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Well, learned a lesson today: If you pull the upper hose off a Blazer, make drat sure you put it back on exactly the way it came off. Pulled mine last week to inspect the thermostat (whole cooling system is rusty as hell and I've been flushing it repeatedly), and apparently when I put it back on the end on the thermostat housing was clocked about 5 degrees off, which pulled the rest of the hose toward the alternator fan blades.  Got a teensy little hole in the hose, got it wrapped in layers of foil, saran wrap and masking tape so I can try and limp it to the AZ a couple miles down the road.This happened as I was coming back from Napa picking up brake pads and steering bits, too. If I'd only known. 
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Jan 28, 2013 19:49
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wallaka posted:That shouldn't happen. I'll be checking my regulator first. All other suggestions are welcome!
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Jan 28, 2013 21:47
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wallaka posted:That shouldn't happen. If he has a car with energy capturing brakes I would assume that it's a possibility. Just because it isn't sparking anymore doesn't mean electricity can't be sent there and dissipate or go back to the battery though, that's what has me confused. Either that or he blew his reverse switch on his transmission some how... edit: Didn't realise he had an MX-5 VVVV FAT32 SHAMER fucked around with this message at 22:21 on Jan 28, 2013 |
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Jan 28, 2013 22:09
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On a car with as flaky an ignition system as the MX-5 I probably wouldn't gently caress around with it any more than is necessary, turning your car off before you reach your space just sounds daft to me.
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Jan 28, 2013 22:14
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Got my parts blazer towed back to my garage so I can part it out. Anyone interested in an NP231 transfer case? The Blazer 4x4 5-spoke alloys?  I'm taking the recovery hooks for myself and putting them on my "new" 1993.
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Jan 28, 2013 22:43
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Spent a ridiculous amount of time replacing the steering rack, ball joints, rear wheel bearings, shift rod stabilizer bushings and probably a couple other things I'm forgetting. Dropped the spindles to have the parts store press in new wheelbearings too. Had to drop the exhaust, shift rod and the stabilizer to get the stupid rack out. Not as bad as some rack replacements, but it wasn't terribly fun. Welded the heat shields back together and fixed a crack in the manifold from some jerk overtightening the oxygen sensor. e: I discovered a nifty trick for separating the lower balljoints after spending 45 minutes with a hammer, air hammer and yelling. I don't know why nobody ever told me about this, but after looking around online I'm certainly not the first one to discover it. I even made a nifty video for other frustrated jerks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Jlv-ZlYuQ Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 23:15 on Jan 28, 2013 |
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Jan 28, 2013 22:56
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Ziploc posted:I'll be checking my regulator first. All other suggestions are welcome! So on the way home I switched my scanguage to monitor volts and stuck a cheap battery tester in the cigarette lighter. Shutting the car off while driving does produce a overcharge. Scanguage doesn't read data very fast. But I saw readings of 15.8vlts at one point after turning the car off while being revved.
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Jan 28, 2013 23:33
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Changed the oil! Not a massive achievement and there are worse cars to do it on but here are also better. Thankfully the filter came off easily because I was the last person to do it. The bitch of it is jacking up one wheel and pulling the wheel off so I can reach up through the subframe to undo the filter. Of course all the oil up in there runs out all over the subframe like always. But it's al done. Got a proper Motocraft filter that was actually a lot cheaper than the craptastic Ryco filters. The oil stung a bit. I got Gulf Western oil. This stuff: http://www.gulfwestern.com.au/Petrol%20Oil_Hi%20Tech%20Premium.html Don't know if I believe the hype but it seems decent enough. I like their gear oil. I was also flipping through the stupid bloody Ellery manual for the Ford to double check fill amounts and saw that it said I should be changing the oil filter every 5000km. Whoops? I thought this car was 10000km intervals.
