, so I hand it over to you, esteemed members of the Hagerty Community.

Bonus! A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom.

Our very own Eddy Eckart brought up a compelling alternative for this particular application. So let’s get right to it:

“The Aisin five-speed autos found in these Volvos can be problematic. Sajeev has good advice above, and I’d add that finding the newest transmission that’s compatible with your car will help, too, as incremental changes were made over the years. Also, manual swaps are also an option, and they’re more reliable than the automatics in those cars. I have a 2001 V70 T5, and though I have been fortunate to make it over 160K miles on my original automatic box, a five-speed manual swap has always been on my radar if the need ever arose. Parts for the swap can be wrangled together for under $1500, and the car will need a tune. I’d be hard pressed to think that taking the automatic to get repaired would be any less.”

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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The post Piston Slap: What To Do With The $550 Volvo? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Carrol writes:

I replaced a bad driver’s side telescoping sun visor on a 1982 Corvette. The problem I had was that the little retainer clip that fits over the spring keeps breaking (I’ve gone thru 2-3 clips) as I tried to install it. It appears that the replacement clips are thin aluminum and break easily while the old one, which I was able to resurrect, is steel. I need to replace the sunvisor again, but I need good retainer clips. Any suggestions?

Sajeev answers:

I’m gonna go out on a limb and suggest a workable replacement could be available at a hardware store, an industrial supply company (like Grainger), or one of thousands of online retailers on eBay or Amazon. All you need are some measurements from the old washer and a handy chart like this one from McMaster-Carr.

What you are looking for is called an “internal toothed lock washer” made of stainless steel, not aluminum. Stainless steel is significantly stronger, so it should hold that little spring nicely, and make your sun visor stay in its happy place against the windscreen.

So choose your hardware vendor, measure your current lock washer carefully, but feel free to buy a few different sizes if you have concerns about the accuracy of your measurements. The big concern is getting the correct outer diameter to fit into the C3’s windshield frame. The inner diameter likely won’t matter as much, because it gets crushed around the rod that holds the sun visor. Just get as close to the factory part and you should be good to go.

What say you, Hagerty Community?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Adam writes:

Sajeev,

Thank you for your response (regarding the need for repair manuals)! I followed your directions exactly and also reviewed the newly arrived shop manual, and everything looked up to snuff. I checked the door wiring and also around the pedal assembly and couldn’t see any chafing, etc. and no wiggling of the wires in those areas—seemed to all check out fine. Meanwhile, at the same time, I also had an issue with the 4WD transfer case motor. The motor was binding, and sometimes it would go into 4WD and sometimes it would not, and it would rarely illuminate the 4WD light on the dash.

I took it to the dealer to have them look at the transfer case, as I wasn’t sure if it was an internal failure of the case, the transfer case motor, the switch, or relay. The dealership called and said it was the transfer case motor, so I told them to replace it. When I went to pay for it, they said:

“Oh, we noticed your power mirrors were not working. We checked and the fuse was blown, so we replaced it and its working normally now.”

I explained to them the trouble I’ve been having with the fuse and they said, “Well, it worked fine for us—we road tested the vehicle, ran all the power accessories, and it still works fine.” I’ve checked it daily since I got it back and the mirrors are still working. Although I do doubt my ability to replace a fuse, and doubt that I bought a batch of bad fuses. I’m going to try not to obsess about it. It did force me to spend the money on the shop manual while I could still get one cheaply. So it’s a win in that way. Thank you again for your help!

Sajeev concludes:

I am glad I could help … sort of? Armchair quarterbacking is a pitfall of this series, but I’d like to think this was a learning experience for many of us.

Your quandary points to something I learned years ago, something we tend to ignore: Our eyes often lie to us. Be it a match on a dating app or a fuse with a hairline fracture, the reality of the situation might not be accurately reflected in what’s before our eyes.

The fractured fuse above became my problem about 11 years ago. It took out the headlights of my UK-import Ford Sierra, but the untrained eye believed it still had a good fuse. Luckily, the Sierra is a famously easy-to-service vehicle, so I pulled the wiring harness at the headlight and tested for voltage. When I found no voltage, I replaced the fuse. Care to guess what happened?

We should do ourselves a favor and only test fuses with a multimeter and the exposed metal bits (video above) present in all (most?) fuses when installed in a fusebox. We may not always have a multimeter, but if one is handy, do not remove them and trust your eyeballs for an accurate decision.

What say you, Hagerty Community? Yank and look, or test with the proper tool?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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The post Piston Slap: Trust Your Eyes at Your Own Risk appeared first on Hagerty Media.

We are running low on questions for this series, so for the sake of all readers, put your thinking cap on and send me an automotive question at pistonslap@hagerty.com.

Charles writes:

Hi Sajeev,

I enjoy your contributions to Hagerty. I am in Alberta, Canada, and I need to replace the driver and passenger door handles of my 2008 Lincoln MKX. Where can I get compatible or a used ones?

On mine, the silver is peeling and my wife doesn’t want to drive the vehicle. I have tried twice on Amazon, but the wrong items were sent.

Sajeev answers:

Your Lincoln Mark X—sorry, MKX—shares door handles the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ, and probably even more Ford products. What was wrong with the ones from Amazon? Did they look right and just didn’t fit correctly?

Charles answers:

Thanks for the response, Amazon did not have the driver and passenger inner handles. 

Sajeev concludes:

Ah, that narrows down the problem: Inside door handles, not outside! That changes everything, as the MKX does not share door handles with the Ford cars I mentioned. Instead, they interchange with the Edge SUV, its sister ship from Ford.

From what I see online, part number SET-REPF462185C gets you a pair of aftermarket door handles that work. If you bought these and they did not fit, try from another vendor using the Google search I made in the above link. Using eBay might also help. But what if it does not?

Buy them used, either from a junkyard in Canada or from a used parts vendor on eBay. It looks like the handles on the rear doors interchange, so you can likely get a set of (barely used) rear ones and slap them up front. There’s another perk to buying used door handles from the rear doors of an MKX or Edge, and that’s worthy of some bonus content.

Bonus! A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom

Let’s talk about quality, as I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve preferred to buy used OEM parts in lieu of new aftermarket bits. There’s a chance that the quality of new aftermarket bits are just as good as their factory counterparts, as I once bought a Duralast (Autozone’s house brand) switch only to find a Motorcraft (Ford) part in the box. But that’s the outlier in a general trend.

Low prices are often there for a good reason. And these aftermarket Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX door handles remind me of the quality issues present in aftermarket replacement chrome grilles for modern cars and trucks. These chromey-plasticky bits rarely last as long as the factory plasti-chrome grilles. (Not that the factory stuff lasts long enough, as manufacturers don’t make ’em like they used to in that regard.)

It’s hard to know for sure, but for body parts like door handles, I defer to my experience with aftermarket chrome grilles. Going to a local junkyard will likely net you a set of OEM Ford door handles (from the rear doors of a Ford Edge) for the same price as the aforementioned aftermarket replacements. And that money is better spent, because they will likely last longer.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Adam writes:

Sajeev,

I have a 2011 Ford Ranger Super Cab 4×4 4.0 Sport with 52,000 miles on it. I bought it in 2014 with 7000 miles, so I know its history pretty well. Recently, the power mirrors stopped working. I checked the fuse, and the 5 amp was burned out. I replaced the fuse, and the power mirror started to work again. However, when I started up the truck, I immediately heard the 5 amp fuse blow again.

I checked, and it looks like the power mirrors are the only thing on the circuit, per the wiring diagram on the Internet, so I know I have to take that with a grain of salt. I decided to unplug the power mirror switch and replace the fuse. I thought the switch could be the cause. When I went to get back in the truck (the fuse box is on the passenger side footwell) I swear I heard it blow again as soon as I opened the driver’s door.

Do you have any suggestions on how I could track down this issue? I have Googled several videos, but most find dead shorts like this due to body damage or a wiring harness that was compromised due to corrosion or something really wild.

I saw a YouTube video on the South Main Auto channel where the fuse kept blowing on an Altima and after replacing the throttle body. A new fuse box and it was brought to him to replace the ECM. He decided to run down the wiring and traced it down a comprised wire in the cowl. Apparently, the factory did not clip in the wiring harness, and it was resting on the wiper armature and eventually cut through the one wire that controlled the throttle body.

Besides something crazy like that, any thoughts of what it could be?

Thank you,

Adam

P.S. I do have an official 2011 Ford Ranger Work Shop Manual and Wiring Diagram I ordered off of eBay last night.

Sajeev answers:

No, that wiring issue you saw on YouTube is not a “crazy” thing to happen. A short to ground fault is likely your issue, but before we go there, I suggest wiring problems are downright commonplace with modern cars.

There are plenty of fail points in a modern supply chain, so you have to be ready for anything. The factory can forget to fully push in a retainer, install a clip, etc., which eventually causes a wire to chafe on something else. Or perhaps a wiring harness vendor can forget to add said clip or retainer at a specific location? Sometimes the automaker even “forgets” to design it into the wiring harness in the first place!

This is why I am glad you bought the shop manual and wiring diagrams, since you absolutely need them. And since this might one day apply to my 2011 Ford Ranger, I dug into my wiring diagram to see what should be done. At least in theory.

Page 124-1 suggests you need to check a BR-RD wire (Brown with a Red stripe) from the fuse box, inspecting its entire length for a problem. The first connector (C527) to check for damage is the one at the switch that you already disconnected, so it’s probably not your issue. But look at the condition of the BR-RD wire at the plug, and examine the harness for signs of damage.

The second connection for the BR-RD wire at C210, inside the dash, above the pedal assembly. The BR-RD wire at C210 is the first pin in the harness. (Look at page 150-26 of the manual to see what I see). Inspect and disconnect C210 and test again. This is also a good time to note there are better tools for testing a short to ground than a handful of new fuses.

This video will get you the rest of the way, but usually a short to ground happens when accident damage repair, aftermarket parts, or general sloppiness in labor causes a wire to wind up in a place it doesn’t belong. Best of luck to you, though it should be quite easy in a vehicle this simple.

Bonus! A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom

YouTube is a great motivator and educator, but nobody ever pulls up wiring diagrams to show you wire colors and locations of where you need to go. I mean nobody. Who would be that detail oriented in a YouTube video?

Well, except for this dork who can’t even hold a phone while making a video. What an amateur!

Bottom line: Use Facebook Groups, YouTube Videos, and even car forums for the advice to set you in the right direction. But when its your turn at the problem, getting factory shop manuals and ESPECIALLY wiring diagrams are mandatory for any do-it-yourselfer. They aren’t cheap, but they pay for themselves after a few repairs on most any vehicle in the last 30-40 years.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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I never expected a rambling notion I published over a decade ago could have this much staying power. But we’re indeed talking about upgrading an analog car phone with digital guts in the year 2024, and the person behind it shares his efforts across platforms for creators (like GitHub) and enthusiasts (like his YouTube channel) with pride. Thankfully, this generosity also includes an update for Piston Slap readers! —SM

Jeff writes:

I have a big update for my car phone project: everything now fits inside of the original car phone, making it fully functional on its own. There are no external adapters, and no visible signs of modification.

I’ll probably also make a new full tour/demo video in a few weeks when I take my car out of winter storage, but I couldn’t hold in the excitement. I had to share this news with someone that would appreciate it. (I am glad you didn’t hold back! — SM)

I spent the winter learning how to design custom PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) and developing a new version of my adapter. This completely replaces the original electronics in the car phone’s transceiver, instead of previously piggybacking off of it. In addition to being able to hide everything inside the original car phone, there are some technical benefits to being in control of power supply/management:

• I’m in control of when the phone turns on/off, which means I was able to replicate original behavior where the phone remains on if you turn the car off during a call. The phone then automatically powers off when the call ends.
• I’m using modern rechargeable Li-Ion cells (3 AA-sized cells) for portable power instead of the original giant NiCd battery pack (10 A-sized cells). The original battery packs are all long dead by now and would need to be rebuilt with new NiCd cells (expensive and tedious) if I stuck with the original car phone’s power supply and battery charging circuitry.
• Total weight is reduced by 12.2 ounces.
• The original Mitsubishi transceiver is no longer wastefully consuming power itself in addition to powering my Bluetooth adapter. This particularly helps with battery life in portable mode. Even though the batteries I use have a lower capacity (1100 mAh) than the original battery pack (1400 mAh), battery life is now better than the original phone:
• There’s about 20 hours of “standby time” compared to the original 14 hours.
• Probably most impressive is the roughly 5–6 hours of “talk time” compared to the original’s 50–80 minutes.

I have documented my progress on this new phase of my project in a forum thread. Towards the end of the thread, you will find many photos of the new adapter installed in the car phone, comparisons to an unmodified phone, etc. Unfortunately, I have not yet finished updating my GitHub project with new designs/code/info/documentation, but I should have that updated within the next few weeks.

After more testing and refinement, I plan to offer either a conversion kit or a mail-in conversion service (details/pricing TBD) for anyone who has a Mitsubishi DiamondTel Model 92 phone and is willing to accept the risk of purchasing amateur prototype-quality electronics with no warranty. (Better buy a donor phone while you can, before Jeff’s hard work raises their asking prices! – SM)

I expect it would also work for the Mitsubishi Model 1500, but I need to get my hands on one to confirm it. Conversion is unfortunately not “bolt-on” easy. It requires transferring a couple connectors from the original transceiver (de-soldering and de-pinning) and grinding a bit of metal from the inside of the transceiver case for clearance.

Sajeev concludes:

I’d like to once again thank Jeff for keeping us in the loop with his progress. I look forward to Part VII of this series, showing off this consumer-friendly option for upgrading a Mitsubishi cell phone with modern Bluetooth technology. We truly live in an amazing world, don’t we?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Roger writes:

Hi there, I am fighting this issue with my 1962 Ford Fairlane Sport Coupe: On a shift (say, first to second gear), if I keep my foot on the gas, it shifts hard but not obnoxiously, but if I let off the pedal it shifts with a … WACK!

It shifted so hard the first time I thought I’d been hit from behind! But this happens on any shift, if I let off on the gas pedal, although not so much on downshifts. My garage diagnosed it as a sloppy differential backlash, and they said it’s all good now ($450 later). But I drove her home, and it was exactly the same!

Here are the specs on my driveline:

• Ford 302 stroked to 347 cubic inches by a pro builder.
• Ford C-4 built to handle 450-500 hp.
• Attached to the C-4 is a Gear Vendors overdrive.

In the springtime, I took her to a garage that only works/builds/repairs classic cars, from Ferraris to Camaros. Other than changing fluids/filters, they told me my problem is the stock Ford convertor (which stalls around 1200-1500 rpm) and that an aftermarket convertor with at least 2400-2800 stall will “slip” enough to stop those too-hard “BANG” shifts. I know they are on the money about a higher stall convertor, because my engine builder also said I should install an aftermarket convertor.

Do you think this will stop my issue with these horrible shifts?

Sajeev answers:

Yes, I think that’s the ticket! The stock converter shoulda been dumped the moment a stroker small-block and a built transmission were planned. That’s an exaggeration, but you see my point. For the transmission, you normally need the following done with any performance engine rebuild:

• A fresh rebuild.
• A shift kit, shift improver, or an internal upgrade unique to your transmission (a la Ford J-MOD).
• A higher stall speed, “looser” than stock torque converter.
• A standalone transmission cooler, usually plumbed in series with the factory cooler in the radiator (for double cooling).

The fresh transmission rebuild is obvious, since new clutches, gaskets seals, etc. are needed just as badly as a new engine. Not doing so kills the current transmission sooner, and yanking it out while the motor is absent generally saves money in labor costs. Take it from someone who has seen this via building three high-performance transmissions, including a Ford C6 chronicled here at Hagerty. (This may not apply to axles/differentials, especially if you aren’t running racing slicks, and have no interest in doing gnarly burnouts.)

Next is the shift kit: a logical upgrade, as you want quicker shifts to go with your perkier motor, but there’s a catch: Sometimes a shift kit must be specced to work with a specific stall speed in your torque converter.

Installing a looser converter can help holeshot off the line, and fix shifting issues much like what Roger’s experiencing in his Fairlane. Unless the vehicle has a performance-tuned automatic from the factory like a CVPI Crown Victoria, AMG Mercedes, etc., the torque converter stall speed is generally too low for performance driving. Low-stall converters are designed for smoother, less CVT-like performance and more fuel efficiency.

Speaking of factory-perfected tuning, a high-performance powertrain should never be in a situation where one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing. The critical components to discuss with your rebuilders are the camshaft choice, the torque converter stall speed, and possibly the steps to dial-in a shift kit. I reckon Roger’s assertion that the stock converter is 1200-1500 rpm is right, and a 2200-2500 rpm stall converter is needed to fix the shifting behavior.

But I have no clue what cam is in Roger’s new motor, perhaps an even more aggressive stall (i.e. 3000+ rpm) is needed. This is precisely why your engine builder needs to be included in transmission work. Get a torque converter with the blessings of both engine and transmission rebuilders and your throttle off upshifts will be delightful.

Advice from professionals like this is priceless, but it’s also part of their service. I have yet to meet an engine or transmission rebuilder that wasn’t thrilled to share more information with a not-rude customer. So ask them for confirmation, as you have nothing to lose. Rather, you have everything to “loose” in your converter.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Stephen writes:

Sajeev,

I’ve written to you before about my 1965 Falcon. Now I have a question about my 1975 Mercury Bobcat. It gets a nasty vibration around 65 miles per hour—dash and steering wheel. I have put new tires on all four wheels, had a front-end alignment, and balanced all four wheels. Twice! None of this has fixed the problem. Here’s what I am thinking to try next, in this order:

1. Balance the driveshaft and replace the U-joints.  (They are probably original to the car.)
2. Rebuild the rack. (It leaks anyway.)
3. Replace the front end, ball joints, and control arms.

Do you have any other better ideas?

Sajeev answers:

Vibrations at highway speeds are usually (always?) an issue with the driveline. I replaced all the differential bushings on my Lincoln Mark VIII back in 2004, which made a moderately annoying vibration (i.e. my rearview mirror was blurry) disappear. But the bushings were barely worn to the naked eye, with less than 1 millimeter of deflection in their mounting surfaces over new replacements. Now the car is making the same vibration again, so I know that diff bushings on independently sprung Ford vehicles have a 20-ish-year life span.

But this is a Bobcat, not a Ford with an independent rear suspension. While many suspension and driveline pieces can cause this problem, you are very wise to address the driveshaft, as detailed in option #1. Do this and I suspect the problem will be gone. If you have a manual-transmission Bobcat and want an extra dash of fun when accelerating, consider an aluminum driveshaft instead (for less rotational mass). It never hurts to do a worthy upgrade while you’re in there, right?

If #1 doesn’t work (it really should; those U-joints from 1975 are toast!), I would look at the rubber bits in the rear suspension, most notably the leaf spring bushings. Your second option of rebuilding the steering rack is also likely, but I’d check the rear suspension first.

And here’s a quick thought on your final suggestion: if you have an original 1975 suspension, steering, and braking system (i.e. rubber brake lines), I’d recommend you go in there and rebuild everything. That’s not very hard for a mass-produced vehicle from Ford or GM, as parts are plentiful and easy to get in a single place. I just scanned RockAuto, and I reckon they have everything to rebuilt your Bobcat’s steering, suspension, and brakes (lines). I started throwing Bobcat parts into a RockAuto shopping cart, and there’s a good chance you can get everything for around $500.

So take a look under the ‘ol Bobcat and see how good you’ll feel once you throw parts at every nearly 50-year-old system. Deferred maintenance isn’t just a problem for Porsche Cayennes out of warranty or depreciated modern muscle cars at a tote-the-note lot. (Or any other fully depreciated vehicle, for that matter.)

Your Bobcat is probably telling you its time to rebuild everything. Save the receipts because they will add value if/when you ever decide to sell it. And remember one final thing: When you buy once, you’ll only cry once.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Hagerty Community member TingeOfGinge writes:

Dear Sajeev,

Your Piston Slap column never fails to entertain and educate. Here’s one for you: In what timeframe do we think the most important, most durable advances in automotive technology — and subsequently, automotive ability — took place, and what were they?

My proposal: 1953–60. We started with a 6v charging system, manual brakes, and flathead motors. But we moved to the 12v system the industry would use for the next 60+ years, power-assisted brakes, and high-compression, overhead valve ubiquity.

Now, as a millennial, I didn’t have the joy of experiencing these technological developments as they happened, but I’m sure some in the Hagerty Community did. And they have plenty of tales to tell about how X technology made their dad/uncle/brother’s “New For [insert model year]” vehicle so much better than the one it replaced.

Sajeev answers:

This is a question with multiple correct answers, and it changes over time. I wouldn’t be surprised if all the PhD-level chemists, physicists, engineers, etc. working on battery technology will one day come up with a formulation that makes our current EV frustrations resemble the machinations of people living in the dark ages. And doing so would improve the performance, price, and reusability of said EV battery at a monumental level. But that’s a future we have yet to (or may never?) see, so let’s discuss what might be the most important historical time periods for advancements in automotive technology.

Your time period (1953–60) is indeed a great one. My favorite time period is the Malaise Era (1973–83, approximately) because of the breadth and depth of improvements to automobiles and the societies that rely on them. We can and should hate this era more than any other, and trust me, I used to be one of the haters.

Here’s a little sugar to help the medicine go down: The Malaise Era ushered safer designs, better fuel economy, cleaner exhaust emissions, and superior luxury/NVH controls. And many of these benefits came from two bits of underlying technology: computers (inside and out of the vehicle) and extensive use of plastics on interior and exterior surfaces.

The photos above show the fruits of our Malaise-y computing efforts: aerodynamic modeling, interior ergonomics, and finite element analysis. I condensed all three computing advancements into a singular vehicle: The late-malaise revolution that was the 1982 Ford Sierra.

This Ford and the luxury-oriented Audi 100 were design and engineering tours de force for the time, lack of emissions controls outside of North America notwithstanding. They’d both get stomped on by a pancake catalyst-equipped, 8.1-liter Cadillac Eldorado in that regard. (The “Eldog” also had Malaise Era plastics, but the less we discuss of that the better.)

Let’s discuss in a little more depth the technology that made the Malaise Era a good (relevant?) time period in automotive history. While plastic panels and pleather interiors could owe a debt of gratitude to a singular creator, reducing Malaise Era computing to one hero is pretty easy: Meet the Cray-1 Supercomputer from 1975. According to computerhistory.org, it was 10 times faster than its competition, had over 60 miles of wiring, and drew 115 kW of power (about 10 households worth of juice). Depending on configuration, these sold for about $7.9 million dollars in 1977 (over $41 million in 2024), with a total of 80 units made.

The ring of benches around the Cray-1 was a nice touch, likely reducing uneasiness and fatigue when the malaise of a polyester-clad engineer’s work begins to rest heavy on their soul. But the folks behind Malaise Era automobiles endured, surviving the dark times, making our lives better in the process.

I’ve had a hard time finding an OEM press release that specifically thanked this electronic game changer for being the genesis of our modern automobile. But press releases of the era do suggest computer aided design was created and shared across multiple departments for faster production with fewer errors. Odds are, their rudimentary modeling came from a Cray supercomputer or three. Which is pretty cray-cray-crazy if you ponder on that notion.

While the Malaise Era may not be the best answer for TingeOfGinge’s question, it is definitely in the top 10. Maybe top 5? What say you, Hagerty Community?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Ron writes:

Hi Sajeev, I talked to you via email a year ago about my 1954 Oldsmobile Rocket 88. I too had a piston slap noise when I started the motor. You advised me to put diesel oil in place of my regular oil. I did it a few months back and it made a big difference. The engine is much smoother now and the piston noise is to a minimum when I start it. There is a little noise when cold but it dissipates after less than a minute when the engine is getting warmed up.

Thank you again for helping me. I have owned my car since 1983 when I bought it from a gentleman in Van Nuys, California.

Sajeev answers:

I am so glad my advice worked out for you! Bear with me for a second, as there might be a lesson to be learned for all classic vehicle owners.

Too often we get caught up in problems with our cars, and cannot see the forest for the trees. This is one of my (numerous problems) with Project Valentino, and I’ve been forced to listen to my internal project manager and his need to implement a “change management” plan. (Gotta listen to him because he’s got an MBA so he like totally knows what he’s talking about.)

It’s a slippery slope to introduce business concepts in places they don’t belong. But change management has validity in our complex world of automobiles. Otherwise, you’re just banging your head against a wall. The practice requires the user to recognize a problem, note any issue(s) surrounding it, gauge possible solutions, and approve/implement a solution. If your solution doesn’t work, you repeat the process. Simple as that.

In the case of Ron’s Oldsmobile, an engine rattle only has a few logical solutions: increase oil pressure via a change in oil type, tear apart the motor to fix an issue with the oil pump and piston rings, or a full rebuild before more engine damage occurs. The simplest, most logical solution for an armchair quarterback (like yours truly!) is to change the oil first, and diesel oil is generally the best for pre-1975 vehicles.

Luckily for me, the first step in my change management strategy worked for Ron. So if you think I can help YOU, read the next paragraph to make that happen. I could always use more questions to enlighten and possibly even entertain the Hagerty Community.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Michael writes:

My 1997 Porsche Boxster steering wheel gets very sticky on hot sunny days; it can even leave a black residue on the hands. It is not a leather-covered steering wheel, though. The stock wheel is some kind of synthetic material, almost a super dense foam rubber. It is somewhat springy to pressure. I was hoping some chemical would transform the outer surface to its original.

A cover feels too thick, and I don’t really want to buy another wheel. Cures?

Sajeev answers:

This should be an easy one, unless the comments section tells us otherwise! I’ve addressed the same issue on the airbag cover of the C5 Corvette. So before we proceed, can we all enjoy the irony of the Porsche with premium materials having the same off-gassing issue as the Corvette with an inferior interior? (The Porsche indeed has nicer guts, but age conquers all opinions of plastics and vinyls.)

Back to my experience with successfully cleaning off-gassed “goo” from the airbag cover of a C5 Corvette. Long story short, my experimentations ended after just a few minutes, thanks to a can of carburetor cleaner (yes, really) and a plastic scraping tool (like the ones used for drywall) to shed off that gooey mess. After I was done, the airbag cover looked perfect. Even the detailing in the embossed Corvette logo looked like new.

Maybe you’ll get lucky and treating your wheel won’t require such an aggressive chemical. To avoid overkill, I would start by slapping on some latex gloves, getting some shop towels, and trying these chemicals in an inconspicuous area first.

1. WD-40 (least aggressive)
2. Brake cleaner
3. Carburetor cleaner (most aggressive)

Once you’ve ascertained how aggressive your chemical needs to be, then you can turn your attention to the steering wheel. To start, I’d turn it upside down (rotate it 180 degrees) and work on the bottom of the rim, just to validate the investigation you did on the inconspicuous area first.

Follow up your work with a dab of abrasive hand cleaner to get any residue off the wheel, then rinse with water to finish it off. I have done this exact procedure three times now and #3 has always done the trick. Be conservative on how much cleaning agent you use, and work in small areas to keep the residue from making a bigger mess in your Boxster’s interior. Good luck!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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TG writes:

I like this column and I’ve been racking my brain for a good question. I finally have one. (I could always use more like this, so everyone please email me questions at pistonslap@hagerty.com – SM).

There is a lot of internet lore out there that you can assemble an entire car from scratch from mail-order parts. I believe this has actually been done for a ’69 Camaro, and this may be true for a handful of specific model years for a handful of specific model—but generally it isn’t the case, particularly for body panels.

I have a ’65 Impala SS, of which there were 200K built. If you go more general to just a ’65 Impala, the number is 800K built. As I worked through my body woes, my mind was blown on exactly how many rusted body sections that my car had which are completely unobtainable. I ended up firing up the ol’ MIG and pushing through it one little piece of metal at a time, but what are the options for custom-fab body parts? Think trunk seal gutters, window frames, etc.

So who out there has gone this route, and what generally does it cost?

Sajeev answers:

See the photo above? Those 1967 Mustang fastback bodies are part of a plan to recreate the iconic Pony Car for modern times. And they only need an owner to provide a VIN from a 1967 Mustang to make it road legal. The company behind it is Relic Restorations, but I’m not here to promote them.

No really, I only mention them because their owner works firsthand with every type of restoration vendor in this space. For simplicity’s sake, let’s put them into three buckets. You’re gonna dip into one of these buckets if “firing up the ol’ MIG,” as TG suggested, is not a choice.

Bucket #1, traditional vendors: These are the names you’d commonly find at a SEMA show, and they regularly get media coverage by the hot-rodding side of automotive journalism. While their products may never apply to a “not Camaro/Corvette” Chevy like TG’s Impala, sometimes buying reproduction sheet metal from a place like Dynacorn is your best bet, as it already has some of the correct bends, holes, and shapes for your project because of platform interchangeability.

This was absolutely the case for my Fox chassis based Project Valentino, as rust underneath the battery tray was cheaper to fix when I handed aftermarket patch panels for Fox Mustangs to Relic Restorations’ metalsmiths. The quality was decent, the price was right, and it saved me a lot of labor cost in the process. A big win all around.

Bucket #2, factory direct suppliers: You really got to have your act together and your wallet open if you want do a short run of any reproduction part. You can’t make just one part, so organizing a group buy with fans of your vehicle is ideal. While I don’t have any specific prices, they would be irrelevant anyway as commodity prices, labor rates, shipping costs, etc. change quite regularly. Just know that it will be exponentially higher than buying something off the shelf and metalsmithing it to fit.

You will likely hire a specialist contractor that can work with factories in China/Taiwan on your behalf to get a batch order of parts designed, manufactured, and shipped to you. Which still requires you to create a digital version of whatever you want to make. That work isn’t necessarily easy at the quality levels required for a factory to utilize for production, so an experienced professional might be needed. But don’t take my word for it, as we discussed this previously with new engines made for Ford’s Model A.

Even if you can find a suitable manufacturer in the USA, the same steps will likely apply. After discussing the finer points of this with a former boss/friend with experience in managing contracts like this, I’d consider this option a last resort for most folks. Though it could be a great idea for someone replicating parts for modern classics with a potential upside in future restorations; Tesla Model S and X restoration parts anyone?

Bucket #3, 3D printing: This is the most likely avenue for reproduction parts for low-volume restorations like the aforementioned ’65 Impala SS. If a part cannot be found by any other means, perhaps the pieces on your project car can be scanned into a digital image and printed into a 3D hunk of plastic. Since we are still talking about sheet metal for an Impala, the printed product can be used as a die for reproductions.

Once you have a plastic die, it can be replicated in metal, which can make the sheet metal bits by anyone with a large enough press. Well, in theory, as that’s usually a big ask for someone owning a press. And this is still cost prohibitive, thanks to the equipment and talent required to make a 3D rendering. Perhaps fiverr or a “makerspace near me” search can break down some barriers, or this is the time to learn to 3D print in your own home.

What’s my advice? Don’t bother restoring a car like Project Valentino or any non Muscle/Pony/Sports car with a large following. Buy the project-worthy Mustang, Corvette, etc. and enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor for a classic car restoration that everyone can appreciate.

