Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium
- Thread starter Bob Heine
- Start date
Workspaces between 485 and 705 squarefeet.
shortykorte
Well-known member
“Return to Sorting shoe collection”
Y’all sound like me and Mrs. Shorty.
Y’all sound like me and Mrs. Shorty.
@Squankum, in an effort to reduce stress in my life I avoid going to auto parts stores for actual auto parts. I buy supplies for fluid and filter changes but parts for my mostly elderly vehicles are a dilemma. It's also difficult to find parts like bearings, as opposed to assemblies that come with the bearing in it.
I too recall reading about polished runners and even looked into extrude honing the insides of the runners. Turned out not to be a good idea because the runners are very thin except at the flanges.
I watched both videos all the way through. I don't recall him mentioning why he didn't want to remove the runners but I suspect this wasn't his first early C4 rodeo. I concur with the OBD1 port diagnostics not being real helpful. Back in the '90s I bought a software diagnostic package that came with an OBD1 dongle and you ran the software in DOS mode on your laptop (bought a refurbished laptop just to use with this software). It never found a code and basically couldn't diagnose any engine problems. Took the car to the Chevy dealer, hoping they had a better diagnostic machine. They spitballed a valve job as the cure. I've never ever seen valves go bad while idling at a stoplight. My problem turned out to be a broken wire in the Mass Air Flow sensor.
The C4 Corvette engine compartment is tight. So tight that dropping a 10mm wrench at the front of the engine means there is a wrench hiding out of sight and it will only fall to the ground when the car is going more than 70mph. So tight that dropping a T40 Torx bolt at the back of the engine does not make a sound and does not come out the bottom. Time to get out the HF Borescope.
Shorty, I suspect it's more than us four.
"The C4 Corvette engine compartment is tight. So tight that dropping a 10mm wrench at the front of the engine means there is a wrench hiding out of sight and it will only fall to the ground when the car is going more than 70mph. So tight that dropping a T40 Torx bolt at the back of the engine does not make a sound and does not come out the bottom. Time to get out the HF Borescope."
Like you say, it's an early modern car!
I don't know where I learned it, maybe this thread recently, when you're really stumped about where something went, drop another one in that spot and see if you can watch where it goes.
Me, I've just gotten sick of dropping things. That's the main reason I'm so gaga for locking extension for sockets. Why ever chase a socket again?
Like you say, it's an early modern car!
I don't know where I learned it, maybe this thread recently, when you're really stumped about where something went, drop another one in that spot and see if you can watch where it goes.
Me, I've just gotten sick of dropping things. That's the main reason I'm so gaga for locking extension for sockets. Why ever chase a socket again?
GeddyT
Well-known member
Your OBD-I and tight engine compartment tales ring familiar. An arms race broke out in the seventies between automakers and emissions regulations. In the early days, the technology was way behind, and those cars were nightmares to work on. I still can't believe what it took to pull the engine from my '84 Prelude, labeling the spaghetti pot full of vacuum lines and whatnot in the process. I think it's a myth that cars are impossible to work on these days. I wouldn't say it's as easy as it was in the good ol' days, when you could climb into the engine bay next to your motor, kick back in a recliner, whip out a hammer and a crescent wrench, and rebuild the whole thing in a day (if you believe the old-timers...), but it's a hell of a lot easier than in the eighties and nineties, when onboard diagnostics and computer controls hadn't caught up with the number of sensors and bleed-offs and vacuum systems and whatnot required to meet emissions.
OBD-I may have been relatively worthless, but I've solved countless problems thanks to OBD-II, a $15 code reader, and a web forum. Everything is now sensor controlled, and diagnosing sensors has never been easier.
For another forum, I once made a graph with two axes to describe the difficulty of working on every two and four-wheeled vehicle I'd taken a wrench to. On one axis was complexity of the vehicle, on the other axis was how badly you wanted to start the vehicle on fire and walk away when required to work on it. Complex and simple would be the E46 BMW. Relatively not complex and simple would be a KTM dirt bike (8mm and 13mm sockets remove nearly every fastener on the machine). Complex and frustrating would be eighties Honda or either F150 I've owned. Simple and rage-inducing would be 1960s Rokon 2WD dirt bike. It was a fun exercise, and where things placed on the graph wasn't always where I would have thought beforehand.
OBD-I may have been relatively worthless, but I've solved countless problems thanks to OBD-II, a $15 code reader, and a web forum. Everything is now sensor controlled, and diagnosing sensors has never been easier.
For another forum, I once made a graph with two axes to describe the difficulty of working on every two and four-wheeled vehicle I'd taken a wrench to. On one axis was complexity of the vehicle, on the other axis was how badly you wanted to start the vehicle on fire and walk away when required to work on it. Complex and simple would be the E46 BMW. Relatively not complex and simple would be a KTM dirt bike (8mm and 13mm sockets remove nearly every fastener on the machine). Complex and frustrating would be eighties Honda or either F150 I've owned. Simple and rage-inducing would be 1960s Rokon 2WD dirt bike. It was a fun exercise, and where things placed on the graph wasn't always where I would have thought beforehand.