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Jan 29, 2013 00:54
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I did more. Read the codes again both motor running and not. Besides a coolant sensor out of range error because I didn't warm it up, there were no codes. It even reported that everything was fine with the cylinder balance test. yay! Still runs like a tractor though but at least it's not seeing anything untoward. Some new spark plug leads would probably help it along.
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Jan 29, 2013 03:33
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After sitting for nearly two years I started tearing down my '88 944 Turbo S for a rebuild/mild upgrade. Oil leak #1 found.
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Jan 29, 2013 03:56
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Some drunk rear end in a top hat plowed into the back of my parked truck. Rad. He hit a Prius down the block and did a ton of damage. My truck is fine, but my tube bumper is bent. Time to make a new one!
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Jan 31, 2013 03:17
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After I cleared the P0420 (cat converter + 02 sensor code) from it, did a drive cycle for MY GF's 03 Jetta, hoping to see that it was just a one-off error caused by a cold sensor or similar. Unfourtunately the CEL light came back on and with it the same code. I then learned that this was such an issue that it was causing VW to have to replace tons of their own cats under warranty (when the vehicles were newer) and they released a software upgrade for the ECU to broaden the tolerances for the two O2 sensors so they wouldn't have to replace as many cats. Hoping that the cat isn't dead after the 188km on the vehicle, and that the software flash to the ECU (which will cost 1 hour of labour from the dealer) will broaden the tolerances enough to have it not throw a code. Anectdotally: is 188km around when you would expect a 2003-era factory cat to fail? My only experience with this is in my old turbo supra when we just used test pipes and had a spare exhaust with 3 cats in it for when one of us had to aircare. We also had a set of 2 studded tires for the same reason, they wouldn't run the studs on their rollers so they had to just do the idle test, and because this was pre-obd2 they didn't interrogate the computers. I feel old.
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Jan 31, 2013 05:02
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^ Do you mean 188,000 miles or 188 kilometers? At nearly 200,000 miles...yes, if it poo poo the bed at 188 kilometers it was defective.
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Jan 31, 2013 08:06
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Dropped a new radiator in, new suspension, and plan to do an oil change very soon on my 98 240sx.
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Jan 31, 2013 08:23
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Geoj posted:^ 188k kilometers - sorry.
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Jan 31, 2013 08:36
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VelociBacon posted:My only experience with this is in my old turbo supra when we just used test pipes and had a spare exhaust with 3 cats in it for when one of us had to aircare. We also had a set of 2 studded tires for the same reason, they wouldn't run the studs on their rollers so they had to just do the idle test, and because this was pre-obd2 they didn't interrogate the computers. I feel old.
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Feb 1, 2013 13:38
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I bought a new shift boot for her. OEM NSX - R shift boot is a VIN controlled part, and the place right down the road from me just got a few in stock for a very reasonable price so I had to pull the trigger.
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Feb 1, 2013 20:21
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Not my car but I did some research on Explorer transfer case shift motors then put it up on ramps. I followed up by giving the VW a jump because its battery doesn't hold charge, and shuffled it around in the yard for a while so the sliding door is facing towards the backyard and house. That'll make it easier for me to clean up again and sort out a few other things which are on the passenger side and under the front. Plus I can sit in there and chill while watching my kids in the yard.
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Feb 2, 2013 02:40
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ExecuDork posted:I think this is hilarious. I've gone through Aircare in a pre-OBD2 car, and my impression of the techs working there was that while it *was* Vancouver, and thus about 1/3 of them were stoned out of their heads, the other 2/3 were reasonably intelligent and would have just rolled their eyes at some old Supra (tell me you didn't have purple ground effects) wearing a pair of studs rolling up with some grinning nutbar behind the wheel. Please tell me you'd done something specifically to gently caress with Aircare, like paint your gas cap bright orange or something. I didn't do anything specifically to gently caress with them. The only caviat was that you could only run the studs when there was snow on the ground somewhere in the lower mainland. Regarding your comment about the ground effects, it was an 87 black turbo supra with nothing done to the exterior but moderate turbo upgrades etc (Including a downpipe that opened to the air at max boost which was 17psi with the apexi controller). Thing was loud and hilarious.