If you can’t follow my advice, welcome to the club. We feel your pain and we are always looking for qualified fabricators to fix our rusty junk. The good ones never come cheap, and that might be reason enough to learn to fabricate in your spare time.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Hagerty Community Member Jeepcj5 writes:

I’ve successfully (at least in my mind) set point gaps and timing in various cars. The reason I say successful is because they seem to run well afterwards. I have a dwell meter that I’ve been told to use, but I just don’t understand it or what it’s even telling me.

How does dwell come into play? Should I not worry about it? If I do need to worry about it, can you explain it in a “Dwell for Dummies” sort of way?

Sajeev answers:

This applies to me, as I am clearly a dummy when it comes to dwell or any other aspect of mechanical ignition systems. I (poorly) define dwell time as the time it takes to make a good spark, but Denso properly defines it as “The period when the ignition system applies an electric current to the ignition coil’s primary winding.”

Dwell time and dwell angle is adjusted on mechanical ignition systems with hand tools, a feeler gauge, and dwell meter. You can’t do much on any vehicle after 1975(?), as electronic ignitions became standard fare. (Vehicles from the 1980s and newer can be tuned with a computer and software, but that’s irrelevant to this discussion.) No matter the ignition system, this concept is important because an ignition curve is crucial to efficient combustion.

Perhaps Jeepcj5′s experience proves that you don’t need to mess with dwell time (i.e. the part of the process that needs a dwell meter) very often, but that’s between an owner and their fuel economy calculations. And the sensitivity of their butt dyno, but now we’re really getting off the rails.

Ignoring dwell time and only using a feeler gauge for your points (i.e. dwell angle) is basically approximating your ignition timing. And since graphics and videos are better at this than my wordsmithing, let’s try a couple of selections from YouTube. Here’s a fun retro video on the concept of dwell angle.

And the video below is a solid example of how to set dwell angle and dwell time, among other bits of knowledge for analog ignition tune ups. I’ve started it at the part relevant to dwell time, but you might want to watch the whole thing. Stick around for the 10:15 mark, as Uncle Tony’s Garage rightly suggests, “It’s not rocket science, right?”

The only issue I have with analog ignition systems is the availability of quality-made points in our modern times. Condensers in the ignition system have the same issue but to a lesser extent, as they are generally more durable. If you can still get good quality points/condensers for your application, adjusting your dwell time can improve your vehicle’s performance over the long term. If you cannot, maybe it’s time to convert to electronic ignition.

So give it to me, Hagerty Community: What did I miss in this discussion of dwell time? I am far from an expert in this matter, and your feedback will only make this article better.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Jack writes:

How about some guidance on motor oil for us old farts who are still driving flat tappet engines like my ’74 Corvette L82?

Sajeev answers:

Woo-hoo!  This is a pretty easy answer to give, as 1975 was the first year for Corvettes with a catalytic converter. All pre-1975 vehicles will benefit from the added zinc content available in oils designed for diesel engines. Yep, it’s pretty much that easy!

You can buy modern oils and a standalone zinc additive, and there are modern “racing oils” with a loyal following. But the standby stuff for diesel engines is both commonplace and downright affordable, which makes it rather hard to beat. Oh, and they come in synthetic (if you are confident in your gasket’s sealing) or conventional oil (if you are not).

Things are tougher if you have a 1975+ vehicle with flat tappets and a factory-fit catalytic converter. You might not want a high zinc content, as ash buildup can destroy the catalyst. This happens most likely due to engines burning oil, and I assume many a Malaise Era automobile had their cats defeated with a rod/broom for this reason alone. Engines that don’t burn a drop of oil are unlikely to experience this problem in their catalyst, and might be able to get away with modern gasoline engine oils.

So let’s formally ask ourselves this question: What if Jack had a 1975 Corvette with its factory cat? Or one of the many other flat tappet/catalytic converter vehicles still on the road? First off, that’s impressive, and I thank you for saving a piece of Malaise Era history.

Running a modern synthetic oil for gas engines with high mileage additives ensures maximum protection for flat tappets and minimal leaks (as synthetic oils can exacerbate a leaky gasket). You might not have a leak yet, but unless your motor has low miles and gaskets that still seal like new, always opt for the high mileage synthetic oil. This might not be as good as diesel oil for the flat tappets, but it will likely do an adequate job reducing engine friction while ensuring a healthy catalytic converter.

Then again, do you even need synthetic oil? I reckon most of these 1975–85 vehicles are driven infrequently. Maybe just ordinary, not-synthetic oil is good enough. Will you drive it enough to wear out an engine with flat tappets? Your call, but just know you have options.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Scott writes:

I’m 74, and I have a 1990 Vanagon (with a 2.5 Subie engine) and a ’91 Porsche 964. They both have computers, but not the kind that report my every thought, action, and broadslide to “the authorities.” The idea of buying a newer car terrifies me because, well … “Question Authority.”

I assume that privacy in new cars is totally impossible. But (here’s the question part) is it possible to take a new car and strip Big Brother from it?

Sajeev answers:

Possibly, but I am neither a lawyer nor a computer hacker. While both of those folks are more qualified to answer this question, I shall do my best. And my best means I won’t suggest adding an Eldorado Biarritz-style stainless steel roof atop a modern car, but hey, that’d certainly look cool.

This is a good time to mention that I am one of those younger folks who somewhat doesn’t care about the personal data in my car, phone, and social media channels. (Aside from hacks to circumvent banking laws that empty my savings account, of course.) I see Big Data as part of doing business in our modern capitalistic society, and I love the fact that Google Maps is pretty darn accurate in addressing traffic slowdowns, thanks to everyone’s data contributions.

But there’s always a dark side to Big Data, and what bothers me are rental cars. Plugging your phone into that Chevy Malibu gives someone else a lot of opportunity to scam you and possibly steal your identity. So always dig into the rental car’s settings, tap around for a minute so it can delete or forget your phone. (And maybe delete everyone else’s information too, since you’re a good person like that.)

But for those folks who wholly reject my notions, I totally get it. Let’s discuss options for modern car ownership with privacy concerns.

• Buy a hacked or jailbreaked Tesla: Sure, the warranty will be voided, but their service centers aren’t exactly great anyway. There are seemingly countless hacks, and it seems like the Black Hat hackers (i.e. the supposed bad guys) have figured out a lot about Teslas. Remember that this automotive brand pitches itself as a tech company, catering to a tech-obsessed crowd. So if you’re inclined, read this to learn more.
• Seek third party help: A company called Privacy4Cars caters to concerns for dealerships and individuals. They have an app to use your data make that happen for you. I hesitate to give the hyperlink because I know nothing about them, but perhaps clicking here is indeed a good start on your journey.
• Read the Owner’s Manual: Learn how to restore a vehicle to factory settings and other bits of data collection that will be available in the owner’s manual. The manual won’t stop your car from storing a lot of vehicle-specific information on you, but the data that opens you up to scammers can be deleted.
• Make it the Salesperson’s problem: My time in the car business taught me many truths, and one is that younger salespeople who view this industry as a career are HUNGRY for loyal customers. (No offense to the older sales folks, but they often already have a book of business and don’t need to struggle as much.) Salespeople in general will move heaven and earth to earn happy customers, they have access to service professionals (and their proprietary hardware) in the next building, and they might just find the right balance between data collection and the headaches involved in curtailing it.

I wish I had a better answer, but routing people to places they need to explore is sometimes the best we can do here at Piston Slap. Perhaps someone in the Hagerty Community will comment below with more valuable advice?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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DUB6 writes:

Although I think I already know the answer, I’m going to throw out a question because, after having read previous posts, I know that not everyone knows everything. We can often help each other learn new things, and maybe I don’t REALLY know the answer. (Or at least, not all of it.)

So here’s my question for everyone: How should one determine what CFM (cubic feet per minute) carburetor to install for best fuel mileage/drivability and performance?

I assume that there is some sort of calculation that takes into account displacement, intake runner type and flow numbers, cam specs, combustion chamber size, compression ratio, exhaust port size, and actual exhaust design—all sorts of variables that could fill up a large blackboard with numbers and algebraic squiggles, etc., resulting in a number at the end that tells us exactly what size carb(s) to purchase, right?

Sajeev answers:

To the best of my knowledge there are two CFM calculations pertinent to carburetor selection, and I have used both recently. That’s because my recently resuscitated Continental Mark III needed a lot more work than originally anticipated. There’s a rebuilt engine, new cooling system, and a new fuel system in my future. But let’s get back to my Mark’s big-block engine and its need for a new carburetor:

CFM = (Engine CID × Max RPM) ÷ 3456

For my Mark’s 460-cubic-inch motor that redlines (around) 5800 rpm, I need a 772 CFM carburetor. But let’s consider a more accurate formula, even if it borders on being too pedantic for most folks:

CFM = ((Engine CID × RPM) × Volumetric Efficiency) ÷ 3456

What you see above is my manipulation of the Volumetric Efficiency (VE) formula, pushing the CFM on one side of the equation by itself. Hopefully I did the math correctly, but even if I got it wrong, VE is not an easily-sourced figure. (Finding it might require an engine dyno to know the truth.) The fine folks at Summit Racing offer a rough estimate of your engine’s VE, but save yourself the effort and use Summit’s handy CFM Calculator instead. It includes VE data into its formula, and it gave me a CFM requirement of 656 for my Mark III.

You can mull over your intake design, camshaft profile, compression ratio, combustion chamber size, boost from turbo/supercharging, etc., but the more generalized information from Summit Racing is good enough for most folks. Getting the right CFM is just the first step, because you then adjust it via jetting, mixture screws, etc. to get the right amount of fuel to go with all that air the engine will consume.

And no, you didn’t ask, but last week I bought an Edelbrock 750 CFM carburetor for the Mark’s new engine. Odds are it will need to be tuned down just a little by my mechanic, but I am looking forward to driving this one soon … sooner or later.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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DF writes:

Can we have a discussion on how or why different automakers/brands do the same thing? Take for example:

• The GM Iron Duke engine and the vehicles it has powered.
• The fuel injection systems of the 1980s cars to meet EPA regulations.
• The laggy turbos of that same time period.
• Or consider how cars like the Mustang II and ’80s Monte Carlos had front clips that were used in racing and kit cars.

Sajeev answers:

Oh, yes! There’s nothing that gets my blood flowing like a big picture discussion of the automotive industry, especially when put into historical context. It’s fascinating how individual vehicles, brands, manufacturers, or entire countries leverage the same resource to create their finished products, even if we only figure it out with archeology via part numbers, sales brochures, etc.

Take modern-day China, for example, as there has to be a “Briggs & Stratton”-like reason why so many of its gasoline-powered vehicles use a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a 7- or 9-speed automatic. I reckon this is a tale of partnership as old as Capitalism itself, or at least for as long as the Dodge Brothers supplied parts to other automakers.

Companies must leverage the work of others to maximize profitability and improve the long-term serviceability, durability, and enduring appeal of their brand. Unless you can summon up investors like Elon Musk does, of course. (While some Teslas used Mercedes switchgear, the company is famous for doing as much as possible in house, including seats.)

Your fuel injection example is a case study in leveraging the work of one vendor and spreading it across the board for better performance, lower emissions, and compliance with the federal government. The history of fuel injection goes back farther than our discussion of EFI (electronic fuel injection) in the 1980s, but many automakers leveraged the efforts of those who dedicated their careers to modern fuel injection. Bosch and Bendix sold a lot of EFI systems for automobiles during the Malaise Era, but not everyone was jumping on their bandwagon.

Ford (1980 Continental) and Chrysler (1981 Imperial) made EFI systems from scratch, if using hardware from established vendors. (I know that Ford systems of the era had Toshiba guts.) Neither were terribly innovative, just the right idea at the right time. Historically savvy members of the Hagerty Community will recall that Chrysler’s EFI scared off a lot of folks, and that applies directly to my comment about the “enduring appeal” of a brand.

While both Ford and Chrysler forged their own path, their EFI systems were leveraged within their respective brands. For example, a variation of the 1980 Continental’s throttle body fuel injection was standard fare in the cheapest Ford Escort just seven years later. Perhaps a parallel to Tesla’s battery technology is more apt, but this analogy is quickly going off the rails.

Your reference to the GM Iron Duke engine works on the same principle as EFI systems. The big difference is that its widespread use pertains to lowering costs and maximizing profitability, not cleaning up our smoggy air. As the old racing proverb goes, you gotta “run what you brung.”

Making the Iron Duke fit sideways and work with a front-wheel drive transaxle is easier than building a new sideways engine from scratch. But this isn’t a slam on GM, as Ford shrunk down the old Thriftpower inline-six to work in the Ford Tempo. And Chrysler looked to VW and Peugeot to power the all-new Omni.

Some automakers will die if they can’t share parts. Look at the Honda Prologue’s platform sharing with the Chevy Blazer EV. Both use GM’s Ultium architecture, but Honda didn’t even bother changing the shape of the roof pillars to give its EV a significantly different look than the Chevy. Why should they?

How many people cross shop Chevy and Honda dealerships these days, much less for an electric vehicle? All 621 of you can snicker when you walk into the showroom, but Honda’s officially entering the EV space with ease. It ensures it doesn’t go the way of Saturn during the SUV boom of the 1990s, and its technology won’t be a dead end because of its not-GM sized budget for new platforms. (Apparently, Saturn salespeople turned away many a loyal customer back then, and that was a hard pill to swallow for both parties.)

The same level of tweaking happens in garages and race shops around the world. It can be as simple as grabbing front disc brakes from a junked Ford Granada to OEM+ your 1960s Mustang, or as radical as Heidts’ re-engineering of the Mustang II’s front clip for use in a seemingly endless number of applications.

Be it a shadetree hot rodder or a corporation slapping Honda sheetmetal to a Chevrolet EV, this episode of Piston Slap can be distilled into one truth: Your final product is cheaper to design, more profitable to make, and more durable over the long haul when you leverage the work of someone else.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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David writes:

Hi Sajeev,

I thoroughly enjoyed your article regarding the use of an 8-volt battery in a 6-volt vehicle! It made me think of an issue for which I’ve sought a solution. It seems that nobody produces a 6-volt jump pack. As you know, it’s not hard to find a 12-volt jump pack; lots of brands, sizes, power ratings, etc. But, as far as I can tell, nothing similar exists for a 6-volt vehicle.

We all know that vehicles with 6-volt systems are a bit strained when it’s time to start—especially when cold. Further, most of us with vintage vehicles (particularly those old enough to have a 6-volt electrical system) don’t drive them everyday. That can make starting even more difficult and more challenging to keep 6-volt batteries at full charge (battery maintainers notwithstanding).

On more than one occasion at a car show I’ve seen a vintage vehicle experience difficulty cranking and fail to start due to a relatively weak battery. For a 12-volt vehicle, the widely available power pack is a convenient and compact solution that gives the vehicle a boost and gets the driver heading back home. For a 6-volt vehicle, there is no comparable solution. (And finding another 6-volt vehicle for a safe jump start is not always possible.)

So, I’m wondering if you’re aware of anyone providing such a jump pack solution for us vintage 6-volt vehicle owners? (Or, is the market considered too small for the known jump pack manufacturers to make such an effort?) Perhaps there’s another solution of which I’m not aware?

I’m not sure if others have had this question, but I wondered if it might be a good topic for your Piston Slap column. Thanks for your thoughts and consideration of this topic and for your truly enjoyable writing (and, your graciousness toward commenters who don’t always deserve that grace!).

Sajeev answers:

Thank you for your kind words and this fantastic question, David! You mentioned the benefit of battery maintainers, and those should be used as frequently as possible to reduce the need for a jump start. Nearly every maintainer I’ve come across has a provision for 6-volt trickle charging, so you are right when you suggest this isn’t the problem.

The bigger concern here is enjoying your vehicle outside of your property and getting stranded at a car show, strip mall parking lot, gas station, etc. You can’t use your handy 6-volt garage trickle charger in these places, so you need a 12-volt jump pack. There are two types of packs, one with an internal battery and another with a supercapacitor. From what I can find, the latter has yet to be tested on a 6-volt vehicle, but the general consensus is that using a 12-volt jump pack with a self-contained battery is safe. Well, provided you follow a few rules.

Keep in mind I have never tried this personally (as I do not own a 6-volt automobile), so try this at your own risk:

1. Keep hand tools and a fully charged jump pack in the vehicle.
2. Turn off all accessories: lights, radio, etc.
3. Disconnect the negative cable from the 6-volt battery. (This removes the battery from the circuit.)
4. Connect the jump box to the positive battery post and the negative cable.
5. Use the jump pack as instructed by the manufacturer.
6. Start the vehicle.
7. Remove the pack’s positive and negative cables QUICKLY.
8. Reinstall the negative battery cable.
9. Hope and pray the motor doesn’t stall. (Just kidding … probably.) 

Again, I have never done this before. But step #7 is certainly paramount, as you want to minimize the time a 6-volt system has 12-volts being crammed down its throat. Fires, battery explosions, etc. are not worth it. If you don’t trust the wiring in your electrical system to handle this, just pay for a tow. (Some insurance policies offer free towing, and I’ve taken full advantage of that with multiple carriers with great success.)

Don’t fear the tow but also set yourself up for success: Replace old wiring, especially all the grounds and on the starter circuit. As we learned from Stu Tell in the aforementioned 8-volt Piston Slap article:

“The battery and starter cables themselves are usually internally corroded, and that itself causes you problems. Change them all out for AWG 2/0 cables along with grounding your battery ground cable right to one of the starter bolts or the engine block itself. From there run a jumper to ground your frame and a jumper to ground the firewall sheet metal. You will be amazed how well a 6-volt system will start with a new set of thick 2/0 cables, good grounding, and a good battery.”

Well said, Stu. And changing these wires is usually very easy on older vehicles, especially with the proliferation of home improvement stores stocking high gauge wiring that’s fuel and oil resistant. So this begs the question, will you even need a jump pack if the wiring is up to snuff in the first place? Probably not. 

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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John writes:

When a 6-volt battery is replaced with an 8-volt battery, will the 8-volt receive a full charge from the 6-volt system?

If not, what items need to be replaced or adjusted?

Sajeev answers:

Unfortunately not, because you need a voltage regulator that will charge an 8-volt battery. The generator/alternator is always (usually?) robust enough to feed that voltage regulator, at least in any automotive application my mind can consider: Even old tractors have generators and alternators, right?

I see potential problems, because parasitic losses inside any battery mandate charging levels over that battery’s stated voltage rating. In this case it will be over 9 volts of charging for an 8-volt battery. That could be too much for frayed/corroded/oxidized 6-volt wiring (on either the power or ground sides). It could also overpower 6-volt lights and other marginally durable accessories that run on the same system. This is application specific but always worth considering.

However, let’s assume the rest of the system is OK with the 9.5-ish volts needed to top up the battery on an ongoing basis. Finding an adjustable regulator that meets your needs is a concern, unless a 6-volt regulator can be tweaked up to charge an 8-volt battery?

Well, look at that handy little adjusting screw! This video from Moss Motors may not necessarily apply to every voltage regulator out there, so perhaps this article is better to print off and add to your collection of repair manuals. Sometimes there’s nothing better than instructions on a sheet of paper, especially when working under the hood of a car. Or tractor, especially out in the field where harsh sunlight washes out any electronic display.

Bottom Line? Get familiar with the internals of your voltage regulator, check the quality of all your wiring, and give it a shot. If something fails, go back to a 6-volt battery. Let’s hope that isn’t necessary!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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James writes:

Sajeev, the quintessential Ford dude! My wife has a 2018 Ford Explorer Limited with 52,000 miles. It’s been good so far. I’ve heard horror stories about the N/A  3.5 V-6 having catastrophic water pump leak/failure issues. A few questions:

1. Is it buried down in the “V”?
2. Are there warning signs?
3. Will this happen?
4. Should we sell before this happens?
5. When will it happen?

Sajeev answers:

This is a fantastic question with ramifications as deep as the location of the water pumps in these 3.5-liter Cyclone V-6 engines. The economic differences between an OEM’s production costs and the individual owner’s service expenses are somewhat fascinating.

But before I go into a huge nerd hole trying to convince you of that, let’s quickly answer James’ questions.

1. You bet! Ford put the water pump inside the timing cover, spinning it via the timing chain on front-wheel-drive vehicles.
   • Yes, it’s quite expensive to repair ($2000 or more), unless you can do things like dropping a vehicle’s front subframe in your own garage.
   • This applies to both naturally aspirated and EcoBoost 3.5-liter applications.
   • This doesn’t apply to the Mustang or F-150, as these have externally mounted water pumps like traditional American engines.
2. You are supposed to see a leak near the alternator, and it’s usually not too late if you keep an eagle eye on that area.
3. All water pumps fail eventually, but regular coolant services as per owner’s manual will extend the lifetime significantly.
4. People kick the can down the road for many reasons, and this is a darn good one. Just be straight up with the next owner, or trade it in and make it the dealership’s problem. (They lowball used cars for good reason!)
5. Given your mileage, if you flush the cooling system immediately and keep an eye on that alternator leak hole (technical term) you aren’t likely to have the problem for well over 100,000 miles.
   • The informative YouTube video below also mentions doing an oil analysis, if you really want to be ahead of the game. While I pinned it to the most enlightening part, watch the whole thing for more details.

And this is where we go deeper, considering the customer’s tolerance for repair bills years after the warranty expires. Who out there actually wants to service their coolant regularly, much less spring for an oil analysis on waste motor oil?

There’s a better way to force coolant services: by using a replaceable timing belt instead of a timing chain. That’s what countless belt-driven imports from the last 40+ years relied on, and it’s contributed greatly to their reputation for durability over American brands that avoid timing belts. Put another way, neglect a “not mandatory” coolant service in a 1990 Essex Continental and you quickly blow the gaskets between its aluminum heads and iron block. Bad news, but neglecting coolant in a 1990 Lexus LS400 has zero downsides because a blown timing belt ensures regular coolant servicing. I’m not suggesting the Lexus LS wasn’t a tour de force in luxury car quality, just that the delta between them and others doesn’t reflect its need for mandatory servicing.

It’s as if Ford gets timing systems and internal water pumps wrong far too frequently. Like back in 1981, when the Ford Escort “World Car” utilized Ford of Europe’s CVH engine. It, like the Pinto before it, had a timing belt. Unlike the Pinto, it was an interference engine. Ford’s American clientele clearly didn’t learn from blowing belts on Pintos, forcing the automaker to make broken-timing-belt-friendly pistons by 1983. The clarion call likely went like this:

“I’m not gonna service my Ford like some Yuppie European Weenie, you can’t make me, and your dealerships better be nice to me when I break something!”

But the 3.5-liter mill is nothing like yesteryear’s Escorts, because adding timing chains to an internal water pump makes it bit more durable. But it comes at major expense for the poor sap who owns it 8+ years into ownership, because labor costs are orders of magnitude more than servicing an old ‘scort in modern times; I got an entirely new cooling system, new power steering pump/hoses, new alternator, new A/C compressor, and a new timing belt in my 1982 Ford EXP for less than the price of a water pump swap in a modern 3.5-liter Ford.

It’s a shame, because the 3.5-liter Ford coulda been just as durable as the previous 3.0-liter Duratec V-6 found in older Ford Fusions, Five Hundreds, and Freestyles. External water pumps ensured the 3.0’s rotating assembly was essentially bulletproof, making for a compelling purchase at the bottom of the depreciation curve. But the “quintessential Ford dude in me” reminds everyone that Dearborn wasn’t the only manufacturer to do something this ridiculous. Chrysler did it with the 2.7-liter V-6, and several VW engines followed suit.

But they added a plot twist: VW’s internal water pumps came with the added bonus of plastic impellers. VW was successfully hit with lawsuits, but similar efforts against Ford’s superior-ish design have yet to succeed.

It’s a shame that somewhere in the hallowed halls of these automaker’s office buildings are people thinking of ways to advance the automobile at the expense of longterm ownership. This is a terrible way to treat your brand, but one perk of the EV revolution (as it were) is that all automakers are slowly adapting to the electric vehicle’s simple powertrain architecture. There’s so much less to screw up in an EV, especially compared to a plastic impeller VW or a 3.5-liter FWD Ford product.

The only flaw in my logic is the EV’s battery, but it’s never a hidden “gotcha” like these awful water pumps. And how great is that?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Hagerty Community Member DUB6 writes:

Sajeev,

With the onset of winter weather—in MOST of your readership areas, at least—I’m seeing examples showing up of an age-old question.  I have my own opinion, but perhaps you can set us all straight: Wider tires or skinnier tires for driving in snow?

Sajeev answers:

This is a fantastic and timely question from one of the Hagerty Community’s most cherished commentators! Might I first start this off by saying that the width matters far less than the need for running dedicated winter tires?

Clear the rubber compound hurdle and the answer might depend on your zip code. I’ve mentioned this previously, because automotive needs are nearly as diverse as that of our populace. Not all of America has the same terrain, the same level of infrastructure, and the same types of vehicles driving on said infrastructure. If you live in a rural area, I reckon you’re more likely to have a truck or an SUV as a winter vehicle.

Most of these vehicles are heavier than a car or crossover and can take further advantage of the extra contact patch provided by a wider winter tire for all-terrain/unplowed road use. That contact patch might really come in handy when braking to avoid a deer. And they look cooler: That shouldn’t be a concern, but it certainly comes into play when up-fitting a truck. And there ain’t nothing wrong with wanting a cooler looking truck!

Conversely, if you own a family sedan, a rear-wheel drive performance car, and live in the suburbs, you’re more likely to go on plowed roads and are light enough to have a harder time pushing down on wider winter tires. The average Toyota Corolla or BMW 3-series can take advantage of narrower winter tires slicing through soft snow to firmer ground below, but braking might suffer because there’s less rubber to make contact with the ground. Fuel economy will be better, and that’s important for areas with gridlock and endless rows of stop lights.

At least that’s the theory. The reality is that tire width, sidewall height, wheel + tire weight, rubber compounds, tread design (including tire sipes), and how much weight you can put above the drive axle all play a crucial role in a vehicle’s winter performance. It’s a lot to digest, and the following test does a good job explaining the complexities.

I started the video at the meaty part of the conclusion, so we can get to the heart of the matter.

1. Skinny winter tires are better for acceleration.
2. Wider winter tires are better for braking.
3. The quality of the rubber compound is more important than the width.

Personally, having spent a few fun and/or terrifying days in snowy conditions, acceleration is likely moot: My all-season-equipped, empty bed 2011 Ford Ranger (even during the shocking Texas snowpocalypse) has active handling that ensured I never did a one-wheel peel on unplowed, slush-filled roads. Ford’s AdvanceTrac even kept the Ranger straight while going up steep hills and icy driveways! I didn’t even need to start in second gear or find trash to weigh down the rear suspension, but maybe everything woulda been harder if the snow stuck around for longer than a few days …

My experience isn’t yours, so here’s the point: Most any vehicle equipped with winter tires can get off the line easily, especially a modern example with computer-assisted technology. But braking for a panic stop? I’ll take the hit to fuel economy and opt for a wider tire every time.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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This is a week of giving thanks across North America, and my Piston Slap column is no different. I wish to thank the folks who email me questions (I can always use more at pistonslap@hagerty.com) for this series and the commentators for personally enriching my knowledge base. And since many of us shall be consuming large amounts of carbs and tryptophan-laden dishes, let’s once again enjoy the tradition of overindulging in the automotive problem that is this series’ namesake: slapping pistons and failing engines!

John writes:

I have that piston slap, how can I stop the rattling on cold start?

Sajeev answers:

You can’t do much, because the noise comes from between the piston and the cylinder of the engine. For most folks it’s better to deal with the noise because fixing it costs thousands at a machine shop—maybe tens of thousands if the motor is for some exclusive specialty car. No matter the application, going to a heavier oil weight can help, but that might have unintended consequences for the engine elsewhere if it wasn’t made for it. Best you change the oil regularly, and be OK with the noise when cold.

Justin writes:

I read the article about piston slap on 2011–13 Hyundai Elantra 1.8 engines (TSB 14-20-002). I’m a mechanic myself and I’ve known that Hyundais have had this issue for years now. My mother recently purchased a ’13 Hyundai Elantra with full service records and only 58,000 miles on it. Car went in to limp mode about a week ago and after inspecting it, I can confirm I hear the piston slap within the engine.

I am planning on going to the dealer and demanding a replacement engine under the warranty. Original bumper-to-bumper warranty being 6 years/60,000 miles, which it hasn’t even hit yet, and the class action lawsuit settlement having extended the warranty to 10 years/120,000 miles. I’m reaching out wondering if you can foresee any problems occurring with me going that route? Yes, it’s 2023 and 10 years from production date of vehicle, but it hasn’t even hit 60K let alone 120K.

Sajeev answers:

I anticipate an uphill battle, especially if you demand something from an overworked service advisor who’s about as burnt out with their career as you are with this Elantra. So play the empathy card, and see if the dealer/Hyundai district manager is more charitable than needed to keep their job. If your mom bought the Elantra from a Hyundai dealer, I anticipate they will put the new motor in with zero stress. If not, they don’t have an ongoing relationship (as it were) and could reject the claim.

Worst-case scenario, you might be able to get a new motor for less money, just because the mileage is so low. Maybe you can get the motor from the district manager and install it yourself? Offer things like this if at all possible. I would also scan customer reviews/ask other local mechanics to see if one Hyundai dealer is staffed with folks who are better with escalations to the Hyundai mothership than others in your area.

Mike writes:

My parents purchased my Elantra in Virginia and gave me the car in 2018. The “slap” noise started after starting on a very cold morning (Virginia, after all) in December 2022. I could not afford to take it to dealership, and since no lights were on, I drove the car just fine. Regular oil changes were done, many from Hyundai. Nothing else is wrong with the car. Did not know about piston slap until my mom looked it up after she heard the noise two weeks ago.

Took it to a Hyundai dealer this week. They say my VIN does not qualify for the lawsuit settlement (but I have the year and engine listed in lawsuit). They also say I am out of warranty anyways because the settlement only extended warranty to 120K and mine has 140K. I don’t have money to buy a car. What can I do?

Sajeev answers:

Much like Justin’s concerns, because of the mileage, and the fact you aren’t the original owner, you are also in for an uphill journey. I have a similar Hail Mary for you: Escalate the issue with any Hyundai dealer that’s willing to work with a Hyundai district manager to see if they can do a partial goodwill repair for you. While this repair may not include a new engine for free, maybe if you ask nicely they can heavily discount the job for you.

Sue writes:

I have a 2013 Subaru Forester that had oil consumption and piston slap upon startup. It was purchased new in 2013, and it now has approximately 140K on the clock. I am on my THIRD short-block with new improved oil rings, and I switched from 0w-20 to 5w-20 oil and still have to add two quarts between 5000-mile changes. When the car sits overnight I get a piston slap (or light clicking?) upon startup, which goes away after it warms up. I am thinking the last new set of oil rings are broken in and piston skirting is worn down on all pistons causing the noise? As long as the mileage is not changing can you offer any advice or figure just keep driving until it dies?

