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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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#11,061 ·
"It had a 250 cid inline 6. I think the 454 is a little heavier. LOL"

Used to do that back in the day. Great for drag racing. Just put a 1" rubber spring stool/spacer between the spring and A-frame to regain stock height.


The shop I work at. Bought a CVC 616 Sunnen hone at auction. Missing many essential parts.. They started adding up the costs of replacement parts and quit at five grand..

Slow day, so I fired up a mill and some flat stock and started making these parts up.. Spacers and simple stuff.. Did a couple grand re-production of "Stuff we gotta buy" ...... Boss was impressed..

The boss is still not aware of what can be made in his own shop.. But then he's an auto repair guy..:thumbup:

Merry Christmas guys!!
Merry Christmas to you too, Bob...:D

The guy you work for is DANGED lucky to have someone with your experience, skill and knowledge. :thumbup:
 
#11,062 ·
OK, John, JUST FOR YOU, I went out in my COLD shop and got pics...:pain:

Once it warmed up a bit I DID do 5 minutes of grinding on the trunk floor welds...:p

Then I remembered I was supposed to repair the M-I-L's roof rake that got bent last time we used it for her. I straightened and reinforced that and then split some wood for the fireplace. I brought our son home from college yesterday for winter break and he is having friends over tonight, so I will get a fire going for them.

NOW for the pics of the q-panels.

The AMD is at the top. Hard to see details but the bends are much sharper on it.





It's also a direct replacement, not an overlay. Here it is inside the other panel...



The back edge has the correct flange to mate with the tail panel.



Here is the wheel opening. The CHL panel is over size and fits over the original.



This is the CHL panel sitting on the car. It fits over the existing quarter and you could literally weld it right on. The AMD panel is the same dims as original and will require removal of the original, which is what I want. The CHL would be great for a flipper to weld on, slather/blend with bondo, paint red and sell....:rolleyes:



This how much longer the CHL is. What would you do with all that extra length ?

that's very interesting. do companies specify they are "overlays". I've never heard of that term but I've also never been the guy calling for parts. I do recall panels having that feel that they fit better with the quarter on and once it's cut out and on it feels big. What a trip.
 
#11,063 ·
A lot of the "patch" panels I've come across seem to be oversize. I think they were initially intended to cover up damage, rust.

The parts from better names like Dynacorn and AMD are made to replace the original piece. I've always had to cut down floor pans to fit better too. The one piece assemblies are made as original and do fit pretty well.
 
#11,064 ·
A lot of the "patch" panels I've come across seem to be oversize. I think they were initially intended to cover up damage, rust.

The parts from better names like Dynacorn and AMD are made to replace the original piece. I've always had to cut down floor pans to fit better too. The one piece assemblies are made as original and do fit pretty well.
It is a shame the manufacturers don't advertize how their panels are made to fit. Either style would have it's place. It used to be a car could not pass state inspection in North Carolina if it had rust out. People would pop rivet sheet metal over the rust so they could get the car through safety inspection.

I know you are going to be thankful you ordered the new ones when it comes time to install them.

Thanks for the pics....Very interesting!



My day was the same as the last couple. Welding and grinding. Grinding and welding. I wish I could reach both sides so I could planish the welds but my arms just ain't that long.:drunk:

John


 
#11,065 ·
OK, John, JUST FOR YOU, I went out in my COLD shop and got pics...:pain:

Once it warmed up a bit I DID do 5 minutes of grinding on the trunk floor welds...:p
That 5min rule Brian came up with really works don't it? One of THE most helpful things I've ever heard...The BEST part is, the taking of pictures counts, even just waking around it counts..so you don't have to go in thinking its work but play time...it all counts.
last winter we had a bad storm that wrecked our back yard with downed trees and limbs everywhere. I told the wife 5 min every night after work ,the both of us...When I was tired and didn't feel doing it the wife said 5 min out there we don't have to do anything ,just be out there for 5 min and got me up and out. I did the same with her. sure enough we got it done, it took a couple months but we got some quality time ,working together :drunk:
but the rule works.
 
#11,066 ·
Today a lot of mechanics/auto repairman/automotive technicians are no more than parts changers. They hook the vehicle to a machine and it tells them whats wrong. Then they change the part. That machine won't tell them what else would cause that read-out. Such as an O2 sensor code. Running rich or lean, a vacuum leak, or bad catalytic converter could all cause this code. The first thing they do is change the O2 sensor and if that doesn't help they start changing other parts until it's fixed or they give up trying. Then you end up with a big bill spending money on parts that may not have been bad. Real mechanics are a dying bread.:pain::pain::pain:

There is a guy locally touted to be the best auto technician in the country. He says if you don't have a computer you are not a real mechanic. I have fixed many many many things that a computer couldn't help me with. Hence, refer to what you said. :D
 
#11,067 ·
A lot of the "patch" panels I've come across seem to be oversize. I think they were initially intended to cover up damage, rust.

The parts from better names like Dynacorn and AMD are made to replace the original piece. I've always had to cut down floor pans to fit better too. The one piece assemblies are made as original and do fit pretty well.
The first set of aftermarket new fenders my buddy got for his '67 Camaro fit like they were made for a Ford Pinto. :smash: :eek: :evil: He had to pay a little more but the ones he put on fit right . :thumbup:
 
#11,068 ·
I had driven the 59 over to my buddies shop a couple months ago to get the exhaust system bent up and installed. on the 4 mile drive over, I had felt the alignment was off as it did drive a bit strange. remembering that I had only "eyeballed" it at that point, I decided today to take a closer look. is 1 3/4" toe in too much? ;) got it dialed in to 1/8" and now she's flyin' low.


