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

[Fless]

As I have said in a couple other threads, I will be 72 in 9 days but still like to do as much of my own work as I can and I do work on neighborhood vehicles and for my American Legion and VFW.

Worked on a friend of an American Legion member's 2014 Silverado K2500HD with a Duramax. It was a simple oil change, so I thought. Has 143k miles on it.

Plenty of room to put my filter strap on and loosen it. It was on so tight, that as I am laying on my yoga mat style roll out pad, I pulled hard enough that I actually lifted the upper half of my body off the mat. I finally used my left hand on the filter wrench and my right hand grabbed the bottom of the R/F rotor and I pulled for all I was worth and it budged. I got a second grip and it budged again. 4 budges later I loosened it and drained and swapped with my preferred WIX filter, after lubing the new filter seal.

Then on to the easier drain plug, or so I thought. I had a long reach 13mm combination wrench on it and it would not budge either. Tried 2 more times with no luck. Thankfully the 6 point drain plug head was still looking good. I got a long reach Mac swivel head 3/8 ratchet with a USA Craftsman 3/8" drive short 6 point chrome socket. Pulled and felt it give. I was saying, "Finally" along with a few other choice words. Then I looked. The wall of the socket busted out. I had had enough at this point and called the owner and told her I was not responsible for however farther I went with this, She said, "Go for it". I got out my very powerful 3/8" drive Milwaukee Tool impact and Put a 13mm 3/8" drive impact socket, SK this time, and burped it a couple time and I put the wrench back on and it broke loose.

Done a few oil changes in my day but that was the tightest that I have ever seen where both were ridiculously tight. I expected stretched drain plug threads but they were ok and after draining, I installed a new Genuine GM drain plug, after checking seal surface of the pan and wiping clean. The rest of it went fine. I reset the oil life reminder and shipped it.

See pics. I told her it looks like a RMS is leaking.

View attachment 445032View attachment 445033View attachment 445034View attachment 445035View attachment 445036

I'm sure that you rightfully advised her to punish the last place that did the oil change and overtightened everything.

 

[OR VietVet]

She will be coming to me from now on. I doubt she goes and says anything. The oil changers are working at oil change shops because they likely cant cut it in a full fledge shop. Those shops are "upsell holes".

 

[OR VietVet]

After pouring the 10 quarts of oil in my 5 gallon container, I had to take to AZ for dumping. While in there, the female manager, that runs the whole place, asked if I would come to her place, about 4 miles from where I live, and see if I could figure out what is causing the 94 Jeep Cherokee, to crank and no start. I am going there on her day off, Tuesday, and see what I can figure out. I hope to be able to get commercial business parts costs out of this.

 

[89Suburban]

After pouring the 10 quarts of oil in my 5 gallon container, I had to take to AZ for dumping. While in there, the female manager, that runs the whole place, asked if I would come to her place, about 4 miles from where I live, and see if I could figure out what is causing the 94 Jeep Cherokee, to crank and no start. I am going there on her day off, Tuesday, and see what I can figure out. I hope to be able to get commercial business parts costs out of this.

You old salty dog. When you got it, use it...

 

[OR VietVet]

You old salty dog. When you got it, use it...

#1-She is butt ugly and outweighs me by 40-50 lbs. #2-I love my girl unconditionally. #3-I knew someone would go there and you were 50/50 as one of them.

 

[89Suburban]

#1-She is butt ugly and outweighs me by 40-50 lbs. #2-I love my girl unconditionally. #3-I knew someone would go there and you were 50/50 as one of them.

Thank you sir. >salute<

 

[OR VietVet]

Did not look at the Jeep Cherokee today. I had tools loaded and she texted me and said all 3 of her kids were sick and she did not want me to take a chance of catching something.

 

[OR VietVet]

When it rains it pours though:

Over the weekend I put plugs in a rough running 98k miles 2018 Equinox and smoothed it out and cleaned the MAF and throttle bore. Then found a clogged PCV pipe and leaking vacuum pump. Parts here today and gonna fix on Thursday.

Her son in law has a 2015 Town & Country mini van with a 3.6. Surprised is not leaking oil at the oil cooler/filter housing. I did an oil change and found low on transmission fluid and set a code. Cooling lines and pan leaking. Parts on the way for replacement and refill. One of those that requires a special transmission dipstick to check the level. I got one though.

Then a 2007 Nissan Murano, that I looked at 3 weeks ago and found a severely loose rf hub bearing. His son hit a curb at slow speed. Worked up an $1800 estimate today for hub bearing, abs sensor, lower control arm, cv axle shaft and seal, rotors and pads/hdwre.

Dental appointment this morning and the dental assistant 2009 K2500 HD Silverado needs front end checked and do a transmission service as well. Gonna do all that after my last dental appt on Jan 25.

Working up pricing and availability and setting up work days took some time, after the dental appt at 8 this morning.

Then I will probably have a dead month after all that.

 

[strutaeng]

When it rains it pours though:

Over the weekend I put plugs in a rough running 98k miles 2018 Equinox and smoothed it out and cleaned the MAF and throttle bore. Then found a clogged PCV pipe and leaking vacuum pump. Parts here today and gonna fix on Thursday.

