Teh Official "Dude Where's My Forum?" Thread, Brought to you by the minds of Box, and her fiancée, Lorelei Options

[1994Celica]

Sorry for the hard times box. I don't exactly what you're going through but don't let it beat you. Just try to stay positive and take each day slowly. Just enjoy life man.

[Bitter]

Just get a Prius and give up on life, start hoarding cats, and farming mushrooms in your basement.

[VavAlephVav]

You need a Segway
Lolz

Or we just give you the title Box the Pedestrian.

[Bitter]

Box should get a Box (Nissan Cube).

[Box]

It's just hard to enjoy life these days... That was part of the reasoning of getting the second gen, I'd always wanted one and at the time it seemed like it'd be a good car since it was in my budget and the drivetrain had been redone. I figured maybe I could get past giving up the manual then, but it's just been one headache after another and has completely backfired into my face like everything else. Having a car I've always wanted, maybe brighten my outlook on things somewhat. So much for that. Not really much else to derive joy from. Contrary to popular belief I have terrible social skills and literally have one friend, and she's the only one outside of immediate family and my doctor that knows. I've tried to keep from saying anything about it here, but after awhile it just gets hard trying to explain why certain things aren't an option. I've tried stepping outside my comfort zone with the last two car shows, but after walking around and looking at the cars I have to sit down in the car because I can barely walk anymore. The last show the Genesis group my brother is part of was there and they wanted to do a cruise through downtown and etc... but because of me we had to go home so I could lay down. I'm just a burden to group activities because I have to quit and go home halfway through or if it's something out and about I can't keep up with their pace. I used to be into music and would play every day and go out and play places, now I can't remember the last time I've touched any of it. My last friend I lost was a former high school friend and we had been in a few bands together. A few months ago he wanted me to join him in another band, and I honestly tried to get back into the swing of things. Surprisingly playing wise I haven't rusted, but every time it was scheduled for practice I felt like pure Hell. Eventually I just had to be honest with him about my condition and I haven't heard from him since. I can't blame people for not wanting to be my friend, I can't go out and do things with them on a whim or for very long. I'm a liability and a burden.

This post has been edited by Box: Jul 2, 2015 - 12:39 AM

[Box]

Just pretend nothing ever happened, I'm used to it.

After yet another sleepless night I'm going to give it one final go, drop the pan yet again and take a straight edge and hammer it out as even as possible. Which is what I wanted to do the first time around, but he was insistent it was fine and the gasket would seal it. After that it's getting a thick bead of Ultra Black silicone and put back on, ****er won't leak then. Top it off yet again for the last time and see what happens. Every time it's been filled up the transmission works fine at first but then it gets up to temp and starts leaking and it starts slipping again. So I don't know if it's the leak causing a big enough drop in line pressure or the heat causing issues, or maybe both. Every Google result I came across talking about leaks made no mention of other ill side effects, so I have my doubts. I did have a remotely decent idea though, since the A/C condenser is no longer any good for A/C and it's mounted to the front of the car anyway I should just blow it out and if tests out leak free use it as a trans cooler. Sure it's tube and fin, but being as large as it is that'll offset that somewhat. Keep the transmission much cooler and keep the heat away from the engine, everyone is happy. Yes I realize the radiator cooler is more for heating the fluid but I live in the land of perpetual humid heat and the amount of heat the motor puts off is ungodly and will keep things plenty warm by conduction and convection. I noticed yesterday even the fenders got hot to the touch and that was with the hood up most of the time. If I do keep it I'm seriously thinking about Trans Am fenders and pulling the wheel liners so it can push all of the heat out.

[1994Celica]

Sorry for your troubles box . Honestly from the sounds of it you should sell the firebird and Miata and buy something you can drive and enjoy that needs little to no work. I know it must be hard to enjoy things in your condition but you've got to try man. I think getting rid of firebird and getting something that needs less work will help you a lot.

[Box]

Well at the very least I need to get it to where it's drivable again so I don't take as big of a hit selling it. No point in shooting myself in foot over another $20 in fluid and silicone at this point...

After thinking about I realized what's going on with it. The high compression, the long duration/low lift cam. It's a damn circle track motor... Apparently the previous owner thought it'd be badass for his street car I guess... Either by coincidence, or he realized his mistake, when I first got the car the timing was severely retarded, it was running overly rich, and it had a poorly modified 180º thermostat in it. It's a prime example of overdoing the engine without taking care of everything else to go with it and using an engine outside of its intended purposes. So either I'm stuck with doing everything to properly accommodate the motor or I'm going to have to try and sell it to someone that'll want to finish doing all of the upgrades needed so it can be driven when it's more than 70º out...

[Bitter]

The Prius is calling....answer it.

[Box]

Just no. The RESPONSIBLE thing for me to do would be to get a tC or late model Celica or Integra/RSX. Instead I rather spend the same amount of money on a domestic that's at least ten years older and probably beaten to an inch within death. Actually I could get a fairly nice LT1 Camaro or Firebird, it's just the issue of finding one with the 6-speed and a for sale sign on it.

[Bitter]

7G GTS handles nice, decent on gas, and can whoop out 200whp with a few thousand tossed at it.

