What are you working on today?
- Thread starter Amkeer
- Start date
Troy Bilt push mower with a 140cc Briggs with one of those finicky plastic carbs. The smallest amount of stale gas/water it wont start. Tore the carb down 3 times in the past to clean it and get it going. My buddies girlfriend called me today to help her get it running. I walked her through it, she tore it down, cleaned and reassembled it and its running great.
1. Found more bits needed to make the lamp for a family member from classic Chevy gauge cluster parts.
2. Made packaging to ship a DIY heirloom to a far-away relative. Cardboard, clue, sheet styrofoam.
3. Got some of the hardest cuts made for the last big chunks of attic flooring for storage. Maybe 6 square feet remains for the floor. Catwalks and railings remain. And lighting, and cutting a door for it. And probably building some sort of custom door. Rain kept the temps down and I lasted a little longer up there. It’s almost starting to be visually understandable as flat space.
4. Loaded the Tacoma up with more lumber for more attic work. Debating a headache rack and maybe a bed rack? 8 foot lumber protrudes much beyond the tailgate. I’ve carried a ton of stuff home lately for this project. Anyone ever done the headache rack thing?
5. Scored a set of used LED KC gravity fogs for my son’s car, tested good. Setting up a playdate with him, to also include ATF d/f and serpentine belt.
6. Sourced and ordered 14” duct for the attic. Just need 10 feet. Stuff is hard to find right now. Almost ended up deciding to make my own from 2” foam board and adhesive - would have definitely been cheaper.
2. Made packaging to ship a DIY heirloom to a far-away relative. Cardboard, clue, sheet styrofoam.
3. Got some of the hardest cuts made for the last big chunks of attic flooring for storage. Maybe 6 square feet remains for the floor. Catwalks and railings remain. And lighting, and cutting a door for it. And probably building some sort of custom door. Rain kept the temps down and I lasted a little longer up there. It’s almost starting to be visually understandable as flat space.
4. Loaded the Tacoma up with more lumber for more attic work. Debating a headache rack and maybe a bed rack? 8 foot lumber protrudes much beyond the tailgate. I’ve carried a ton of stuff home lately for this project. Anyone ever done the headache rack thing?
5. Scored a set of used LED KC gravity fogs for my son’s car, tested good. Setting up a playdate with him, to also include ATF d/f and serpentine belt.
6. Sourced and ordered 14” duct for the attic. Just need 10 feet. Stuff is hard to find right now. Almost ended up deciding to make my own from 2” foam board and adhesive - would have definitely been cheaper.
Jim I never knew you had so many talents. Have to see video how you spin nylon. I’m intrigued
I picked up a $15 husqvarna push mower last year with a Briggs & Stratton 6.0hp motor. It’s been good but last week started to sputter and wouldn’t run right.
I had a look today and found it was a plugged air filter. I went out to pick one up but couldn’t find it locally so ordered and will get it Tuesday.
I’ll also replace the spark plug and blade at the same time.
I had a look today and found it was a plugged air filter. I went out to pick one up but couldn’t find it locally so ordered and will get it Tuesday.
I’ll also replace the spark plug and blade at the same time.
I have been REALLY struggling with shop organization lately, compounded by the fact I'm too busy to find places for tools or supplies as they roll in.
I finally tackled a small portion of this. There's still at least three other areas of the shop that need intensive attention, but I guess you eat an elephant one bite at a time.
I'm not thrilled with the outcome here but it's WAY better than it was before. Previously this was a single shelf clogged with steel drops and packing material and boxes. I've been shipping virtually nothing lately so got rid of all the old bubble wrap, etc and burned almost every box. I substantially thinned my steel drops, added a second shelf and brought in this International box i got for a song when Sears blew them out.
Drawer space is at a premium so this will help get some misc stuff out of my other boxes. I plan to use this for brake supplies like banjo bolts, abutment clips, backing plate plugs, brake hose clips. Also lugnuts and maybe even a drawer for bulbs -- we'll see.
I just took the lid off the box because I never close lids anyway as seen on the two boxes in the background. Im still working on the final layout and I know it will get cluttered in time, but I'll take the small win for now.
I finally tackled a small portion of this. There's still at least three other areas of the shop that need intensive attention, but I guess you eat an elephant one bite at a time.
I'm not thrilled with the outcome here but it's WAY better than it was before. Previously this was a single shelf clogged with steel drops and packing material and boxes. I've been shipping virtually nothing lately so got rid of all the old bubble wrap, etc and burned almost every box. I substantially thinned my steel drops, added a second shelf and brought in this International box i got for a song when Sears blew them out.
Drawer space is at a premium so this will help get some misc stuff out of my other boxes. I plan to use this for brake supplies like banjo bolts, abutment clips, backing plate plugs, brake hose clips. Also lugnuts and maybe even a drawer for bulbs -- we'll see.
I just took the lid off the box because I never close lids anyway as seen on the two boxes in the background. Im still working on the final layout and I know it will get cluttered in time, but I'll take the small win for now.
The missing link to complete the A/C restoration in my '79 came in: the duct running under the driver's feet to the outermost panel vent. Probably got removed over years during various under dash repairs and ended up misplaced. Luckily I was able to source this almost perfect replacement for $25. I also fiddled with the idle mixture a bit more, it still smelled a bit "fat" to me. Ended up turning the idle screws in about 1/2 turn each, ended up with a steady 18" of vacuum @ 700 RPM.
After that was all buttoned up I pulled the '95 back in and tore down the driver's side rear for knuckle bushing replacement. I did the passenger side a few weeks ago, finally got around to doing the near side. The rear end feels much more planted now, the upper bushing was COMPLETELY wasted. I'm really surprised it wasn't making any noise.
Got the truck back together Saturday. Everything went pretty smooth overall. Lost time setting up my new air compressor (Husky 20gal oil less), Used trans assembly goo on the stand pipe and dummy plug. The blue spring kit fought me the most because the housing was stuck to the fuel filter body. Rummaged around the garage and found some Rev-X fuel additive that I filled the fuel bowl with on the advice of an old diesel tech that taught me 6.0 stuff many moons ago. Did the crank cycle thing to build high pressure oil and it fired off on the third go around. Big puff of smoke and then just smooth idle. Let it idle for about 20-30 mins (its all a blur) while topping off coolant and occasionally giving it a quick rev. Went to dinner in another car and when I got back I took it for a test drive. Promptly blew the lower CAC boot where the outlet tube goes in, put it back on and blew it off again. Went to bed for the night because it was already dark and I could tell I was tired and frustrated.
Sunday I went to breakfast with my mom's church old people friends, then got home took the tube and boots off to look over everyhting. Cleaned all the mating surfaces with brake cleaner a few times to make sure there was no contamination. Fit the boots back on the tube on my work stand using the factory notches this time. Slapped it all back on the truck and let the gaskacinch set for a few hours. Drove the truck around going 20psi+ hard pulls and no loud blow up noises this time.
I had Mishimoto CAC tubes on there from when I did the Mishi intercooler. I never liked how they were chrome and they don't have replacement boots for that specific kit. I like keeping some spares in the toolbag in the truck so I decided to go back to factory tubes and boots. I still need to drive it more and do a LOF and fuel filter change, but so far so good. Best part is when I have wholesale accounts call and we chit chat they are all stoked that I did that job on my own because you never see parts people doing jobs like that normally.
Sunday I went to breakfast with my mom's church old people friends, then got home took the tube and boots off to look over everyhting. Cleaned all the mating surfaces with brake cleaner a few times to make sure there was no contamination. Fit the boots back on the tube on my work stand using the factory notches this time. Slapped it all back on the truck and let the gaskacinch set for a few hours. Drove the truck around going 20psi+ hard pulls and no loud blow up noises this time.
I had Mishimoto CAC tubes on there from when I did the Mishi intercooler. I never liked how they were chrome and they don't have replacement boots for that specific kit. I like keeping some spares in the toolbag in the truck so I decided to go back to factory tubes and boots. I still need to drive it more and do a LOF and fuel filter change, but so far so good. Best part is when I have wholesale accounts call and we chit chat they are all stoked that I did that job on my own because you never see parts people doing jobs like that normally.
Cleaning the Stumpjumper for sale
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2025
Really rough day today in the garage at work. Just typical non sense I guess. I done a used car end of April and they sold it 5 days ago but it’s had 900 miles put on it from being used as a lot shuttle and customer test drives and all of that. Well comes in with bad ball joints and I got my tail chewed because they are saying the ball joints were bad when I done the car in April because they are like it’s impossible for a ball joint to just go bad and if it does go bad it’s not going to be instant it’s going to be a few hundred miles that it goes bad over sometimes thousands of miles. So I got written up and am being back flagged over it. I went up to my coworker who is a very seasoned tech and I’m like hey so a ball joint can it go bad like right away because I mean you hit a pothole or something too hard and it can go bad or just go bad from getting weak right? He’s like absolutely and then I told him about the whole debacle and he is like that’s some bs man. I also got blamed from the sway bar having a slit cut in it but I’m like there’s no way I did that either because I didn’t touch the sway bar and also the cut was fresh and not any surface rust or anything looks like it was just done today. But nope it’s my fault. That really made me angry especially because I’m being back flagged over it. They are going to take time for two ball joints and the sway bar. My bigger question was like well why didn’t you bring it back to me for if there was a concern about it and they couldn’t answer that question.
