What are you working on today?
- Thread starter Amkeer
- Start date
Been busy with lots of different maintenance items:
1. The brake lines are all done on the 65 F-100 and took the truck out for the first time in over a year. Drives well with the new front suspension and brakes easier with the power booster and my confidence level is higher with the dual master.
2. Th truck is draining it's coolant right now for a change.
3. Started work on rebuilding the rear suspension of the 91 626. All six lateral and forward control arms have been replaced along with sway bar bushings. What is left are the new struts and rear flexible brake hoses.
4. Started work on the rear brakes of the Focus. **** if one of my lug nuts wasn't put on and cross threaded when I got new tires. I had to snap it off and that means new drums. New drums means new bearings and new seals in my book to go along with new shoes. Will press the bearings in using the 50 ton press in the machine shop on board the USS Hornet tomorrow. No one ever places my lug nuts on ever again other than me.
5. Before pressing them in I first need to install two windows in Pri-Fly. Laminated glass cracked so out came the assemble, took apart, deep cleaned the frames, primed with 2K epoxy, color coated with 2K SS urethane gray, had two pieces of glass put in at $837 with another $140 in sealant and stainless hardware. Those windows go it tomorrow after moving them up seven decks.
6. On going now and that is soaking the bolts to the driver's side exhaust manifold on my 410 as it has a crack. I don't need any bolts snapping off in the cylinder head.
1. The brake lines are all done on the 65 F-100 and took the truck out for the first time in over a year. Drives well with the new front suspension and brakes easier with the power booster and my confidence level is higher with the dual master.
2. Th truck is draining it's coolant right now for a change.
3. Started work on rebuilding the rear suspension of the 91 626. All six lateral and forward control arms have been replaced along with sway bar bushings. What is left are the new struts and rear flexible brake hoses.
4. Started work on the rear brakes of the Focus. **** if one of my lug nuts wasn't put on and cross threaded when I got new tires. I had to snap it off and that means new drums. New drums means new bearings and new seals in my book to go along with new shoes. Will press the bearings in using the 50 ton press in the machine shop on board the USS Hornet tomorrow. No one ever places my lug nuts on ever again other than me.
5. Before pressing them in I first need to install two windows in Pri-Fly. Laminated glass cracked so out came the assemble, took apart, deep cleaned the frames, primed with 2K epoxy, color coated with 2K SS urethane gray, had two pieces of glass put in at $837 with another $140 in sealant and stainless hardware. Those windows go it tomorrow after moving them up seven decks.
6. On going now and that is soaking the bolts to the driver's side exhaust manifold on my 410 as it has a crack. I don't need any bolts snapping off in the cylinder head.
^^^^I went WAY down a rabbit hole on the rear brakes of an '09 Focus several years ago......IIRC it was something with seals or wipers inboard of the bearing.
In the end it seemed to be a luck-of-the-draw random assembly thing where some cars got extra parts while others simply did not.
Basically just put it back together with exactly whatever it had when it came apart, and stay out of the rabbit hole.
In the end it seemed to be a luck-of-the-draw random assembly thing where some cars got extra parts while others simply did not.
Basically just put it back together with exactly whatever it had when it came apart, and stay out of the rabbit hole.
I've put 600hp at 6,500 RPM through Gen IV LSx Powder Rods reliably with ARP hardware, Though pushing them any further is outside my comfort zone!
I'm curious what the rev limiter is set at on this one, I know they were throwing more boost in the mix....Add some RPM & it's game over!
I'll read the current calibration before flashing in a stock calibration.
Got the heads back this mourning, All the exhaust valves showed signs of extreme EGT, Luckily my guy had a set of low mileage 5.8L valves after someone upgraded theirs. Didn't even charge me for the valves.
This guy (Robert) has built all my heads for last 15+ years, He's jumped Machine Shops a few times & I just follow him. He works for H&H Machine in Haltom City, Texas now & seems to like it there.
He worked for Wes's Automotive Machine for years 'til Wes the owner wanted to retire & sold the business to this tattooed 30 yo prick, He stayed about 6 months.....He straight up told me the guy was a hack.....Said he would continue to do good work while he was there. Came in on a Monday & found the new owner had attempted to do a valve job over the weekend, Breaking the valve grinding machine & seat cutting machine in the process. Robert quit on the spot & I don't blame him! Thankfully I had nothing there at the time.
