Ok, some semblance of normalcy returns to my life. Brought to me courtesy of a stainless steel wood screw.

A few days ago I noticed the head of the screw in the tread of the Bonnie's driver-side rear tire. Got home tonight, the world looked generally normal, so out came the floor jack and the wrenches.

Pulled the screw out of the tread..two inches worth of it. "Pfsssssssssssssssssssssss" Tire goes flat. Jack the car up and take the tire off. Roll it into the garage and go to work. 20 minutes later the hole is plugged, Tire aired up, and back on the car.

Hmmm..."When was the last time I changed the oil?". According to the date I sharpied on the filter, turns out it was seven months ago, before all the crap started. Pulled the dipstick out and it was dry. Only two quarts left in the pan. Out comes the ramps and pan. Half hour, PF47, and four quarts of 5W30 later the car is oiled up.

Looked around the engine bay, making a list of maintenance items that need done. Air filter needs cleaned. Haven't cleaned the throttle body in a while, coolant overflow tank has a leak at the hose fitting. Car needs washed and I can't remember the last time it got waxed. Ok, not tonight, but there's plenty of time tomorrow.

Life is always simpler when operating a wrench.

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Bye Bye 1990 Bonneville LE... Now it belongs to my daughter
In the Garage: 2009 Subaru Outback, 1987 Camaro, 2006 SV650S, 1995 Regal 182 "ASANAGI", 1962 Ford Galaxie 500, 1995 Ford F150 XL 4WD, 1953 Farmall Cub

The Bonneville didn't get driven? If the Bonneville was driven for seven months past its oil change and on only two quarts with a screw in its tire, that car deserves to be immortalized.

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Amen Brother.

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Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Thirded.

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2000 SE: 17" Chrome Grand Prix GTP wheels, Pirelli P-Zero Nero Rubber.
180,000 miles and running smooth

Cody, it's not 7 months PAST, just seven months since the last change. My last change lasted 8 months, IIRC. But I use Synthetic, and don't burn much, if any, oil.

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Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

My car sat for a few years with plain-Jane dino oil in the oil pan. Didn't hurt a thing.

Life is simpler when wrenching.

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2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco - Current car

1999 Buick LeSabre Custom - Former car

Learn from the mistakes of others, that way when you mess up you can do so in new and interesting ways.

I drove the car about 8k miles in the past seven months since the last oil change. I just kept putting off doing the oil change (a lot on my mind.) Once I started on it due to the tire, I just kept going.

Probably needs plugs and wires too. It's picked up a miss at idle. I haven't checked the plugs in a long while (three years ago I think.), so I've probably fouled one out burning a little oil. Just got to start working on it a bit at a time. After cleaning the TB, MAF, and air filter, I'll see if the miss goes away.

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Bye Bye 1990 Bonneville LE... Now it belongs to my daughter
In the Garage: 2009 Subaru Outback, 1987 Camaro, 2006 SV650S, 1995 Regal 182 "ASANAGI", 1962 Ford Galaxie 500, 1995 Ford F150 XL 4WD, 1953 Farmall Cub

Well I have say I'm a bit jealous of the nice whether you have available to do the work in Florida. Now's the time to do it if you can find the time. I've started making up a list of things to do on the Bonne and it's become depressing. I know....stop whinning and get to work. I'll have to wait till I get home in the 50 degree weather and put on my gloves and get to it.

Take care of her and she'll take care of you.

S/C still in the future?

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Glenn
1990 LE 215k L67 starter, Delco Ignition (sold and gone to a new home)
1995 SE 259k Stock for now (Sold and gone to a new home)
1999 SLE 70k Stock for now
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/593472

Yes. Motor is still on an engine stand in the garage. License plate is gone though...Florida doubled all of registration fees. It was going to be $115 to renew the tag for a year, so I went back to a standard license plate design. Besides, my daughter got her learner's permit and has been driving the car too, so picking fights on the street is probably not in her best interests. Her friends didn't get the joke either.

