How to maintain your Delorean for less than $500 a year and put 10,000 miles on it

[stevedmc]

I'm curious about the price of the oil coming out to that extra $0.0016.

Please see post #57

Today I changed the oil with 7 gallons of Supertech 20W50 from Wal-Mart ($19.47 with tax) and a Bosch oil filter from Hervey ($4.9916 - It was part of a 6 pack I ordered last year for $29.95).

And yeah, I meant to say quarts, not gallons. Remember I have a public school education.

[jawn101]

Please see post #57

Gotta squeeze every ten-thousandth of a penny to hit this goal after all

[stevedmc]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1330878701.823737.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1330878713.653023.jpg

Well I was on my way to church this morning and this happened. I bypassed it but the one gallon of coolant I carry was not enough to refill the system.

I was on interstate when it happened and was about 3 miles from the nearest gas station. Instead of calling someone to bring water/coolant I used my manual transmission to coast and glide the next 3 miles using the engine to speed up to 55 mph and shutting it off until I slowed to 35 mph. I did this a few times and was able to reach the gas station without overheating.

I filled up with tap water and made it home without a problem.

Now I'm going to have to flush the system because of the stinking tap water. Oh well, I need to pull the radiator anyway.

Incidentally, do any vendors sell heater control valves that are completely metal. This is the second plastic one I've had from Hervey to break.

[Michael]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1330878701.823737.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1330878713.653023.jpg

Well I was on my way to church this morning and this happened. I bypassed it but the one gallon of coolant I carry was not enough to refill the system.

I was on interstate when it happened and was about 3 miles from the nearest gas station. Instead of calling someone to bring water/coolant I used my manual transmission to coast and glide the next 3 miles using the engine to speed up to 55 mph and shutting it off until I slowed to 35 mph. I did this a few times and was able to reach the gas station without overheating.

I filled up with tap water and made it home without a problem.

Now I'm going to have to flush the system because of the stinking tap water. Oh well, I need to pull the radiator anyway.

Incidentally, do any vendors sell heater control valves that are completely metal. This is the second plastic one I've had from Hervey to break.

If you were bone dry on coolant, the gauge is useless until the remaining coolant boils and the steam reaches the sensor.

You may have very well fried your heads.

[stevedmc]

If you were bone dry on coolant, the gauge is useless until the remaining coolant boils and the steam reaches the sensor.

You may have very well fried your heads.

I wasn't bone dry on coolant. I could see the gauge move and I had at least one gallon of coolant in the system after I made my roadside repair.

[jawn101]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1330878701.823737.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1330878713.653023.jpg
Incidentally, do any vendors sell heater control valves that are completely metal. This is the second plastic one I've had from Hervey to break.

From the looks of it, Hervey's actually has more metal than Houston's. But the inlet is still plastic on both.

[stevedmc]

From the looks of it, Hervey's actually has more metal than Houston's. But the inlet is still plastic on both.

Wow. I wonder what Grady has. Hervey might repalce it under warranty but I'm not sure how long the warranty is on this part. I know I've had it at least a year.

And here goes another thing to debate. If all the vendors have is plastic, perhaps I should just go down to Autozone and see if they have one of this. I've I'm going to be getting plastic anyway, it might as well have a lifetime warranty.

[stevedmc]

And here is the official Stevedmc cross reference information.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=380367

Motorcraft Part # YG136

FORD BRONCO (1980 - 1994)
FORD E-100 (1979 - 1983)
FORD E-150 (1979 - 2004)
FORD E-250 (1979 - 2004)
FORD E-350 (1979 - 2004)
FORD E-450 (2000 - 2004)
FORD E-550 (2002 - 2003)
FORD F-100 (1974 - 1979)
FORD F-150 (1975 - 1979)
FORD F-250 (1974 - 1979)
FORD F-350 (1974 - 1979)
FORD FAIRLANE (1969 - 1970)
FORD FAIRMONT 1978
FORD FALCON (1969 - 1970)
FORD FIESTA 1978
FORD LTD (1969 - 197
FORD MAVERICK (1976 - 1977)
FORD MUSTANG II (1974 - 197
FORD PINTO (1974 - 197
FORD THUNDERBIRD (1968 - 1976)
FORD TORINO (1971 - 1976)
LINCOLN CONTINENTAL (1973 - 197
LINCOLN MARK III 1969
LINCOLN MARK IV (1972 - 1976)
MERCURY BOBCAT (1975 - 197
MERCURY COLONY PARK (1969 - 1971)
MERCURY COMET (1976 - 1977)
MERCURY COUGAR (1969 - 1976)
MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS (1975 - 197
MERCURY MARAUDER 1970
MERCURY MARQUIS 1972
MERCURY MONTEGO (1973 - 1974)

Oreilly Auto Parts sells a part identical to what I have but it costs $28 and only has a one year warranty.

AutoZone has a part that appears to be all plastic (unless the image is wrong), doesn't look the same, and the website doesn't specify how long the warranty is. The AutoZone part is only $10.

[Farrar]

Sounds like in addition to a bottle of antifreeze you should carry a 5/8" hose coupler in your car at all times in case of such an emergency. At least I think it is 5/8"... I have not gone outside to look at my car yet today.

If I remember correctly, the vacuum line that goes to the heater control valve shuts off the flow of hot water to the heater core when the air conditioning is set to "max." So in theory you could run without the heater control valve, but if you ever select "max" on your a/c you would have a vacuum leak -- and of course your a/c would not be as cool. I am not sure if the heater control valve has anything to do with heat or if it is just part of the air conditioning system, but I am sure someone else who knows better can chime in with this information.

Edit: after your two failures, I am getting nervous about my car's heater control valve!

[stevedmc]

What's ironic is I think the original valve was all metal. I replaced it because it was 30 years old and had lots of corrosion on it. Had I know I would have these problems I would have just brushed it off and left it in there.

I'm seriously thinking of getting two of the $10 units from autozone to keep one as a spare. I haven't had much luck with the motorcraft part so it can't hurt to try something different.