Gave everyone the day off, It's been triple digits everyday for weeks now, Even though we're slammed....My guys need a couple days off from this heat.
Of coarse I had to work to keep the flow going.....Picked the GT500 heads from the machine shop, Then put some Oil Cooler Lines on a '14 Silverado 4x4 with a 4.3L V6, Couldn't find any service information for the V6.....Only the 5.3L V8 which states to drop the front differential down.
Don't need to do that on a V6 as the Filter & Cooler Lines are on the opposite side from a V8, The job is actually very easy!
Then I cleaned up around the shop, Caught up on paper work, Went to Sam's & bought some bottled water & 3 bundles of micro fiber towels for the shop.
Of coarse I had to work to keep the flow going.....Picked the GT500 heads from the machine shop, Then put some Oil Cooler Lines on a '14 Silverado 4x4 with a 4.3L V6, Couldn't find any service information for the V6.....Only the 5.3L V8 which states to drop the front differential down.
Don't need to do that on a V6 as the Filter & Cooler Lines are on the opposite side from a V8, The job is actually very easy!
Then I cleaned up around the shop, Caught up on paper work, Went to Sam's & bought some bottled water & 3 bundles of micro fiber towels for the shop.
I made my sister a double-layer cardboard window since someone broke her window. They also stole her radio.
Not the Corolla
It was the Corolla.Not the Corolla
CleanSump
Site Donor 2022
New Denso Iridium plugs in the X3's N52 NA engine. The BMW/NGK looked usable, but the gap had grown and tip worn.
Plus, one can't see if what's under the insulator is breaking down. There's more to a plug than the wire on the end.
Placebo measurement = faster start, smoother, a little better pickup, and the hesitation is gone.
Yes, Denso, American made with imported stuff, not NGK or Bosch. NGK is overpriced and the Bosch I looked at were made in Russia. Too many fakes reported out of Russia.
Plus, one can't see if what's under the insulator is breaking down. There's more to a plug than the wire on the end.
Placebo measurement = faster start, smoother, a little better pickup, and the hesitation is gone.
Yes, Denso, American made with imported stuff, not NGK or Bosch. NGK is overpriced and the Bosch I looked at were made in Russia. Too many fakes reported out of Russia.
What, no butt dyno measurement? Gain 5hp like a K&N??
Sam_Julier
$50 Site Donor 2024
Helped a buddy get his '88 Ranger running. He initially suspected fuel pump relay so he replaced it, but no joy.
I actually found a thread on Fixya -- the first time I've ever found useful info there -- that mentioned these EEC-IV vehicles sometimes developed a problem with the ECM not switching the ground for the relay. Sure enough, no ground was being provided, so we just wired directly to ground.
It still works as it should, it just means the pump won't shut off in the event of loss of tach signal with key on.
I actually found a thread on Fixya -- the first time I've ever found useful info there -- that mentioned these EEC-IV vehicles sometimes developed a problem with the ECM not switching the ground for the relay. Sure enough, no ground was being provided, so we just wired directly to ground.
It still works as it should, it just means the pump won't shut off in the event of loss of tach signal with key on.
I put in the 4th(?) garbage disposal since we bought our house 34 years ago. I could go with a more expensive unit but it's real easy to go back in with the same one. I've asked my wife to stop putting her worn out shoes in it.
Actually, she ground up some whole lemons with thick skins and that finished it off.
Actually, she ground up some whole lemons with thick skins and that finished it off.It doesn't look bonded in?
So it shouldn't be too hard to swap out
Cleaning up broken glass tho
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I actually got stalled on two tasks today. One, changing the oil/filter in the wife's 2018 Mazda 3. Have 14 5qt. containers of oil but not the full synthetic 5W-20 I use in her car. Did have four filters though. Need to stock for that car so now next weekend.
