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Clemson13

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May 30, 2015
Messages
425
I really hope this thread doesn't get locked down.
That right there is the reason I won't debate politics in this thread. I have been hoping others would let the politics die out.... But they keep getting brought back up

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GeddyT

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Seven years, four months, twenty-one days. That's how old this thread is. Almost as old as my daughter. Because of this thread, I've learned about lathe tool centering, Baltic birch, edge banding, Festool, French cleats, crazy pencil collecting, The One Show, civil asset forfeiture, how lazy and disorganized I am, dozens of other cool things, and have been inspired to learn how to weld (I'll get to it eventually...).

I had an amazing evening today. Came home from work--my 24th work day in a row, most 13 hours or longer--and kicked off some impending time off with a dirt bike ride in the yard with my kids, then a celebratory movie and beverages of choice with my wife.

And now I'm here. Like I've been since at least seven years ago, ever since being ushered over from an ADVRider Mission Creep thread.

I would no sooner come to a thread like this and be contrarian in a way that might get it locked than I would throw a rock through a 100 year old stained glass window just because it contains a detail I'm not fond of.

Now, my understanding is that there's a recently freed-up motorcycle lift that would be elevating a new project bike in a certain mid-century garage sometime about now...
 
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douglawrence42

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Oct 13, 2017
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Location
Evington, Virginia
Wow. My oldest daughter is 2 months older than this thread. Didn’t realize it had been a part of my life for so long. I’ll need good ideas for building my escape loft in my shop before both daughters are teenagers, so keep it going!
 

Fast914

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Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Messages
188
Location
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Canada
Seven Years!!! Wow, Truly thank you to Gregor for sure but this whole community actually. I too have learned so much from this and a number of other threads as well.

I am just about to start painting the lower wall and apply stripes myself and sure enough...you guys pave the way so that I get it right!

I will definitely snap some pics as I progress....plus the old P Car is really coming along

Much thanks to all,

Grant
 

polexican23

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Jun 11, 2013
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burbs-Illinois
7 years of thinking I and my skills are useless, because of this fellas abilities. Yet i always come back.

Maybe one day i will be able to learn something that I could handle as well.
 
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sakurama

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Oct 10, 2010
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Location
Portland - the cool one.
Yes, lots of stuff in this thread and yet it drags on and on...

I was going to bring up something very controversial but since I don't want the the thread to be locked down I won't discuss the electric pressure washer I bought off CraigsList and rebuilt.

Seriously do you have any idea how rabid those discussions get? Electric vs. Gas pressure washers is worse than bringing up religion or Mig vs. Tig (and we all know that Jesus was a tig welder right?)

Okay, maybe I'll get into that tomorrow. First a moment of silence.

The van died.

I don't know what happened but we drove down to Ashland, OR, about 5 hours away, and I just felt something was different - the motor sounded different. Ran fine but something seemed odd. It's been smoking a little on cold starts for a while which I've attributed to leaking injectors which I was planning on doing this summer until the bottom fell out of work. You see to replace the injectors you need to remove the body from the chassis - that or you pull the engine out of the van from the front. Either way you're looking at $3-4000 in labor and about the same in parts. So...

Anyway, the next morning I went to start it and it filled the parking lot with white smoke. It had zero power and sounded like it was running on 2 cylinders and I parked it. It was towed to Wolf Performance which is a diesel specialty shop about 30 minutes up the road. It might be injectors or it might be the high pressure oil pump. I'll know more this week when the shop looks at it. Keep me in your prayers.

Let's move on to something more positive.

i-TrcNs6d-X2.jpg


I finally got the BMW on the lift so I can get that on the road this summer. My plan is to make a brace that supports the part that broke from under the swingarm - the block is pre machining.

i-WvXxwxZ-X2.jpg


I visited Heath with the swingarm and you can see the brace to the right. Sorry, I didn't even make a drawing of the part much less photograph it. I just put the chunk of aluminum in the vise and started milling. Very unlike me but I've been sort of rushed lately.

i-SqF3K77-X2.jpg


He gouged out the broken weld so as to get full penetration on the new bead.

i-V644tpV-X2.jpg


i-mSLTxLX-X2.jpg


Essentially the part is sort of like a pair of fins on a plate - I have no idea why I didn't shoot it. Actually I did with my phone in a video. Anyway, you'll see it soon enough. We used a good bit of weld and my plate actually spread the load across the shock point to the larger swingarm. It should be exceptionally strong.

