Our Subaru Outback's headlight globe carked it, but replacing it involved taking the wheel and all the fender lining out - an hour's labour to change a globe.
Geoff
My wife and I have helped some young Sudanese refugees over the years. One of the young men fancies himself as a mechanic and not having tools would come over and work on his vehicles in the street in front of our house. One of these projects entailed him spending an afternoon taking the whole front of a car apart. I finally got curious and asked him what he was trying to do. A headlight was out and he was trying to take the car apart to remove the head light assembly. I pointed out that the bulb could be swapped out in minutes from the back side. He got everything back together on his own except when he went to put the headlight back in and he couldn't get it to fit. It took a bit to figure out but he'd turned the aiming adjustment screws all the way to their end which was tilting the front of the assembly so far it wouldn't fit.
I understand!!
my '59 Chevy got headlight retaining/aiming replacement parts made from under-counter sink-hold-down clamps made of aluminum since the old world plastic parts had fallen apart - unobtanium.
Now that the cast is off and I am rehabbing my wrist I should have the strength before too much longer to manhandle my smoker out of the garage. I have been jonesing for pulled pork.
It took me almost half hour in -25 degree weather to change the battery in my daughters car a couple years ago. Modern vehicles have officially turned me off of routine maintenance tasks.
Case in point, I recently experienced starter issues on the Sorento. I watched a YouTube video on replacing the starter, said "fuck that" and made an appointment at the dealer. Turns out it was a bad battery - which I thought I had eliminated as the issue by putting the damn thing on my charger after which it still acted up.
Anyways, I no longer even change my own oil. Do I miss doing basic maintenance and repairs? Sure - but not enough to start doing it again.
@jr@mac said:
It took me almost half hour in -25 degree weather to change the battery in my daughters car a couple years ago. Modern vehicles have officially turned me off of routine maintenance tasks.
I wouldn't dream of doing maintenance or repairs any more, there's just too much tech and the rat's nest of wires, pipes and tubes really puts me off. Not to mention how I'd dispose of the old oil. I'd never touch brakes or anything safety related.
When I was a lot younger, I rebuilt the cylinder head and put a new clutch in my 1956 Peugeot 403 after it dropped a valve and created its own fog. I was a amazed when the thing started first time after the work, but not so when a puddle of oil started to form - I'd left off a bolt in the sump. I also replaced the radiator, water and petrol pumps, without any bolts left over.
There was heaps of space under the bonnet and everything was simple; of course, there were no emission controls, no fuel injection or electronics and no safety features or crumple zones except the occupants.
It's sure good to have a real mechanic in the family! My son just did front wheel bears & rotors on my Santa Fe. He had it done before they finished a simple wheel swap on the truck behind us and we had to wait for them before I could get out. It took them half an hour to program the stupid TPMS.
Dropped valve seat carnage from years ago. If you know anything about the inner workings of 4cylinders... the piston position should be a bit of a red flag .
Chewing on the valve seat caused the top of the piston to snap clean off.
Since this only happened at startup, and the fact the skirt still clung to the wrist pin, the bore was saved from damage. I got a reman head and pulled a piston from a junkyard motor. The piston rings were still good on the snapped off portion so I swapped those rings to the "new" piston and sent it home. I used the car for a while, then was our spare for a few years. I sold it to a guy I worked with for cheap because he was having car troubles. last I checked with him, it is still kickin. That was the first time I've ever dug anywhere close to that far into an engine. At that moment it was my only vehicle and I was borrowing a buddies' car while fixing it. Desperation can work miracles sometimes.
Auburn Cord Duesenberg weekend here again. Tonight was Fast and Fabulous, which means sports cars, exotics, and anything else street legal and super fast. When they come off the interstate, they roll right by my house going into town. About 4:50pm, I heard the rap-rap of some coming off the exit, so I headed out to the driveway and got to hear a bunch go by with flare. In town, they all sit in spectacle, but you don't get to hear them run, so this is a treat. Lamborghini, Ferrari, Lotus, Audi, Porsche, Aston Martin, McLaren, etc and domestics were represented.
I didn't post all of the pics, as there are quite a few. There was a light grey right-hand drive sedan that I didn't get a photo of, but I could have sworn it had a Honda emblem. If it wasn't for that emblem I would have thought it was a Skyline Type R.