Got stumped on the Focus rear brakes. I had heard that the large nut for removing the drum was 30mm and then I heard 29mm. I have a 30 and it turns out to be 29. Duh, now time to buy a 29. At least I got the bearings installed. I can't believe these guys who bang it out on the garage floor and then starting banging a new one in. Rocks around too easily to take a chance. A press is so much safer and I can tell you that you can use the wheel to tighten but then you hit a point where you need the hydraulic press. Luckily I have the large machine shop to use and a really excellent machinist who is a jack of all trades. Made sure I did it right before heading down to Deck 4 where stupid ship's engineering blew out 1000 gallons of oil and a tank then wasn't pressuring up like it should.
Next weekend? Maybe, but there is my 2022 West Coast National Cougar show.
Got stumped on the Focus rear brakes. I had heard that the large nut for removing the drum was 30mm and then I heard 29mm. I have a 30 and it turns out to be 29. Duh, now time to buy a 29. At least I got the bearings installed. I can't believe these guys who bang it out on the garage floor and then starting banging a new one in. Rocks around too easily to take a chance. A press is so much safer and I can tell you that you can use the wheel to tighten but then you hit a point where you need the hydraulic press. Luckily I have the large machine shop to use and a really excellent machinist who is a jack of all trades. Made sure I did it right before heading down to Deck 4 where stupid ship's engineering blew out 1000 gallons of oil and a tank then wasn't pressuring up like it should.
Next weekend? Maybe, but there is my 2022 West Coast National Cougar show.
we changed oil in about 20 cars Saturday for local widows and wives of deployed soldiers; it was a very low number. i usually have a station to refinish headlights aka bitog style which includes, if they are really bad, sanding them down and painting with u-pol. Of course, I’ll do everything else first - less is more. I’ve been keeping notes on what they look like as they return, getting data on what works. Ideally, something simple and non invasive can be identified that others can do. 3m rubbing compound and mothers carnuba is looking like a possibility for the ones where previous owners tried a kit which now leaves them fogged and yellow every time. me and the person working with me worked on 5 vehicles, 1 of which got the full sand-to-paint treatment. Car had 2 bullet holes in it.
i try to rest on Sunday, but I ended up in the attic again. The house has been hot and I noted 2 weeks ago that the insulation had lots of gaps between batts. I moved some wood up for supports, put some old wheels up there out of the way, then spent an hour repositioning batts. I’m bald and can feel heat on the head… I think I can tell, while not big, some difference in the house. My attic reaches 140F right now, after the siding guy put up siding and unknowingly didn’t treat the soffit vents right. It’s a 2 story so I’m not thinking I’ll be re-cutting soffit vents myself. You’d think I’d save attic work for mild months, but I don’t notice issues during mild months.
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i try to rest on Sunday, but I ended up in the attic again. The house has been hot and I noted 2 weeks ago that the insulation had lots of gaps between batts. I moved some wood up for supports, put some old wheels up there out of the way, then spent an hour repositioning batts. I’m bald and can feel heat on the head… I think I can tell, while not big, some difference in the house. My attic reaches 140F right now, after the siding guy put up siding and unknowingly didn’t treat the soffit vents right. It’s a 2 story so I’m not thinking I’ll be re-cutting soffit vents myself. You’d think I’d save attic work for mild months, but I don’t notice issues during mild months.
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A private car just dropped off the oil I ordered from Walmart 3 1/2 hours ago. Not UPS, not FedEx, but a small Ford!
Hit 98 here in the Cities today, shop hit 94 last I checked around 1400. I didn't push myself, being a Monday in addition to the heat. Took care of a couple morning appointments: A/C check, noise at speed, A/C A/C A/C (you see the trend). Ended the day completing:
Rear wheel hub on a '12 Impreza. She fought a bit, as they do after living in the Midwest for 10 years.
FPDM on n '08 F150. Died in flight, crank no start and no codes. Checked the basics quick: inertia switch, codes, power to FPDM. All fine. Peeked through the spare wheel and I could clearly see the hole that had formed in the side of the OE module. Threw a Dorman kit at it and off she went.
A/C compressor on a 2nd gen MDX. Talk about easy! 20 minutes from belt off to belt on, plus a vacuum and recharge.
