CL (Calif) 2003 Toyota Corolla SOLD. (Now what?)

[philip]

Friday, I had to replace the typical broken part in a GM column.

What do you call this gizmo and ... how much $$?

Do these GM key locks live longer by spritzing some spray graphite lubricate a couple times per year?

[plenzen]

Damn straight you need a truck!!. ( I think it's a guy thing) I got two!. The Nissan, which is kind of a hobby, and, the old work horse! A 1975 F350 with a 460 on Propane!! Woo Hoo!!! Its a beauty!! Not one of the three quater tons that was optioned out like a 350. A real one with the spare tire built into the passenger side of the box, M50 Diff, Dayton brakes on the front. If you are real quiet at night you can hear it rusting. Still starts everytime I need it and I use it for hauling the serious garbage to the land fill. Had 1130 Kgs on it this year Sod, dirt and parts of an old fence with the concrete still stuck to the bottoms of the posts. You can stand accross the yard and throw stuff into the box too. Cant do that with your new Silverado at $50,000+. Rode exceptionaly nice that day,,,,,,, one way at least.
We dont get the Lucerne in Canada we get the Allure instead, but is the same car, so I am told.
Paul

[redmondjp]

Do these GM key locks live longer by spritzing some spray graphite lubricate a couple times per year?

No. Repeated use of graphite will gum up the works and it will make it even worse. I know people at the Paccar Technical Center where they do durability testing of Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks and this is what they found. What works the best? A shot of WD-40 once in awhile.

[asavage]

Philip: Nothing you can put in the lock or around the housing will get to that part. It breaks because it's cast pot metal (not even aluminum) and thin. It the "rack and pinion" of the linkage. The black part on the right is a plastic gear that the back of the Ign. lock engages and turns. The bottle-opener moves parallel with the column, and the rouned end actuates the rod to the electrical switch on the lower left of the column.

I don't think there's anything you can do to prevent it breaking. Possibly keep the wheel in a non-tilted position might help, but I kind of doubt it.

As far as cost, we mark them up to $15 automatically, but if I Google it . . . Motor-Mite 83211 is $12. Hmmm . . . I should move ours to $20 I suppose.

Graphite is bad for locks.

WD-40 is not pH-neutral and is therefore . . . bad for locks, which are comprised of dissimilar metals and can form a battery.

Silicone oil in general, and Tri-Flow in particular, is good for locks.


Tri-Flow is not especially cheap though. I pay about US$3 for the 2oz. drip applicator bottle (I keep about six of them around me at all times, plus one in each vehicle). The 4oz aerosol cans are about $7. But you don't use much, unlike WD-40.

WD-40 is pretty good at helping light off a charcoal grill, or a bonfire, but I don't have much use for it otherwise. I bought a couple cans of it recently to degrease the Jet-16 Mill/Drill. It works OK for dissolving light crud.

For locks, keys, and keycode review, see this thread.

Paul: a F250 with a 460 and LPG was the truck I was going to put together for myself up until a couple of years ago when I jumped on the biodiesel bandwagon. I have a pretty good collection of IMPCO stuff: Model Es, 425 mixers, 300a mixers, VFF-30 lockoff/filters, etc. I am looking for a cheap feedback controller and tank, for the day when I might actually hang all this stuff on a truck, but for the short term I'll probably stick with BD.

[plenzen]

This has the 425 mixer on it and I have rebuilt it once. Took about 4 minutes and that included taking it off the truck. The idle mixture (whatever) diaphram was cracked and I got a new one. Problem here
(In Canada) is that you have to have them certified now once installed or "re-installed ( tax money grab is all it is) and any tank over 15 yrs old has to be re hydro tested. They also changed the rules on the flex HP hose as well. I still got all the original stuff on mine that we put on it in 1984. There is also a neoprene diaphram in the vapourizer that I might have to try and source one day. Will keep you in mind. The gauze filters in the lock off I only have changed twice and the second one was not all that bad. All the crap and welding slag was stuck to the first one that I changed. Good to know you got propane "Stuff" ( call you Hank Hill I guess) becasue if I dont end up falling through the floor boards on it I will keep it going.

