DallasMakerspace - automotive

I'll take first on this channel, what the hey. Anyone want to claim the (I'm guessing) old brake fluid that's been occupying the pneumatic brake bleeder for literally a month at minimum? Would've just emptied it myself by now if I had a container for brake fluid disposal.

I bet you get no takers! On a related note, is it OK to use the red fluid drain stand with transmission fluid?

Yes. Just make sure you take the fluid with you.

I bet I get no takers either! I'll try to remember to bring an empty from home next time I get down there. Hopefully the universe will remember this in the future if and when I am the one who forgets something down there and leaves a mess...

The universe won't sadly Life is like tetris: Your failures build up while your successes disappear...

1

6:40 PM

Saw that on Reddit today and seemed fitting.

Wonder if a ambulance will fit through our bay doors

12:36 PM

Been thinking of a new automotive project

https://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/6079396720.html

06 FORD F350 AMBULANCE

FOR SALE FORD F350 SUPER DUTY POWERSTROKE Diesel,Auto,Heat And Air Front And Rear,PW,Pdl 130K Clean,Runs Great,90 % Rubber. Serviced Regulary.Still Has Everything,All The Bells And Whistles. ( More...

12:43 PM

lift it, 4wd

we discussed this in our wasteland weekend group, one of our members is an EMT and strongly suggested bleaching the hell out of it first

bodily fluids add story!

1:26 PM

what is a wasteland weekend group though

http://www.wastelandweekend.com/

WW Admin

The World’s Largest Post-Apocalyptic Festival

...

1:29 PM

it's like a post apocalyptic version of a ren-faire lol

1:30 PM

1:30 PM

you might see our bus at the space from time to time

No she said to bleach the hell out of it and she still wouldn't touch it

1

Other than sail area, not a bad storm chase vehicle.

Jeeze

2:19 PM

I'd cut myself on the grill

2:19 PM

on accident

You should see the cutting hazard that's the inside

What's a good choice for oil for a high mileage American car

2:55 PM

I think we did 10w-30 because there was a theory that I had a leak

Royal Purple

3:17 PM

It doesn't matter what kind of car, when asking about oil, the answer is royal purple

3:17 PM

unless you drive an old VW diesel of some sort, in which case, God have mercy on your sweet soul, because you can only get that crap from the dealership and it's as expensive as printer ink

Never even heard of Royal Purple

3:21 PM

@pearce I've heard conventional is good for leaks because of molecule something or another makes it harder to pass through seals

I use Pennzoil Ultra Platinum in my Jeep, but that's mostly because it meets the specs required for my warranty

I've heard of royal purple. but that it was only for people that wanted to spend more on their car. You definitely overvalued my car

3:24 PM

I'm at 180k on a Buick century. It started falling apart at 80k

I read like a 10 page guide of vehicle oil one time

3:26 PM

came out at net zero (edited)

3:26 PM

I just pick shell normally i think because autozone has a nice special with a filter

I don't know what year, so I guessed. 1994 Buick Century 3.1: recommended oil from Amsoil: 5w30. http://www.amsoil.com/mygarage/vehiclelookup.aspx?url2=1994+BUICK+CENTURY+M

3:30 PM

10w30 will be just fine

3:31 PM

clean i more important than brand

2004. The cap says 5w30 too

3:31 PM

10w is just thicker right?

3:31 PM

yes

3:32 PM

that means it's 10 weight viscosity equivalent when cold

3:32 PM

in Tejas in the summer, the upper end measurement is more important in a multi-weight oil

Makes sense (edited)

@pearce : http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf

3:35 PM

treat your engine right, she'll treat you right

3:35 PM

love you long time, all that

That link starts with "anime" and "game" but ends with "cars, oil, and tests" I feel like it's a trap built specifically to lure me in

3:40 PM

I'll have to investigate from a PC

interesting "test". Me, personally? I wouldn't even consider a synthetic for that vehicle (unless it really means more to you than I think it does). I run conventional in my conventional cars, and they've served me well. I collect tons of shit from everyone for my preferred brand, Pennzoil, but it has done me right. Conventional wisdom says Valvoline is the king of the dino oils, for whatever that's worth. But again, I think HAVING oil in the right weight (manufacturer recommended) is step 1. Cleaner is better. After that, it's largely personal preference and brand snobbery.

3:47 PM

plus that mag is aussie, so...

When you get into high performance/high compression engines, the oil you choose starts to make a big difference. Why there's nothing wrong with running traditional oil in most vehicles, the advantages of the extra stuff in the synthetics becomes more and more useful as the engine ages (both hours and miles) and or you go higher performance

3:47 PM

old engines have old gaskets and old seals and can use the extra help

3:48 PM

whereas a new engine is going to run fine on pretty much anything you put into it

3:48 PM

When you go to the racetrack, literally everyone is running Royal Purple... it really is the best you can get without getting into the stupid expensive stuff for methanol engines

I have no beef with RP. You do see it everywhere. They spend much dinero on advertising.

that's actually a newer phenomen, only happened after the dude who invented it sold the company

I've been trying to get rid of this car for so long. Shakes fist I just have to keep it rolling until I do

Back in the day, they didn't do any advertising at all

do I want to know the back story on this car? I know it's a running joke (pun intended) about the neglect it suffers...

3:51 PM

I do not know what "back in the day" referrs to, but since I've been old enough to care, RP has been a track staple.

I have a habit of putting off some repairs due to my seemingly always pending "gonna get rid of it"

i dont put off repairs but I dont put on them either

And when repairs happen they usually run to the opposite end of "this should be easy"

Fluid changes always happen, timing belt also, others things, meh

3:53 PM

I lubed the suspension... once...

3:53 PM

PCV filter? Hasnt broken

3:53 PM

air filter? LOOKS CLEAN!

I only replace things that need replaced. Kwik Kar'll have you in new air flter every visit if you let'm. Oil & filter, on the other hand, I replace every 3k.

3:55 PM

10k on disels with synthetic (but I've not owned one long enough to know if I condone that long-term)

http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/73-how-step-step/194247-motor-oils-vtx-tapper.html?action=thread

Motor Oils and The VTX (By Tapper)

VTXOA

8:32 AM

Article I wrote a few years back about motor oils

@Cat_Skat what is it with you motorcycle guys and Amsoil? I swear, I know hog guys that maintain that they used Amsoil in the rocket engines to put men on the moon, and had Kennedy's limo been running it, he wouldn't have been shot. (edited)

Ha. I dunno. I had a friend that sold it

10:10 AM

After I wrote that, we did a test with 10 bikes, with different oils, taking an oil sample and analyzeing it every 4 months.

10:10 AM

Best oils we tried, were Amsoil and Mobil One

10:11 AM

Some of the newer PAO diesel oils are very good, and have newer detergent packages, so might be some real winners available now

FYI I happen to be an Amzoil dealer (I don't actively sell it but if someone wants some could likely place an order)

You have to be a special dealer for it?

