Author Topic: My journey to maintaining my own vehicles (Read 160364 times)

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #240 on:** April 07, 2014, 10:18:42 AM »

well, wiring looks good and i didn't see any cracks in the lines so i ordered a new o2 sensor. it was easy to spot so i should be able to change it out in a couple of minutes.

Zef_66 · « **Reply #241 on:** April 07, 2014, 10:22:48 AM »

Quote from: thewarriorhunter on April 07, 2014, 10:18:42 AM

well, wiring looks good and i didn't see any cracks in the lines so i ordered a new o2 sensor. it was easy to spot so i should be able to change it out in a couple of minutes.

I advocate changing the sensor as well. Sounds like the culprit to me.

You may want to spray it down a few times with a good penetrating oil like PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench. And letting it soak in while driving it over a few days will help. Spray, let soak, drive, spray, let soak, drive, etc. This can help work the fluid into the cracks of the threads. O2 sensors can be a pain to get loose sometimes.

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #242 on:** April 07, 2014, 10:27:44 AM »

will do, it will be here wed so i'll hit it tonight when i get home and then in the morning...

so here's a questions, is PB the same as WD-40? i use WD like PB, but i never hear people recommend it for applications like stuck bolts... it seems to work fine for me

Zef_66 · « **Reply #243 on:** April 08, 2014, 10:27:01 AM »

Quote from: thewarriorhunter on April 07, 2014, 10:27:44 AM

will do, it will be here wed so i'll hit it tonight when i get home and then in the morning...

so here's a questions, is PB the same as WD-40? i use WD like PB, but i never hear people recommend it for applications like stuck bolts... it seems to work fine for me

WD-40 is good as a light oil and lubricant. But it is not very effective as a penetrating oil. I used to always use PB Blaster and it worked great. But I've found that Liquid Wrench works better.

The best penetrating oil that I have used so far is a product called Kano Kroil. But it is hard to find. My dad has a small can and it works amazingly.

But no, most people won't use WD-40 on stuck bolts.

ncjeeper · « **Reply #244 on:** April 08, 2014, 01:25:25 PM »

A homemade mixture of acetone and atf fluid works wonders also rusty threads.

JerseyVince · « **Reply #245 on:** April 08, 2014, 02:47:51 PM »

2 things everyone should have in the kit/toolbox/ garage is Boeshield spray by Boeing it should be Illegal its that good for protecting metals in saltwater and great for wiring/towing connections/corroded switches/bolts.

But for heavyduty manifold bolts/exhaust bolts/turbo charger studs/brake caliper bolts O2 sensors and the like. Get a couple cans of MOPAR rust buster 4318039 old number 4318039AC new number. It works and even better if you can soak it a cpl times over a day or 2 before you remove it.

I had a 87 Grand National that I bought used and had a ton of performance parts that I was going to swap on my vacation including the Turbo-Radiator-intercooler + piping -Turbo oil lines and fuel rails plus a Sh*t load of other stuff I soaked all the turbo bolts everyday when I came home for 3 days and started Sat morning. I didn't BREAK a SINGLE BOLT on the Turbo charger , exhaust manifold or Downpipe they walked off with just a 1/2" breaker bar. Unheard of not to snap studs on any Turbo job especially on an older car. That stuff has saved many a mechanic a lot of aggravation it works. Walk in to any Jeep/Dodge/Chrysler dealer and ask for Rust Buster

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #246 on:** April 13, 2014, 05:40:20 PM »

Thanks for the help with the check engine light and lean condition code everyone. I replaced the O2 sensor yesterday and took the truck for a drive and no light! Problem solved, and now I’ll show you how I did it.

Here is the new sensor that I’ll be replacing:

Look at me putting my Alldata subscription to use! Here is a diagram of the sensor location:

What the diagram doesn’t show you is all of the other stuff that is in the way. I couldn’t get to it from the top and had to go underneath. Here’s a picture of it from below:

My mud flap was annoying and kept getting in my way so I removed it:

Here we are again, I broke the O2 sensor loose with my wrench but it didn’t want to turn because of the wiring. The connecting end is the white piece and it was stuck bad:

The angle was bad and I couldn’t disconnect the two so I tried to remove the whole harness, but wouldn’t you know the 20 year old plastic tree snapped right off:

Oh well, I managed to get the old O2 sensor out. Here’s a side by side, old and new:

Close up of the business end:

New sensor installed and tightened:

There was a little plastic left on the connector assembly so I put it back on the bracket. I’m sure the first bump I hit would cause it to fall loose. It probably could have hung there without any problems but I put a zip tie around it to keep it secured where it was originally:

After a job well done and problem solved time to enjoy a cold drink next to my beautiful bougainvillea:

Zef_66 · « **Reply #247 on:** April 14, 2014, 10:10:17 AM »

Good work man. That Whitewater IPA is some smooth beer.