Denwood
Well-known member
Yet another classic "Heinism". Pretty sure the Farside card folks would pay for that text..ha.
Denwood
Well-known member
Another random thought Bob. I've been pulling engines and swearing at cars since I was 16, so some 40 years now.
I also get mildly to violently irritated at design/engineering choices I see made in the various cars I've pulled apart, particularly if I have to resolve them in .25 inches of work space. This is why the EV we also own brings out small chanting cherubs when I put it up on the hoist and see the 2000 odd moving parts it does not have compared to our ICE cars. I believe our 2018 LEAF has about 8 moving parts (a rotor, reduction gear and a few bearings bathed in oil) to the axles.
I had our 2003 CRV (still in play for my 19 year old daughter) on the hoist to weld up a broken exhaust hangar. It was ringing loud enough to prompt other motorists to deliver the "you should get that checked" advice at intersections..ha. That reminded me of all the work I've had to do on the engine/drive train/exhaust/cooling/fueling systems etc. to keep the car running over the years.
Does my appreciation for the EV (and ya, it costs about $17/month to run) make me a lazy guy? Also, because it is stupidly quick from 0-50km/h, I frequently leave much faster cars behind at stoplights...which answers the question of my diminishing maturity in old age
I also get mildly to violently irritated at design/engineering choices I see made in the various cars I've pulled apart, particularly if I have to resolve them in .25 inches of work space. This is why the EV we also own brings out small chanting cherubs when I put it up on the hoist and see the 2000 odd moving parts it does not have compared to our ICE cars. I believe our 2018 LEAF has about 8 moving parts (a rotor, reduction gear and a few bearings bathed in oil) to the axles.
I had our 2003 CRV (still in play for my 19 year old daughter) on the hoist to weld up a broken exhaust hangar. It was ringing loud enough to prompt other motorists to deliver the "you should get that checked" advice at intersections..ha. That reminded me of all the work I've had to do on the engine/drive train/exhaust/cooling/fueling systems etc. to keep the car running over the years.
Does my appreciation for the EV (and ya, it costs about $17/month to run) make me a lazy guy? Also, because it is stupidly quick from 0-50km/h, I frequently leave much faster cars behind at stoplights...which answers the question of my diminishing maturity in old age
@Squankum, I have tried that technique and it did work. Last time I moved the A/C compressor I dropped that weird long bolt. It made a weird sound, hitting something non-metallic. Turned out it landed in the fan shroud where it blended in perfectly with all the flat black stuff around it.
I had almost given up looking for the bolt but when I googled a replacement, the cheapest I could find was $25 and that was on eBay. I was already at my breaking point because I made a really stupid mistake trying to remove one of the other bolts on the compressor. One of the bolts was in a location where I couldn't get a socket so I used a ratchet box end wrench. Before I realized my mistake, I had loosened the bolt far enough to wedge the wrench in place. I was using a flip-to-reverse ratchet rather than one with a lever (this photo is a re-creation of the event).
I ended up hacksawing the bolt off and replacing both the long hex head bolts with socket head bolts (hex, not Torx). It's more difficult to wedge a hex key in that spot. The generous people on eBay are offering the complete set of bolts for $54.99.
I placed an order with Harbor Freight for a set of 3/8" locking socket extensions, a flex head 3.8" ratchet and a set of wobble socket extensions. The locking extensions and flex head ratchet are back ordered and a shipping label has been created for the wobble extensions.
Tom, I remember picking up my brand new 1968 GTO from the dealer after they did their 1,000 mile service. I believe they successfully changed the oil and filter but for some reason sprayed the driver side of the body with undercoating and added a full-length scratch to the passenger side. The shop was closed for the night so I couldn't do anything but drive it home. They did two more small adjustments to the car, removing the cigarette lighter and disconnecting the 47 vacuum lines on the engine, ensuring I would have enough of the 350hp left to creep home. That year was the beginning of the bizarre attempts at emission control.
I upgraded from that funky software diagnostic setup to an Innova OBD 2&1. There's one cable for OBD2 a
nd all the rest are for OBD1.
The manual is impressive until you discover it includes French and Spanish translations so 93 pages of each language. I usually toss the translations but this manual is glue bound. It's also disturbing they use a really old image of a phone for their Technical Assistance line.
Dennis, I'm glad you like that one.
Dennis, I feel like the phone/app/social media obsessed generation is the obvious target for EVs. No need to have the conversation that includes: "No, I've never checked or changed the oil. That's too much pressure!" On the other hand, I'm attracted to the instant torque, simple drivetrain and avoidance of gas stations. As little driving we do in our dotage, an EV makes perfect sense to almost anyone. Anyone but Liane. She is absolutely convinced every time we use the car we would be trapped with no charge left in the battery to run the A/C or even open the windows. "Why do I want to kill her?" In the past five years the longest trip we have taken is approximately 100 miles to visit our daughter and her family. Telling her the new EVs have a multi-hundred mile range has no effect. She knows how long a flashlight battery lasts in a power outage -- and that's why we have all those candles!Another random thought Bob. I've been pulling engines and swearing at cars since I was 16, so some 40 years now.
