Worth fixing.

[Cant Write]

I’ll add that I think cheap-skates see 50 mpg in a TDI and don’t bother to think about the whole picture. They expect it to run forever like their Corolla with little to no maintenance.

They never think IDI as a cost savings measure.

So I think separate crowds with some crossover as I’m one of them.

I love that the IDI crowd generally wants to make what they have mechanically sound. We grew up driving absolute junk cosmetically, but it was in mechanical tip-top.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I did a typo. The TDI scene wanted to do things super cheap. The IDI scene seems to want to try and fix things.

That's the way that I read it. Well at least by the third time I looked at it.

It does seem like most here try to do it right the 1st time even if it means some more money and more time.
I guess that's because most of us either plan to keep it for a long time or don't have a choice in that matter.

If we do try to cheap out on parts, we learn pretty quickly that it's not the way to go.

 

[Nero]

What's really interesting is some of those guys had owned those tdis since New, so model year 2000-2003, and here they are nickel and dimeing them. Timing belt kit? $260. Just the belt? $20. There's 3 idlers, one tensioner, and the water pump.

And they wonder why they smashed valves. Always an advocate for doing it right the first time.

Anyhow, I'll step off my soap box haha

 

[Jesus Freak]

If we do try to cheap out on parts, we learn pretty quickly that it's not the way to go.

The way to do it is to get good parts on the cheap!

 

[Rdnck84_03]

Always an advocate for doing it right the first time.

This makes me think of a friend's dad back when we were younger. This guy was a walking guinus when it came to mechanical or fabrication knowledge and ability.

Problem was that he absolutely refused to spend money to fix anything.

He got me a job as a welders helper for the company he was dozer operating for. Anyway he had a 2000 dodge 5.9 Cummins, starter goes out so what does he do? Nothing roll starts it down the steep driveway every morning, and let's it sit alone side of the pipeline right-of-way idling for 10hrs a day. Did that for 3 weeks before he finally got it rebuilt.

He was also the type that always wanted to rigg things to save some money, almost every time it ended up taking 4 time as long and cost twice as much to actually get it to work.

I think this may be the reason I absolutely don't screw around with fixing stuff correctly even if I really can't afford it at that time.

James

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The way to do it is to get good parts on the cheap!

I was thinking about pumps, injectors, and Duralift e pumps to give some examples.

 

[david85]

Cost to own an IDI is going up, but it's still the cheapest mass produced workhorse diesel you can get, relative to the overall displacement of the engine. I've had my truck for over 15 years now and have driven the newer ones. I still like mine, even though maintenance is non-stop. Besides, working on my machines in my shop is like mental therapy to me, and a great way to cut back on "screen time".

 

[WECSOG]

@Brian VT

Great read!! I wonder what gears that thing has to help the 318.....4.56’s....would be my guess with a torque flight 727...?

The big blocks probably have 4.56s. I would be surprised if the 318 didn't have 5.13s, or maybe even lower.

 

[XOLATEM]

This makes me think of a friend's dad back when we were younger. This guy was a walking guinus when it came to mechanical or fabrication knowledge and ability.

Problem was that he absolutely refused to spend money to fix anything.

He got me a job as a welders helper for the company he was dozer operating for. Anyway he had a 2000 dodge 5.9 Cummins, starter goes out so what does he do? Nothing roll starts it down the steep driveway every morning, and let's it sit alone side of the pipeline right-of-way idling for 10hrs a day. Did that for 3 weeks before he finally got it rebuilt.

He was also the type that always wanted to rigg things to save some money, almost every time it ended up taking 4 time as long and cost twice as much to actually get it to work.

I think this may be the reason I absolutely don't screw around with fixing stuff correctly even if I really can't afford it at that time.

James

Ha..!! You just reminded me about something that happened to me around '90 something.....
So.. I had this '79 Mustang that was a 2.8 V-6 and a 4-speed setup I had gotten from a Mustang II...I had it on the lift and was doing something to it...can't remember what...but I started it on the lift and it coughed backward and blew the starter housing into a few pieces...

I am sitting in it about 6 an 1/2 feet off the ground and I hear some pieces fall and sprinkle on the floor...

It was late at night on a weekend and it was the only thing I had to get home.

Home was 65 miles away and someone was waiting for me to help with the horse barn.

I think..."oh, dear Lord..." or something to that effect...and ...'WTH was that..?"

So...I jump down and my tired head tries to grasp the situation.

I removed the starter and gathered up the pieces and put it all on the bench and stared in disbelief.

what to do..? I used JB Weld and aluminum foil and pieced it back together and let it sit a few hours and napped in the compressor room where I had a fold-down bench seat I had taken out of a one-ton dodge van.

The son-uvva-gun worked and held together until I could get another but I was in no hurry to change it out until I woulda have had to learn the hard way...again...