I'm itching to restore something

4:10 PM

Need to learn how to paint

Anyone know if the 2 5 gallon containers on the auto shelf are old? They don't look new that's for sure

Made a judgement call. It was darker than the oil I got out of mine so I used it as a disposal container

Nope but it's cheaper if you are

5:42 PM

Getting ready for the dyno

Up 60HP

8:49 PM

Cleared 300 which is where I wanted to be

4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvV3nn_de2k

SammyHagarVEVO

Sammy Hagar - I Can't Drive 55

Only 300 HP in a 2000lb. car

At least you have Dyno numbers instead of at the flywheel. Mine 507 RWHP! Now can't afford the tires anymore.

Still looking for the chair of this committee to join discord. Or maybe a second in command.

Alright I've decided

2:41 PM

I'm buying a Willys

That's right up there with the decision you make in college with your buddies that "We should totally open a bar!"

Alright I've decided

3:15 PM

I'm buying a Willys to put in a bar that I'm buying

1

That's a big bump, what did you do to it?

Anyone have any unused foam, trying to make a cheap motorcycle seat

That magazine article on oils was soundly debunked just a few months after it was published, btw

6:23 PM

The magazine actually posted a retraction and apology regarding the test

6:24 PM

Can't pull it up now, of course, since the company's basically dead (website touts the "new issue" which was released in 2015, forum's inoperative, news links don't work). But every year or two another conversation comes up on BITOG about someone who's stumbled onto the article again. They've got an excerpt from the apology over there, as well as a few explanations as to why the test is crap

6:25 PM

On just about any question regarding any just about any oil for just about any automotive system, BITOG is your friend

1

see if this works... https://web.archive.org/web/20090918065559/http://www.streetcommodores.com.au/images/tech/PDF/132oiltech.pdf

3:02 PM

A little bit tl;dr for an apology, but I get they still wanted to turn it into a story that made some educational use of the column inches

3:03 PM

Though I would've liked a sidebar added with just the Valvoline engineer's quote in there, followed by "this was the biggest of our screwups, in short the test was entirely crap, we're sorry."

3:06 PM

Aside: got on here just now because I just got in my car and realized I left the automotive DMM in my car last time I came by. That's getting returned within the hour. Apologies to anyone that needed it while it was gone.

Testing...

9:17 PM

Hmmm..... @Dano ~ can you reply to this?

9:19 PM

Do we have a scan tool, to check engine codes?

Yes. Odb2 reader it's in the diagnostic drawer in auto

9:59 PM

Works for cars ~92(?) And newer

2

Thanks! I was thinking we did, but wasn't 100% sure. Dan was asking, but it wouldn't let him post earlier. I'm guessing just a hiccup or something. Anyway ~ Thanks again! :D

Silent auction is half way up but won't be live until 10p tonight. Make sure you read everything- lots of info and I'm not done yet. This auction isn't the final bid. Final bid is at the picnic. http://www.32auctions.com/DallasMakerspace17

Dallas Makerspace Member Picnic 2017

Silent auction 'Dallas Makerspace Member Picnic 2017' hosted online at 32auctions.

Locked up the lift. It was locked but left in the on position

@All can someone clarify what would be the difference in taking free vs paid 'Automotive lift class'.

Just watching is free but you would not be eligible to use the lift.

kriskat30#9685, won't be able to use it ever without taking that paid class? Just trying to understand. Will take up the paid one mostly.

Yes that is correct

Thanks.

Folks, Having some issue with my registration for Automotive lift class. I initially had free registration done but then I wanted to do paid one so that I can use the lift. I canceled my free registration but couldn't register again, it says my registration has been cancelled and provides no other option to register again. Any suggestions?

@StanSimmons do you know the best way to see if Ela can re-register?

I'll look and see, but probably the best way is to register for a different day, but show up on the original one.

Or talk to the course teacher

@Ela I need a little more to go on to fix the issue... like your name or email or phone and the date of the class you cancelled from.

email: anandelamaran@gmail.com

3:20 PM

Date of the class: May 15th

3:20 PM

Thanks for the help.

May 15th, Last Monday? do you mean May 25th, next Thursday?

I couldn't find a way to reinstate the registration, but I was able to re-register by changing the email address. Please go back in at re-register yourself by adding a + and some text to the end of your email name. See http://lifehacker.com/144397/instant-disposable-gmail-addresses for details.

Instant disposable Gmail addresses

Gmail user Kevin Gunn creates web site specific addresses and sets up filters for them to catch companies who spam or sell email addresses of its customers:

Thanks. Yes, May25th. Should I Re register my account with DMS? I am just using my Username 'elamaran' to sign in. Is it possible to may be do a manual sign up for this course? If there is no other option I will try this.

No need, I'll be able to fix it on the backend after the class.

3:51 PM

Just come by the main room after the class and find me. I'm the fat, old guy with a brown ponytail and a red mug with my name on it.

1

nice.. thanks..

Thank you @StanSimmons

Hi @StanSimmons, I couldn't meet you other day when I took the class. It was late when we wrapped up and I couldn't find you. can you help fix this registration? I also need to pay. I am at DMS now.

Thanks for stopping by earlier, you are in the system.

Bought a 2000 jeep grand cherokee, what fun things should I do to it

1:19 PM

after I fix the coolant leak ofc

@LukeStrickland congrats! I have seen people doing lift and better MT tires as a first thing apart from any repair work. What is your intend with it? I am also looking one as a project car. May I ask how you paid for it?

I paid $2000, they wanted $2900, the engine and interior are real clean, however the rear passenger door and rear hatch dont open

1:26 PM

I think it's lifted a bit, I like it how it is

1:26 PM

but I might get a sway bar, feels a little light right now

1:26 PM

Tires are next up

1:26 PM

I wish we had as mounter

1:27 PM

Discovered a coolant leak on my drive into work this morning so I'll be at the space after 5 fixing/finding it

1:27 PM

Hopefully it's a simple hose or something

Sounds like a good deal.. Yeah, Mounter would be a good buy. Hope its just a hose leak.

No water in the oil as far as I can tell

There is a guy very near the space that does tire mounting and balancing really inexpensively. http://discountautoandtireshop.com/

1:37 PM

Discount Auto & Tire Shop 2433 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75234

Thanks Stan

WEEK DAYS: 08:00 – 6:30 SATURDAY: 08:00 – 5:00 SUNDAY: CLOSED

1:37 PM

I've used them a few times and have been happy with their work.

"One of the more common complaints among Grand Cherokee owners is the amount of sway and body roll that is present. Therefore, it is no secret that one of the first mods that GC enthusiasts perform is to upgrade the stock sway bars to heavy duty performance versions from Addco Manufacturing."

1:45 PM

crazy how one bar can make that big a difference

Wonder what all the junk in the auto bay is

3:01 PM

Cant tell if someone is working on something

anyone using the bay right now?

someone was

the bay was crazy used tonight

8:28 PM

had 3 cars packed in there

are you guys still interested in the donated PT for a classroom car?

@Denzuko.sdf.org is it a PT cruiser? It will be useful to have something like this around. Anyways, I let more senior members to add their comments as I am not familiar with training setup in automotive section.

yes, an 03 2.0l manual model

We must drop a turbo in

4:26 PM

Really hoping I can nab a bay tonight, working outside was death, couldn't tell what was antifreeze and what was sweat

currrently open

4:26 PM

how late will you be?

