Make sure you include a fair markup for yourself. I think the list Wix price is more than fair, wouldn't you agree?
What are you working on today?
- Thread starter Amkeer
- Start date
Playing with some new toys
Reflashed the Camry, for absolutely no reason other than I could
Wouldn't work with the Launch or Autel J box, the Bosch worked first try
Yet the Bosch won't work with Techstream
Found an online cache with TLS CUW files, because I'm not paying for GTS+
Takes quite a while on the older vehicles, make sure you've got a power supply on the battery
Reflashed the Camry, for absolutely no reason other than I could
Wouldn't work with the Launch or Autel J box, the Bosch worked first try
Yet the Bosch won't work with Techstream
Found an online cache with TLS CUW files, because I'm not paying for GTS+
Takes quite a while on the older vehicles, make sure you've got a power supply on the battery
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
My wife would ask me to pay her the savings. Wife logic is...Make sure you include a fair markup for yourself. I think the list Wix price is more than fair, wouldn't you agree?
I try not to confuse mine with too many details.My wife would ask me to pay her the savings. Wife logic is...
The concept of Don't ask, Don't tell should be part of all pre-marriage counseling programs... at least for husbands.
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Took a brief break from the cold and worked on a few things. Tried to narrow down which wheel bearing is making noise on the 200 Escape. Its driver side so I tore the front down but the new bearing is still smooth with no play. The rear is much harder to diagnose as I would have to drop the diff to get the half shaft out. As best as I could tell, there was no play and no discernable roughness. I think I will end up replacing the rear anyway, then I can do the axle seals at the same time.
What I found was the rear driver side flex line is not looking good. There were deep cracks near the fittings, much more than trivial. Its not leaking but I grounded the vehicle until its repaired.
I also got the third sled up and running for the season. I drew fuel up to and then through the pump. They usually dry out over the summer and stick. After a several hour soak and priming the primer, she runs like a top.
What I found was the rear driver side flex line is not looking good. There were deep cracks near the fittings, much more than trivial. Its not leaking but I grounded the vehicle until its repaired.
I also got the third sled up and running for the season. I drew fuel up to and then through the pump. They usually dry out over the summer and stick. After a several hour soak and priming the primer, she runs like a top.
I recently replaced all the flex hoses on my nephew's 05 Escape. Every single one was in really bad shape. It seems to me that they are designed to be too short.
It's still working for now and I'm too busy to deal with it if it's not the squeaky wheel. But I will NOT replace it again. Next time I'll try running without it.
The whole design has all the qualities auto makers love and I despise:
1) difficult to service -- why do I need to pull a fender to get to a tiny battery??
2) expensive (relative to the size of said tiny battery)
3) seemingly completely unnecessary -- we know from results based on the Pacifica
4) adds complexity with "if/then" monitors of the AUX14, and one bad batt can destroy BOTH
Finished out the week getting halfway through with a large link bar order. I'll finish it Monday. I've got another batch of hydro boost units to work on next week following the bar order. Today I'm going to cut more wood. Sunday I'm going to get a nice fire going in the fireplace and not venture outside. High of 32 low of 16, bitterly frigid down here.
Worked on mom’s 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5L. CEL came on the other day, hooked up my scan tool and fuel trims were all out of whack. It did this once before and it was a bad wide-band O2 sensor. The car burns some oil (like most other FB25s), and I’m guessing it’s just fouling the sensors. Bought a new Denso sensor and installed it, CEL went out almost immediately and fuel trims look normal now.
Also put new rotors and Akebono pads on the rear. Pads weren’t down to metal but friction material was paper thin. Front brakes still look good. Sprayed some Fluid Film on the rear subframe while I was underneath. Body still looks good but the suspension and subframe are getting a bit crusty. Sort of expected for an 11 year old car with 160k miles in the rust belt.
Also put new rotors and Akebono pads on the rear. Pads weren’t down to metal but friction material was paper thin. Front brakes still look good. Sprayed some Fluid Film on the rear subframe while I was underneath. Body still looks good but the suspension and subframe are getting a bit crusty. Sort of expected for an 11 year old car with 160k miles in the rust belt.
Get that thing in the air, all four wheels, in 4wd if you have it, idling in drive. Reach above each spinning tire and put your hand on the strut spring. A bad wheel bearing will create a resonance you can feel.