Sajeev answers:

Three short-blocks, hmm? Well, let’s hope the third time is indeed the charm, as what you are experiencing is the best its gonna get. We all have to take a leap of faith, because we must have faith that new short-locks are assembled/machined correctly to match the piston rings. You can’t dig in there and verify the work was done correctly for yourself. If this is an engine from Subaru, monitor its health (oil consumption, piston slap noise) and see if it degrades during the factory warranty period. I am hoping your current engine will outlast the 10-year-old chassis around it, and you can merely drive it until it dies. Hopefully that will be a long, long, long time from now.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Danny writes:

Hi Sajeev,

I have a 2010 Nissan Frontier with a factory CD player, but it had no AUX input or Bluetooth connection to play music from my phone. After about two years of dealing with one of those sketchy Bluetooth adapters that plugs into the 12v outlet on the dash, I finally caved and ordered a stereo receiver and all the necessary accessories from Crutchfield.

The receiver works well, and even made my factory speakers sound a bit better, but despite getting all the replacement trim pieces and installing it all correctly, the dash now makes chittering noises anytime I drive over a bump in the road, and sometimes just when the truck is idling. If I press hard on the tray above the stereo, I can minimize some of the noise, but the new stereo support brackets and the little tray underneath the receiver are just not as robust as the original equipment.

Should I pull it all apart and start adding foam adhesive wherever I can? Thanks for your help!

Sajeev answers:

I have experienced similar issues when upgrading radios on Fords from the last 40 years, so I know you are on the right track with the comment about foam insulation. Sometimes you don’t need foam, because the factory radio has a rear support bracket. While many stereos from the Rad era have a rear bracket, I suspect those days are far behind us. So let’s take a look at the installation kit that came with your purchase:

That’s a lotta plastic! The problem is, these kits don’t necessarily replicate every bit the factory uses to firmly install a stereo. And the factory mounts are usually better quality, often made of metal instead of plastic. But this general information isn’t wholly relevant to the Nissan Frontier in question, so have a look at what Danny pulled out of his truck:

There is no provision for a rear support bracket (a centrally-located threaded hole, or a bolt to attach said bracket), but look at those beefy metal brackets on both sides! Odds are these can’t be reused on the aftermarket radio installation kit, so you do indeed need to use something to stop the vibration. I recommend the same structural packaging foam I mentioned for Project Valentino, but don’t go crazy with it; find the one spot that causes the vibration and add a wedge of foam there. Just a little wedge, not a strip, pad, or anything bigger.

Air circulation/heat management is generally paramount when it comes to aftermarket audio systems, especially if you are running the internal amplifier to power your speakers. Blocking the holes in its chassis could prematurely kill your new stereo, so get some double-sided tape or glue and affix the wedge of foam in a minimalist fashion.

Conservative use of foam insulation and glue is paramount here, as a little bit goes a long way. Hope this solves your problem!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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James writes:

I live in South Florida with an ever-growing elderly population. My question relates to the giant barcode stickers on the sides of many cars. Why do so many of these people leave these stuck to their back windows (almost always on the passenger side). Good luck? Fear? Ignorance? I notice this on a variety of makes/models.

Speaking of ignorance, I assume this is an inventory-related decal for transport?

Sajeev answers:

That’s a fair assumption. I also assumed those were inventory tags for rental agencies and loaner fleets that are part of luxury car dealerships. Those tags make life easier for employees and expedite the check out process for customers. But this is different, because you wrote, “giant barcode.” And thanks to the magic of Google, I learned there are 564 gated communities in Florida. Guess how they make those gates open/close at scale for all those residents?

I suspect you live close to several of these communities, and they all use barcodes to automatically open/close those gates. This feature, while hideous on a vehicle, ensures people willingly pay their HOA fees. Not all of your fellow motorists are enthusiasts, at least not with their daily driver. Slapping an ugly barcode on their ride is worth the time savings. It’s a huge benefit for residents of bougee communities on Halloween night, when Trick-or-Treaters would likely descend on said community of fancy decorations and an endless supply of candy.

Speaking of the wealthy locations, one such community avoids the tacky barcodes via interfacing with the local toll road authority’s RFID sticker transponder. I assume that costs more, and that some HOA’s are unwilling to pay for (monthly?) access to such a database when they could own the whole system instead. But the fancy places with more Land Rovers than Chevy trucks will demand the inconspicuous nature of the toll road interface. Nobody with a new AMG Mercedes-Benz wants a bar code on their window that makes it look like a hardware store purchase.

No matter how you slice it, a lot of Americans live in these suburban communities, and an efficient way to let people in and out is mandatory at this point. Ain’t technology grand?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Clayton writes:

Sajeev,

I recently (about 18 months ago) bought a 1996 Cobra Mustang—with 47,000 miles, the 4.6-liter aluminum DOHC motor, and a little sun damage on the paint—for a fair price (mid-teens). This purchase was based on my excellent experiences with a 1998 V-6 and a 1997 Mustang GT. So, my expectations were that I would have an even better experience with the more expensive, more powerful Cobra version of the SN95 Mustang.

On my eight-hour drive back home northward through the mountains of West Virginia, I noticed that the heat gauge was very high, at least compared to my previous Mustangs. Not quite in the red, but definitely in the high “Normal” range. This behavior continued as I started driving the Cobra on a semi-regular basis. Upon researching some forums and troubleshooting my new car, I came across a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 96-25-12 for the air-conditioning condenser, radiator, and fan for the first year of the Cobra 4.6L engine that basically said, “The fins on the A/C condenser are too tightly spaced, and if you live in a more southerly state, Ford will replace this condenser with a more free-flowing condenser, free of charge.” Some forums also added removing the grille insert. I went ahead and removed the grille insert, but I left the A/C condenser job for another day.

Fast-forward 12 months. The car now has 50,000 miles on it, and it began to misfire while driving it one morning. I immediately dropped it off at the Ford dealership for that “dealer only” inside knowledge that will definitely provide the right fix. The dealer provided the diagnosis: I had a fuel injector that appeared partially plugged, and I was due for new plugs and wires. Once he threw the repair cost at me, I told him that I was a “car guy” and I wasn’t going to pay $600 dollars to have someone change my plugs and wires, but to go ahead and change the fuel injector for me. (That way we both get ulcers from the situation, LOL.)

Meanwhile, I researched some forums to see what plugs to buy for the 4.6L DOHC. It seems that most people are using NGK’s that are one heat range lower than the factory plugs. I bought the NGK’s and some Ford High Performance replacement wires, and took care not to strip the aluminum heads. I got all the plugs and wires replaced, but here’s the kicker—the engine began running near the middle of the “Normal” range on the heat gauge!

I have put on another 1500 miles since the repair and it is running well. So here are some questions regarding my situation:

1. The TSB tells the dealer to change the A/C condenser to fix the problem. Why would the engineer in charge of the TSB not know that changing the spark plugs would result in the same positive result to cool the engine?
2. Is there some damage I am doing to my motor by running “colder” spark plugs?
3. Why, if the factory cooling system is deficient, would colder plugs even help?
4. It is possible to have an air leak that would cool the motor without throwing a code for the fuel mixture of the engine?

Sajeev answers:

As someone with this same motor (mostly) in their 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII, I thought I’d heard it all when it comes to the 32-valve 4.6-liter Modular Ford motor. I did all the online research back then and stuck with copper plugs in the factory heat range, as the Hot Rod Lincoln folks who bracket raced swore they ran cooler and had more power, proven via higher trap speeds on a consistent basis.

But that was 20-something years ago, and I probably got the justification all mixed up. But I still have some experience with this, so let me suggest an utterly shocking group of events that caused your situation:

• Those plugs needed replacement at 30,000 miles and are therefore heavily worn out.
• The previous owner never did an Italian tune up and just puttered around in traffic?
• The issues above caused a mild amount of pre-ignition and the misfire.
• Combined with the restrictive-ish cooling system of the 1996 Mustang, you have a perfect storm leading to a temperature gauge reading too hot in the normal range.

This could explain why new plugs magically fixed your hot running issue, and I wonder if using some in the stock heat range would also fix it. Not that I am suggesting you buy eight more plugs and undo your hard work, so perhaps let’s just answer your questions:

1. Remember that the level of wear in your plugs and a possible pre-ignition condition is the most obvious culprit, and maybe the notion of Ford running a colder plug from the factory meant adding too many deposits in the combustion chamber. Keep in mind an OEM engineer’s tolerance for a balancing of power/emissions/durability is far different from yours. Regarding that potential pre-ignition issue, I’d also check the intake manifold’s EGR valve passage(s) and see if it also needs a cleaning.
2. No damage will happen with colder plugs, but I bet there are combustion chamber deposits after all these years. Blow it all out with a few runs to redline in second gear and/or a Seafoam treatment.
3. It’s not that the cooling system is deficient, rather it might slip out of an acceptable range if another factor (worn out copper spark plugs, combustion chamber deposits) compounds the problem.
4. Any amount of an air leak would absolutely freak out the engine computer because the mass-air flow sensor no longer gives it accurate readings. You’d have much bigger drivability problems if that happened.

Whew! That was a marathon of a thought exercise for yours truly. Is my notion plausible? Got a better idea you’d like to share? Post it in the comments so the Hagerty Community can learn more.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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James writes:

Sajeev,

My friends and I have been having friendly debate about what constitutes a “domestic” vehicle. I think what makes a car foreign is not where it is built, but ultimately where the profits go. Consequently, a Honda Accord built in the USA is a foreign car because the profits go back to Japan. The problem is that I have a hard time seeing that Ford from Mexico as a fully domestic vehicle. Then there is Stellantis—a whole ’nother problem.

Are we too modern to be able to identify vehicles as purely foreign or domestic? Your answer might help settle this for us!

Sajeev answers:

This is both a simple and difficult question to answer, and I love it for that exact reason! The thing about determining the level of domestic pride we can gather from our vehicular purchase is that the measurements are going to be pretty subjective. Some ways really tug at the heartstrings, while others make sense in hard currency and cold facts.

But there’s another problem you haven’t considered: regional loyalty for a company supporting your city, county, state, etc. We have to slice this dicey question into several answers.

What if you live in Texas? (Or the South?)

While my only new vehicle purchase is a Ford Ranger (RIP Twin Cities assembly plant), I’m not oblivious to the fact that both Tesla and Toyota have set up shop in my home state. And the taxes they pay might help me at some point, though it’ll be in ways I can’t possibly fathom at the time of this writing. I’m not dying to get back into debt buy a new vehicle, but these two brands are a bit more appealing considering the locations of their factories and corporate offices.

And nothing pulls at a Texan’s heartstrings like a Toyota Tundra with the “Born in Texas, Built by Texans” sticker applied at the factory. (Presumably this applies to units headed to Gulf States Toyota and subsequently remain in Texas.) I know Toyota is doing a whole lot for my home state, but your statement about “where the profits go” is not lost on me.

About Domestic Content

I see this question as what percentage of my money goes to foreign lands, and what percentage stays stateside to be plowed back into U.S. operations. And that’s where the American Automobile Labeling Act comes into play. The details are painfully complex, as expected for just about any legislation from the federal government, but the big picture is paramount. The act’s mission is to:

“Aid potential purchasers in the selection of new passenger motor vehicles by providing them with information about the value of the U.S./Canadian and foreign parts content of each vehicle, the countries of origin of the engine and transmission, and the site of the vehicle’s final assembly.”

More to the point, this law isn’t the Feds jamming down a yes/no binary down our throats. Instead we are given the knowledge to draw our own conclusions.

Red, white, blue, and shades of gray

And the good folks at Cars.com took this data and made a handy list for us to digest. Sticking with the truck theme in my answer, the most American truck by content is the … drum roll please …

Actually no, the Honda Ridgeline has more American content than the Toyota Tundra. But I can’t tow a big ’ol bass boat (with even bigger flakes of metal in its paint job) with a car-based truck. This is Texas America, baby, and we want real American Japanese body-on-frame trucks for crying out loud!

All jokes aside, let’s consider the amount of American components in the Tundra and the unimaginable amounts of money Toyota is dumping into my home state’s economy. Doing so suggests a large chunk of one’s money stays in America: a story on Edmunds.com suggests “much of the revenue” stays stateside, citing the tax advantages in doing so.

About Corporate Tax Burdens

I have some experience in the value of keeping corporate money in certain places for tax purposes. It’s all above board, though I’m no highfalutin’ finance whiz. But I do have an MBA, which, like, totally makes sense for an automotive journalist.

So anyway, my time in automotive retail included paying for digital marketing services rendered for our UK operations. At the time, giving the UK folks a freebie actually lowered the company’s tax burden. That’s what the CFO told me, so armed with his endorsement I boldly raised our team’s marketing expenses. My UK counterparts absolutely loved talking to your boy Sajeev because he did everything they asked for free, and those same international tax considerations likely have a similar benefit to the likes of Toyota and Honda. And, as James mentioned, the same is likely true for Chrysler/Stellantis these days.

Seeing the forest for the trees

The differentiation between foreign and domestic vehicles is as undefined as shades of gray. My advice is to find the best price first, so you can keep more of your U.S. dollars in your bank. Let them do wonderful things with your money instead, am I right?

Anyway, let’s press on with American trucks. Doing so means you might buy from a Detroit-based automaker, because they regularly offer more significant discounts. Right now all buyers of the Ford F-150 can get $2250 and low 3.9 percent APR financing. I checked Toyota’s website and they only have conditional offers for the Tundra ($500 cash back for recent college grads and military personnel). While the Ford isn’t “as American” as a Toyota in terms of parts content, giving Toyota less of your money suggests you may be keeping more in America.

Buying the cheaper vehicle almost equates to “volunteering” to ease an automaker’s tax burden by not giving them money in the first place. This is far from a detailed analysis, so consult your nearest corporate tax analyst if you wish to see which OEM, which state, and which country of corporate origin suits your needs. And with that, let’s kick it over to the Hagerty Community.

Did I do a good job not answering James’ question? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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The time has come for me to ask you, Hagerty Community member, for more questions to keep the Piston Slap series alive. I am down to my last few, and they are all about those miserable Hyundai engines (that you’re likely tired of reading about). So, here are some previous stories that are the opposite, as they got people in the Hagerty Community in the mood to put on their thinking caps:

• We talked about the Jay Leno Effect.
• And the ideal used school bus for recreational activities.
• We even discussed importing a Buick Skylark from Egypt to the lovely city of Cincinnati, Ohio.
• One time we learned that old-school, cellular car phones can work in modern times.

But we discussed much, much more over the past three years. And it’s my wish to continue to enrich and enlighten everyone with such questions, so if you have a brain teaser of the automotive variety, I want to hear it. E-mail me at pistonslap@hagerty.com to add your question to the lineup.

I’d be remiss, however, if I didn’t tell everyone about the questions we should probably stop answering. My fear is we’ll lose audience members if they keep on reading about them. Here are said questions of concern, with the answers you need to know:

• Should I care about actual piston slap? No, because you probably don’t want to pay to get the engine block/piston rings adjusted to stop it. Just try to keep the sound from annoying you and motor on.
• Why do carbureted vehicles run poorly at times on modern fuels? Well, there are a lot of reasons, but I fear people will stop reading if I answer all these queries. Am I justified in that fear? 
• Is my Hyundai/Kia about to lose its motor? Maybe, but maintenance records, the KSDS update, and a whole lotta patience with your local dealership and OEM representative (as they go through their behind-the-scenes machinations) is in order.

And with that I make one final plea: Do you have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com.

***

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John writes:

First off, I just want you to know that I always enjoy your articles. I was once a bit of a half-assed home mechanic working on an interesting collection of my own stuff (Volvo 1800, Porsche 911, and later 356 Roadster, etc. ), but over the years I realize I have become quarter-assed at the best. But back to oil changes.

My wife bought a 2014 Audi All Road from an independent dealer, and I decided—for the first time ever—to buy an aftermarket warranty. Long story short, the car began to burn a quart of oil every 10 minutes or so and then it burned a valve. The warranty was still in effect, but the warranty company decided that it would not cover the cost because I changed my own oil and I didn’t have receipts (paying with cash has bitten me a few times).

It should be noted that no more than 11,000 miles had been put on the car since it was purchased, which amounts to not much more than one Audi recommended oil change. After a number of phone calls to the warranty company, I did a little research on my own and discovered that there is more to the story than simple documentation of oil changes. The law seems to require actual proof that the oil changes were not performed and further, that the lack of oil changes actually contributed to the problem. The onus appears to be on the manufacture/warranty company to prove that both of those conditions have been met.

In my case, the warranty company ultimately backed down and then approved $9200 for a replacement engine, which has since been installed. I think that’s as close to a happy ending as one is going to get with a warranty company. I know that does not apply directly to your Hyundai owners issue, but I thought you might find it useful.

Sajeev answers:

Thank you for reading, John, and I sincerely appreciate you sharing your story with readers here at Piston Slap. While you admit this isn’t necessarily relevant to the Hyundai/Kia engine debacle, it adds an important element we need to make a bigger deal about: exploratory surgery to prove owner neglect. And the proof is usually in the form of sludge.

There are federal laws on the matter of such proof, but a personal experience of mine came to the same conclusion. Many moons ago, the motor in my mom’s certified pre-owned (CPO) car bit the dust, and the service department did some exploratory surgery on behalf of the CPO warranty administrator to see if the owner was at fault. They had to approve the claim, as they saw a fresh Mobil 1 oil filter and, upon removing both valve covers, an 80,000 mile engine that looked shiny and new enough to back up my claims of regular oil changes with synthetic oil.

If that engine never had an oil change, not only would my mom be on the hook for a new motor, there’s a chance she’d have to pay the dealership for the exploratory surgery. But she never did, and I was never skewered for not maintaining her ride.

I didn’t know the laws on the books have a clause about finding “actual proof,” so I thank you for not taking no for an answer and telling us about your experience after the fact. Because this is absolutely not rocket science, it’s just about regular oil changes.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Victor writes:

Sir, you were very helpful to me before, and I hope you will take the time to shed some light on my latest issue.

The slave cylinder on my 1979 Ford Courier, four-speed with the 2.0-liter engine, started leaking. I ordered a replacement Lux brand slave cylinder,  but when I attempted to thread the hydraulic line to the cylinder it would start to thread on but then bind up. I was very careful to make sure I was not cross-threading it. After numerous attempts I tried screwing the line back onto the old slave cylinder and it threaded on. Thinking that maybe the threads were bad on the new cylinder I sent it back to Parts Geek and ordered a Dorman slave cylinder. Exact same thing happened; it would only screw on partly and would then bind up.

I have looked at the threads on the supply line and do not see anything wrong with them. I was able to order a rebuild kit and will attempt to rebuild the old slave cylinder and see if that works.

I am not a mechanic, and my level of ability is mainly limited to changing the oil, filters, coolant, and spark plugs, but I did think this was a job I could handle. Thank you for your time.

Sajeev answers:

Hello, Victor. Thank you for reaching out; I am happy to help. This absolutely sounds like something you can do, provided the part was actually manufactured like the original bit from Ford/Mazda. I have a feeling that the best move is to ship your old slave cylinder to a place like this and have them rebuild it. You might have a hydraulic shop in your city that can also do the same service, and it’s always great (and convenient) to support a local business.

I reckon there is a manufacturing error on all these new slave cylinders, and there’s only one factory in China making them for all brands. Or perhaps there was a design change over time, and the automated system online isn’t letting you buy the right part. You can try ordering multiple cylinders at a part store too; they will be happy to help. But I think getting yours rebuilt might be the best move. Tell me what you think.

Victor replies:

Thank you for the quick reply and advice. I will send the slave cylinder off to the company you recommend and have it professionally rebuilt. Would it be a good idea to start and run the engine every so often while the truck is sitting with the slave cylinder off?

Sajeev answers:

Running the motor in the meantime is certainly not a bad idea, but there’s no need to do it. Depending on the age and formulation of the gasoline in the tank, a vehicle can sit for many weeks while you wait for the new part. I can keep my cars sitting around for months (not by choice), so keep that in mind.

Let me be clear on one thing, however: I do NOT have experience with the company I referred you to. I just wanted you to know such places exist. You should look into multiple vendors across the internet, maybe use this link to find one. I’ve said it before, and this question proves it, the Google “near me” search is absolutely crucial if you own a classic with limited parts support. (You know, not a Camaro, Ford Truck, Corvette, etc.)

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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K writes:

I have a 2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited (VIN provided but redacted), and it seems to have developed piston slap. I’m having trouble finding out if this car is covered by the extended warranty or any other coverage to get it fixed. I’m wondering if you may know something more about it. Thanks for your time.

Sajeev answers:

I checked your VIN on a Hyundai recall site and yours isn’t part of a formal recall for the engine. I am under the impression you have an extended warranty after performing the Knock Sensor Detection System update (KSDS), but nothing happens when I paste your VIN into that website. That’s why I always ask folks to check a local dealer to see if this can be done or was already performed.

Visit them when they aren’t busy (not early mornings, and not weekends) and forge a connection with the manager/director of service department, as he/she will help you if the motor fails. Even if our online VIN sleuthing comes up with nothing, these folks might be able to get you a new motor replacement under “goodwill” repairs. Sometimes all it takes is a friendly demeanor and proof of regular oil changes to start a paper trail in their system.

K replies:

Thanks for the info Sajeev. I do have one more question. You said “proof of oil changes,” but once I purchased this car from my brother-in-law (who did get oil changes from the dealer), I started doing the oil changes myself at the same intervals as my in-law had done. So I don’t have proof of oil changes. Will it be a 100 percent no from Hyundai when they see I have no proof of my oil changes?

Sajeev answers:

That’s a good question! It really depends on the aforementioned relationship you have with the dealership’s service manager, and what they tell the regional managers at Hyundai. You can go back to the dealership that did the oil changes for your brother-in-law; maybe they will be more motivated to help you, as that car has “supported” them in the past.

If you can pull up credit card receipts showing payment for oil changes (or oil and filters from a parts store), that might help prove your point. They can also do a little exploratory surgery inside the motor to determine if oil sludge is present, so there’s good reason to remain optimistic. While you will probably have to pay for that surgery, it’s totally worth the risk to get a new engine under warranty/goodwill.

In the end, the dealership and/or Hyundai’s regional manager will be your gatekeeper, and if they don’t see signs of neglect via paperwork or visual inspections, you might be good to go … should you need a new engine.

K concludes:

Thanks Sajeev, you have been a big help. I’ll be sure to let you know what happens. Thanks again.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Hagerty Community member snailish writes:

Good day Sajeev,

Paint formulas have changed and availability varies by area due to legislation, making internet information hard to follow on this topic. What I am interested in discussing is flat paint jobs for a car, but not just a spray can of Rust-Oleum to do a headlight bucket. Let’s say I want to paint my car a color that isn’t flat black or white. Maybe I want to take short cuts because it is a Model A jalopy or a military-inspired bush truck. You could spell it out something like this (No, you get all the credit for this. – SM) in order of complexity and cost:

1. 1. Spray cans at hardware stores: Alkyd-based paints don’t sand well, so you will be using paint stripper if you want to paint the part “properly” later. Results over large panels can be uneven. (Fades in sun, but you wanted flat anyways, right?)
   2. Rust-Oleum by the gallon: Can be thinned with darn near anything, and the folks at my local hardware store say they can tint their house brand of rust/metal paint. And it can be applied with a brush if you want that original 1908 Oldsmobile look.
   3. Tractor paint:  Thins like Rust-Oleum, but you use hardener. Circa 2011, the internet is all over this option in various car forums.
   4. Automotive paint systems: Like any other color, but you add flattener. However the cost is the same or more as other modern options (maybe cheaper than two-stage with clear).
   5. Are there other options I am not aware of? 

Obviously you’d have to add the safety disclaimer about PPE, as most paints are very bad to breathe in any quantity. No matter. I guess I want to know what you can tell me about flat paint options for the do-it-yourselfer, circa 2023? I just wanted to provide detail to give context.

Sajeev answers:

Did you ever provide great context, @snailish! Thank you for laying it all out, as there are many options to getting a flat paint job. All are valid, depending on the owner’s tastes and budget: I won’t knock someone for putting tractor paint on a vehicle, that’s for sure. I think the flat paint job options you list are a function of personal ability and accessibility, much like how I suggested zip codes change the answer to your last question. That’s because where you live defines what you can afford, the size of your workspace, and the amount of tools/equipment you can collect. So let me take your bullet points and apply each to specific situations:

1. 1. 1. Spray cans at hardware stores: This is easy, cheap, and can be done just about anywhere. I’ve seen impressive rattle can paint jobs over the years as a judge in the 24 Hours of Lemons, so I will recommend this to most people, especially newbies to the painting game.
      2. Rust-oleum by the gallon: If you have access to equipment like spray guns, a compressed air tank, etc., and the skills to make it work, this is potentially a huge upgrade over the aerosol cans.
      3. Tractor paint: Provided you have the equipment mentioned in #2, this stuff might be better for the rough work experienced by race cars, off-road vehicles, etc. And if you live near a Tractor Supply Co. and their credit card is appealing for other reasons, well, you go right ahead and get tractor paint to reach your purchasing goals.
      4. Automotive paint systems: If you’ve advanced your career/hobby to the point where spending a few grand on a paint job isn’t a big deal, this still can’t be beat.
      5. Other options: Vinyl wrap it. It’s affordable, requires modest body prep, and is safe for your lungs. The learning curve looks pretty shallow, and there are plenty of flat-toned vinyls out there.

For me, I think the vast majority of flat paint jobs should be performed using 1, 2, or 4. But learning vinyl wrapping looks like a trade on par with laying down pinstripes and airbrushing custom flames, making for a good side hustle these days. But again, it all depends on the person paying for the privilege of this paint job.

My preferred method? Scuffing the paint a bit and doing Option #1 from the list. That will work for many applications, short of the fancy pants, late model cars like the Ford GT above.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Jim writes:

Regarding classic car engines that have a Pertronix electronic ignition inside the distributor, can they use platinum plugs after removing the points and adding electronic ignition?

Robert writes:

I have a stock 1948 Plymouth six-cylinder and will be using Pertronix ignition in my distributor. Can I use platinum plugs, and what plug would you suggest?

Bill writes:

I have a 1970 Dodge Charger with Pertronix, and I’m trying to figure out if I should use platinum, iridium, or just stick with copper.

Sajeev answers:

Well, this is clearly a question on the minds of many a Hagerty Community member! But first, let’s get on the same page. Pertronix (and others, to be fair) allow classic car owners to retain the external look of their stock distributor, but with solid state internals like the ignition systems ushered into automobiles starting in the mid-1970s. And with it there was no more fussing with points of dubious quality, increased voltage, more reliable performance, and plenty of good vibes going forward.

Spark plugs are a little harder to describe, as their design is most differentiated by their longevity. When placed into a vehicle, a host of variables (ignition coil output, compression ratio, etc., and maybe even heat range) ensure they behave radically different. Most 1996-up vehicles are designed for platinum or even iridium plugs, and their ignition systems are sized up to provide the correct amount of juice to make them happy. I’ve personally seen a modern (modern-ish; it was a 2006 Crown Vic) vehicle absolutely murder a set of copper plugs in less than 30,000 miles. But I doubt the reverse is true, that older cars with a modern Pertronix ignitions must also use platinum or iridium plugs.

The answer, as per usual here at Piston Slap, is that it depends on your unique situation. The Pertronix Ignitor III puts out way, way more voltage than the baseline Ignitor system. And no matter the ignition system, platinum and iridium plugs may fail to perform to their maximum potential on an engine designed for copper plugs. So here’s what I recommend:

1. For Bill: A 1970 Charger may need platinum/iridium plugs, if it has an aggressive ignition system upgrade, a built 426 Hemi with something like a 13:1 compression ratio, or forced induction, etc. If not, stick with copper.
2. For Robert: This Plymouth is stock and likely has a baseline Pertronix Ignitor setup. Given that and the engine’s mild state of configuration, copper plugs are likely best.
3. For Jim: This concern is more generalized, and there’s no better general advice than to stick with whatever the motor came with from the factory.  (Which is usually copper.)

Considering most vehicles this age are not used for primary transportation, and since many have easy-to-reach spark plugs, sticking with copper spark plugs really isn’t a big demand to place on people. Their lower asking price is the textbook definition of an “added perk” too, but Piston Slap isn’t about my thoughts being final conclusions. This is only a means to encourage comments from readers.

So, as a member of the Hagerty Community, what do you think each of these guys should do?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Sanjeev (not my real name) writes:

Judging by the number of comments generated from my last visit here, it’s clear that Sajeev needs me to keep his precious Piston Slap series afloat. So now let’s talk about what he did last week after breaking the key to his Ford Ranger, because it has ramifications for many an antique/classic vehicle owner.

He clearly needed a replacement key, but that didn’t stop him from showing off his totally excellent gluing skills. I mean, really? Bravo Sajeev, you clearly deserve the podium that Hagerty bestowed upon you.

Sajeev (my real name) answers:

I both JB-welded AND plasti-welded the old key: it’s stronger than ever, but it is pretty ugly. Sanjeev, I’d never let you on this series if it wasn’t for people asking for you by name. Sigh.

But he is right, because if you are one of those folks who likes to sell old cars online, flaunt on social media, etc., it is time to stop posting photos of your car keys. I just learned that a locksmith can take said photo and turn it into a real key, but to be fair, this has probably been going on since the dawn of the Internet.

The potential for misuse is bigger today, however, as we have online auctions with key photos to prove a vehicle’s originality, and those photos can show one’s location and can be narrowed down via cross-referencing photos on Google Street View. And your personal information is far from private on a “public” social media account, as we all know what coffee shops you like to visit.

 

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A post shared by christos raptopoulos (@kleidia_giagia_immobilizerkeys)

There’s a chance someone could put all the clues together. And when they do, they’ll make a key and swipe your vehicle from right under your nose. This is more relevant to those with older vehicles that lack an ignition cutoff chip, as older keys work with nothing more than a mechanical handshake between metal parts. So without any further ado, here’s how the key copying procedure works.

First you go online to buy a key, but you call/email/direct message the seller to ensure they are a locksmith that can cut the key before shipping it to you. My preferred method for this is eBay Motors, as you can easily find the factory key, an upgraded key, a cheap knockoff, etc., and use eBay’s price-sorting feature to find the best value. Upon your purchase, send a photo of “your” original key to the online locksmith.

If they are on the up-and-up, they might ask for an ID or verify the mailing address added to your eBay account. But if they aren’t, they won’t. No matter, once that legal/moral hurdle is cleared, the locksmith uses the photo to replicate the cuts on a key blank. When the deed is done, the key goes in the mail, headed for whatever plans the buyer has in mind for it.

I opted for an upgrade at the same time, going from the solid plastic key to one with a metal Ford logo. I was certain it’d work, and the eBay Motors locksmith was happy to confirm my suspicions. He/she also asked me to “win” another auction to pay for the key cutting service, and the keys were in my mailbox in three business days. Wow.

