ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[LXCam]

Well, I may have to quit hanging around here with such riff-raff with that kind of thinking.

Really??!

Well then, I say…


Rock on buddy

 

[PugetDude]

Well to start with..

Scott, Dan, Ryan and meself

Hi, I'm Scott, and I'm a rockaholic..

 

[rd65]

I took my daughter to Vegas for a volleyball function.
We were amused when overhearing locals talk about what color rocks they have in their yard.
Absolutely no grass, just a color palette from Mutual Materials I guess.

Couldn't do it, no trees. I lived in Phoenix for a year and at least they have the tall saguaro cactus that are tree like. After living there I know I need trees and green, not scrub and brown.

 

[PugetDude]

Couldn't do it, no trees. I lived in Phoenix for a year and at least they have the tall saguaro cactus that are tree like. After living there I know I need trees and green, not scrub and brown.

On the flip side, quality time in the shop sure beats time spent mowing grass.

Grew up in Missouri, mowed hundreds if not thousands of yards for spending money when I was a kid. Riding a bike, pulling a lawnmower, gas can on the handlebars. Did 3-4 a day. Most yards were $5, some were $10. One retired judge paid $20. (I was the envy of the neighborhood juvenile yard mowing cartel with that account.)

Roundup and a rake these days...

 

[Jgaz]

Roundup and a rake these days.

I’m right there with you.
Including mowing and mowing and mowing in Michigan both as a kid and as a homeowner.

My wife refers to the last pic as putting something “out in the alley”

 

[ntsqd]

You could have used Roundup on all of that grass. Then no mowing. (I can see Mike shivering from here. )

Here on the coastal desert if you don't water the grass it dies. Our current house came to us with exactly 4 Queen Palms in the front yard. The rest was bare dirt with a few weeds. I HATE palm trees. They're useless, wannaBe trees and nothing and no one is ever going to convince me of anything different. Put an ad in CL "Free, If YOU remove them." Ironically the people who planted them came and got them! Took the whole family all day and well into dusk to get them out. My wife then set about designing a landscaping that heavily favored edible plants (Thyme, sage, lemons, limes, avocados, apples, oranges, etc. NOT that 5 leafed thing!) and a Spring that is dead nuts reliable when the timer isn't FUBAR.

 

[Mr.zippy]

I also somewhat live in the "high desert". If it's green and alive, it is something irrigated......or a kosha weed. Some trees survive without irrigation, but a drought year thins them out eventually.

 

[plain2car]

Well to start with..

Scott, Dan, Ryan and meself

HEY!! don't forget about me!!! I recently changed to desert scape from grass as well. the Gilbert water rates were making me house poor!! and I also agree with the thought that less grass means less mowing & more shop time!! . oohh ....and thanks mike for the seafoam cleaner tip!! ...going to get some this weekend.

 

[rd65]

On the flip side, quality time in the shop sure beats time spent mowing grass.

Grew up in Missouri, mowed hundreds if not thousands of yards for spending money when I was a kid. Riding a bike, pulling a lawnmower, gas can on the handlebars. Did 3-4 a day. Most yards were $5, some were $10. One retired judge paid $20. (I was the envy of the neighborhood juvenile yard mowing cartel with that account.)

Roundup and a rake these days...

I've been north of Seattle since 71 when dad got stationed at Sand Point, we were in Subic Bay before that. I absolutely need trees and wouldn't trade our acre lot for a house in town. Would prefer 5 or 10 acres but that won't happen around here and I don't plan on moving.

 

[Xti04]

here ya go Mike, neighbor went to a separate meter and irrigation off city water vs the well that fed it prior. That property was my great grandparents place at one point and the previous owner spent a ton trying to get the well the be consistent for watering the lawn. The new owner loves to spend money and has tranformed that place from what it was prior. Her biggest comment was that she hated I planted trees so she couldnt see my house which was the exact reason I did it.

 

[SilverJimmy]

My yard gets mowed 3-4 times a year, but only when it really needs it. If it grows, it gets mowed!
And I love a “Natural Landscape”! If it doesn’t get enough water to live it gets to keep me warm the next winter!

 

[PugetDude]

I'll just leave this here...

 

[ntsqd]

Honda had a clever solution for the lash issue: https://v4dreams.com/shop-blog/cam-gear-tech

For the 98-01 FI bikes the cam drive was moved to the side for a more compact engine. The drive is still quite loud which is one reason they went back to chain in 02 i.e. noise emission regs, but for me that's part of the sound of a VFR along with the flat plane crank 90° V asymmetrical firing order. Music to my ears.

