On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 20:02:31 -0500, "Thomas Moats" wrote: |> You are correct, my mistake. |> I later read that the bolts can only be torqued ONCE. |>
|> Good info, thanks for the advice. |>
|> My POS 97 Tracer had a radiator leak. I brought it in today for a |> recall ( airbag ) and lo and behold, radiator leaking |> $584 to replace |> Bent tie rod, steering knuckle |> $163 |>
|> I said, "wait a minute" and inspected it myself. Sure enough. | |Meaning the tie rod and steering knuckle is bent? Some one is a little rough on |the car? You did not notice the steering wheel off center? You say you were in |the car repair busness and you did not notice this?
I spent 30 years in Factory Automation business as a Senior Service Tech. Makes repairing a car look like easy work.
The symptom was, the wheel would pull a small tad when starting from a standing stop. Then it would roll alright.
It is winter up here and I don't spend a lot of time fooling with the car in the cold if I can help it.
ME hard on the car? For all I know, it happened when the guy who did my brakes took the car for a test drive and hit a pothole or something.
I didn't do it. But the damage was there, clear as day, if you looked for it.
But THAT was nothing. I could have bought a part, and repaired THAT in less than 1 hour.
The bitch was the radiator leaking at the bottom seal. Supposedly a common problem on Escorts. Now I have changed radiators before, but not on a compact car, and believe me, there is NO wiggle room in there for a mistake.
I tossed the car ( ehrm, traded it in ). Sometimes that is the best idea.
Lg