What are you working on today?

[Creekside]

Not much progress on the little Mack the last few days. I’ve been covered up with dump truck work and we are migrating to a new CMMS system at work and one other guy plus myself are running the show.

I got the new tires mounted on the refinished wheels this week and back on the truck today. My exhaust stack arrived from Amazon and I was able to get it installed tonight, have to custom build one bracket tomorrow. Also changed all the cab marker lights out. Only one worked and it was full of gunk and was dim.

 

[D60]

Finally finished the '99 Ram 1500. Primary complaint was no/poor heat due to clogged heater core. Last year I flushed/backflushed (repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat) for her, but it didn't last.

At some point someone put what seems like a TON of stop leak in this system. She wanted me to replace the heater core......but the whole cooling system became a rabbit hole due to the stop leak.

I felt it only prudent to replace the OEM radiator due to 1) age and 2) fear that stop leak trapped in rad could migrate to new heater core.

I also noticed thermostat seemed to be stuck open, so new t-stat.

AND timing cover gasket was of course leaking. I took this photo after pulling water pump but all this was not from wp removal but is the timing cover leak:

Then, might as well replace water pump since it's off (and riddled with stop leak). And I just can't leave an OEM timing chain in there when it's staring me in the face. Literally one bolt allows replacement of the timing set once you're this far. This is the third one I've done and I've always used the Cloyes double roller. Not sure if it's a good idea, but it's actually less expensive and it works fine (shrug).

Note that stop leak rimming the t-stat hole

Old balancer was grooved and I'm unwilling to chance a sleeve, so new balancer (updated to one-piece unit)

New upper and lower rad hoses

Removed shim from a/c clutch to get compressor working again.

New front shocks

New plugs, cap & rotor to cure misfire codes -- old copper plugs were at .060"

New air filter to replace VERY dirty unit dated (handwritten) 2016

 

[ripcord]

Finally finished the '99 Ram 1500. Primary complaint was no/poor heat due to clogged heater core. Last year I flushed/backflushed (repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat) for her, but it didn't last.

At some point someone put what seems like a TON of stop leak in this system. She wanted me to replace the heater core......but the whole cooling system became a rabbit hole due to the stop leak.

I felt it only prudent to replace the OEM radiator due to 1) age and 2) fear that stop leak trapped in rad could migrate to new heater core.

I also noticed thermostat seemed to be stuck open, so new t-stat.

AND timing cover gasket was of course leaking. I took this photo after pulling water pump but all this was not from wp removal but is the timing cover leak:
View attachment 214167
Then, might as well replace water pump since it's off (and riddled with stop leak). And I just can't leave an OEM timing chain in there when it's staring me in the face. Literally one bolt allows replacement of the timing set once you're this far. This is the third one I've done and I've always used the Cloyes double roller. Not sure if it's a good idea, but it's actually less expensive and it works fine (shrug).

Note that stop leak rimming the t-stat hole
View attachment 214166
Old balancer was grooved and I'm unwilling to chance a sleeve, so new balancer (updated to one-piece unit)

New upper and lower rad hoses

Removed shim from a/c clutch to get compressor working again.

New front shocks

New plugs, cap & rotor to cure misfire codes -- old copper plugs were at .060"

New air filter to replace VERY dirty unit dated (handwritten) 2016

 

[Kennedy01]

Neighbor brought over a 2002 Ford Crown Victoria for an oil change, tire rotation and front brake pads. I did that while running the 66 mustang brake drums on the lathe.

 

[supton]

Are you twisting the piston back? Because it is a twist back style. Just making sure you aren’t trying to push it back. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone use service mode and haven’t had any problems.

Got the brakes done yesterday. The service mode for the electronic parking brake didn't work properly, or more likely, I didn't do my bit properly. Regardless: applied 12V, got the darn thing disengaged, was able to press the pistons back in. Done.

I think the prior years had a manual e brake and those have to be twisted in. Everything I have seen foe EPB says to push, and they did not push hard.

 

[Randy_R]

Swapping the Weather Tech mats for original carpet mats. Snow blower and shovels put away and I have mowed twice.

 

[Eddie]

Check the oil level and tire pressures. Go for a nice ride down by the river and enjoy my 2022 CX5

 

[wander2039]

interesting, i was going to say LS water pumps are pretty reliable if coolant is changed every couple of years. i wonder if the crack came from an imperfection in the pump and finally cracked over time.

Kinda looks like it was coming from that line but maybe it was the end cap.