Though all the insulation on 10 wires wouldn't fit in the shrink insulation on a 10/12awg butt connector. Most seemed to be 18/20awg, but there were 3-4 16awg. I got some huge 6awg ring terminals but the thickness of the metal on those things was so much I didn't have pliers big enough to make an adequate crimp. I settled on dividing the wires among two butt connectors and each got a small length of wire Y-ing down to one ring terminal. Sheesh. PCM seems to have signal ground and is charging: I was able to make it to the gas station instead of the battery dieing half way there . The CEL even went out immediately for the trans code and was shifting fine. I guess that is a win.
I already spooned on a couple cheapie tires to replace ones that wouldn't hold air anymore.. Yeah I'm a wierdo (and a cheapass). Learned spooning from doing MC tires. Bringing a couple carry-in mounted tires to a shop to balance is usually cheap and quick.
Now to tackle the brakes and give that thing a massive wash.. It's been sitting so long it started growing lichen.
Drove it around a bit. Then I started cleaning out the interior. Pulled the trailer out of the driveway so I could pull this in and give it a wash... Then it wouldn't start. No crank. I bet the stupid starter signal wire popped off the starter terminal again. I replaced the starter at one point but the aftermarket one didn't have retension for the spade terminal that the factory one had. It has done this before and not much I can do to prevent it happening again unless I dig in and remove the starter. No way to even see it and barely enough room to contort one hand into position for 1.5 fingers to fumble it back on after 15 tries. Yaaaay.
[edit] I was able to jack the car up and wiggle the cable. I guess it was still on, but poor connection. IDK, it started.
I had no idea what you were referring-too with "spooning" in your context because the only "spooning" I learned was with my wife so your use of the term threw me.
I assume you mean using flat bars to remove and replace a car tire from/to its rim/wheel?
Comments
My wife and I have helped some young Sudanese refugees over the years. One of the young men fancies himself as a mechanic and not having tools would come over and work on his vehicles in the street in front of our house. One of these projects entailed him spending an afternoon taking the whole front of a car apart. I finally got curious and asked him what he was trying to do. A headlight was out and he was trying to take the car apart to remove the head light assembly. I pointed out that the bulb could be swapped out in minutes from the back side. He got everything back together on his own except when he went to put the headlight back in and he couldn't get it to fit. It took a bit to figure out but he'd turned the aiming adjustment screws all the way to their end which was tilting the front of the assembly so far it wouldn't fit.
Ron
^ This sounds a lot like EVERYTHING I try to DIY.
I understand!!
my '59 Chevy got headlight retaining/aiming replacement parts made from under-counter sink-hold-down clamps made of aluminum since the old world plastic parts had fallen apart - unobtanium.
Got up at 3AM and got the smoker going. Just started a 10 lb pork butt for tonight. I hope everyone has a nice labor day weekend
Now that the cast is off and I am rehabbing my wrist I should have the strength before too much longer to manhandle my smoker out of the garage. I have been jonesing for pulled pork.
It took me almost half hour in -25 degree weather to change the battery in my daughters car a couple years ago. Modern vehicles have officially turned me off of routine maintenance tasks.
Case in point, I recently experienced starter issues on the Sorento. I watched a YouTube video on replacing the starter, said "fuck that" and made an appointment at the dealer. Turns out it was a bad battery - which I thought I had eliminated as the issue by putting the damn thing on my charger after which it still acted up.
Anyways, I no longer even change my own oil. Do I miss doing basic maintenance and repairs? Sure - but not enough to start doing it again.
‘D’ O-H-I-O STATE
edit:
I wouldn't dream of doing maintenance or repairs any more, there's just too much tech and the rat's nest of wires, pipes and tubes really puts me off. Not to mention how I'd dispose of the old oil. I'd never touch brakes or anything safety related.
When I was a lot younger, I rebuilt the cylinder head and put a new clutch in my 1956 Peugeot 403 after it dropped a valve and created its own fog. I was a amazed when the thing started first time after the work, but not so when a puddle of oil started to form - I'd left off a bolt in the sump. I also replaced the radiator, water and petrol pumps, without any bolts left over.
There was heaps of space under the bonnet and everything was simple; of course, there were no emission controls, no fuel injection or electronics and no safety features or crumple zones except the occupants.
Geoff
It's sure good to have a real mechanic in the family! My son just did front wheel bears & rotors on my Santa Fe. He had it done before they finished a simple wheel swap on the truck behind us and we had to wait for them before I could get out. It took them half an hour to program the stupid TPMS.
Dropped valve seat carnage from years ago. If you know anything about the inner workings of 4cylinders... the piston position should be a bit of a red flag
.