5:01

then i will pull in and do some cleaning

@LukeStrickland

hope you get one of the two spots inside.

just let me know when youre here and i can move

Haha thanks @pearce

4:32 PM

2005 Buick LeSabre?

4:32 PM

I always like guessing cars based on the cameras lol

04 buick century

@Denzuko.sdf.org really need to check with Tom. He doesn't come here, that I k now of. Talk will probably work, but not as well as in person...

3:43 PM

do we have one of these

Kinda, we have an old yellow one

4:16 PM

We definitely need one, I break all of them lol

4:21 PM

It's in the puller drawer

thanks

4:30 PM

also, do we have tools and equipment for painting?

4:30 PM

I have a primed part that I want to paint

DMS is very anti-paint as far as I know

4:42 PM

We don't have any air tools for painting in auto afaik

thanks man

Can't seem to find the bicycle wheel trueing stand, anybody know where it's stored?

Found it!

Where was it @sonofhammer ?

In a wooden box near ryobi chargers. I didnt know it was stored in wooden box and therefore couldn't find it. (edited)

do we have this?

9:08 PM

9:09 PM

body hammer and dolly

Never seen it

Used the borescope today, it was awesome

All, Anyone having experience in fixing the head gasket of Chevy 4.3L v6 of off a 1993 s-10? I have not done any engine work before but would like to try it now. This is going to be in a project truck that I am planning to by. Seller says he shut the engine off as soon as it started over heating and it seems to be a head gasket issue- coolant in the oil. I am also worried about potential engine damage. Anyway, depends on how much help available here I will decide to by this truck or not. End of the day, I don't want my first project truck to be a failure. Pls share your thoughts.

Head gaskets are very straigtforward, it's just like any other gasket replacement but you have to follow the service manual to the letter to ensure proper installation. I would be worried about what else is wrong though. Depends on how much you have to spend on the project

1:13 PM

You could open up the head and realize the pistons are trashed and you need new valves

1:13 PM

For me, I only buy working projects because at least I know it started at some point

1:14 PM

I'm at the space often though if you need any help

@LukeStrickland I agree with you on buying a working project. Worst case, I think I may have to rebore the block and put a new piston and stuff. Though it sounds exciting to learn it also sounds haunting. Let me shop around little bit more to find a better buy. thanks for offering to help.

1993 is a good year because no emissions tests though

@LukeStrickland it's 25 years, isn't it? So you'd have a few more months on a 1993 to be exempt. (I could be WAAY wrong, though, and would welcome being corrected with backup links)

2:16 PM

http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/smog-check.php hmm... "older than 24 years"...

Texas Smog Check and Car Inspection | DMV.org

Texas Smog Check and Car Inspection requirements. Find out what emissions & safety inspections your vehicle will need to pass before it can be registered, renewed, or sold. Learn what to do if it fails.

Not sure how they count it lol, is it 93 this year or next year

Whew okay sold my project motorcycle

5:01 PM

Now I can dump money into this dumb jeep

@LukeStrickland I saw a black GC V9 parked outside just when I left today. Is that your project jeep?

If the front bumper was missing, yup

5:06 PM

It'll be there until friday

Yup.. That looked really in good shape. Put on a new radiator?

5:08 PM

*GC V8 I meant..

that's friday

5:08 PM

Friday is new radiator, thermostat and all hoses for the cooling system

5:08 PM

waiting on parts

Cool.. I was there Friday afternoon until evening. Probably you worked on it over night.

No this friday, the 16th (edited)

5:10 PM

I'll be out in the lot

5:10 PM

After about 5PM

Do you order from rockauto. I remember you were also talking about the stiffer sway bar.

I haven't yet. I will when I have more time to get parts in

Good luck..

Thanks

anyone know a painter for auto body? I have a new primed tailgate I need painted black, Toyota tundra

If one wanted to get trained on the lift and get oriented is there a class? I've not seen one the few times I've looked.

There was one last week

Darn. I'm really good about checking on whether a class is running the week after they happen

1:49 PM

Oh snap there's one on tuesday!

Nice!

Last time I was in I had a hell of a time finding the creepers; anyone know where they ran off to?

https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/need-help-with-v8-5-7l-1986-gmc-g3500-chevy-smallblock/22728 cross-posting but i could totally talk about it here too. Need help with V8 5.7L 1986 GMC G3500 chevy smallblock, its got a leak somewhere thats pretty slow overall but is enough to cause worry. Its also got a turbo hydramatic 400 transmission I would like to have checked out to make a 3200 mile round trip to California. Im no car guy, but we have had issues getting the cruel-bus into shops (presumably because the owner called it a bus when asking about it and they assumed something huge.) (edited)

Need help with V8 5.7L 1986 GMC G3500 chevy smallblock

Need help with V8 5.7L 1986 GMC G3500 chevy smallblock, its got a leak somewhere thats pretty slow overall but is enough to cause worry. Its also got a turbo hydramatic 400 transmission I would like to have checked out to make a 3200 mile round trip to California. Im no car guy, but we have had issues getting the cruel-bus into shops (presumably because the owner called it a bus when asking about it and they assumed something huge.)

@pearce I'm not a professional but I can be an extra set of eye / hands. I have no experience finding oil leaks but if it's near the oil pan couldn't you just drop that?

Should I risk ebay sway bars

10:23 PM

10:24 PM

donating these to dms

10:24 PM

do I need to post on talk too?

10:24 PM

I guess I should

I put a short response there, but it's best to get approval from the chair when donating tools to the space. The process is discussed on the wiki. It's awesome of you to donate though! Thank you!

Blower motor stopped working on the jeep

11:24 AM

:((

I can't find a single picture of the DMS Space Shuttle

http://findyourfiregrants.com/#projectId=140

michael

Home

2:51 PM

There's one pic...

Wait so we won the grant?

2:52 PM

Just trying to put all this together in my head lol

that is unclear to me. I think we won a lesser prize. I think that's how we got some of the bernzomatics for the JSM area. But I may have my facts wrong...

Interesting, do you know where it's stored at now @A. Spencer(jast) ?

No idea. I suspect at the same facility as "offsite storage", but I do not KNOW that.

I was there yesterday and did not see it, that's kinda what I'm getting at lol. However I didn't really look

oh yea. Looks like if you go here http://findyourfiregrants.com it shows us as a 2nd prize winner. That's either 7500 or 1500 in bernzomatic products. I suspect the latter, but have never been privvy to the exact outcome.

michael

Home

2:56 PM

yeah. It may not be there. I don't really know.

https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/ford-e350-shuttle-bus-repair/14488

Ford E350 Shuttle Bus Repair

Got the bus up on jack stands so that all wheels are off the ground [image] Starting to look into why the rear brakes don't function (will do a little bit if you pump the brake pedal 3 or 4 times, but just holding pedal to the floor the rear brakes do nothing, can spin rear axle by hand). Others have been looking into brakes more and could describe progress better. [image]

3:07 PM

Search bus

Right, but no actual pictures of it haha

3:13 PM

Just pictures of parts

3:13 PM

and a wheel well

I didn't search farther than that

3:34 PM

https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/dms-space-shuttle-planning-ideas/14311/7

yeah I think I exhausted everythign, the best pic is the one jast posted

okay so I have a trailer eletrical brake line, i think. but I can't find the harness???

