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Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 11:56:44 -0300
From: Dexter J <lamealameadingdongnopsamlamelame.org>
Subject: Re: Gearbox noise NG900


Salutations: Well therein a HUGE debate rests brother Pete.. North American machines are thought of as 'second rate' by many.. However, I often point out that road conditions are not the same as in Europe and potential distances to be covered at speed are not anything most Europeans would readily understand.. Pull out an old map if you still have one from your visit - it takes about 15 straight hours at 115kph to make it from Halifax to Montreal - only about 1/4 the way across Canada - almost 20 hours to Toronto which I think is around the same distance as from Paris to Moscow in terms of total mileage and you are *still* less than a 1/3 the way across.. During that run you will stay on main highways across hill and dale that go from 4 lane to 2 lane to 6 lane that are used for local traffic, passenger traffic and very heavy trucking loads.. Canada has adopted a trucking strategy in favour of good old rail over the past number of decades and thusly it is not uncommon to see double tandems carrying everything from 18 foot high spools of wire to prefab homes at 100+ kph.. Road conditions will go from flat and smooth to rough and washboard to deeply potholed and badly broken depending on how wisely the locals voted or how marginal the riding is or how close the next election is and in relation to what heavy industry is using the road to move goods from their wood lot or factory.. Often, in rural areas, you will see SUV's and half tons and vans - but interestingly - you still often see big block 70's land yachts like New Yorkers and Pontiacs rolling along pretty much as they were sold.. A little rust here and there of course - but still rolling along on their OEM springs and usually without any serious engine or transmission work.. It was put to me that while my SAAB is more than capable of making the speed at distances - they (and very few other European sedans/saloons) simply aren't built for the long term pounding. A point that has been borne out over a couple of nice machines I have owned over the years. The trade off for snappy steering, advanced interior appointments and vastly improved gas mileage - is the kind overall brute mass required (and found in those big yankee machines of the 70's) for the long runs around here. Indeed - with the advent of after market rust proofing - one of the greatest problems with those old yachts can be largely eliminated for about $120 a annually.. My other toy is a '77 GMC 260 motor home with 403 (6.6 litre) front wheel drive Olds V8 (set up just like the old 900's), torsion bars in the front and airbag scissors in the rear.. Comes in around 8,700pds rolling down the road.. It's never needed any kind of serious engine work nor has it required anything other than a new hub, wheel bearings and a steering rack rebuild.. It gets 13 miles to the US gallon at 100kph and you can run it all day long, turn it off hot and wet, and do it again the next day without worry.. That's saying something I think - not the most efficient machine by far - certainly not a snappy driver at 26 ft - but it just goes on and on without a lot of care or attention.. That has some merit and it is the same when you start looking at older V8 Fords and Chevys.. No handling, no fuel efficiencies, but credit where credit is due - keep her greased, the oil swapped and the rust proofing up to date and it is not uncommon to see a million kilometres on the odometer on OEM head gaskets and transmissions.. 80's and early 90's Lincoln Town Cars and Caddie Fleetwood's are still like that.. Now I do not believe that it is the same with average newer North American sedans/saloons - indeed many folks move to the SUV and the van to get that 'overbuilt' engineering only to discover that it is not necessarily as advertised - and most certainly it is no cheaper to keep a new GM/Ford/Chevy on the road in terms of parts and service than it is an average SAAB/Volvo/BMW and I'm reliably assured that after market parts are actually cheaper for the Mercedes than the SAAB.. A pal of mine commented that it was undoubtedly because the organized car theft rings prefer Mercedes to SAABs.. :) .. So I'm in a pickle currently regarding my own SAAB (89 9000T CD).. Do I now fix up and/or swap out several things that are at their service limit and splash some paint on before it rusts out beyond the point of no return - or - do I run it into the ground over the next couple of years fixing just enough to keep it rolling.. I like the SAAB a lot - but - I'm still not sure which way to go yet.. Insurance may tip the decision as I wouldn't have to change