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

[OR VietVet]

I always thought that I needed a lift to be more comfortable and mobile when working under a vehicle. I was helping out at a friends shop and worked under the lift. I found that standing there and reaching up, on the concrete, for periods of time, was harder on my back and hip than laying on my back under a vehicle. I have these 4' x 8' roll out 3/8" thick foam pads that I lay on and that is pretty comfortable. When I am working on the perimeter at the wheels areas, I either sit on the pads or my mechanic's stool. I don't ache near as much when I do that. The hip feels way better and I do not twist and turn and stretch as much as when I am under a lift and that is way better on my groin.

 

[OR VietVet]

Well, got back at it in my driveway, the last couple days. My landlord needed an oil change and I did that, the air filter that was filthy, the cabin air filter that was filthier, cleaned the throttle bore-after removing the throttle body, found some oily residue in the pcv lines and ordered all new lines and pcv from RA-Genuine GM and found leaking oil cooler lines and ordered Genuine GM from RA and will be doing that in a month or two. Also found his p/s air dam had broke at the tip and was hanging out slightly and am trying to figure out the best way to fix. The ear is broken from the air dam.....Also found where a local shop had removed the air dam and front bumper structure for access for some other work that the landlord cannot remember and looks like they hand started two bolts and one was still hanging there and the other was gone. I found another bolt to install and tightened it all up. This is all on a 2018 Suburban.

Now after the cabin air filter, when the blower is on, it has a slight rumble noise and gets louder as the speed increases. I did not listen to the fan at all before changing the cabin air filter. I pulled it back apart and the filter is installed correctly and in the correct direction of air flow. I cleaned out the CAF pocket when I replaced it. I explained that some debris is likely down in the squirrel cage or, over time, that clogged filter worked the blower too hard and now the bearings are grumbling. He knows I am not at fault. I told him we would get a new blower and cage. Remove the lower cover and drop the blower and inspect. If has debris, I then will plug it back in and hold the motor and feel for the rumble and then clean it and do it again and compare. If all it needs is a cleaning of debris. I will reinstall and take back the new motor but if needs new motor, I am going to plug it in and see how it feels too. This ought to be fun.

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[89Suburban]

Needs a catch can asap!

 

[OR VietVet]

Now, on to the second vehicle. I worked on a 2000 Toyota Corolla that had a miss at idle in gear and a miss at cruising speed of 50-55. It has a very simple 1.8 4 cylinder with easy access. Last night I drove and duplicated the miss. I removed engine cover and disconnected the ignition coils connectors and removed the coils. 3 had oil on them and then I found my miss, had arcing tracks on one of the coils. He opted for new NGK plugs, new Duralast coils-4 of them, valve cover gasket because the tube seals were leaking oil and replace the pcv valve and a new air filter. I had heard what I thought was rumbling in the right front when driving but never could get it to increase/decrease by the back and forth movement of the steering wheel. I also heard the blower motor rumbling and when I asked about the noises he said he forgot to tell me about the bower motor very loud rumbling noise. Turns out that the blower motors all make the same noise at about the same age. I also found 3 videos on you tube explaining the exact same noise. I told him I would check the bearings at the front when I put it in the air. I found no play and no rumbling noise that I could hear or feel. Gonna wait on that and I ordered in a new Toyota blower motor and will install by weekend. Also, yes I did remember to add a dab of Permatex sealer at the head and timing cover mating points.

By the way, the pics show the old v/c gasket and broken up tube seals and new coils. The head was cleaned in prep for the new seal/gasket but I took the pic before I cleaned the tube seal surfaces. Rest assured, all was prepped as should be.

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[89Suburban]

Great to see you back at it!

 

[OR VietVet]

Needs a catch can asap!

He has mucho money and will be getting rid of it within a year or two.

 

[89Suburban]

He has mucho money and will be getting rid of it within a year or two.

Some day i'll have that problem haha

 

[OR VietVet]

Great to see you back at it!