6:29 PM

Someone badly installed it

6:29 PM

hate when people dont heat shrink and solder things

Good ol wire twist and electrical tape

6:57 PM

That'll hold for like 20 mins

scotchlock FTW, Baybeee!

No Scotchlok in sight, just household wire twist ons lol

The Death Bus is being stored across the street and 1/2 block north of our offsite storage. @Alex Rhodes has the details.

1

I looked through my photos and I don't have a picture of it either oddly enough. It is in a fenced in lot like Stan said. We have a 50'x10' "spot".

11:56 AM

We left the keys in the visor like in the movies.

11:57 AM

There should also be an extra key in the server room.

11:58 AM

Tim and Luke also know how to get in to the storage unit. Let me know when you want to go look at it and I'll try and take you.

11:58 AM

I can go today after work till 7 or pretty much anytime after 5 tomorrow possibly.

Honestly my interest is purely passive, I know I don't have the time for anything extra in the world right now. Thanks though Alex

I bought a tachometer for the cruel-bus, instructions say its only for a 12v negative ground system

6:53 PM

How do I make sure its 12v- ground without the manual? I assume it is since the interior lights only have 1 wire and use the frame as the 2nd

@pearce does the negative battery terminal go to the frame?

7:07 PM

if so its negative gronud

Yep, just verified with someone who did battery work on it

good to hear, positive ground is unnatural

okay so uh noticed the trans had wayyy too much ATF so I used a suction to pull some out... ended up filling a 3 pound coffee container and it's still too high

8:46 PM

what the fuck do people do to engines and why

Crazy! I think my car has been overfilled too... I am yet to suck some out of it.

9:28 PM

Btw, bought project truck 1988 Ford Ranger. Time to get hands more dirty.

Exciting, looks like a great truck

It drives though!!

Yeah?

9:29 PM

Year&*

9:29 PM

1993?

9:29 PM

wait no

9:29 PM

89

1988, 2WD 4 cylinder.

9:31 PM

Paint looks crappy.. do anyone know a place which we can use as indoor painting booth. Don't want to mess up my friends garage.

cruel-bus now has a tachometer

Sheet pearce is 4k really the redline

gotta find a skull with a jaw to print to be a holder

9:32 PM

shit. probably.

LOL

9:32 PM

painful

thats just where it was out of the box

9:32 PM

it tops out at like 65mph

9:33 PM

and has a whopping 7mpg

10mph SHIFT, 20mph SHIFT, 30mph SHIFT, 40MPH... out of gears, 50 MPH... out of gears

9:33 PM

@Ela Not sure, never painted anything that large

hahah its only got D 1 and 2

@Ela if you need any help with that let me know, I had a 1991 mazda b2200 which I think is basically the same truck lol

Oh sure.. thank you..

9:37 PM

Thinking of pulling some parts from a scrap yard. Any good place for this kind of stuffs?

theres a few on 2nd ave downtown

I narrow down my junkyards by doing online research and then using car-part.com and craigslist to figure out if they have the vehicles I need

Okay sounds good. Will do some search. Thanks guys.

@Ela does it look like

9:41 PM

Exactly the same.. is this your Mazda?

nah

9:42 PM

I guess they're different

9:43 PM

The ford ranger and mazda b2200 merged at some point

9:43 PM

I forgot when though

Oops, yes, I see the compressor on left side on my truck.

That's a fancy engine, sepertine belt, fuel injection, etc lol

Looks like it... hopefully it keeps me busy

The mazda was accessory belt and carb

9:44 PM

beautiful but annoying

That's also a v6. 2.9 l to be exact; the small one. the 4 banger, if it is one, is the venerable Lima Line (LL23) which debuted in the Pinto, and lived a long and happy life in the Mustang and Ranger lineup, eventually bumping to 2.5 litres for the Fordzda Ranger/B2500 until its run was ended in 2001. Helluva motor, with my personal favorite being the turbo as seen in the T-bird turbo coupe, Mustang SVO, and, a personal fav Merkur XR4Ti. The b2200 was a damn fine engine, too, but was all Mazda, and noticably different from the Ranger 2.3.

11:58 PM

ford ranger 2.3 http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p217/timsyota/S5300509.jpg

11:58 PM

Mazda b2200 http://images.gtcarlot.com/pictures/50117051.jpg

@Ela Toss a couple of vinyl lightning bolts on it and call it done.

Haha! Call it retaining the original look

1997 Jeep Cherokee for sale for $350, help me lol

1:51 PM

Expensive hobby

1:51 PM

Could totally flip that e-z

Sounds good.. Send me the link if you are not buying it

Apparently he has title problems

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/228831920961061

1997 jeep cherokee

$350 Needs alternator Transmission needs work but it will run Need gone asap Parts car or project car 2 wheel drive

2:11 PM

Would be fun to rebuild the trans

Not bad at all. Body looks clean except for the rear bumper. Selling the parts alone will make it beyond 350. Of course will be fun to work on it.

My thoughts exactly

2:19 PM

trans should be simple enough if you want to fix it right

2:19 PM

I want to buy it but I dont want to deal with title drama

2:19 PM

Nothing worse than sitting in a DMV

True. That's a waste of time. What's the issue with title? Will bonded title work?

2:23 PM

Btw folks, I have an issue with my 1988 ford ranger 4cylinder. Engine shuts off after driving for about 5miles or so. Looks like overheated. If I keep it sit and cool down for a while, it starts and runs fine. Temp gauge is not functional so couldn't tell if it is cooling system issue. But checked the coolant which looks clean and level didn't drop. Engine oil seems to be clean so don't suspect head gasket leak yet. But planned to check the thermostat- probably will replace it and change the coolant. Also bought a new ignition cool to put on it because the old one looks rusted a bit and I suspect it could be malfunctioning upon running for a while. Any other thoughts to debug the issue?

Hrm, engine shuts off. Can you elaborate on that @Ela ?

2:31 PM

when are you bringing it to the space :P?

This is what happened, I started the truck in the morning and I was crushing around 45mph for 4 miles roughly, had couple of traffic signals in between where I stopped. I felt a drop in power and noticed rpm reducing and it started slowing down quickly and I pressed on the clutch to continue to an exit and by the time I exited and engine died. I parked it and tried starting again, it cranked in the first attempt but didn't start. After that it didn't crank at all. So I waited 30mins as I suspected some overheating issue. Then it started and drove for about 2 miles before died again in same manner. I had to get t towed home since I didn't want to damage anything major.

Where do you live-ish?

@LukeStrickland Been busy with shifting apartment. Will try to bring it to DMs this weekend.

2:42 PM

I just moved to Wylie now. But the truck is in Plano until this Friday.