Commonly known as an "Anti-Backlash Gear". The design concept far pre-dates Honda using it. I know that Burroughs used it in some of their business machines dating back to at least the late 1930's and they probably weren't the first to use it.

I think for a chain to be quiet it specifically needs to be the Morse type as was used in the engine Mike just had opened up. The fabled "Double Roller" timing chain that some of us grew up with being the bare minimum performance requirement can be noisy in a way that something like a knock sensor still might not be happy about. Seems to vary and I'm note sure of why. Motorcycle drive chains aren't obnoxiously loud, but when at speed the drive chains in this machine make a fair amount of noise. On the drive around to The Back-Door trail it was hard to have any conversation between the driver and the back seat.

A friend of mine who works in Low Voltage electrical (intercomms, LAN Cat5/6, & similar) told me that they no longer use zip-ties at all. It's all velcro straps these days. Not for ease of R&R, but because it's possible to create capacitance in the wires with a too tight zip-tie. That was new to me!!! Since few of the field work guys carry a zip-tie gun with them to set that tie tension the industry as a whole is moving toward the velcro straps.

 

[zmotorsports]

Hope everyone had a great weekend. I did in fact trim, edge and mow my lawns on Friday night before the wife arrived home from work, THEN we could begin our weekend.

Afterwards we sat on the deck and enjoyed the yard and the pleasant evening. We sat outside way longer than usual and by the time we knew it, it was pushing 11pm. That is extremely late for us old folks these days.


Saturday morning after several cups of coffee, I headed out to the shop to commence the weekend's project, it's time for another major service on the wife's 2013 Acura TL. With 213k on the clock it was time for another timing belt, water pump, coolant flush and a host of other items, so time to get busy.


Engine covers removed.


This SK 6646 is quickly becoming my new favorite trim, body clip and wiring harness clip removal tool. I just want to throw that out there because I'm sure there are people needing this particular "new tool". That was for Scott aka @signcrafter and Dan aka @Finallygotit who for some reason seem to think I promote such purchases.


Ordinarily for a timing belt the driver's side wouldn't need to be torn apart, but in addition to the timing belt and water pump, I figured I would also replace the thermostat and the transmission filter, both of which reside in this quadrant of the engine bay. Oh and a new air filter is sitting on the bench to go in as well.


Oh look, another tool you all need to have in your arsenal. A petcock socket.


Snap-on part # RDSF1, you know, just in case anyone is keeping track and needs this tool.


Unlike the Buick's gusher, I was hell bent on containing the coolant on this project, so all the aids were pulled out to help direct the coolant EXACTLY where I wanted it go.


This is the Honda crankshaft removal socket, which works, but there is a better way if you have a good impact.


I've used a standard impact 19MM socket before, but my 3/4" drive with an adapter seems to pack more of a punch due to its mass and makes short work of the crankshaft bolt.


Only a couple of ugga duggas required and it's out.




Stay tuned for more.

 

[zmotorsports]

Continuing on with the wife's Acura.

With the timing belt covers removed, I highlighted the timing marks for better viewing when reassembling, as well as marked the old belt.






Old belt removed and time to pull the water pump.


The old belt was in surprising good condition with right @ 100k miles on it. The last time I did the belt was in spring 2020 when it had about 115k on the clock. Slightly over the mileage that it should have been done back then, but we were in the middle of my MIL's final weeks and days and had a lot going on. I'm not one to put off vehicle maintenance, so I knew I was rolling the dice on that one.


Surge tank cleaned and ready for installation.


Covers cleaned and also ready for installation. Oh and just in case anyone is wondering, you really need this ZEP Powerhouse cleaner, it works amazing on plastic covers. Just a little plug that I had to throw in if anyone is looking to spend money on something.


New water pump installed, new timing belt installed, tensioner released and engine rolled over a couple of revolutions to ensure everything is still in alignment.


Looks good on the topside.


Covers going back on and fasteners being torqued to spec.




Stay tuned for more, I'm sure there may be some additional tools used that someone needs.

 

[zmotorsports]

Continuing on.

Torquing the new crankshaft bolt to spec. This is a TTY bolt that is torqued to 47 ft/lbs. plus 60-degrees.


Motor mount being reinstalled and then the ECM and wiring harness can be put back in place.


Thermostat removed.


New Aisin thermostat installed. A little Sil-Glyde applied to the rubber ensures it slides into the recessed groove without rolling the rubber gasket.


Thermostat housing cleaned. Here you can notice a small amount of buildup on the hose spigot.


A quick trip to the blasting cabinet and the corrosion is removed. This will ensure a good seal with the radiator hose.