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Feb 2, 2013 03:49
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Figured I'd try out the OnStar 3 month trial that came with the car. Okay, cool. They were pushy about selling me some voice minutes (as it also includes a phone), I declined at the time. Signed up on their website this morning for some voice minutes. 300 minutes for $10, and it's on Verizon, so coverage in most places. My regular cell is on a prepaid T-Mobile plan, so no roaming, and generally coverage only in major cities. After I signed up, OnStar finally decided to show me the real rate plans. I paid $10 for 300 minutes. Their normal rate is more like $40 for 100 minutes.  So lets see... not only is the phone # tied to the car, it also doesn't have voicemail, no texting, and no way to enter DTMF tones on a call (so anything involving an IVR or call center or anything remotely automated is out, and adding it to your Google Voice account is a massive pain in the rear end thanks to lacking the ability to generate DTMF tones in a hurry). And they want to charge me about 3x what anyone else charges for a very basic 100 minute plan, with zero features? Wait I don't even get call waiting?!  At least the 300 minutes last for 12 months (but if I let the OnStar subscription lapse, the minutes go with it - so in reality, 3 months, since I won't be renewing). I have a road trip planned in early April - it's either get a prepaid AT&T SIM for my phone for the in-between areas, or use ... this onboard thing that seems like a reject from 1991... randomidiot fucked around with this message at 12:05 on Feb 2, 2013 |
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Feb 2, 2013 12:00
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Not to derail too hard but if you have a Sprint-activatable device (or are willing to buy one) I have nothing but nice things to say about Ting. No contract, you have complete control over your account from your computer (you can enable or disable calling, texts, data, etc.) and you pretty much only pay for actual usage. Given our light and rather irregular usage habits we're only spending about $25 a month so far.
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Feb 2, 2013 14:21
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Finally made some progress on the Blazer. Replaced he idler arm, center link andbinner tie rods last night, put newer, used but matching tires on it today. They're only a year newer than what came off, but the rubber is in much better condition with nice meaty tread on them. Now it just needs an upper conttol arm and front brakes and I'll be set. Steering feel is vastly improved from before.
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Feb 2, 2013 22:57
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Attempted to change the front u joint on the rear drive shaft on the 4runner. One of the bolts was seized, so it was zip cut off (I have a replacement from Toyota - 12.90 for a 10 mm bolt!!). Rented the big c clamp style u joint press, which render up working quite well until I had to hold the flange side yoke in a vice while pressing the spider the second time (one bearing out already). I don't have a vice, so I could get everything to stay lined up. gently caress I can't wait until. Have work benches, etc..
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Feb 3, 2013 01:57
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Again not my ride but I have learned all I ever didn't want to know about Explorer transfer case shift motors. Later today I may be out there doing an on vehicle manual sensor calibration armed with a car battery, some leads and a multimeter. These things have removed all doubt that I never ever want to own one. I mean they look kind of okay inside and out but every bit of the actual design has me wondering what in the everloving gently caress the engineers were huffing.
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Feb 3, 2013 02:01
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I finally got around to dropping the other gas tank on my truck. As I began removing the first bolt holding the strap in - it broke. It actually broke in a way that I can't get it off without cutting it, and then I don't know exactly what I'll do to replace it. Whatever the other end bolts into (on the other side of sheet metal) snapped off, and it spins freely but doesn't really get anywhere. So I gave up for this weekend. I did get a new alternator from the junkyard though, I'll be upgrading from 37A to 140A, once I get this tested - maybe install new bearings for  , and buy the right pigtail.
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Feb 3, 2013 02:15
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I wish I could get some actual amperage from my charging system, but its only slightly better than a motorcyle. It is a motorcycle engine, I suppose. Anyone know how to get some more power from a Dynastart?