Oh pretty far from the space lol

2:44 PM

My gut tells me that since your temp gauge doesnt work your truck couldn't realize it's overheating.

2:45 PM

Nor would that year have a mechanism for cutting fuel when it overheats.

2:45 PM

Hell my jeep will overheat itself until the head comes right off

It could be possible. But it happened earlier once when I guess the gauge was working. But couldn't say for sure.

2:46 PM

Lol! Take care of it man...

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110126

86 Ranger Stalls When Warm

The Ranger Station Forums

2:46 PM

Nah the jeep is 100% fixed right now thankfully lol

2:48 PM

Should be able to check the relays easiest with a multimeter

2:50 PM

Your TFI is shared with old mustangs which junkyards are full of lol

Thanks for the link. I will check the TFI.

Need to find a tow hitch

That's a good progress... Find a hitch soon... I was looking to bug someone to tow my truck just in case

exactly what i want it for lol

I don't know if I can tow it with my car (2000 Camry v6). I can then get a hitch for my car and rent a uhaul mini trailer meant for vehicle towing.

I don't know jack about towing but just pulling a vehicle should be possible with any car

3:12 PM

I can tow 6,500 lb afaik

That's a pretty good capacity.. you should offer towing service for a small fee for DMS members..

3:13 PM

Like me

Uhaul seems like the cheapest new hitch vendor, even compared to amazon? (edited)

3:15 PM

Class 3 for $144.95

We buying a new space bus

?

4:06 PM

Looks like a fun bus... I have been thinking about a van which I can live in and tour for months. It's in my bucket list now.

24 Hours of LeMons Car!!! Less than $500!!

@cfgraf which one lol, the bus?

12:42 PM

oh the jeep?

Info Help with engine swap?

Engine swap with 2007 dodge caliber and also wondering about being able to leave the car right outside the garage if I'm not able to get it running in one night because I already have to have it towed there and happy to give a donation! Also not experienced with cars I just have to do this because I can't afford a mechanic/new car I will be having friends help with labor bit honestly I probably the most knowledgeable about cars between my friends which isn't saying much! and got incredibly lucky because I got the parts for free so really have to do this

Hi, What I saw in posters recently is that Starting July 1st no vehicle can be parked for more than 48 hrs except for the DMS owned ones. I am not really sure if there will be exceptions. I was originally planned bring my project truck this weekend but now may not do it due to this same reason also I may need more than 48hrs.

Let me know if you end up bringing it and are going to hit the deadline. I can tow it to my work a block away

8:56 AM

cc @Maryjane @Ela

@LukeStrickland that's nice of you. Which hitch did you end up buying? Uhaul?

Right now my bumper and a tow hook

9:03 AM

Better than getting towed tho

@LukeStrickland thank you so much !!! I'll be starting it tomorrow night *doing at night since I heard the garage is busy weekends so likely my deadline will be Sunday (hopefully I finish before then) but thank you again even if you don't need to tow it I can still offer IT help if you ever need it (web development, network engineering, limited python( I can write it just slow) raspberry pi mods or any general tech) I appreciate the kindness so much!

I think you'll find a lot more people at the space are willing to help vs talk

@LukeStrickland thank you!

@LukeStrickland guess I fixed the issue. Looks like a Ignition coil/controller (TFI) issue. Changed both and ran fine for 15miles without any trouble. Will be test driving it more.

Thanks for your suggestion.

Excellent! Good to hear

wonder when that engine is coming out

It was a bearing that was attached

@pearce ?

4:46 PM

Talking about Maryjane's engine

No the one from the forums

oh

From the oil change

Yeah that engine too

4:48 PM

but I think soomeone is pulling an engine tonight

Yeah I'm not sure about that. If her friends want to use tools they need to be members as well

thrust bearing?

Rod bearing?

Hm. I'm expecting if it was that loud, you wouldn't have been "doing an oil change", but OK...

allen said he found it doing the oil change on it.

8:40 PM

he was on one of his "hey do you have a car" benders doing fixing stuff

LOL

New fuel gauge flails wildly while driving. What's the deal?

Hoooooly shit it works

so what was the solution? (Enquiring minds want to know...)

I hope it was hit it a bit

Percussive maintenance for the win.

Well the other gauge was also stuck at half. So we went and filled it up just to see where it went

4:44 PM

Totally filled up correctly. It still wobbles around but James thinks the new after market gauge ($20) doesn't have any kind of historisis (no habla car)

LOL. "Hystorisis" no esta del mundo del automovile! (Now that I've proven I don't know Spanish) that's from the science-y world. No idea what you call them in the car world (or anything outside a lab, I guess...). So...that seems like a long way to say

for interdisciplinary application of vocabulary! Sounds great to me!

Something to balance out the bobbing the tank would do

yeah. You ought to see the algorithms modern fuel gauges use to try to "smooth out" the fuel gauge. It's CRAZY! Also, doesn't work well when you have a fuel leak that pumps 14 gallons of fuel out in less than 10 minutes...stupid gauge still read 3/4 tank when the triage notes were taken...

ok

9:48 PM

I made a mistake

9:48 PM

in trying to install this bumper by myself

9:48 PM

really terrible mistake

Use the gantry! And ropes! And don't kill yourself

@LukeStricklandany chance you're up I'm at DMS but my ball bearings are jammed and can't do a strap tow in completely stuck here, I have a truck that can pull but need either a bar, dolly or full trailer

No definately not. Jeep is also in pieces right now sorry. @Maryjane

12:00 AM

You can use jacks to position the car. Can't remember if we have wheel positioners or not

For alignment? Space doesn't have that

https://m.harborfreight.com/1250-lb-Capacity-Vehicle-Positioning-Wheel-Dolly-61917.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiMTc1MTIwMjIiLCJza3UiOiI2MTkxNyIsImlzIjoiNjkuOTkiLCJwcm9kdWN0X2lk%0D%0AIjoiMTA3NDgifQ%3D%3D%0D%0A&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2617b3&utm_source=1023&cid=mEmail_s1023_c2617b3&utm_referrer=direct%2Fnot%20provided

1250 lb. Capacity Vehicle Positioning Wheel Dolly

1250 lb. Vehicle Positioning Wheel Dolly

6:47 AM

Never used one before

9:32 AM

never do this alone

Looks like your dawg is not towing his weight...

seriously, dang dog

its on

8:58 PM

1mm off though....

8:58 PM

brings out the welder

Okay

6:54 PM

I admit defeat

6:54 PM

I cannot get this rear bumper on

6:54 PM

Front is on e-z p-z but rear will be the death of me

Would the gantry at the space help?

We solved the lifting it problem, the problem now is it doesn't mount flush

7:01 PM

Grinding away any metal that looks like its in the way to no avail

Had an impact at some point? Frame or mounting points could be bent

7:02 PM

You could make one of the mounting holes larger

I'm going to try to bring it to the space somehow....