And the reason I say that is because I took it in to be heat treated to T6. We were going to have to cut up a second swingarm to do a metal analysis to determine the composition of the swingarm because heat treating aluminum can change significantly with as little as 50F. But lucky for me I was able to write to my friend from BMW that came to our 1 Moto Show party and I asked if they could find out the metal. And they did!

i-LssMDv6-X2.jpg


So it turns out that all BMW swingarms from the R1100-R1150's are made with Al-Si-10Mg which is the powdered version of 6061 used for casting. Since my brace is 6061 and the filler is 4043 they are all treated the same way - 1 hour at 950F and then immediately quenched in a water glycol solution in the above drop bottom furnace. After that 4 hours at 350F in a separate oven which will bring the entire swingarm up to T6.

So thank you Sean for pushing me to do the work to do this the right way. I've seen a modified swingarm by SWT and it is not nearly as beefy as what I'm doing so I'm pretty confident mine will be solid. I will need to get it revalved however.

And maybe stop jumping it.

Nah.

So maybe tomorrow I'll bring up the pressure washer. Only if we can agree to keep it civil.

Gregor
 

Arclitgold

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Dec 20, 2017
Messages
317
I’ll gladly read some pressure washer content! Also looking forward to reading about what happened to the van. :(


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GeddyT

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Bellingham, WA
I bought a cheap little electric pressure washer years ago, primarily for washing dirt bikes. Maybe it was the "cheap" part and not the "electric" part that made the difference, but that thing isn't worth a damn. I mostly bought it for washing dirt bikes after a ride, but then I learned several things nearly all at once:

1.) Pressure washers are not a good idea for dirt bikes because you don't want to force water into sealed bearings.

2.) The garden hose did a better job anyway, as we have high pressure water at my house, and the higher volume of flow vs. the pressure washer seemed to work better.

3.) It's almost always raining after a ride, and I hate washing bikes on a sunny day, let alone in the rain. The bike now gets washed once per year whether it needs it or not...

The electric pressure washer has largely gathered dust since these epiphanies.


Nice seeing another bike in the air. Keep it coming.
 
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sakurama

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Portland - the cool one.
So to simplify what I've learned about pressure washers in the quickest way possible...

There are two types - the ****** ones you buy at the big box stores that everyone has and thinks that they're fine (and they are fine for the most part) and the "serious" ones. It's a bit like a drill press compared to a mill - they both make holes and that's about where it ends.

The second type of pressure washer is the "real" ones - the ones that can strip paint, clean sidewalks and wash the dirt off a tractor. They are without almost any exception gas powered.

Here's the metric or how they are measured: Gallons per minute X Pressure = Made up "Cleaning Number" and the main player in the world of serious pressure washers is: Pressure Washers Direct

So, 1 gallon per minute (gmp) x 1500psi = 1500 made up figure. 2 gpm x 1700 = 3400 so obviously the higher the number the better they clean. The reason that consumer grades top out is that 120v can't produce much hp and so you're limited to around 1gpm and 1500-1700psi. Gas motors, obviously, can easily generate lots of horsepower so gas pressure washers can easily top 3-4000 psi and pump 3-5 or much more gpm.

So they win. End of story. If you read any of the threads in the tools section on pressure washers where someone asks about a good electric pressure washer it takes all but about 2 posts before that person is told that there is no such thing and don't waste your time.

But there is. Barely.

i-JXHd6gw-X2.jpg


Once you get over 3000 "cleaning units" you're into pretty serious cleaning. Most of the people will tell you gpm is more important than psi as it's what really helps to clean. I don't know. I'm new to this. Generally speaking to get over 3000 "units" you're going to need to have at least 2hp and 1500psi and you really can't do that without spending at least $700-1500. Unless you get a gas pressure washer.

For me the reason to look for an electric is that I've rebuilt or replaced the carb on my lawn mower about four times now. Modern gas and my neglect are a lethal combination and I really don't want another motor to take care of.

