[Boog]

I thought I had updated the repair. I guess not.
Anyway the shop did replace the main seal, oil pan gasket, trans input shaft seal and oil pressure sensor as I asked for, although reluctantly. It's been a month now and I am happy to report it's bone dry under there now.
I understand their mentality of disregarding ALL customer's diagnoses, but explaining what I had already gone through with another shop and the 265,000 miles on the vehicle, and telling them how I laid under the vehicle with it running to confirm where the oil was leaking from, I expected them to spend time ( a matter of minutes ) to confirm my main seal call. But commercial shops are more interested in quick repair jobs, turn them and move on. So with no real examination work they chose to start at the top with the valve cover gaskets and work their way down. All they needed to do was get it on the lift with the engine running and watch through the bell housing inspection hole to see the oil running down the block. I had already cleaned the engine top side with a pressure washer last summer and inspected it to see that the v/c gaskets weren't the cause but new ones couldn't hurt. The main seal is what I wanted replaced the first time I took it to a shop some years ago but they chose to replace the oil pan gasket instead. So that repair bill along with what I have spent this time around to replace that again plus these other items, I have spent right at $3,000 to fix the engine oil leak. I am not tooting my own horn over being a better diagnostician, just disappointed that the shops disregarded my call just to get it in and out fast to move on to the next one. THIS is why I dread sending my vehicles to commercial shops.
Yesterday I replaced the spark plugs. We've put about 150,000 miles on them since we've had it. I've never replaced them. It was still starting and running just fine but I thought it was past time so I bought a new set of AC Delcos. I was happy to see there were no oil deposits on any of the old ones. Rings and valve seals seem to be in good shape. Nice and clean but the gap was out there at 65 thou. It still started in less than a rotation every time however.
I've got a couple more things I want to do to it before handing it over to the kids but it's getting better. We can do repairs to this old girl far cheaper than buying a newer rig and having a car note.
Cocoa is on the road again.