7:10 PM

I have limited tools here

7:10 PM

7:11 PM

crescent moon

7:11 PM

so tempted to weld it

Well if you don't need to remove it for access

7:20 PM

Weld it. Drill out a couple of the holes and put the bolts through as well

Right, that's good thinking

7:42 PM

I just heard from the previous owner he mounted it under the tank scraper

7:42 PM

So I'm going o try that too

going to replace all 4 tires tomorrow on my vw jetta. any brand recommendations. also should i get new lug bolts?

size, desired uses, target costs could be helpful for brand recommendation; lug bolts SHOULD be lifetime, but there can be valid reasons for needing to change them. Trying not to sound rude, why do you think you need new lug bolts?

1

Thanks! Makes sense. I won't need all-weather tires now that i'm back home. I wasn't sure if there was a particular brand that was better than the others regardless of price. As for the lug bolts I didn't know if I needed new ones or not, that's why I asked.

I'm a big fan of tirerack.com and their reviews

10:05 AM

My theory for tires is never buy the cheapest

10:05 AM

or the most expensive lol

haha ok one more thing. I had a flat tire two days ago and replaced it with my spare. If I'm going to replace all four today should I keep the spare or get a new one?

Depends on your budget

10:07 AM

And the age of the spare

10:07 AM

also, donut or full size spare?

full size

10:10 AM

i can't remember when I got it though maybe i got the car in 2014

I wouldn't worry about it

sweet thanks for your help!

You can check the side of the tire for the date code and look online to sort out how old it is.

I will do that tonight. I just bought new tires, I need to dismount my old tires and mount my new ones. do we have any tools for that at the space? (edited)

No, we have nothing for mounting or balancing tires

all right looks like im paying somebody

honestly

3:45 PM

I used Discount Tire once, got their warranty

3:45 PM

in the same year I had 3 tire issues replaced for free

thanks i'll check them out

i have an '05 mini cooper with a manual transmission & it's hard to shift gears. a couple of people have told me it's probably the linkeages... i recently moved here from out of state & not sure who to take it to... any suggestions? i'm over in grapevine

@RavenNvermore Tom (TLAR on talk) is the man with the connections in the area, especially for BMW/euro cars. I'd see if you can't chat with him. I don't think he Discords at all...

k, thanks ... what's talk?

Forums

10:06 PM

Talk.dallasmakerspace.org

2

Bleeder valve was broken when working on the cruel-bus last night. It's in the left bay and will have the caliper replaced tonight after 6 or 7

https://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/6232683233.html

4:10 PM

I want to buy that for my diesel jeep project. However the listing says no title parts only. Got me thinking what the title is attached to and what I would have to do to retitle it

4:14 PM

Looks like I supply bill of sale for engine, frame, body and I can get a title with a vin from any component ?

http://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle/bought-a-vehicle-with-no-title

5:33 PM

never done it, though...

5:34 PM

No VIN on a vehicle prior to 1980/became mandatory in 1981. Though most had serial numbers prior to that...

https://youtu.be/h-wZ43NVL7E

BestVideos247

Army Crew Tears Apart & Rebuilds Jeep in Four Minutes

1

6:19 PM

Just assemble it at the DMV with a team

For oil changes and stuff, should I bring plastic sheeting or do my best not to spill in the first place?

8:43 PM

Or both?

Try not to spill it but we have tons of tools to help you not spill and we have tools for when you spill (cat litter)

Perfect, thanks!

Wonder how much for tow truck from Itasca, TX to Dallas

11:07 AM

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/d/willys-jeep/6236477876.html

11:07 AM

11:08 AM

Really want an old willys

Folks, I left at the shop a repair manual for 1988 Ford Ranger and Barnco last week on the table next to the tool chest and lift. If anyone found it, kindly leave it somewhere in DMS so that I can pick it up later.

Its on the lost and found shelf

9:24 PM

in the common room

Great thanks!!

Thanks @LukeStrickland found it!!

Anybody know of a good place to get a flywheel resurfaced?

10:39 AM

Haven't found a NAPA or ORiley's around here that will do it

I'd PM Tom Tansey @TLAR for advice.

2

lol am I seeing a ghost car?

4:40 PM

@TLAR are you at the space by chance?

Don't think he's on here

Try Talk, he does follow it to some degree.

Thanks

omg

11:19 AM

a dodge neon for $250

thanks but I'm trying to stay away form Mopar. hell I have a 03 pt cruser that I need gone ASAP

lol

11:52 PM

Used oil left. They didn't even put a lid on it

They have now left us with a disposal problem. We'll have to pay for this.

I notified Tom on Sat, hes taking care of it on Tuesday I think

8:32 AM

Shouldnt cost anything if he just takes it to autozone right?

Correct

9:37 AM

I know for a fact the O'Reilly near the space will accept it free of charge

9:37 AM

Still an unexcellent think to do though

9:37 AM

Thing*

Actually, for a business, which we are classified as, to dispose of hazardous waste other than how required by law is in itself illegal. Once the material is abandoned at the Space we are responsible for it. That's if you do anything, or teach a class that say uses chemicals for anodizing, etc. the instructor must remove and dispose of.

10:00 AM

Things we as individuals dispose of or take to a municipal disposal collection point we can't. It sucks, but there it is.

Did anyone find an orange bag with orange pads & black fabric in it? I think I left it there last Saturday.

Didn't see anything like that in Automotive

Who took all the ends off all of the air blowers?

Make them so they can't be used then put them back where they belong. Very perverse.

Anyone know if the baby is available right now ?

I'm keenly interested in becoming certified to use the car lift, but I see no classes for it. Who should I reach out to?

Message or create a thread on talk mentioning @tlar

Does anyone know if we have a body dent puller at space? One that uses screw at the end.

Folks, can someone gimme a lift to AutoZone nearby? I am working on my car at space now, but need an adaptor to pull the axle out.

Would it be cool for me to post about a car I have for sale? It's a neat thing I think a hobbyist might enjoy owning so I wanted to give first crack to members, but I completely understand if we don't want the boards to turn into a collection of classifieds.

There's a makertrade section on our forum for sellin stuff (edited)

Oh sweet, I missed that. Thanks.

I drove over some road salt/sand on a bridge today. What should I do to protect the underside of my car?

Take it to a car wash, they-do-it or you-do-it. The drive throughs are easier and probably do a better job at washing it off. Sand isn't a problem, salt is. But sand probably has salt mixed with it.

Who do i need to reach out to, to get my name back on the approved lift users? I got training some time ago, but then had to take a few months off from DMS Membership.

Your original instructor would be best to confirm the approval. Tom Tansey (tlar on TALK) is the chair, so ultimately, he needs to be OK with it. He doesn't discord, so in person or TALK is your best bet.

But we don't usually remove training when people leave, you should still have it

hmmm, maybe my name never got on the list to begin with.

I am curious what list you're thinking of; as far as I know, there is no "the list" per se (i.e. no lockout or login that doesn't work). It's more of a "if we notice you're not trained, we may have to discuss this" thing. I've honestly never tried to invoke my (alleged) lift privileges, so maybe there IS a list I'm not aware of, outside of Tom's (and his lieutenants') head.