I opened the envelope, tested the (still un-programmed) keys in my Ranger’s door and the ignition-lock cylinders and was satisfied with the photo-to-key cutting procedure. They still wouldn’t start the truck, but key programming information is readily available online for almost any vehicle. I had the factory repair manuals (for a truck that seemingly never breaks down), so I put them to good use instead.

And it worked! Now I have two upscale blue oval keys, and the total damage to my wallet was less than $50, including tax and shipping. While I used this power for good and not evil, it would be fun to play a prank on a friend with this knowledge in mind: Get a photo of their key, make a copy, do the prank, and give them an extra key for their trouble. But that ain’t me, and it never will be.

So instead I am warning you, dear reader: Keep your keys close and far away from prying eyes with smartphones. And if you must flex on haters with a photo of your vehicle’s unlocking tool, blur the important bit. Because while it may not be offensive like other censored content on the Internet, what can be done to your vehicle certainly is offensive to you.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Lyle writes:

Hey Sanjeez, I have a question for Piston Slap: What makes a reliable engine?

Like, there are some throughout history that seem to have endlessly positive reputation despite having at least some problems or quirks. Nothing is perfect, but why are some better than others? Is it the design? Production? Materials? Some combination of all three, with a little sprinkling of Chemical X?

Sanjeez (who is really Sajeev) answers:

Excellent question Lyle, and your slow meatball pitch is setting me up for a home run. Thanks for that, so let’s get into why a combination of everything you mentioned makes a reliable engine.

I learned that even the most durable motors have problems at some point in vehicle ownership, stemming from faults in engineering or the supply chain. Even worse, this can happen at any time over the engine’s lifecycle, because it’s just a commodity made by a multi-national corporation. I used to think the 100 percent cast-iron Ford Vulcan V-6 was as tough as they get, except examples at the tail end of its 20+ year history had a defective cylinder head casting that could crack.

My tarnished brand loyalty aside, it turns out that everything matters, especially over time. Cheap out in the supply chain (somewhere, who knows where) and something like this cylinder head defect surfaces. Add the complexity of modern small displacement, low friction turbocharged engines designed to meet government mandates across the globe, and the system is ripe for failures.

And no period of time is safe from blame: Bite off more than you can chew with bleeding edge technology and the early Cadillac HT4100 engine is the result. Tinker with oil change intervals, PCV systems, etc., and sludgy 2000s era motors from VW and Toyota rise to the surface. Subaru boxers have a serious love/hate relationship with the Internet. And when the entire industry seeks less friction in an engine’s short block, oil consumption issues across the board becomes more prevalent.

Now let’s get a little weird …

Chasing down all the fail points will drive you mad, but as a judge in the 24 Hours of Lemons, I learned that presumably durable mills can be downright hapless in endurance races. I’m looking at you, small-block Chevy and various engines from Toyota and Honda that can’t stand being revved for long periods of time. Even the legendary Chrysler Slant-Six has a checkered history in this series, while BMW inline-sixes can take the heat just as well as they do on the streets. (Maybe better?)

Ironically and shockingly, Lemons taught us that the Cadillac HT4100 does pretty well in an endurance race. A Cadillac-swapped Miata is winning races fast enough to hurt some egos in the process. Contrary to the delightfully snarky video above, the HT4500 and HT4900s are one of the better V-8 swaps you can do in this race series. Getting a budget-built small-block Ford/Chevy to be competitive for that many hours on track is difficult, but aside from Ford’s lazy-revving SOHC 4.6-liter mill, the Cadillac is where its at.

And oh boy, does it ever have Cadillac style! (Cue that bass guitar drop!) 

I think everyone needs an HT4100 swap so they can go and “live, love every mile” in flagship style. It proves the point that good engines can be junk, and junky engines can be fantastic.

Frustrated by my answer yet?

Just remember that nothing is sacred, as engineers, mechanics, previous owners, government mandates, and supply chain snafus will find a way to surprise you. No brand is unassailable, no dataset has all the information you seek. So be vigilant on maintenance, buy used vehicles with a service history, and get an extended warranty if your nerves cannot be soothed into submission. Only joking on that last part … probably.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—and give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Carl writes:

My wife has a 2014 BMW X3 with a 2.0L turbo and 100K miles that has been dealer maintained since new. In the morning when first started, it sounds like a muted diesel engine. It’s difficult to tell if the sound is coming from the lower end or perhaps from solenoids/valves in the emissions system. The sound is more noticeable when cold, but it’s still evident when hot. The BMW dealer said the sound is “characteristic” for the engine. Some posting boards say to use a heavier oil than a 5W30 and the noise will go away. What are your thoughts?

Sajeev answers:

Hi, Carl. It’s generally a bad idea to use heavier oil unless there’s a variance of oil weights listed in the owner’s manual. Odds are the oil isn’t a problem here, as problems that surface upon startup but go away/get quieter as the engine heats up can come from other sources. I found two such things in my research. BMW’s N20 engines have known issues with their timing chain guides and the wastegate on the turbocharger. Both could be applicable here, which means we need to try to eliminate one or both of them.

Let’s tackle the timing chain guides first. Timing chain guides are known to rattle upon startup, and that’s not just a BMW N20 thing. (My 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII has been rattling upon startup for 15-something years and well over 100,000 miles; it’s clearly not the end of the world.) There was a recall on this a couple of years ago; you can learn more about this issue here. I highly recommend asking the dealership if BMW will pay for this repair, and they might make this happen easily since you’ve been giving them a steady flow of cash for regular maintenance items. That’s a much bigger deal these days when seeking goodwill repairs.

So, now let’s look at the possibility of a rattle from the turbo’s wastegate. Getting the dealer to address this might be harder, as I see no recall in the works for that. But when you put the affected parts on a bench, the problem becomes clear.

Although it’s a clear-cut issue, the repair can be dicey. You can adjust the wastegate’s linkage, but that might only be a temporary fix. Depending on how long it’s been loose, there’s a good chance the soft metal bushing that’s part of the wastegate system has worn out. A new bushing is needed eventually: Odds are yours has less play, as all that metal heats up from that toasty little turbocharger.

And apparently the new bushing comes in a nice little kit for your wastegate. Many different vendors sell them, and you can see one type of kit being installed here. These might be of varying quality, so discuss which kit is best with a local BMW-savvy technician who is well-versed in the issue.

It doesn’t have to be at a BMW dealership, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the dealer can do the job for a competitive rate, if you ask nicely for a discount since this is a known flaw. I bet they’ve seen this issue on turbocharged BMWs on a weekly basis, and they know the right bits to install. This is one time the dealer might be even better than an independent mechanic. Of course, that depends on the number of BMW-savvy mechanics around you (North America is such a diverse place, ain’t it?), but I’m digressing … Ask someone trustworthy and familiar with N20 engines about how they’d fix the wastegate rattle.

Be it a bad guide or wasted wastegate, I am pretty confident your problem will be found if you start here. Best of luck!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Sanjeev writes: 

Look who finally let me appear in his precious Q&A column here on Hagerty! Sanjeev is here to keep your audience engaged, as they are autocorrecting asking for me by name on a regular basis, either via pistonslap@hagerty.com or in the comments. So let me offer a public service announcement because you’re too afraid to mention it: batteries and heat are a combination that can leave you stranded.

Last week, this Sajeev guy almost got stranded in 109 degree weather in Houston. Even though his battery fired up the car with ease, it died while driving on the highway. It was a slow, terrifying death, as accessories died in rapid fire succession to the point he could go no faster than 35 mph with a completely dead interior. Which is bad news, but likely preventable with just a simple test.

Sajeev is too chicken to admit his fallibility, but Sanjeev is here to give the people what they need. (And they need Sanjeev.) 

Sajeev answers:

As much as I hate that Sanjeev guy’s popularity, he’s 100 percent right. Many of us (approximately 100 million people) are currently living under a massive heat dome. Excessive heat is the enemy of 12-volt car batteries, and this level of sustained warmth can do them in with little or no warning. Which is why doing a load test is a good idea, and it’s more than just plugging in a cigarette lighter gauge in your dashboard and keeping a close eye on the voltage. You need a multimeter with a min/max feature, connect it to the battery, and turn over your engine.

Or just watch the video above, as it makes the process pretty clear. Many auto parts stores have a battery diagnostic tool that will accomplish the same thing, and they will go out to the parking lot to test your battery for free. Which is a great price, but do this around dusk or dawn, as it’s dangerously hot outside for everyone under the heat dome.

If the car starts but fails the 9.6-volt threshold test, you know the battery is running on borrowed time. And the hourglass is emptying quickly when under a heat dome. Even worse, in my experience with battery testing machines, just because a battery passes doesn’t guarantee it will survive commuting for weeks upon weeks in the summer months. The test is more of a good indicator, and not a perfect science: especially when factoring in a battery’s age and internal condition.

The battery in the vehicle in question, a 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC, was 3.5 years old. It lived most of its life either being driven or resting on a tender, but it still died at a pretty bad time. At least I had a working alternator to get me home, but doing so can be kinda awful for electrical systems. So consider driving with a dead battery only long enough to park somewhere safe, and get a ride to a parts store/Walmart/dealership to get a new one. (Keep in mind that once a car with a dead battery is turned off, it won’t start again without a fresh battery.)

Let me say that again: a car with a battery that dies on the road can still get you someplace safe. This fact is likely to get lost when you are in the thick of it, driving in this sweltering heat, watching accessories die off like a falling house of cards. That’s what happened to me, so let’s recap the failures as they unfolded over the course of 3-5 minutes, just for fun (as it were).

1. The stereo slowly lost volume (probably due to how the aftermarket amplifier is wired into the system).
2. The HVAC blower motor was stuck on the low fan speed, which was my first indication of trouble.
3. The Mark VIII’s message center beeped and boldly proclaimed, “CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM.” (I turned off the stereo immediately.)
4. The charging/amp light was not illuminated and never came on. (Thanks, alternator!)
5. The HVAC control panel rebooted every five seconds (I cracked the windows open at this point).
6. The message center beeped again and told me to check my charging system, again.
7. The message center beeped and told me to check my air suspension. (Truly a high priority at this point!)
8. HVAC control panel went completely dead.
9. The anti-lock brake warning light illuminated.
10. The message center died, which was kinda nice at this point.
11. The windows wouldn’t roll down any further. (I left the freeway; I needed more circulation badly.)
12. The clock died, even though it’s in the same display as the message center.
13. Engine idle became rough on deceleration and at stop lights.
14. The Mark VIII was sputtering and couldn’t maintain speeds higher than 30 mph.

Thank goodness I got home before the next electrical malady hit the car, or before the alternator had enough of this nonsense and left the chat. I parked, opened the garage, got a multimeter, and found the charging system operating at decidedly unhealthy 7.4 volts. (Keep in mind a running car should be closer to double that figure.) I disconnected the battery and did a quick test with the multimeter again: it was 7.4 volts (I think) so clearly failed the resting voltage test, too. (Resting voltage is around 12.6 volts.)

With that data in mind, I turned off the Mark VIII, yanked the battery and got me a new one.

Well, once it cooled down a bit. It’s a downright chilly 91 degrees in Houston at night! But now I have a happy Mark VIII with a healthy charging system, which is great. And I hope this provides enough motivation to get your battery tested, because you want none of this happening if you’re also living under the heat dome.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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Jeremy writes:

Good afternoon Sajeev, I have appreciated your opinion in several of your articles, and I wanted to pick your brain on a topic: wrapping a classic.

Last year I picked up a one-owner ’69 GTO that was in fantastic barn-find condition, but in the ’80s it had been repainted a god-awful shade of UPS brown. The car was extremely original and I had decided to keep it as original as possible down to the white line tires. But when a UPS-brown GTO is parked next to a blue one, yellow one, and gold one, it just never gets picked. So this GTO wasn’t being enjoyed, which is a shame, as it drives great and even has cold factory A/C!

Looking at options, and the fact that I already have two cars in different body shops, I wanted to see how much fun I could have for the least amount of money, so I wondered what I could do with a wrap. First, let me be clear on one thing: I didn’t fix anything on the body. That’s because I didn’t know if this was going to work out, as I might be destined to have $500 worth of vinyl crumpled up in my shop. If that was my fate, my escape plan was to peel it off and never tell anyone of my mistake.

So I bought 50 feet of vinyl off Amazon and got to work. I removed the hood and trunk and did those first—it went very well. Then I moved to the fenders, doors, the god-awful quarter panels (that wrap around the back), and lastly, the roof.

For just over $600, some evenings in the shop, and several four-letter words later, I had a car that looked 100 times better, was only one shade, and the rust was much less visible; I was extremely pleased. I added the Judge decals and spoiler, then a Flowmaster exhaust, and I had one hell of a car. I chose to black out the grills and swap the white-line tires and hubcaps for some Rallye IIs from my ’70 LeMans.

I was amazed: I have cars that have been in body shops for years and the cost is out of this world. If I tried to justify paint and body expense I would want to go original on this one-owner car and go back to the correct Espresso Brown. But that would have taken two years and cost $12,000. Instead, this has proven to be one of the most fun cars I’ve ever had. I can drive it and park it anywhere, my daughter took her first driving lesson in it, I can set my beer on it and not freak out … the freedom and enjoyment of driving a car like this is amazing.

I doubt I devalued this car at all, as it’s being driven, doing burn outs, and getting stared at everywhere she goes. All in all I consider this project a success! I should say this is my first attempt at wrapping a car, so keep in mind it’s all about taking your time until you get the hang of it.

Then I got to thinking: How many cars have been cast aside, parked in a yard, or parted out just because you couldn’t justify spending the money on paint and body?

While you probably won’t win “best paint” at a car show, this is an extremely economical option. It just takes time, patience, and a heat gun. There are countless YouTube videos to help. You may find an extra set of hands helpful for those difficult spots (damn quarter panels)!

So anyway, I’m very curious what your take is on this. Did I destroy a time-capsule car (with documentation back to day one), or did I save a car that otherwise would have rusted away?

Sajeev answers:

Jeremy, you absolutely did the right thing. A time capsule was not destroyed; instead, its appeal has broadened. While I doubt any muscle car will rust away unloved these days (as it isn’t 1987 anymore), you proved there’s a beauty that comes from the freedom of expression via vinyl wrapping. Frankly, I wish more folks would follow your lead.

And when you take the plunge, doing a bright color is a great choice for most any vehicle. The sheer volume of boring gray, silver, white, black, and red colors we see on the roads today suggest that standing out is a great move. And it’s an easily reversible move, if you decide a concours-quality restoration is merited in the future. Now imagine how many less-desirable classics could be saved with this technology, like the ’49 Packard sedan I previously discussed:

So many vehicles from the 1940s have lost their luster, but I hope someone hit the “Buy It Now” button and spent a couple grand on vinyl material, and fuel/ignition/brake parts to get this Packard looking and running like a champ. This beautiful piece of history may otherwise wind up in a scrap yard, even though Packards are crafted to a standard that can be appreciated even to this day.

Classic/antique/specialty cars of all shapes and sizes deserve a bigger audience, as our country’s enthusiasm for automobiles is anything but blended and homogenized. To wit, imagine the day when many Gen Xers and Millennials say, “Remember when you could get a clean, big-body Buick sedan for $1400 on Facebook Marketplace?”

I will miss these days, and not because this particular car garnered me a free trip to Prince Edward Island. The Buick Lucerne was never a credible threat to the Lexus ES when new, but it lived to embody the notion of an authoritatively-styled American sedan ruling the roads with grace and style, cutting a beautiful profile against a background cluttered with CUVs and monster trucks. It, much like Jeremy’s brown GTO, can become much more than what’s before our eyes.

The Pontiac GTO has a much larger and loyal following than any front-wheel-drive Buick, but remember there was a time when society deemed muscle cars as disposable as a Ford Focus or Chevy Equinox. So instead, let’s be mindful of unique stories unfolding right under our nose. And remember that new audiences are found thanks to a shiny coat of paint roll of vinyl.

I challenge people to see how Jeremy’s GTO can inspire their future automotive endeavors. What vehicle(s) are worth this effort? I reckon the answer is almost all of them. 

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Rory asks:

So in my infinite wisdom, I left the windows open on my 1992 Mitsubishi Montero while I was away over the weekend. It rained, so this is some bad stuff. I am going to get DampRid so that I can start to dry this out as soon as possible. Do you have any other ideas on how to fix my mistake?

Sajeev answers:

Ugh, I have been there. One time I left my 1988 Mercury Cougar’s windows cracked during a huge rainstorm, and the cabin was allowed to marinate for days before I approached the car and smelled the problem. This was pre-Google times, therefore I didn’t know about DampRid’s decades-long reputation of water absorption. So instead I cut out the affected carpet as a quick fix to the problem. (It was already sun bleached and in need of replacement, so cutting it up wasn’t a big deal.)

But that wasn’t a fix at all, as the water/mold damage affected most of the padding underneath the carpet. That’s the first half of my story, but I recommend yanking the carpets if you have any concerns about DampRid.

Rory replies:

I’m not gonna be able to pull the carpets out of the Montero, at least not immediately. I need this car for daily driving; it can’t be decommissioned for that long. The floor mats are out and I vacuumed it hard. Now I hope DampRid will do its thing.

Sajeev concludes:

I hope so too, Rory! Because if not, you must do what I did next: yank out the carpet and bolt back in the driver’s seat so its drivable, if a bit noisy. It’s shocking how quickly you can remove a vehicle’s seats, console, and rocker panel trim and make quick work of the moldy carpet. With little else but bare metal floors inside, I cleaned all surfaces with Lysol, sanded/painted a metal bracket under the carpet that became rusty, and bombed the rest of the interior with Ozium. Boom, it was done and the smell was history.

Problem solved, except I was driving around on a metal floor with one Cougar bucket seat for far, far too many trips to work/school. That’s because I first waited a few days for a color sample, then a few weeks for the correct “Oxblood”-toned replacement carpet to arrive. But that’s not relevant to you and your Montero, as I assume your carpet doesn’t need replacement, just a long time to dry out. Or not, as maybe DampRid isn’t a product with a misleading name?

Hagerty Community, do you think that will work, or does the carpet need to be pulled?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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James writes:

Hi! Have a 2010 Kia Forte with 69,000 miles. It has bearing noise and piston slap when cold at startup. I read Kia recalled some of these 2.0 engines but we never received a notice. Hard to believe such a low milage car has this! Local mechanic said to “just drive it,” but what do you think?  Thanks!

Sajeev answers:

I am pretty sure your local mechanic is right, but I would highly recommend starting a paper trail with your local Kia dealership. I hope you have service records showing regular oil changes, as those are crucial to a paper trail that will work in your favor. And this is a big deal because the Theta II engine has manufacturing issues that lead to engine failure. This video does a fantastic job explaining the problem:

But the only way to know for certain is by yanking it out and disassembling it. Which would be much like exploratory surgery in a hospital setting, as it is something nobody wants to do. So instead, just make sure the Kia corporate mothership has a paper trail on you (with oil change history) and your engine’s performance issues. Heck, you might wanna ask the service manager at your Kia dealership of how many engines they’ve replaced under recall/warranty/goodwill in the last 5–7 years. I bet they could tell you a heckuva story.

Or stories—plural. Manufacturing defects seem par for the course with Hyundai-Kia gasoline engines these days. The scope of the problem is likely unknown, as I suspect many are quietly addressed via dealership franchises performing the aforementioned goodwill repairs. Unless another whistleblower provides a running list of all the poorly manufactured parts from the beginning to the end of production for all Hyundai/Kia engine families, we are likely to only see a hodgepodge of errors come to the surface. Which doesn’t exactly help you, so let’s get back to the point.

Start a paper trail of customer concerns and oil change history with the Kia dealership, as I promise that the effort put in has a potential benefit, should your motor decide to implode in the future. Once complete, do what your mechanic said: Drive the Kia normally, but keep an eye on oil consumption as if the car’s life depends on it.

Because it probably does, as naming your engine after the Greek letter associated with death turned out to be a bad move. Best of luck, because maybe you got one of the motors that was machined/assembled correctly. Fingers crossed on that.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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In our last episode, we met Jeff, the man behind the Bluetooth-conversion kit for analog, in-car Mitsubishi cellular phones of the 1990s. If you want to follow in his footsteps, check out the open-source info and the build thread. If enough people motivate Jeff to make more modules (and ones for other vehicles) we will update this series once more. But for now, let’s learn a little more about the man behind this fantastic creation. 

SM: What motivated you to do the conversion in the first place?

Jeff: My Mitsubishi 3000GT did not have the car phone when I bought it. While searching for an owner’s manual on eBay, I stumbled upon a new-old-stock original sales brochure for the 1993 3000GT. When it arrived, I found a brief mention of a telephone accessory:

You may also install an available cellular telephone if you wish—complete pre-wiring is already provided. A fitting final touch in a place where meticulous attention has so obviously been paid to every last detail.

I had to have it, because this car was all about excessive amounts of early ’90s tech, and this was yet another optional piece that I was missing. There were unused factory connectors hiding somewhere in the car just waiting to fulfill their destiny. Armed with a photo of this excerpt from the sales brochure, I went to the 3000GT Facebook groups and forums to ask for info about this car-phone system, and if anyone had one they would sell.

Despite the evidence I had, nearly everyone (even 15+ year veterans in the community with years of buying/selling/part-outs) was telling me that there was no such thing as a factory car-phone accessory, or that it was just a dealer add-on where they would install any consumer car-phone system. There was nothing special about it, they said.

I eventually started tracking down info and evidence of the system and started the three-year journey of piecing together a complete system, including scoring a brand-new-in-box telephone).

Pretty soon after I imagined getting the factory car-phone system for my car, I started wondering if there was any way that it could actually be activated or modified to be fully functional. My plan was to fix/maintain it as a stock example of what the car was supposed to be, with all of its technology working as intended. I quickly learned that, since 2008, it’s impossible to activate service on analog cell phones and that there are no adapter/conversion kits available.

I initially started researching the possibility of building a Bluetooth adapter that connects to the original phone’s antenna port and simulates 1G analog service to the phone. This would have allowed the phone to remain fully functional, as original, while routing calls over Bluetooth to a paired cell phone. It also would have been compatible with any 1G analog car phone with a coax antenna port. I found technical explanations and original specs for 1G cell service, but I was absolutely lost on the electronics side of things. Still struggling to even find all the parts of the car phone system, I lost motivation and gave up on trying to figure out the 1G-cellular-to-Bluetooth-adapter idea. Maybe it was possible, but it was way beyond my electronics knowledge/skills.

The “easy” solution of hacking a modern Bluetooth headset into the handset was never an option for me. I wanted the display and buttons of the handset to be fully functional for an authentic experience. I specifically wanted the ability to dial a number on the handset, press send, and have it actually call that number. It was all or nothing for me. I’d rather have the original phone fully “working” without service than reduce it to a cosmetic shell around a Bluetooth headset.

About a year later I started wondering if I could somehow interface with the handset directly through its cord. I found renewed motivation and decided to get an oscilloscope just to see what I could figure out about those eight wires in the handset cord. This is where I started documenting the rest of my journey on the electro-tech-online forum. I got really lucky and was able to reverse-engineer much of how to control the handset in just over a week, with a simple proof-of-concept manually sending commands from my computer through a USB adapter and simple circuit to the handset.

Two weeks later, I had deciphered even more, and had my first proof of concept of software on a microcontroller being in control of the handset. This is about when I finally felt like this was actually possible, and I wasn’t going to settle for anything less than a final result that was practically indistinguishable from the original.

The rest is a year-long journey of details: figuring out how to work with a Bluetooth module, figuring out how to design the analog audio circuitry I needed to deal with all the audio/sounds, tons of programming of menus and features to replicate the behavior of the original phone, figuring out how to be compatible with the car’s hands-free system, etc. Much of the electronics part of this project was at or beyond the edge of my knowledge, so there was a lot of research, followed by asking questions on the electro-tech forum.

I’m extremely lucky and thankful that a couple of people took interest in my project, followed its progress, and answered my questions or offered suggestions. I don’t think I could have done it without their help. I think it worked out well because I was very proactive in researching and trying things first before asking for help, then I would use the responses to guide more research and make as much progress as possible on my own. I tried to be as self-sufficient as possible and only ask for guidance, not for complete solutions.

SM: What is your background? This kind of project clearly requires specific skills.

Jeff: Professionally, I’m a software engineer that primarily works on front-end web application development. I’ve been programming since I think the early ’90s, when I was a kid and discovered DOS batch files, then QBasic. I took programming classes in high school, and almost failed a few other classes because I would stay up too late programming silly games instead of doing my homework for other classes. But it worked out okay, because I landed my first “real” job as a programmer with only my high school diploma, and progressed from there.

The programming aspect of this car-phone project was very fun and comfortable for me, despite it being quite different from my day-to-day professional programming work.

My background in electronics is extremely limited and amateur. I had an electronics educational kit as a kid that I didn’t understand, but I could follow the instructions to make things. I also took an intro electronics class as an elective in high school. The electronics aspect of this car phone project was out of my league, and I had to learn almost everything along the way. I often procrastinated on solving hardware issues by continuing to develop more features in the software, like the games Snake (above) and Tetris.

SM: How did you get into cars? Into electronics?

Jeff: If I had to pick one pivotal moment that got me “into cars” as a hobby/enthusiast, it would probably be when I bought a new 2013 Jeep Wrangler (two-door base model, manual transmission/windows/locks) and started modifying it. First up was a turbo kit after only 10K miles (turbo sounds on the sand dunes). Previously, I had been into motorcycles (riding, maintaining, modifying), but I never had a car that I actually enjoyed until the Jeep. Then my wife and I caught the Miata disease from my brother, and we ended up buying a ’95 Miata with some suspension upgrades, roll-bar, and a turbo kit (officially, her car). After getting the Miata caught up on a lot of overdue maintenance, repairs, and cosmetic improvements, I started getting the itch for a ’90s project car of my own: the 3000GT.

Regarding electronics, my son got a Power Wheels ride-on toy when he was very young. The first time he tried it, it scared him because of the instant full power. It’s literally just a switch that connects a motor to a 12V battery. All or nothing, instant electric torque. I was into R/C cars at the time and had the idea to modify the Power Wheels so that it had proportional throttle control and used an electronic speed controller (ESC) for an R/C car.

A coworker had experience with electronics and microcontroller programming, so he helped get me started with a basic circuit and how to program microcontrollers. I programmed the microcontroller to convert a detected throttle position to the proper signal that the ESC requires to indicate desired throttle percentage. It was overall a very simple project and a great learning experience.

SM: Any particular reason why you have a 3000 GT?

Jeff: I very specifically sought a first-generation 3000GT VR4 because I was intrigued by its excessive early ’90s technology (active aero, active exhaust, active suspension, four-wheel steering, etc.), I like its pseudo-exotic styling, and, of course, its pop-up headlights. I also enjoy having a car that is unique out on the road due to its relative obscurity.

Apparently, I’m also a bit of a masochist that enjoys the thrill of finding rare parts and repairing/maintaining obscure things (evidenced by both the choice in car and the car phone project). Mine is a ’93 VR4 that is nearly completely stock (aside from minor things like tinted windows and  reupholstered seats) with all of the quirky tech/features fully intact and functioning—after I repaired several things like the active aerodynamics and the digital climate control.

SM: Is there anything else you would like to share with Hagerty’s readers?

Jeff: I hope my project inspires someone to learn something new, push the limits of their skills/knowledge, and not give up on achieving a goal. Although my Bluetooth adapter will only work with a specific model of car phone (Diamondtel Model 92), the general approach would likely work with any old car phone that has a corded handset. I’m interested to see if anyone else will build a similar kind of adapter for a different car phone.

You’ve given some of these before, but here are the links to info about the car phone project:

• GitHub repository — technical designs/explanation, diagrams, source code, basically everything you would need to reproduce my Bluetooth adapter, but it’s not a simple DIY project, though it is free for personal, non-commercial use.
• Electro-Tech-Online forum thread — full history of progress on my Bluetooth adapter.
• Information about the 3000GT factory car-phone accessory.
• My Youtube channel has many videos of my car-phone project at various stages of development, in addition to the main recent video that gives a full tour/demo of the functioning car phone system. This is more of a convenient repository for videos that I share with friends, on forums, in Facebook groups, etc. I didn’t put any effort into “appealing to the masses.” I was quite surprised when media outlets started publishing articles about my recent video.
• I recently created a TikTok account where I have been posting mostly shorter and more focused demonstrations of specific features that are maybe more appealing to short attention spans.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Jeff writes:

I came across your article that refers to my custom car phone+Bluetooth adapter project, and I just wanted to let you know that I made some major progress since you wrote about it! I finally got the OEM “hands-free controller unit” working for my car, and built a new prototype that makes the original car phone system fully functional again, complete with OEM hands-free integration with the stock radio, and the addition of modern voice dialing/commands.

And here’s an article on Hackaday.com that gives a good overview, too. Just thought you’d find it interesting. Let me know if you have any questions.

Sajeev answers:

(heavy breathing)

(falls off chair) 

(regains composure) 

I don’t know what’s more awesome for me, the fact that you made this magnificent creation or that you wrote into Piston Slap to share your latest update with my readers. No matter, the end result in your 3000GT is so close to perfection that I no longer miss the departure of the analog cellular network. The sheer volume of old phone functionality that remained with Bluetooth integration is mind blowing, not to mention all the perks of having a smart phone connected to your vehicle’s audio system!

Let me say it again: the end result of your Bluetooth integration is absolutely amazing. WOW. I guess the first thing I’d like to know is your thoughts around making a more universal Bluetooth adapter, and would you consider selling them to others?

Jeff writes:

I currently have no plans to make these adapters, but here is some more context on that:

1. Just physically building the prototype was extremely tedious. It took me about 30-40 hours to build it, test it, and find/fix the mistakes I made (so many soldered connections, many opportunities for mistakes). So simply building more of these prototypes to sell is not practical, as the price would have to be in the thousands of dollars to make it worth the loss of my free time.
2. My adapter works only with this one model of car phone (and one other known functionally identical model from Mitsubishi), because of how it directly interfaces with the handset and transceiver. So the market potential is extremely limited. I know of a handful of people that have this phone (without hands-free components) and would probably buy an adapter if I reproduced it. But it’s not worth the investment to “productionize” this adapter to sell only 10 of them.
3. Selling adapters for other car phone designs requires going through the whole process again (obtain one of those phones, reverse-engineer it, develop different custom hardware and software to interface with that model of phone). I have not seen any evidence yet that there is any one particularly popular model of car phone with enough market potential to be profitable. Well, profitable for me to invest many hundreds of hours into developing another prototype, then an unknown amount of time and money into putting it into production.
4. The most reasonable possibility is that I may decide that I want to refine my adapter for my own personal enjoyment, and learning how to design PCBs, 3D modeling (for a 3D-printed enclosure), etc. If that happens there could be a point where it would be fairly easy to reproduce more, then I would consider selling them.

Sajeev replies:

I’d like to think that Motorola underpinned a lot of vintage USA car phones from the 1990s with the same engineering as its MicroTAC I and II as a foundation. If so, that would make scaling up your production a bit easier and open up the floodgates to would-be buyers in their GM, Ford, and Chrysler products.  But then again, that’s a big if.