I also get mildly to violently irritated at design/engineering choices I see made in the various cars I've pulled apart, particularly if I have to resolve them in .25 inches of work space. This is why the EV we also own brings out small chanting cherubs when I put it up on the hoist and see the 2000 odd moving parts it does not have compared to our ICE cars. I believe our 2018 LEAF has about 8 moving parts (a rotor, reduction gear and a few bearings bathed in oil) to the axles.
I had our 2003 CRV (still in play for my 19 year old daughter) on the hoist to weld up a broken exhaust hangar. It was ringing loud enough to prompt other motorists to deliver the "you should get that checked" advice at intersections..ha. That reminded me of all the work I've had to do on the engine/drive train/exhaust/cooling/fueling systems etc. to keep the car running over the years.
Does my appreciation for the EV (and ya, it costs about $17/month to run) make me a lazy guy? Also, because it is stupidly quick from 0-50km/h, I frequently leave much faster cars behind at stoplights...which answers the question of my diminishing maturity in old age
The only other downside I see to EVs is time. When I no longer have to change the oil on three vehicles once a year, do I risk buffing all the paint off the EV? With no fuel injection system and 28 feet of 1/8" fragile plastic vacuum hose, do I use that time to sort MY shoes?
There is a light at the end of this tunnel and I think it involves the whole Plaid thing. Here in Boca Raton there are so many Teslas cruising around I believe some of the
EV West unveils Tesla crate motor for EV conversion projects - Charged EVs
EV conversion one-stop shop EV West has announced a new Tesla crate motor kit designed to convert V8 muscle cars to EVs. The drop-in package consists of a complete Tesla drive unit, including inverter and mounting brackets. “Our new Revolt Tesla crate motor mounts to your small block motor...
chargedevs.com
For real hot rodders I see Tesla junkyard motors for $6K and you get to figure out how to make it fit. Then you buy enough Lihium Ion batteries to feed the beast.
Denwood
Well-known member
Ya. Getting left behind sadly is a stronger motivation than more lofty aspirations of carbon reduction…ha. Our EV is a lot shinier than the other cars for some reason ?
My wife was a bit skeptical at first but our not-so-**** LEAF has become her favorite drive now. She says “it’s zippy”. I also think the Bose sound system (which is not terrible for an OEM system) has something to do with it.
That said, she is 100% not using the Pro-Pilot self driving features. Trust issue there. I look at it as just another driving aid, like cruise control and welcome another set of electronic eyes on the road.
My wife was a bit skeptical at first but our not-so-**** LEAF has become her favorite drive now. She says “it’s zippy”. I also think the Bose sound system (which is not terrible for an OEM system) has something to do with it.
That said, she is 100% not using the Pro-Pilot self driving features. Trust issue there. I look at it as just another driving aid, like cruise control and welcome another set of electronic eyes on the road.
Bob, a note about the HF locking extensions: like many things HF, it would have cost more if they built it right, so it's kind of a kit, too. In this situation, there are tiny (tiny!) hex head set screws on the sliding collars and they need to be removed and Loctited.
Ask me how I know! I think I've read about it on GJ, too, but the first year or so I had mine, I was using a long one and a small air ratchet to speed some spark plugs out of the Durango and in the strobe-like effect of my LED headlamp (you see, most LED things are never truly "on", it's a question of how many times/second they are on) I saw the set screw leaving the extension while it was spinning and taking flight. Amazingly, I found the tiny thing and everything got reassembled.
When I reach for an extension, it's locking extensions first, unless I really need a wobble, or the sliding collar of the locking collar is really going to rub on something I care about. Also, the HF extensions (at least the year I bought them) have some knurling elsewhere on them, making me wonder why ALL extensions don't have some danged knurling!
I also bought a set of three 1/4" locking extensions, Gear Wrench, off of amazon, and they're good, too. I did blow one up during a water pump job but I was absolutely abusing it.
Ask me how I know! I think I've read about it on GJ, too, but the first year or so I had mine, I was using a long one and a small air ratchet to speed some spark plugs out of the Durango and in the strobe-like effect of my LED headlamp (you see, most LED things are never truly "on", it's a question of how many times/second they are on) I saw the set screw leaving the extension while it was spinning and taking flight. Amazingly, I found the tiny thing and everything got reassembled.
When I reach for an extension, it's locking extensions first, unless I really need a wobble, or the sliding collar of the locking collar is really going to rub on something I care about. Also, the HF extensions (at least the year I bought them) have some knurling elsewhere on them, making me wonder why ALL extensions don't have some danged knurling!
I also bought a set of three 1/4" locking extensions, Gear Wrench, off of amazon, and they're good, too. I did blow one up during a water pump job but I was absolutely abusing it.