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Feb 3, 2013 02:25
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DJ Commie posted:I wish I could get some actual amperage from my charging system, but its only slightly better than a motorcyle. It is a motorcycle engine, I suppose. Anyone know how to get some more power from a Dynastart? Possibly get it rewound for higher amperage?
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Feb 3, 2013 02:30
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DJ Commie posted:I wish I could get some actual amperage from my charging system, but its only slightly better than a motorcyle. It is a motorcycle engine, I suppose. Anyone know how to get some more power from a Dynastart? A smaller pulley?
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Feb 3, 2013 02:44
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General_Failure posted:Again not my ride but I have learned all I ever didn't want to know about Explorer transfer case shift motors. Later today I may be out there doing an on vehicle manual sensor calibration armed with a car battery, some leads and a multimeter. The 2wd ones are probably fine, though.
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Feb 3, 2013 03:19
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StormDrain posted:A smaller pulley? You bother to Google what Dynastart is? There's no pulleys.
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Feb 3, 2013 03:24
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I'll share a counterpoint on OnStar If you wait until the last week of your subscription, and ask, you'll usually get a discounted renewal rate. And if you resubscribe you can usually buy another chunk of minutes at a discounted rate. I'm paying $139/yr and bought another 100 minutes of time for $10 and they will roll any unused minutes over. The Onstar phone comes in handy for when I'm in the middle of bumfuck and can't get reception with my cell phone. There are some places in the US where I'm just screwed with no reception on either phone, though. Features Onstar includes beyond roadside assistance (which is key since my car has no spare) Automatic Crash Response - they'll dispatch ambulance, police and call your ICE contacts Stolen Vehicle tracking - work with the police dept to track and disable the vehicle if stolen Monthly Diagnostic Report via email and courtesy service reminders Remote lock/unlock/starting/diagnostics/car finder via cell phone app Remote lock/unlock/diagnostics via operator Full concierge/routing/emergency contact service if affected by natural disaster or declared state of emergency Emergency services - can provide basic first aid info or dispatch fire/police/ambulance on your behalf Local traffic/weather and stock information Granted, this is on a 2012 car so I don't know if all of those are applicable to older models. I've found the remote lock/unlock/diagnostics/car finder via cell phone app especially handy. I've also used the emergency services several times to report accidents and summons help for folks. I also get a small discount on my car insurance premium. It's not for everyone, but I find it to be handy and reasonably priced for me. At their regular $199/yr subscription cost, I wouldn't bother though. We'll see what happens when I come up for renewal again in October.
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Feb 3, 2013 03:58
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All I got done today was finally swapping out the cracked and dented stock trunk floor on my WRX for one I pulled from a 9-2X. The new one is grey (which doesn't match the old one's black) but it's under a rubber spill cover all the time so who cares. Then I tried to install the Paranoid quick release bolts into my strut tower brace, but unfortunately the Subaru bolts were a bigger diameter so the quick releases just let the brace rattle around and not actually do any, you know, bracing. So they came back out and got thrown into my parts bin, maybe something else can use them in the future. It's not like it's hard to remove the brace as is - two 17mm wrenches and you're done. The Miata still sits, immobile, in the alley. I did bother to figure out the trick for resetting the radio security code, though, so when I finally drag the battery off the charger and start it up I'll have music.
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Feb 3, 2013 04:52
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I got around to changing what is probably a faulty O2 sensor (voltage readings above 1.2 volts  ), I'll have to drive it around for a bit to see if that was isolated. Then I changed the front pinion seal, and I'm glad I have an impact wrench to just buzz poo poo on and off now.
