What did you do "IN" your garage today?

[Fixr]

Left-hand thread?

Not that I've ever spent a bunch of time trying to 'loosen' a left-hand thread..........lol.

Nope, it's right hand. As I'm working on other parts of the job, it's increasingly obvious that the ham-fisted gorilla who did the previous water pump/timing belt job had an unhealthy obsession with wildly excessive torque. I've had to use an 18 inch 1/2 inch drive breaker bar to break loose several M8 fasteners on this job.

I've heated the crank bolt until steam or smoke was coming from behind the balancer, and did the reverse/forward/reverse thing with the impacts. I have a feeling that this 4 hour job is going to turn into a number of days, which really ***** because it's the only vehicle we have that my wife can readily get in and out of without really excessive pain. I'm contemplating buying HFs most powerful 1/2 inch air impact. I just hate to do that because I may never need to use it again.

ETA: And for all I know, it may not do the job.

 

[Fixr]

I would do the long breaker bar and crank the starter method, but the hybrid doesn't have a starter as such, and the ECM decides when the engine needs to be started, so there's no bumping it over.

 

[welder4956]

Then got in a wrestling match with a mower tire. I got the old one off and the new one on easy enough. But when I tried to seat the bead it was having none of that. Tried a ratchet strap and the bucket method, but no go. I looked around the shop for some starting fluid, but only had nonflammable brake cleaner, electrical cleaner, mapp gas and bug spray. Tried all of those, but still no go. I'll get some starting fluid and carb cleaner tomorrow and hit it again.

Tire - 6; Me - 0.

Continued to wrestle with the mower front tires today. I picked up some starting fluid and carb cleaner yesterday while we were out doing doctor appointments and running errands, but didn't have time to do anything when we returned. This morning I tried the starting fluid several times and while it gave a good puff, the rubber is just too stiff to flex enough to seat the beads. So, I tried another tactic and put 6" spacer blocks around the inside of the bead, heated up the rubber with a HF heat gun on high for several minutes inside and outside, then let it cool for 30 minutes. When it had cooled, the inside width at the beads was wide enough that the beads touched the wheel all the way around and it aired right up. Mounted the wheel back on the mower, then rinse and repeat on the other side. With both sides done I mowed the front and back to clean up after all the rainstorms and growth the past week.

 

[Prospecter]

Nope, it's right hand. As I'm working on other parts of the job, it's increasingly obvious that the ham-fisted gorilla who did the previous water pump/timing belt job had an unhealthy obsession with wildly excessive torque. I've had to use an 18 inch 1/2 inch drive breaker bar to break loose several M8 fasteners on this job.

I've heated the crank bolt until steam or smoke was coming from behind the balancer, and did the reverse/forward/reverse thing with the impacts. I have a feeling that this 4 hour job is going to turn into a number of days, which really ***** because it's the only vehicle we have that my wife can readily get in and out of without really excessive pain. I'm contemplating buying HFs most powerful 1/2 inch air impact. I just hate to do that because I may never need to use it again.

ETA: And for all I know, it may not do the job.

So too many Uggah Uggahs?

 

[Prospecter]

Nope, it's right hand. As I'm working on other parts of the job, it's increasingly obvious that the ham-fisted gorilla who did the previous water pump/timing belt job had an unhealthy obsession with wildly excessive torque. I've had to use an 18 inch 1/2 inch drive breaker bar to break loose several M8 fasteners on this job.

I've heated the crank bolt until steam or smoke was coming from behind the balancer, and did the reverse/forward/reverse thing with the impacts. I have a feeling that this 4 hour job is going to turn into a number of days, which really ***** because it's the only vehicle we have that my wife can readily get in and out of without really excessive pain. I'm contemplating buying HFs most powerful 1/2 inch air impact. I just hate to do that because I may never need to use it again.

ETA: And for all I know, it may not do the job.

If you buy it, you'll use it again. Just how life works.

 

[LeonardY]

so our butts wouldn't set the woods on fire

You must have been in a real figgity troop. All that friction to set your butts in fire.

 

[welder4956]

Well, the neighbor's impacts didn't get it done either. Not sure what the next step is.

