[Healeys] Oil change and Radiator Flush

[Bob Spidell]

re: "... I really think in this day and age we should look at 
comparative advantages of professional shops and technicians versus 
amateurs in the driveway, and leave these routine tasks to the pros."

Seems bass-ackwards to me.

bs


ps. Professional shops and technicians never screw up?


On 7/24/2016 4:54 PM, Patrick & Caroline Quinn wrote:
>
> Hello Gary
>
> My thoughts exactly, although at the local tip (dump) there is a 
> facility to leave used oil and old batteries. Recently bought a new 
> battery for the Healey Duncan and that was Aud$160 or US$120.
>
> Except for small things around the house and garden I would rather pay 
> $$$ to someone and earn more by writing something during the time they 
> are here.
>
> Hoo Roo
>
> Patrick Quinn
>
> Blue Mountains, Australia
>
> *From:*Healeys [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net] *On Behalf Of 
> *editorgary at aol.com
> *Sent:* Sunday, 24 July 2016 11:40 AM
> *To:* healeys at autox.team.net
> *Subject:* [Healeys] Oil change and Radiator Flush
>
> My Healey gets driven regularly, though only on short drives -- I go 
> out for coffee with the other local donut derelicts on Saturdays 
> whenever I'm in town, generally driving a long five mile loop on my 
> way, and then it's only about a mile home. However, I hadn't found 
> time to do much else and noticed the other day that the note on my 
> garage white board indicated that the engine oil had been changed most 
> recently in June 2013, and that I hadn't changed the filter or the 
> tranny oil at the time. I couldn't remember the last time I had 
> replaced the radiator coolant. Then last week my car finally refused 
> to start at all, after being very reluctant during the past six months.
>
> It was time go get some work done. I started out by taking out the old 
> battery, and dropping it off at the O'Reilly's and getting a new 
> battery (when did batteries start costing over $100?). At the same 
> time, I picked up seven quarts of 10-40 Castrol dino oil (specifically 
> formulated, it said, for older engines), three quarts of 30 weight ND, 
> a spin-on oil filter, radiator coolant and a pint of Water Wetter. I 
> was ready to go.
>
> Except that I had second thoughts. Jack and jack stands. Hot oil that 
> would have to be recycled. Radiator coolant and radiator flush that 
> would have to be disposed of.
>
> So, this morning as soon as the local independent tire shop (Skips's 
> Tires for you NorCal locals) I called my buddy Sam there and asked 
> when he could do the oil change and radiator flush today. Two hours at 
> the local shop, using my oil, filter, and radiator fluid, and $60, 
> with the oil and coolant in his hazmat tanks, and we're all much 
> happier. During that time I sat in his waiting room with my lap top 
> and wrote a piece for RM Auctions for which I'll be paid $150.
>
>  Though oil changes used to be the one thing that we shade-tree 
> mechanics could manage to do without screwing up, I really think in 
> this day and age we should look at comparative advantages of 
> professional shops and technicians versus amateurs in the driveway, 
> and leave these routine tasks to the pros.
>
> /Gary Anderson/
>
>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/healeys/attachments/20160725/8fba51b7/attachment.html>