Car Talk #2413: Harvard's Investment in Car Dealerships & Aviation Engine Troubles

Harvard's Unusual Investment

• 💡 Harvard University, through its endowment, has become a principal investor in United Auto Group, a company that owns 39 car dealerships.
• 🎯 This raises questions about the implications of a major academic institution engaging in car sales, with humorous speculation about new sociology classes and admissions policies.

Aircraft Engine Troubleshooting

• ✈️ A caller, Mort, describes a problem starting a Piper Saratoga airplane's Lycoming engine when it's hot, after it starts easily when cold.
• ⚠️ The suspected issue is fuel injector dripping, potentially flooding the engine, a common problem in carbureted vehicles.
• 🛠️ The advice given is to check for dripping injectors when the engine is hot and consider if the fuel distributor or injectors themselves are faulty.

Jeep Cherokee Transmission Noise

• 🚗 Deborah calls about a 1995 Jeep Cherokee with a persistent, horrible noise that started after two months of ownership.
• 🔊 The noise is present constantly when the engine is running, but disappears when the clutch is pressed, indicating a problem within the transmission.
• 🧐 The dealership's claim that the noise is normal is disputed, and the advice is to seek a second opinion from a transmission shop.

Clutch System Failure

• ⚙️ Chris reports a problem with his 1988 Toyota MR2 supercharged clutch, where it initially wouldn't disengage fully but now won't disengage at all.
• 💥 The diagnosis points to the driven disc of the clutch coming apart, a common issue with high mileage (142,000 miles on the original clutch).
• 🔧 The recommendation is to replace the entire clutch assembly, as the transmission will need to be removed anyway.

Puzzler: The Falling Gas Tank

• 🧩 The puzzler involves a 1965 Dodge Dart driving at 90 mph on a gravel road when a loud noise and bounce occurred, followed by an object tumbling behind the car.
• ⛽ The solution revealed that the straps holding the gas tank broke, causing the tank to fall out, but the car continued to run on residual fuel in the lines and carburetor.
• 🏆 The winner, Gail Scandridge, correctly identified the falling gas tank as the cause.