A long breaker bar with a cheater would be my next step. Maybe 24" long breaker with 3 ft. of steel pipe slipped over the end.
I have a cordless Dewalt impact that is rated at 750 ft-lb that usually works when there is enough clearance to use it.

 

[Wrench97]

At the moment working on a 2003 Tacoma timing belt. Man it’s a chore. It’s rusty as heck and bolts rounding off and everything. Everyone says old stuff is easier to work on but I don’t always believe that lol. Also there is a bunch of hoses in the way of the bolts on the side. And then the puller for the crank pulley is too big and we have tried wedging pry bars in there and everything. Hopefully it will budge. It’s lunch time now though maybe after it we can get it to work better. If it wasn’t so rusty it would probably be a lot better and easier.

So what was the outcome with the Camry?

 

[Wrench97]

Well, the neighbor's impacts didn't get it done either. Not sure what the next step is.

Heat

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

So what was the outcome with the Camry?

It ended up being someone had messed around in the fuse box and had all the fuses one slot off. We didn’t realize that when we were checking fuses and relays the first time. But now we know to be more careful next time.

 

[Fixr]

So too many Uggah Uggahs?

I thought it was Ugga Duggas

 

[Fixr]

Heat

Heated the bolt so much that steam/smoke was coming from the back side of the harmonic balancer. That should have liquefied any Loctite.

 

[Fixr]

I bought the most powerful HF 1/2" impact. Advertised as 1500 ft/lb. Brought it home, oiled it and plugged it in.

Oh, look! It's turning the crankshaft opposite the running direction. The other impacts didn't turn the crankshaft. And the bolt still isn't coming loose. But the impact starts off hitting pretty hard, and slows down fast. So it's probably not getting enough airflow.

Give it a 5 second burst. Stop and let the compressor pump up all the way and shut off. Give it another burst. And another, and another, and another. Still just turning the crankshaft. One more, and ugga dugga ugga dugga ziiiiing!

The bolt is off. I'm going to get a set of high-flow quick connects and a decent 1/2 inch hose so the impact will get enough air. That will probably ensure I never use the thing again.

 

[Wrench97]

Heated the bolt so much that steam/smoke was coming from the back side of the harmonic balancer. That should have liquefied any Loctite.

Do you have a way to lock the crankshaft from turning either front or rear side?
breaker bar with a pipe and a strapping young man to pull on it

 

[jake28]

Outside


Inside



Follow along

 

[DGersic]

At the moment working on a 2003 Tacoma timing belt. Man it’s a chore. It’s rusty as heck and bolts rounding off and everything. Everyone says old stuff is easier to work on but I don’t always believe that lol. Also there is a bunch of hoses in the way of the bolts on the side. And then the puller for the crank pulley is too big and we have tried wedging pry bars in there and everything. Hopefully it will budge. It’s lunch time now though maybe after it we can get it to work better. If it wasn’t so rusty it would probably be a lot better and easier.

Mmm. Rusty.

2003 isn’t old. Old stuff is easier to understand, maybe. I’d argue that most people saying this don’t understand carburetors.

 

[Fixr]

Do you have a way to lock the crankshaft from turning either front or rear side?
breaker bar with a pipe and a strapping young man to pull on it

Not that it matters now, but no. I have an HF chain wrench that I could have put on the pulley section of the balancer, but I would expect it to shatter with the needed torque. Damaging the pulley wouldn't matter, because this vehicle doesn't use any accessory belts.

The bolt was so ridiculously tight that if I had locked the crank and used a breaker bar, cheater pipe and floor jack to try to turn the bolt, it would probably have lifted the vehicle off the jack stands, which would have been suboptimal.

 

[Fixr]

Outside


Inside



Follow along

Can it be in your garage if it's not a garage yet?

 

[Fixr]

Mmm. Rusty.

2003 isn’t old. Old stuff is easier to understand, maybe. I’d argue that most people saying this don’t understand carburetors.

Nobody really understands carburetors. We only have theories about why they don't work as expected.

 

[DGersic]

Sanding. Working on the drawers and doors project again.