There's a list on the Automotive Wiki that lists approved members. The list is only accessible from DMS

7:48 PM

URL as listed on wiki: bit.ly/2pS9wt8

Ah. THAT list. Yeah, that IS the list. I'll stick to my suggestion from earlier, except the way to get onto that list is to submit a request on TALK requesting your instructor to verify your having completed, and then appeal to @Team_Infrastructure to add you to that list.

Thank you for you help, I'll post on Talk some other day. Now all I have to do is hope i remember my instructor from August, and my instructor remembers me. lol

Was it on the calendar? This one? https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/3227 If so that COULD make it easier. IF attendance was checked at the time, you could bypass all the memory issues.

Cross referenced DMS calendar with my own, it was actually June 15th class, there's an instructor name and everything. That should make it easy. Thank you again for helping.

We're pulling an engine from a ZX2 tonight if anyone wants to see

What are yall planning on starting?

12:16 PM

*When ..

6-7ish

12:24 PM

We did basic stuff last night, radiator, intake, wiring. Tonight's goal is to get the cv axles off and then anything else needed to get the engine out @Bara

Difficulty scale of replacing the fuel pump on a 95 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

You have to drop the gas tank

8:57 AM

some people grind a hole in the trunk to access it

That's what in seeing

is there someone in Automotive that I can speak with?

7:19 PM

I got a ben Franklin that needs a home and he likes fast cars

@Denzuko.sdf.org you may notice there's not much activity from the Auto crowd on Discord. None at all from the chair of the committee, if that's how you're wanting to re-home your Franklin...

yep, hes been burning holes so need a receipt for the accountant

I have a ton of parts to offload. I would give Ben a great home!

I dont get what you're trying to do

9:22 AM

But yeah, I'm the only automotive frequent on discord

If you want a car that needs transmission work I might know of one that needs to go on the market

We bought one last night too

Another??

Yeah

9:29 AM

We average one a month or so

9:29 AM

another zx2 actually (edited)

If anyone is willing to help me with a valve gasket change I'd much appreciate it. At the automotive space now

I'm on my way to the committee meeting from Plano, I might be a bit late. Just got off work

Hey it was great meeting everyone today at the committee meeting!

anyone gonna be in the space tomorrow (wednesday) afternoon/evening? i have some work to do on my car but would love to chill with people if they're gonna be there

Allen generally shows up at some point

Hey I'm in automotive right now if anyone wants to hang out

Anyone know if there's an 8 or 10in 3/8 socket extension floating around somewhere?

I had some trouble finding 3/8ths drivey extensions recently, they may be gone

Found a bunch of small ones to stick together but didn't really want to try and pull a spark plug that way, I'll have to see if I've still got one somewhere

lol, i actually did pull spark plugs with three smaller extensions :P

I'm sure it's fine for anyone else but I have negative luck points when it comes to auto work and didn't want to chance it, I'd already cut my thumb open just pulling the handle to pop the hood -_-

i getcha man, sorry about the injury. there's band-aids in the first aid cabinet i think

10:13 PM

actually, do you know how the auto comittee goes about buying tools?

10:13 PM

cause there is stuff we're missing

Lol yeah I took care of the thumb. No clue, I hate doing auto work so I stay away. They should go over that in their monthly member meetings or ping them on talk using @team_auto or whatever the choice brings up when you type that far and ask

makes sense, or i can go to talk page or something. i think there's a lift class sometime soon, where people will be

10:20 PM

what kind of car are you working on?

08 Hyundai accent, got a misfire in cylinder 4 message the other and it's steadily been running better so I just switched the coil packs on three and four to see if it was the coil/spark plug or just maybe debris or dirty gas

@Havoc Automotive buys tools like any other committee: Advise the Chair (Tom Tansey, TLAR on TALK) and if it's a simple thing like replacing something broken, he'll buy it. If it's a large thing, the committee will need to decide to spend its money on it. Obviously funds are not unlimited, so the requests need be rational, but Tom's a reasonable fellow in general and tools which benefit the membership at large (i.e. not Toyota owners only) are frequently purchased to improve our cache.

3

Do we have or can we get an electric ratchet wrench? https://www.ryobi.com.au/products/details/18v-one-ratchet-wrench-r18rw-0

18V ONE+ Ratchet Wrench | RYOBI Tools

Tighten and loosen bolts and nuts with ease by using the RYOBI 18V ONE+ ratchet. Whether you’re repairing machinery, assembling furniture or fixing up the ca...

We have the impact versions. Although Auto could (and might) buy one, Ryobi purchases usually fall to Logistics, so I'd run it past them. Axeonos is the current chair...

@Axeonos

12:57 PM

WTB Gud Stuff

We were able to find one on the show you are more than welcome to come down and use any of our tools thank you

@Axeonos DMS does not have any Ryobi Ratchet Wrenches

8:21 AM

Nor does really anyone in the US, they're Australia only at the moment

Road trip!

1

damn. I thought that emoticon was a Kombi...

1

Get some kangaroo leather whole you're there it's supposed to be great and super cheap

1

@LukeStrickland @kriskat30 said we do. Even pulled it out for us.

I'm sorry but we don't, we have a right angle drill

1:28 PM

A ratcheting wrench has significantly more torque

1:29 PM

https://www.ryobi.com.au/products/details/18v-one-ratchet-wrench-r18rw-0 vs https://www.ryobitools.com/products/details/18v-one-plus-right-angle-drill

18V ONE+ Ratchet Wrench | RYOBI Tools

Tighten and loosen bolts and nuts with ease by using the RYOBI 18V ONE+ ratchet. Whether you’re repairing machinery, assembling furniture or fixing up the ca...

1:30 PM

why dont you trust me lol

I never said I didn't. Just saying what Kris told me, and showed.

Yeah, she showed you the right angle drill

1:32 PM

we have an air powered on in auto

So if it an Australian item we can't get it can we

Yeah, we can't easily buy it

Sad

I keep seeing it on this Australian youtube channel, i'm very jelly of it lol

Yeah we definitely don't have that. Would have made some of my repairs way easier

#automotive I have a ton of different air filters, oil filters, windshield wipers and other random parts and car stuff that I acquired in a bulk store closeout purchase if any one needs any of it. All brand new, never used. I would like to sell a lot of it in bulk, but will sell some things individually and donate a lot as well. #infrastructure I have even more stuff in this category. Over 20 smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, programmable thermostats, etc. #creative_arts I can donate everything from boxes of different types of paper, paints, different types of drawing and calligraphy sets, sewing tools, fabric.... the list goes on. I have more stuff than you guys would probably even want... not sure who I should get with to decide what would be useful. #jewelry_small_metals I am not sure if beads, cord, wire, stretchy/elastic and other random jewelry parts... but I have a ton is so. ..... decluttering time! Email me at christy.l.rincon@gmail.com for fastest reply if any of this is of interest to anyone!

Wow! That sounds like a haul!

Fabric?!

9:32 PM

Sewing tools?!

9:33 PM

I do know some of us are updating the CA boxes. Email incoming though [disclaimer] I in no way speak for CA.

It is soooo much. Too much to begin to list out. A lot of the stuff listed is just previously hoarded stuff for craft room lol The idea on the bulk purchase, of course, was to resell and make enough profit to justify doing it again. But it is so much more fun to go through the stuff than it is to sell it!! Lol!