And thinking out loud is just that, as I clearly put very little thought into this notion. No matter, we aren’t done with Jeff just yet. Stick around for next week’s Piston Slap, as we will have the rest of this conversation for your reading pleasure.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Hagerty Community member snailish writes:

I don’t have the contacts or research to put this together, and it’s obviously not your usual Piston Slap or Venom Vellum kind of angle, but your writing exemplifies a thinking person. And that is something I think has been mostly absent from “the future of vehicles” coverage. (Why, thank you so much! —SM)

The Volvo “Carbon Footprint Report”* contained some really interesting information, but my new thought is directly related to the old cars. So I am expected to use my commuter car for roughly 10–12 years; instead I use an older vehicle (older than 12 years, so it has already done its expected commuter life) to get around that. Those of us with casual-use old cars older than 12 years should be well in the carbon negative zone. All this brings me to some concerns:

1. I’d like to see the old-car hobby endure.
2. I’m concerned about the developing legislative environment.
3. I’m concerned that the media narrative is really only looking at tailpipe emissions rather than “overall less carbon.”
4. I’m not opposed to EV conversion, but current costs make that not viable for most.
5. I think the old-car world may be missing a defense argument

* a break-even analysis of modern EVs —SM.

Sajeev answers:

You bring up some very valid points that most of the media (be it mainstream or automotive) has neither the interest nor the motivation to discuss. I do not believe your concerns are imminent, because America’s economy and infrastructure is too diverse/messy to enforce restrictions on fossil fuel–powered vehicles on a short-term time table. Make that any time table, no matter on which part of the political spectrum you may reside.

With those qualifications in mind, let’s discuss your five points:

1. The old car hobby will endure. The gasoline car/horse analogy that Jay Leno suggested, and my EV charging vs. the need to rebuild water infrastructure, are real avenues for its survival. Call it The Jay Leno Effect: specialty cars of the Leno variety will mimic horses in polo clubs. My infrastructure issue suggests random old cars will still have a life in zip codes where improvements have yet to be prioritized. I see this happy medium working for decades, if not centuries. (Provided future generations actually find cars relevant.)
2. I don’t see any politician punishing disadvantaged people by forcing them into an expensive new(er) EV, as governments often need to put their money elsewhere. The only real threats I see are government incentives to motivate the citizenry, like Cash for Clunkers. But in general, America loves its history, and antique cars will be a part of it … just like they are right now.
   1. Necessary aside: Regarding Cash for Clunkers, let’s not forget that used cars are too profitable for dealerships these days. Many franchised car dealers sell more used cars than new, and they were doing so years before the pandemic. Government incentives would have to exceed the old clunker’s value to the dealership, otherwise the dealer will “offer more for your trade” and keep such cars in the ecosystem, selling them on the side or to buy-here-pay-here car lots. I don’t see a proliferation of EVs changing this, and you can bet the dealer lobby will have something to say if needed.
3. Journalism has been watered down in recent decades, and the bigger picture of a total carbon footprint just doesn’t attract eyeballs like a shiny new product made by a famous company. It’s real easy to greenwash a manufacturer for “doing the right thing,” and it’s truly difficult to give a nuanced discussion on overall benefit while getting any appreciable amount of fans/clicks.
   1. Necessary aside: Journalists need to consider the densification of urban areas and their impact on car ownership, as urban settings will become more like Manhattan and less like Atlanta. Even the smaller Michigan city that became a haven for automotive journalism is getting denser. Simply put, cars aren’t as central to our lives as we thought they would be, back in the 1940s and 50s. Car ownership is getting unsustainable in some—though not all—places.
4. While I like EV conversions of classic cars for their higher performance and promotion of cleaner air in urban areas (boy, would it be nice to smell fresh air in the city, like I did when there were lockdowns), I am generally terrified of their crashworthiness. It depends on the car and the quality of the conversion. Where exactly will 800 pounds of battery wind up when a Chevy Tahoe plows into an EV-converted classic?
5. You may be right, that the old-car world faces increasing pressure to justify itself, but the defense argument is natural, given our current socioeconomic state. The sad reality is that new-car ownership is out of reach for many, and we can rightly place blame on automakers/the supply chain/regulations and on economics. I’m sure even more factors come into play in specific zip codes. While some politicians will be motivated to offer painfully large government subsidies to get people into newer EVs, I doubt political discourse at a national level will support that strategy on a larger scale. State and local? For sure, and a good idea when paired with regional densification.

One final point to add, as I suspect the electric-utility lobby will only grow over time: EV’s future degree of influence will motivate both sides of the aisle to find a reason to love battery-powered cars. But by the time that happens, so many gasoline-powered vehicles will be legit classics that The Jay Leno Effect, together with the grassroots power of the SEMA Action Network, will come into play and save all that remain.

As EVs continue to improve (i.e. dual-chemistry packs, more chargers at Walmart, etc.), the appeal of gasoline will wane over time. Those who want the thrill of an internal-combustion motor will buy older cars, just like “we” did when we once fetishized America’s pre-1975 V-8-powered cars, ostracizing their emissions-friendly counterparts. The fading appeal of modern gas engines isn’t a big concern, unless you’re a huge fan of modern 2.0-liter turbocharged compact utility vehicles.

If so, please accept my apology. Maybe The Jay Leno Effect can make those cool, too.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Steven writes:

While my 1993 Corvette’s gas gauge and (new) sending unit/fuel pump assembly test fine, the gauge consistently reads 6 to 7 gallons low. My question to you is, would bending the float arm down about 25 degrees make the gas gauge more accurate?

Sajeev answers:

Hi Stephen: I think you are on to something. I am hoping that new sending unit’s float arm was bent while in transit, or incorrectly bent from the factory. If that doesn’t work, I wonder if the sending unit is defective.

Steven adds:

Actually this is the third sending unit installed by my mechanic. All of them read low by about 6 to 7 gallons. For some reason the shop refuses to bend the float arm after I made several requests to do so. I take it from your reply that would be an acceptable solution.

Apparently GM has discontinued the original ’93 Corvette sending unit assembly, but the aftermarket fitment was installed after two Delcos. All of them read low!

Sajeev:

Well if it’s the THIRD sending unit, I am less optimistic this is the solution. You said the gas gauge is fine, but I wonder if the wiring has some resistance problem between the tank and the gauge. I would also see if there’s a voltage drop on that purple(?) sending unit wire. Maybe the mechanic already checked that?

Steven:

Thanks for your replies. I assume the mechanic checked all the wires in between for shorts, resistance, etc. The ohms read correctly at full and empty.

Sajeev: 

I would ask the mechanic about the wiring, as it never hurts to rule out that variable from your equation. Once answered, go ahead and bend the sending unit, because either it will work or the sending unit doesn’t provide correct resistance (I think its 0 to 90 ohms) for your factory fuel gauge. If the latter is true and GM mis-spec’d the replacement part, it will never work correctly … no matter how you bend it.

It’s entirely possible that the part is not the right one for your Corvette, and no bending will help. If you still have the original sending unit, there are places where you can get it rebuilt. And the more I think about this scenario, the more I think your original part needs to be reconditioned to actually fix your problem.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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David writes: 

Sajeev,

The car: A 2008 Civic with 143K miles. I’ve put 108K on the car since I bought it in January 2012.

The noise: I hear it whether the engine is on or off, and whether the car is rolling or still.

It sounds like: Imagine a bunch of rubber bands, and the sound they would make when you pluck them if pulled taut. These would be slender rubber bands, like the strings on a string instrument. I don’t hear it under acceleration, only when turning the steering wheel. And the frequency of pluck sounds increases with the speed of the turning of the wheel.

When I turn the wheel, I get maybe 5–6 plucking sounds per quarter turn. This symptom has probably been going on for 3–4 years. A year ago, I barely heard them if I was driving (as opposed to turning the wheel with the car stationary). Now I often hear them when I’m driving. They’ve gotten a lot louder in the last year.

I recently had some front “links” replaced. I suspect that if there had been ripped or leaking CV boots my mechanic would have told me, and I think he would have looked for that (but I will ask him). What say you?

Sajeev answers:

Well, that’s a new one for me, as I’ve never heard a front end noise that’s on par with the classical pizzicato! I’d normally think a car produces a clunking or clicking sound when the wheel is turned, which indicates bad CV axles. The rubber band pizzicato sound would likely come from a loading/unloading of a rubber part, and the sound must come from something with a fair bit of resonance when, ahem, plucked.

Ball joints won’t resonate. Neither will CV axles. Maybe the front anti-roll bar (i.e. swaybar) because that is a long hunk of metal. Some of them are also hollow, too. But I recently handled a pair of coil springs, summarily dropping them in a pile of metal scrap. Let me tell you, that sound was quite resonant.

The tone sustained for at least a couple of seconds … Could it be coming from the coil spring? If so, you have an issue with the front strut mounts (at the top) or the coil spring isolators (at the bottom). Which one could it be? The answer is wholly irrelevant. 

Here’s the thing: Taking apart the front struts to address the “pizzicato generator” is a waste of time. And time is money, if you’re paying someone to do this work. Instead, get a complete strut+spring assembly that bolts in place of the worn out part. A pair of these will set you back under $400 (online), and your local mechanic will thank you for it—nobody wants to compress springs unless they have to.

Plus, these drop-in kits are way better for the driver, as your dampers have deteriorated over the last 15 years and 143,000 miles. (Either you’ve noticed a change, or they’ve done so at a rate so slow that you could never tell.)

So the answer is clear: Get the benefit of new springy bits whilst addressing that errant pizzicato in your Honda’s front end! What say you, Hagerty Community?

Have a question you’d like answered in Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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(Shockingly, I get a fair number of questions pertaining to the actual phenomenon of piston slap in an engine. This has been going on since the series’ inception in 2009, even though my intention was to make the subject matter as diverse as your typical automotive forum. So here are a grab bag of piston slap questions, answered in true Piston Slap fashion. – SM)

sikelly writes:

I have a Ford Ranger (Euro-spec) with the 3.2 Diesel with 104,000 km. It has piston slap; how long will it last? The motor just had the heads replaced after getting too hot (EGR failed), so will heavier oil help? Is piston slap OK under load? (I use it for towing.)

Sajeev answers:

As we’ve discussed before, piston slap is usually a minor issue, but a very annoying one in terms of sound. Very rarely is it worth digging into the block to address the problem without doing a full rebuild.

I almost always recommend driving it until other problems surface. Heavier oil might be better for quelling piston slap, but you run the risk of not getting oil where it needs to be in a timely fashion. If you aren’t running a full synthetic oil, this would be the only change I’d make. Deal with the ’slap and move on with life.

Marie writes:

I own a 1999 Pontiac Firebird Formula (40,000 miles) that is seldom used. I have been told I have piston slap when starting the car and was told to let the car idle for a few minutes before driving. It seems to go away after using Mobil 1, and I always use 93 octane.

Sajeev answers:

Some LS motors have piston slap, but LS1 engines have a pretty minor case of it. You are doing everything right, so just like sikelly’s Ranger, I recommend you just deal with the ’slap and move on with life.

Maurice writes:

I have a 1967 Mustang (289), which sounds like it has piston slap. So, in the long term, am I doing damage, or do I just put up with the slapping noise?

Sajeev answers:

Try switching to synthetic motor oil. The advice doesn’t change—doesn’t matter if its a Ford or a Chevy, you gotta just deal with the ’slap and move on with life.

So what are the odds we can finally give this definitive answer to piston slap? Or is Piston Slap forever cursed with receiving questions about its namesake? You tell me, Hagerty Community, and email me more questions that are preferably not about this!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Linda writes:

Where can I buy a convertible top boot for my ’69 Ford Torino that has no snaps? All the ones I see have four snaps, but my Torino never had snaps!

Sajeev answers:

I’ve spent a fair amount of time trying to find a snap-free replacement boot for your car and came up with nothing. (I even checked my 1970 Ford shop manual, but it wasn’t conclusive on this matter.) Before I recommend you get a local upholstery shop to reproduce your current boot, I asked my counterparts at Ask Hagerty for a second opinion, which is shared here:

The information I found is that your Torino does have four snaps that snap inside on the armrest/top well and then plastic material clips to/under the molding trim. Several of the vendors show a stock photo with multiple snaps but the actual product has four snaps and a plastic slider that slides underneath the trim. Here are the places we found for you.

• Convertible Top Specialists
• Convertible Top Guys
• EZ Softtops

Then again, if your 1969 Torino has the original boot as fitted by the factory, perhaps Ask Hagerty and I all got it wrong. Maybe the best bet is to do an “upholstery shop near me” Google search and see about getting what’s currently on your car reproduced by an expert. It will likely be more expensive than any the kits listed above, but a custom upholstery job will ensure you get exactly what you want.

But it won’t be much more painful on the pocketbook, right? A convertible top boot is a pretty simple design to replicate for any upholstery shop experienced with vintage boats, antique furniture, or older cars.

What say you, Hagerty Community?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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(The following email conversation to pistonslap@hagerty.com has been gently edited for clarity and length. If you like what you see, you should also email me because I’m starting to run low on questions! – SM) 

Dave writes:

Hi, I own a ’76 Datsun 280 Z I bought new and it is still stock. I didn’t drive it for a few years and to my surprise started right up. However, after a few weeks of driving it starts to bog and hesitate around 2000 rpm ONLY after it warms up. It runs great cold.

When it starts to bog the fuel pressure drops and jitters between 20 & 25 psi instead of the factory 36 psi. It seems like when the engine warms up the fuel pump may not be receiving the full 12 volts of DC current, hence the lower and jittering fuel pump pressure. I’m thinking it might be the fuel pump voltage relay or maybe a leaking fuel injector.

I cleaned all fuel lines, replaced the fuel filter 3X and replaced the fuel pump with 2 different new ones, and replaced the sensors in the thermostat housing. I also replaced the fuel pressure regulator, drained the fuel tank (the fuel coming out was clear), and filled it with ethanol-free premium. I also replaced the spark plugs (old ones looked fine) and plug wires. Any thoughts?

Sajeev replies:

Thanks Dave, you’ve done a great job assessing the situation. I have concerns that either the battery or the alternator aren’t doing their jobs anymore. Or maybe the fuel pump wiring has gone bad, and likely needs to be re-wired (preferably with a relay and a fresh power wire directly from the battery). Can you tell me about the condition of your alternator, the age of your battery, and how your fuel pump was wired?

Dave replies:

The battery and alternator are both new and the voltage across the battery is around 13.6 volts of DC current when the engine is idling at start-up and at operating temperature.

There is a relay for the fuel pump. It doesn’t seem like the fuel pump relay is bad because it runs perfectly for the first few minutes after start-up. My question is why the fuel pump delivers 36 psi when cold but only 20 psi when warm? (Factory specs for the fuel pressure is 36 psi.)

Sajeev replies:

Yes, the relay suggests that heat/resistance as the car warms up wouldn’t be an issue. But any vehicle this old can have bad wiring, so the problem you’re experiencing could be from a voltage drop. Have a look at this:

Dave replies:

Hi Sajeev, for the fuel pump voltage I was thinking of just hooking a DC voltmeter to the pump terminals in the back of the car. I would note the difference in voltage (if any) when the engine was cold and then hot while bogging. Let me know what you think about this.

Sajeev concludes:

I think your cold and hot voltage testing at the fuel pump is a great idea; it’s easier than what I suggested and accomplishes the same result.

But I fear I didn’t consider other potential problems. Like vapor lock, which includes several items to check, including the (slim?) possibility that a clogged EVAP system is a source of the problem. Considering the age of the vehicle (and the emissions-reducing technology available in the Malaise Era!) maybe it’s the EVAP system, not the voltage to the pump.

Apparently, your EVAP canister has a filter (above) that could be clogged. And having a clogged filter means there’s a (slim?) chance that fuel system performance deteriorates as the system heats up. No matter, you should test the aforementioned voltage and then see what you can do to resolve vapor lock. What say you, Hagerty Community?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Hagerty’s own Ronnie Schreiber writes:

Sajeev,

My 2015 Honda Fit is making an oscillating noise from the driver’s side front end when traveling in a straight line. Up on jack stands, in neutral, when I manually rotate the wheel on that side, I can hear a very regular clicking sound that to me sounds like a bad bearing, like maybe one ball bearing has been lost or disintegrated. At first I thought it was a wheel bearing, but the clicking reminds me of a bad CV joint, but bad CV joints make noise when you’re turning, not when traveling straight. What do you think?

Sajeev asks:

So just to confirm, you are not hearing any noises when accelerating from a standstill and turning either left or right?

Ronnie answers:

It doesn’t make the typical failing CV joint clack clack when turning, and I notice it more at speed than when accelerating. I’m pretty sure it’s a wheel bearing at this point, though there may also be some noise from the wear indicator on the brakes. I’ll know tomorrow after I drop it off at my neighborhood repair shop. I have almost 100K miles on the car and I haven’t had to spend a penny on repairs so I’m not really unhappy.

There was a time when I would have never taken a car in for brakes, bearings, or a FWD axle. I would have done the work myself. Of course that was when I was 30 years younger. If I had a lift I might consider it, but climbing under cars hurts. Hell, just pumping the floor jack to check things out the other day aggravated my rotator cuff.

Sajeev concludes:

Be it physical, financial, or time based restrictions, there ain’t no shame in letting someone else work on your car. Sometimes we just have better things to do, and that’s what a good local mechanic is for. Once you have one, just go right ahead and treasure them!

That said, I assume the mechanic will put it on a lift, find wiggle in the wheel(s), and order you a new set of wheel bearings. I assume it will be the front wheel bearings (because of the loads present in an axle doing both steering and acceleration), but who knows, maybe the rears are on their way out. No matter, these would be replaced in pairs, or perhaps you’ll do all four corners just in case you feel the others are on their way out. If you live where flooding is an issue like me, doing all four wheels is a very good idea.

 What say you, Hagerty Community? Think Ronnie’s ride is “fit” for some new wheel bearings?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Carla writes:

My 2006 Subaru Forester clatters each morning when I start it. After a couple of minutes, the noise goes away and I don’t hear it again until the next morning when I start the car. It has 202,000+ miles on it.

I’ve read that it might be bad spark plugs (it is almost time to change them), or the tensioner on the timing belt (recently replaced with new kit) or a bad valve-cover gasket that seals itself after the engine heats up (changed at 174,000 miles along with the head gasket). I’ve read other ideas like cheap oil filter (I use Subaru oil filters) and a few other ones.

I’d like to hear if you have other thoughts.

Sajeev answers:

Engine clatter upon startup is usually more of an oil pressure or a timing-chain guide issue. The latter is clearly not relevant on your timing belt–equipped Forester, so I am focusing on oil pressure right after you twist the key. While an oil filter that lacks an anti-drain-back valve can reduce start-up oil pressure to the point of clatter, that isn’t applicable here, either. The other items you noted (plugs, valve cover gasket, belt tensioner) are highly unlikely to be an issue.

What we have here is the classic issue of old engines misbehaving like old engines normally do. Low oil pressure upon startup is sometimes just a cost of doing business at your mileage. High-mileage oil formulations aren’t likely to help with this noise.

Perhaps replacing the oil pump would fix the clatter, but a cheap part with expensive labor just doesn’t seem worth it at this stage in the engine’s life. Not to mention the fact that the oil pump may not be enough on a motor with this many miles under its belt: Only a full teardown and rebuild can determine that.

And well, it looks pretty easy if you watch this video:

If you love your Forester—more than any replacement you could afford—then you might be tempted to spend the cash to fix this issue. Except you must not, because you should wait until something worse happens under the hood. Doing so now is throwing money at a problem that doesn’t need a solution.

Bottom line: Be okay with that startup clatter, as it isn’t appreciably hurting anything. Worry about fixing it (with an engine rebuild or replacement) when the noise becomes more frequent. Or louder.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Jeff writes:

I have a ’63 Studebaker Avanti which will start up, run for five seconds, and then shut down. I have changed filter and use gas preservative. Car will continue to start up and shut down, many times. Fuel pump is working (has an electric as well as a mechanical pump). Any thoughts? My mechanic has replaced the condenser several times recently, not sure why; would this do that? Or is the float not opening up the needle valve? Thanks for any suggestions.

Sajeev answers:

Great question! By any chance do you have a fuel-pressure gauge on the fuel line, or one that you can connect to monitor the pressure as the motor stalls out? We need something like this to 100 percent rule-out a weak/failing fuel pump (or pumps). Or perhaps there is too much fuel pressure and the carburetor is flooding itself … but odds are that would be very noticeable.

Anyway, once the fuel pressure is confirmed to be within spec (usually 5 to 10 psi), we can consider an issue with ignition. Tell me what you think.

Jeff replies:

I am not a car mechanic, so don’t really have ability to do that. However, it seems to me that the chances of two fuel pumps failing at the same time would be like winning the Powerball. I can hear the electric one. I don’t think it is flooding out, no strong gas smell.

Sajeev concludes:

Perhaps my initial request to check for fuel pressure isn’t necessary, but that’s usually where I start. Voltage drop(s) can take both pumps out, but maybe the stalling Studebaker needs another opinion.

You can take apart the carb, give it a good clean, or a full rebuild. Or, don’t touch the carb yet and check for vacuum leaks (via smoke testing) or check the resistance of parts of the ignition system. Odds are it isn’t a vacuum leak, because it runs for a few seconds. The ignition could be an issue, especially if it’s been upgraded with non-standard parts that are either used (i.e., worn out when removed from the junkyard) or of poor aftermarket quality.

But, again, ruling out fuel pressure makes it easier to determine if whether you’re facing a fuel, spark or vacuum leak. And a drop in fuel pressure really feels like the first place to look.

What say you, Hagerty Community? Is fuel pressure the first thing you’d look for?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Mark writes:

Dear Sajeev,

I read an article that you wrote many years ago regarding analog-to-digital phone conversion. I am 86 years old, and want to auction my almost 25-year-old BMW M Roadster. When I purchased it, I had everything that was available loaded onto the car, including this BMW CPT 4500 Cellular Telephone System!

This was pre-wired into the speaker system and could be used in the hands-free operation. Can you please help me find a proper tool to convert this phone to a 21st-century digital car phone? I want to submit the car for auction and need to be able to say everything in the car works.

Sajeev answers:

Thanks for reaching out! Sadly there’s no easy conversion to make these old phones work with the new digital network. While my previous Piston Slap suggested the cellular networks used to offer digital conversion modules for their customers, whatever kits they implemented are long gone. If someone from the industry would be so kind to post up a part number, I’d buy them all when they show up on eBay!

Or not, but I’d at least buy one to try on my Lincoln Mark VII or Mark VIII. It’s been said that you can take apart a car phone and successfully solder in the guts of a cheap, newer digital phone. But it still might be tough to get the phone to interface with the factory stereo on 1990s-era implementations.

Instead, adding a Bluetooth interface would be nice, and look what I found!

At some point, this creation might turn into an aftermarket part we can all purchase. You might wanna bookmark this page to see his latest progress on the Bluetooth adapter. But for now, you are better off submitting your M Roadster to auction in its factory state, unfortunately.

On the plus side, doing so won’t hurt the value of the vehicle, as vintage equipment doesn’t need to be fully functional to impress would-be buyers. People love old-school analog car phones: I leave the console door open in my Mark VIII when attending car shows, just so normal people (i.e. not Lincoln nerds) find a reason to point and exclaim as they pass by.

It’s worth having them installed, even if they do absolutely nothing … because they are still doing something!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Ed writes: 

I have whitish deposits on the side windows of my car that resemble dishwasher spots. Glass cleaner and brief applications of white vinegar and CLR have failed to shift them. What is your recommended fix?

Sajeev answers: 

While this question was submitted before our Sweating the Details segment on glass cleaning, I reckon the solution here needs to be more aggressive. The deposits presented here are more like paint overspray that caught the wind and landed on your ride. But what’s on there doesn’t matter, as we are gonna remove it with these items.

1. Gasket scraping tool (that uses a utility blade, like this one)
2. Light lubricant for use with #1 (like soap and water)
3. A mild chemical cleaner (like MD-40 or brake cleaner) if #2 fails
4. Carburetor cleaner if #3 fails (make sure to wear gloves)

I’ve dealt with baked-on overspray on my garage windows, and nothing worked until I went to #4. Carburetor cleaner evaporates pretty quickly, so frequent application in small areas around the utility blade is the key. I went through half a can getting overspray off my garage’s windows, but the end result was worth the effort. And wow, that utility blade sure picked up a ton of trash off the glass!

Just remember that utility blades and glass are perfectly safe together, provided there’s lubrication and the utility blade stays parallel to the glass to prevent scratching. And yes, it needs to be parallel even as the glass changes its shape on different parts of a vehicle. The more viscous the lubricant (i.e. don’t use only water, at least until you get the hang of it) the more impossible harder it is to scratch the glass.

Best of luck, but I doubt you’ll need it!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Jonny writes:

I’m working on putting on a new brake master cylinder on my 1940 Plymouth P10 coupe. It has a 1972 Ford Torino, 5.8-liter, 351-cubic-inch V-8 brake booster and master cylinder. I am having trouble bench-bleeding the new master cylinder.

I have tried both ways described in the literature that came with it. Blocking off both ports and “pumping” the valve. The pressure gets high enough to stop the pumping action. But the rear cavity (the larger of the two) is still spongy. Only the front cavity is bled.

So, the second way is to hook up two return tubes: one from the front port, returning the fluid to the front cavity and keeping the end of the tube below the top of the fluid; same with the other tube. I can see the brake fluid going in and out of the front tube at the cavity end of the tube, but I never see any large amount of fluid move in the rear tube. I do see a small amount of fluid go over the top and drain back to the rear large cavity. But this is only drops of fluid, not a gusher.

I also did a different hookup. Since the front port is bled solid when I push in the plunger, I hooked up a tube to the front port and a plug to the rear port. This got me past not being able to push the plunger because the front port was solid. Still couldn’t get any volume of fluid (just drops) to cross over the tube and into the rear cavity, and it is far from being solid.

When I examined the two holes in the bottom of the rear cavity, I can see fluid coming up from the front hole when the valve is pushed in. I even got an old-style battery filler with the bulb and a stem and tried to force brake fluid into the holes—first with the valve pushed in and also with the valve out. (This battery filler had never been used for anything before this.)

First, the front hole of the rear cavity—I couldn’t tell if there was any fluid being forced into the valve area and out the rear hole. But when I forced fluid into the rear (smaller) hole, I could see fluid come up out of the front (larger) hole. But the rear cavity is still not solid—far from it.

I have also let the new master cylinder sit for three days in the vice, trying to get gravity to feed fluid into the valve area. Didn’t help. Also I put a piece of tape around the plunger to make sure I didn’t press the plunger in more than three-quarter to 1 inch.

Am I doing something wrong? What else can I try to get this brake master cylinder to bleed solid?

Sajeev answers:

Thank you for your fantastically comprehensive question! This makes my suggested answer far simpler: You did everything correctly, which suggests the master cylinder itself is defective …

… or it needs a rebuild, if it’s been sitting around with five-plus years of rotten brake fluid making a mess of the piston, spring(s), and O-rings. Again, there must be something wrong internally that keeps the rear cavity from bleeding correctly. I would either return that new part, buy a new one (if yours is used), or rebuild the master cylinder yourself (if you are bold).

Jonny replies:

Thank you for your reply. The master cylinder being bad was the only other logical explanation that I could reach after talking it over with a couple of my mechanic friends. Thank you so much for your reply.

Sajeev concludes:

Because I never heard back (and since this weekly series receives questions quicker than I can answer them), I suspect Jonny fixed this issue with a new master cylinder many months ago. And now he’s running around in a Ford-infused Plymouth with the stopping power of a thousand Starsky and Hutch Torinos.

Wouldn’t that be a fun sight to behold?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Mike writes:

With countries and jurisdictions all over the world mandating the elimination of fossil-fuel vehicles in the next few decades or sooner, what does the future hold for classic automobiles? Will the Miata I’ve been saving for the grandchildren (if I ever get any!) become a relic from the past and replace the trampoline in the back yard, as fuel will become obsolete due to vanishing demand and government regulations? Or will gas become so cheap, as it will become a waste product of petroleum refining to obtain other components from the barrels of oil that we still require such as jet fuel, lubricants, et cetera?

Classic cars are almost worthless if you can’t drive them. What will sunny Sunday afternoons in July look like in 2112 ? (Reference to Red Barchetta, a song by Rush.)

Sajeev answers:

Oh boy, this is always a dicey question in the automotive world. But here I stand, neither a Gasoline Doomsdayer nor a Battery-Electric Denier. So let’s dig into this, peering into the crystal ball of yours truly. As always, readers, your feedback is appreciated in the comments section.

Keep in mind I am saying this as a drummer and a huge Rush fan: Neil Peart got it wrong this time. The proverbial red barchetta will lose because the “gleaming alloy air car” has the performance to ensure the protagonist will get caught for violating “The Motor Law.”

Even worse, every futuristic techie-boy racer in a depreciated $12,000 Tesla Model 3 with sunsetted, open-sourced, electronic hacks, refreshed batteries, and traditional suspension upgrades will be right on the barchetta’s bumper the moment the Tesla driver spots it on the road. That will be our future, and I am okay with it.

That wasn’t part of your question, so let’s get back to the real answer. Yes, a future free of fossil fuels will happen at some point, but not at a pace that every politician and/or media personality pushes upon us. Gasoline will be around for decades, and I suggest this because of the real-world, logistical challenges of long-haul trucking and the socioeconomic conditions of a large number of American citizens. Filling stations as we know them will sell diesel, gasoline, and electricity, but they’ll eventually get pushed outside of major urban hotspots, remaining only in middle-class suburbs and interstate rest stops.

These places will happily sell you all three forms of “go” for the same reason Walmart stocks your favorite brand of oil: They crave a captive audience in their retail settings. This “multi-fueled future” is already underway in Texas. I envision this for everyone because, as of right now, our best use-case for electric-powered semis in the real world appears to be for carrying a full load of 59 percent air.

Put another way, there’s very little doubt as to why PepsiCo’s much ballyhooed purchase of Tesla Semis initially went to hauling the New York brand’s Cheetos line of snacks, and not cans of its famous black fizz. Tesla’s painful omission of vehicle weight lets skeptics postulate that EV trucks have a payload problem. Perhaps the YouTube channel Adam Something comes close to breaking the EV truck’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). I’ve skipped the video to the salient point of his “1 to 20 concept”:

Or perhaps his calculations are an approximation lacking the latest data. Engineering Explained may have done it better:

I still have more questions than concrete answers. Consider the jersey barriers mentioned above, as they were transported on an open trailer. That means we are not factoring in the extra weight of an enclosed trailer—or heavier, air-conditioned trailers. I reckon the enclosed affairs are far more commonplace in long haul trucking circles. And if we switch gears from GVWR to range calculations, factor the insane speed limits in some parts of the country: That will suck down juice at a terrifying rate, making quick diesel refueling more appealing. But I digress …

Get to the point already!