Paul

[glenlloyd]

Philip
My mother has an '07 Lucerne and it seems to be a very acceptable car. My parents drove Park Avenues for years, and before that Oldsmobile 98's. My mother has commented on the terrible blind spot at the rear and I've noticed, driving the car, an excessive movement in the steering column when shifting into gear.

One positive is it has the venerable 3800 engine, which is the only one I would buy in a Lucerne, although there is the nasty northstar option on the top model.

I hear it's been very popular for Buick. In China they sell a new Park Avenue that the US dealers were shown last year as a potential new model and the dealers rejected it because they felt that it would probably canabalize sales of the Lucerne....which it probably would. The Chinese Park Ave is quite a nice looking car, to me its nicer than the Lucerne.

steve a

[philip]

I hear it's been very popular for Buick. In China they sell a new Park Avenue that the US dealers were shown last year as a potential new model and the dealers rejected it because they felt that it would probably canabalize sales of the Lucerne....which it probably would. The Chinese Park Ave is quite a nice looking car, to me its nicer than the Lucerne.

steve a

I am not clear on what you mean about "...canabalize sales....".

I like both Lucerne and LaCross. I like the Lucern's rear styling because it is somewhat European. And the front grille is not huge.

A couples have suggested me test out a Toyota Avalon. Well ... Avalon is their Japanese version of Buick. It's a knock-off. Anyone who disagrees simply has not driven a Buick or because they are Toyota diehards. Buick has been making darned good cars, partly because Buick is not making too many models.

[glenlloyd]

I am not clear on what you mean about "...canabalize sales....".

As in take sales away from the Lucerne for the sake of the a Park Ave. In other words, canabalize your existing sales rather then take away sales of another division / auto maker.

I like both Lucerne and LaCross. I like the Lucern's rear styling because it is somewhat European. And the front grille is not huge.

A couples have suggested me test out a Toyota Avalon. Well ... Avalon is their Japanese version of Buick. It's a knock-off. Anyone who disagrees simply has not driven a Buick or because they are Toyota diehards. Buick has been making darned good cars, partly because Buick is not making too many models.

The LaCrosse strikes me as a better design personally. I have a cousin who drives an Avalon, previously drove Buick IIRC. He seems to like the car a lot. I like the most recent Avalon body design.

steve a

[philip]

Well ... "PLenzen" is the only member who knows I bought a 2000 BUICK LeSabre Limited (low mileage for 8 yrs old, 69k, very clean, light bronze, 3800-II V6), top-of-the-line.

So far, the only "problem" was a Driver Information Center sensor failed (Oil pressure digital and idiot lamp). Sensor replaced by the dealer, no charge to me.

Since the BUICK did not still have its Owner Manual, I have secured another from eBay and the Service Manual (2 vols). Gotta love eBay.

[philip]

The LaCrosse strikes me as a better design personally. I have a cousin who drives an Avalon, previously drove Buick IIRC. He seems to like the car a lot. I like the most recent Avalon body design.

steve a

Look underneath Toyota Avalon, Buick LaCrosse, vs the Buick Lucerne.

The Avalon and LaCrosse have very similar rear suspension. Now look under the Lucerne (and my '00 LeSabre), and you'll find a very different rear suspension and stronger (Lucerne has cast aluminum trailing arms).

[philip]

There's only one required electronic piece in the Datsun (alternator regulator). But the Buick ... like everything else, has gotten so much more complicated !



But ... it's comfy

[asavage]

From my childhood, I'm remembering that dinosaur to be out east Hwy 10 . . . Hadley's?

[philip]

From my childhood, I'm remembering that dinosaur to be out east Hwy 10 . . . Hadley's?

Yes. Hadley's is 2 miles west from the Wheel Inn Restaurant (Cabazon).

And about 12 miles east of the Wheel Inn / Dinosaurs are ....