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #248 on:** April 14, 2014, 11:14:58 AM »

i love just about anything that is sam adams, except for some of their fruit flavored bears, they are too sweet for me.

JerseyVince · « **Reply #249 on:** April 15, 2014, 08:16:49 AM »

Nice Job!!! glad it's fixed and running ok. feels good to bust your knuckles and then run afterwards

Greekman · « **Reply #250 on:** April 15, 2014, 09:13:55 AM »

warriorhunter, after all this time what is the balance between doing all this work in shops and doing it yourself after you factor in:
- spare parts
- buying of hiring the tools for the job
- cost of transportation to pick up parts
- fueling you with beer

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #251 on:** April 16, 2014, 11:55:37 AM »

Quote from: GreekMan on April 15, 2014, 09:13:55 AM

warriorhunter, after all this time what is the balance between doing all this work in shops and doing it yourself after you factor in:
- spare parts
- buying of hiring the tools for the job
- cost of transportation to pick up parts
- fueling you with beer

well, i don't have hard numbers but i do know i'm ahead by about $2400 bucks since i started this.

PARTS:
i can usually gets parts for half the price that a shop would charge me, in some cases i can get them for a fraction of the price. case in point i had to have them replace those two seals, they charged me $65 for seals that i bought for $15. i wasn't too happy about that, and i had meant to take the seals to the shop and have them use them but i forgot them at home.

TOOLS:
i haven't bought too many tools as i had a lot of them lying around already, but i have bought some. mostly what i have bought are non specialty tools that i can use around the house as well, if i need a really specialized tool i can rent it for free from the local auto parts store.

TRANSPORTATION:
if i buy from the local shop, it is right now the road from my work so i don't really drive more than normal to pick up parts, and honestly most of my bigger purchases are made online because the prices are so much better. lots of time things are prime from amazon or i do pay some shipping from rockauto, but even with that the cost is still lower than the local shops a lot of the times.

BEER:
already at the home, so it wouldn't be fair to factor it in

i don't drink a lot, maybe one a week, sometimes none a week, sometimes three a week. i recently bought a 12 pack and didn't know my wife bought the bulk costco 24 pack, then a friend brought over some for dinner and left quite a few... i look like an alcoholic but i have enough beer to hold me over for several months at least.

if i do break even or lose in any area it would be 'time'. a shop can do a lot of what i do faster, but i think about it and i have to factor in the time/gas to get to the shop, sitting around, and time/gas to get back home. when i think about that i would say i break even on time, and i am learning so i still say i'm ahead when it comes to that aspect of the repairs.

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #252 on:** April 20, 2014, 10:25:31 PM »

On Friday I walked out to my truck and saw a nice fresh puddle of green fluid underneath it. Popped the hood and sure enough I was leaking coolant. I should have taken a picture but it looked like my truck vomited coolant. The leak was falling onto my belt and getting thrown around everywhere. I was a little freaked out until I saw that and I realized it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

The issue was this:

The ol’ duct tape patch wasn’t holding up anymore. Who would have guessed that? Fortunately I had a spare section of hose lying around. I actually bought it anticipating this repair but was holding off since I didn’t really want to flush out the system again.

Thankfully I was able to access both ends of the hose without too much trouble. I remembered from doing the water pump that bracket that held the coil packs on was open which allowed me access to the covered end of the tube:

That was a relief because that turned what could have been a long job into a short one. Got the hose off, put the new one on, and since the system was empty I put some Flush + Cleaner stuff in it from Prestone, I think JerseyVince recommended doing that when I originally did the water pump:

That’s running in the truck right now, I’ll drain and refill with coolant tomorrow or Tuesday.

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #253 on:** April 21, 2014, 08:26:05 AM »

i forgot to add the best part about this! my son was out playing and wanted to help, so he came along with his play tools and started 'screwing' bolts for me. he even lost a bit down in the engine compartment which i had to find for him, and did. he's a real mechanic now!

he was surprised when i picked him up and set him on the truck, handed him a screwdriver, and showed him the screws i needed tightened to put the coil pack back on:

Cedar · « **Reply #254 on:** April 21, 2014, 09:23:47 AM »

And that is how they learn..

Cedar

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #255 on:** April 28, 2014, 10:45:37 PM »

so... a little hiccup tonight... anyone care to tell me how to thoroughly clean up an oil spill? total type 1 error on my part:

lucky for me i'm a forward thinking individual and had extra cat litter on hand for the kitty. i never thought i'd be so glad to have some lying around. i covered the spill in it but there is a pretty bad stain and some residue oil left in the cracks of the concrete slabs. the stain i can live with, but cleaning out those cracks is going to be a pain.