Chewing on the valve seat caused the top of the piston to snap clean off.
Since this only happened at startup, and the fact the skirt still clung to the wrist pin, the bore was saved from damage. I got a reman head and pulled a piston from a junkyard motor. The piston rings were still good on the snapped off portion so I swapped those rings to the "new" piston and sent it home. I used the car for a while, then was our spare for a few years. I sold it to a guy I worked with for cheap because he was having car troubles. last I checked with him, it is still kickin.
That was the first time I've ever dug anywhere close to that far into an engine. At that moment it was my only vehicle and I was borrowing a buddies' car while fixing it. Desperation can work miracles sometimes.
Auburn Cord Duesenberg weekend here again. Tonight was Fast and Fabulous, which means sports cars, exotics, and anything else street legal and super fast. When they come off the interstate, they roll right by my house going into town. About 4:50pm, I heard the rap-rap of some coming off the exit, so I headed out to the driveway and got to hear a bunch go by with flare. In town, they all sit in spectacle, but you don't get to hear them run, so this is a treat. Lamborghini, Ferrari, Lotus, Audi, Porsche, Aston Martin, McLaren, etc and domestics were represented.
InDIYana Event Website
InDIYana Event Website
InDIYana Event Website
InDIYana Event Website
InDIYana Event Website
BTW, the little Fiat was running boost! Heard the blowoff valve spew as it went by.
InDIYana Event Website
I did not know what the green jobby was in this photo. Anybody know?
InDIYana Event Website
An impressive parade with some cool machinery: not sure about those new BMWs with the huge kidney grille
I'll take the Civic Type R, please
Geoff
I didn't post all of the pics, as there are quite a few. There was a light grey right-hand drive sedan that I didn't get a photo of, but I could have sworn it had a Honda emblem. If it wasn't for that emblem I would have thought it was a Skyline Type R.
InDIYana Event Website
A little Google-fu, and...
https://www.ultimasports.co.uk/Models/UltimaRSConfigurator
Configure it in green.
Huh, I didn't know KEF branched out to manhole covers...😆
Nice day and evening for a 3 hour jam? Yup, looks like it.
Finished up with that car ground strap issue.. The automatic stripper tool worked well enough with the limited space. https://menards.com/main/electrical/electrical-tools-accessories/electrical-hand-tools/southwire-reg-8-22-awg-str-automatic-wire-strippers/sa822/p-60893665619-c-6455.htm?exp=false
Though all the insulation on 10 wires wouldn't fit in the shrink insulation on a 10/12awg butt connector. Most seemed to be 18/20awg, but there were 3-4 16awg. I got some huge 6awg ring terminals but the thickness of the metal on those things was so much I didn't have pliers big enough to make an adequate crimp. I settled on dividing the wires among two butt connectors and each got a small length of wire Y-ing down to one ring terminal. Sheesh. PCM seems to have signal ground and is charging: I was able to make it to the gas station instead of the battery dieing half way there
. The CEL even went out immediately for the trans code and was shifting fine. I guess that is a win.
I already spooned on a couple cheapie tires to replace ones that wouldn't hold air anymore.. Yeah I'm a wierdo (and a cheapass). Learned spooning from doing MC tires. Bringing a couple carry-in mounted tires to a shop to balance is usually cheap and quick.
Now to tackle the brakes and give that thing a massive wash.. It's been sitting so long it started growing lichen.
Awesome! Always great when you figure out an issue like that👍🏻
Drove it around a bit. Then I started cleaning out the interior. Pulled the trailer out of the driveway so I could pull this in and give it a wash... Then it wouldn't start. No crank. I bet the stupid starter signal wire popped off the starter terminal again. I replaced the starter at one point but the aftermarket one didn't have retension for the spade terminal that the factory one had. It has done this before and not much I can do to prevent it happening again unless I dig in and remove the starter. No way to even see it and barely enough room to contort one hand into position for 1.5 fingers to fumble it back on after 15 tries. Yaaaay.
[edit] I was able to jack the car up and wiggle the cable. I guess it was still on, but poor connection. IDK, it started.
I had no idea what you were referring-too with "spooning" in your context because the only "spooning" I learned was with my wife so your use of the term threw me.
I assume you mean using flat bars to remove and replace a car tire from/to its rim/wheel?
Yes, levers, irons, spoons. Same thing. I suppose because some have a wide curved end that resembles a spoon.