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There are just some days I wish I didn't turn wrenches
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Landlord's daughter's boyfriend has a new to him, 2002 Lexus RX300. Work on the 2002 Lexus RX300 went real quick. I had sprayed penetrant on the pcv valve threads last night. This morning it took some effort to break loose but once it did, it came right out. Installed new and reattached hose and spring clamp. The hood struts were easy peasy. Dropped one of the MAF attaching screws but I had extras in my bolt drawer. Removed air cleaner upper housing and snorkel at the throttle body and cleaned the throttle plate and bore. Also removed cover for the IAC valve and cleaned out so it moves freely. Reinstalled the removed components and the engine restarted no problem and road test was uneventful. He had recently contacted me with a CEL and had 3 codes, P0440, P0441 and P0446. Did a search and found a vacuum hose off at the back of the air cleaner housing from a local shop opening it to sell him a new air filter. I reinstalled the hose and cleared codes and he drove for 4 days before bringing to me for the other actual needed work. The work I had done before for the CEL and 3 codes, was still good with no codes in current or history. The vehicle is done and will be picked up and paid for later today.
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My postal driver/mail carrier has a 2016 GMC Terrain SLE that he is bringing to me to recheck a list of things suggested at a local shop that I know real well. Same shop that about 2 years ago told an AL member older lady, 84, that her Lexus sedan needed a new transmission because was slipping badly. I checked and was 2.5 quarts low on fluid because was leaking badly at the transmission pan. I fixed all that and she drove it till she had me sell it for her to get a hatchback. The shop is a rip off and well known by me.
My postal worker sees me working on vehicles here and asked me for help. I told him the Lexus story. I will post as to what happens with it.
My postal worker sees me working on vehicles here and asked me for help. I told him the Lexus story. I will post as to what happens with it.
That's why they call it the Experimental Aircraft Association. Those guys like to experiment and they're clever. I've watched a group of them build a whole airplane in a summer of evenings and weekends. I'm still a proud card-carrying member of Chapter 43 in Erie, CO, even though I no longer live there.
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A good friend's dad, built an ultralight. No requirement for a pilot license.
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I've always wanted one of those.
Or, like Jackie Chan, a lawn chair with a lawn mower engine and a shop fan on it. LOL
joe
This conversation prompted me to join the local EAA chapter (231) here in Richmond this afternoon. As luck would have it, their monthly meeting is this Saturday morning at 10, so Imma head over there and meet some folks.
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Bought a 2003 Toyota Camry SE for $1000 from the mom of the taco place/bar manager that me and my AL friends eat tacos at every Tuesday and Thursday. Going to clean it up and sell it.
Fixed a squeak coming from the steering column. Rubber boot rubbing steering shaft at the bottom of column at the firewall. Needed new headlight assemblies because the old ones were really bad.
Fixed a squeak coming from the steering column. Rubber boot rubbing steering shaft at the bottom of column at the firewall. Needed new headlight assemblies because the old ones were really bad.
Tonyrodz
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That'll be a nice dependable ride for someone.
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Yea, they were about $155 for the pair shipped, and it makes the look so much better. I have done this on another recent buy and sell endeavor.
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Ok, so today my AL friend dropped off her 2005 Tahoe LS for the brake pedal upper bushing. There was a severe rattle from the pedal, under dash area, when went over bumps.
No pics from underneath because was just too crowded and there is a few videos at you tube to look at. Here is a link to a good one:
I took the driver's seat out and laid under there and reached up but was still very cramped. Hard to take apart the pivot bolt but all nut and bolts removed, including at seat, were thread chased and was way smoother going back together. The pivot bolt is 18mm at each end. The seat nuts at front take an E18 and the back bolts take an E14.
I also installed a new brake light switch. Everything went to plan and was a 3 hour job.
No pics from underneath because was just too crowded and there is a few videos at you tube to look at. Here is a link to a good one:
I took the driver's seat out and laid under there and reached up but was still very cramped. Hard to take apart the pivot bolt but all nut and bolts removed, including at seat, were thread chased and was way smoother going back together. The pivot bolt is 18mm at each end. The seat nuts at front take an E18 and the back bolts take an E14.
I also installed a new brake light switch. Everything went to plan and was a 3 hour job.
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Tonyrodz
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My brake pedal has alot of side to side movement when i hit a large pothole. That's what it must be.
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You can bet it rattles too but you may have tuned it out. When it was all back together it had no movement and pivoted freely. The video tells it all and is a good time for a new brake light switch. The seat removal is your choice but the job would have been a "no go" for me without removing seat. The actual bolt removal and bushing replacement is a cinch. It is the access that makes it a bit rough. The two ears that the pedal pivot fit up in to, are tight enough that with the new bushing width, the pedal can be wedged up in there and will hold itself so that you can slide the bolt in. The bolt has a shoulder at the thread end. That is where the bolt stops when pushing thru. I cannot stress enough to chase all threads for reassembly. Makes the reassembly way easier.
