Know any good mechanics in Del Ray (1 Viewer)

[Max.Powerzz]

Hi All,

I'm new to mud and was excited to find this DC chapter. Felix tracked me down online and pointed me in the right direction. I've got an '88 fj62 and am having overheating problems, see my thread here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=85659 Can anyone recommend a good mechanic in the Del Ray neighborhood (Alexandria)? I can only drive about 7 minutes before I start to overheat, so I unfortunately can't go far. I've been using Capitol Auto Care near the Afghan restaurant on Hwy 1, but am not confident in their recommendations. He thinks it's just a radiator leak but people on the board and others I've spoken with think it may be my water pump or fan clutch. I'd love to learn to do this myself but live in a high-rise and am a 1/2 mechanic.


Thanks!

 

[Blue77FJ40]

This may be old, but it's still worth a try:

Wisam Karim (Sam) of Fairfax City Shell is our local guru. He's ASE and drives an FJ40. I don't think he does diff work, but you can check. 703/591-3332

 

[kulangot]

This may be old, but it's still worth a try:

Wisam Karim (Sam) of Fairfax City Shell is our local guru. He's ASE and drives an FJ40. I don't think he does diff work, but you can check. 703/591-3332

Wisam hasn't worked there in YEARS! And has not had a 40 for even longer.

You can reach him at the Vienna Mobil, 703-938-4733, ask for Sam.

If you don't want to go out that far, try the Car Doctor in Falls Church - Toyota specialist and very good guys. Right on 29, just inside the beltway.

Wisam is a outstanding, worth the trip, ASE Certified, trained mechanic (with a BS in Finance from GMU - smart guy). Glen, his head mechanic, is top notch and really knows cars, not some shade tree jackass. This guy is a real mechanic.

It is very simple to diagnose the fan clutch, you can also zip tie the fan to the clutch on some cars to see if that fixes it. See the factory service manual. Also, check for sweet smelling white smoke at the tail pipe - an obviouse sign of a blown head gasket with coolant getting into the combustion chamber and combustion gasses getting into the cooling system causing rapid overheating.

7 minutes seems fast for just a fan clutch, especially in winter.

A radiator pressure test in your first best bet. Wisam has a tool to check for combustion gases in the coolant - also a great test.

Good luck.

-Stumbaugh

 

[Felix]

Hey John,

Do you know anything about the guys at Yates Automotive in Del Ray, corner of Braddock and Mt Vernon? I haven't gotten any work done there, but they've treated me well on parts and advice. And I've seen a couple fj40s getting worked on there.

Felix

 

[kulangot]

Felix,

Don't know anything about Yates but I have a couple of car and motorcycle buddies that live in Del Ray - my friend lives there, I'll ask him if he knows anything about them.

You don't need a "land cruiser mechanic" you just need a good mechanic. I'd take a good, experinced and local professional mechanic any day over a 4x4 shop or Land Cruiser shop. A top notch pro mechanic is not going to work at a specialty shop making $30 grand a year when they can work at busy gas station and make twice that or more.

Any good gas station should be able to fix any car, you don't need a specialist for basic repairs and maintenance.

-Stumbaugh

 

[Blue77FJ40]

Wisam hasn't worked there in YEARS! And has not had a 40 for even longer.

You can reach him at the Vienna Mobil, 703-938-4733, ask for Sam.

Thanks for the update. I haven't seen Sam for YEARS, so it fits.

 

[kulangot]

Felix,

This is what I got back from Steve:

I don't know anything good or bad about Yates. I'm more familiar with the Yates parts places I think. Kind of like NAPA? Anyway, I take all my vehicles from my 1961 Lincoln to my 2005 Ford to my 2005 Subaru to a place called Royal Service Center (703-931-5802). It used to be Fairlington Shell. It's located on Quaker Lane, by the intersection with Rt7/King St (there's a Radio shack and a Nursery on the corner. Ask for Jimmy. They're thorough, reasonably priced and not rip-off artists.

Talk to you soon,
Steve​

Give them a try. This same garage used to work on my FJ60 for the PO before i bought it, all their work seemed good.

-Stumbaugh

 

[76LC]

Royal Service

I live right around the corner from that Royal Service place. I was wondering if they were any good. I guess I have my answer now!! Thanks!

 

[fjman]

I little far, but Mr. Kims (the sign is just alot of Korean stuff I can't read!) on Pickett Rd in fairfax is pretty cheap and fast. He replaced my radiator and waterpump for about $650 a few years back. Plus he did it the next day after I called. he specializes in just about anything asian and there are always lots of older imports there. If you can understand him on the phone and the cruiser will make it there, I'd highly recommend him just as he was highly recommended to me!

As for the Vienna gas station, I happened to be driving by them when my cylinder head cracked. They had no interest whatsoever in working on the 60! Actually, he said I'd be better off going to the dealership and that it was to much work for them to fix it! I guess he was being honest but it made me wonder why everyone has recommended them. Its not like I was rude! plus they were running a diagnostics machine on a fj40 right infront of the station (and me) for some guy that just bought it.
unless it had a 350 or some other engine conversion in it, what would an engine diagn. machice do for an f/2f anyway? Doesn't it need an ECU in it for one of those? It sure sounded stock.