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #256 on:** May 13, 2014, 11:08:22 AM »

Time to renew the registration on my truck, which means I have to have it tested to pass emissions in my county. I went this morning and it passed with flying colors, all the marks were way below where they needed to be. Just goes to show that a well maintained 20 year old vehicle can still perform as it did when it was new (mostly).

d3nni5 · « **Reply #257 on:** May 13, 2014, 11:13:43 AM »

Quote from: thewarriorhunter on April 28, 2014, 10:45:37 PM

i covered the spill in it but there is a pretty bad stain and some residue oil left in the cracks of the concrete slabs. the stain i can live with, but cleaning out those cracks is going to be a pain.

Leave it there! Call it a badge of honor.

Par for the course when wrenching on your car and should make you proud!

Seriously, time should take care of it....what's it been 2 weeks? Past the initial cleanup, everyday dust and dirt should disappear it. How's it look today?

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #258 on:** May 13, 2014, 04:14:10 PM »

Looks good, a second round of cat litter got most of it up, and as you said it is slowly fading with time. I have cardboard over the spill right now to help stop drips in the future so I haven't seen it in a while.

keebler · « **Reply #259 on:** May 13, 2014, 04:42:19 PM »

take a brick with Cat litter on the concrete ---scrub it---stain will deminish

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #260 on:** May 14, 2014, 10:14:09 AM »

Car was making a noise from the front driver side wheel. I couldn't figure it out but it was time for an oil change so I took it in. Apparently when I did the struts I pulled the axle out slightly without realizing it, which in turn damaged the seal. So they are replacing that because I don't have the time to do it myself. Pretty bummed about it, but I guess it could have been worse.

archer · « **Reply #261 on:** May 14, 2014, 10:16:02 AM »

ah damn, 2 steps forward, 1 step back.

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #262 on:** May 14, 2014, 12:03:33 PM »

I guess... I'm still ahead of the game, but damn this is frustrating. What gets me is I tried really hard to get the left half shaft out to replace that seal when I did the struts and it wouldn't budge. I was short on time and didn't have an appropriate pry bar to pop it out. Yet the right sight slipped out willy nilly without any force applied to it at all. That's what frustrates me the most.

ncjeeper · « **Reply #263 on:** May 14, 2014, 07:08:27 PM »

It could be just a crappy seal. Its hard to get quality parts now days. I replaced a TPS sensor on a 4.0 motor 3 times until I got a good one. The first two were bad.

Humble Mechanic · « **Reply #264 on:** May 24, 2014, 01:32:12 PM »

Hey everyone,
Sorry it's been a while since I have been on.

I just want to say I really love this thread! Fixing cars, learning, teaching kids, how freaking awesome!

I wish that people would get the "I don't know about cars" idea out of their heads. You know far more than you think.

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #265 on:** May 24, 2014, 02:43:32 PM »

Rounded bolt heads, what do you guys do? I saw socket extractors that looked like they would do a good job and I like the idea of using those vs. drilling the bolt and using one of the insertion type extractors .

Humble Mechanic · « **Reply #266 on:** May 24, 2014, 02:54:08 PM »

Quote from: thewarriorhunter on May 24, 2014, 02:43:32 PM

Rounded bolt heads, what do you guys do? I saw socket extractors that looked like they would do a good job and I like the idea of using those vs. drilling the bolt and using one of the insertion type extractors .

Drilling out is my LAST resort. I like the Craftsman ones you linked to. They work really well. Just a little tip, don't be afraid to beat the hell out of it to seat it on the bolt. It needs it.

If you have the room, look at using a "Parrot jaw" plier. Channel lock makes a great set.

http://humblemechanic.com/2012/07/10/dealing-with-damaged-bolts-an-auto-mechanics-uh-oh-drawer/

This is some of the tools I use for this type of thing.

SloSheepdog · « **Reply #267 on:** June 10, 2014, 10:52:53 AM »

I really really dislike rounded off boltheads and other fasteners, and I have had to deal with them more than I would like to. Good luck!

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #268 on:** July 06, 2014, 11:16:07 PM »

Quick questions guys:

On my bike rebuild I'm getting the point that I need to start cleaning these parts and seeing what I have. I have read about boiling parts in water, boiling in lemon juice, or just dipping in carb cleaner. Any recommended methods for cleaning this type of stuff up? I'm planning on buying a stock pot large enough to fit each individual piece if I go the boiling route and seeing if my grill's side burner will do the job. Pretty sure my wife would kill me if I tried to boil this off inside.

I posted this over here since not everyone that has commented on here has commented on there and I'd love to get some advice. If you want to see what I'm cleaning my most recent post here will show you. Thanks!

ncjeeper · « **Reply #269 on:** July 07, 2014, 12:48:58 AM »

I have and use a 20 gallon parts washer. It has the nice skull and crossbones solvent in it. The crappy environmental friendly stuff sucks and does not clean very well. I think harbor freight sells the 20 gallon model for around 99 bucks?

News:

Author Topic: My journey to maintaining my own vehicles (Read 160364 times)

d3nni5