Happy Ho... hoes,
Russ
 
#11,069 ·
I had driven the 59 over to my buddies shop a couple months ago to get the exhaust system bent up and installed. on the 4 mile drive over, I had felt the alignment was off as it did drive a bit strange. remembering that I had only "eyeballed" it at that point, I decided today to take a closer look. is 1 3/4" toe in too much? ;) got it dialed in to 1/8" and now she's flyin' low.


Happy Ho... hoes,
Russ
1/8 " toe-in with bias ply tires. Straight ahead as you can get it with radials.
 
#11,070 ·
I had driven the 59 over to my buddies shop a couple months ago to get the exhaust system bent up and installed. on the 4 mile drive over, I had felt the alignment was off as it did drive a bit strange. remembering that I had only "eyeballed" it at that point, I decided today to take a closer look. is 1 3/4" toe in too much? ;) got it dialed in to 1/8" and now she's flyin' low.


Happy Ho... hoes,
Russ

YEOW, yeah the poor thing was driving two different directions at once! :spank:

Brian
 
#11,071 ·
I hit pay dirt today in the man Christmas present dept. I have been looking at one of these cordless impacts and ratchet for a number of months, checking prices shopping the net, different stores, basically just putting off cracking open my wallet. :sweat: My wrist hurts after twisting screw drivers and ratchets all day long at work, hurts a lot.

Today I went to my favorite REAL hardware store (so cool, it's just a few blocks from my house) and the Milqaukee rep was there. First off I got educated a bit on what I should buy, then the went "thinking about it" (I am so damn cheap). It hit me that first off the place was having a special they pay the sales tax, that would save me about $25, then I thought how when I am 80 if I couldn't hold my coffee cup this $250 wouldn't seem like a whole lot!

I got the cash out of the stash and went back and bought the two. Because I bought a tool the rep had a box of goodies I could pick from, I got a nice set of drill bits for my box at work (all my good stuff stays home). Then I put my name in for a drawing for a work radio. I got home a few hours later and was telling the wife about the present I bought myself and she now doesn't need to get me anything and telling her about the drawing when my cel phone rings, slam bam baby, I won the radio! WHOOO HOOOO!

Brian
 

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#11,073 ·
you definately should buy some lotto tickets. man, you only win at a tool lotto once. that is awesome. last time i won something was in high school and that was when I had to walk uphill both ways to school and sometimes sleep in a snowbank overnight cuddled up to the horse that i would have to ride to school....by the time we got to school it was time to go home again, ha ha
 
#11,074 ·
There is a guy locally touted to be the best auto technician in the country. He says if you don't have a computer you are not a real mechanic. I have fixed many many many things that a computer couldn't help me with. Hence, refer to what you said. :D
a great mechanic would know the computer is just another tool and have one also..but still how to trouble shoot. the problem is troubleshooting takes time and patience ...rare qualities.
 
#11,075 ·
you definately should buy some lotto tickets. man, you only win at a tool lotto once. that is awesome. last time i won something was in high school and that was when I had to walk uphill both ways to school and sometimes sleep in a snowbank overnight cuddled up to the horse that i would have to ride to school....by the time we got to school it was time to go home again, ha ha
Same thing here only barefoot.

BB :thumbup::thumbup:
 
#11,076 ·
a great mechanic would know the computer is just another tool and have one also..but still how to trouble shoot. the problem is troubleshooting takes time and patience ...rare qualities.
I am certainly no mechanic but I agree, today, you MUST have a computer to diagnose problems. Hell, you need one to diagnose body issues! Everything from a latch not locking to light not lighting, no kidding, a headlamp not working may be a computer issue!

The days of working on cars without one are OVER. Unless you are only working on pre-computer cars.

Hints the reason I drive a '59 Rambler. :sweat:

Brian
 
#11,077 ·
my brides 2008 chrysler 300 started having starting problems. after being told half a dozen things i decided to reboot the computer. been fine ever since. it is the first thing i try with any computer car .
 
#11,078 ·
a great mechanic would know the computer is just another tool and have one also..but still how to trouble shoot. the problem is troubleshooting takes time and patience ...rare qualities.

Time after time.. I watch vehicles come into the repair shop and first thing is connect them to a computer.. Only way to diagnose the complicated issues on every system of modern stuff.. Without it these guys are lost.. (so am I!, usually) Some of them don't even know how to start or work on a carbureted car.:spank:

Tho I work mostly in the machine shop operation at this business. If it gets slow, I go to the service shop to keep busy..:rolleyes:

I tell the boss, I only work on stuff that has the engine mounted in the right direction and no computers.. So I get all the old stuff that the regular repair guys want to pass on..:thumbup:
 
#11,079 ·
New school and old skool.

two totally different lives, new and old school, hard to be both and good at each one, there are a few out there. I build old rides, not hard, engine building, lots of welding, lowering, lifting big mudracers, a lot of work and years of knowledge and many builds of all types but the new school computor work is totally amazingly difficult, even for those that know it. Anything I figure out is mostly from online help, a whole new level. My brain is to old and not large enough for both, appreciate both worlds.:D
 
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