 

[Max.Powerzz]

Thanks guys, these are some great suggestions. I'll let you know how it goes and what my experience is.

 

[kulangot]

To clarify, "everyone" is recommending him because he's been around for a long time, has a lot of experience, is a professional, is super honest and has been there for people when they needed him. Most of all, he knows a lot about the breed. I do all of my own work, and I mean ALL of it - welding, fab, autobody, paint, wrenching, etc. But I take my friends and families cars to Wisam.

A gas station in the middle of a town like Vienna is so busy they can't take on major, long term repairs like an engine rebuild or a head gasket because they have too much work to do for one car to occupy a bay or even a parking space in the time frame involved. Wisam was being honest with you and I don't blame him. For minor to mid level repairs, he is the "go to guy". I'd rather have honesty than someone say, "oh yea, we can take your money" only to get piss poor work and or super long time frame.

No offense, but if you recently paid someone $650 dollars to do a super easy repair on your truck, and did not want to fix your head gasket DIY, then your probably not in a position to give anyone any noteworthy advice. In this particular case with the Wisam's gas station, the situation is obvious to the most causal observer - not a place to go for engine swaps, desmogging, welding /fab work or spring overs - Lance at Iron Pig owns that local market. However, if you need a water pump, radiator, etc then Wisam, the shop you recommended or just about any other GOOD gas station can handle what you need. In this hobby, it's all about finding the right vendor for your situation.

Not trying to be sarcastic, but to some extent, the clubs, these mailing lists, etc need to exist to help out the new guys and gals, not just to be a social orgination for people who are bored and miss their college frat. No matter how long some people have been doing this or if they just got started, there has to be focus on altruism and helping out the newby's with information when they need it. Bashing a vendor for lack of understanding their perspective is not needed on this board, the tlca list, etc. Especially if you don't know them or have not used them. If you have had a bad first hand experince, try to work it out with the vendor but if you can't, bring it on, we need to know about it so we don't make the same mistake.

Trust me, I am not the friendliest or most tolerant of fools person you'll meet, but I always try to help people who just getting started or need info, even if information is all that I can give. The only good information is first hand information, mis information is useless.

As for the Vienna gas station, I happened to be driving by them when my cylinder head cracked. They had no interest whatsoever in working on the 60! Actually, he said I'd be better off going to the dealership and that it was to much work for them to fix it! I guess he was being honest but it made me wonder why everyone has recommended them. Its not like I was rude! plus they were running a diagnostics machine on a fj40 right infront of the station (and me) for some guy that just bought it.
unless it had a 350 or some other engine conversion in it, what would an engine diagn. machice do for an f/2f anyway? Doesn't it need an ECU in it for one of those? It sure sounded stock.

 

[Felix]

When I read Andrew's (fjman) post, I took it as more of a question about why a good shop might have refused to work on his truck - not as "bashing" a vendor.

I think everyone that posts to this sub-forum would agree with your statement that the local cruiser community needs to focus on helping out people that are new to cruisers. As the recipient of much help within that last year, I think we're doing a better job at that.

. . .

On a side note - John, are you selling at the swap meet?

 

[kulangot]

I am not selling at this years swap meet. I have sold off the last of my parts, just a have a few that belong to a friend that I have posted.

I am not saying that the post was vendor bashing, but I could see how it would be taken that way.

Also, you guys have put together a better club. I am very pleased to see that. For a while, it was not going in that direction at no ones fault, the influx of new people is what it needed.

 

[fjman]

Sorry if it came across the wrong way but I really wasn't trying to bash the gas station. I figured if Max Powerzz was possibly needing his head gasket replaced, he was in a similar position as I was (was hoping it was just the gasket at that point) that day.
I told myself I was going to do all my repairs myself on the 60, other than the waterpump/radiator replacement I have kept pretty true to it. I didn't have the time or place to do that one myself. I got great help from a number of members in tuning and reassembling the head and proudly would help another cruiser owner do it themselves as well.

Didn't mean any offense if offense was taken! Can't wait for the swap meet.
Andrew

 

[fjman]

Oh, and welcome to the board!

 

[Max.Powerzz]

I'm hoping it's not the head gasket. There's no smoke coming out of the tail pipe or any sweet odors. Taking it in this weekend. Yates was very helpful and sounded like they knew what they were doing, but they are a bit pricey. I guess that's what happens when you use a good shop. I need to get a place with a driveway so I can do this myself! Dare to dream...

 

[Felix]

If they tell you it's a bad water pump (or something else that's easy to swap out), you're welcome to bring it over to my driveway. Order the parts from cruiserdan, and we could put in a new water pump in a couple hours.

Felix

 

[fjman]

I'll come help too. Since I didn't do it myself, it would be good to see it done and get some hands on experience!

 

[Max.Powerzz]

Thanks guys, I just might take you up on that. I only live 5 minutes from the dealership so I'll bring it by the club meeting this week. It will be good to meet you all (but keep your eyes open for an overheated 62 on the side of the road just in case!)

 

[Max.Powerzz]

Okay, you guys are great. After last week's club meeting it took 30 seconds for the guys in the club to see I had snapped a fan belt. I got the $25 belt today and it's working great! It does look like I have a little leak, but at least it's running nice and cool.