adding to post 24 Too broke means they MIGHT scrape together a few hundred to fix a stat or a pump or a blocked rad or replace a hose peeing water out. But sure as eggs they can't afford a new engine. Sorry dude I really feel that passionately about this. My gut feeling is it is teetering between cheap fix and thousands
mechnificent,
Dec 21, 11:59am
I've been putting my money where my mouth is for coming up fifty years Kaz. That's how long I've been earning my keep by being a very professional mechanic. Self employed mechanic that is. And my reputation is excellent. In all those years I've worked for three bosses for various reasons, for a few months to a year and a half, and all three of them, including the bosses at one of Orklands top toyota workshops, and all my customers, have told me that I'm the best mechanic they've ever had. because I'm careful, methodical, and don't take guesses. My advice is good. Toyota nz thought so. They authorised me to give one of their customers a new car if I couldn't diagnose it, as everyone else in west and south Orkland hadn't been able to. People that know me trust me Kaz, because I'm bloody good. I could talk her through this if she can follow instructions and we could make an excellent diagnosis. Any competent mechanic should be able to. And forewarned is forearmed for that lady. If she knows what's wrong before she takes it into a workshop, if she's seen a diagnosis being made, she'll recognise bullshit when she's told sight unseen that it's bombed.
The lady asked where to start with her problem. For all we know it might have just gone a little warmer than she had seen it before. The first thing we do is check the water. If as you say it's already been overheated twice, and if the motor is about to blow up as so many seem to think it will if we run it, then it's doomed already, and one more run will do no harm. And Kaz, I know these motors, I've been working on them since I was seventeen, and I've owned seven over the last about thirty-seven years. All this bullshit advice is just incompetence. which we see so much of as Franc has said. And perhaps Franc speaks from having some bad experiences, but I'm not
mechnificent,
Dec 21, 12:10pm
And as you can see Kaz. I'm passionate too. about my customers cars, and the shody workmanship and advice that gets doled out around the place.
cattleshed,
Dec 21, 12:30pm
Actually none of us know much at all about this particular engine. No one has stated that it HAS been overheated and the OP has not said "where to start with her problem". We don't even know for sure what MAKE of engine it is only that it is a boxer! I agree that the COOLANT (not water) could be checked BUT some would not have a clue about doing this or even the technique required to take the cap off let alone checking the coolant level in the overflow bottle. Too many assumptions. I would not be quick to criticise those whose advice is conservative and say don't start it, get it trucked to a suitable repairer and all the more so when there has been such a tiny bit of information to go by. IF there was communication from the OP then some how to specifics might be offered. Surely this much can be agreed upon!? Finally, one's own praise is not a good thing.
ronaldo8,
Dec 21, 12:51pm
No, they do need to be burped though.
mechnificent,
Dec 21, 1:08pm
Fair enough Cattleshed. I agree that more feedback from the original poster would be good.
My trying to assure Kaz that I'm competent and trustworthy is because he challenged me as to my. er. well competence and I suppose wisdom. I don't claim to be the best mechanic there is. but everyone I work for tells me it's so within a few jobs or three months in their workshop. Personally, I find that embarasing and think it's a terrible indictment on mechanics in general. haha But seeing mechanics making bad diagnosis, or even worse no diagnosis but just guessing it's something they have seen before and then just not taking care with their work. I have to agree with them.
ronaldo8,
Dec 21, 1:40pm
O ffs, can you not appear and within 5 or so posts NOT start blowing your own little tin whistle, as always. Me and my credibility, bla bla bla.