 

[Outlawmws]

Can it be in your garage if it's not a garage yet?

Review post one and note the quotes on "in" in the subject line.

 

[Fixr]

Review post one and note the quotes on "in" in the subject line.

I don't always follow the rules. But I'm cute.

 

[LeonardY]

F-up a 3D print.
Fired up the 3D printer.

 

[GrayFlattop]

Sharpened the plane iron in one of my rabbet planes, as well as a couple of chisels. If I was more motivated, I would have taken care of the other chisels on the bench,, but it was warming up outside. Then I pulled a few pieces of poplar off the lumber rack and converted them into a new door jamb (hanging the door tomorrow).

Stared at the mess for a few minutes before I turned the lights off and locked up for the night.

 

[Jgaz]

I bought the most powerful HF 1/2" impact. Advertised as 1500 ft/lb. Brought it home, oiled it and plugged it in.

Oh, look! It's turning the crankshaft opposite the running direction. The other impacts didn't turn the crankshaft. And the bolt still isn't coming loose. But the impact starts off hitting pretty hard, and slows down fast. So it's probably not getting enough airflow.

Give it a 5 second burst. Stop and let the compressor pump up all the way and shut off. Give it another burst. And another, and another, and another. Still just turning the crankshaft. One more, and ugga dugga ugga dugga ziiiiing!

The bolt is off. I'm going to get a set of high-flow quick connects and a decent 1/2 inch hose so the impact will get enough air. That will probably ensure I never use the thing again.

What pressure are you running at the compressor?

We had a 1” drive impact at work years ago for the old screw in mopar ball joints.
The impact would do the job on shop air 100 to 125 psi. We had to use a nitrogen bottle with the regulator set at 175 psi to handle the removal on older vehicles that were exposed to goof old Michigan road salt.

 

[Bob Heine]

I'm contemplating buying HFs most powerful 1/2 inch air impact. I just hate to do that because I may never need to use it again.

@Fixr, I was going to suggest you bite the bullet and get a 1/2" Earthquake air impact from HF but you already did. I had an old Rockwell impact that wouldn't touch a bolt I needed loosened. The Earthquake acted like it was nothing. It's one of those tool dilemmas where it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. You'll find yourself using it more often than you think. Then again, I may have gone a little overboard on the air impacts and ratchets for a hobby mechanic.

The air system in my garage is 1/2" galvanized pipe except for the run in the garage attic. The run to the ceiling mounted hose reel on the far side of the garage is plumbed in copper. All the quick connects are v-style and the hoses on the two hose reels are 1/2" Flexzilla. There is a slight restriction to the Earthquake impact and a couple of other air hog tools because they have 3/8" whips. Still, better than most of the air tools, which only have 1/4" whips.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Well, the neighbor's impacts didn't get it done either. Not sure what the next step is.

I've got a beat-to-**** HF Earthquake 1/2". It's never failed me. They make these super heavy crank bolt sockets. That weigh at least 3x what a regular impact socket weighs. I'd go that route. Crapazon carries them.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Made jigs and burned some leather flyswatter parts. Started developing a tea light holder. First one gets fish in a tank.

 

[larry4406]

I thought it was Ugga Duggas

I think it was Ugga Tuggas...

 

[hobie18]

Well, the neighbor's impacts didn't get it done either. Not sure what the next step is.

 

[bugnut]

Bursar reported riding mower steering was not working properly. Took a look and the steering gear is worn. Removed the deck and removed the steering gear. Stared at it a bit then counted teeth so I could order a new one. Put the old steering gear back on but added 3 washers, so it was hitting in a different less worn spot. Put it back together. Ordered new parts.

Moved on to the push weed wacker which will not start. I have checked spark, magneto gap, fuel tank, everything I can think of but still not running. I have had the carb on and off 4 times, putting it through the US twice, but still won't run. Thought it had a new carb, but in checking records it is not. So I decided to quit screwing with it and ordered a new $18 dollar carb.

Cleaned up the mess, swept all the grass and weed clippings up, followed with the handheld leaf blower.

Waiting on parts.....

Oh and brought the trash can up from the curb!