I found this on CraigsList for $100 and it's an Annovi Reverberi (Italian) pump with a 2hp motor branded by North Star. AR pumps are supposedly very good pumps. I saw the oil in the crank case was milky and so he dropped the price from $175 to 100 and I got another (absolutely unneeded!) project.

My twisted logic was that the motor was worth $100 as it was 2hp and it worked so I just needed some seals - how hard could that be?

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Pressure washers are super simple - they're basically three things: a motor, a pump and a nozzle. The pumps can be cheap (big box stores) or pretty well made (AR's and lots of commercial ones) and the better ones seem to all have three pistons. Each one builds the pressure. I think. Crankcase is on the right and pump head is on the left in the shot above.

i-qPkQMhd-X2.jpg


The pistons are ceramic on the good ones and unless they crack (rare) they really don't wear out. The seals can and do wear out and there's a lot of seals...

i-Kq9bxHt-X2.jpg


The orange ones are the main pressure seal and they're some kind of fiber and are pretty stiff. The green ones support the red ones. The black ones go inside the "cylinder" and keep oil in the crank case and water in the head.

i-WVw4WCD-X2.jpg


It was a bit of a pain to do the seals but it cost me $65 to replace all of them and I figured that this was a grand experiment because I was still less than the cost of a box store pressure washer and I wanted to see what the fuss was about with a "serious" pressure washer.

For the record this started when my "Green Works" pressure washer hose sprung a leak. That pressure washer was always sufficient and lasted about 5 years so it had a good run. I want to be clear that I'm not looking for projects but that projects seek me out. I swear. Anyway the hose wasn't replaceable on my old one and I didn't want to bother trying to fix it. I wanted to get into the new world of "real" pressure washers. You know, hang out with the cool kids and talk about cleaning skid-steers.

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So, my old pressure washer was "1700psi and 1.5gpm" and this one is 1500psi and 2gpm. Ostensibly the old one should be better as it's 3400units and the new one is 3000. But it's not. Partly because big box store pressure washers probably fudge the numbers as that's the one metric people look at. And so it comes down to the gallons per minute which, if you browse the pressure washer threads here, you'll hear is much more important.

i-X73cD8p-X2.jpg


So this pressure washer is much more powerful. You feel it kick when you pull the trigger and it pushes your arm back - I can't hold it with one hand. It also peeled some of the powder coat off one of the truck wheels and stripped paint off the grill. Granted this is an old truck but it's pretty serious.

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The other nice thing about "pro" pressure washers is that they're all pretty interchangeable. I was able to order quick connects that fit my old pressure washer nozzles.

One of the most difficult things we have to clean in the PNW is moss and lichen which grows like crazy here. It can ruin paint and almost anything it adheres to and is hard to get off. The pickup bed was particularly bad this year because of Covid and the fact that we haven't driven in three rainy months. This pressure washer did a pretty good job but honestly I really want a more powerful one - I want the potential to hurt myself. I sense this is a lot like motorcycles - there's really no good reason to have 10,000 cleaning units but I want to go down to the local Starbucks and hang out, clean some oil stains, maybe get some gum off the sidewalk and impress some girls.

The next step up if you want a "real" electric one is to go 220v and when you do that you're in the territory of a gas pressure washer. The one I'd like to find is the Kranzle Quadra 700 TST 5hp pressure washer. It's German. It puts out a real 2700psi and 3.3gpm for just under 9000 units or triple the one I have now. It will give any gas pressure washer an honest fight and is truly the ***** dropper of pressure washers! It also costs almost $4000!

There's one on ebay that's been there for several months. In fact there's three but one is $700 and I know the guy would probably take $500 but he won't ship it. It weighs 200lbs. so shipping is no small matter. No one wants 220v pressure washers.

Fools.

Kranzle makes a couple other smaller pressure washers that are by all accounts superb machines and not one is under $1000 and they're mostly between $1600-2500.

I'd love one but not at that price. I have searches running and I'll be patient and try to score one since I know it will be the last pressure washer that I will own. I like the idea of a well made and rebuildable machine that punches above it's weight and is made to last.