Just stick to providing a coherent argument for your position, stow the appeals to authority.
cattleshed,
Dec 21, 1:48pm
Yes it is getting a bit heated but stand back and look again at the thread. Kaz is not actually doing what you say. He is taking a conservative stance. Think about it. We know next to nothing. Telling the OP to put water in, start and check the fans and temp etc. Well that is not a sound move really as without a hint of sounding disparaging toward the OP I am not convinced that they would know what or where the fan was. I mean they could even start wiggling it and then get a nasty cut if it automatically came on. As well, unless you are sure the air is bled out properly then yes the temp will go up AND damage will likely occur! Now if there was an obvious level of basic competence displayed from the OP AND there was ongoing communication from the OP then maybe we would not be having this conversation in this way. Like I say, stand back and take stock of things and I don't think you will see that there is as much hostility being directed toward you as you think. Or to put it another way it is not so much your advice RATHER it is (IMO) not suited to the OP in this case and at this moment and especially so because we know so little, and that, frankly amounts to guesswork!
mechnificent,
Dec 21, 2:19pm
So. don't offer advice then ?
kazbanz,
Dec 21, 2:27pm
You are TOTALLY missing the point. This isn't about YOU or your competence as a mechanic. This is about the very specific situation with the OP. They have stated their lack of any form of mechanical knowhow. yet you are asking them to carry out rudimentary diagnostics. My money is that they can't so recommend a safe option or two. Just today I had a very similar type conversation with a lady with a NV200 that had gone into Limp mode-as the result of a coil breaking down. A mechanic had done a scan for her. Told her the issue --she called me fully thinking the entire engine was foobarred. BECAUSE the mechanic had tried to explain what had to be done to fix it. (NV200 is standard Nissan -inlet manifold over the top of the coils) Imagine being told--well first we remove this entire top part then we take out. Long winded way of saying that's the way the OP comes across So again in this specific case-mobile mechanic or on a flat bed truck. extra cost of #100 if Im wrong.
cattleshed,
Dec 21, 2:42pm
You see this is classic misrepresentation. No one is saying take, as in, drive it to the pro, "possibly without water in it". You are very wrong to say that and it is inflammatory. No one is criticising, well I am sorry to say, except you and I say that reluctantly.
cattleshed,
Dec 21, 2:44pm
No that is not what I am saying and you surely must see that?
tygertung,
Dec 22, 2:17am
Some kind of diagnosis may be able to be made if some more information is provided.
mechnificent,
Dec 22, 3:39am
You'd think so wouldn't you. but it seems that it's been decided that poor Mrs K isn't competent to even check her radiator water, and whowbetide anyone that suggests she should. Haha.
.
apollo11,
Dec 22, 3:43am
People who say this are usually quite the opposite.
apollo11,
Dec 22, 3:48am
At least mech has freely admitted in the past that he has an overly expansive ego problem. Too funny.
intrade,
Dec 22, 3:48am
He is ok mind you if i say that it must be wrong by the morons on here lol
mechnificent,
Dec 22, 3:56am
Morning Apollo. I hope all's well in your world.
apollo11,
Dec 22, 4:03am
Hi mech. Keeping my head down and tackling one job at a time, in a world that increasingly seems to be turning into a mad house. How about you?
mechnificent,
Dec 22, 4:11am
Yeah I'm good. Living the quiet country life. Keeping out of here mostly. Just came in to do some price checking . and look what happens. haha.
But hey. I never said my ego was a problem. Not to me anyway. haha
tygertung,
Dec 22, 5:01am
There is a lot of posting going on, especially seeing as the original poster has not responded.
gph1961,
Dec 22, 7:12am
not my circus not my monkey
cattleshed,
Dec 22, 8:37am
Sadly you are an enemy to yourself. Or you just like stirring. NOTHING has been decided and principally because we don't even know what the car is, we have heard so little from the OP who frankly has reached out because she appears to have no idea at all, and that's ok but she appears to have abandoned ship. I am increasingly finding your victim attitude quite strange.
mechnificent,
Dec 22, 11:07am
Lol. Well I think it's rather patronising to decide that Mrs K wouldn't know where the radiator cap is, or that she might stick her fingers in the fan. but never mind, we all have our opinions, and advice.
strobo,
Dec 22, 12:29pm
Simple and plain ,she found the answer in Kabanz's post #2 End of : Now another poster paints her as a "victim" with no idea at all and the rest of the thread kinda turned into a shit fight. If OP is not interacting further it's obvious no further help is needed per the question put forth and she was wanting to hear from a "lovely" person who I can only surmise that being Kaz!
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.