res@ihlpl.UUCP (Rich Strebendt @ AT&T Information Systems - Indian Hill West; formerly) (02/04/86)
I think my car is developing a problem, but I am not sure. The symptom
I am detecting has just recently started, but may not be indicating any
real problem. Any help anyone on the Net can give me in understanding
what is going on would be much appreciated. As will probably become
apparent from the remainder of the posting, I am not an auto mechanic
and have very little interest in the fine points of automotive hacking,
though I can usually apply the right end of a hammer to the object of
my attentions.
Lately there is a smell of very hot metal when I park the car in the
garage after a short (approx 3 mile) run from work. It has not
previously given off a smell like this, so I am concerned. The
following is a list of related (I think) facts about the car and its
recent maintenance history:
The car is a 1981 Pontiac Phoenix equipped with the 6-cylinder
engine (rather than the 4-banger) and such options as air
conditioning, power brakes, and power steering. The odometer now
reads approximately 60700 miles.
Its most recent maintenance was for a cooling system problem. The
repair was installation of a new freeze plug (whatever that is).
At that time the coolant was flushed and the system was refilled.
The odor and heat seem to be coming from the vicinity of the
center front of the car -- right around the radiator.
The coolant level in the tank mounted on the wheel well is staying
around the nominal level (no apparent coolant loss), and the
engine temperature gauge (not an idiot light!) stays at the low
end of its normal operating range (as it has since I bought the
car) once the car has warmed up for a few minutes.
While the car is warming up it tends to hesitate and surge a bit
more than usual, but this may just be its age catching up with
it. Once warmed up it is quite responsive and runs smoothly.
All of the maintenance work has been done at the dealer's shop. I
am well pleased with the quality of their work and the high skill
level I see in the mechanics and other staff. That is not to say
that I regard them as superhuman -- they don't often seem to make
a mistake, but they have handled such a problem in the past
quickly and to my satisfaction. (After some work on the steering
gear the steering wheel was left cocked at about 10 degrees from
true -- just enough to be irritating. I complained on the "how
did we do" reply card and had it straigtened out within the
week.)
If anyone can come up with an idea on why the hot metal smell before I
decide to take the car back for the mechanics to mumble their
incantations over, I would much appreciate your advice and conjectures.
Rich Strebendt
...!ihnp4!iwsl6!res