If anyone is driving from Florida to Portland and has room for a 200lb pressure washer let me know! Or if you're in Florida you should buy it and see what the fuss is about. For now I'll keep looking here.

i-rk79vMZ-X2.jpg


One issue that I can't figure out is that I bought one of those "foam cannons" last year - the small tank/nozzle set up that sprays a massive amount of soap foam over everything. It's a great way to soak a dirty bike to loosen the dirt and then swap to the pressure nozzle and clean it. For reasons I don't understand at all it does not work at all on this pressure washer. It just dribbles out a small amount of water and nothing seems to change that. It makes no sense to me and that may be reason enough to get rid of it. If you have ideas why let me know.

I'm temped, sorely temped, to weld up a nice aluminum cart for this pump and motor. Give the motor a fresh coat of paint and call it done but I don't know that I want to commit to this machine. It's loud and rattly, the hose is stiff and it's a pain to move but it works well.

Well enough that I want a better one - a Kranzle hopefully. But for now this has proven to be a good experiment.

Gregor
 
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riceaterSLC

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Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
89
Well enough that I want a better one - a Kranzle hopefully. But for now this has proven to be a good experiment.

Gregor

When I moved to the PNW in 2014 I bought a Kranzle K1122TST. I had never owned one before, but knew I wanted a Kranzle. All the car detailing forums raved about the Kranzle and the ability to easily access repair parts was a great selling point.

I will tell you that it has been worth every penny. While not pumping out 3000psi, I can safely wash anything I don't want to destroy and it works amazingly with the foam cannon. It made quick work of cleaning all the moss off of the driveway, siding, and deck. I recently used it with a 20' extension to clean my parents' siding and it worked like a champ. Buy it.
 

wout

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Dec 26, 2013
Messages
786
Location
Belgium
I bought the karcher K7 lately, it’s 230v and produces 180bar (2600psi), volume I have to check but works fine to me. Was around 500€ new.

Wout
 
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VMX42

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Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
50
Location
Sydney, Australia
Gregor, what kind of engineer designs a vehicle that needs the body removed to change injectors...pure madness and seriously poor design.

Engineers like this need to spend time in real world repair shops - then they might just understand!!!

Good luck, hopefully it is something relatively minor...:bounce::bounce::bounce:
 

locul

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May 13, 2010
Messages
98
Since you are out of Europe, 220v is common. I dont think it is in "US".

Gregor: Why the difference in voltage? 110 vs 220. Any reason staying in the lower voltage and the thicker cables? I remember very old cars running 6v, man some of that wiring was crazy massive.
 

jimkinney

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Jan 3, 2009
Messages
299
Location
Florida's Space Coast
Gregor,
I looked at that Quadra on ebay, it' about 2 hours west of me. It looks interesting, but I occasionally need to wash things too far away from a power source. It's easier to string hose than extension cords.

I have a 16 year old Devilbis that I picked up at Home Depot for about $600. 6hp Honda and a Cat pump. Rated at 2800 psi, but flows about 4 gpm. With the right nozzle it will strip wood siding right off the house, but I usually use the lowest pressure one (1500psi) and it will clean the driveway faster than anyone else in the neighborhood.

Good luck in your search.
 

bdbecker

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Nov 18, 2015
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5,564
Location
Iowa
Over time, I think you'll end up liking that unit. For 95% of jobs, you'll never need anything more. For that 5% of the time, it'll just take a bit more elbow grease (or you can rent a unit if you have to). Too much pressure can cause more damage than good if you aren't careful. My Dad has one similar to that (identical pump specs, different motor) and it's at least 25 years old. I think he's had to rebuild the pump a few times because it was allowed to freeze (Mom still doesn't understand why he stores it in the basement and not the unheated garage).

Before you build a cart, take a look at what lilscorpion did with his:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8461476&postcount=343
 
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ebarker9

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Oct 1, 2010
Messages
85
For me the reason to look for an electric is that I've rebuilt or replaced the carb on my lawn mower about four times now. Modern gas and my neglect are a lethal combination and I really don't want another motor to take care of.

Yes, very much this. I will go very far out of my way to avoid additional gas powered tools for exactly this reason. I think I have 8 gas powered devices of one type or another (cars/motorcycles included), and I'm sure that's well towards the low end of GJ members. The amount of time that goes into maintaining all of these, making sure that they don't sit too long, etc, just gets to be such a drain that I'm generally happy to pay more for an electric version if it means not having to deal with the additional headaches.
 
