What are you working on today?

2008 GMC 2500 LMM
-oil change
-replaced #6 glow plug
-replaced both t-stats w GM Genuine. I took the laziest (fastest) route possible and removed the bare minimum to lift the housing and squeeze them in and out:
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2014 Cherokee
-replaced headlight bulbs with LED from Precision LED. Went for a test drive at night and I'm really impressed. I just don't know if these aftermarket LEDs last. Seen here driver's headlamp LED, passenger not yet swapped:

edit: I did request their optional capacitors after reading several accounts of the lights cutting out without them. Apparently these are free but you have to KNOW to ask for them -- they're not even an option on the website you can check or buy.
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Yesterday

2007 Saturn Vue
Replaced rear wheel cylinders, cleaned and adjusted rear brakes.

Today

2009 Ford Ranger
Replaced passenger front wheel spindle, brake rotor, inner and outer wheel bearings, and brake caliper. Just finished it.
 
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2017 F250
Complaint: no air from, well, any vent position. Blower motor works and responds to speed changes.

The owner had also complained of rodent problems and I kinda suspected a clogged cabin air filter based on the symptoms.

So, uh, yeah:
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The amount I sucked from on top of cabin filter and what had fallen into blower motor filled my M18 Packout vac which claims 2.5 gal capacity:
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Condition of cabin air filter. It was dilapidated from so much weight on it and I think the mice were snacking in it, too, because....why not??
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clinebarger said:
Using the paper gasket seems to warp the thermostat housing, I just use 12600172 without the paper gasket.

When you stated O-ring I just assumed the early style with an actual O-ring.
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Got the new housing and put on…well the Murray equivalent 524KT. Had good luck with the last Murray so going to chance it. Going to let it set overnight before putting it all back together. So far dry.. Maybe the old housing was warped to the old pump? Guess see tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion!
 
Got the vibration isolaters and the motor mounted. Think there a bit excessive. Motor flops around more than it probably should. Used it for 20 minutes and does the job.. terribly but works lol. The predator 6.5 starts in the first pull and runs smooth! After I’m done might scrap the tiller and find another to put the motor on.
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Started bright and early today with a water pump replacement on our GC. The 2.5ish year old GMB (plastic impeller) started leaking at the shaft seal out of nowhere last weekend; at first the wife thought her installation was at fault (YouTube and I walked her through the first replacement at the time) but I must say that I found her previous work to be flawless.

I slapped another GMB on there because... Well just because. They're USUALLY decent, and on this application it's a 1.5 hour fix at the most if it goes again. At least this time it got an upgraded pump with the metal impeller.
 
14Accent said:
View attachment 232235

Started bright and early today with a water pump replacement on our GC. The 2.5ish year old GMB (plastic impeller) started leaking at the shaft seal out of nowhere last weekend; at first the wife thought her installation was at fault (YouTube and I walked her through the first replacement at the time) but I must say that I found her previous work to be flawless.

I slapped another GMB on there because... Well just because. They're USUALLY decent, and on this application it's a 1.5 hour fix at the most if it goes again. At least this time it got an upgraded pump with the metal impeller.
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I must say I'm impressed. You got your wife to turn a wrench? Mine wont even consider taking out the garbage.
 
ripcord said:
I must say I'm impressed. You got your wife to turn a wrench? Mine wont even consider taking out the garbage.
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It was before we were officially together and I still lived in the Cities. She's VERY independent and I talked her into doing the job herself. It was a good learning experience, and the repair was flawless up till now when the part failed.
 
14Accent said:
It was before we were officially together and I still lived in the Cities. She's VERY independent and I talked her into doing the job herself. It was a good learning experience, and the repair was flawless up till now when the part failed.
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Good work sir. Sounds like my lady, she was working on vehicles with her dad at age 9
 
Finished out the afternoon replacing the carb gaskets and installing the new exhaust on the '79. The carb spacer gaskets that were in place were just... Wrong. I ordered a set of Edelbrock gaskets that specifically work with their spread bore to square bore adapter, which made an immediate difference in the way the car idled. Tweaked the idle circuits with my vacuum gauge and she seems just about perfect.

In between this morning's water pump and the Cadillac, I took a look at our neighbors newly-acquired 2007 Jaguar XJ8VP that was throwing an air suspension error. Plugged in my Thinkdiag+ scanner and pulled a code for front height sensor circuit high. Threw the car on the lift and immediately found the problem: the front height sensor connector wasn't fully seated in the sensor body.

I removed the connector and hit it with a shot of Deoxit before plugging it back in securely. Clearing the code made the system happy, but I could NOT get the front height down. It was sitting 3.5" over spec, but the data was showing that the car was sitting level.... Argh.