That was where I closed up for the evening as the kids had called and asked about going to dinner and that sounded like more fun. Then afterwards the wife and I enjoyed another lovely evening sitting on the deck as the air was pleasant and we watched a storm roll through the Wasatch Front, although it really didn't produce more than about 10 drops of rain.


I generally try not to work on Sundays, but the wife had some house chores she wanted to get done so I planned on finishing up her car after a few cups of coffee on the deck.

Back at it on Sunday morning the first thing I did was pull a vacuum on the cooling system and let it sit and made sure it was tight while I went about changing the transmission filter.


Battery tray removed and gained access to the transmission filter. Stuffed an absorbent pad under it to catch the small amount of ATF that will spill out.


New transmission filter installed and clamps reinstalled.


After filling with coolant I started the car and let it run for a few minutes to ensure everything was ok, and then I drained the transmission fluid, engine oil and replaced the engine oil filter before rotating tires and reinstalling the passenger's front where access was needed.



Stay tuned for a few more pictures.

 

[zmotorsports]

Completing the major service on the wife's car.

Filling the fluids starting with ATF.


And engine oil.


Then topped off the washer fluid and reinstalled the engine covers.


Torqued all of the wheels to spec.


And back from the road test to double check fluids.


Then cleaned and put tools away followed by a thorough sweeping of the shop floor.



Thanks for looking.

Now go find those tools that you didn't know you needed until now and you can't live without them..........

 

[hbabler]

Mike,
Thanks for the update and wisdom. I’ve learned something every time I open this thread.

Where do you buy the powerhouse?

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike,
Thanks for the update and wisdom. I’ve learned something every time I open this thread.

Where do you buy the powerhouse?

Thank you, I appreciate you following along.

I used to have a Zep rep that stopped by work and I would purchase all of my Zep products from him, but we haven't had a rep for about 5 or 6 years now so I just buy them wherever I can find the best price.

For the last case of Zep Powerhouse, I went in half with another GJ forum member here, but last year when I purchased a case of Zep 2000 and Zep 45, I ended up buying them from Zoro and waited until I had a coupon code.

 

[ScepterToad]

Looks like a productive weekend in the shop Mike! I haven't been able to do any work in mine for over a month outside of some actual work work. Where's the fun in that?? The list is getting long....

 

[zmotorsports]

Looks like a productive weekend in the shop Mike! I haven't been able to do any work in mine for over a month outside of some actual work work. Where's the fun in that?? The list is getting long....

Yes Keith, it was a productive weekend yet still had some downtime to relax with the wife and enjoy the weekend.

I still have quite a list of personal projects to get completed, including the modifications to my car hauler trailer that I purchased late last year. I am getting tired of pushing that off as I have most of the items for the upgrades/mods sitting in my shop. I really need to get on that. I also tore the tambour sliding door out of our coach last week to make some repairs and that turned out to be a bigger project than anticipated. It is still torn apart on the bench in the shop and has to be put back together.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Hope everyone had a great weekend. I did in fact trim, edge and mow my lawns on Friday night before the wife arrived home from work, THEN we could begin our weekend.

Afterwards we sat on the deck and enjoyed the yard and the pleasant evening. We sat outside way longer than usual and by the time we knew it, it was pushing 11pm. That is extremely late for us old folks these days.


Saturday morning after several cups of coffee, I headed out to the shop to commence the weekend's project, it's time for another major service on the wife's 2013 Acura TL. With 213k on the clock it was time for another timing belt, water pump, coolant flush and a host of other items, so time to get busy.


Engine covers removed.


This SK 6646 is quickly becoming my new favorite trim, body clip and wiring harness clip removal tool. I just want to throw that out there because I'm sure there are people needing this particular "new tool". That was for Scott aka @signcrafter and Dan aka @Finallygotit who for some reason seem to think I promote such purchases.


Ordinarily for a timing belt the driver's side wouldn't need to be torn apart, but in addition to the timing belt and water pump, I figured I would also replace the thermostat and the transmission filter, both of which reside in this quadrant of the engine bay. Oh and a new air filter is sitting on the bench to go in as well.


Oh look, another tool you all need to have in your arsenal. A petcock socket.


Snap-on part # RDSF1, you know, just in case anyone is keeping track and needs this tool.


Unlike the Buick's gusher, I was hell bent on containing the coolant on this project, so all the aids were pulled out to help direct the coolant EXACTLY where I wanted it go.


This is the Honda crankshaft removal socket, which works, but there is a better way if you have a good impact.


