Road trip

We've got pics.......

Leaving Thurs, 3 AM:


On the road, around Weed, CA. This is the only snow I saw, and it was up on the mountain, none @ ground level...


Pretty gray in the San Joaquin Valley....


And now for the good stuff.......

Here's Glide-Aways (aka Matt) and his hoagie sandwich.
Thanks for the lunch, Matt!


Pizza Steak Hoagies....yum


Not my best photo.... I think it was the photographer.


Us, and our vehicles.


https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd...._=1424151783_f12e901d39acad03bd0c98cf4a572703





After meeting with Matt, had to head back to Orange County, via the 405, the 105, and the 91.....

Ugh....


In stop-and-go traffic so much, I had time to take a few shots on the ramp between the 405 and the 105.

Looking toward downtown LA


Same shot, only using telephoto. The red-striped building is the Inglewood Forum, where the Lakers used to play. Went to many a rock concert here back in the 70's. To the right is Hollywood Park (horse) Racing track (now closed) Surprise! It's nowhere near Hollywood! From where i took the pic, The Forum would be about 3-4 miles away, downtown LA around 17.


Hollywood Sign...


common sight around L.A. Probably headed toward it's home base over in Carson, off the 405.....

 

Great pictures krash! I make 2-3 trips a year to Socal and have noticed a drastic improvement in air quality. Your pictures seem to back my observation up. Visibility looks pretty good.

 

Yup - probably one of the best days I've seen in the LA area for quite a while - except for the traffic. I thought I was used to it, even after being in Oregon for 5 years. I can tolerate it - for a little while. Traffic on the west side is nuts....

 

Glad you guys met and had a fun time......still confused about one pic though, was the food good or , it's hard to tell!

 

I love that picture...hahaha. Looks like a great lunch. But these pics NEED to be added to the MMM club. I really enjoyed the pics of LA. I always had images of it being more city and less trees. Thanks for the image change.


Have a great time KK.

 

Naw, the food was great there as always. Matt just said "let me get a pic of you eating, and I was more than happy to oblige. Timing on the camera was just off. Yeah, that's it.

Boy, was the wifey mad at me on the phone after she read my FB post about visiting the hoagie stand (she loves it too). I told her a few days ago that I would be partaking of all the hoagie goodness, but she claims I did not mention it to her, so she's jealous. I do forget to tell her some things, but I'm sticking to my guns on this one....

 

Lunch with Marshall was indeed FUN. Both company and food were great. I had never been to this hoagie place before and when I got there I discovered it was mere blocks down Lincoln Blvd. from where I used to live. :banghead3: Great suggestion Marshall!

It was awesome to see Marshall's wagon in person too! I got to ride in it (for about a block) when Marshall drove me to where I was parked. Amazing shape for its age and what a score to find it with less than 30k on the odometer.

Marshall, nice job on the photo documentary thus far on your trip too!

 

Thanks for the updates Marshall, looks like you're having a great time. I did enjoy the photo of you eating! Cracked me up.
I hope the rest of your trip is just a great.

 

'Check Engine' light came on yesterday while I was visiting a friend in San Diego. That, plus a very high idle RPM and 'dieseling' after shut-off have caused me to take the Way Back Machine into a shop this morning. Fortunately, it's a very good independent shop I'm familiar with here in Orange, and I'm confident they'll fix it. Owner says he'll have to dust off the old diagnostic machine in the back corner......

 

Downside of driving a vehicle that came from Wisconsin in California: If you have to repair it, nobody has the proper diagnostic connector for it on their machines. There's '49-state vehicles' (mine), and courtesy of the stricter emission requirements in the 80's, there's 'California - only' vehicles, with a different OBD connector. At least it drives - I'll be looking at a glowing 'Check Engine' light all the way home to Oregon.

No charge at the shop I took it to. Owner says it looks like the carb is messed up - bent throttle plate or some-such. Says the idle screw isn't even touching the 'stop'. Thing idles around 1600 RPM.

 

Hope you get it sorted KK...... Just out of curiosity and , what is and or would you post what the proper RPM should be on idle? Mine is on propane so I don't know if that changes anything and with that when ever I've had to mess with my very simple system I've never hooked it up to find out what exactly my RPM is, I've been just tune by ear for the idle and have no problems...yet...knock on wood paneling............

 

Don't know what the spec is on the idle speed. I think it's running about double what it should be. May have to get the carb replaced when I get home.

I'm a bit puzzled by all this, as the wagon only started having these issues after I picked it up from the Springfield repair shop a couple of weeks ago. Don't know why I didn't take it back before. The issues began getting worse on the trip, though.

 

How in the he double hockey sticks do you bend a throttle plate?
:banana:
Sometimes a technician will make stuff up because they don't want to or aren't able to figure out the problem and fix it.
Nice of him to let you go for no $$, tho.
Maybe you'll have better luck back home.
Or maybe not.
Is that a Quadrajet carb?
They are usually a 'set it and forget it' device.
Hey, at least you're still on the road in a three + decade old car!
For that reason, my first thought is a vacuum leak somewhere.

BTW, idle speed should be around 550 RPM on any car.

 

maybe try some marvel mystery oil or carb cleaner

 

Enjoying the pics but hate to hear you are having a problem.

That said, I might be a little help, as had the same issue on the '82 Z28's Quadrajet recently. There is an "idle-up solenoid" on the driver's side of the carb, under the throttle. This keeps the idle high when the car is cold, and also kicks it up just a bit when the a/c is on, to compensate for the pull of the compressor. If this "sticks on", it will cause a high idle and Check Engine light. This is a common issue.

Open the hood, remove the breather, and locate the idle-up solenoid. It's a round device about the size and shape of a large battery. Open the throttle by hand and see if you can push or turn the rod on the solenoid back in just a bit.

Let me know if that work! Got my "click and clack" Car Talk hat on!






See solenoid sticking off front of carb here.


Gold part on lower right in picture



Also check for vacuum leaks, as I'm sure you know these cars have a TON of vacuum lines, and a cracked or leaking one can cause idle issues.

Lastly you do have ONE oxygen sensor. Mounts to the exhaust just below the passenger side manifold. $20 part, screw out, screw in. It will FOR SURE trip the Check Engine light if it's bad, and can cause idle issues, and your mileage will be terrible.

BUT before anything check that Idle-Up solenoid. If it's not letting your throttle fully close, that's your issue sir.

Keep the pics coming!

- Texas Mike