Recharge on a 32k actual mile 2007 Chevy Aveo. I kid you not, the thing looks brand new. It was barely down a quarter pound, a little less than a fifth of the 1.32lb system capacity.
Called it quits around 4, after a quick blower resistor diag on a '13 Sonata. That'll be an easy one to start tomorrow morning.
*EDIT* Stopped by a buddies after work, his newly purchased boat would crank and fire, stalling as soon as the key was released. I'm no boat mechanic, so I poked around a bit only to discover that the emergency kill switch had failed. In the start position, all the gauges would swing and the engine fired, only to lose all power when the key was released. Holding down the kill switch remedied the situation, should be an easy repair after a trip to the parts man.
Rear wheel hub on a '12 Impreza. She fought a bit, as they do after living in the Midwest for 10 years.
FPDM on n '08 F150. Died in flight, crank no start and no codes. Checked the basics quick: inertia switch, codes, power to FPDM. All fine. Peeked through the spare wheel and I could clearly see the hole that had formed in the side of the OE module. Threw a Dorman kit at it and off she went.
A/C compressor on a 2nd gen MDX. Talk about easy! 20 minutes from belt off to belt on, plus a vacuum and recharge.
Recharge on a 32k actual mile 2007 Chevy Aveo. I kid you not, the thing looks brand new. It was barely down a quarter pound, a little less than a fifth of the 1.32lb system capacity.
Called it quits around 4, after a quick blower resistor diag on a '13 Sonata. That'll be an easy one to start tomorrow morning.
*EDIT* Stopped by a buddies after work, his newly purchased boat would crank and fire, stalling as soon as the key was released. I'm no boat mechanic, so I poked around a bit only to discover that the emergency kill switch had failed. In the start position, all the gauges would swing and the engine fired, only to lose all power when the key was released. Holding down the kill switch remedied the situation, should be an easy repair after a trip to the parts man.
Double edit: Forgot the condenser replacement on a '17 Chevy Trax. Oofta!
^^^^I've been terrified of the Dorman FPDM's because.....Dorman. But I know you can't wait on OEM for every single part when working in a shop.
Today I fixed the notorious no-dash-vents on an '06 Expedition. Two rotting vac connections behind the battery.
Then my buddy called me about his '81 square body (K20). It had dropped out of gear 20 miles away and he wanted me to flat tow him. I had no desire to do that and he seemed to know it was transfer case so I told him to screw around with the lever until it found a range that made it go.
Of course, the vehicle settled on low range as the only acceptable option, but I still convinced him it was faster for him to drive home in low range than wait for me to get there and then strap him home (all true)
We put the truck on the lift and he yanked the t-case. We split it and confirmed what I expected to see: no range fork pads left and a severely worn range fork.
New range fork on order from Summit of all places (good price, reasonable shipping)
Also we needed a rear pinion yoke u-joint strap kit and I discovered it's nearly impossible to find from any of the listings by application. He needs a 331-10 or 45U0502 and I stumbled upon it by blind luck. All the listings insisted you need 1.660" bolt centers (even for 1350 caps) but from measuring his old straps I knew he needed 1.810" with relatively short 3/4" length bolts
Today I fixed the notorious no-dash-vents on an '06 Expedition. Two rotting vac connections behind the battery.
Then my buddy called me about his '81 square body (K20). It had dropped out of gear 20 miles away and he wanted me to flat tow him. I had no desire to do that and he seemed to know it was transfer case so I told him to screw around with the lever until it found a range that made it go.
Of course, the vehicle settled on low range as the only acceptable option, but I still convinced him it was faster for him to drive home in low range than wait for me to get there and then strap him home (all true)
We put the truck on the lift and he yanked the t-case. We split it and confirmed what I expected to see: no range fork pads left and a severely worn range fork.
New range fork on order from Summit of all places (good price, reasonable shipping)
Also we needed a rear pinion yoke u-joint strap kit and I discovered it's nearly impossible to find from any of the listings by application. He needs a 331-10 or 45U0502 and I stumbled upon it by blind luck. All the listings insisted you need 1.660" bolt centers (even for 1350 caps) but from measuring his old straps I knew he needed 1.810" with relatively short 3/4" length bolts