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Modern Jess

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For me the reason to look for an electric is that I've rebuilt or replaced the carb on my lawn mower about four times now. Modern gas and my neglect are a lethal combination and I really don't want another motor to take care of.

This.

This pressure washer did a pretty good job but honestly I really want a more powerful one - I want the potential to hurt myself. I sense this is a lot like motorcycles - there's really no good reason to have 10,000 cleaning units but I want to go down to the local Starbucks and hang out, clean some oil stains, maybe get some gum off the sidewalk and impress some girls.

This too!
 

polexican23

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I think a far greater quantity of pressure washers would be sold if they would include a damn hose reel of some sort. I would gladly pony up a few extra duckits for OE reel mounted as opposed to adding one myself.

btw: all the detailing videos with them using foam cannons in their garage is great. If i used my PW in the garage, It would be a like an LSD inspired foam party minus the scantily dressed women. Foam EVERYWHERE!!
 
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wout

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I think a far greater quantity of pressure washers would be sold if they would include a damn hose reel of some sort. I would gladly pony up a few extra duckits for OE reel mounted as opposed to adding one myself.

btw: all the detailing videos with them using foam cannons in their garage is great. If i used my PW in the garage, It would be a like an LSD inspired foam party minus the scantily dressed women. Foam EVERYWHERE!!

Some do has it like the Karcher K7 I purchased lately, think Kranzle also has some. There’s a hole in front where the hose goes true, works rather good. They only forgot to gave the wire a descent place.
 

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sakurama

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Gregor, what kind of engineer designs a vehicle that needs the body removed to change injectors...pure madness and seriously poor design.

Engineers like this need to spend time in real world repair shops - then they might just understand!!!

Good luck, hopefully it is something relatively minor...:bounce::bounce::bounce:

Yes, I full agree. Every builder/engineer should be required to assemble/disassemble anything they make - hopefully with a crescent wrench and a box of mismatched sockets.

Well, word from the shop today was that the fuel tank had gas in it. I almost always fill up at the same station in Portland because they have B99 biodiesel and I like running that. I must have filled up on the way to Ashland and not paid attention to the attendant. Oregon and NJ are the only two states that don’t allow self serve so an attendant pumps. I am pretty good about making sure but I guess I slipped up. They’re draining the tank and flushing the system and then will see what’s up.

And yes, I’m searching for a Kranzle now. The form factor of a stand up unit is appealing.

Gregor
 

GrantT

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Jan 11, 2013
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44
Location
Northumberland, UK
Yes, I full agree. Every builder/engineer should be required to assemble/disassemble anything they make - hopefully with a crescent wrench and a box of mismatched sockets.

Well, word from the shop today was that the fuel tank had gas in it. I almost always fill up at the same station in Portland because they have B99 biodiesel and I like running that. I must have filled up on the way to Ashland and not paid attention to the attendant. Oregon and NJ are the only two states that don’t allow self serve so an attendant pumps. I am pretty good about making sure but I guess I slipped up. They’re draining the tank and flushing the system and then will see what’s up.

And yes, I’m searching for a Kranzle now. The form factor of a stand up unit is appealing.

Gregor

Given that it isn't your fault as you didn't pump the gas will you be able to pursue the gas station for costs of repair? Do you have a receipt that shows the fuel type or did you pay for it on a credit card so you they can match the transaction?
 

douglawrence42

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Yes, I full agree. Every builder/engineer should be required to assemble/disassemble anything they make - hopefully with a crescent wrench and a box of mismatched sockets.
Gregor


Engineer here. My full time job is almost always put 10 lbs of $h!+ in a 5 lb bag. In my case, get machining and welding equipment into places they were never meant to go. Which means in my case, both difficult to service and compromised rigidity (the equipment must be hand carried and assembled at the work site). I race a fiat 500 Abarth, which due to modifications requires the bumper to be removed in order to get to the oil filter. I might be the one individual with the unique perspective that while working in the crowded hell’s cape that is my engine bay, my first thought is “wow they did a great job packing all this in here”. Anyway, your point about engineers should be required to service their equipment is spot on (I have, while wearing a bubble suit and 3 pairs of gloves in a high radiation field). But remember, all design is a compromise, so enjoy your excellent approach angles and tremendous cargo capacity for a relatively short wheelbase!
 

mfg0772

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Aug 8, 2018
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Northeast CT
Yes, I full agree. Every builder/engineer should be required to assemble/disassemble anything they make - hopefully with a crescent wrench and a box of mismatched sockets.

