Non-essential tools Back in the 1960’s when I was a research engineer in the defense industry we spent a lot of time on a lab curiosity known as a "a solution in search of a problem". Invented about 1960 by Theodore Maiman, the laser was the most accurate, and potentially the most powerful, light source we had. Used to measure distances it could beat sonar by a factor of a billion to one (assuming you could actually see your target, no clouds allowed). By the end of the decade the distance to the moon was measured to an accuracy of 2 inches. We used it to make the masks for the integrated circuits used in our aircraft and missile guidance computers. Other scientists were finding other uses, but for the general public the laser was the stuff of science fiction. Remember the scene in Goldfinger where Bond is almost cut in half?

How things have changed! Today lasers are everywhere in our daily lives. They are used to play and record music, read UPC codes, cut and weld metal, transmit terabytes of information over fiber optic cables, repair damaged eyes and skin, align buildings under construction, plow farmers fields, trigger nuclear explosions, and yes, guide missiles.

A few years ago I wrote an article about the modern method of straightening bent unibody cars (May and June 2000 JAGazette). WE did a followup tech session at Images Autobody in Feb 2001 (see March 2001 JAGazette) or Images Tech Session Feb 24, 2001.  At that time the pulling was the quick and easy part. Measuring to determine how much to pull and where to pull was time consuming and required a great deal of training. All that has changed thanks to the laser. Dave Ferguson now has a machine called the Genesis Velocity. By hanging targets from strategic points on the body and continuously bouncing a laser beam off those targets the technicians not only know how much the body is out of spec they know which direction to pull and can measure while they are pulling. Thanks to the other scientific miracle of the last century, the high powered personal computer, all the specifications and even the targets to use and where to locate them are stored in the computer. The computer does all the measuring and interpretation. You can see the different components and how they are used in the accompanying photos. 

Why is this $40,000 machine worth its cost? Because it means less training of technicians, less time doing the repair, and a repair that is more accurate. Insurance companies love this machine because it holds down the costs. As I looked at the wonderful database that even has pictures of the proper target mounters and where the locating points are on the body for every modern car, I couldn’t help but think of how a database like this would help speed mechanical and electrical repairs. About the best there is today is AllData. It’s a computer database that covers all cars from 1983 to the present. About 20 gigabytes of information, it’s basically a rehash of factory manuals with their confusing flow charts, inaccurate drawings and, in the case of post ’95 cars, missing information. The car manufacturers don’t want independent shops to repair their cars. ZF, which makes the transmissions for Jaguar and a few other high-end makes, doesn’t even want you to change the fluid and will supply no information on the internals of their automatic transmissions!  Written shop manuals have disappeared. The dealers have a datalink to the factory and special machines to read the test codes returned by the car’s diagnostic system. Independents can only buy machines and information that access the codes essential to repairing the emissions control systems. Pity the person who buys these cars a few years from now and is forced to take them to the dealer for repair. But the buying public will soon wise up. Because of the high cost of maintenance and repair the cars will be really cheap.

Water pumps As some of you maybe aware, many modern cars have water pumps with plastic impellers. The Jag V8, built since ’97, is one of them. Why plastic impellers? Easy to form, low inertia, cheaper than aluminum or cast iron, won’t corrode, more durable than the spot welded sheetmetal impellers that some manufactures tried a few years ago and can still be found in many aftermarket pumps. Plastic impellers, under the wrong conditions, like too much heat, can bend and shed blades. The result is less than adequate water circulation and overheating. Come on Jaguar, a $70,000 car needs a properly made pressure cast aluminum impeller! The XK8 has 235 lbs of plastic in it. The water pump shouldn’t be part of this 235 lbs.

Long-Term engine storage Just about everybody knows that when you store an engine for a long time (more than 6 months) you should take the plugs out and squirt a little oil down the hole. The engine should be turned periodically (every 6 months is good) and the oil reapplied. But there are a lot of other parts that will lose their lubrication over time and succumb to Demon Rust and corrosion. What about the cams, lifters, valve guides, timing chain(s), crank, piston pins and oil pump? Assuming the engine is out of the car it only takes a little extra time to remove the oil pan and cam covers and give all these parts a squirt of protective oil too. I use synthetic oil. I have no hard evidence, but it seems to stick to surfaces better and evaporate more slowly. Put the engine on a stand that will allow you to turn it upside down and pour a little oil into the pump pickup. A couple of dozen complete rotations should put some new oil into the galleys. Give the rear main and front seal a shot too. Turn the water pump, alternator and the air pump, if so equipped. Air pumps tend to rust inside. A fine mist of oil through the inlet might save you $100 when it comes time to reactivate the engine. As a final step, cover the engine as tightly as possible with plastic. BIG garbage bags work nicely. This will slow down the evaporation of the oil and keep moisture out. I know that engine will only be out until next summer when the complete restoration of the body is finished. But 6 years down the road you’ll be happy you spent a few extra hours preserving it because someday it will run again. Won’t it?