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mloakley

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Posts posted by mloakley

  1. Window Tint

    in Passing Lane

    Posted

    It looks like I'll have to take money out of the Vegas fund for this, which sucks. So, now I have to decide if I'm going to freeze my butt off and do it tonight, or risk getting pulled over by the same... <deleted>..... <more deleted>... <still more deleted>.... officer tomorrow on the way home. Thanks for the input folks!

     

    Oh, BTW.. in my googling of various ORC laws, Columbus codes, and Dept of Public safety websites, I discovered that according to Ohio Administrative Code 4501-41-03, you can tint your windshield to 30% (70% light transmission)

    (reference: http://statepatrol.ohio.gov/FAQ.stm )

     

    @ evan9381 - I don't mind paying a luxury tax, its the totally random way that it's applied that has my knickers in a twist. :)

  2. Window Tint

    in Passing Lane

    Posted

    I just got PULLED OVER for window tint of 31%. $126 fine. They've been tinted that way for SIX years. Apparently, I've never passed an officer who was bored enough to pull me over for it.

     

    Anyhow, any opinions on whether its worth fighting? And IIRC, I just need an ammonia-based glass cleaner to get it to come off?

  5. Weird power window problem

    in Tech and Tips

    Posted

    Check this weirdness out..

     

    I've got a 2001 Grand Prix with a passenger window that only goes down when the temperature is below 32 degrees. Worked this morning, not working now (it's been sitting in the sun, so the skin of the car is warm.) The motor doesn't even try to come on that I can hear.

    I had two thoughts:

     

    1) There's some crud in the channel. Squirt some lube down there the next time I can get it open. Problem: Anyone know if WD40 will screw up my window tint?

     

    2) There's some kind of thermal overload sensor in the window motor that's malfunctioning. Have Pontiac replace it under warranty.

     

    Any thoughts / suggestions / ideas are GREATLY appreciated!

     

    TIA!

  7. Drinking and driving

    in Dumpster

    Posted

    I thought that they supposed to mean that the driver only has "work priviledges," so cops will know that a car driving around at 3am should probably be checked out. Of course, that makes sense, so I'm probably wrong.

  9. Aluminum rim cleaner

    in Tech and Tips

    Posted

    Looking at wheel cleaners over the weekend, I noticed that most of them say "Not for aluminum rims." Someone told me Scrubbing Bubbles worked awesome on rims, and was safe on aluminum. Can anyone confirm / deny, or give me the name of a good aluminum rim cleaner?

     

    TIA!

  11. Question on Electronic Shop manuals

    in Tech and Tips

    Posted

    This may not be a 100% "Tech Help" question, but here goes:

     

    My roommate's looking for a Chilton's or Hayne's manual for his 92 Toyota Paseo. They're extremely rare, so he can't even order one for it. Has anyone ever bought one of the "shop manuals on CD" that I keep seeing on Ebay and other places on line? It seems like a pretty good deal, but I don't want to waste $30 on an inaccurate POS, either.

     

    Thx!

  13. Disabling Auto-On headlights

    in Tech and Tips

    Posted

    Ok, I did some more digging last night. Since some other folks have the same questions, i'll post what I found out.

     

    I couldn't find anything specific, but I did find this on a Camaro/Firebird forum:

     

    The photo eye works in the following manner: When the "eye" detects light, the resistance is zero. As it gets darker, resistance goes up. When the resistance gets to a certain point, the voltage will drop below a preset level, and <CLICK!> the lights come on. If you put a switch in parallel (or just cut, strip, and tie the wires together), the resistance will stay at zero, and your lights will stay off. Note that you can NOT just cut the wires.

     

    Here's a quickie diagram:

     

    http://www.mloakley.com/images/auto-headlight_bypass.jpg

     

    I'll give it a try this weekend and let y'all know what happens.

  14. Disabling Auto-On headlights

    in Tech and Tips

    Posted

    Car in Question:2001 Pontiac Grand Prix

     

    Background:My graemlins/asshole.gif drunk neighbor decides to hit me up for beer money AND a ride to the Dairy Mart the other day around 1am as I'm getting home. Since he's already drunk, and I'm too polite to tell him to f*** off, I have to stand outside in the rain and listen to him babble for about 10 minutes before he asks and I say "NO."