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Been tinkering with a new yard plow truck, 1990 Bronco II. I've already plowed snow with it and while it was a champ the brakes weren't great. In fact standing on the rock-hard pedal barely slowed it down. Previous owner was an absolute idiot so I eventually questioned everything. I knew one port was blocked on the master cylinder so it was front-brakes only, but then discovered he was running the fronts off the rear port. Switched that around and now it locks up the front axle, and does the most amazing burnouts in 2wd.
Other highlights of this
truck:
-- Paid $500
-- It wasn't running when I got it because it had a flat battery. Boosted it and it started right up. They changed the alternator (thanks!) but never charged the battery.
-- Wipers didn't work because of a bad ground. Ground wire was clamped in with the wiper motor mounting bolts and the rubber sound insulators. I found that dumb and just ran a self-tapper right to the firewall.
-- Rear leaf springs are held in with hopes and prayers. Now one's also held in with a period correct Ranger shackle, 1/10 the price of a Bronco II item. What's the difference? 1/2 inch of clearance, so I shimmed that thing out and called it good 'nuf.
-- Wasn't sure about the 4wd so I took the front hubs apart and welded everything together. It has this system where when you demand 4wd and the wheel spins, some plastic cams shove some stuff around in the hubs and they eventually click in and out. I don't have a lot of driveway nor patience for this.
-- There were acorns EVERYWHERE. In the glove box. Center console. Air filter box. HVAC squirrel cage fan and duct. Behind the heater core. This thing has the EASIEST in the world heater core to R&R. Put my gloves on and removed copious messes.
Photo of the day I bought it:
Photo of some mouse carnage:
Other highlights of this
truck:-- Paid $500
-- It wasn't running when I got it because it had a flat battery. Boosted it and it started right up. They changed the alternator (thanks!) but never charged the battery.
-- Wipers didn't work because of a bad ground. Ground wire was clamped in with the wiper motor mounting bolts and the rubber sound insulators. I found that dumb and just ran a self-tapper right to the firewall.
-- Rear leaf springs are held in with hopes and prayers. Now one's also held in with a period correct Ranger shackle, 1/10 the price of a Bronco II item. What's the difference? 1/2 inch of clearance, so I shimmed that thing out and called it good 'nuf.
-- Wasn't sure about the 4wd so I took the front hubs apart and welded everything together. It has this system where when you demand 4wd and the wheel spins, some plastic cams shove some stuff around in the hubs and they eventually click in and out. I don't have a lot of driveway nor patience for this.
-- There were acorns EVERYWHERE. In the glove box. Center console. Air filter box. HVAC squirrel cage fan and duct. Behind the heater core. This thing has the EASIEST in the world heater core to R&R. Put my gloves on and removed copious messes.
Photo of the day I bought it:
Photo of some mouse carnage:
Neat find, certainly more than $500 use in it if it runs and goes. Looks like a lot of plow hanging off the front of it!Been tinkering with a new yard plow truck, 1990 Bronco II. I've already plowed snow with it and while it was a champ the brakes weren't great. In fact standing on the rock-hard pedal barely slowed it down. Previous owner was an absolute idiot so I eventually questioned everything. I knew one port was blocked on the master cylinder so it was front-brakes only, but then discovered he was running the fronts off the rear port. Switched that around and now it locks up the front axle, and does the most amazing burnouts in 2wd.
Other highlights of this
-- Paid $500
-- It wasn't running when I got it because it had a flat battery. Boosted it and it started right up. They changed the alternator (thanks!) but never charged the battery.
-- Wipers didn't work because of a bad ground. Ground wire was clamped in with the wiper motor mounting bolts and the rubber sound insulators. I found that dumb and just ran a self-tapper right to the firewall.
-- Rear leaf springs are held in with hopes and prayers. Now one's also held in with a period correct Ranger shackle, 1/10 the price of a Bronco II item. What's the difference? 1/2 inch of clearance, so I shimmed that thing out and called it good 'nuf.
-- Wasn't sure about the 4wd so I took the front hubs apart and welded everything together. It has this system where when you demand 4wd and the wheel spins, some plastic cams shove some stuff around in the hubs and they eventually click in and out. I don't have a lot of driveway nor patience for this.
-- There were acorns EVERYWHERE. In the glove box. Center console. Air filter box. HVAC squirrel cage fan and duct. Behind the heater core. This thing has the EASIEST in the world heater core to R&R. Put my gloves on and removed copious messes.
