140 bricks

The 145 has been doing fine for a quite a long time, with the exception of the misfiring when hot; but of course, when we are 900 miles from home, that is the time when everything goes wrong. The misfire came back with a vengeance and the exhaust header disintegrated. This is the second time on less than two weeks that the car is virtually undriveable.

A lot of expensive parts from IPD (which is local here in Portland) later, the rough running seems to be all sorted out (I said that last time too, I know), and I have a new header that I will be installing sometime today. POOP! This has turned into quite the expensive trip...

A couple of thoughts on the experience gained from this adventure:

First lesson:

Header tape is the devil. The tape I put on the wagon less than two months ago has completely destroyed my perfectly good header. I discovered this fact after we developed a severe exhaust leak a couple of days ago that was blasting the side of the engine block and the oil filter with hot exhaust. It worried me, so I started cutting off the tape, and underneath the pipes looked as if they had been bathing in salt water for years---nothing left but rust and big flakes of peeling metal, and splits in two of the four tubes, on of them 4 inches long! I wish I had known that this stuff was actually insanely destructive instead of cool and helpful.

Second lesson:

Pertronix magnetic pick-ups for distributors and vintage Volvos just don't work well together. I was on my third set, which is why I was in disbelief that my problem was in the ignition, especially since the car ran well 90% of the time. But I coughed up the money for an infrared pick-up from Crane Cams anyway, and the problem is gone. Man! What is with companies selling sub-par products?!

Well, I am off the replace the header, and I hope we can get through the rest of the trip without further mishap. And I still love my old Volvos...