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3434110ER
From the website photos, both the wobble and locking extensions have knurling near the ratchet end.
I have gone a little overboard on hex and Torx bits on this project. I had some short 3/8" drive allen and Torx bits and added the long 1/4" hex and 3/8" drive Torx bits in early July.
I retired the loose allen wrenches to the shed (including the ones for turning the garbage disposal mechanism). I added a bunch of long 1/4" hex drive and 3/8" square drive allen bits as well as the Bondhus flex Torx bits. I don't have the drawer space for plastic tool cases so the bits are all arranged on hex drive or HF socket rails.
The long T40 3/8" square drive is out being used so there's a space in that rack.
Dennis, I don't push very hard to change vehicles. Liane is still upset I sold her 1993 Buick Regal because it had zero technology. She is almost comfortable with the PT Cruiser after almost 20 years. I still have to show her how to turn the lights and wipers on and assure her there is nothing under her left foot that needs to be pressed for high beams. She drove the '72 Corvette many times but refuses to drive the '87 after 31 years in the family. She has driven the Cadillac twice but has requested a parking lot refresher before driving it again. Yeah, I don't see us acquiring an EV anytime soon. In spite of her refusing to put gas in the car -- she gave up trying after failing to jam the diesel nozzle into our Lincoln Town Car back in '84 -- and has me or an attendant do it.Ya. Getting left behind sadly is a stronger motivation than more lofty aspirations of carbon reduction…ha. Our EV is a lot shinier than the other cars for some reason ?
My wife was a bit skeptical at first but our not-so-**** LEAF has become her favorite drive now. She says “it’s zippy”. I also think the Bose sound system (which is not terrible for an OEM system) has something to do with it.
That said, she is 100% not using the Pro-Pilot self driving features. Trust issue there. I look at it as just another driving aid, like cruise control and welcome another set of electronic eyes on the road.
@Squankum, thanks for the heads up. I just picked up a vial of Prestone orange thread locker so it will be used on the locking extensions. They are currently back-ordered along with the flex head Pittsburgh Pro ratchet.
From the website photos, both the wobble and locking extensions have knurling near the ratchet end.
I have gone a little overboard on hex and Torx bits on this project. I had some short 3/8" drive allen and Torx bits and added the long 1/4" hex and 3/8" drive Torx bits in early July.
I retired the loose allen wrenches to the shed (including the ones for turning the garbage disposal mechanism). I added a bunch of long 1/4" hex drive and 3/8" square drive allen bits as well as the Bondhus flex Torx bits. I don't have the drawer space for plastic tool cases so the bits are all arranged on hex drive or HF socket rails.
The long T40 3/8" square drive is out being used so there's a space in that rack.
Bob, you're like her shabbos goy, but for all technology, and seven days a week!
www.jewishencyclopedia.com
Both of these do not really get into how peculiar it can all get in practice, for certain people. And modern technology is creating workarounds, to... uh....
Kosher light switch:
Okay, the more I read, the more confused I get. The first two links above are kind of mundane and glossing over the real world practices and past, based on what little I used to know/ thought I knew.
What is she going to do when you're gone?!
SHABBAT GOY - JewishEncyclopedia.com
Complete contents the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia.
www.jewishencyclopedia.com
Both of these do not really get into how peculiar it can all get in practice, for certain people. And modern technology is creating workarounds, to... uh....
Kosher light switch:
Okay, the more I read, the more confused I get. The first two links above are kind of mundane and glossing over the real world practices and past, based on what little I used to know/ thought I knew.
What is she going to do when you're gone?!
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Locking extensions of the 1/4" variety. (The little red bands are slightly grippy plastic, and also cover those set scews, IIRC.)
GearWrench No. 81003:
GEARWRENCH 3 Pc. 1/4" Drive Locking Extension Set ...https://www.amazon.com › GEARWRENCH-4-Inch-Driv...
GearWrench No. 81003:
GEARWRENCH 3 Pc. 1/4" Drive Locking Extension Set ...https://www.amazon.com › GEARWRENCH-4-Inch-Driv...
@Squankum, I have been pretty selective automating things. There are three garage door opener switches at the entrance from the garage to the house. No feedback, no voice control, no app. However there's a remote keypad next to the first garage door and its code is the phone number her parents had in the 1950s. Back when the number started with "MOhawk," aka 6-6 on the rotary dial.Bob, you're like her shabbos goy, but for all technology, and seven days a week!
SHABBAT GOY - JewishEncyclopedia.com
Complete contents the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia.
Both of these do not really get into how peculiar it can all get in practice, for certain people. And modern technology is creating workarounds, to... uh....
Kosher light switch:
Okay, the more I read, the more confused I get. The first two links above are kind of mundane and glossing over the real world practices and past, based on what little I used to know/ thought I knew.
What is she going to do when you're gone?!
We have the discussion more frequently as the years pass but it is brief and insistent. I am not allowed to die first.