 

[NUTTSGT]

I thought it was Ugga Duggas

It is. Uggah uggah is caveman torque.

I think it was Ugga Tuggas...

That's after too many beers. Often confused with, "Ugh gonna togettanotherbeer."

 

[NUTTSGT]

Grabbed some grease and a pair of gloves to put a quick coat on and clean up the WD hitch before hooking it up.

 

[ATC]

I would do the long breaker bar and crank the starter method, but the hybrid doesn't have a starter as such, and the ECM decides when the engine needs to be started, so there's no bumping it over.

Hot wire the starter from underneath

 

[jonshonda]

Oil change and tire rotation on the Honda Fit, and prepping for a oil change and coolant replacement on the GX460. $240 worth of fluids and filters later and we should be good to go.

 

[Fixr]

What pressure are you running at the compressor?

We had a 1” drive impact at work years ago for the old screw in mopar ball joints.
The impact would do the job on shop air 100 to 125 psi. We had to use a nitrogen bottle with the regulator set at 175 psi to handle the removal on older vehicles that were exposed to goof old Michigan road salt.

At the last service I dropped the max pressure from 175 to 150, but I think it's going back up to 175.

 

[Fixr]

@Fixr, I was going to suggest you bite the bullet and get a 1/2" Earthquake air impact from HF but you already did. I had an old Rockwell impact that wouldn't touch a bolt I needed loosened. The Earthquake acted like it was nothing. It's one of those tool dilemmas where it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. You'll find yourself using it more often than you think. Then again, I may have gone a little overboard on the air impacts and ratchets for a hobby mechanic.

The air system in my garage is 1/2" galvanized pipe except for the run in the garage attic. The run to the ceiling mounted hose reel on the far side of the garage is plumbed in copper. All the quick connects are v-style and the hoses on the two hose reels are 1/2" Flexzilla. There is a slight restriction to the Earthquake impact and a couple of other air hog tools because they have 3/8" whips. Still, better than most of the air tools, which only have 1/4" whips.

I got the most powerful 1/2 inch Earthquake, and I was beginning to despair of getting the bolt loose off. It was that tight.

My air plumbing would embarrass at least half of GJ. Hydraulic hose from the compressor tank through the wall and up to a galvanized pipe manifold with the regulator, etc. From there it's cheap 1/2" yellow HF PVC air hose run into the attic and teed to drops for high-mounted hose reels and one coil hose at the work bench. Early on, it had a hose clamp failure with the expected hose flailing around, but it did no damage in the attic because PVC air hose vs plywood and 2x4s is no contest. I upgraded the clamps and it has had no more problems in about 15 years. I am frankly amazed, because I originally intended to upgrade to proper pipe within a year (not PVC. I've seen it fail catastrophically).

The manifold with the regulator currently has a couple of standard 1/4" quick connects that had never been used in that 15 years. I plan to upgrade them to 3/8" high-flow connectors and get a better 1/2" hose (I used the remnant of the yellow PVC hose, and boy does it ****, being stiff and tangling with itself). That should ensure that I never again run into a fastener that my old Ingersoll can't get loose using a 1/4" hose.

 

[Mike S.]

I've been replacing the suspension and bushing on my budget project car. The rear suspension put up a fight with several bolts seized into the bushings. I haven't had to use the torch in a while. It looks like it's due for a new tip.



I broke one bolt which had to be cut and then a nut welded on to extract it from the trailing arm.

 

[Fixr]

Hot wire the starter from underneath

There is no starter to hotwire. The hybrid system uses the traction motor/generator and the planetary transmission to crank the engine. There's no starter noise. The engine *seems* to just magically go from not running to running with no intermediate cranking. I'm not aware of any way to get the system to just bump it over without starting.

 

[Fixr]

I've got a beat-to-**** HF Earthquake 1/2". It's never failed me. They make these super heavy crank bolt sockets. That weigh at least 3x what a regular impact socket weighs. I'd go that route. Crapazon carries them.

The heavy socket would have been next. I may keep an eye open for a sale just to have one. I was contemplating rolling my own instead having to wait 3 days for Amazon Prime "2 day shipping".