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The "What Did You Work On Today" thread

3M views 36K replies 388 participants last post by  cerial 
#1 ·
4 hour work day for me at the shop. Used the time to do a valve body swap on a '01 Jetta 1.8t auto .... I successfully installed a transbrake on the car .... that however wasn't my intention.

Its in 2 gears at once in park, all other gears (R/N/D/2/1) are forward gears.... they all seam to be first gear.

I have it torn back down most of the way. Tuesday I'll actually get the VB back out and see whats up.... but part of me wants to take it out for a test drive the way it is just for the fun of it.
 
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#42 ·
Today we took the car to our Sat breakfast. It's the latest (earliest) in the year I have driven it. It was 25 deg but the heater kept us nice and toasty. It looks like good weather at least untill next Wed so we'll got to breakfast then also. I'm going to try and explore the minimum operating temp, probably -10 f is my guess.
 
#44 ·
Finally got back to work on my El Camino. Figured out the center link, it clears the frame. Though it looks like it won't fit, once bolted in it fits like a glove. Found that because the pitman arm rotates at a slight angle across the horizontal plane, the center link lifts slightly as it moves from rh to lh turn.

Got the tie rods in and roughly aligned the steering.
Had two zerks that wouldn't go in. I'll have to get replacement fittings and tap the holes.

I'll add pics to my journal later in the week. Tomorrow I hope to finish some of the engine bay wiring.
 
#46 ·
Well I got all the way over to the shop and discovered that I had left my carpet stacked up nice and neat right by the door of the apt. so cancel installing it for today. Dang old age. haha I went to the Sat breakfast and outside photo shoot. Then I went for a winter cruize of about 80 miles so I now have my Jan miles in. I should only have FEB to worry about as we usually get some miles in at the end of Mar.

For those that don't know I'm trying to drive 12 consecutive months and at least 75 miles in each of our winter months regardless of weather. I've been out in light snow and down to 15 deg with no problems.
 
#50 ·
DanielC said:
I made this.

and this.

to do this.
Nice job, and you know what you can do now, use some three inch long bolts with spacers made from tubing to bolt the door to your stand. That way you will be able to paint or prime it while it is on the stand. :)

Brian
 
#52 ·
T-bucket, hope they were paying jobs, and you beat flat rate!

The stand will get used for painting the door. My plan was to prime, and paint the door hinge area only,
Then paint the whole door on the stand. I could just put a handle on the end of the pipe on the back side of the stand, and rotate the door without having to touch the door.
 
#54 ·
I went over to the new racecar shop and the got brand new Syncrowave TIG welder up and running and ran the first bead. Smooth machine!!!! It's fully loaded with pulser and balance control and the new wireless foot pedal. The foot pedal is just great. just kick it around to where you need it ...no wires. Also got a pack of AA lithium batteries for it. The machine has 25 foot ground and torch cables and 30 foot power lead. 4 #2 wires so it has overkill capacity. It runs on 220 single ph even though there is 3 ph available the electrician said the circuit could not handle both the aircompressor and the TIG at full power so there is a cut off switch on the compressor...don't know how he did it. Essentially the TIG has power over the compressor.

I got a complete consumable kit with at least one of every cup, collet body and collet. Pluss all the gas lens accessories. I got 70-s2 and 70-s6 rod plus 80-2 and s6 rod and 4043 and 5356 aluminum rods all various diameters. I even got some silicone /bronze rod for tig brazing. I don't think I have ever had all this at one time and place. The whole gang was there from the boss man to the crew, most non welders. There was just a little pressure to turn the thing, on diddle with the controls and make a perfect weld. Success!!!! haha How can you miss with this thing!!. It's actually cheating. haha

I also ordered over $1000 worth of metal to work with and a cool weld table.

Sure is nice to spend someone else's money for a change....and get paid to do it. haha
 
#55 ·
DanielC said:
T-bucket, hope they were paying jobs, and you beat flat rate!

The stand will get used for painting the door. My plan was to prime, and paint the door hinge area only,
Then paint the whole door on the stand. I could just put a handle on the end of the pipe on the back side of the stand, and rotate the door without having to touch the door.
Oh ya all paying, Saturday is my day at my buddies garage. Always beat flat rate usually by 30% or so.

There is nothing like getting paid for doing what you love to do!!
 
#56 ·
Yep, I have been doing it for 33 years now full time. What did I work on today? How about pulling down the Christmas lights from the house. :)

Brian
 
#58 ·
Bad Rat said:
got some more use out of that new ladder Huh?

LOL, I sure did, but it isn't new anymore, I've had it for three or so years now. But yes, go all my lights off the house and chimney in an hour and I owe it all to my ladder. :D

Brian
 
#60 ·
Brackets mods.

Had to make a bracket that would fit on to my intake man. For the TV cable from the 700r4 I just installed. Made 2 of them,first one wouldn't work because the throttle cable wasn't adjustable. So I just made another one for the TV cable itself. Put the throttle cable back where it was.
 
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