It's a good thing I never tried illegal drugs. It has left me with just enough money to feed a small tool addiction. A sign of my addiction was feeling good paying for those Gearwrench extensions with Reward Points.
P.S.
I get messages from Amazon basically saying, "Are you sure you're not a professional repair shop? We could get you better deals if you were, you know..." Alas, I'm not one to fib about that sort of thing.
The parts clerks at my Advance Auto have asked if I'm a pro, too, because of how often then see with me my 14.5 quart oil pan/container. I've had to explain, several cars, and one driver doing 30,000 miles/yr, if not 40,000, and 5,000 mile oil change intervals... automatic transmission, transfer case, differential, power steering, brake system fluid changes...
I get messages from Amazon basically saying, "Are you sure you're not a professional repair shop? We could get you better deals if you were, you know..." Alas, I'm not one to fib about that sort of thing.
The parts clerks at my Advance Auto have asked if I'm a pro, too, because of how often then see with me my 14.5 quart oil pan/container. I've had to explain, several cars, and one driver doing 30,000 miles/yr, if not 40,000, and 5,000 mile oil change intervals... automatic transmission, transfer case, differential, power steering, brake system fluid changes...
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
Join the club. My Advance folks know I'm just doing it for me, but they give me the commercial discount on the bigger stuff anyway.
The EGR sensor (arrow) has been disconnected for two decades because the connector is buried behind the distributor. I tried feeling for it but had no luck. I hate to pull the distributor because the cap is held on with four allen screws that are hard to access. At least I put a HEI corrected cap on the distributor (there are no crossed wires) so re-connecting the plug wires will be a no-
brainer.
Once the distributor is out of the way I can see a mangled single wire Weatherpak connector. It appears the connection would be near impossible to make with the distributor in the way and none of the locking clip remains on the loom side of the connector. Turns out very little pressure on the connector caused it to disintegrate.
At least my collection of Weatherpak housings includes single contact pieces. It appears to be a perfect fit.
Knowing I would drop the piece in the open hole where the distributor goes, I stuffed a paper towel in the hole and laying on the engine (like a bed of nails) was able to disconnect the crumbling connector and replace it with a fresh one.
With the distributor out of the way, I was able to get the HF borescope in all kinds of new nooks and crannies. It took a while but I finally found one of the two bolts dropped back there. I didn't realize I was looking at an upside down image but once I flipped it over I was able to retrieve the lost T40 Torx bolt for the intake runners. Still have to find the wiper motor mounting bolt.
I focused a bit too much on polishing the outside of the intake runners so I got out the cleaners and degreasers and worked on the inside of the runners. Long forceps with curved jaws helped push cleaner-soaked paper towels through the runners. Looks like it took half a roll of paper towels and way too much time. The smell got so bad I opened the garage doors and got rid of all the cool dry stinky air. Fortunately the little A/C unit did its job and brought the temperature down to something in the 80s with 50%ish humidity in a half hour (while I looked up torque specs). While the outside of the runners is quite shiny, the inside is dull but mostly aluminum color.
Ended the day with the fuel rails and runners installed, along with the new EGR valve.
brainer.Once the distributor is out of the way I can see a mangled single wire Weatherpak connector. It appears the connection would be near impossible to make with the distributor in the way and none of the locking clip remains on the loom side of the connector. Turns out very little pressure on the connector caused it to disintegrate.
At least my collection of Weatherpak housings includes single contact pieces. It appears to be a perfect fit.
Knowing I would drop the piece in the open hole where the distributor goes, I stuffed a paper towel in the hole and laying on the engine (like a bed of nails) was able to disconnect the crumbling connector and replace it with a fresh one.
With the distributor out of the way, I was able to get the HF borescope in all kinds of new nooks and crannies. It took a while but I finally found one of the two bolts dropped back there. I didn't realize I was looking at an upside down image but once I flipped it over I was able to retrieve the lost T40 Torx bolt for the intake runners. Still have to find the wiper motor mounting bolt.
I focused a bit too much on polishing the outside of the intake runners so I got out the cleaners and degreasers and worked on the inside of the runners. Long forceps with curved jaws helped push cleaner-soaked paper towels through the runners. Looks like it took half a roll of paper towels and way too much time. The smell got so bad I opened the garage doors and got rid of all the cool dry stinky air. Fortunately the little A/C unit did its job and brought the temperature down to something in the 80s with 50%ish humidity in a half hour (while I looked up torque specs). While the outside of the runners is quite shiny, the inside is dull but mostly aluminum color.
Ended the day with the fuel rails and runners installed, along with the new EGR valve.
@Squankum, I spread myself pretty thin, using Amazon and Rock Auto for most of my parts with an occasional purchase from an online site that has a better price or has the weird part I'm looking for. As far as my fluids and filters goes, we do about 2,500 miles a year spread across three vehicles. My oil changes are based on days of driving instead of calendar changes so the '87 Corvette might go three years between oil and filter changes and the Cadillac gets done every two years. The PT Cruiser gets an annual change but it never goes 3,000 miles in that year. I change the oil more from water/acid contamination from all the short trips our vehicles see -- only the Cadillac sees long (40-mile) trips.
