What are you working on today?

[Kennedy01]

Quoting myself.....the day after the initial test drive it took some more coolant, maybe a quart or so. I told myself maybe that would help take care of a theoretical air pocket in the very high heater core, but no.

Results were exactly the same: decent heat once warmed up, decent heat 1/2 mile down my private road, but after 3-4 minutes on the highway it would go cold. Once it did this the heat would not return at any speed or idle, UNLESS I shut it off for several minutes and restarted, at which point everything repeats.

Radiator is blocked by cardboard (the owner did this) and cooling system is staying around 192 thanks to a new thermostat.

When heat would vanish the HC input hose was hot, outlet was barely warm to the touch. Thus I was certain I had an air pocket or restricted HC. I pulled the return hose at the wp and the flow seemed low, although I never found time to pull the HC supply to contrast.

SOOOOO, I pulled both hoses again. I flushed the HC with CLR (which, apparently, isn't good for Al or brass but I still left it in there for 10-15 minutes) and then with soapy water numerous times,, then with clean water numerous times.

So far, success! I was able to complete a reasonable test drive with good heat for the entire time. I know the cooling system still has a lot of Stop Leak hiding, so the HC may yet clog up again at which point I'm going to tell her the best bet is a new rad, new HC, and flush the block again

I did watch a YT vid about a product called Thoro Flush which is allegedly superior to the run of the mill rad flushes.

@Kennedy01

I had forgotten you'd said the system had stop leak in it when I commented on your post. Glad you got heat going. Hopefully you can avoid replacing the heater core. I imagine on a '99 Ram you'll have to have a few five gallon buckets to collect all the pieces of the dash.

 

[D60]

My buddy (who is ultra broke and can't afford to pay a tire shop) was using my HF tire machine to dismount 38's and mount 35's. The upper tube ripped out, but in its defense this poor machine has been used hard over the years.

It really needs an entire new plate fabricated but I didn't have time, so I laid a fat bead -- fighting poor fit-up where it tore and Chinese paint weld porosity -- and told him I hope it holds for today

There's nothing like lead paint fumes in the morning!

 

[Delta]

This was supposed to be an easy job on the Subaru today...

Simple oil change, normally not dramatic...

So this plastic cover does not need to come off, but here we are...

Dealer massively over tightened the drain plug. I felt it wasn't going to be easy with just a 14mm 3/8 socket and extension. Took the shield off to get better access. Put a 1/2" drive 14mm and 12" ratchet on it. This was the result...

Instantly stripped with all the force I had on there. Instead of fumbling around with it more, I put the shield on and set up a time tomorrow to the same dealer that did the previous service. Told them I wanted to use my oil and filter and I already have the new plug. They'll probably balk at the idea of 5w30.

I also know why now that Subaru updated the drain plug to be a 17mm head now.

Solution to this was the dealer took care of removing the old plug and they used my oil/filter combo. Free of charge. Advisor said they looked up the person who did it last and apparently they liked to put them on tight. They are no longer employed by this Subaru dealer

This dealer has taken care of stuff on this car before with no issues. Seem to be a good dealer. The tech also put the remaining 1/4 quart of oil that was in the jug in the front floor board for me. Thought that was nice, normally they just toss it.

 

[Kennedy01]

1978 Buick Park Avenue
Replaced front brake rotors, pads, calipers and hoses, replaced rear brake hose, cleaned and adjusted rear brakes, changed oil replaced air filter

1998 Ford Mustang V6
Started helping my neighbor fix his granddaughter's driveway culvert jumping escapade...will be getting a used engine cradle, used passenger side spindle, new passenger lower control arm assembly, new radiator, we'll port-a-power the lower radiator support back straight enough to hold a new radiator, a set of front brake pads and we'll change the oil while it's on the lift

 

[Kennedy01]

Finished everything on the mustang today, ready for an alignment. Ended up replacing the left lower control arm assembly as well as the ball joint was loose and the dust boot was completely gone. I'm beat.

