Non Alfa & Alfa content

["David Sisson" <splankin@domain.elided>]

Ok, first the non-alfa, but car-related content:

Yesterday, my wife and I decided to take a lark of a trip
towards Austin, in her 90 honda civic. We were going to spend
the night, enjoy Austin & come back on sunday (today!)

We got about halfway there (I was driving) & the car started
loosing power and bucking, as the engine cut in and out. 

I pulled off, figuring "this was the big one", as this car
has been at death's door for about a year now. We called AAA,
and got towed back to Houston (almost the 100 miles free under
AAA plus...I think we won and AAA lost this time...) 

Now, I was thinking we dropped a valve, holed a piston, or the
like, but the engine still seems to turn over freely, just 
doesn't start! 

No real question here, we're going to take it to a mechanic
tommorow & see if it still has compression.

Now for ALFA content:

Since the Honda is dead, we took the spider for a spin to the
grocery, about 4 blocks away. Car isn't quite ready to be
on the streets yet, needs a new tire & converter, but ok
for a short drive. 

You may recall I just did the clutch. First gear to second shift
was impossible, w/o grinding the gears, likewise, downshifting!

This seemed rather bad to me, as I wouldn't expect any grinding
with a new clutch! 

I'm wondering if I should have just driven longer, a warm-up 
issue, or if the synchros have gone, with the bad clutch of
before...

aaaaa!!!

dave sisson
86 grad
houston

--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided