6 loads of rock hauled today then came home and got my daycab and lowboy to move a track loader for a friend. This has been in a repair shop for a couple months getting the torque converter rebuilt and a bunch of other stuff done. It’s a Cat 977.
What are you working on today?
- Thread starter Amkeer
- Start date
Alternator in the Sportwagen. EA888.3 is tight but I had some good online help/writeups/Alldata sheet. Just a tough AC line to wiggle out of the way. Replaced with a OEM alternator - not cheap but original lasted 8 years/125K included track use...I'll take it.
Kinda working and kinda screwing around. I didn't realize OEM pans on the 10L80 are aluminum. The magnets are epoxied on. I scraped them off to hoard and then I'll scrap the pan as clean aluminum.
Moved my last set of hex keys on my second lathe to Fireball holders
My a/c valve core service kit always annoyed me because the blow mold case won't accept the pieces if partially assembled. I took my OMT and clearanced the plastic:
Had to get creative on the Subaru TR690 to get the dead one off my transmission jack and the hopefully-not-dead JY unit on my transmission jack:
The cooling lines had been crushed in transmissionit so I had to move the lines from the original unit. The JY unit was also missing the top diaper. I went ahead and swapped it because I had it, but sometimes rodents love these things.
Subaru uses copper washers on the cooler banjo bolts that are 2mm thick (about 80 thou). I thought that was nice.
Started to worry that seating the torque converter this time was going to be a saga -- I was getting nowhere and trying the same thing over and over hoping for a different result.
I finally turned to videos and found a guy who said spin it as fast as you can by hand then push. It still took a couple tries but worked within ~30 seconds for the 3rd clunk. I learned something there, so it's always a good day if I learn at least one new thing
I probably forgot something else.....
Moved my last set of hex keys on my second lathe to Fireball holders
My a/c valve core service kit always annoyed me because the blow mold case won't accept the pieces if partially assembled. I took my OMT and clearanced the plastic:
Had to get creative on the Subaru TR690 to get the dead one off my transmission jack and the hopefully-not-dead JY unit on my transmission jack:
The cooling lines had been crushed in transmissionit so I had to move the lines from the original unit. The JY unit was also missing the top diaper. I went ahead and swapped it because I had it, but sometimes rodents love these things.
Subaru uses copper washers on the cooler banjo bolts that are 2mm thick (about 80 thou). I thought that was nice.
Started to worry that seating the torque converter this time was going to be a saga -- I was getting nowhere and trying the same thing over and over hoping for a different result.
I finally turned to videos and found a guy who said spin it as fast as you can by hand then push. It still took a couple tries but worked within ~30 seconds for the 3rd clunk. I learned something there, so it's always a good day if I learn at least one new thing
I probably forgot something else.....
2014 Forester, 148K.
Replaced the clicking L/F CV axle with a Trakmotive HD Xtreme.
Axle didn’t want to come out of the splines but it wasn’t very rusty. My air hammer got a workout.
Replaced the clicking L/F CV axle with a Trakmotive HD Xtreme.
Axle didn’t want to come out of the splines but it wasn’t very rusty. My air hammer got a workout.
Was it clicking but boot was intact? I always find it fascinating when that happens, I guess because it's kind of rare.
I am trying to sell my BMW. I wanted to change the serpentine belt and tensioner because I can hear a bit of pulley noise. Unfortunately once I got in there it sounds like the noise is coming from the water pump, so here's another $350 down the drain for water pump, coolant and a couple hoses.
But I want it to be right when I sell it.
But I want it to be right when I sell it.
Funny, going through this on a 328d right now. Installed new tensioner then immediately had squealing. Blamed tensioner, replaced again. Seemed WAY better but still a little noisy at times.
A few days later the water pump completely puked.
Man. You guys make my work look like a 2nd grade kids project…
I’ve got a full-length platform roof rack with both equal-height bed and cab components. It’s both for the roof top tent but also about necessary for anything longer than 6 feet, such as lumber or the mower ramps. It’s got a fairing and cross bars. I’ve been slowly cutting treadplate and bolting it up top because the potential of dropping sharp edges into the roof or back glass has been real, so this forms a platform. The wind disruptions have been awful, at times causing some much buffeting as to vibrate the rear view mirror into useless blur. So I’ve also hammered out angled pieces to extend the fairing to the platform - which quenched the vibrations but added 50% more to the noise …. Until this week when a double-layer of off-brand dynamat (killmat) cut the noise way back. Progress is so iterative here. I’m getting ready for a potential long road trip and am So Relieved to get this better sorted.
Aero stuff is Wild.
Also last night, took several cinch straps, cut the straps, formed the ends into loops, broke out the sewing machine and sewed the loops. My wife has used the sewing machine fewer than one times. Mine has sewed more tie-downs than pants.
Next up. Mower gets a new deck, and hydro drives get new 20-50.
I’ve got a full-length platform roof rack with both equal-height bed and cab components. It’s both for the roof top tent but also about necessary for anything longer than 6 feet, such as lumber or the mower ramps. It’s got a fairing and cross bars. I’ve been slowly cutting treadplate and bolting it up top because the potential of dropping sharp edges into the roof or back glass has been real, so this forms a platform. The wind disruptions have been awful, at times causing some much buffeting as to vibrate the rear view mirror into useless blur. So I’ve also hammered out angled pieces to extend the fairing to the platform - which quenched the vibrations but added 50% more to the noise …. Until this week when a double-layer of off-brand dynamat (killmat) cut the noise way back. Progress is so iterative here. I’m getting ready for a potential long road trip and am So Relieved to get this better sorted.
Aero stuff is Wild.
Also last night, took several cinch straps, cut the straps, formed the ends into loops, broke out the sewing machine and sewed the loops. My wife has used the sewing machine fewer than one times. Mine has sewed more tie-downs than pants.
Next up. Mower gets a new deck, and hydro drives get new 20-50.
This wasn't my job but a guy from our church called me yesterday. A local shop wanted $1400 to do rear brakes on his '07 Ram 1500 4x4. They said he needed calipers, too, and I told him seized calipers are not uncommon.
He wanted to know my price and I told him A LOT less but the shop had already torn into it and said they couldn't safely put it back together. I told him this sounded a little odd but could be true. Then they sent this picture:
Ultimately they dropped to $1100 and he decided to leave it with them. I told him this was probably the best decision.
I will be curious to see if they replace ALL rear hoses because I think it would be prudent. This was the era of the brilliant rubber hose crimped to a long piece of hardline. Most aftermarket upgrades to a threaded connection so in the future you can JUST replace the rubber hose.
Total cost at the commercial level is $355 for semi-metallics, fully coated rotors, reman calipers and ALL THREE rear hoses. This does not include tax, core charges (would be refunded completely) or parts markup. Add $5 in brake fluid if you like.
You can make your own judgements from there, but rear brakes on an '07 Ram is not exactly spinal surgery....
He wanted to know my price and I told him A LOT less but the shop had already torn into it and said they couldn't safely put it back together. I told him this sounded a little odd but could be true. Then they sent this picture:
Ultimately they dropped to $1100 and he decided to leave it with them. I told him this was probably the best decision.
I will be curious to see if they replace ALL rear hoses because I think it would be prudent. This was the era of the brilliant rubber hose crimped to a long piece of hardline. Most aftermarket upgrades to a threaded connection so in the future you can JUST replace the rubber hose.
Total cost at the commercial level is $355 for semi-metallics, fully coated rotors, reman calipers and ALL THREE rear hoses. This does not include tax, core charges (would be refunded completely) or parts markup. Add $5 in brake fluid if you like.
You can make your own judgements from there, but rear brakes on an '07 Ram is not exactly spinal surgery....
Nothing too crazy today. Finally installed the Rough Country seat cover set on the RAM. Bought them a couple months ago and It just kept getting put off because of too many other things going on. Pretty nice set actually! The center console cover is pretty much worthless but no biggie.
Got the new power unit installed on my hoist today, the original let out the magic smoke after 16 years. This Vevor was a 1:1 swap for the original unit, right down to including an SAE adapter fitting for the hydraulic hose.
The old pressure hose had been leaking from the crimps for years, so I took the opportunity to fab up a new one at work over my lunch break. It's beyond convenient having the ability to make hoses at the shop.
This morning worked on the 8n. Got the chineseum carb and proper fuel line put on. Fired right up. Changed the oil right after, sludge city. Drove it around the place a bit till I noticed the waterpump is about to come apart, impressive amount of play. Going to overall the entire cooling system and order the 12v conversion.
Got the 6x6 communication post put in, one heavy bugger. Got the cameras on but need to order the starlink adapters and ABS box for the router. Yeah I went that route vs fiber or anything else. Ease of install and not having to tear up anymore of the grounds.
Got the 6x6 communication post put in, one heavy bugger. Got the cameras on but need to order the starlink adapters and ABS box for the router. Yeah I went that route vs fiber or anything else. Ease of install and not having to tear up anymore of the grounds.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
2021 Silverado 1500 3.0 Dmax: Installed a PPE deep pan and PPE aftermarket transmission cooler. The owner is suddenly very concerned about longevity of his 10L80 but didn't want to do a NextGem valve body and seemingly didn't know anything about a thermostat delete.
The pan is easy but not sure these are worth the money.
The cooler is very straightforward in theory but took forever because it's difficult to get the lines back on. This guy does a good job of not being overly dramatic but believe him when he says it's a chore:
The owner was still running factory alloys and I talked him into one-piece lugnuts I had here.
Now for Sir Rants A Lot: let's run ULV and the highest transmissionmission temps possible in the name of MPG -- and, ultimately, being "green." But let's then use one-time-use transmission filter bolts that are TTY? Do we have an epidemic of transmission filters escaping due to the extremely high loads placed on them, like main bearings in a motor?
And how is it green or ecologically sound to require new bolts when others can somehow use bolts that can be used time and again?? You think most shops scrap those bolts? Nah, straight to the landfill -- not that it much matters because if you scrap them they're transmissionported (energy) to the scrap yard, then transmissionported several more times (energy energy energy), then melted down using absurd amounts of energy (ENERGY), and then maybe shipped back to us (energy) as something else -- after being thrown into new packaging (energy)
But yeah, we're saving the planet with thin fluid and by shortening transmissionmission life with tenps on the ragged edge of clutch delam
Cognitive dissonance is real, folks!
What is special about the bolts - are they stretch bolts
My 10L runs 145°-150° with nothing in tow - a bit higher with the RV - so coolest I have ever owned …
Clearly you're servicing your brakes too soon
This week I had two automotive jobs.
1985 Chevrolet C10 305 V8
New distributor, spark plugs, plug wires, air filter, external fuel filter and internal fuel filter (quadrajet), pcv valve, belts, radiator hoses, thermostat, coolant change, oil change and transmission fluid/filter change
1999 Chevrolet Malibu 3.1 V6
Lower intake gaskets, radiator hoses, thermostat, serpentine belt, oil change
1985 Chevrolet C10 305 V8
New distributor, spark plugs, plug wires, air filter, external fuel filter and internal fuel filter (quadrajet), pcv valve, belts, radiator hoses, thermostat, coolant change, oil change and transmission fluid/filter change
1999 Chevrolet Malibu 3.1 V6
Lower intake gaskets, radiator hoses, thermostat, serpentine belt, oil change