There are just some days I wish I didn't turn wrenches

[OR VietVet]

The clearance ("air gap") of a Hall effect sensor is a precision specification. Do you recall the crankshaft sensor shims for the Vortec 350 and 4.3? On higher mileage engines, the wear in the crank bearings allowed the crank to move ever so slightly, mostly at high RPM, and the reluctor on the crank would actually contact the sensor tip. GM released a shim kit that was two .005" ring washers to space the CKP sensor away from the reluctor. You installed one and tested, then the other if one wasn't enough. That cam sensor is the same style and if it has visible slack, especially putting it AWAY from the reluctor, then I'd say that was the problem. If the PCM doesn't know where the cam is, it'll shut down all operations.

By the time the Vortec engines came about I was running shops and not wrenching, not even at home. Plus, as an advisor, I never came across that problem in my shops. Thanks for the info.

 

[OR VietVet]

So, I replaced a passenger side mirror on a 2022 Prius this morning. Pretty easy job but I did have the cover of the fuse/relay box under the hood and found this: Ants and ant eggs. Kind of startled me when removed the cover and within 15 minutes, they were all gone and so were all the eggs.

 

[Fless]

So, I replaced a passenger side mirror on a 2022 Prius this morning. Pretty easy job but I did have the cover of the fuse/relay box under the hood and found this: Ants and ant eggs. Kind of startled me when removed the cover and within 15 minutes, they were all gone and so were all the eggs.

View attachment 419980

So now those poor ants are homeless?

 

[Tahoe14]

Homeless, heck no, they now have a new home at VietVets house.

 

[OR VietVet]

I looked under the front end and checked the ground. Nothing there and I sprayed with a high pressure hose of water, because I was worried about that.

 

[OR VietVet]

Have a drop off for tomorrow work. Gonna be here around 6 to drop. Gonna do the oil cooler assembly replacement. Will be taking off both the upper and lower intakes. Biggest PITA, when I have done these, is the oil bath clean up where the base of the oil cooler attaches. It is like a bath tub down there and can have about 1/2" to 3/4" of oil standing there. Thankfully, this is a transverse engine and is actually easier to do than the inline engines. The antifreeze coolant hose is a PITA to deal with on the inline engines compared to the transverse engines. As you can probably tell, I have done this particular repair before. Pics to come.

 

[OR VietVet]

Some pics of the broken mirror and the ripped wiring and the wire connectors having pulled out of the other female connector that stays on the door:

 

[OR VietVet]

Did the 2017 Cherokee today and found a mangled boot on the snorkel, where it attaches at the throttle body. I cut the mangled part out and sealed fine after. You will see all the mixture of oil and coolant from under the oil cooler. All back together and runs great.

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[OR VietVet]

My 90 year old AL member friend of mine just bought a new 2023 Jeep Renegade. He bought the least expensive one they had and had no roof rails. I ordered a set in and installed them today:

 

[OR VietVet]

Well, it has finally happened. For months I have put the word out that I was interested in running a shop again.

Yesterday I got a call from a 3 bay shop that is in downtown Eugene, Or. that heard word of mouth that I wrench on the side and they want me to move my tools and turn wrenches in their shop. The kicker is this. It is a Monday thru Thursday set up that starts at 9 and goes till 3:30 but can work other days and longer hours if I have a job I want to finish. I also have the right to turn down any job I don't want to work on, for whatever reason. I would diagnose and sell my own work. Big drawback is two things. Moving my tools there and fear of a break in because the shop is right down in the homeless area of the city. The other is no tools at home to do what I want to do for my regular customers that I have built up here. Not gonna take this position.

Several months ago I applied for a service writer job at a shop. Was told I was over qualified for the Assistant Service Writer position and we parted ways. They did hire a single mother of 3 that had been an insurance claims adjuster but did not work out because of needs for her kids. They called me yesterday and want to hire me. Starts at 7:45 am and open till 5:30. Is in a way better part of town and my tools stay home. At 71, not sure about the obligation of the hours. Plus, as an assistant, the pay is less. Figures out to be around $45k a year. Figures out to be just over $19 an hour or about $865 a week. I know my experience is worth way more and should be in the $60k a year range at least. I am going to have a meeting tomorrow at 4 pm and will approach this with a proposition of a minimum amount on a paycheck and the rest $.

I really like the clientele I have built up here and that I run the whole show and do what I want and turn down what I don't want.

 

[Tahoe14]

I like option 2 better, as you stated for option 1, bad area of town, possible theft and no tools at home. If you can’t come to an agreement with option 2 you can just work from home with your established customers.

 

[OR VietVet]

About 2 hours ago got a call from the shop owner that was wanting me to be an assistant advisor. They still had an ad up at "indeed" and a girl applied that would take less money and had some experience and so she was hired and he told me that I did not need to show at 4 tomorrow for our hiring meeting. He is aware I am 71 and I am sure that plays in to it. Afterall, "how much longer would I continue to work", had to be on his mind. I am ok with it. He said he would call if anything changed.

The other shop still intrigues me. If he is willing to rent the shop out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday....would he allow use of his tools? That way I don't have to move my tools. I am going to ask him how that would work. Maybe rent tools at the same time as rent the shop?

Either way, I have an oil change to do Saturday on a 2013 Acura RDX. Good current customer's college daughter's vehicle. He wants it checked over and take care of anything needed that I find.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yesterday I decided it was time to get the headliner out of my girl's 1990 K2500 ext cab. Having it covered and the visors too. couple of clips broke on the trim, as expected, and one of the very front, at top of w/s, Velcro pieces was missing from the metal roof. The corresponding Velcro on the headliner was there, see pics:

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[89Suburban]

The other shop still intrigues me.

Me too. I wish I had that offer from somebody.

 

[OR VietVet]

Me too. I wish I had that offer from somebody.

If it was in a different neighborhood, I would have already started there.