Her son in law has a 2015 Town & Country mini van with a 3.6. Surprised is not leaking oil at the oil cooler/filter housing. I did an oil change and found low on transmission fluid and set a code. Cooling lines and pan leaking. Parts on the way for replacement and refill. One of those that requires a special transmission dipstick to check the level. I got one though.

Then a 2007 Nissan Murano, that I looked at 3 weeks ago and found a severely loose rf hub bearing. His son hit a curb at slow speed. Worked up an $1800 estimate today for hub bearing, abs sensor, lower control arm, cv axle shaft and seal, rotors and pads/hdwre.

Dental appointment this morning and the dental assistant 2009 K2500 HD Silverado needs front end checked and do a transmission service as well. Gonna do all that after my last dental appt on Jan 25.

Working up pricing and availability and setting up work days took some time, after the dental appt at 8 this morning.

Then I will probably have a dead month after all that.

@OR VietVet I was actually thinking of replacing that oil cooler housing on our 3.6. It's got like 91k and I haven't seen any leaks (yet). I looks like the Dorman upgraded all-metal is the way to go?

Anything else that should be done while the intake manifold is off? I've replaced the alternator, ECU and the heater core lines on that vehicle, but nothing else. I don't really like working on transverse mounted engine vehicles TBH, but of well.

 

[TollKeeper]

Brother had his 2016 Ram with the 3.6 at the dealer for a brake service. They found the oil cooler leaking, rear calipers leaking.

He has the extended warranty to 100k miles, hes at 96k, and all was covered under warranty. He only had to pay for brake pads.

 

[OR VietVet]

I always insist on replacing the knock sensors while I am in there. I have done 4 of these things so far. You can look back thru this thread and see some on the work. While I cringe about Dorman parts, I think the all metal Dorman replacement is a good choice. If you see anything else during disassembly, deal with it.

By the way, it is easy to see it when it starts to leak. 1. If you look straight down past where the filter housing is, with a flashlight, when it starts to leak, there will be an oil bath reflecting pool down there. If you see dry or just dirt/leaves, then it is not leaking. The cavity there is like a bathtub. 2. If the bath tub gets full enough, as you turn left and right, the high oil level will rock and splash out and drain down. I did one in a Jeep Wrangler and it was not a transverse engine and it would splash out when they accelerated or while braking.

I have got these down to a science now. Typical time for me is 1.5 to 2.0 total hours, start to finish.

 

[OR VietVet]

By the way, is an easy sell, on the knock sensors, if the oil is in there and those sensors have been living in an oil bath. Lots of pics.

 

[OR VietVet]

My old neighbors are having me do some work on their vehicles: The 2015 Town & Country is coming for the transmission cooling lines and pan seal and am awaiting on parts. Some come to day.

His MIL was in recently for rough run and I did new plugs and Ignition coil boots and cleaned MAF and throttle bore. Smoothed right out. 98K miles on the old plugs. I found signs of some back pressure in the PCV system and a vacuum pump leaking oil. Those vacuum pumps have an oil passage that get oil fed up to the shaft that turns the internals. When the passage gets clogged, oil starvation and the shaft seizes and shatters the hat around it. The shaft is driven by the end of the cam. The trick is to key the new shaft drive with the notch on end of cam. Took me one try. You know you are off if you cannot push the hat thru the seal. I replaced the seal and the pump comes with a gasket. Best to unplug the PCM and push out of the way and remove the PCM. Also, remove a retaining bolt on the air snorkel to the throttle body and deal with a spring clip that holds the snorkel to the throttle body. Gotta be careful with some spacer clips on the spring. See pics: The first pic shows the clogged up oil feed hole on the back of the vacuum pump. Right in the center of the pic. You can also see where the oil feeds to the oily shaft and the slot you have to key with the cam. Sorry, the pics posted out of the order I loaded them.

 

[OR VietVet]

I also dealt with the PITA PCV system. The valves unbolted with a new to me tool. A 5 point torx. I left the valves on the old line/tubing, because they are a real PITA to remove. Have to try and dig a release tool in there and there is not enough room. I am replacing anyway, so no big deal to leave on. The third arm of the tubing feeds to a valve that attaches at a snorkel for the air feed to turbo. I took it off as one piece and broke the pieces till it cane loose. Sorry for the pic order confusion. You can see the new tube and the 1 valve at the front and the rear valve is coming in the morning.

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[OR VietVet]

Before disassembly: In the second pic here you can see the 5 point torx bolt instead of the 6 point.

 

[TollKeeper]

Made in Mexico label... I am guessing it is a GM or a Ford... Betting its a GM.

You didnt mention what it was, so just guessing.

 

[OR VietVet]

2018 Equinox 1.5 turbo AWD.

 

[OR VietVet]

Fresh air and foul air valves here today and I put it all back together and road tested. All good and no codes.

 

[homesick]

Do you get nostalgic for the days when you could actually see the engine?

Just popping the hood spoils most of the fun I used to get from mechanicing on my car/truck.

joe