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Did an oil change and inspection today on my dentist's assistant's 2009 Silverado K2500HD 6.0. 154435 miles. Had to remove the aluminum skid plate to keep from oil running all over. 4 bolts, 15mm head, and easy drop and reinstall. They had been told by another local shop that the transmission fluid was dark and needed changed. The fluid is bright red and clean and full. The transmission cooling lines are leaking but the other shop said nothing. The oil cooler lines are dry. Did not see any other leaks. The other shop said the shocks needed replaced because were leaking. They are bone dry and work just fine. There were numerous other "concerns" and the only thing I agreed with was when I looked under the hood 2 months ago, before she finally got it to me, that the battery was nasty and corroded badly and old and needed replaced. They had a battery store in town put a new one in. The shop said ball joints were bad, there was not any play.
I did hear a noise in the cab, windows down or up, when in reverse or drive at idle. Park or neutral and noise greatly diminished. Mechanic's stethoscope to the rescue. When she got there and could hold the brake in gear at idle, I traced to noisy tensioner bearing and idle bearing. I cleaned the stethoscope ears and showed her where to place the probe and she could hear it too. She had heard the noise in the cab but disregarded it. I told her not an emergency but will be needed soon. Her headlights housings were very clouded and showed her that. She said she thought the headlights should be brighter and now knows why.
She left happy.
BUT. Recently my VA doctor said that based on symptoms of a hot feeling, intermittently in my right groin area and what he felt with his probing fingers, that I have the signs of an Inguinal Hernia and recommended that if I continue to work on vehicles, I will, I need to do the less strenuous tasks and not lift anything heavy. That may put an end to removing and replacing tires/wheels for inspections and brake work. Any heavy steering and suspension work. I do believe my age and years of bodily abuse in the trenches is catching up to me.
That means that my upcoming work on my 2004 Silverado K2500HD, at my friends shop, may have to be a lot of my friend and less of me.
I did hear a noise in the cab, windows down or up, when in reverse or drive at idle. Park or neutral and noise greatly diminished. Mechanic's stethoscope to the rescue. When she got there and could hold the brake in gear at idle, I traced to noisy tensioner bearing and idle bearing. I cleaned the stethoscope ears and showed her where to place the probe and she could hear it too. She had heard the noise in the cab but disregarded it. I told her not an emergency but will be needed soon. Her headlights housings were very clouded and showed her that. She said she thought the headlights should be brighter and now knows why.
She left happy.
BUT. Recently my VA doctor said that based on symptoms of a hot feeling, intermittently in my right groin area and what he felt with his probing fingers, that I have the signs of an Inguinal Hernia and recommended that if I continue to work on vehicles, I will, I need to do the less strenuous tasks and not lift anything heavy. That may put an end to removing and replacing tires/wheels for inspections and brake work. Any heavy steering and suspension work. I do believe my age and years of bodily abuse in the trenches is catching up to me.
That means that my upcoming work on my 2004 Silverado K2500HD, at my friends shop, may have to be a lot of my friend and less of me.
That particular type of hernia is very common in older men. I had laparoscopic surgery for mine -- bilateral, both sides -- in 2018 and after healing no lifestyle changes were needed. I never looked back and it doesn't bother me at all now. You might want to consider surgery, but would need some recovery time afterward. Of course your doctor would be a good source for information.
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Did you need both sides or did you do both while in there? Recommended to do both by doctor? What was your recovery time? I would assume that the recovery time can be different depending on the person and the severity of the hernia(s).
Is the surgery something like the mesh things I heard there were problems with?
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One side was diagnosed but the surgeon said that many times the other side is starting to open up without showing up on the MRI. He asked if he could do both while he was in there, if the other one could be verified, and I said as long as he can prove it to insurance, yes. One procedure, and done.
Your surgeon would have more detailed recommendations and those are good questions to ask. As far as my recovery time I think it was somewhat light duty for two or three months. I'm not sure the severity comes into play; they use a mesh to repair no matter what and that just needs to heal. Surgeon will be well aware of older mesh styles that have had problems but should use the best that is currently available.
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OK, thanks for that info. I have a follow up with the VA doctor and will ask about all that. They tried to give me an elastic hernia support belt with removable pads that hold pressure on the hernia. Problem is, I got no ass and it rode down all the time and I took it off after 1 day. It needs something like suspenders to hold it up.
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Neighbor up the street with 2017 Cherokee 3.2 V6. Called for an oil change and tire rotation. Told her about the hernia and she still wanted the oil change done. No problem. 30 minute job and $50 labor and $45 labor on the Silverado this morning. The Cherokee is one I did the oil filter cooler/housing replacement on about 1.5 years ago. Still dry as a bone. I have done about 1/2 dozen of those oil cooler/filter housing replacements. Every time I see a Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep product, I look for the wet oil reflection just below the filter housing, down in the valley on top of engine. Pretty easy to do and I always always do the knock sensors.
