JIM HOLSONBACK wrote in a message to THURSTON ACKERMAN:

 JH> Ciao.
-=> on 04-27-05 20:31, THURSTON ACKERMAN wrote to JIM HOLSONBACK <=-
 JH> 
 TA> Not that I have heard. But we did have one Ford Service Manager
 TA> advise our Seniors group that a tank of high test every now and
 TA> then was more helpful cleaning the fuel injectors than any thing
 TA> one could buy of the shelf.

 JH> I wonder what is the diff?  Does the high test blend include more
 JH> additives which can help clean the injectors?

When I was running mid-grade in that one car the station I used to go to
all the time had ethanol added,  to the tune of 10% or so,  in both mid and
higher grade gas.  Then later on it was only in the high-grade stuff. 
Maybe that has something to do with it?

 TA> BTW we just spent $1,600,00 to take care of our 94 Olds Cutlass
 TA> leaking top gasket, water pump and rear brakes

 JH> I keep on being amazed at the current high cost of auto repairs
 JH> (and parts).  My wife's car recently needed water pump replacement,
 JH> and that somehow ended up over $500 at the local Firestone.

I can well understand that in some cases.  In my car when I had to put a
water pump in,  I had to remove a/c compressor,  ps pump,  alternator,  and
some other stuff,  both belts,  two different idlers,  three different
plastic timing belt covers with 10 bolts in four different sizes,  then the
timing belt itself.  Then I found out they'd only sold me the front half of
the pump, so we had to disassemble the old one and reassemble the rear half
on to the new parts...

It was pretty much an all-day job.  Way longer than putting one in my truck
at another time,  which did involve some removal of stuff but not nearly as
much.

 TA> (we will do the front brakes in the fall inspection)(if it moves 
 TA> it wears 8-). So we Olds folks should be all set for another 10 
 TA> years!

 JH> I'd think new front pads could be done for under $100, but the way
 JH> things are going, looks like a good idea to save up and "brace
 JH> yourself."

I've done them on both my car and my truck,  not a big deal in either case.

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