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Bye Bye 1990 Bonneville LE... Now it belongs to my daughter
In the Garage: 2009 Subaru Outback, 1987 Camaro, 2006 SV650S, 1995 Regal 182 "ASANAGI", 1962 Ford Galaxie 500, 1995 Ford F150 XL 4WD, 1953 Farmall Cub

well Curt... We could always use a newer PCM.... Toss in a speed limiter and some serious torque management

Nah, I still have a crippled chip to use in the car. (one with an 80mph speed limit.) It wouldn't stop her from racing someone in stoplight duels, but it would prevent any attempts at running from the police. She already knows the chip exists in both the N/A motor's config and the blower motor as well.

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Bye Bye 1990 Bonneville LE... Now it belongs to my daughter
In the Garage: 2009 Subaru Outback, 1987 Camaro, 2006 SV650S, 1995 Regal 182 "ASANAGI", 1962 Ford Galaxie 500, 1995 Ford F150 XL 4WD, 1953 Farmall Cub

Ha ha... You should see the torque management present in the 96+ PCM's... Its crazy how much they were holding back the cars.. I did not know the 95 PCM had some form of Torque management as well.. I still have it turned on in the van, just turned down a little.. Gonna remove most of it soon...lol

If you are the one teaching her to drive I think she will do just fine...

But I may not survive it.... she is certainly pushing the limits of my "Joe Cool Instructor Pilot Dude" attitude. No damage yet, but multiple near misses of mailboxes, curbs, and a rather tiddy little fence. (floorboards on the passenger side have a permanent impression of my foot as I try to press that invisible brake pedal.)

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Bye Bye 1990 Bonneville LE... Now it belongs to my daughter
In the Garage: 2009 Subaru Outback, 1987 Camaro, 2006 SV650S, 1995 Regal 182 "ASANAGI", 1962 Ford Galaxie 500, 1995 Ford F150 XL 4WD, 1953 Farmall Cub

Ah the memories of my parents trying to teach me, it was interesting. In your situation, you can talk to your daughter while driving and the daughter can pay attention to the road while listening to you. It wasn't the case for me. Mom and Dad would try to explain to me what I should be doing while I was driving then I would have to look at them then they would yell at me for looking away from the road then if I ignored them because I was driving, they would yell at me for not paying attention to them...

To this day, the parents still stomp the passenger side every time they ride with me (I got the most fuel-efficient car) at the sight of ONE red tail light even though it's miles down the road.

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Looks like the almost perfect picture...LMAO... That was from NEBF 2007... Bob( Echo ) in the passenger seat and Boosty in the drivers seat.. I forget what we were up to and why they were sitting in my car...

Curt is that what you looked like...?

Bob just found out how many oil filters you had in the trunk. Forget the spare PCM you also had as a backup.

Frickin parts supply warehouse in the trunk.

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2004 SLE Crimson Tintcoat with Dark Pewter Interior. Mods so far: Wood Dash Kit-Window Tint-CATZ Fog/Driving Lights
Custom Fabricated Stainless Steel Mesh Grill-Painted Calipers-3rd Brake Light Decal-Strut Tower Brace.INTENSE™ Level 1 L36/L26 Performance Package, Intense Shift Kit. ZZP ER Rockers and a HV3. L76 springs
COTM April 2007

Don, I think every Dad looks like that when teaching the kids how to drive. I will always appreciate driving instructors.

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Glenn
1990 LE 215k L67 starter, Delco Ignition (sold and gone to a new home)
1995 SE 259k Stock for now (Sold and gone to a new home)
1999 SLE 70k Stock for now
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/593472

Yeah I know it.. when my Dad taught me how to drive he would take me out onto a deserted stretch and tell me Stop here.... Ok now floor it and hold it to the floor.... Ok Now get on the braked hard.... It was nuts... But he taught me to learn what the car was capable of, how quick it could take off, how quick it could stop.... Bla bla bla.... Dad was an MP in the Air Force and a country boy that lived in the boonies so to speak... Who better to learn from....lol

This may sound odd, but its the people around you that you have to worry about... always know whats going on around you...


Curt I look forward to L67 in the LE... Major sleeper