 

[michaelluscher]

Got the Camry inspected, took two tries
I had it washed at the car wash next to my shop as a courtesy to those who have to work on it
The water must've gotten to the passenger side Morimoto HID setup, taking it out
They call me a few hours later, I go pay my $37, drive around the block to the Taqueria, un&replug the passenger headlight connectors, boom there's the light
I roll back in about 3 minutes later, they're quite confused
They took it back inside, inspected again (didn't even charge me the reinspect fee ) and I'm street legal again
...it's only been expired since January

If I sell it in the next 1-3 months as I planned, a fresh(ish) inspection is always a good selling point

People like long inspections, heat & A/C, and newish tires

 

[Tomioka]

Just for giggles I used a battery tester on the triple battery setup on the flatbed. 2395 cold cranking amps.

 

[michaelluscher]

No more heated washer fluid for me
It was a good 7 year run

 

[spasm3]

Find a black vacuum fitting that will fit in there. With it dry, try jb weld expoxy. Coat the whole thing and insert it.

 

[spasm3]

Moved my metal peg board to a different garage wall and added 2 more panels.
Btw. The magnetic harbor freight tool box accessories will stick to it, i.e. spray can holder.

 

[Kennedy01]

1995 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Replaced fuel pump and fuel filter

2010 Chevrolet Impala
Replaced front brake rotors and pads, changed oil

 

[Hermann]

My health again, took a 22 min walk. 70% cardio 90% fat burn . 115 avg beats per minute. Peak rate 134 bpm on the 4 uphill stretches .

 

[BrianF]

Oil change in my rusted out 2005 Grand Caravan. Then replaced a tail light that shed its lens some time back. Swapped in a junkyard find. Now she's legal....ugly but legal.

 

[clinebarger]

2012 Dodge Ram 5500 6.7L Cummins/Aisin AS68RC.
Complaint of the Trans not shifting, Random crank-no start, Cluster goes dead, Exhaust brake activates by itself randomly.
Had a bunch of DTC's, Mostly U codes for communication between modules, But U0001 "Can Bus C" was a reoccurring theme.
Just so happen to see a harness rubbing on the Trans Dipstick Tube & the split loom had rotted off, Found a needle sized rub through spot on one of the twisted pair of Can Bus circuits.....And the Dipstick Tube has the paint worn through causing a intermittent short to ground. Taped it up good & secured the harness where it no longer rubs on anything, Less than a hour in this one.....Wish they were all that easy!!!

1999 Chevy C1500 (GMT800) 5.3L/4L60E.
No 3rd or 4th gear, Pulled the trans & tore it down......There might be 4 parts that are reusable in the entire unit, Just worn smooth out!!
I'll tear down a core in the mourning. A storm rolled through preventing me from getting a core out of my Conex.


Building a 9" Ford differential for my dads '72 Olds Cutlass with a '17 6.2L LT1/8L90E.
Has a BOP 8.2" in it now with 3.73 gears. With relatively short 26" tires & the 8L90E's 4.56 1st gear ratio.....It will boil the rear tires off at will & the TCM likes to freak out & either shift way to early or too late.
2 series posi carriers for 8.2" BOP diffs are impossible to find used & no one makes a new one, While it's stronger than a GM Corporate 8.2".....It's still on the weak side.
My dad is a Ford hater through & through, So I recommended a Corporate 12-Bolt as used 2.73 gears a readily, But a 2 series Posi Carrier.....Not so much.
I finally beat him down by talking smack every other day about how the Ford 9" has no carrier breaks & the ONLY stronger differential put in passenger cars was a Dana 60 & the highest ratio available for them was a 3.07 which are also near impossible to find .

Found a complete 9" differential out of a 1979 Lincoln Versailles with factory disc brakes & 2.47 gears. Having Quick Performance build a new housing to fit this A-Body & supply some 31 Spline Axles.
*Yukon 31 Spline Trac-Loc posi carrier.
*Strange Daytona Pinion Support.
*Couldn't find a kit with Daytona Pinion Bearings & seal along with 2.892" carrier bearings, So I bought a kit with 3.250" carrier bearings & have 2.892" bearings ordered.
*Yukon 1310 Yoke.
*Yukon Crush Sleeve Eliminator.