@kaymccampbell, I meet new Advance Auto guys on almost every visit. Pretty sure five or six of them have retired in the gaps.
xtremek
Well-known member
My OReilly's guys (and gals) see me often enough that we ask about each other's family. I dealt with the one guy so often, he had my phone number memorized, all 10 digits. Before Covid hit, I'd have to drop by at least 3 times a week. Used to be my O'Rewards was usually about $50 a month. I hit $350 after one visit. Now,...it's usually about $5.
RickP
Well-known member
Wow, you really know how to tackle the difficult engine projects! I'm impressed by your attention to detail and replacement of future-failure items while you've got it torn apart anyway. It certainly takes longer, but as long as you've got the time do it right, it probably saves time in the long run not having to disassemble everything again later.
The polishing looks amazing! I imagine time spent doing something you enjoy like that is good for your soul (and cheaper than a trip to a psychologist).
I had to laugh about some of your descriptions of Liane-isms. I think she must be related to my wife!
The polishing looks amazing! I imagine time spent doing something you enjoy like that is good for your soul (and cheaper than a trip to a psychologist).
I had to laugh about some of your descriptions of Liane-isms. I think she must be related to my wife!
@Squankum, sorry I missed your question. Yes, I get 5% back on a Chase Amazon credit card for all Amazon purchases. I do my best to avoid paying interest so I pay the full balance every month. Not sure the Amazon card has better or worse Annual Percentage Rate (Purchase APR 15.74% Cash advance APR 26.49%) but nothing I want or need justifies that add-on.
Kirk, in my youth I had those relationships with the owners of a half-dozen junk yards and a non-chain parts place. Also on a first name basis with the manager of the parts department at the local Chevy dealer.
Rick, my procrastination gene is dominant so I wait until multiple failures present themselves before I get off my ****. In 2015 the HVAC system in the Corvette wouldn't change the air delivery vents from the floor to the dash. A little time with Google led me to believe the Air Mix Valve Controller needed to have a couple of resistors replaced. The ones from my car (background) look pretty bad.
It didn't fix the problem so I thought maybe it was the main control unit but that meant tearing the dash apart again. Maybe it will get better on its own (NOT!). Last week, after removing the distributor, I discovered the vacuum line from the back of the intake plenum was disconnected from the HVAC system. Probably came loose when I was fiddling with the timing. Unfortunately the vacuum line diagram doesn't help -- it's just a label "TO HVAC." The diagram is for 1992-96 Corvettes but it's close enough.
Wasn't sure where the HVAC connection was located but found a photo of someone else's '87 Corvette with vacuum line problems.
Eureka! With the distributor out of the way I can see where that valve is and the missing connection.
One by one I'm finding and fixing the little things that have affected the driveability of the car.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
That valve is really buried. Glad you found it. Hope it solves your issues.
scooterbum46
Well-known member
I'm guessing the idle speed may be off now...
BTW...Those resistors have gotten warm frequently. (Mr. Obvious speaking)
BTW...Those resistors have gotten warm frequently. (Mr. Obvious speaking)
xtremek
Well-known member
Nice find on the vaccum leak
There's an old saying, the map is not the territory. Well, that schematic drawing is good, but it's not even a map! I wish they'd give us schematic diagrams like that, and also a real map of where these parts all really are, maybe an illustrated photo, etc etc. Or even just an illustration of "holes in firewall and what goes through each."
That being said, as a general mechanic fund of knowledge thing, that's about where I'd be looking for the vacuum hose for the HVAC. Once again, this car is a bit modern in how cramped things are getting. Let's call it 9 lbs. of **** in a 10 lb. bag. (Compared to today's cars, which are between 9.5 and 11.)
Oh, and internet busybody hat on -- plugged that distributor hole with a paper towel yet?!
That being said, as a general mechanic fund of knowledge thing, that's about where I'd be looking for the vacuum hose for the HVAC. Once again, this car is a bit modern in how cramped things are getting. Let's call it 9 lbs. of **** in a 10 lb. bag. (Compared to today's cars, which are between 9.5 and 11.)
Oh, and internet busybody hat on -- plugged that distributor hole with a paper towel yet?!
Justin, I don't really understand the logic of burying things behind the engine. The engineers were kind enough to put a giant clamshell hood on the car so you can actually work on it. I need to keep working without crossing my fingers but when I'm done with this job they will be double crossed and taped together.
Gerry, I expected it to be off but it wasn't all that bad. I did plug the HVAC fitting once I found it disconnected (but didn't know that's what it was). I think the Idle Air Control (IAC) module on the throttle body takes care of some of that.
Funny thing is the resistors closer to the camera have discolored the circuit board with their heat but the set in the background were crumbling. I ended up soldering in new resistors from a kit meant to fix the A/C problem. The board in the foreground is a spare.