Engineer here. My full time job is almost always put 10 lbs of $h!+ in a 5 lb bag. In my case, get machining and welding equipment into places they were never meant to go. Which means in my case, both difficult to service and compromised rigidity (the equipment must be hand carried and assembled at the work site). I race a fiat 500 Abarth, which due to modifications requires the bumper to be removed in order to get to the oil filter. I might be the one individual with the unique perspective that while working in the crowded hell’s cape that is my engine bay, my first thought is “wow they did a great job packing all this in here”. Anyway, your point about engineers should be required to service their equipment is spot on (I have, while wearing a bubble suit and 3 pairs of gloves in a high radiation field). But remember, all design is a compromise, so enjoy your excellent approach angles and tremendous cargo capacity for a relatively short wheelbase!

Another engineer here - although barely since I do civil/buildings haha. I agree, it is always a battle with whoever holds the purse strings. More often than not, the engineer loses and has to provide a sub-optimal design. For me, lately it has been tons of complaints about electrical and mechanical closets being too tight for the trade contractors to work in. They just assume we as the designers **** at design when in reality our client is pushing us to make those areas as small as possible.
 

joneschase

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Another engineer here - although barely since I do civil/buildings haha. I agree, it is always a battle with whoever holds the purse strings. More often than not, the engineer loses and has to provide a sub-optimal design. For me, lately it has been tons of complaints about electrical and mechanical closets being too tight for the trade contractors to work in. They just assume we as the designers **** at design when in reality our client is pushing us to make those areas as small as possible.



As an auto mechanic I always just assumed the engineers caught their spouses with mechanics and decided to screw every mechanic afterwards!


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sakurama

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Portland - the cool one.
Yeah, I think in the vans case they had the body style, that wasn’t going to change, and they had the 7.3 diesel in their pickups and it was popular for its torque and tow capacity. It was natural to put them together and given the injectors tend to last for 200-250k miles that was far outside of any warranty and even any lifespan concerns.

When I worked construction it was the same with carpenters and architects. If a person sufficiently insulates themselves from another’s plight it will make them indifferent to that persons suffering. Part of why I liked the idea of mandatory public service for every high school graduate. And also why I love the old BMW motorcycles - designed to be serviced with the very complete tool kit that is neatly tucked under the seat.

Thoughtful.

And while I might be able to figure out what station pumped the gas in no world do I see a service station happily volunteering to cover repair costs. Which leaves legal recourse and the only people who win there is lawyers. Not worth it.

Gregor
 

monsterbronco

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Feb 22, 2008
Messages
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That totally *****! All the stations that I have used in NJ, diesel is completely separate and is self serve.... Apparently NJ government feels comfortable allowing diesel owners to DIY...

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Dr Klaun

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Mar 28, 2010
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Tumalo
Gregor,

I would pursue the station. We had one here in Bend that had the fill truck put diesel in the main gas tank. My wifes car ended up with a 3/4 tank of diesel and needed to be towed, etc. - bill was about $600 total for the towing, drain / flush and injector cleaner. The station took care of everything. I would get your receipt and call them - you've got nothing to lose.

As far as the Fords go, I got to design a new dealership a few years ago and saw this process in the service bay. This dealer did all of the local work for the Forest Service, BLM, Sheriff's, etc. that had large fleets of the diesel trucks. All had the cabs off for service. The turned me off completely from the modern diesels as the cost just doesn't justify the need for recreational hauling. I know of 2 large general contractors that have gotten rid of all their diesels (regardless of brand) due to the high maintenance costs over time. The gassers are just cheaper up front and long term.
 

