who is wrenching today?

[JCH13]

Bolts snapped off from over torquing, especially small ones, are very easy to extract. Get some left-handed screw extractors and/or left-handed drill bits and it should zip right out.

BTW: common sense is thinking "this can't be legit" and then STOPPING and double-checking everything. A big mistake many home mechanics make is thinking that they can remember the torque ratings for every bolt (or even some bolts). A friend of mine who used to be an A&P mechanic suggests looking up the torque for every single bolt/bolt pattern right before you tighten them. It's the best way to make sure you don't screw up anything like that.

 

[skyking]

I have started the personalization on my Beetle

The rounded dash and steering column parts have a nice OEM look, but are not good for new radios, little doodads like a scangauge, etc.
I had it velcroed to the top of the column, but it obscured the fuel and tach, and I had to reach behind it to set the trip meter. Sorry, no before pics but it was about 3/4" higher.
I removed the steering console top and laid out a hole in it, 13/16" back from the front edge and 1" wide by about 4" long to start. The console top is held on by two #1 phillips screws from below.

I started cutting it in with a razor knife. Not too pretty yet, but I trimmed it up once I had the hole through.
Once I had the hole cut, it was obvious I needed to go wider. The shape of the hole was defined by the profile of a high part of the cover.


I cut it a little wider yet, and this is what it looked like from the side.

On the top of the steering column there is a clip for a set of contacts, probably the horn and airbags. I took the scangauge apart and determined I could notch into the gauge itself to miss that clip.
I centered the gauge up and marked it with a pencil, and cut that with the razor knife.
I removed the board and display, of course.

Here is the final look. Before, the wire exited the right side of the gauge. Now it goes out the back and is totally hidden.

In that photo the column is adjusted all the way up, and is about 3/4" back from the front stop. That is the only limitation, you can't push the column all the way forward.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

Almost looks like it belongs there. Is it centered with the gauge though? or just photo taken at an angle?

 

[skyking]

it is in there with velcro. It is centered on the gauge cluster but not on the column top.
That gauge has paid for itself many times over for me. I have jacked up my MPG's with it, but I also have this annoying code that has popped about 4 times now. It is for a loose ground on glow plug #2, whoopie. The thing starts fine down into the teens. I can clear it at a traffic light

 

[TheStu]

Radiator in my '98 Saturn cracked at the beginning of Winter, and I finally got in there and properly replaced it this weekend.

Got the car up on some ramps, removed the plastic shielding on the bottom (one of the clips just wouldn't give, lots of swearing there), unhooked everything and pulled the old radiator out. After more swearing, and some trimming of cheap plastic clips, I finally got the new one in place, then just put everything back together. Total time... 2 hours or so. It would have been probably half that if things hadn't been so stubborn.

It's nice to not have to worry about that sort of thing any more.

Next on the list:
1: Isolate and fix slow oil leak (it's not the head cover gasket or valve gasket, nothing's leaking at the top anymore)
2: Replace upper motor mount
3: Replace the bracket holding the exhaust pipe in place (just before the muffler), as the car rattles at idle

The car is old, with 225K miles on it, but I can't afford a new one, and most of these repairs are fairly cheap. Even with this work, it still costs me less than a car payment each month, gets 37+ on the highway, and the cruise control works. What more do I need?

 

[twinrider1]

Adjusting the valves on the riding mower today. Ok, who took my feeler gauges!

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Past weekends work on new (to me) 2003 mustang gt:

Replaced stock plugs with one range colder and gapped tighter
Cleaned CAI and MAF
Installed nitrous port in CAI
replaced headlights w/smoked lenses
replaced wipers

Got a big list still to do before heading to atco dragway

 

[xanis]

Planning on fixing some cosmetic damage this weekend. Have some curb rash on two wheels and some scratches from a fender bender on the rear bumper.

Ordered repair supplies for the bumper from Paint Scratch and I'm going later to get some Bondo/Duplicolor for the wheel repair. Never tried DIY wheel repair, so this should be interesting. Doesn't seem too hard, just requires patience/time. Basically following this tutorial: http://saturdaymechanic.com/repairing-curb-damaged-alloy-wheels/

 

[vshah]

Did a valve adjustment, spark plug change, oil change and trans fluid change a couple weeks ago

 

[monkeydelmagico]

^ DOHC 4 banger with a chain? What's it in?