I've used a standard impact 19MM socket before, but my 3/4" drive with an adapter seems to pack more of a punch due to its mass and makes short work of the crankshaft bolt.


Only a couple of ugga duggas required and it's out.




Stay tuned for more.

The petcock socket is indeed A MUST!

 

[zmotorsports]

The petcock socket is indeed A MUST!

Agreed Anders, but don't forget ALL of the other tools posted as well. I think everyone needs each and every one. I mean this is Garage Journal after all. Any respectful member should have these on hand.

 

[madison069]

Agreed Anders, but don't forget ALL of the other tools posted as well. I think everyone needs each and every one. I mean this is Garage Journal after all. Any respectful member should have these on hand.

Gonna take an old socket and grinder to make my own petcock socket…..

 

[zmotorsports]

Gonna take an old socket and grinder to make my own petcock socket…..

I don't know Cody, is making or modifying tools allowed on this site????? That seems pretty extreme.

 

[madison069]

I don't know Cody, is making or modifying tools allowed on this site????? That seems pretty extreme.

Says the person who’s making tools on his lathe….

 

[PugetDude]

I don't know Cody, is making or modifying tools allowed on this site????? That seems pretty extreme.

Says the person who’s making tools on his lathe….

It's only extreme when you get past three decimal places.

 

[ntsqd]

I live by the rule that it's not a real project until you have to make a Special Tool for it.

Looked to see if HF had ripped off that petcock tool because it seems like the kind of tool that they'd do that too, and didn't find one. I'm inclined to make one from SS bar so that I can use either an open-end wrench or a socket on it. Seems the perfect project to use those 5C collet holders that I recently bought. Square one for the petcock slots and the hex one for the drive flats.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Agreed Anders, but don't forget ALL of the other tools posted as well. I think everyone needs each and every one. I mean this is Garage Journal after all. Any respectful member should have these on hand.

Now ain’t that the truth….

 

[madison069]

I live by the rule that it's not a real project until you have to make a Special Tool for it.

Looked to see if HF had ripped off that petcock tool because it seems like the kind of tool that they'd do that too, and didn't find one. I'm inclined to make one from SS bar so that I can use either an open-end wrench or a socket on it. Seems the perfect project to use those 5C collet holders that I recently bought. Square one for the petcock slots and the hex one for the drive flats.

They did rip it off, just have to take a grinder to one of their sockets to finalize the ripoff.

 

[madison069]

Continuing on with the wife's Acura.

Slightly over the mileage that it should have been done back then, but we were in the middle of my MIL's final weeks and days and had a lot going on.

Since no one has mentioned it yet, or maybe I missed something. Hopefully you mean just a visit.

 

[zmotorsports]

Since no one has mentioned it yet, or maybe I missed something. Hopefully you mean just a visit.

My MIL passed away in early 2020 so we were dealing with that between the holidays and March when she passed, and I unfortunately had to postpone some maintenance on the wife's car which pushed it slightly over the 100k mile service interval on the timing belt.

 

[signcrafter]

Hope everyone had a great weekend. I did in fact trim, edge and mow my lawns on Friday night before the wife arrived home from work, THEN we could begin our weekend.

Afterwards we sat on the deck and enjoyed the yard and the pleasant evening. We sat outside way longer than usual and by the time we knew it, it was pushing 11pm. That is extremely late for us old folks these days.


Saturday morning after several cups of coffee, I headed out to the shop to commence the weekend's project, it's time for another major service on the wife's 2013 Acura TL. With 213k on the clock it was time for another timing belt, water pump, coolant flush and a host of other items, so time to get busy.


Engine covers removed.


This SK 6646 is quickly becoming my new favorite trim, body clip and wiring harness clip removal tool. I just want to throw that out there because I'm sure there are people needing this particular "new tool". That was for Scott aka @signcrafter and Dan aka @Finallygotit who for some reason seem to think I promote such purchases.


Ordinarily for a timing belt the driver's side wouldn't need to be torn apart, but in addition to the timing belt and water pump, I figured I would also replace the thermostat and the transmission filter, both of which reside in this quadrant of the engine bay. Oh and a new air filter is sitting on the bench to go in as well.


Oh look, another tool you all need to have in your arsenal. A petcock socket.


Snap-on part # RDSF1, you know, just in case anyone is keeping track and needs this tool.


Unlike the Buick's gusher, I was hell bent on containing the coolant on this project, so all the aids were pulled out to help direct the coolant EXACTLY where I wanted it go.


This is the Honda crankshaft removal socket, which works, but there is a better way if you have a good impact.