[Box]

For awhile I was looking for the GT-S that fell into the higher redline years, but then I got into the whole anti-FWD stint. I'd even consider a NB Miata provided it came with the matching hardtop. I just want burbly V8's though, that is single handedly the best part of the Firebird. At least as long as it's staying around 195º which I will remedy provided the trans issue is in fact a matter of line pressure loss due to the leak. Even then I really should sell it and get a fourth gen, no A/C whatsoever and getting like 10 mpg on 93 driving like an old man is just not daily material for me. I could get a really nice sub 100K LT1 car or a nice lower 100K's LS1 car, even the LT1 was rated for 27 highway on 91 and the LS1 a little better at 29 on 91. Which would be totally fine considering all of my driving is highway and even the Miata got like 30 on 87. Personally I'd prefer the LT1 to an extent, the exhaust note is so much better since it uses the old firing order. The Camaro the LT1 indefinitely is preferred as the LS1 front looks weird. The Firebird is pretty much good either way, I like the sleekness of the LT1 cars and the aggressiveness of the LS1 cars. Honestly I rather have a Firebird/Trans Am but a blacked out LT1 Camaro looks pretty badass too.

[Bitter]

MRS with a 2ZZ swap and 6spd! All the power, all the handling, all the girlish good looks. 2200lbs with 160whp bone stock at 30+ MPG. Easily increased to 200WHP with bolt ons and tuning. Best of all, the nice light Toyota clutch and buttery smooth gear box.

[Box]

The MR-S would be nice with the ultra-rare hardtop. The clutch on the LT1 Firebird I tested wasn't any heavier than the Celica's clutch, if anything it might've been a little lighter even. The clutch on the LS1 GTO I tested was just stupid light, it wasn't any heavier than the Miata's clutch. The differences there being the LT1 cars use a conventional slave cylinder while the LS1 cars use a hydraulic throwout bearing. Personally I like the little bit stiffer feel and not having to remove the transmission and replacing the clutch if the slave decides to fail. The other thing I like about the Firebird is I just fit into them so much better than cars like the Celica and the Miata. I'm only 5'10" but I wear a size 54 jacket, but a size 36 pants. So it's not like I'm just massive all around, I just have incredibly broad shoulders for someone of my stature. Well when you put me into a car that has around 49-50" of shoulder room you can start to see the problem, my left shoulder gets buried into the door panel and my right shoulder extends past the center console. The F-body has 57.5" of shoulder room, so I just physically fit better and I'm more comfortable.

[Box]

Well, the elderly gentleman just stopped by for the sixth? or so time that I know of asking about the Firebird. I guess I don't have to worry about selling it. Me and my brother just now started on the pan though, going to level it out and silicone it into place and let it sit overnight before torquing the pan down and refilling tomorrow. Fingers crossed. The guy said he had a shop and everything, but I already have the fluid and silicone and being able to drive it can only help me in getting my money back out of it.

[Box]

Well, found out what part of the problem was... After straightening the lip of the pan I had him test fit it onto the trans to make sure it was level, and when he did it wobbled at the center... The filter was kissing the bottom of the pan... So a few minutes with a sheet metal dolly and hey look, now it sits flat and the filter doesn't kiss the pan... Ended up siliconing it anyway and will let it cure for the 24 hours before filling it up again. Maybe now it'll actually work knowing what was happening now.

[Box]

I give up. It takes off fine if I flash the converter, so I don't know. Guess I'll just drive like I'm ****ing racing all the time.

[Bitter]

The MR-S would be nice with the ultra-rare hardtop. The clutch on the LT1 Firebird I tested wasn't any heavier than the Celica's clutch, if anything it might've been a little lighter even. The clutch on the LS1 GTO I tested was just stupid light, it wasn't any heavier than the Miata's clutch. The differences there being the LT1 cars use a conventional slave cylinder while the LS1 cars use a hydraulic throwout bearing. Personally I like the little bit stiffer feel and not having to remove the transmission and replacing the clutch if the slave decides to fail. The other thing I like about the Firebird is I just fit into them so much better than cars like the Celica and the Miata. I'm only 5'10" but I wear a size 54 jacket, but a size 36 pants. So it's not like I'm just massive all around, I just have incredibly broad shoulders for someone of my stature. Well when you put me into a car that has around 49-50" of shoulder room you can start to see the problem, my left shoulder gets buried into the door panel and my right shoulder extends past the center console. The F-body has 57.5" of shoulder room, so I just physically fit better and I'm more comfortable.

Makes sense, I'm like an octopus, I can fit in any vehicle.

[Box]

You have boneless limbs?

That's ok I'm so pissed off with American cars right now I don't know if I even want to bother with a fourth gen. I want to say the MKIII Supra had plenty of shoulder room, so that's the only one I can think of offhand I'd be comfortable in.

[Box]

Founds specs and the MKIII Supra has 52.5" of shoulder room, the Celica had 52.5" exact as well and my should brushed the door panel so it was bearable. The Miata I was literally buried into its door panel, so not very comfortable to be in for me. SC300 has 56" of shoulder room, so that'd definitely work but it's just a matter of finding 1/3800 so 5-speeds in decent shape. 300ZX Z32 has 56.7" of shoulder room but the engine bay is a nightmare. I just need a car I can be comfortable in and not have to futz with constantly. I really wish I could find a 5-speed SC300 as it'd probably be the ideal car, at this point in time I'm not trusting enough of other people to buy a swapped SC400...