This.Originally Posted by neanderthal
From what I have seen, normally the speedometer is about 2-3mph higher than your actual speed.
This.
From what I have seen, normally the speedometer is about 2-3mph higher than your actual speed.
Here's how the BMW sits now. The boy reinstalled the timing belt (and all that other stuff) and confirmed everything is at TDC. He replaced all the coolant hoses with new ones, made a new batch of BMW blue coolant solution to fill 'er up, and was ready to start the car. Then he discovered a coolant leak into the driver's footwell, which he originally noticed as a puddle under the car. The drain tubes (he said there are two) are miraculously working and not clogged up after all this time, or so it seems.
Apparently this is a documented, age-related problem with the heater core due to plastic and rubber parts above and in front of the driver's feet wearing out. New parts arriving today, we think.
I haven't done anything about the Ridgeline's speedometer problem yet, but it sustained some minor damage this weekend while up in northern Colorado for my daughter's softball tournament on Saturday and Sunday. Her team played two games in the morning, but then they cancelled the third game in the afternoon due to near-freezing cold and high winds. We already had a hotel room, and so, with the afternoon free, after visiting the brand new Buc-ees highway store in Johnstown, Colorado, and Colorado State University in Fort Collins, we drove north to Cheyenne, Wyoming for lunch and to have a look around.
I was glad to have a fifteen-year-old car during the worst wind storm I've ever driven through so I could laugh off all the impacts...er, almost.
Here's a short video my daughter filmed from the passenger seat at one point, but this was hardly all of it. We drove through this for probably two hours total as we went up and back. The rolling terrain meant we were occasionally in shallow valleys with a brief respite from the constant barrage, but mostly it was like this from Wellington to Cheyenne and then back to Greeley. I was driving slowly because the wind was so strong it felt unsafe to go any faster.
^ That also reminded me of a Stephen King short story.
This was scary to see - a semi truck on its side and blocking both lanes of Southbound I-25:
A dually pickup was pulling this trailer. The truck was still upright when we passed, but he had obviously dragged the trailer to the shoulder.
Picture from this morning in my driveway.
And another from this morning. I've been wanting to remove this ugly, dealer-added-for-more-profit roof rack since I bought this car. I'll take this as a sign I should make it go away, since I haven't used it in almost five years of ownership. I intend to drop by one of the local Honda dealers to see if I can get the full-length original rubber/plastic strips that serve as drip rails on modern cars so I can un-bolt this big-ol' gas mileage reducer.
Here's a picture I snapped at home near sunset on Sunday evening when the sun was just right to highlight these tumbleweed scratches. Guess I'll have to apply some car wax and elbow grease. "That'll buff right out!"
Last edited by George; April 9th, 2024 at 10:48 AM. Reason: Improper apostrophication ;-)
That's some crazy weather!
It's hard to tell from a photo if it's possible, but tumbleweed scratches *can* buff out. With a machine polish I bet they would at least be significantly reduced.
Wow, that's wild. Glad you weren't hit by a flying cow or something.
holy cow, that isn't cool
Well, some parts for my Ridgeline are apparently discontinued, but the Honda dealer I visited on Wednesday afternoon just called and told me the roof rack front corner cover as pictured above is ready to be picked up. It only costs $30!
While at the Honda dealer, I spotted the two coolest cars on the entire lot.
5-speed manual. The only problems I spotted were a power antenna that didn't go down all the way and a metal dealership badge on the driver's side of the trunk.Now I see a little door ding on the passenger side, but man, this thing is sweet!
Took the ix to the shop today. It's running, but there's a really loud valve ticking noise now. Here's a quick video he took to post on one of his forums.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/czjjunGk1Fw
Sharp-eyed viewers of that video will notice a new part he bought and installed:
The lad adjusted the valves twice and even did an oil change with slightly heavier oil but nothing helped. We also think we have a tiny coolant leak from one of the new hoses he installed, as it smokes a little near or underneath the exhaust manifolds after it runs for a few minutes and heats up. I asked the shop to go through it and figure out what we missed.
I didn't want to risk driving it 28 miles on the highway, so I coughed up a small fortune to have it towed there.
Here are some of the cars that other people like us without a lick of financial sense drive. Our mechanic said he just put a new V-8 in this 7-Series. Said the owner has spent $10K on it so far and has barely even driven it. I can relate to the "barely even driven it" part. The ix had 136K miles when we bought it in July and it has 136K miles on it now.
What a boat.
Just scored an almost reasonably-priced center cap for the ix on eBay! I am delighted. A missing "hubcap" just bothers me. Never had to wait and watch and plot and plan so long to get one before, but I guess that comes with the territory.
And we're picking up the car this afternoon. Mechanic says the valves weren't adjusted correctly and there was a loose hose clamp on one of the new coolant hoses. Said he let it run for an hour and it is not smoking or leaking. Let's hope that continues. He also confirmed the guy we took the head to for service was a good choice.
I know I've said this before, but hopefully, now the engine is in good shape and will last a while before the next thing goes wrong.
Our plan is to bring it home today, put it on jackstands, and then start replacing worn-out suspension components, of which there are a lot.
And this, too, which is now "in the house", as the cool kids apparently say these days.
He bought a new shift knob too, as the other one was cracked and had a wrap of black duct tape around it. It's not the one that lights up as he first wanted - now that he's spending his own hard-earned money - but it has an M Sport logo on it.
This was almost a necessary thing, as the current shifter leans way over to the left and that can't be good for the long haul. Fifth gear looks like third, etc.
Needs the golf ball motorsports shift knob like I put in the racecar.
I've done extensive knob testing in the past. (twss)
Weighted leather knobs are my preference for feel.
I'm also the guy who hasn't met a short shifter he's yet preferred over a stock shifter in good shape, so what do I know.
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