There’s a fair bit of EV Big Rig skepticism across the board, even on the EV-friendly side of the media spectrum. That means diesel trucks will likely exist for a long time to come, and filling stations won’t stop pumping fossil fuels for that reason. And this nationwide infrastructure won’t just be selling diesel: The complicated living situations for many in our society ensures gasoline cars will always be on the table.

Considering how many non-emissions-compliant vehicles survived California’s South Coast Recycled Auto Program (SCRAP) in the early 1990s, I have a hard time believing newer initiatives will fare significantly better. Then factor in the modern individual’s living costs, along with society’s need to electrify all neighborhoods (even the ones you’d never visit).

It adds up to a lot of money needed, but not a lot to invest with: We can’t provide all of our citizens drinkable water from their tap, so how can we provide safe, reliable EV charging for everyone?

So to all us gasoline-based car nuts, get ready for a (distant) future with road trips to a Flying J–type of truck stop to fill our cars with gas. Or perhaps specific neighborhoods where mass EV adoption is a financial improbability. Either way, I already take long road trips to visit Buc-ee’s in order to get non-ethanol fuel. Not gonna lie, it’s a pretty nice place to visit as a member of the aforementioned “captive audience” and is a future I do not fear. This will be around for decades, not years. And after that?

If EV-powered airplanes are still out of the question, perhaps then we’ll buy fuel at airport gas stations? I propose that we may never know this answer, as it might come to fruition long after our lives pass us by.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Allan writes:

I have a 2002 Ford Thunderbird and I am the third owner. When I got the car, neither key fob would work. I took it to a Ford Dealer and tried new batteries in the key fobs, tried to reprogram them, and tried new key fobs—and none of them worked.

Any ideas as to what the problem is and how I might get the key fobs working again?

Sajeev answers:

Finding some electrical bits for the 11th-generation Thunderbird can be, well, terribly problematic. Luckily for you, I do not think the remote keyless entry (RKE) system falls in this category. It sounds like you’ve already tried the procedure below, so now we have to determine why it failed.

And since the dealership also tried new RKE fobs, odds are those little buttons for your hand are not the issue. The RKE module is misbehaving, either by being internally defective or by it no longer receiving power from the Thunderbird’s body. Provided my Google-Fu is still in good shape, here’s a photo of the module in question:

The RKE module is supposedly located below the convertible top. (Disconnect the battery and have fun removing all the delicate trim to get to it!) Once you see it, note the wiring harness on one side and disconnect it from the module. With a multimeter and wiring diagrams handy, find the correct pin on the harness to check for 12 volts of power. Depending on what the meter says, you have two choices:

1. Got 12-volts of power? Remove the module and find a new or used replacement. These are not specific to the Thunderbird/Lincoln LS/Jaguar S-type, so they are readily available and affordable on eBay.
2. No power? Now you begin the arduous task of finding the lost power! The aforementioned wiring diagrams are mandatory now, but most mechanics will have these on their handy-dandy computer. Odds are you won’t be lucky enough to trace it down to a bad fuse, but any technician with modest experience in diagnosing electrical glitches can restore power to the RKE module.

My best guess? Since the Thunderbird is a topless machine and you’re the third owner, someone before you let water creep into the cabin, and it damaged the module. Water can also damage wiring harnesses, but let’s not be so pessimistic. Only good vibes and a friendly set of hands with a multimeter should be allowed when working on these (now vintage) Thunderbirds.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Hagerty’s own David Zenlea writes:

Hey Sajeev,

Let’s say I were in the market for a used school bus. I’m not. Or maybe I am?

Just go with me here: What might I be looking out for, aside from the obvious used-truck problems? Are there prized engine/trans combinations? Brands to avoid?

Sajeev answers:

David, let’s first narrow down your choices by focusing on what you really need in a school-bus project. Wheelbase and wheel-arch location affect interior volumes and possibly towing constraints. Weight can be an issue if you want to visit specific places. Examine the different school-bus configurations and decide what you can park on your property, and if it works for your vanlife needs. Oh, and what types of buses you can afford … but that kinda goes without saying.

Do you want the archetypical Class C bus that many of us experienced as a child? Or a smaller Class B with a manual transmission for more, ahem, fun? What about a Class A van cutaway for maximum practicality? Or a Class D for maximum space?

Things are real easy if you go Class A, since Ford/Chevy powertrains are easy to service and parts are plentiful across North America. The others usually come with engines from Navistar/International, Cummins, or Caterpillar, with transmissions made by the likes of Allison. Seems like the International DT466 has the largest fanbase, and the company’s impressive dealer network means parts are never too far away. But I wouldn’t turn my nose up at a Cummins 5.9-liter ISB, especially if it had reasonable mileage and a service history.

From there we look at the chassis. Again, with parts and service in mind, I default to the Class A Ford Econoline chassis or a larger bus fitting atop the International S Series frame. But International isn’t the only game in town, and you might be forced to get a Blue Bird chassis in order to get one of its top-quality bodies. Not a big deal, as I’d likely take any chassis under these body brands:

1. Blue Bird
2. Thomas Built Buses
3. IC Corporation
4. Collins Bus
5. Corbeil Bus
6. Girardin Minibus
7. Mid Bus (formerly Superior, if you got a thing for ’70s-era buses)
8. US Bus/Trans Tech Corporation

No, I have zero experience with these. My recommendations are those of the Texas Department of Public Safety, because it did a fine job shuttling me to and from school. I’ll just go ahead and blindly trust its vetting process, and narrow down the choices for sale in terms of the “obvious used-truck problems” that David mentioned. Consider the mileage, maintenance records, condition of wear items (tires, hoses, brakes, etc.), and the structural condition of both the chassis and body.

Remember that school buses are more like houses, so inspection of an example offered by a private party is mandatory. Or buy from a dealership specializing in used school buses; odds are it has inspected and reconditioned the vehicle appropriately.

In a perfect world? I am getting a Class B bus atop an International S Series with a DT466 mill under the hood. The mural at the top—showcasing that exact engine—pretty much sums it up!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Doug writes:

Hello Sajeev,

I was recently made aware of the 1.8-liter Nu Engine extended warranty for the 2011–2016 Hyundai Elantra, and subsequently brought my 2012 Elantra in for an engine diagnostic at the dealership. It was the same dealership from which I purchased the car as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle in 2014.

The diagnostic was two visits at $193 each. My claim was denied by the Hyundai Motor America warranty department, and I was denied ANY access to the pictures, borescope images, and video. They had the nerve to tell me that if I wanted the results I would have to retain an attorney to get the results! My question is do you know of any route to take for escalating this issue I have with Hyundai?

I would appreciate any suggestions for either the warranty repair or the diagnostic money spent to be refunded.

Sajeev answers:

My unqualified legal advice is twofold: consult with an experienced Product Liability Attorney and be realistic about the process. Since we have no insight into why the claim was denied, this is sadly that’s the only option I see at this point. Or maybe just give up, trade it in, or sell it to Carvana outright. This wouldn’t be the first time someone’s taken advantage of a car dealer to dump a vehicle with powertrain issues, ya know.

Depending on where you live, manufacturers have a stronger case for denial if they can prove neglect. No matter what they saw, I bet they discourage you from taking action by making you go through hoops to acquire said proof. Pretty smart move for a profit-minded corporation, as lawyers are costly for both parties.

That said, if you don’t have a service history to prove regular oil changes on your part, well, you might be in for an uphill battle. The documentation doesn’t need to be from a dealership, it can be receipts from a third-party service department, or oil and filter purchases from a parts store.

No matter what documentation lives in your glovebox (as it were), lawyers bring a lot more stress your way. And, for all we know, there could be an arbitration clause thrown in there too. Assuming the engine is on its last legs, it might be time to sell and get something else. Best of luck, no matter what you decide.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Ron writes:

I own a 1954 Olds V8 and want to know how to make it run smoother. You can hear the rods when you first start it, there is a knocking sound. Also the carb hesitates when you come to a stop and then start moving again.

Sajeev asks:

Thank you for your question, Ron! How old is the motor and how many miles does it have? Depending on age and condition, the engine and carb might need to be rebuilt.

Ron answers:

I bought the car in 1983 it had 82,000 it now has 90,000. I don’t know for sure if it was the original miles since it was 29 years old? I am the third owner, and the carb was rebuilt twice in 2019.

Sajeev concludes:

Let’s assume the carb (this one?) was rebuilt correctly. Just ensure the idle is set correctly, it sounds like a little adjustment to the idle bleed screw is all you need. And by “little adjustment” I mean like half a turn with a screwdriver. Or less, much less. Just turn it so the engine speeds up ever so slightly. Then take it for a test drive and see if the hesitation improves.

If not? Rinse and repeat. And if that doesn’t fix the problem, maybe more advanced adjustments (i.e. the idle mixture screws) to the carb are needed.

For the engine noise? Knock upon startup is usually an oil pressure issue. Maybe the oil pump needs a rebuild, but before you tear into the engine, just ensure you’re using the right oil weight. You can run modern diesel engine oil, which has a higher zinc content because your car is pre-1974, which means it doesn’t have a catalytic converter. (Zinc doesn’t play nice with catalytic converters, but you’re in the clear here.) As previously mentioned, diesel-specific oil is readily available online or at local retailers. Try a bottle of oil stabilizer (like Lucas) if the rattle continues after that.

If those fail, consider the aforementioned oil pump rebuild. Or just live with the noise because it’s probably not worth the cost of tearing into the motor. At least not yet. When it comes to engines this old with no repair history, I’d wait for a bigger problem to arise before plunging into a full rebuild. That way you fix everything once, with no superfluous labor costs in the future. Get it done right the first time. But I suspect you don’t need to do that anytime soon. Best of luck!

UPDATE: see the discussion in the comments. If using the right oil doesn’t fix the problem, just rebuild the motor for peace of mind. The less stuff you break internally on a rare engine like this, the better.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Woody writes:

Sajeev,

I was reading an old post of yours regarding doing an LS or an LT1 engine swap in a Cadillac Brougham. I have a great example from 1989 with a weak, 307-cubic-inch small-block. I like your idea of an LT1 [engine] and 4L60E [transmission], but would really like to do a five-speed. Ideas?

I was also thinking to swap out the rear end with one from a period Olds Delta 88 with 3.73 gears. I was thinking the 3.73:1 would give a better holeshot. Any thoughts on this—or if you can point me in the right direction—would be greatly appreciated.

Sajeev answers: 

A restomod Cadillac Bro-ham? Sign me up for this! Let’s start from the easiest part of the operation and go upstream from there.

Rear axle: While it won’t get you a better holeshot (talk to Circle D, they’ll have what you need for that) a quicker axle ratio is always on the table. Provided the car is in good shape and you’d be throwing out a perfectly good axle, don’t swap out the entire rear end; just switch the gears and add positraction. You can get 3.73s for either the GM ten-bolt or the twelve-bolt axle that some Bro-hams had as an option. This isn’t an Oldsmobile thing; it’s a standard GM off-the-shelf part thing.

Unless you’re certain you’re getting high-quality used parts, buy new gears/posi and have a professional install them into your existing differential. If you don’t drive much on the highway, go nuts with 4.10 gears because you should never fear the gear!

Transmission: As a Ford guy, I am kinda surprised at how hard it is to find a Camaro five-speed (T-5) manual transmission for a small-block Chevy. (Well, for a reasonable price.) You can broaden your search to include Chevy S-10 gearboxes, but those can’t handle as much torque and have wider gear ratios.

If I were to manual-swap a Bro-ham, I’d get a six-speed (T-56) from an LT1 fourth-generation Camaro or C4 Corvette. These six-speeds do not easily interchange with those intended for the LS, making them dirt-cheap to acquire. They install behind a traditional small-block Chevy V-8, and their stupid-tall, double-overdrive gearing ensures effortless highway cruising and insane fuel economy. But when it comes to Cadillacs, I generally prefer column-shifted automatics. They just cruise better with a torque convertor, and make properly smooth moves to feed my luxurious soul.

Engine: No matter which transmission you choose, an LT1 swap is so much cheaper than an LS, and is far from inferior considering the improvement relative to a carbureted 307 Oldsmobile. Sure, those needing maximum performance will (rightly) choose an LS, but the LT1 can easily make over 300 horses and still be perfectly tractable in a big ol’ Bro-ham. Just get a tired 1992–96 Corvette with an automatic ($2000–$5000, and less if you look hard enough), as you get the best of everything with that singular donor-car purchase. Easily fixable warts aside, the LT1 is the most bang for your buck.

Yes, you can do an LS-swap plus whatever transmission you choose. That said, it is still a metric ton of labor to get any EFI Chevy into a carbureted Caddy. And good labor ain’t free, if you’re pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down.

So instead consider swapping to a Chevy 350 (or a 383 stroker?) with an RV cam and a modest four-barrel carburetor, shorty headers, and a higher-flow exhaust. You’ll get similar levels of performance with a little decrease in drivability, but the labor cost will be a fraction of that for any other motor swap.

Not gonna lie, if I found a nice 350 with Vortec heads on Facebook Marketplace right now, I’d refresh it as needed, source an RV cam, install a low-rise intake manifold for a four-barrel carburetor, and drop that bad boy into the big Bro-ham for basic bucks.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Eddie writes:

I read your article and comments on solar charging for parasitic draw and was wondering if that same technique would help with an EV. I don’t know about anyone else but my vehicle normally sat at work for 8-10 hours Mon.-Fri. Could that time be used for a little solar charging? Thanks for the good reading!

Sajeev answers:

Wow, what a question! It certainly brings a nostalgic twinge to my soul, as I was once a mechanical engineering student with a tangential connection to my college’s solar vehicle team. I would have dug deeper into that world, was it not for the personality conflicts. Then again, what I experienced in the college of engineering is fantastic training for how engineers have to work in the real world of automobiles. Welcome to the jungle…but I digress.

Back to your question: there is no easy solar charging solution like the ones we saw in our last installment to keep a 12-volt car battery topped up. While you could, you likely shouldn’t for these reasons. Sad, but true as the technology isn’t there (yet?).

Even the folks at Lightyear say their solar powered car can only add a maximum of “70 kilometers of range per day from the sun alone.” That’s the maximum charge possible, on a vehicle designed to prioritize efficiency. I have concerns that Lightyear’s aerodynamic wonder might not meet the safety and performance requirements we expect here in North America. You’d need a significant solar charging infrastructure to power a big-ol’ North American EV, so it’d be a false economy to not build it for your entire household instead.

But there’s still an easy answer, just not an affordable one like that 12-volt car battery: consult with a solar panel/battery backup installer in your area and get ready to fork over significant amounts of cash.

I will readily admit that my knowledge on this subject is lacking, but this study suggests you need “around 4,000 kWh of electricity per year to operate” your EV. You need to know the wattage produced by solar panels (that are readily available on the market) and the battery size (in KWh) of your car. From there, you can calculate the number of panels needed to keep the car charged. But that assumes perfect lighting conditions, and that your home won’t suck some of the juice away during the day.

Perhaps another route is to first consider these questions:

• Do you have enough space for all these panels?
• Will the panels get enough sunlight throughout the day to actually get the job done? What about in the wintertime?
• How many panels can you afford?
• Will you store extra juice with an in-home battery when you’re driving? (That could be a game changer for your needs.)
• Can you afford it, assuming you receive tax credits?
• Should you buy a Ford Lightning instead of an in-home battery? (Just kidding…maybe?)

Necessary aside: I fully expect to hear statements to the contrary, especially considering the cost and environmental benefits of the batteries used in this equation. Fair points to be sure, but if you’ve already spent the cash for an EV, going all in with solar charging at home diminishes the problematic elements. He’s already knee-deep in it, might as well dive all the way in!

I personally love the idea of home solar charging with a battery: I am hooked on the “thirsty” acceleration of cars like the Lucid Air, and the dynamics of the Porsche Taycan, and I was without power for days when Texas’ power grid collapsed. Solar would make life easier and reduce some “economy guilt” from jackrabbit starts using the 800+ horsepower available from top-dollar EVs. In theory at least, as I have yet to make the change to EV propulsion and I learned to cope without power and water for days.

But that’s just me. What say you, Hagerty Community? 

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Bill writes:

Hi,

I am the original owner of a 1965 Mustang (289-cubic-inch engine displacement, two-barrel carburetor, three-speed transmission) and it has just been restored and the engine rebuilt. On the rebuild I ported and polished the heads, had a three-angle valve job, and had a windage tray put in. The car now overheats. I checked the timing at 12 degrees, set the dwell and set the carburetor to my altitude of 7000 feet. The thermostat is 160 degrees Fahrenheit (I checked and opens at 165 degrees).

I have a 34-ounce overflow can, but it appears the car is sometimes putting out 35–36 oz of my water/antifreeze mix.

What’s going on?

I did notice the lower radiator hose does not have a wire in it and am wondering if it is collapsing. I checked several parts houses and I guess now radiator hoses do not have a wire in the bottom hose. I was thinking about putting a Stant high-flow thermostat in and I am not sure where to go next.

Sajeev answers:

This is a fantastic question, which I hope will lead to a thought-provoking answer. This problem proves that many automotive components are wear items in need of regular replacement—well, that’s provided you keep the car long enough. And clearly that’s the case with Bill and his one-owner Ford Mustang.

Be it rubber bushings, shocks, headlight bulbs, or a radiator cap, certain items that don’t last more than a few years. Halogen headlight bulbs can still illuminate poorly after two to three years of heavy night driving, but you won’t see the road because the filaments are trashed. Same thing with radiator caps: I suspect yours isn’t holding the correct amount of vacuum (when being tested) and is therefore letting too much coolant transfer to your overflow can.

You can absolutely test your cap to see if it holds the correct amount of vacuum, but considering the application, I’d just get a new one.

That’s because a replacement Mustang radiator cap is both period-correct and affordable from Scott Drake. I’ve changed the radiator cap four times on my 1988 Mercury Cougar with 205,000 miles of heat cycling, but one of those was because I got a defective “lever” type release. Never again!

More to the point, I’d avoid the lever type, especially when Mustangs have a replacement available from the legendary Scott Drake. But what if it still overheats? Well, maybe you are on to something with collapsing radiator hoses. That said, I am pretty confident in my assessment of a failed radiator cap on this 1965 Mustang. What say you, Hagerty Community?

***

Bonus! A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom:

While I am leery of old radiator caps, that sentiment often changes when dealing with caps that aren’t directly connected to the radiator. Newer systems pressurize the overflow tank, burying the radiator further away from our hands as the cap is no longer part of that equation.

These newer systems seem to be easier on their caps. So, depending on your application, take my advice with an even bigger grain of salt.

***

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com; give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Rob writes: 

I’ve got a 1968 Buick small-block 350 in my car. Should I invest in an high energy ignition (HEI) distributor?

One more question: The car has an original Powerglide transmission with about 1500 miles on it since being rebuilt. Any real advantage to upgrading?

Sajeev answers: 

Each of those upgrades can be seen as an “investment” with “real advantage” aplenty. These words may ring hollow to the purist, and that’s fine. But for those of us who lack concours-quality vehicles in our collection, both HEI and a transmission upfitting are fantastic choices with immediate and long-term benefits.

The swap to GM’s electric, high-energy ignition (HEI) is easy and offers that aforementioned long-term benefit: since finding replacement points of respectable quality is getting difficult, this conversion eliminates a point of failure. The HEI assembly is bulky, but clearance issues with most factory Buick air-cleaners (GS350 cold-air affairs aside) are unlikely on a small-block Buick. (And for other small-block engines, the aftermarket makes “HEI offset” air cleaners.)

With all the pros and so few cons, it’s hard to say no to an HEI upgrade.

Your transmission question implies the more complicated task of upgrading to a three-plus-speed automatic transmission. The benefits will be immediate: The extra gear before the Powerglide’s 1-to-1 top gear improves acceleration around town, and likely nets you better fuel economy, because you’ll need less throttle in the process.

The gearbox to make this happen easily is GM’s three-speed TH-350, because it is almost a perfect drop-in. Just get one with the same overall length. Conversion kits are plentiful, to boot, but your application may have unique items that need addressing (crossmember modification, flex-plate differences, to name a few).

There might be a little trick to getting the shifter into first gear, but this video shows it can be done. No matter, the upgrade is totally worth the effort for just about any GM product with a Powerglide from the factory. The maximum benefit comes from adding a GM overdrive transmission to your Buick 350, be it a 700R4, 200R4, or the newer ones with electronic controls. (Or the modern ones with six or more gears, if so inclined.) But those are not necessarily worth the time and effort; the three-speed swap probably offers far more bang for the buck for most of us.

Bottom line? I’d do the HEI swap now, and consider the notion of collecting parts for a TH-350 swap.

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Rob writes:

I have a question that might be a good timely candidate for the “Piston Slap” forum—at least I’m hoping it is. My vehicles are not getting driven nearly as often as before. A concern is that the onboard computers are still draining energy, and this inevitably runs the batteries down and increases the risk of freezing the battery in the winter.

I’m wondering if you or the Hagerty community have suggestions for a reliable and perhaps hassle-free way to keep the batteries charged without the need for a long extension cord lying in the snow and running out to a traditional battery charger connected under the hood to the battery terminals?

Recent searches reveal a whole range of solar charging panels being advertised as a possible alternative, but would you have any experience using any of these solar charge panels? If so, are smaller consumer-grade ones any good? Are OBD-2 computers pretty much all drawing the same energy over time, and could a certain size solar panel or wattage be determined as a minimum necessary size? And what about the need for a charging controller? Can they hold up to being placed on a dashboard of a vehicle and submitted to the temperature changes of that location? Would they be able to be kept on a dashboard all year around just to keep battery topped up?

Sajeev answers: 

During my research for this question, I was shocked to see the sheer volume of 12-volt solar battery chargers on the market. Then again, the #vanlife trend clearly makes it easier for anyone to keep their stored vehicles fully charged and ready to run when needed. Certainly a good idea, but does it work in the real world?

The post Piston Slap: In-car solar charging? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Christopher writes:

What manual transmission would fit into a C8 Corvette? How about a manual in a 2021 Toyota Supra 3.0?

Sajeev answers: 

This is a fun and thought-provoking question; I love it! I think manual transmission swaps will become increasingly popular in internal combustion vehicles, as they transition away from being traffic-inducing smog factories during rush-hour commuting to a dedicated mode of transport for enthusiastic drives designed for nothing more than enjoyment. Because if you want to lose to an EV with 800+ horsepower, all-wheel drive, and unassailable handling characteristics, you want to have fun doing it, right?

Joking aside, darn near any manual swap is doable with metric tons of money and labor. And hours of homework before starting anything! On the Supra, have a look at the photo above, as you will need a Euro-spec BMW Z4 2.0i for parts. If the 2.0-liter-only, six-speed manual is too weak for a 3.0-liter mill, you might be forced to only grab the pedal assembly, shifter/linkages, NVH parts (i.e. things like rubber boots), and console trim from a donor Euro Z4. The trim parts will be challenging, but fusing Toyota and BMW plastics together will likely create the finished product you so desire. And perhaps the 2.0 transmission can be upgraded internally to handle the 3.0’s torque output. Or perhaps it’s fine as-is?

Let’s assume the 2.0’s manual can handle a 3.0 Supra, but no matter what, you’ll need a computer re-flash to get the car talking to the new gearbox. And that’s another expert you’ll seek online for counsel.

Or perhaps give the folks at EAG a wheelbarrow full of money and let them make it happen on your Supra? Whatever works for you!

The C8 will be far more difficult, as there’s no platform-mate with a manual to borrow things like a bolt-in pedal assembly. But since they use a LS/LT small block Chevy motor, odds are the fine folks at Ultima Sports Ltd. already found a way to adapt a Porsche transaxle to the C8’s engine. Will cubic money be involved in getting them to share their trade secrets? Yes.

Then again, maybe someone like Weddle Industries can make this happen with less pain. Once the bellhousing adapter is sorted, spending the time and money to fabricate a functional set of pedals, a shifter/cable subsystem, powertrain mounts, and ECU tuning will net amazing results. Perhaps someone can scan the C8’s console trim plate, then engineer/3-D print a new one that incorporates a manual transmission shifter/boot. Odds are the wiring harness for all the switchgear will need a bit of work too, but that’s what extra plugs and lengthening wires are for. Oh, and any holes drilled to get shift linkages and/or wires back to the transaxle will likely need reinforcement to ensure the C8’s integrity remains intact. You know, easy stuff like that. 

Sigh, this is getting far too complex for most of us. But who knows, when done this can be replicated as a kit, one that others will pay big money for. I see a nice little revenue stream for the forseeable future for anyone crazy bold enough to make this happen for C8 owners. There’s a pretty good chance that General Motors will never offer a stick shift again, so you’ll have no competition. Well, until someone comes out with their own kit by ripping yours off, and offshoring the production on a scale most folks can’t fathom. But hey, ’twas better to have loved and lost than never loved at all, right?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Michael writes:

I’m looking for an electronic ignition conversion for my 1935 Packard 120; it’s basically stock except for radial tires, 12 volt electrics, A/C, and overdrive. (Nothing that can’t be easily put back to factory stock.) Does anybody make an ignition conversion for this engine?

My current factory setup uses a dual point system: one set to run four cylinders and a second set for the other four. The distributor has a four-lobe cam. The distributor number is IHG4026-1. Any ideas without using a 37 single point, which necessitates changing the drive shaft of the oil pump?

Sajeev answers:

Probably one of the best things I do behind the scenes here at Piston Slap is to seek outside council when I need help* answering a question. Let me tell you, it woulda been nice to have the fine folks behind Ask Hagerty when I started this series in 2009!

My first thought was a PerTronix kit, quickly confirmed by my co-workers at Ask Hagerty. We’ve discussed solid state conversion kits in the past (here and here) and they are generally well regarded across the Internet. The cheapest PerTronix Packard conversion kit currently for sale is probably this one.

That said, I never considered a conversion to a single points system, but Ask Hagerty knows better. The benefit to this conversion is that it uses off-the-shelf points for ease of timing and far better availability. My co-workers recommended the kit offered by The Packard Parts Store, but we both caution you to call them first, ensuring you buy the right kit for your application beforehand.

So we have two options, but which one is the best for Michael? Well, he asked about a solid state ignition conversion, and PerTronix has him covered. The Packard Parts Store’s single-point setup is aimed towards owners who still appreciate the points ignition system, and don’t want to see the Hall effect sensor’s red and black wiring, poking out of the distributor assembly in a distinctly non-stock manner.

I am OK with that modest cosmetic change for such a significant upgrade, but what say you, Hagerty Community?

*Yes, you can Ask Hagerty yourself, provided you are a Hagerty Driver’s Club member. If not, see the note below and take advantage of it!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Michael writes:

What do you do when there are no real dealers anymore? I bought a 2013 Suzuki Grand Vitara (Premium, automatic transmission) but Suzuki has abandoned the U.S. [automotive] market. There’s no chance for a goodwill gesture like you previously mentioned.

At 77,500 miles my Grand Vitara needs a rear differential, and the part cannot be found. The last place I called was an old dealer which said none have been in the states for seven years … but the seven-year, 100,000 mile warranty just ran out two years ago?

It seems Suzuki has stopped making any parts for my car. The shop also looked for a used one, and there are none.

Sajeev answers: 

I’d like to think I know a thing or two about end-of-days, unobtainium parts hunting for vehicles that no longer have factory or aftermarket support. I wouldn’t be surprised if Suzuki shipped its cache of replacement warranty parts out of the U.S., as this was never a large market for its cars. Presumably, this allows the international markets to soak the parts into their inventory, where they are truly needed?

That notion has merit, but the used differential quandary your mechanic experienced is perplexing. So let’s address this issue in a place-by-place analysis of where you need to look for Suzuki parts for the foreseeable future.

1. Suzuki Auto has a website that shows there are still some dealerships around the country. I would call another dealer (dealers?) using this website and seek confirmation on the differential’s availability.
2. Use the Row52 website (or app) to monitor when a comparable Grand Vitara lands in a junkyard across the nation … looks like there are a few good candidates on there right now! The problem will be finding a location close to you, or close to someone you trust to pull the part for you. This is when becoming an active member on Suzuki forums and Facebook groups becomes invaluable.
3. Check with LKQ on a regular basis for the same reason as #2. It looks like they have a differential for a manual transmission example in stock! What are the odds you can use that one and your current differential to make one good part?
4. Buy a differential from eBay. Used parts for globally-sourced vehicles are usually available there when searching internationally. Some vendors will work hard to ensure it will interchange with yours, all you need to do is find an auction and ask them for help.
5. Differentials aside, RockAuto has a ton of relevant parts, and will likely be your go-to search destination in the future.

I admit that most of this information targets a long-term answer to your short-term question. I also know this is a metric ton of work just for one part: This is one of the main reasons why people prefer to buy new vehicles and let someone else deal with parts availability issues on a used vehicle.

For the differential, option #3 is the easiest answer, provided you can wait for LKQ to get the right spec of Grand Vitara in inventory. Or just buy whatever LKQ currently has and Frankenstein a good part from its part and what’s currently on your vehicle? Or maybe option #4 and hunt for a trustworthy vendor in a foreign land? What say you, Hagerty Community?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, and give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column; if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Leo writes:

I have a 1947 Fiat Topolino and it calls for Triple Shell oil above 50 degrees and Single Shell oil below 50 degrees. What are triple and single Shell oil? And what oil should I use?

Sajeev answers:

I’ve spent far too much time trying to learn more about vintage oil technology in order to answer your question. Why? Because it’s all totally, wholly irrelvant to your oil change needs in the year 2022. Don’t get me wrong, I admire the fact that you actually read your owner’s manual, but the writers of said publication never considered an evolution to modern oils. Perhaps this evolutionary infographic from the Petroleum Quality Institute of America can show why what you read is now irrelevant:

So let’s instead focus on what’s available for sale today. I’ve already sung the praises of Shell Rotella T4 for cars made before the introduction of catalytic convertors, as this diesel engine oil is ideal for such applications. But diesel oils in general are fairly affordable and readily available, be it from Shell, Mobil, or Chevron. Heck, even Walmart has its own brand of Super Tech diesel oil, and the quality is likely nothing to sneeze at.

But since you mentioned Shell, let’s stay there for a moment. Shell has a full synthetic (Rotella T6) and a “proprietary, synthetic blend formula” in its T4 diesel oil. Your owner’s manual suggests oil is seasonal, but I doubt that has any merit with today’s formulations. While running Rotella T6 will likely aid in cold start lubrication, a full synthetic might be more likely to cause oil leaks on an older engine with marginal gaskets. Odds are the semi-synthetic T4 is more than adequate for your needs, is less likely to exacerbate a leak, and will be a few bucks cheaper to purchase.

More to the point, I wager that Shell Rotella T4 (or its equivalent from Mobil, Chevron, or even Super Tech) is far better than the combined benefits of Fiat’s recommendation of Three Shell in the summer, with One Shell in the winter. Of course I need the pertinent technical data, but that’s seemingly impossible to find for the older stuff. No matter, I’d be blown away if Rotella T4 didn’t do justice that to its predecessors.