I've used a standard impact 19MM socket before, but my 3/4" drive with an adapter seems to pack more of a punch due to its mass and makes short work of the crankshaft bolt.


Only a couple of ugga duggas required and it's out.




Stay tuned for more.

Eric O has mentioned that trim tool and he keeps spares because if I remember right he said they don't make it anymore and it's his favorite. Now that Mike has said I need one I will have to get it.

I have a few petcock sockets from lisle or thexton and have seen the snap on, it's 1/4" drive if I remember right? I bought this set a couple years ago and has worked good for me so far, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086383HR9?tag=atomicindus08-20. I bought the lisle 19mm weighted balancer socket probably 15 years ago. I had a 24mm(I think) last year that was playing tough so bought a set of 6 or so sizes of weighted sockets off Amazon.

I live by the rule that it's not a real project until you have to make a Special Tool for it.

Looked to see if HF had ripped off that petcock tool because it seems like the kind of tool that they'd do that too, and didn't find one. I'm inclined to make one from SS bar so that I can use either an open-end wrench or a socket on it. Seems the perfect project to use those 5C collet holders that I recently bought. Square one for the petcock slots and the hex one for the drive flats.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086383HR9?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[zmotorsports]

Eric O has mentioned that trim tool and he keeps spares because if I remember right he said they don't make it anymore and it's his favorite. Now that Mike has said I need one I will have to get it.

I have a few petcock sockets from lisle or thexton and have seen the snap on, it's 1/4" drive if I remember right? I bought this set a couple years ago and has worked good for me so far, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086383HR9?tag=atomicindus08-20. I bought the lisle 19mm weighted balancer socket probably 15 years ago. I had a 24mm(I think) last year that was playing tough so bought a set of 6 or so sizes of weighted sockets off Amazon.

Yeah, SMA is where I first saw that adjustable heel trim tool and I know how useful my adjustable heel prybars are so I thought I'd give one a try for those odd angled or hard to reach plastic clips. I seem to use the tool more for wire looms that body panels, but it works great and the adjustability of it really does help. You need one Scott.....

 

[rd65]

I'll just leave this here...

I'll be fixing that next week as I move into semi-retirement, working two days a week.

 

[rd65]

I live by the rule that it's not a real project until you have to make a Special Tool for it.

Looked to see if HF had ripped off that petcock tool because it seems like the kind of tool that they'd do that too, and didn't find one. I'm inclined to make one from SS bar so that I can use either an open-end wrench or a socket on it. Seems the perfect project to use those 5C collet holders that I recently bought. Square one for the petcock slots and the hex one for the drive flats.

When I started my current small tool tech job here at the city I pointed out that it was great that they had Stihl special tools. The former "tech" chuckled a little and said "ya, I guess they are kind of special". For a guy to claim to be a wrench and not know what a special tool is told me all I needed to know.

 

[olsenmotorsports]

Thats amazing to get 200k out of a daily driver! I am envious of the non rust belt states for sure.

Speaking of the SK clip tool, it is a game changer to have that big heel isn’t it? I also love the second part of that tool pack which is the 6648 rivet punch. Game changer for the plastic rivets!

Hopefully I just made like 48 people buy one, as this forum has cost me so much money on tools I never thought I needed and now own, and the bigger tool boxes to store all the **** i never needed in the past

 

[zmotorsports]

I'll be fixing that next week as I move into semi-retirement, working two days a week.

Congrats on the step into retirement, or dipping the toe rather. I hope to take the full head first plunge here in a few years.

Thats amazing to get 200k out of a daily driver! I am envious of the non rust belt states for sure.

Speaking of the SK clip tool, it is a game changer to have that big heel isn’t it? I also love the second part of that tool pack which is the 6648 rivet punch. Game changer for the plastic rivets!

Hopefully I just made like 48 people buy one, as this forum has cost me so much money on tools I never thought I needed and now own, and the bigger tool boxes to store all the **** i never needed in the past

Tim, we do get winter snow with that brine **** on the roads, but it isn't as bad as where you are at. Usually within 24-72 hours after a major snowstorm, our roads are pretty much cleared off and we can wash the brine solution off immediately , keeping rust and corrosion at bay by keeping the undercarriages relatively in good shape, although nowhere near as well as say AZ or CA. But it is not uncommon to get 300k plus miles out of vehicles here as long as they are mechanically cared for.

Thanks for confirming the SK adjustable retainer tool. I didn't purchase it as a kit, just the single tool, and while I appreciate you helping me to "push tool purchases" ( ), I think you are giving me way too much credit to think I have 48 people following me or giving a **** what I do....