I wasn't going to make a thread out of this, but i'm bored. So, when I was having starter trouble, I went to my parts store for a timing light. They didn't have one. They also didn't have a 9/16" closed end wrench with the little off set, so it could clear the intake manifold when you go to loosen the distributer bolt. My buddy, who's worked there for a while, says it's the coming times. Cars so advanced, that you're not supposed to fix them yourself. Just made me wonder what else has been phased out. Maybe it's just my area. Talk a****st yourselves.
Half of the chemicals and paint materials I used to use are no longer available and the stuff that replaces them doesn't work worth a ****. Ya godda love progress!
Yup. It never fails. Someone with a '09 car will ask for advise and all I can recommend is going to Auto Zone and having the computer checked.
"My buddy, who's worked there for a while, says it's the coming times. Cars so advanced, that you're not supposed to fix them yourself. " The first thing that hit me was I wonder how secure jobs are at that particular store
there are some things they have to "special" order that used to be in stock items; hand choke converter kits. choke heat tube kits, radiator solder/flux.
I couldn't agree more. For the average, non-car-guy person there's no question that new cars are "better". They start reliably, you can drive off without them "warming up" or havingto use a choke, they are largely silent, drive smoothly, are relatively uber reliable. All that said? They're appliances now. They're as exciting as driving a blender, a food processor. To me, this is an entirely different thing. I DO love progress that results in me and mine not being as exposed to lead or cancer causing chemicals. I WANTto buy products that do not contribute as much to pollution of our environment and I'm willing to put up with a little inconvenience wit hte product not working as well as it's predecessor product may have. Besides, most products still work...they only suffer by comparison to the prior product that may have been dangerous, poisonous, polution contributing, etc. Nothing wrong with making where we ALL live a better place.
Tri carb or smoger 4bbl are hard to do with a Allen wrench, I use these: Same goes with the carb tool.
I tried to find tail light oil and piston return springs at Auto Zone the other day and they just looked at me funny. Go figure.
It's a very secure job. They just don't stock as many tools for older cars as they used to. Remember, people driving older cars are a minority. Auto parts stores of today can make a profit selling pre-mixed anti-freeze, fart can mufflers and pine tree air freshners. You can't blame them. They are in it for the m***es. Not the guy running an out dated ride. Nostalgia is a nitch that won't make a supplier rich.
I'm surprised a veteran Hamber doesn't already have a timing light. Vacuum gauges can be a pretty good subs***ute when a timing light isn't available, left at home, etc. Might be tough finding a vacuum gauge though, I haven't had to buy one for years, could be on the endangered list too.
Hey. I wrench for a living and for the most part adjustable distributors went out around '95 so I wouldnt expect Snap-on to have one on the truck.
My engine was and it wouldn't allow my starter to crank my engine over. Ended up advancing the timing to cure the problem.
Happening more and more. I needed to mark a balancer and stopped in my local O'Smilys and ask for a piston stop, huh? little br*** thing that threads into the spark plug hole that allows you to stop the piston" Why? so I can mark TDC on the balancer. Oh, that is all done by computer now and there is a sensor that does that. I don't want to turn this into a bash the parts guy story, just a sign of the times. Most of the parts stores cater to the majority of cars on the road. The needs of our type of hobbyists are far enough out of the main stream as to not be profitable.
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