Photo of the day I bought it: View attachment 314643
Photo of some mouse carnage:
View attachment 314646
Did some repairs and a full tune up on a friends 24” craftsman snowblower with a Tecumseh engine. It’s an older unit, guessing mid 90’s vintage. Trying to make it last a couple more years.
-put some slime in the tires and aired em up.
-Oil change
-New spark plug
-Took the carb off and cleaned it thoroughly
-Made a new scraper bar from a piece of $13 1/8” flat stock from Menards (since a replacement was like a week and a half for delivery and cost $45 + shipping)
Lined up the carriage bolt holes and made a mark with a sharpie and put some holes in it.
Starts in one pull now and really flings the snow!
-put some slime in the tires and aired em up.
-Oil change
-New spark plug
-Took the carb off and cleaned it thoroughly
-Made a new scraper bar from a piece of $13 1/8” flat stock from Menards (since a replacement was like a week and a half for delivery and cost $45 + shipping
)Lined up the carriage bolt holes and made a mark with a sharpie and put some holes in it.
Starts in one pull now and really flings the snow!
Haven’t posted in this thread in a while.
Added a full length bed/roof rack to the Tacoma, and a smaller rooftop tent. The little truck wears it well, and by using the higher rack the bed is still usable. The rear sags a little with the load (it’s really not that much) but it rides 3x better. I’ve got a 1/2” rear spring spacer which might get installed if I decide this thing will stay up there. In theory, it goes on and off easily, but in practice it’s a bunch of small fasteners in tight spaces and 160pounds to lift on and off, so not convenient at all.
Tapped the lines, added an exterior plug, and put a 3rd brake light on the rear of the rack for safety. (Yes found one that claims fmvss-108 - and it seems to throw more light back than the oem unit).
My friend’s Camry has brake squealing. Sigh. I did the work and used akebono proACT pads, specifically because they tend to be squeak free. I’ll look at the car in a week or two, not sure what I’ll do since i installed them with the grease and anti-squeal goop already. The previous brakes came from a budget shop with “lifetime warranty” and I’m curious about the rotors they installed - they were still “new” when I changed the pads (they were awful, the car simply didn’t want to stop with them, at all), and used a belt sander to rough up the rotors for a new bedding surface. May pick up a pair of quietcast rotors and go with them.
Added a full length bed/roof rack to the Tacoma, and a smaller rooftop tent. The little truck wears it well, and by using the higher rack the bed is still usable. The rear sags a little with the load (it’s really not that much) but it rides 3x better. I’ve got a 1/2” rear spring spacer which might get installed if I decide this thing will stay up there. In theory, it goes on and off easily, but in practice it’s a bunch of small fasteners in tight spaces and 160pounds to lift on and off, so not convenient at all.
Tapped the lines, added an exterior plug, and put a 3rd brake light on the rear of the rack for safety. (Yes found one that claims fmvss-108 - and it seems to throw more light back than the oem unit).
My friend’s Camry has brake squealing. Sigh. I did the work and used akebono proACT pads, specifically because they tend to be squeak free. I’ll look at the car in a week or two, not sure what I’ll do since i installed them with the grease and anti-squeal goop already. The previous brakes came from a budget shop with “lifetime warranty” and I’m curious about the rotors they installed - they were still “new” when I changed the pads (they were awful, the car simply didn’t want to stop with them, at all), and used a belt sander to rough up the rotors for a new bedding surface. May pick up a pair of quietcast rotors and go with them.
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2004 Volvo S60, 112.5k, New car, purchased Friday December 12
Power Steering: CHF 202, K&J 23 lb neodymium magnets in reservoir
Manual Transmission: HPL 75W 6.3 cst, Votex M18x1.5 magnetic drain plugs
CRC HD Marine Wax sprayed everywhere.
Power Steering: CHF 202, K&J 23 lb neodymium magnets in reservoir
Manual Transmission: HPL 75W 6.3 cst, Votex M18x1.5 magnetic drain plugs
CRC HD Marine Wax sprayed everywhere.
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Performed a transmission fluid drain and refill on my 2017 Focus with the 6speed DCT. Over the last few weeks, I started to get a grind/crunch sound during downshift in the first mile or so after sitting overnight. Read it's probably the synchros getting bad. My last ditch effort before getting a professional diagnosis was to use the AC Delco synchromax with friction modifiers. First trip out, no grinding, but I'll feel better after a few weeks of no grinding. Fingers crossed...
Does it have the latest TCM and software revision?
How many miles on it?
Now there's a rare bird!