I have actually ben doing some work but was mainly just oil changes. Then I find things that are needed and then they delay and save and then do the work later. New 21 year old girl up the street. Landlord told her to see me about a slight metal on metal brake rub when apply. I drove it and confirmed. Told her the pricing with my discount. She paid for parts. Then asked if I would take payments for the labor. I said no. then she asked if she can have the parts and when she came to get them, she said her dad is a "car guy" and is gonna do the work. I asked why she did not go to him in the first place. I told her that moving forward, I will not work on her 2010 Subaru Outback or any vehicles of the 2 other girls she lives with. Guess what she called me when she left, "A BOOMER". I LMFAO for about 10 minutes.

 

[OR VietVet]

Great to see you back at it!

I was gone for a while, from my driveway, while I was at my friend's shop doing the transmission and motor swap for my neighbor's 2006 Ford F150 4x4.

 

[OR VietVet]

Last two days have been back at it and busy.

Thursday night I had a customer drop off her 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee for CEL and I had checked about 2 months ago and found evap related codes P0440 and P0456, related to purge valve and the charcoal cannister ESIM-Evaporative System Integrity Module. Did some research and found that they should be replaced in pairs and since the ESIM is mounted right on the charcoal cannister I replaced the complete cannister and the purge valve. After restart of engine and checking my scanner for codes, I found both codes gone in the Pending and Stored files but still in the Permanent files. I then researched and found that I needed to do several duty cycles and then see if Permanent codes go away. They did. The purge valve is located under the engine cover and the cannister/ESIM is located under the backside wheel well cover on the d/s rear. See pics:

 

[OR VietVet]

 

[OR VietVet]

Then came the second vehicle that I worked on yesterday around noon. 2000 Toyota Corolla that only has 87k miles on it and it looks it. It belongs to a neighbor that keeps it at the coast in his garage there. Very noisy blower motor that sounded like the bearing were out. He sprang for a Toyota assembly and I had it in case the complete unit needed replaced. Popped off the p/s threshold cover and removed the kick panel and then dropped the entire glove box assembly including the entire trim assembly. 2 10mm bolts at bottom and 3 phillips screws and give it a yank and it falls out. Then I could see the blower motor. I turned it on and put my hand on it and was definitely source for the noise. Unplugged the connector and 3 8mm screws and pulled it out. See pics of the rodent problem. I did reach up in to the cavity and found no pink insulation. Installed new unit and is very quiet.

 

[TollKeeper]

So my Envoy is my spare vehicle, and I have space in my Side Driveway to store it for when I need it...

However, it backs up to a open field.. I dont want mice. So I rather park it on the Concrete on the street in front of my house, than in the grass in the back...

Your pictures above are the reason why!

 

[OR VietVet]

If you buy enough from RA, they will send you codes too and then post them here.

I buy, on average, up to $400 a month at RA, for the vehicles I work on here.

I have a used to be neighbor that bought a used Chrysler Town & Country Touring Edition mini van, for his family, and it needs front struts. I will only buy the loaded assemblies and can get them at RA for $105 each plus the code savings. Local Auto Zone is $260 each and I get 10% off there but the struts can wait for the RA shipping.


Strangely enough, the struts for the 2015 Town & Country, were saved in my shopping cart and when I got the ok yesterday evening from the vehicle owner to go ahead and order them, I found that the struts had gone down $10 each in price. Another $20 savings. If anyone looks at a you tube video for replacing the struts, they will see that the upper cowling removal is required for access to the top strut plates mounting nuts. There is a rubber seal that runs across the top of that cowling and lays flat against the bottom area of the w/s. The existing one on the Town & Country, has broken/split/missing rubber edges all across that seal. I told him that has to come off to do the struts, so there is no additional labor.

Located the cowling at ebay ranging from $400+ to $268 with free shipping. He was smart and I ordered the cowling too. Now he will save for the labor.

 

[OR VietVet]

Put a new grille and Chevy BowTie on my girl's 1990 K2500 today. Old grille chrome was coming off and the old black part of grille was pitted and turned grey. I also replaced the upper fan shroud because the old one was breaking apart. The first 2 pics are the old grille and the old BowTie.

 

[OR VietVet]

Next up for the 1990 K2500 5.7 is intake gaskets, valve stem seals, egr gasket, TBI gasket and cleaning for the IAC, new heater hose connector at the p/s rear, valve cover gaskets, new a/c clutch assembly and thermostat and housing.

Oil and filter of course.