I tried checking the Pinion Depth before removing the Pinion & Support cause I really want to get these gear right back where the were as the pattern is perfect. If I was reusing the original small bearing Pinion Support.....I could reuse the factory shim with confidence.
Must of got 14 different depth measurements before I caught on that the end of pinion was not flat (Not even close)
Chucked the Pinion on my lathe & trued up the pinion end.....Reassembled the pinion back into the original support & was able to get a repeatable depth measurement.
In my defense.....I'm used to aftermarket gears with machined pinion ends & the recommended depth stenciled on the pinion.

I got the Pinion & Support fully assembled with near perfect bearing preload which takes some time shimming .002" at a time.

 

[wander2039]

Well not today but all week. Need to redo the shower walls since they just put wallpaper up, cheap model. Put some Duckcoat from Menards up for now. Yeah I know I'm a terrible painter. Shipping is killer for actual surround. High VOC probably shouldnt of before a trip! Added a extend a shower after I added one to my shower upstairs. Luxury I tell ya

 

[JustN89]

S-VCM Controller and new PCV valve installed on the RDX. Oil change will soon follow (possibly Sunday- looks like it will be a warmer day).

 

[Kennedy01]

1990 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Removed transmission for a rebuild. Might have it back end of next week

2001 Dodge Dakota 3.9 V6
Replaced spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and rotor button, replaced air filter and changed oil

 

[AutoMechanic]

Well a few days ago now. But I’m taking it all apart today. I’m sure some of you remember how I was struggling to get the belt back on after the new water pump install on the 2004 Camry. Well finally got it on. Lasted about a week and we were out going to dinner and the engine was making a horrible knocking noise we thought it was out of oil as it uses oil so checked the oil, oil was good. Didn’t see anything out of the ordinary so we headed home instead of dinner then about 300 feet from the drive way it sounded like it shot a rod and shut off. Well we were able to coast it home.

I reached out to a member here who was able to help me out and help me figure out a trick to get the belt on easier next time as well. And talked to the Toyota guys at work one guy knew exactly what I did. He said you left the pulley too loose because of tight access it’s easy to do. I didn’t get it as tight as it should have been with the wrench. He said use a low profile socket and orange loctite. Orange is high strength but removable with hand tools. He also told me to get the pulley holding tool to insure I get them tight enough this time don’t use a wrench and blue loctite like I did here. Three out of the 4 bolts sheared off but the fourth is stretched and probably will have to be drilled out if it snaps. I’ve done so many of these pumps and belts and never had an issue except trying to get the belt on. I’m just glad this time that this wasn’t a customers car. I would of hated to have this happen to a customer. But we learn from our mistakes. I ordered all new Toyota parts, belt, bolts and pulley. I have a tensioner too but it appears the engine has to be lifted to do the tensioner so I may wait on that. I was glad to have the knowledge of our member here and the Toyota guy I asked be able to help me figure out what happened. The concerning thing is when we opened the hood to take these pictures the alternator was glowing red and I had to let it cool down. I’m thinking the belt may have froze or something and caused it to get hot. The engine never got hot I guess cause it shut off when the belt snapped. I’m getting ready to take it apart now. Hopefully I don’t have to drill the bolts out of the water pump.

 

[SaberOne]

Time to quiet things down…

 

[wander2039]

Fiddled with the ignition on the Focus. Key got stuck years ago and don't remember what I did but you can pull the key out all the time now, no issue since it wouldn't start without chip. Think the rod for the actual switch was twisted back a bit so twisted it forward a little. Seems better I'll let the wife break it. Cleaned the IAC although I realized the Iac didn't have a gasket.. hmm where'd that go? Who knows how long it's been gone. Had one in a gasket kit.

Washed the outside of the RV with Dawn. Going to strip the wax off tomorrow and rewax. Took a Mr Clean eraser to the trim. Wiped down the inside.. amazing how dirty it got in a year.