 

[Sedin26]

Replaced the front sway bar links and bushings on the 2005 CRV. None of the bolts or nuts would budge so for the links I cut them with the Sawzall and then used a grinder to get the rest off. The bushing bolts responded very well to a bit of heat. Whereas it was loudly clunking before this, it is now quiet going over bumps and when doing turns that previously made clunks/rattles.
The nuts that came with one of the Honda Sway Bar links wouldn't thread onto the bolt. I couldn't get them to go. The metric tap and die set was at dad's place so I went to Canadian Tire and grabbed a few generic nuts to get me going temporarily and then went to get the tap and die so I could try to fix the threads in the brand new Honda nuts. Worked well.

 

[Method]

Cleaning out the garage a bit

 

[wander2039]

Replaced the tailgate handle and passenger side window switch in my dad’s Spark. Involved a trip to probably the worse PNP in the KC area.

 

[meep]

The 15 CRV is starting to stumble around 2300 rpm if you step on it. No stored codes. 85k on it, so I’ve ordered new plugs and plug seals. Realized the f150 also has original plugs and 65k. It may be early on both, depending on who you ask, but it may also be past time on the ford. I’m surprised by the increase in plug pricing. Rock auto for the win. autozone, even with the online discount wanted the equivalent of a new iPad for essentially 2 sets of decent spark plugs.

CRV may be looking at a new coil, but with no codes thrown I won’t know unless there’s some visual damage.

- - - -

Me and a buddy helped another friend clear out enough belongings and garbage to stack a dump trailer double high. When we left, he could pull his car back into his garage, something I’m not sure he’s ever been able to do. Meant a lot to be part of it.

 

[Donald]

I changed the oil in my wife's Crosstrek at 21554 miles. It's got a Fumoto valve but I need figure out a way to flip the lever to drain the oil without getting hot oil on my hand.

 

[michaelluscher]

Knocked out a quick overdue OCI on a 2011 2.4 Theta II Sonata

Motor Medic idle flush, screw in a B/A PCV valve, on went a PG OE H/K filter and 5.5qts of Castrol Edge 10w30
It's a moderate burner, so as long as it has

It's cousin, a 2017 Optima pulled in for garbage HID kit removal, I cut down some 9011s to go where the OE 9005 low beams would go
Not to the owners liking, but better than the no lights he had when he rolled up
+4qts of said Castrol 10w30, because it's Theta II is a very heavy burner, I'm planning a piston soak and EPR idle flush to try and turn it around

 

[14Accent]

Noticed the battery terminals on our Kia were getting a little crusty, and once I peeked at the date code I knew why: C4! Napa Legend battery, so that should be March 2014. Unreal battery life for the Midwest. Quick hop to Walmart and she now has a shiny new Everstart Max with cleaned and sealed terminals. The Napa battery was a T5, book calls for a 121R but I stuck with the T5 as it fits perfectly and has 50 more CCA. Cost was the same: $149.84.

I grabbed a can of Rustoleum "Matte Metallic" paint while I was there and used it to refinish the OE hubcaps after giving them a good clean/rinse. The original paint was flaking off and looked terrible, so I knocked these out to give them dry time before they get installed with the summer wheels/tires.

 

[admzn]

Did the timing belt/water pump job on my Golf. Last time was in 2014, yikes! The pump was leaking, but stopped, the car had sat a lot. But the belt had some cracking on the backside.

 

[Creekside]

Tiller my grandparents garden with the 3 point tiller and did their neighbors too while I was there. Her little craftsman rider was giving her problems and determined the rubber flapper in the fuel cap fell apart and contaminated the fuel system. They had another rider with the same tank so I robbed it and put on a new fuel filter.

Took the little Mack out for a drive and the new steer tires were a huge improvement. There’s still work to do but I really felt like I’m gaining on it after running it tonight. Remember it didn’t see a highway for 15 years before I got it. It was just a lot truck.

 

[D60]

She didn't pick up this '99 Ram today so I installed one of the tailgate torsion bars as a thank you. She's an elderly woman and I know this will help her. She's on a fixed income so she'd be unlikely to spring for this otherwise.

As always, the difference is dramatic and the tailgate now feels light as a feather

 

[wings&wheels]

Woke the old Triumph up for the Spring; topped up the carburetor oil pots, couple drops of machine oil in the distributor, few pumps of grease and finally located and installed an OE appearing green ignition lead set. Late TR's had green hoses and leads and quality green leads just weren't available until very recently. These are made in the UK and look nice, certainly comparable to the Kingsbornes I was running. Kingsborne is my go-to, but they do not make a green lead. They are in the boot, just in case. This car is original down to all of its functioning emissions controls.

 

[nthach]

Supposed to do taxes when I got home from the snow - got a call from the parents at a concert Friday night. Nope, a brake job after fixing a printer issue and a beer with a friend. Used Akebono pads, Chinesium rotors(DuraGo coated) from the local parts house. Yea, yea, shoulda gotten Duralast Gold/BrakeBest Select/WearEver Indian-made pads and their rotors - but $100/rotor for something that isn’t OEM/OES, I’ll pass.