Looks like a clean top end though

 

[vshah]

^ DOHC 4 banger with a chain? What's it in?

Looks like a clean top end though

k20z3 in a 2007 civic si, 80k miles.

 

[mztykal]

k20z3 in a 2007 civic si, 80k miles.

Were they hard to adjust? I've never done a k-series and my TSX needs a adjustment...

 

[vshah]

Were they hard to adjust? I've never done a k-series and my TSX needs a adjustment...

no, not very hard at all. the most annoying part was putting the valve cover back on & getting all the gaskets to sit properly. also helps a ton if you have a friend to hold a flashlight or a mirror for you, at least initially. after the first couple you can do it by feel. I had a friend familiar with the k20 (owns an rsx) to help me out.

I also used a long plastic straw in the cylinder to help me find TDC, easier than relying on the marks on the cams.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

I just got done bleeding the front brake line on my motorcycle, after upgrading it to a dual piston caliper from a silly single piston one (plus stainless steel braided brake line ).

Before:

After:

I gotta re-thread my tach cable through the hanging eyelet, though. Tried bending it but the sum-bitch is pretty stiff. We'll see.

 

[cbrsurfr]

Finally finished up the new intake manifold for the 73. Started over the winter and have had nothing but trouble finding the right bolts, block-offs, and other odds and ends.

Haven't taken any afters yet, just during: IMG_4643 by JJR329, on Flickr

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

1. I have a saturday away from the office
2. Its not snowing
3. Its above 10*C

SO!

today is yard and garage clean up day. Finally.

Im actually look forward to it.

 

[MongGrel]

My Problem is I wrench all week, I try to avoid it on the weekends.

 

[xaeniac]

Completed a rear shock replacement on Mazda5.

 

[njmodi]

Spent a bit of time on my Accord yesterday... basic ignition system refresh... I have 190k, 2002 5spd, 2.3L 4-cyl (F23A1).

1. Valve cover gasket + spark plug tube seals
2. New plugs
3. New spark plug wires
4. New distributor cap/gasket + rotor

To do - in the next few weeks...
1. New tires
2. Clean throttle body + IACV
3. Replace cabin filter

 

[T2urtle]

Spent a bit of time on my Accord yesterday... basic ignition system refresh... I have 190k, 2002 5spd, 2.3L 4-cyl (F23A1).

1. Valve cover gasket + spark plug tube seals
2. New plugs
3. New spark wires
4. New distributor cap/gasket + rotor

To do - in the next few weeks...
1. New tires
2. Clean throttle body + IACV
3. Replace cabin filter

A 2002 still has a distributor? Interesting...

 

[njmodi]

A 2002 still has a distributor? Interesting...

Yeah - I was surprised too when I first bought the car (used) and looked under the hood... was a throwback to the days I had a 1988 Civic. I had a 96 Maxima prior to the Accord and that had coil-on-plug ignition. The 02 Accord V6 (J-series engine) has a coil-on-plug design - I am not sure if that design started with the 6th gen Accord (99 onwards)... or earlier.

 

[skyking]

Set the pump timing using VCDS on the beetle, then installed new DLC764 injectors. Did the fuel quantity adjustment using VCDS and the hammer mod.
It pulls nice

 

[desy]

Yesterday I
Replaced the tail light bulb that was burnt out all winter
Cleaned corroded battery posts
Topped up fluids X2
Changed windshield wipers X2
Gassed up the mower and started it

 

[skyking]

wife's TDI did not start Tuesday morning. UGh.
Naturally I think the worst, all day long.
I get home and find it in about 10 minutes. The EGR valve gets gunked up, and there is an integral Anti Shudder Valve (ASV) built into it. It was stuck shut so lots of fuel, no air

 

[nitrous9200]

Changed my oil pressure switch over the weekend. It took all day but I'm pretty sure it's stopped a significant source of oil leaking.

If nothing else, there's still oil on the dipstick and the engine hasn't seized up, so it's no worse than it was before.