Bottom Line: Ignore the 75-year-old owner’s manual, just run a modern semi-synthetic diesel oil in the closest weight to the original stuff (presumably 15W-40).

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Stewart writes:

Where can I get points for a good ol’ fashion distributor that aren’t crap?

Sajeev answers:

I just love it when we great straight to the heart of the matter! And very few topics do this quite as fast as aftermarket parts made of hot garbage.

But this isn’t necessarily about the components’ place of birth, as we have all been burned by cheap parts from multiple countries of origin. And we’ve all bought good stuff from the same country that sold us the crap, right? No matter, the fact remains that ignition points of acceptable quality are difficult to find.

Even Pertronix, the knee-jerk aftermarket upgrade in this regard, has mixed reviews on some corners of the Internet. So if you want to stick with points, you might find there is no magic bullet. My advice is to acquire a new-old stock set of points from a vendor like Partsamerican. If they don’t have a NOS part for your application available, message or call them for alternatives. Also contact multiple vendors of used and NOS parts for your particular make or model: someone out there still has NOS points for your vehicle sitting on a shelf, somewhere.

If not, this might be a good time to bite the bullet and do one of the aforementioned conversions. If you can convert your vehicle to a GM HEI setup, that would be my first choice; HEI parts from quality vendors are easily available and affordable. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a Ford fanatic like myself, but I’d even do it to a small-block Ford V-8.

Well, certain small-block Ford V-8s, but the fact remains that if you can’t buy a quality set of points, either keep spares in your glovebox or upgrade to a more modern setup. What say you, Hagerty Community?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please say so in your email.

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Robin writes:

I have a 1984 Cadillac Eldorado with a power driver seat that doesn’t work. All the switches on the door work, but the seat won’t move, like a gear or sprocket is broken. The seat is stuck all the way back—and too far back for average driver. I feel there must be a way to adjust manually.

Would appreciate any help or where to get info! Thanks!

Sajeev answers:

Unfortunately, power seats aren’t like power sunroofs (or moonroofs), with their emergency crank handles to ensure a vehicle’s interior isn’t permanently exposed to the elements. Odds are you can perform some manual motivation to the seat track, once you remove it from both the Caddy and the seat cushions.  But if you’re going that far, why not do it right and replace the broken part?

The video above shows the motor’s coupling has gone bad, and that’s likely a weak link on the power seat assembly of every 1980s GM automobile still on the road today. I recommend you take a good look around the power seat track, after removal from the cabin and the seat itself. Look for broken parts, cracked parts, failed cables, and obstructions on the track.

Anything at this point can fail, especially if the Caddy’s previous owners were less than tidy (and allowed debris to get jammed in the system). But I’m gonna take an educated guess that the aforementioned coupler failed inside the motor. You can buy the replacement GM part online, but there appears to be an improved design that might be worth a closer look.

Proper Parts makes an aftermarket coupler with more reinforcements, which likely means it won’t fail nearly as quickly as the GM part. But is that actually a good thing?

Sometimes parts need to be weaker to ensure the rest of the system remains healthy. These are called sacrificial parts, and their failure is by design. Of course, old plastic from the 1980s is gonna fail no matter what; time is never kind to vintage plastic. So perhaps the upgraded design from Proper Parts ensures this Eldorado will remain functional for the rest of our days on this earth?

Only a visual inspection of the problem will tell the whole truth! What say you, Hagerty Community?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Gary writes:

Hi, I have approximately 138,000 kms on my 2015 Hyundai Elantra. At about the 130,000 mark I started noticing a sound similar to a fan blade hitting something. More noticeable during start ups. It seems to “run” fine. Yes, I’ve had regular oil changes through the dealer. Also, I took my car to an independent mechanic which I know well. He said unless it doesn’t bother you, you can continue to drive it as long as I continue to do regular oil changes. The dealer says otherwise, understandably. They said I need a new engine. Presently, I filed a claim with Hyundai to replace the block of the engine, essentially getting a new engine. (Actually you will get a Nu engine…sorry, I will see myself out. – SM) 

Although my warranty is up, they said they could help. Now, the dealer wants to take apart the engine to show proof of engine damage. Dealer wants $700 Canadian to take apart the engine. That will be my cost to receive essentially a new engine. What should I do? Drive it or go through Hyundai?

Sajeev answers:

Unfortunately this is how the warranty process works when considering a “goodwill” replacement out of warranty. Goodwill repairs happen all the time, but the customer has to pay for the exploratory surgery so a Hyundai Corporate rep can see the problem, and approve it. Goodwill repairs don’t mean a replacement in good faith, as you often need to put money down to show you have skin in this game. Considering this Hyundai engine was recalled in the US and in Canada (download here) for certain applications, there is ample reason to fork over $700 for a goodwill engine replacement in the future.

Even more reason? You said the magic words, as you had “regular oil changes through the dealer.” While manufacturers see less red flags with owners loyal to their dealer network, they’d likely do the same if you bought the Elantra from a Hyundai dealership and had service receipts from another shop. Things get bad if you go back to a dealership with no service history, no warranty, and a purchase outside of the Hyundai-blessed network. So in your case, this looks like it could be a slam dunk in terms of approval and the speed in which it happens.

Should you pay the $700? There’s a chance Hyundai disagrees with the dealership’s diagnosis, rejects the claim, and their managers don’t push back. But it feels like such a small chance! Maybe your dealership can reassure you somehow that the surgery will pay dividends?

Gary replies:

Well, I brought it in today (LOL). They assured me that Hyundai will 99.9% approve my claim based on a perfect service record with that dealership. (Just as I suspected! – SM) They wanted to see the engine. So, I have to weigh my options. Another mechanic said I could drive it, as is. But, personally, I’d rather invest a little to get another two years of driving it. What do you think?

Sajeev answers:

If the dealer is that confident, why should I doubt them? If you still have concerns, try to call/meet a Hyundai regional service person (sort of like an insurance adjuster, but for manufacturer warranties) to see if they can give you any more insight.

That said, I am confident this will work out for you. Not to mention the warranty claim often reimburses you for $700 diagnostic work you’re about to pay for. A new engine will definitely add value when you choose to sell two years from now, too. Fingers crossed: Keep me in the loop!

Gary replies:

Definitely. I’ll keep you updated.

Sajeev concludes:

Annnnd, months later, guess who did not reply back? I’m neither saddened nor offended from Gary’s silence, actually the opposite!

Anyone with a decade of customer service experience (shout out to all those working in retail right now!) knows that satisfied customers rarely go online to praise a retailer addressing a problem. Well, unless you ask them in person or via text, but that’s a whole ‘nother story I’ll share for another day.

More to the point, there are employees that read online complaints, and they always care about the problems presented … provided the customer comes across as a non-violent person with a legitimate beef. So I am gonna bank on my previous experiences and say that Gary has a “Nu” engine (sorry) thanks to Hyundai Canada and one of their local dealerships.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Viktor writes:

I own a 1954 Plymouth Belvedere with a screen/filter inside the gas tank. I need to get in there and get the filter cleaned or replaced. Is dropping the tank a job I could perform myself?

Sajeev answers:

If you’re like me, dropping a fuel tank is a miserable experience. But that’s mostly because I’ve had the misfortune of doing the deed with 10+ gallons of gas in it, lacked a lift, and lacked adequate help (at least initially). But I learned a fair bit from the experience, so I recommend any able-bodied person to try it, provided they drain the tank before dropping it.

From what I see here, the Belvedere is a pretty straightforward chassis in the gas tank department. There are two straps, bolted at one end and slipped into the body at the other. There are hoses that connect the tank to the filler neck and the engine, consider replacing them all if they are 20+ years old. Protect the tank during this procedure by putting something between it and the jack, like a plank of wood. Don’t have a jack? Get a friend to help.

With a floor jack underneath to take the load off, unbolting the straps will be easy (use penetrating oil if corrosion is problem), and the tank will take a controlled fall down to Mother Earth. Once on the ground, it’s only a matter of a few bolts (or possibly a locking ring, removed with a flat tool tapped free with the help of a hammer) to pull out the filter/screen assembly you mentioned.

To be honest, installing a new sending unit might be a good idea at this point too. Do what you see fit to the tank, raise it back up to the chassis (with a friend or a jack), and reinstall the straps. Because of the location of this part and its potential exposure to corrosion, the bolts might be hard to re-install after all these years of use, so use penetrating fluid on the threads (or chase them) to ensure nothing strips out.

That’s it! Honestly, I made it sound more difficult than it truly is; odds are you won’t need to chase threads and spray penetrating oil, but I threw it out there just in case. So drain the gas tank, get the tools handy (i.e. cut a piece of wood for a floor jack beforehand), and recruit a friend to help. Time everything right and it can likely be done in a couple hours or less!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Bobby writes:

I have a stock 1930 model A, nicely restored. I love the wire wheels, but when I want to show it as a hot rod, nobody can tell me if there is any Mag or chrome style wheel that will bolt right up. Looks like an easy five-hole swap to me. So many confusing answers out there. None have really helped. What’s your take on it?

Sajeev answers:

It is indeed an easy swap, as the Model A uses the 5-on-5.5-inch bolt pattern shared with a several generations of the Ford F-series and older Jeeps. The only confusing part of this answer is the sheer volume of wheels available at your disposal. Because of the Model A’s simplistic body/brakes/suspension, most any narrow-width Ford truck wheel (7-inch wide or less) in any offset should both work fine and not visually drown out the Model A’s modest dimensions. A tape measure for offset calculations never hurts, but there’s a lot of wiggle room on a Model A.

One last notion remains, and that’s the matter of taste: if you’re gonna take in another “confusing answer” from the Internet, may I recommend the 15×7-inch alloy wheels from a 1992 Ford Econoline? Of course, I’m kidding … even though I’d roll in a Model A “Chateau” to a car show harder than a Time Out Doll rocks their denim overalls. 

Fact is, you don’t take the advice from a 1980–90s Ford Collector (with his own advice column) very seriously. Luckily a far more rational member of my team owns a Model A, and he recommended getting Jeep GPW wheels. In his words:

“Personally, we had a few sets of Jeep steel wheels from GPW-era stuff that looked pretty cool, and they’re ‘period correct’ hot-rod style. It’s just a basic steel wheel though … but GPWs are also 5 x 5.5-inches.”  — Kyle Smith 

Kyle is definitely on to something. I would do 16-inch GPW steel wheels, paint-to-match the body, add chrome beauty rings, and finish it off with a beefy set of chrome lug nuts. That’d be sweet—a perfect blend of hot-rod style in my book. Clearly, Kyle did a better job than yours truly, but what’s your take on this question, Hagerty Community? 

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Michael writes:

What is the best way to seal a steel rocker arm stud in an aluminum head when the threads open to the intake port?

Sajeev answers:

I’m tempted to suggest that only someone with experience building the engine in question can answer this, but odds are there’s general information that applies here. And to insure that we’re all on the same page, here’s a graphic representation of the issue, using a cutaway of a GM LS-series engine.

Basically, if you port these heads, you will see threads. And exposed threads, when met with engine vacuum, might create contamination between the incoming air and the crankcase air (between the cylinder head and the valve cover). Simply put, the threads must now also be air tight.

Your best bet (only bet?) is to use a thread sealer on the rocker arm’s studs. As mentioned in this forum post, using a thread locker like the ones from Permatex or Loctite is the way to go, not to mention you might already have it in your toolbox. The blue thread locker is good for 300+ degree temperatures and is easily removable. The red thread locker is a lot stronger, but you’ll need a lot of muscle (or heat from a torch) to get the studs off again. And, while I mistakenly assumed red is mandatory, the general consensus is that blue is adequate here.

That said, this might be a good time to discuss torque specs. If the aluminum head in question is a factory part (like the LS head, above) the specifications listed in the repair manual are probably fine. If these are aftermarket heads, it behooves you to call the tech support line from the manufacturer to see what torque spec is needed, especially because of the exposed threads (presumably from porting).

Too bad I have no experience in this matter, only tangential knowledge gathered from watching other people soup up small-block Ford and Chevy mills. So, Hagerty Community, if you have firsthand knowledge, we’d love to hear from you!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Chris from Canada writes:

I own a 1958 MGA (1500 cc), and the transmission jumps out of second and fourth gear when I accelerate. I thought this could be a problem with the tranny, so to make the car more useful on the freeways of today I bought and installed a new five-speed transmission, supplied by a UK Company. (I did this prior to the Japanese conversion kits being available.) Well, low and behold, I still have the same problem! Because it’s a five-speed, I don’t have to hold the gear shift lever all the time now; I just get the car into fifth gear and I’m OK for the long haul. Any idea what could be causing this? (I thought maybe the chassis was twisted, but I’ve done some measurements and it appears OK—mind you the measurements were with a tape measure and not super accurate.)

Sajeev answers:

There’s no doubt the five-speed conversion is worth it, not to mention it might speed up our diagnosis: Either the shift linkage needs work, or the transmission mounts are worn. I think I found your conversion kit, and if so, the Ford five-speed swap includes a new crossmember. New crossmembers suggests new bushings, so the issue is likely between the shift knob and the shift linkage.

Consider the linkage: Odds are you have the T-9 gearbox, commonplace on UK-spec Fords of that era. These units are, over time, known for sloppy shifting compared to their T-5 counterpart (used on the Sierra Cosworth). Having shifted a used T-9 in a Merkur XR4Ti and a used T-5 in a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, I immediately knew (among other factors) which one I wanted for my Ford Sierra project car. 

But I digress …

The T-9’s problem is that most of the linkage is inside the transmission, and unless you sourced a fully rebuilt unit to install with the kit, you might have internal issues commonplace with used gearboxes. But let’s table all that diagnostic work, unless I got this wrong and there’s another transmission present with external linkages. (Inspect all rods and bushings for wiggle and consider getting a rebuild kit, if available.)

Instead look at the shifter: Depending on the vendor’s work to make a “modified gear lever assembly,” there still might be a sloppy bearing (bearings?) that pops the shifter out of second and fourth under engine load. Remove the shifter and check for play in the bearing before it actuates (the transmission below it).

Aftermarket knob concerns: If your shift knob is significantly heavier than factory, high engine loads can easily pop the transmission out of gear. Back in 2013, I did a Rallycross where my 2011 Ford Ranger popped out of second gear during a time trial. It happened at full throttle, on a bumpy dirt road that was clearly too much for the shift linkage. The problem was cured by removing the solid 8-ball (right) for a hollow one (left). Remove the knob and see if it helps … the things you learn while racing! 

If the shifter is rock solid, if the linkages cannot be seen/adjusted, and the shifter pops free even without a shift knob, the biggest concern is the condition of the linkages within the gearbox. Hard to know without seeing everything in person, so I will hope you just need to switch your shift knob. What say you, Hagerty Community?

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John writes:

I have a 6-volt positive ground system in my car—can I jumpstart it with one of those capacitor bank jumpstarters? I’ve used it very successfully on a 12-volt system. The jumpstarter gets its juice from any amount of voltage left in the “dead” battery. Plug it into the battery, wait a few minutes for it to charge, and then start the vehicle—This is neither a charger nor battery jumper.

And while I’ve got you, do you have any idea where I can get an old-style but updated radio to fit my ’49 Studebaker Champion?

Sajeev answers: 

That’s an interesting question! Before we proceed, here’s a video of how these supercapacitor jumpstarting tools work to ensure everyone’s on the same page.

I couldn’t find a good answer, so I checked the owner’s manual for one such jumpstarter. Not surprisingly, they specifically mention it must not be used on 6-volt or 24-volt batteries.

Maybe this is only to minimize legal/warranty concerns on their end, but you’re taking on a lot of risk by not heeding their warnings. As you might already know, the supercapacitors in these gadgets are dangerous when used outside of their parameters, so I’d avoid this at all costs. Instead, get a fresh battery and keep it topped up with a quality 6-volt trickle charger as mentioned here.

Regarding the audio system, you’ll likely need to convert to 12-volt to get a modern version of a retro stereo installed in your Studebaker’s dashboard. But I wouldn’t even bother with the factory stereo—or the hole in which it resides. Instead, run something like this audio alternative that runs on your 6-volt system, interfaces with your phone, and spits out amplified audio for either two or four speakers.

For your application, I am tempted to run the 2-channel setup, replacing the Studebaker’s front speaker and adding another one discreetly in the rear parcel shelf or the C-pillar. (My 1965 Ford Galaxie had a factory-installed speaker at the C-pillar; it was kinda awesome.)

The speakers will be cheap on eBay or Amazon, as you don’t need a fancy, brand-name driver to make a big improvement over the stock Studebaker setup. But that might be too intrusive, so perhaps sticking with the 2-channel amplifier with two speakers mounted in/under the dashboard might be best.

There are several ways to slice this particular loaf of bread. What say you, Hagerty Community?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Rickie writes:

I have a 1997 Chevy pickup with the 5.7-liter engine and 200,000 miles. It performs perfectly, with the exception of when starting, as it drags as if the timing is retarded for the first few revolutions, then turns over more freely before firing. It seems a little worse when warmed up. I have a new battery, and the cam retard is set at zero. Thank you for any advice!

Sajeev answers:

From what I see online, you’ve set the base timing in the right place, so that isn’t the issue. What caught my attention is your comment about hot re-starts: I reckon your battery cables aren’t flowing electrons terribly well after a warm engine heats ’em up. Problems occur when insulation goes bad (when the years turn into decades), when terminals corrode (at either end), or there’s internal corrosion in the middle of the cable. Or maybe all of the above? The problem may not be visible to the naked eye until after you remove the cable and inspect it on a bench.

So my advice is simple—so simple, in fact, that I expect the comments below will hammer me if I get this wrong: you need a new cable between the battery and the starter. It’s probably not as bad as the video below, but it could be!

Ya know, I’m a bit more confident in my assessment after watching this video. But while you’re down there, I’d recommend getting a new negative battery cable too, as I bet it’s also ready for replacement after all these years.

What are the odds that I diagnosed this right, Hagerty Community? I’d love to have your feedback.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me that in your email.

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Ed writes:

When they say that numbers match (I see this in ads for older cars for sale), what numbers are they referring to and where do you find them? I recently bought a 1971 Ford 250 Camper Special pickup and would like to check.

Sajeev answers:

We probably said it best here: “Matching numbers is a term that car collectors use to describe a car on which all the parts – body, engine, rear axle – have proper factory serial numbers.” But where do you find these numbers? That’s a little tougher question to answer, as things are not the same between various manufacturers.

Most automakers stamp the engine with a code, which may or may not be unique to the vehicle it “married” at the factory. While it’s true for Corvettes (above), the same is not applicable to your Ford truck: You might find a data tag or unearth a stamping, but that will only go deep enough to show when the engine was built and for which vehicle it was originally intended (i.e. 460-powered Lincolns had unique cylinder heads for a while). So it’s a fair bit easier to make the numbers match for Fords.

The body often possesses both a VIN (usually behind the windscreen) and a chassis tag (usually on the cowl or radiator core support) with data relevant to a “numbers matching” designation. The rear axle often has stampings on the case or a tag sandwiched between the rear cover and one of its attaching bolts. Most American manufacturers have breakdowns of the codes that explain all this data, but Ford owners can get most of it with a click of a few buttons at Marti Auto Works.

Generally speaking, brand-specific forums and car clubs will help you determine if your vehicle is numbers matching, but the investigation can get tricky with more limited-production automakers who generally feel less need to leave a paper trail. Here’s where things get dicey: Just like other technical terms in the classic car business, “numbers matching” is thrown around so much that it’s hard to believe without third-party verification. And sometimes that verification is very difficult/expensive to procure.

But in your case? Your 1971 Ford is easily covered with a Marti report and a little searching for codes on the engine/axle/body that match what’s on that report. Happy hunting!

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Hal writes:

What is the best old Ford stepside pickup to restore or customize, from 1930s through 1940s (or early ’50s)? This would consider model availability, purchase price, original part availability and part upgrades like engine swaps and electronic upgrades.

Sajeev answers:

Given what I know about the aftermarket parts business for many Ford products, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this question. Just about any example of early (Model A) to late (second generation F-series) Ford truck in your date range is readily available. They are all affordable with significant aftermarket support. While the Model A and the 1948+ F-series are likely the best fits for your multi-pronged requirements, usually one particular model has a specific appeal to the buyer that deems all other concerns irrelevant. If you love the 1942–47 Ford’s look, you can’t get that anywhere else.

But if you truly love them all, let’s just consider the nebulous notion of classic truck pricing. It’s a safe bet that the universally-adored F-series (1948+) are the most expensive of the bunch on desirability alone, all things being equal. Except things are never equal when it comes to used vehicles, be it Certified Pre-Owned BMWs (with a dealer service history) or vintage Ford trucks (with decades of questionable repairs). This is a good time to remind everyone of the value of a pre-purchase inspection, because sellers with sketchy whips feel the heat when inspectors run a fine tooth comb over a vehicle.

Let’s say you get a great Ford truck for your budget, but it turns out that peach is wholly rotten under its shiny paint. Parts of the factory and aftermarket variety are easier to find and likely cheaper for the 1948+ F-series, as so many people gravitate to them for both factory correct and customized desires. Although to be fair, Model A parts are rather easy to procure compared to other trucks made in the late ’20s and early ’30s. The Ford trucks that sit between the “F” and “A” bookends have a smaller following, but again, the “you could be buying something much rarer” factor comes into play.

Regarding modifications, let’s narrow things down to the concept of the trickle down effect, as parts produced for new vehicles (LS/LT motors, six-speed manuals, Godzilla V-8s, 10-speed automatics, etc.) will bolt into an early F-series before any other Ford product. (OK, maybe first-generation Mustangs will get it first, but you catch my drift.) Everything from frame, suspension, wiring conversion, etc. kits will be readily available for the F-series if you go the restomod route. And if they aren’t available online as a kit yet, odds are a hot rod shop already did it and can do it again for you. Then again, with a little fabrication skills under your belt, how much harder is it to graft the same parts onto a 1943 model?

Things get even murkier if you restore to/retain a factory fresh standard. These rigs aren’t horribly complicated, so if you find one with good cosmetics, they all use about the same amount of consumables and Ford-branded wear items. But if you don’t find a cherry example, you’re better off getting an F-series and taking full advantage of the aftermarket support available. I bet there’s so many F-series vendors that you can pit them against each other for the best prices!  Of course, not all parts are created equal … and now I’m really making a mountain out of this molehill of a question.

Bottom line: Get a 1948+ F-series in the best condition you can afford. It will make your life much easier.

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Chuck writes:

I am wondering about the newer cars that turn off when they stop at a light. Is this bad for the car overall?

Sajeev answers:

I think the short answer to this question is a solid “not really.” And it’s 100 percent absolutely not a bad idea if you’re a short-term owner who moves on to a new car once the odometer breaks that magic 100,000-mile mark. And that mark doesn’t mean much these days, but I digress …

When it comes to the level of complicated engineering in vehicles these days, start/stop technology is pretty straightforward. Denso’s tandem solenoid starters are so much smoother, nearly imperceptible compared to older designs. Ever driven a 2007 Saturn Vue Greenline with the first-generation BAS (belted alternator starter)? Well I do, and BAS didn’t feel so great inside the cabin relative to what you see below.

Anyway, the point here is that technology has advanced over time. And refinements happened in the process. Unless you have this system in a manual transmission vehicle, you almost forget its there unless you look at your average fuel economy and wonder how today’s large, overweight, complicated trucks and SUVs get such tolerable fuel economy. It’s totally worth the mild abrasiveness of a modern tandem solenoid starter to go from 0 mpg in traffic to N/A in one’s fuel economy calculations.

But I haven’t answered the question: What appreciable damage will a start/stop system have on a vehicle? The engine is the biggest concern, except I haven’t seen a start/stop system coming to life until the engine is up to operating temperature. So when it does work, the engine wear with warm oil will be minimal, if non existent. And given the short duration of this action, I doubt enough oil drains down into the pan to cause any significant increase in engine wear upon startup. Maybe this is an issue for vehicles running well over 250,000 miles, but most will wind up crushed in the junkyard before that happens anyway.

So for me, I’d enjoy the fuel savings (especially right now) and instead be more concerned with the durability of modern cars with turbocharged and direct injected engines. Because some designs need significant maintenance after 7+ years of heat cycling. Replacement parts and even upgraded bits exist, but they sure ain’t free to buy and install.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! If you need an expedited resolution, make a post on the Hagerty Community!

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Bill writes:

How often should cars be started when they are garaged and how long should they be run?

Sajeev answers:

This is a more difficult question to answer than one might initially consider. The answer depends on how long the vehicle will be stored. But before we proceed, read about the basics of car storage applicable to all types of storage durations/needs.

I’ve had cars sit for 1–2 years in a non-running, undriveable condition, while performing cosmetic restorations. When complete, I was surprised to see how well they ran on old gas when it was time to get ’em back on the road. They clearly ran better once I burned off the old gas and put fresh stuff in (and both were ethanol blends), but I’m getting ahead of myself: I’ve also had cars sit for 3 months and their fuel pumps died and/or carburetors got all mucked up.

There’s no easy answer, because life is more complicated than we intend, and we wind up neglecting the cars in our garages. So let’s lay out some scenarios for indoor car storage and try to answer them specifically.

1. Winter storage: Do the basics of car storage and don’t touch it until the weather is warm again and the salt is off the road. If you really want to hear it run (or if you don’t trust the fuel system) go ahead and run it in the garage until the oil gets to operating temperature. (Usually 15–20 minutes.)
2. Storage for less than a year: See #1, but add a fuel stabilizer (they make gas last for two years).
   2a. Storage for less than a year, alternatively: Start the vehicle every three months to see if the fuel system can handle running on “aged” gasoline. Run it to operating temperature or kill it immediately after realizing the fuel system is still in good shape. Do not run a stored vehicle if you don’t plan on running it for 15–20 minutes.
3. Storage for longer than a year: See #2 and consider the fact you might need to drain engine coolant, fuel, and oil out of the vehicle for a truly dry storage experience.

Keep in mind that these are rough guidelines based on my experiences with both EFI and carbureted vehicles; your mileage may vary. No matter which option you choose, remember one final nugget of wisdom: Driving is better for the vehicle than just idling in a garage.

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Charles writes:

What gas should I use in my 1957 Chevy with stock 283? Also should I use oil with a high zinc content when I change it?

Sajeev answers:

Good questions!  We discussed the validity of using diesel-blended oils (i.e. high zinc content) in cars without catalytic converters a while back, but the same information applies here with Charles’ Tri-Five Chevy. Odds are that same Shell Rotella T4 (or comparable oil from from Mobil, Chevron, etc.) in a 15w-40 weight is ideal. So, yes, make the switch, but maybe spend a few minutes with Shell technical support for US Lubricants before pulling the trigger on a specific weight.

Gasoline is a little different story. The internet says the 1957 Chevy’s 283 small-block ran 8:1 compression when stock, though one source insists it’s actually 8.5:1 compression. Either way, that’s pretty tame by today’s standards, so modern low octane gas is all you’ll need if the motor is indeed stock. I’d run a few gallons of the cheapest, lowest octane stuff you can find locally and see if detonation is an issue. Odds are your 283 is far more forgiving than most machines on the road today and will be more than happy with it. The only thing to look out for is ethanol fuel, which should be avoided if possible. While there are fuel system hacks/workarounds provided in the last link, avoiding ethanol is the best move, no matter which octane rating you choose.

Best of luck keeping your Chevy running in top form!

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Douglas writes:

My 1997 Porsche 911 check engine light has come on, apparently due to the catalytic converter being clogged. The car has 34,000 miles on it. Is it normal for this to occur with such low mileage? My mechanic cleaned it once with chemicals but that only lasted a few months and then check engine light turned back on. Any cures other than replacing the catalytic converter?

Sajeev answers:

It’s been a long time since catalytic converters were known for such failures at low mileage. I recall this happened when Malaise Era (1973–83) machinery was new, as technology has improved tremendously since the bad old days of two-way, pancake-style designs, and early three-way converters. Something else is causing the problem.

There are usually three reasons why catalytic converters fail: the converter either overheated/melted, is fouled/blocked up, or suffered some sort of internal/external structural damage.  The latter is unlikely, unless you see signs of physical damage or corrosion around the exhaust system. Maybe they are damaged because someone gutted them in the past? Seems unlikely, but it can happen if you don’t know a vehicle’s service history after rolling off the showroom.

This intricate pattern of pollution-reducing materials could be fouled/blocked up by oil, coolant, or carbon soot. Or it can melt from a series of engine issues. Before getting a new set of converters for your Porsche, I’d address the following potential issues:

• Poor exhaust repair in the past, or aftermarket exhaust parts installed poorly
• Coolant leaks (bad gaskets that might let coolant into the combustion chamber)
• Oil consumption
• Ignition Misfiring
• Low compression
• Improper Air/Fuel Ratio (from weak spark, defective O2 sensors, or even failing fuel injectors)

While valve guide issues aren’t uncommon for 993s, I am not gonna even try to arm-chair these concerns. If yours didn’t come with a service history, this is the time to check everything and catch up on all maintenance needs, as per the owner’s manual. Once you check everything above, remove the catalytic converters off the car for a proper cleaning (not additives poured into a gas tank). With any luck, the problem will be solved. If not, and if your repair was obviously needed (i.e. like bad valve guides), feel confident in your repair and order a new set of converters.

But what if you didn’t find conclusive proof of some engine/exhaust issue causing the problem? I would get a second opinion from another repair shop, because something isn’t adding up here.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! If you need an expedited resolution, make a post on the Hagerty Community!

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Jack writes:

How about a “guide” on how to add power steering to a 1960s Dodge Power Wagon?

Sajeev answers:

Well then! Perhaps this is a good time to talk about a conversion to electric power steering?

The benefits of these systems over traditional hydraulic systems are plentiful: no accessory drive modifications, no extra hoses, and there’s often no chassis/suspension modifications needed. The vast majority of changes happen between the steering column and the steering box (or rack, depending on application). While high-performance purists may disapprove of the feedback offered, let’s hope that particular concern is irrelevant in your average Dodge Power Wagon.

We’ve previously discussed the conversion using Toyota and GM donor cars, but universal applications are available and might make this primer a little easier to cover. While not germane to your era of Power Wagon, all vehicles should be converted to run on 12-volt electrical systems first.

Be it junkyard parts or a pre-engineered kit, the high level overview of this conversion starts with installing the power assist motor between the steering column and the steering box/rack, finding a home for the computer, and wiring it all up neatly under the hood and behind the dashboard. Of course I am not gonna ramble on about the details, as this video explains the process pretty well.

But this is not applicable to Jack’s power wagon, and I have yet to find a drop-in conversion for his Dodge. Instead of trying to explain how this could be implemented in his rig, how about proof that a video is indeed worth a thousand words?

And if that video is too much labor to make it all work, how about converting to an aftermarket steering column with provisions for electric power steering?

While I would love to install a junkyard power steering kit on the factory steering system on a vintage Dodge truck, kits like this one from Ididit are likely to make it a whole lot easier. Ididit is known for making its steering columns work for any vintage vehicle, so contact the company if so inclined.