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Feb 3, 2013 04:52
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quote:Onstar discussion I actually bought the box for my aftermarket head unit that keeps the OnStar functionality but only so my warning chimes still work. I guess I could still have it if I wanted to but it just seems pointless. Especially with a AAA membership. Grumbletron 4000 fucked around with this message at 05:15 on Feb 3, 2013 |
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Feb 3, 2013 05:12
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On another note I did the front brakes on my girlfriends '08 Focus. Easiest brakes I've ever done. Everything came apart like a champ went back together even easier. However, the rear drums one that car are a colossal loving sack of soggy disease encrusted dicks. I'm talking 30mm bolt torqued down hard enough to make Zeus himself sweat and grunt to get the drums off that may or may not puke out the bearings upon removal. I gave up and let the shop handle that one.
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Feb 3, 2013 06:03
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Washed it and dug 3 weeks worth of pizza tickets out of the car. And found this buried under the passenger seat: Very nice, very well-used US-made Gerber multi-tool. I have no idea how much these things are even worth, or if Gerber makes everything in the US, but it'll definitely be living in the glove box. I'm gonna guess it belongs to whoever detailed the car before I got it, or the husband of the previous owner. e: found it on Gerber's website. Someone's gotta be a bit upset about losing this. Goober Peas posted:Automatic Crash Response - they'll dispatch ambulance, police and call your ICE contacts All of this also applies to my 2006, except for the mobile app - you need a 2010 or newer vehicle for that. I bought 300 minutes for $10, if I keep it active I'll have to see about discounted minutes. I know at one point they actually offered a decent plan for minutes, but I haven't been able to find anything about that published since 2011. The only reason I even bought minutes is because my mobile plan doesn't have roaming of any kind (prepaid  ), and being T-Mobile, there's no real coverage once you get outside of major cities.Grumbletron 4000 posted:When I got my '04 GTP I had a year of free OnStar. I never once used it. It seems like anybody with a reliable car and a smartphone just doesn't have a reason to have it. For me its just a couple of pretty green buttons on my rear view mirror. I've used the phone a couple of times now, just to see how well it works. And to add it to my Google Voice account (which was a gigantic pain in the rear end, since there's no way to dial digits once you're on a call). randomidiot fucked around with this message at 06:54 on Feb 3, 2013 |
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Feb 3, 2013 06:46
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some texas redneck posted:Gerber $65, eh? I guess I should feel bad that I have like 4 of those laying around the house I "acquired" out of my Army toolboxes. Nah. gently caress 'em.
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Feb 3, 2013 07:28
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Grumbletron 4000 posted:However, the rear drums one that car are a colossal loving sack of soggy disease encrusted dicks. I'm talking 30mm bolt torqued down hard enough to make Zeus himself sweat and grunt to get the drums off that may or may not puke out the bearings upon removal. I gave up and let the shop handle that one. I hope you didn't get taken for too much of a ride by the shop. Unless your girlfriend got the car with a fuckton of miles on it I highly doubt the rear shoes were anywhere close to 50% worn. The drums on my '02 had plenty of life left in them when I switched them out for disc when it was 5 years old with a hair over 100,000 miles.
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Feb 3, 2013 07:45
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General_Failure posted:Again not my ride but I have learned all I ever didn't want to know about Explorer transfer case shift motors. Later today I may be out there doing an on vehicle manual sensor calibration armed with a car battery, some leads and a multimeter. Dude yeah, I bought one for $500 and sold it for the same amount 6 months later and it taught me all I need to know about the model. Never again. Edit for content: Drove my gf's jetta to a dealership for what I thought was an ECU update for an emmisions known issue with O2 sensors - turned out that was for the wrong motor, drove back to a shop, they found a leak in the flex pipe before the cat (the Jetta is throwing P0420 smoke converters erryday) and got that replaced, reset the code, did a drive cycle, it threw the code again  .Tomorrow grabbing her car from work and getting the cat replaced. VelociBacon fucked around with this message at 10:29 on Feb 5, 2013 |
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Feb 5, 2013 05:30
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Keep in mind that you have 8 years to use your OnStar. After that, it will turn into a brick. Verizon is sunsetting their 3g network in 2021 so all the existing OnStar hardware will stop working then.
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Feb 5, 2013 06:44
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