Kirk, I am pleased to be at this point, with one more fitting expected today that will let me repair one last broken line. I say that like I think I'm done but then I have this gas tank issue. It holds vacuum for months so I expect there's a purge control solenoid problem. I already replaced the tank pressure control valve and that had no effect.
@Squankum, Chevrolet put two diagrams on the radiator cover, one showing where the belt goes and the other where the emission hoses go.
I figured the vacuum connection was in there, I just didn't think it went on that valvy thing. Between the hose and that single wire plug, I couldn't get to either one until the distributor came out. Turns out part of the problem was the windshield wiper motor, which dragged the vacuum line down into the black void. I pulled the wiper motor out to see if I could get some more wiggle room.
I appreciate the reminder on plugging the black hole that attracts all kinds of stuff. I removed the paper towel wad long enough to take the photo to show the relative location of the valve and then put it back. Did that even before I attached the vacuum line to the valve.
scooterbum46
Well-known member
After last weekend, I've banned any kind of the blue paper shop towels around intakes or any other cavity on an engine. I was changing the belt and air cleaner on the Polaris Ranger, needed to wipe PCV crud from inside of the AC housing . I must have snagged a piece of the paper shop towel , didn't see it. Finished the belt change, started it and got every indication that the cam chain had skipped a tooth (supposedly possible if you roll the engine backwards while prying the belt on - thanks Youtube for that red herring) . Pulled the plug, peered into the guts and saw pieces of paper towel (not a lot, just a small bit. Still wouldn't run without backfiring, pretty sure the sensors or the IAC in the fuel injection were unhappy. I let it heal for a while, while I cooled down, eventually it started and is back to normal now. ARRRGH
I finished making garlic shrimp with yellow squashghetti (julienned squash using a mandolin) and went into the garage to get a diet coke from the little fridge. When I stepped into the garage, my foot made a squishing sound. "Houston, we have a problem!" I looked around for the source, hoping it was a leak in the ice maker supply line. No such luck -- It appears our water heater has sprung a leak. Not a gusher but I can hear water moving through the pipes. I moved a few things out of the way to verify it wasn't coming from the relief valve and at 7:300 this evening shut off the water going in and out of the tank. After dinner I hooked up a hose to the drain and opened it up to empty onto the driveway.
I installed this water heater, which has a 6-year warranty, in February 2016 so it has outlived it's life expectancy by five months. When I installed it I planned for its demise, arranging the plumbing for a quick swap (using the exact same water heater).
At 8:10 I removed the inspection covers and the foam insulation at the bottom of the tank was saturated up to the lower element. Started removing the foam pipe insulation to verify I used copper unions to connect the plumbing.
I had forgotten I used a compression fitting on the relief valve so everything should just unscrew.
I wasted a little time trying to speed up the draining with a little compressed air but got ahead of myself, opening the cold side so water chose to blow out that side.
When I unscrewed the two pipes there was a significant buildup of black crud from the dissimilar metals. I'll see about cleaning that up before I install the new water heater.
At 8:54 the old water heater was ready to be dragged to the curb for the scrappers. OOPS, I need to remove the compression fitting from the tank before it goes to the curb. Home Depot has 12 of these heaters and one will be waiting at the curb for me to pick up tomorrow morning.
I installed this water heater, which has a 6-year warranty, in February 2016 so it has outlived it's life expectancy by five months. When I installed it I planned for its demise, arranging the plumbing for a quick swap (using the exact same water heater).
At 8:10 I removed the inspection covers and the foam insulation at the bottom of the tank was saturated up to the lower element. Started removing the foam pipe insulation to verify I used copper unions to connect the plumbing.
I had forgotten I used a compression fitting on the relief valve so everything should just unscrew.
I wasted a little time trying to speed up the draining with a little compressed air but got ahead of myself, opening the cold side so water chose to blow out that side.
When I unscrewed the two pipes there was a significant buildup of black crud from the dissimilar metals. I'll see about cleaning that up before I install the new water heater.
At 8:54 the old water heater was ready to be dragged to the curb for the scrappers. OOPS, I need to remove the compression fitting from the tank before it goes to the curb. Home Depot has 12 of these heaters and one will be waiting at the curb for me to pick up tomorrow morning.
mybigwarwagon
Well-known member
But.....no shower....??....
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
Someone I worked with used to use old bath towels to plug inlets n stuff. He had one shoved into the big rubber boot on a huge Detroit. Can you imagine how little a Roots blower likes inhaling a 2x4' chunk of terrycloth? I make wooden covers and find rubber and plastic caps for things.
Could have sworn that soft loopy towels are just the kind of lint that shop manuals have always warned us about!
Speaking of minor precautions, Bob, are you going to drape some red shop rags across the exposed valvetrain areas on both heads?
Yeah, I'd be careful about engine intakes. Some kid in the midwest lost his hat.
Speaking of minor precautions, Bob, are you going to drape some red shop rags across the exposed valvetrain areas on both heads?
Yeah, I'd be careful about engine intakes. Some kid in the midwest lost his hat.