So a ball joint could go bad instantly right or especially over 900 something miles. Am I crazy for thinking that or what.
And then the Tacoma with the steering rack and power steering pump is back saying it’s leaking again I’m like great Toyota and their reman warranty crap we have to install is going to screw me again.
I’m just so over the drama and non sense like that. Hopefully it will pass but I guess it’s an all the time thing in this field. My one coworker who trained me I asked him and he’s like no a ball joint won’t go bad right away and that I should face the fact it was bad then I’m like that’s not the answer I expected from him but ok. I disagree with him on that for sure. But I can understand his frustration too as he is also getting back flagged because he makes money off of me. Not my fault though. I honestly think with all the problems everyone been having recently that we have someone tampering with cars on the lot but they refuse to listen to us when we ask them to look at the one or two cameras they actually have.
So I guess the main question I’d like to know from the wisdom of BITOG is can ball joints go bad instantly? I’m pretty dang sure they can. I’ve had them bad out of the box before even.
So a ball joint could go bad instantly right or especially over 900 something miles. Am I crazy for thinking that or what.
And then the Tacoma with the steering rack and power steering pump is back saying it’s leaking again I’m like great Toyota and their reman warranty crap we have to install is going to screw me again.
I’m just so over the drama and non sense like that. Hopefully it will pass but I guess it’s an all the time thing in this field. My one coworker who trained me I asked him and he’s like no a ball joint won’t go bad right away and that I should face the fact it was bad then I’m like that’s not the answer I expected from him but ok. I disagree with him on that for sure. But I can understand his frustration too as he is also getting back flagged because he makes money off of me. Not my fault though. I honestly think with all the problems everyone been having recently that we have someone tampering with cars on the lot but they refuse to listen to us when we ask them to look at the one or two cameras they actually have.
So I guess the main question I’d like to know from the wisdom of BITOG is can ball joints go bad instantly? I’m pretty dang sure they can. I’ve had them bad out of the box before even.
Moog claims play in CDJR ball joints is normal. I find it convenient for Moog 'cause they suck.
https://www.moogparts.com/technical...-ball-joints-for-movement-dodge-ram-jeep.html
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2025
If it was really 900 miles since your UCI and them discovering a problem, that isn't on you. If it was maybe 90 miles, ehhh maybe. But if that was driven anything like our shuttle is driven, that could absolutely happen.
I think it's obnoxious because if you read that article seems to me you need a second person. I'm sure flat rate techs love that. Maybe you could use a pry bar underneath to lever the knuckle and still be in a place where you could read the DI
2006 Expedition:
-oil change
-brake bleed all 4
-fuel filter (was surprised I remembered how to release the blue plastic clip)
‐new rear shocks. I opted for Gabriel over Sachs. I'm still a little soured on Sachs after a recent Subaru incident where they became very stiff in less than a year. The OEM Motorcrafts with 160k were leaking but not totally blown:
-oil change
-brake bleed all 4
-fuel filter (was surprised I remembered how to release the blue plastic clip)
‐new rear shocks. I opted for Gabriel over Sachs. I'm still a little soured on Sachs after a recent Subaru incident where they became very stiff in less than a year. The OEM Motorcrafts with 160k were leaking but not totally blown:
It would be unusual for a OE ball joint to go from no play to having noticeable play in 900 miles. Bad out of the box is a totally different scenario.
The sway bar thing is confusing, A slit cut? It's a steel bar.....
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2025
Yeah I should have taken a picture but I was so mad it didn’t occur to me. It looks like someone replaced the sway bar end links and had to cut them off and cut into the sway bar with a cutting wheel. The ball joints were original from 2013 but didn’t show any signs of failure when I worked on it or the state inspector looked at it. Car has like 140ish thousand on it I think now.
The 2012 F150 3.5L Ecoboost needs more than a timing chain 
, Told the owner to find a engine because I'm not touching this one!
, Told the owner to find a engine because I'm not touching this one!