Vertigo Cycles

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
193
Location
Portland, OR
back in the mid 90's I was designing parts for bicycle trials company that I was trying to get going. I sent a few solid models to a machinist for a quote and the email reply was, "you've never machined anything before have you?" Thankfully he took a few minutes to explain why some of my designs were impractical but it also gave me insight into defending some small features even when the part had to be flipped twice to machine them.
 

quadrcr87

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Messages
1,036
Location
Travelers Rest, SC
I just followed the link in your signature, tripped and fell face first into a very detailed 34 page thread on your van build. Wow just wow. Sometimes the hardest adventures are the ones worth taking. I never felt that I needed a 4X4 diesel van as much as I do in this moment.
 

jlevers

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2018
Messages
180
Location
On the road
I hope you're able to get it back on the road with minimal hassle/cost. I just picked up a '95 Chevy G30, and this thread (and the one @quadrcr mentioned above) has given me a lot of inspiration as far as what to do to it...I'm going to be living in it for a while, so my requirements are pretty different than yours, but still!
 

meathooker

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
Messages
254
Location
Iowa
Bummer about your van. Hopefully it’s back to working well with the proper fuel!

We race over in Oregon a fair amount and I was told and allowed to fill up gas cans, motorcycles, utv’s, and diesel trucks ourselves. We’ve been doing it for years.
 

lilscorpion

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 15, 2010
Messages
3,600
Location
Colorado
(Van/gas) What a way to get sidelined. I e never been a fan of full service, I view it as my dad’s era not mine. Never even thought about it causing a problem like this. Hope it turns out well.
 

neilc

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Messages
94
Location
Chicagoland
Gregor - check out Matt Moreman at Obsessed Garage. Matt’s a serious car detailer and has tested dozens of pressure washers. He sells a lot of Kranzles. You two should collaborate. Both car guys. Both you tubers. Both tool guys. Both garage tinkering guys. Both obsessed!

Here’s some of his analysis - https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...e_Washer_Spreadsheet_Final_1.pdf?v=1585925056

Obsessedgarage.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Endless Drift

New member
Joined
Aug 30, 2017
Messages
1
No idea how to quote an extract from one of your blog posts so just copying the pertanent section below;

One issue that I can't figure out is that I bought one of those "foam cannons" last year - the small tank/nozzle set up that sprays a massive amount of soap foam over everything. It's a great way to soak a dirty bike to loosen the dirt and then swap to the pressure nozzle and clean it. For reasons I don't understand at all it does not work at all on this pressure washer. It just dribbles out a small amount of water and nothing seems to change that. It makes no sense to me and that may be reason enough to get rid of it. If you have ideas why let me know.



Gregor, This blog of yours is my happy place and I often find myself drawn here to seek refuge and from the cold world outside, moreso of late! Not to mention inspiration to just be a better version of me and get out there and do things!

Now, I am no expert on most topics discussed here (read all) but I think I have an idea on your poor foam delivery despite having a "***** dropper" of a pressure washer.
-Inlet sizing inside the foam lance piece, there is a small inlet inside the body of the lance and the wrong size will lead to a lacklustre foam presentation.
I can't find anything more detailed than a reference on snowfoam.com.au (look in FAQs under inlet size) - Defines same issue that you described.
(I don't qualify yet to post links on this forum so hopefully that works)

Keep up the amazing work :)
 
OP
S

sakurama

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
1,458
Location
Portland - the cool one.
No idea how to quote an extract from one of your blog posts so just copying the pertanent section below;

Gregor, This blog of yours is my happy place and I often find myself drawn here to seek refuge and from the cold world outside, moreso of late! Not to mention inspiration to just be a better version of me and get out there and do things!

Now, I am no expert on most topics discussed here (read all) but I think I have an idea on your poor foam delivery despite having a "***** dropper" of a pressure washer.
-Inlet sizing inside the foam lance piece, there is a small inlet inside the body of the lance and the wrong size will lead to a lacklustre foam presentation.

Keep up the amazing work :)

You can quote a message by clicking the blue "quote" button at the bottom of a particular post and then, inside the bracketed QUOTE text you can just delete what you don't want. It's a good way to shorten a quote if you don't need the whole thing.

And while that has been back burner it has got me thinking about it. It should be a very simple device and as such there's no reason it shouldn't work from one machine to another. I'll look at it tomorrow.

And thanks - it's always flattering to have someone make their first post in the thread. Sorry for the lack of content - I've had a little bit of work and that's taking up time. I've filled the free time with trying to fix the trailer and a few other odd projects. Nothing too interesting yet.

Gregor
 
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