policies if I just fix her up or let her rust out under me.. Conversely - it will become less reliable as I let it go and that can turn out to be expensive given that $400 towing off the highway is not uncommon (depending on distances) Anyway - I noticed you were in the site on Friday - pick up a copy of RealAudio 8 from the site and you should be able to listen in if you want to.. It's not so much any 'era' as it is a small collection of 'tunes' from all era's.. It's a new W2K thin server test platform rather than any commercial concern - but to no one's greater surprise than my own - it is remarkably popular with it's regular fans, meets DCMA 30% cache rules and is thus far extremely robust in production. No naughty downloads - but you can stream anytime you want.. Cheers and good luck with your own service round.. I'll report back in if I do go ahead with the restoration and add a couple of pages to my site under >links >fleet services with the details.. -- J Dexter - webmaster - http://www.dexterdyne.org/ all tunes - no cookies no subscription no weather no ads no news no phone in - RealAudio 8+ Required - all the Time Radio Free Dexterdyne Top Tune o'be-do-da-day Bluegrass Boys - Rolling My Sweet Baby's Arms http://www.dexterdyne.org/888/157.RAM Pete Brown wrote: > > Note your point about rubber bits. Vehicle has done 111K miles and will get > CV covers and bushes on suspension checked whilst car in for mountings > check. Will keep u posted as to what is found. > > You are right about the time of year I was in NS. Was there July and August > 1991. Since studying in the US, I have always like to drive in the country > I am living in. Canada no exception. Through contacts at Tri-star, I was > able to get the loan of a Chevy Lumina APV 3.8L minivan. Loved that > car!!!!!!! Nearly bought it and imported it back to UK. Eventually bought > one in Florida (no road salt) in 1996 and imported it. With the exception > of the Saabs I have owned, the Chevy was the most reliable car I have owned. > > Been on your web site to see why there was a musical ( 50s) ring to the link > on your posts. All has been revealed, my friend. > > Best Wishes > > Pete > > "Dexter J" <lamealameadingdongnopsamlamelame.org> wrote in message > news:3F6CEAA0.EB8B582Bnopsamlamelame.org... > > Salutations: > > > > Given that you have clean bay - I guess it's just age setting in.. You > > should try to keep an eye some of the other rubber bits and pieces in the > > system (particularly suspension) as the winter passes.. > > > > Very interesting regarding Titanic and your stay here - I take it you > > weren't here in the dead of winter.. :) .. > > > > Amazing builders Harland and Wolfe - put up some of the very best > > technology of their day and well appointed too, with my respects for your > > namesake. I know a boat builder here and they are finding it increasingly > > difficult to find the talent anymore - but that is of course because they > > can't really find the customers to pay for it anymore. > > > > -- > > > > J Dexter - webmaster - http://www.dexterdyne.org/ > > all tunes - no cookies no subscription no weather no ads > > no news no phone in - RealAudio 8+ Required - all the Time > > > > Radio Free Dexterdyne Top Tune o'be-do-da-day > > Louis Prima - Buona Sera > > http://www.dexterdyne.org/888/161.RAM > > > > > > > > Pete Brown wrote: > > > > > > Thanks for rely. > > > > > > No oil weeping at location specified.....nor anywhere else for that > matter. > > > Engine and gearbox housing very clean below with the exception of the > usual > > > road dirt. Car has been pampered by previous owner and myself. > > > > > > Have organised local servicing independent to check out mountings > anyway. > > > > > > Will keep u updated. > > > > > > I was in Nova Scotia twice in 1991. Stayed in Halifax and Yarmouth and > saw > > > quite a bit of the southern end of the province. Was doing business > with > > > Tri-star Industries in Yarmouth. Have very fond memories of the place. > > > Thought that Halifax was excellent. Went out for a sail in the Blue > Nose > > > sailing boat. Tried some of the local dishes and at one time I thought > I > > > was going to turn into something from the sea. There is of course a > great > > > connection with Belfast, my birthplace, in the form of the RMS Titanic. > > > Visited some of the graves in Halifax. My family from 1886 to the 1950s > > > were involved with Harland and Wolfe, the yard that built the Titanic. > My > > > Great Grandfather was a Master Craftsman who worked on the ornate wood > > > panels that went into the staterooms on the doomed liner. Very moving > > > experience to visit the Titanic graves in the Halifax area. > > > > > > Best wishes > > > > > > Pete > > >

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