I'm not quite sure what I did, but sometime during my prodding the front height sensor magically started reporting the correct +3.5" I was measuring by hand. Progress, but the front end STILL wouldn't drop. My final act of desperation was cracking the air line on the RF strut while watching the front height sensor value. As the car started to sink... I heard a distinct "poor" of an exhaust solenoid followed by a much more rapid drop in height. I immediately closed the air line, just as the height sensor hit 0". Took the car for a ride and everything worked a treat: no more error message and my front trim height is now within 1/8" of factory spec.

Have I mentioned I can't stand European cars? Oh well, it was an easy $100 in my pocket and I saved the neighbors potentially thousands in bogus repair bills.
 
After work today was satisfying, sneezed on some terrible .30 flux welds and have a muffler again on the Kubota tractor.

 
14Accent said:
It was before we were officially together and I still lived in the Cities. She's VERY independent and I talked her into doing the job herself. It was a good learning experience, and the repair was flawless up till now when the part failed.
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Is that she is independent or is it more a matter of competence and confidence?
 
Trying to finish up a '92 Silverado.....Swapping in a Blueprint 436HP 383 with a BIGS built/prepped Holley 4160.

Tougher than one would expect....
*Cull, Clean-up, & Modify the engine harness (No more TBI)
*Modify the fuel lines & add a regulator to knock the pressure down to 7 PSI
*Rewire the TCC lock-up solenoid & pressure switch (Trans pan removal), Added a Bowler TCC module that delays lock-up 10 seconds after the 3-4 shift.
*Bowtie Overdrives TV made EZ kit, Then modify the Holley throttle lever to accept the TBI throttle cable.

A/C was 100% original to the truck, Compressor & the discharge hose were leaking badly, The "Black Death" had taken hold as well.
Had to heat both fittings at the Evaporator, All other fittings were stuck as well but I just cut the lines.
Wanted to use a stock hose assembly & weld on 134a service ports.....Order an assembly from AutoZone & a assembly from Ranshu, Both were bent & clocked completely wrong from the stock assembly.
I think reduced barrier hose is trash anyway but these hoses had no structure to them, Opted to build my own using full thickness Goodyear Galaxy barrier hose.
Installed a parallel flow 134a Condenser in place of the R-12 tube & fin.

The radiator was a single core cheap replacement that felt pretty heavy, & the coolant was a red rust color. Replaced with a full welded aluminum 3-Core, Replaced all hoses & flushed the heater core.

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Replaced front struts on my niece’s 2008 Ford Escape. It’s 2WD and it’s had a clunk over bumps and when turning.

I ordered in some ready struts I found on clearance at RockAuto by Monroe. I figured at $80 for both shipped in, it’s better than a cheap set, like FCS (which to be fair, will last a year or two).

Installation on these vehicles is very easy. Unbolt two bottom bolts, take out the sway bar links, and remove the 4 top mount bolts. It slides down and tips out. Very easy, compared to some where a lot of front end parts have to come off to make room.

I swapped out the sway bar links as well since they had a lot of miles, and rust, on them.

Total time from putting the jack under it to torquing the lug nuts was under 2 hours. That includes grabbing a drink, answering texts, etc.

Then I changed out the broken spray nozzles on my Grand Caravan, and my niece’s Town and Country (same niece). Easy to do, and these are temporary given that I’m planning to change these damaged, hail dented hoods out with salvage ones soon. But hers was snapped off and shot washer fluid straight up like Old Faithful. 😉

Then I rebuilt the mower deck on my mom’s Cub Cadet. New spindles, blades, pulleys, and belt. The supplied deck belt in the kit was too short so it would not release when the blades were turned off. Put an old one on but that’s stretched and comes off. Ordered a replacement that will be here next week.
 
RAR said:
Then I rebuilt the mower deck on my mom’s Cub Cadet. New spindles, blades, pulleys, and belt. The supplied deck belt in the kit was too short so it would not release when the blades were turned off. Put an old one on but that’s stretched and comes off. Ordered a replacement that will be here next week.
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Trying to do the same, but looking for ball bearing upgrade?!!!!?

He also stripped several teeth off the steering.....rack?....so he can't really turn left. He wanted me to try to fix but I can't really replace teeth -- at least not in any way that will last.

He also bent/tore a deck bracket again. I've decided no matter how I reinforce this deck he'll just find the next weakest link. He needs a deck constructed entirely of 1/4" wall thickness minimum :D

I pulled the bent bracket back with a big azz clamp
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And added a little gusseting
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I think he drives this like the General Lee -- it's the only thing that makes sense
 
Along with the basket case Cub Cadet (I never wanted to repair lawn equipment so not sure how that happened) the basket case '05 Ram 1500 returned.

Replaced an outer TRE that had a LOT of slop. Used Moog I got cheap off RA
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And new rear brakes. I used semi-metallic because I don't think this truck has long to live anyway. 288k on a 5.7 Hemi and it sounds terrible on start-up
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