    I think to myself: "Self, if I could somehow disable the damned auto-sensing headlights, I could cruise up in stealth mode, park, and be in the house before he knows I'm home."

    Problem: I thought the manual told me how to disable the headlights, but it doesn't. It says that the lights will stay off until the E-brake (sorry.. "parking brake") is released. Drat.

    Question:Can anyone tell me how to disable the damned headlights? I've got the DRL's disabled, but the headlights still pop on when it gets dark. I even tried shining a flashlight at the sensor, but they stay on.

     

    Thanks guys!

  15. Toyota Paseo - Wierd idle problem

    in Tech and Tips

    Posted

    Originally posted by Nevarmore:

    So, who won the race?? The paseo is a wee-bitty car, C-man might have had a chance.

    Hey, that paseo has at LEAST 90 horsepower. I bet that car could run in the mid 11's.

     

     

    Maybe.

     

    With a tail wind.

     

    Downhill.

     

    A REALLY steep hill.

     

    Like a cliff.

     

    After a running start. graemlins/thumb.gif

     

     

    And now I'm graemlins/offtopic.gif

  16. Toyota Paseo - Wierd idle problem

    in Tech and Tips

    Posted

    Morning all,

     

    My roommate drives a 94 Toyota Paseo, and in the last couple of days, he's noticed that its started to do weird things at idle. With the clutch pushed in, and no throttle applied, it constantly revs itself between 1500-2000 rpm, which is just enough that some guy in a civic thought he was being challenged to a race. :D Anyone have any thoughts?

     

    Thanks!

  20. polaris parkway

    in Passing Lane

    Posted

    Holiday weeekends, highway patrol sits on either side of the hill just east of 23 (aka Columbus Pike aka High Street.) IIRC, the limit is 45, they'll pull you over at 51. Thanks go out to the guy in the ricey cavalier who just HAD to prove he could pass me there Memorial Day weekend. He got the ticket, I didn't. graemlins/thumb.gif

  21. 2001 Grand Prix Wheel noise and vibration

    in Tech and Tips

    Posted

    Originally posted by parabola:

    The half-shaft is so simple to replace it's almost childish. You will get two new CV's outta it too. Should run you about $100 and you'll need to borrow an axle puller from Autozone or it'll be a HELUVA lot harder. If you can do the wheel bearing you can do this. Get a hanes manual.

    Actually, my friend who usually helps me with these things isn't all that keen on pulling the halfshaft. Know a good shop that won't screw me (or my wallet) over? North side or East side of town preferably.

     

    Thanks!

     

    -=Oak=-

  22. 2001 Grand Prix Wheel noise and vibration

    in Tech and Tips

    Posted

    Hi All,

    Back in January, I slid my 2001 Grand prix into a curb at about 20 mph. Gotta love that first 1/8 inch of snow on a wet road. Anyhow, it turns out that I broke the front left rim (which slashed up the tire), bent the tie rod, and broke a strut. I had all the work done at the local pontiac dealer I bought the thing from, grand total on the repairs was over $1500 (including car rental, replacing 2 front tires, labor, etc.) of which the insurance was nice enough to pay $500.

    Well, all that and it still isn't fixed. There's still a loud hum and a vibration from the front end. It seems to be dependant on speed, not engine RPM. I took it back and the dealership quoted me $500 to replace the wheel bearing. Me being a bit reluctant to pay that much, I installed a new wheel bearing ($120 from AutoZone.)

     

    Fun's not over yet. The hum is still there, though it isn't quite as loud. My friend's dad works up at GM Lordstown, and he thought I had screwed up the half shaft.

     

    Now for my question: I know for a fact that the dealership is going to charge me an arm and a leg to replace the half shaft. Anyone got any other ideas, or know a good place I can get it fixed inexpensively and reliably?

     

    Thanks!

     

    Oak

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