Bob, did you ever check the sacrificial anode rod of that water heater? Does it have one?
I discovered such things a few years ago and realized that I had never heard of such a thing, had just heard people say that every ten years, you buy a new water heater because the old one fails, and it dawned on me that from the early 80's to just the other day, roughly speaking, I'd done nothing but cram automotive knaweldge into my noggin and didn't know about much house stuff!
Just checked my own thread (The Underground Lair) and I did not discuss anything I did when my water heater acted funky. (Replaced two heater elements, and maybe the thermostat, and a new anode rod. The old rod was nearly done for.)
My googling at the time, IIRC, found some, but not a lot internet chatter about people checking on or replacing these things. Pics of my withered old rod (ahem) are on my old phone, so no can do. Here's an amazon listing for a new one:
I think one thing that deters a lot of homeowners from peeking at their rod (ahem) is just the difficulty of loosening it. We here at GJ are rich in impact guns and sockets, though, and it's a no-brainer chore.
This Old House video about them:
I discovered such things a few years ago and realized that I had never heard of such a thing, had just heard people say that every ten years, you buy a new water heater because the old one fails, and it dawned on me that from the early 80's to just the other day, roughly speaking, I'd done nothing but cram automotive knaweldge into my noggin and didn't know about much house stuff!
Just checked my own thread (The Underground Lair) and I did not discuss anything I did when my water heater acted funky. (Replaced two heater elements, and maybe the thermostat, and a new anode rod. The old rod was nearly done for.)
My googling at the time, IIRC, found some, but not a lot internet chatter about people checking on or replacing these things. Pics of my withered old rod (ahem) are on my old phone, so no can do. Here's an amazon listing for a new one:
I think one thing that deters a lot of homeowners from peeking at their rod (ahem) is just the difficulty of loosening it. We here at GJ are rich in impact guns and sockets, though, and it's a no-brainer chore.
This Old House video about them:
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RickP
Well-known member
Isn't that how it always goes? Our well water pressure tank started leaking a few months after the warranty expired, but our water heater is still going strong. You were smart to add those unions -- hope your replacement goes quickly today.
jon72vega
Well-known member
Bob,
I hope you have a smooth water heater replacement today.
It's good that you thought ahead and put those unions in.
I hope you have a smooth water heater replacement today.
It's good that you thought ahead and put those unions in.
Uncle Willie, there's a giant warm puddle of water behind the house. A little extra chlorine and I'm fresh as a slug,
Kay, I just checked and there's a plastic plug collection available. Roots blowers are picky about what they eat. Pretty spectacular when they puke.
@Squankum, by the time those hand towels make it to the garage there's not a lot of loopy left. Perhaps some of them will end up on the valvetrain.
Boy, that sure looks like Darwin Award material. After one piston and rod assembly pokes a hole in the block, the next one usually travels a lot farther and faster.
Damn, another maintenance item I've neglected. I tried to remove it using a breaker bar and 1-1/16 deep socket but it just spun the water heater. The HF Earthquake impact gun removed it so fast I thought it broke. Apparently I waited too long and there is no trace of an anode attached to the cap. When I do tackle the anode on the new water heater I will use a hole saw to start -- that's a lot of shredded Styrofoam just using a straight screwdriver.
My bad. I wasn't playing a Mandolin. I also don't strum my Mandoline but if I did, it definitely would be a mess."I finished making garlic shrimp with yellow squashghetti (julienned squash using a mandolin)"
That sounds messy.
Rick, I rarely purchase extended warranties because they seem to run out when the thing dies. Turns out I need to install another union for the pressure relief valve pipe -- it doesn't line up well enough to get the pipe and compression fitting threads to engage at the same time (probably because I installed a pan under this one.
Jon, the new one took exactly 1 hour to install, including removal from the PT Cruiser, unboxing and cleaning the floor where the water heater resides.
The new heater is in but because no good deed goes unpunished, picking up the new water heater became another project. I used Home Depot's Curbside Pickup so I had to wait until 9:00 this morning to get it. They loaded it up along with a plastic drain pan and I left feeling proud of myself. Smelled burning rubber on the way home but the car was driving fine. Got home and discovered the right rear tire was flat. I had been driving on the rim but didn't feel it until I was a block from the house. Thinking I picked up a screw or nail in the Home Depot parking lot, I got out the jack. So glad I bought a low profile HF jack because it just fit under the lift point under the rocker panel.
Dragged out the air line to fill the tire and found the problem. The nut on the metal valve stem had loosened completely and only the cap prevented it from falling off. The Neanderthals at Tire Kingdom had not only installed the two directional tires on this side backwards, they had failed to tighten the valve stem nut. At least Tire Kingdom has a 2-year road hazard plan but I expect installation failure will not be covered -- we'll see. Did I mention we have three vehicles for the two of us? One is still working.
At least we have a functioning hot water heater that only needs one little tweak. A 3/4 copper union is scheduled to arrive Saturday.