But which option is the right one for you, dear reader? Kinda irrelevant for me to guess,; the point I’m making is that you have options. I’d never dissuade someone with the time and technical skills to DIY this with junkyard parts, and I’d encourage everyone to buy an engineered kit to support a company that supports our diverse hobby. I just wish to steer (sorry) everyone into making this conversion a reality for their manually-assisted vintage vehicle, so just do it.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! If you need an expedited resolution, make a post on the Hagerty Community!

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Barry writes:

I own a 1987 Corvette, and I can not find a proper diagnosis scan tool for my OBD-I system. Is there such a tool on the market? If so, where can I obtain one at a reasonable price.

Sajeev answers:

This is an easy question for me to answer; I wish all Piston Slap queries were this easy! So let me show you the tool I used on a regular basis, as odds are you already bought it …

My sad attempt at humor aside, the fact remains that using a paper clip (or a snippet of wire with both ends stripped off) to trigger the OBD-I computer’s trouble codes is a well-established hack. Grab one and seek the Corvette’s OBD test port, which is under the steering column (relatively close to where your knee rests by the dashboard). Here’s a video showing how to pull codes with your new favorite tool:

That said, this trick isn’t just for GM products, as many OBD-I powered vehicles operate on the same principle. Although that’s pretty awesome, I still haven’t answered your original question.

Yes, you can buy a legit OBD-I scan tool for GM vehicles, even if the cheap bits inside are akin to a glorified paper clip. These scanners work much like an OBD-II scanner on a 1996+ vehicle, and they are pretty cheap to boot. The asking price might be worth it, provided time is as valuable as money in your life: Actron and Innova make one for your application.

I have used both the cheap and expensive tool on my OBD-I Ford products with EEC-IV fuel injection, so which trick do I recommend? This depends on where you are in life. Bear with me, this will make sense soon enough.

I was once a broke college student with a paper clip and a 1988 Mercury Cougar with a Check Engine Light. Now I am a moderately-successful automotive journalist with a decent number of 1988 Cougar-friendly tools in his garage, including an OBD-I scanner of both aftermarket and Ford/Rotunda varieties. If you love cheap hacks, grab a paper clip. If you prefer convenience over a pulled muscle in your (now aged) backside, get the Actron or Innova. If you plan on turning into a C4 Corvette expert, get a GM Tech 1 scanner and impress all your friends with your technical brilliance.

I’ll leave it to the comment section to determine what tool Hagerty shall recommend for you. Don’t let me down, people!

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Robert writes:

I have a 1946 Ford Sedan that I would like to update with a small block Ford 302, overdrive automatic transmission, and a higher speed rear end. I have a 1990 Grand Marquis for a donor car. The thing that’s stopping me is that I don’t know how to handle the electronic ignition and electronic fuel injection. Also, would you recommend installing the Mercury front suspension and steering or convert to the Mustang II option? The Grand Marquis has a frame with a bolt-on body. Could this be put under the ’46 Ford?

My goal is to have a good-looking old car with a reliable drivetrain as a mild cruiser that gets good gas mileage and has all the comforts of AC, power steering, and cruise control. I’m not interested in a high-performance hot rod. Any plans, thoughts, or advice would be appreciated.

Sajeev answers:

What a fantastic project! Before I go any further, let me insist that the information below is just a high level overview; it will gloss over serious engineering considerations that need to be considered due to Piston Slap’s nature as an easy-to-digest blog post. So with that caveat in mind …

The frame: Surprisingly, the Grand Marquis and the 1946 Ford have a very similar wheelbase; the Internet says they are only 3/10 inches different! With that in mind, its entirely possible that you could swap frames, but that’s only after measuring the 1946 Ford’s width at key points (cowl, radiator support, front and rear track, etc.) to ensure the wheels won’t be sticking out 2 inches extra at each corner, or something similarly awful elsewhere. I expect it will be and believe that a frame swap is more trouble than its worth.

The suspension: To be honest, the Grand Marquis’ suspension isn’t that great. Considering how much fabrication is required, I’d rather start with a 2003+ Panther Chassis Ford for a couple grand and get a far, far, faaaar superior suspension. But this is all too much work for the “mild cruiser” you desire, so make your life easier and get the aftermarket Mustang II-style suspension, as it comes with a perfectly engineered crossmember for your Ford sedan. (And please avoid aftermarket Mustang II control arms with Delrin or urethane bushings if you want a smooth ride.)

Fuel injection: With the chassis sorted, it’s time to get Ford’s EEC-IV wiring in order so you can get the Grand Marquis’ powertrain running. Many claim/believe this engine is the same as a 5.0 Mustang from the same era, except it has different heads, intake, cam, fuel injectors, firing order, and engine computer. I’m mentioning this because you might not want to buy an aftermarket 5.0 wiring harness, as it might not work with a Grand Marquis computer without modification. This is even more likely if your replacement harness is for a 5.0 Mustang running a mass-airflow sensor. So let’s avoid that whole mess and re-use the wiring in your donor car.

Here’s the thing: the EEC-IV fuel injection (and relevant ignition stuff) is mostly a standalone affair. Almost everything begins and ends at the computer (which is near the steering column). Aside from some wiring going to the fuel pump (and its shut off switch), a fuse box, an ignition switch, and the cruise control (which I expect you will delete), it’s a very straightforward affair. Well, in theory. In reality, you must purchase a Ford EVTM (electrical-vacuum-troubleshooting-manual) and use the “electronic engine control” section to separate EEC-IV wiring from the chassis of your donor Grand Marquis.

Moving that wiring over to a new home won’t be a walk in the park, but considering the width and length of the Grand Marquis, I am gonna remain hopeful that most wiring will be too long or your application, and not the other way around. And if I can buy Ford EVTM manuals and remove/install wiring for Project Valentino, so can you!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, give us as much detail as possible so we can help! If you need an expedited resolution, make a post on the Hagerty Community!

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Mauricio writes:

Hello Mr. Sajeev,

I just bought a 1960 Porsche 356, and I want to learn how to restore it properly. Where can I learn about the proper restoration process? I have restored a MGA 1950 and a Land Rover Series II. I did it with good quality providers and original parts. The process was mostly based on common sense rather than knowledge. This time I want to do it with more ideas of what I am doing. Thanks for your help.

Sajeev answers:

Well hello, Mauricio!  Probably the best way to learn how to restore cars is to become an apprentice at a restoration shop, or go back to college and get a degree in this particular trade.

But I’ll go ahead and make a rash judgement by assuming you neither have the time nor the inclination to be that literal in your quest for automotive restoration knowledge. Since you’ve successfully restored two vintage machines with help from others, you already know one of the most important aspects of the trade: One person rarely possesses the skills, tools, and time to fully restore every aspect of a car. Especially a car as (potentially) valuable as a Porsche 356.

My advice to you is to keep it simple. Stick with one skill you’d really like to improve when restoring a car this time around.

You can focus on learning how to do paint and body work, including how to cut out rust and install repair panels. Getting that bathtub body perfectly rotund for paint will take you hundreds of hours, especially if its current paint job hides sinful repairs of the past. Or maybe learn how to do interior upholstery, which wouldn’t be too hard on a 356 if you forked over the cash for a professional-grade sewing machine. Or maybe electronics restoration. Or maybe you just want to disassemble stuff on the suspension, media blast them clean, paint them, and install a kit like this to finish off your sabbatical?

If you have all the time and resources in the world at your fingertips, learn them all concurrently. Treat this endeavor like a project manager does a 7+ figure corporate undertaking. Document everything you need on a google spreadsheet, and learn specific trades as the 356’s disassembly merits them.

• Rust repair? That will happen after you remove all the Bondo.
• New wiring harness? Didn’t know that was needed until I removed the (insert 356 unique part here).
• How do I source all these missing/destroyed rubber parts? Take a vacation somewhere with WiFi and source them all at your leisure!

I can see this playing out for you, and it seems pretty awesome in my (delusional?) mind. Go ahead and make it happen Mauricio. I would love to see you make it happen!

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Jerry writes:

Regarding the old Ford Columbia two-speed rear ends, has anyone ever made an electric shift conversion? Thank you!

Sajeev answers:

I looked around a fair bit, asked one of the experts, and it seems like nobody’s made a conversion to either a cable or an electronic shifter. Which is disappointing, since someone makes a conversion for Chrysler’s Panelescent displays.

That said, maybe it isn’t too hard to do the swap yourself? Let’s explore some options after getting a lay of the land.

The Columbia rear axle is relatively simple; even the later electric/vacuum-operated setup (from 1942-up?) is child’s play by modern-car standards. While I don’t own the schematics, from what I glean online there are two switches on the later design: one to go up into overdrive as a toggle switch (on the dashboard?), and one to downshift out of overdrive via a switch connected to the clutch pedal(?). Along with the switches is a solenoid and a vacuum assembly under the hood to take those inputs and transmit them to the rear axle.

It seems like folks have used off-the-shelf parts to convert to an electric shifter or to a cable-operated linkage. Here’s a good post for converting to a cable, which is probably an easier process for most folks. The electric conversion (here and here) isn’t too bad, but getting the schematics in hand first seems like a very good idea.

You’d have to be pretty electrically savvy to 100 percent delete the vacuum system; you might also need to experiment with different actuators to replicate the vacuum system’s operation perfectly. It wouldn’t be impossible, considering how many folks have deleted vacuum-operated headlight assemblies—you would just need to find the right strength/length electronic actuator to work on the Columbia axle assembly.

Since the question was about a pre-engineered conversion kit (which doesn’t exist), I’d recommend just sticking with the vacuum system, repairing any leaks if necessary, and enjoying it as-is.

If and when a conversion kit is readily available? Yeah, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

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Michael writes:

Hello, I have a 1960 Chrysler Imperial. They had the glowing dash and dials. Over time the paint on the dials needs redone, but that is not my question. My question is when the power pack goes, is there a way to do away with the power pack and keep the original glowing dash and dials? I have not found a place that rebuilds the power pack and I am not very sure how to do that in my garage. Thank you for any help or advice that you can provide.

Sajeev answers:

I love this question, mostly as a fan of keeping the historically relevant innovations from unobtainum luxury cars alive for as long as humanly possible. The Chrysler Imperial’s Panelescent instrument panel absolutely qualifies, as this innovation ushered in the use of electroluminescence in automotive applications. But it was on the bleeding edge of technology, designed with one-off components by Sylvania, using a bespoke power supply that converts the Imperial’s 12v DC system into higher voltage AC current to feed the lighting behind the instrument panel.

You can see the marketing-speak in the video above while I look for a revised, updated, and hopefully improved power supply for this Imperial’s gauges …

Annnnnnd that wasn’t too hard, because a new power supply is for sale on eBay Motors. The seller states, “This unit is new, made with modern components.” He also states the original power supply fails because of heat and the ability for moisture to enter the system. But his design “is completely sealed with military grade epoxy.” Sounds fine and dandy, but two pictures are worth a thousand words.

It all tracks, and his eBay selling rating is stellar, so odds are this is your next and final solution. The conversion appears to be plug and play; just make sure you add that ground wire to the same bolt used to hold the power supply. Since this is a true bolt-on upgrade, the asking price seems more than fair: I’d pay triple that price for similar unobtainum repairs on my vintage Lincolns!

The only down side might be the color matching, but odds are what you see below is very, very close to the factory look.

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John writes:

I put disc brakes on the front of my ’56 Nomad a while back, and the passenger side grease cap keeps popping off. What would cause that?

Sajeev answers:

That’s a good question, but did you mean the bleeder screw’s cap on the brake caliper? Perhaps the brake swap can affect a greaseable ball joint, but I’m gonna leave that up to the Hagerty Community to answer and/or roast me in the comments.

Provided I am right, did your kit also come with Speed Bleeders or equivalent? This speedy way to bleed your brakes includes a check valve to ensure a one-way flow when bleeding brakes., but I’ve heard they can also leak even when fully closed. If so, that would cause the rubber cap at the end to blow off.

Even if you aren’t running speedy bleeders on your brake calipers, there’s a chance that heat cycling will make it easier for a cap to come loose, especially if either surface has residual fluid on it. (Or grease from your hands, you never know!) I recommend cleaning the bleeders with brake cleaner, letting them dry, cleaning them again, and soaking the caps in brake cleaner before wiping them down. And maybe check the torque on the bleeder, you don’t need much torque but you might be lacking just a little bit!

With clean surfaces in play, I bet your Nomad’s bleeder caps won’t pop off any more. If you have speed bleeding caps, maybe consider replacing them with conventional bleeders, too. If all else fails, let the caps pop off, and just buy extra bleeders when needing to do a brake work, they are cheap and easy to replace if needed.

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Mickey writes:

I would appreciate your comments on dealing with engine cooling on non-factory built vehicles. Issues like grill openings, double core radiators, timing, additives, type of water pump, or other remedies. I have a couple of vehicles that I have struggled with cooling issues in the past, both running Chevy 350 small-blocks. I solved the running hot issue on the Kellison when I discovered it had a high speed racing water pump and changed to a standard factory original pump. My Jeep CJ7 still has some issues.

Sajeev answers:

Fantastic question!  Everything you mentioned does indeed affect a cooling system’s performance, and let’s also include cooling fans/multiple fans/pusher and puller fans and the temperature rating of a thermostat. Since we’re talking about street vehicles here, let’s keep that in mind as we address these parts from highest to lowest priority. (The priority is based on its impact, ease of replacement/adjustment, cost, etc.)

1. Engine timing: The more ignition advance/retard given from the stock/baseline timing curve, the more likely the engine can overheat. Depending on the engine and cooling system modifications in play, returning timing to stock (or whatever others have done) is a good start, but removing advance/retard incrementally might address the overheating issue without robbing too much power from your setup.
2. Thermostat: Installing a colder-than-stock thermostat can help, as introduces coolant into the radiator sooner than a stock thermostat. But be careful of the temperature for fuel injected applications, as colder thermostats can keep the computer from running in closed loop, which hurts all aspects of engine performance. This is a cheap and easy part to replace, and that’s why it’s ranked so high on the list.
3. Fan shrouding: if a fan doesn’t have a shroud to route air to or from the radiator, you lose a significantly amount of cooling efficiency. Put a shroud that goes around the fan and over the radiator: if one doesn’t exist for your application, you’ll have to get one fabricated (or 3D printed?).
4. Cooling fans: Mechanical fan clutches work well for many applications, and upgrading to a heavier duty clutch could be all you need to improve cooling (i.e. Fox Body Mustang owners often used F-150 truck clutches as an upgrade). But when it comes to improved performance and more power, removing a mechanical fan for an electric fan is generally considered ideal. Fans come in a wide variety of flow rates (in cubic feet per minute) and can either push air into the radiator, or pull it out. For most street vehicles running a conservatively tuned small-block Chevy, you can generally get away with a single puller fan in the correct CFM.
5. Radiator: If this is an older part in unknown condition, perhaps make this #1 on the list. Crossflow radiators are generally considered more efficient compared to downflow radiators, and a good rule of thumb is to get the biggest radiator possible for your application. If a custom-engineered solution from the aftermarket is available for your vehicle, that might be your best choice, as they normally make the best use of the space available.
6. Water pumps: For street vehicles, your experiences with water pumps mirror that of mine. A factory-style pump is gonna be more than adequate, but consider switching to an electric pump if you want to squeeze a little more horsepower at the same time.
7. Grille/hood openings: While especially important when upgrading to forced induction (especially turbochargers), it is possible that vehicles designed for high speed aerodynamics lack the necessary cooling for a custom engine. Aftermarket bumper covers may be available, but sometimes all you need is a large hood vent to route hot air (from the fan) out of the engine compartment as quickly as possible.
8. Cooling additives: I haven’t seen a tangible benefit to a street vehicle with these chemicals. I consider this to be a measure of last resort, after addressing everything else in the cooling system.
9. Transmission coolers: If the vehicle has an automatic transmission, running a separate trans cooler in series with the radiator helps both engine coolant and transmission fluid cool more efficiently. Without a standalone trans cooler, the engine coolant is tasked with removing heat from the transmission fluid in the same radiator. Double cooling is a far better idea, and adding a small electric fan to the transmission cooler is a great idea for applications with poor airflow.

For your Jeep, I would look into options 1–4, and 8 if applicable. No matter, this is a good general guide to addressing cooling system upgrades to match an upgraded engine. Hopefully I didn’t miss something. Did I miss something? This is your cue to join the conversation below, Hagerty Community.

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Mark writes:

Looks to me like the turbo engine Gen 1 Corvair has a vacuum unit that works backwards! Timing calls for 26 degrees BTDC … can this be correct? Not my first air-cooled six, but it is my first turbo ’vair! Any help would be appreciated plus how to identify the turbo ignition distributor.

Sajeev answers:

After a little Googling (actually a lot of it), I kinda think the vacuum unit works backwards on turbocharged Corvairs too! Luckily, I need not think much further, as our resident Corvair expert once again comes to the rescue. So I’d better hand it off to Kyle Smith, without further delay.

Kyle Smith answers: 

The vacuum unit on your distributor is indeed backwards! The Corvair has a rudimentary turbocharger system by modern standards, and all of its safeguards are built-in, using hard parts. The main issue is detonation under heavy load and boost. Too-advanced ignition timing can cause this on the turbocharged Corvair engines, even at the modest factory boost levels. To counteract this, what was traditionally the timing advance (that’d increase the timing in a normal Corvair) is now a boost retard. If the canister sees manifold pressure, it retards the timing by up to 8–10 degrees (depending on the exact canister you have) as boost rises. There is still mechanical advance inside the distributor (springs and weights) but they do not come into play until above 3500 rpm.

The base timing can be set with the boost retard connect, unlike vacuum advance systems on naturally aspirated Corvairs since the boost retard does nothing under vacuum. (And that’s what it would see while setting base ignition timing). The factory shop manual is your best resource for confirming the factory timing specs and can also serve as a starting point to some finer tuning. Adding 1–3 degrees of additional advance is fine, so long as you do not hear any pinging under heavy load or acceleration.

The quality of your fuel, along with other factors, will determine where the engine will be happy. If the engine is happy, the driver will be too. Have fun with it!

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Jon writes:

I’m wondering how to get the most out of my stock 5.7L Hemi (in a 2007 Chrysler 300C), but without it being so expensive that it becomes impractical.

Sajeev answers:

Interesting question, mostly because impracticality is a relative term. I assume there are plenty of folks who’ll gladly tear into that Hemi for a cam swap, cylinder head work, etc., and consider it just a good use of a single weekend of work and a modest cut of one’s discretionary income. But I’m just gonna go way out on a limb and assume you’re looking for bolt-on upgrades for your 300C, limited to intake, exhaust, and ECU re-tuning.

While you won’t see much more than 30 horsepower on a chassis dyno when combining the tricks below, they will improve performance at full and part throttle. More to the point, they are mandatory before even considering future upgrades, so perhaps there’s more benefit than we immediately consider. So let’s get to it.

Intake: Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need an aftermarket intake/airbox assembly to get both performance and sound improvement. More to the point, aftermarket kits are expensive and accomplish the same thing you can do at home via removal of snorkels, resonators, and silencers. One is certainly cooler looking (if you like aftermarket parts), but neither will add much more than 3-5 horsepower. And many aftermarket intakes cannot isolate themselves from hot air in the engine bay, and sport material choices that cannot resist heat soak like factory parts do, which makes them truly inferior to the work you can do in your own garage.

So instead, open up the intake stream yourself via air silencer removal (here’s my tutorial from 2005) and consider installing a high flow, drop-in air filter (your call if they are worth the trouble). This ensures you get that magical 3-5-hp increase of an aftermarket system, with similar levels of increased induction noise for extra fun around town.

Exhaust: As far as bolt-on performance for this application goes, one look at the restrictions on the factory log manifold is all most folks need to take the plunge. Odds are the rest of the exhaust’s piping can handle the extra power, as the factory 2.5-inch exhaust is big enough to support 400+ horsepower. The factory muffler (that reduces noise when kicking into four-cylinder operation) might not be to your liking, but plenty of aftermarket parts can improve the sound. Unless your catalytic convertors are melted/clogged, they will not be a restriction.

Getting catalytic convertors to work with some header designs (i.e. the longer ones, called “long tube” headers) might be a pain, but odds are any competent exhaust shop can do it. Installation of the headers doesn’t look too hard (especially with a lift), and it will likely add a lot more low-end torque to the equation, even before adding the final piece below.

Tune: Some vehicles are seriously under-tuned from the factory, and many turbocharged vehicles can be electronically tweaked to make much more power. Neither applies here, as the general consensus on the internet for your 5.7-liter Hemi suggests you’ll get 10-20 horsepower with a performance tune, 20+ when including the above performance modifications. Not all tuning companies (or the tuners that tweak the software) are created equal, so do your homework and see which one is best for you.

I’d like to be optimistic and suggest that a removed factory intake silencer, drop-in high volume air filter, aftermarket headers/muffler, and a quality tune will get you 30+ horsepower at the wheels. (Wheel horsepower is the only place you can feasibly measure output, and it’s honestly the only place that matters.) While that might not look like much on paper, the performance at lower rpms will likely benefit from a similar increase in torque, while the revised engine tune will perk up the throttle and transmission’s behavior. To wit, this video shows an aftermarket tune giving 500 more rpms to play with … whether that’s a good thing remains to be seen.

While it may be difficult to justify—on a depreciated machine like the original Chrysler 300—the improvement for $1000–$2000 (depending on how lucky you get buying new/used parts), you can do these at any time, in any order.

To be honest, I would be content with just an aftermarket tune ($400-ish) and an air silencer delete (free). What say you, Hagerty Community?

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Edward writes: 

Not sure if this is the type of question you are looking for, but here it is. (We answer just about every question here at Piston Slap! – SM) I am considering buying a used Mustang convertible. I am interested in your comments on the V-6 engine vs. the four-cylinder turbo engine. My overwhelming criteria is reliability and cost of ownership, not performance. I am 74 years old now and have moved past performance and into the world of reliability. Any guidance you could give me would be appreciated.

Sajeev answers:

This is a fantastic question, and yes, this is the stuff I love to answer for this series! (Would love to get more of this, so please email me at pistonslap@hagerty.com)

Here’s the deal: When it comes to cost of ownership concerns in a used car, design simplicity is probably the most important aspect to consider. But keeping it simple is far from the only aspect, as Teslas are some of the simplest designs on the planet … but the parts/repair availability and service after the sale leave something to be desired. Which is another reason why I am a big fan of the air-cooled Nissan Leaf … but I digress. 

While the Ecoboost mill in modern Mustangs has a good reputation for durability, I generally have concerns with ongoing maintenance. You know—that stuff never discussed in the automotive media, because they/we tend to forget cars exist after the warranty runs out. So let’s dig into it.

The issue(s) lie in the turbocharged, direct-injected nature of these designs. Direct injection tends to muck up an engine with carbon deposits (Ecoboosts are no stranger that, with possibly serious consequences), or do even worse things. The other part is the extra hardware (especially the additional plumbing) associated with turbocharging. Plumbing engine oil to a turbocharger invites leaks over time, not to mention the unintended consequence of exhaust-driven forced induction is an extra hot work environment for every bit of rubber under the hood. Multiply these issues over the course of years of heat cycling, performance driving, and deferred maintenance schedules and you have a valid reason to prefer a naturally aspirated engine instead.

While V-6 engines aren’t perfect in terms of packaging constraints (turning into excessive labor costs), the Mustang’s rear-wheel-drive architecture gives adequate room for Ford’s 3.7-liter Cyclone. Well, at least by modern standards. (Or by Ford Aerostar standards.) The Cyclone is also port-fuel injected, so forking over cash to address carbon buildup is an unlikely concern. And for those in the know, this engine has an externally-mounted water pump, lacking the nightmare repair scenarios of its internally-mounted counterparts. I reckon the Mustang’s Cyclone V-6 is more cost-effective to own than the Coyote V-8, even if they had similar fuel economy figures.

Speaking of fuel consumption, the only real perks to the turbocharged four-banger is potentially better fuel economy, and the fact that you can get a newer example (2017-up) with a potentially longer service life. If I were in your shoes, I’d be on the hunt for a clean, one-owner, 3.7-liter Mustang with a service history. Find the right one and you’ll be happy for years.

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Ed writes:

The “tire pressure” light lit up on our Smart for Two car. I serviced it to specs, but the light is still lit. How can I fix this?

Sajeev answers:

Sadly, I don’t know what “serviced it to specs” means, so let’s just start from the beginning. A TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) diagnostic starts with the obvious first step: inflating the tires to their correct pressure. If that fails to extinguish the light, reset the light using this video.

Or not using this video, because I don’t know the year of this vehicle. (There are plenty of videos on YouTube for this particular issue, one will correctly reflect your vehicle’s year.) Speaking of age, if the sensors are 10+ years old, replace all of them. The sad reality is that the batteries are likely dead, and they are not serviceable. Once installed, get them reprogrammed at any tire shop. You don’t necessarily need Mercedes-branded sensors; four aftermarket units will likely work perfectly … for another 10 years or so.

Make sure to shop around and find the best price on parts/labor on this work from nearby tire shops. They will use a tool like the one below to program the new sensors to work with the vehicle.

If this particular smart car is well under 10 years old (i.e. buying new sensors doesn’t make sense), the TPMS system needs to be tested for a bad wheel sensor, faulty control module, or even bad wiring. Many shops (especially those that specialize in German vehicles) have the software and the knowledge to make short work of this relatively simple system. Sadly, that’s all you can do, as there’s precious little a shadetree mechanic can do when it comes to TPMS sensors.

My best guess? Those sensors are around 10 years old and they all need to be replaced and reprogrammed. Best of luck!

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Wesley writes:

Hi, I’m really hoping you can help me with this. I have a ’68 Chevelle with an Ultra Street 540 built by Shafiroff Racing Engines out of New York. I am wanting to put a dual quad Tunnel Ram on it. I want to do this for two reasons:

1. I love the look! LOL
2. The engine has 650 lb-ft of torque and 648 horsepower. The low-end power is there, big time, but the upper end seems to run out. I feel like the ram and dual quads would provide improved breathing and better gas distribution across the cylinders at the upper end. I understand that my low-end torque will be compromised to some degree, but I’ve got more now that I can deal with. So I feel like I can afford to lose some of that for a better top end.

This car is mainly just street driven but I do plan to drag it every once in a while at a track near my home. So, would the ram help my upper end? Would it be drivable/reliable on the street? And how many carbs would I want? Feeling like two carbs would more evenly distribute the fuel, but there might be some tuning issues, I hear, although I really don’t know why that would be the case.

Sajeev answers:

Your question is both exciting and ironic for me, so thank you for asking it. The exciting part is pretty self-explanatory, considering the vehicle and the technical specs of that engine. The ironic part is that one of the big-block Lincolns in The Mehta Collection was purchased with a motor in your dream configuration (dual quad carbs, stroker, race cam, etc.), and we subsequently converted it back to a more streetable affair so we wouldn’t lose to V-6 Toyota Camrys at a stoplight. (Those V-6 Camrys are pesky, lemme tell ya!)

You suggest you have an overabundance of low-end torque right now. That’s a very fair point, but odds are you will be slower both on the street and the track if you do what you suggested. The only way to know for sure is to dyno-test both setups, but there’s truly no need to do your own research when the writing is already on the wall. Therefore I want to dissuade you from doing dual-quad carbs/tunnel ram intake on your Chevelle for these reasons:

1. If your Ultra Street 540 is anything like the one on Shafiroff’s website, your Chevelle is “under cammed” for the operating range of a tunnel-ram intake.  While I don’t know the cam’s specs, Shafiroff Racing says it uses “a mild, street roller-cam profile” and that the motor has a 6200-rpm power peak. Most tunnel rams make power from 3500 to 7500 rpm, which means something like an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake with a 1500 to 6500 rpm range is a far, far better choice.
2. Maybe a tunnel ram will allow your car to pull harder above, say, 5000 rpm, but you’ll already be losing to better-optimized cars, because you aren’t cammed correctly for the breadth of intake’s powerband.
3. Switching to a hotter camshaft will “fix” the problem; it will be appropriate for a tunnel ram intake. You will still lose torque, but you’ll gain tons of top end. Problem is, you’ll degrade or destroy the streetability you currently enjoy in your car. It’s probably not a trade-off you want, much less something you’d spend money to make happen.
4. If off-the-line traction is a problem right now, switch over to drag radial tires and practice your 60-foot times.
5. Dual quads certainly look awesome, but they are a nightmare to tune compared to a modern, single four-barrel carburetor with enough CFM to feed that beast. And two carbs are unnecessary, as tjm73 from Jalopyjournal put it: “Multiple carbs made more power when the single carb options weren’t big enough for the engines they were trying to feed.”
6. You don’t need a tunnel ram with dual quads to look cool. I understand that you “love the look,” but that’s just tunnel vision (so to speak). I propose that loving a stroker rat motor with the right combo of camshaft and induction is the coolest look of all … and isn’t that the type of cool we truly lust for?

But don’t take my word for it; I’ll bet the folks at Shafiroff Racing would happily advise you on the best combo for that motor. And, with any luck, you’ll get more opinions in the comments section that will help you make an informed conclusion. Don’t let me down, Hagerty Community!

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John writes:

To prime or not to prime? This is a discussion that is still not settled among even the best engine builders. We use much assembly lube to protect the engine upon start-up. What happens to the lube when we prime the engine? Should we prime the complete engine before the initial start, making sure oil is coming out of every rocker? Some builders want us to prime for several minutes while we turn the crankshaft. Some want us to only prime until we see oil pressure and some believe the assembly lube is enough. Any thoughts?

Sajeev answers:

I doubt this will ever be settled? For me, it’s about risk aversion as a new motor is a significant expenditure. We all have different risk tolerances, and mine are pretty low after getting burned by a poorly assembled motor in Project Valentino, I lean toward some amount of oil pressure building throughout the engine before the first engine start up. (Not that oil pressure was my engine’s problem, but that’s a whole ’nother story.)

Let’s consider another angle to risk aversion: oil changes. More to the point, can you minimize the amount of time an engine runs without oil flowing through its veins? I am one of those nut jobs that not only fills a new filter with oil before installation, but I also rotate the filter at an angle to let all the air escape the pleats. After turning the filter a few times, you can add even more oil to a new oil filter for maximum risk aversion. Provided you don’t have to turn the filter to install it, but I digress …

But oil changes and priming a brand new engine with oil are two different beasts. So first off, let’s get everyone up to speed on what is involved with priming an engine with oil.

Well then! Priming the system on a fresh motor isn’t quite the cake walk of a primed filter in an oil change, but ensuring the system is primed eliminates variables in your build. The last thing you want to see is performance issues minutes after installing a fresh engine, but sometimes the engine itself necessitates the extra work. Not all designs are created equal, and turbocharged examples (video above) are more likely to need oil system priming to ensure the turbos aren’t starved of lubrication.

Yup, there isn’t a good answer. Unless you are risk averse, and then you absolutely should prime the system before startup. If you aren’t, just do whatever the engine builder suggests. And if you’re an engine builder, you really need to chime in below in the comments!

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