Did anyone happen to know who I need to go through for this stuff? I want it out of my house! Ha

You'll probably want to post it in the respective chats, or at least in general.

3:45 PM

Or tag the committee chairs

3:47 PM

You also tagged the chats using the #. Only the @ tags people. Basically you made hotlinks to the channels with the #. @blameitontexas

Well damn.

3:48 PM

#everyone!!!!

Lol

good ol radiator hose

7:26 PM

It's crying

I immediately go here, for some reason...

hah you think so?

7:55 PM

someone is knifing lower radiator hoses :P?

Probably not, but that's what it makes me thing of

I've had 3 hoses fail before

7:58 PM

two failed with slits

7:58 PM

one failed with a giant bulge

do we have a smoke probe?

yes

8:45 AM

it looks like a paint bucket with hoses sticking out

There's so many cars that stay at the space.

4:26 PM

And now multiple that stay plugged in at the space

4:31 PM

There's gonna be even more with next door

And there's beer cans left out from the people throwing knives

no please

8:28 PM

i want to pay for recharge at the space, we need that to happen probably. :c

I need help with my radiator and cooling. Apparently at some point my dexcool got mixed with regular and my rad foams up every few months. I can't figure out how to completely flush the system to prevent foaming

Do we have a system to do a complete flush?

2:53 PM

A regular "change" only replaces about 40% of the fluid (according to a vid I watched this week)

2:53 PM

Wait!!

2:53 PM

Sorry. That's transmission.

2:54 PM

A radiator has a simple drainage valve

Yeah it's the rad. I hooked up a garden hose and ran it through the system both directions for a while and it worked for s few months

2:54 PM

Rad and engine sides

We have the no leak funnels which are great for refilling. Let's you burp the air out no hassle.

I need to get all of the old not dexcool out though

anyone have a way to get history on a vin number?

Do we have a timing light?

Yes!

8:22 PM

I have used it semi-recently

8:23 PM

its in one of the specialty tool boxes

Thanks!

No automotive lift class in the calendar. Is there a way of requesting a class?

TALK is the best way, in the automotive category

1

I got a new (used) car from a dealer. They COVERED it with armorall. How do I go about removing it

enjoy your beautiful NEW CARRRRRR

I would if I could keeeeeep my hands on iiiiiit

You can either use degreaser, which will /slowly/ microly eat the plastic bits

3:02 PM

or maybe go to a car wash, mask off the delicate bits, and soak it in the soap, let it eat it and then pressure wash?

3:02 PM

ftr i have no experience these are just educated guesses

I don't really care about the outside, but it's a Honda Element so they covered the floors and everything else on the inside. Had someone slip off the floor trying to get into the back. They at least found it funny

They did that at the car wash with my rubber floor mats, it was awful. I just washed them with some dish soap and water

Take it to them and make them clean it that's rediculous. They just sold u the car they'll do it

I think he bought it in LA, bit of a drive

Lol Arlington, but it's been a bit. Taking it to a dealship to get it checked out, might ask them to try cleaning it

Ok. Roommate jumped my car(I had a dead battery). He now has an 02 sensor error. Mechanic says it's the catalytic converter and is fining him $1500 to replace the cat + the sensors. That cost is now being channeled to me on the basis of his thinking that my jump damaged the unit responsible for detecting the cat converter. I want to defend myself while offering him a means to verify his claims. P0420, P0456 How should I get started? How do you diagnose a system that is supposed to diagnose things?

Well that's bullshit

4:10 PM

Unless he dragged the connected cables around

4:11 PM

Replacement of the o2 sensor on the cat is easy, cat replacement is also pretty easy on most cars with the lift at the space

4:12 PM

Probably $80-120 for the sensor, 120-200 for a cat replacement.

So that's a relief

4:15 PM

How about validating whether or not I fried or damaged his diagnostic unit? (edited)

4:17 PM

I was thinking that if diagnostic machines were standard. I might just suggest replacing that if it's less than $200 If the errors still show up after replacement. He re-imburses me the cost. (edited)

That's the o2 sensor

4:17 PM

He thinks you fried his odb2 system?

His argument is that there likely exists machine in the car that gathers sensor information and connects to the odb II port.

4:18 PM

Yes.

Lol

4:18 PM

I believe if the cat is bad enough it will destroy the o2 sensor. But might as well replace both

4:19 PM

It looks like a spark plug that screws into the side of the exhaust

That makes sense. As far as I can tell the CAT is entirely chemical. (edited)

Not really

4:20 PM

It's a big filter

But there is no electronic control unit, or decision making happening. Its pure chemistry/physics.

4:20 PM

Correct?

Poorly explained it uses a special be metal mesh to attract the exhaust

I googled this sort of question directly but... people don't ask it enough.

4:21 PM

Yeah. That's what I gathered.

Yes no smarts

4:22 PM

Cats go bad after certain mileage

He's at 90k which I think is close the average 100k

If his car is running rich it will kill it faster

Damn, I would give him the middle finger and never talk to him again

4:32 PM

Batteries are dumb

4:32 PM

O2 sensors are dumb

4:32 PM

Plug an ODB2 reader into his car and show him the values it reads

Yep. $20 at Walmart

4:33 PM

P0420 is 02 or cat though

He understands the error codes. He thinks I caused his error code producing system to mess up.

If the odb reader works then the sensor pulling works and you didnt hurt shit

4:35 PM

Youre just a patsy for the bill here

He thinks hes a patsy for the bill as well. It's a lose lose.

Well

4:38 PM

The mechanic is getting paid for his time

4:39 PM

You could do this at the space for 1/3

Oh. I didn't consider the mechanic. So it's a lose lose meh.

Will a busted catalytic converter damage an 02 sensor?

i think so

10:03 PM

it doesnt filter at all if its bad enough and then the sensor gets cruddy

I can see I"m late to this conversation, but I feel the need to clarify a couple of items: catalytic converter is not a filter, it is a chamber which houses catalyst components and collects heat to aid the conversion of unburned hydrocarbons (fuel which was not consumed as part of the power production) into less-reactive components such as co2. It has a substrate in it which appears as a honeycomb through which the exhaust flows and the walls of which are embedded with such catalyst components as platinum (why they're so $$). Being catalysts, these chemical components are not consumed during the conversions, meaning a converter theoretically can last forever. But they usually fail due to thermal stress (mostly because they are made to a price point). A bad cat will not "cause" an 02 sensor to fail, though other faults which caused a bad cat might (e.g. running rich). There IS a "brain" or maybe even several in charge of all this stuff: the PCM (powertrain control module, aka engine control unit or ECU, among other names) is the primary unit in charge, and likely the device to which the OBDII scanner is communicating. While you could have fried it whilst jumping, it's highly unlikely. P0420 Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold . P0456 Evaporative Emissions System - Small leak detected. So keep in mind once you're done wrestling with the catalytic system, you might be looking at EVAP system troubleshooting, too. But at the 'Space, folks are willing to help and can probably get it all done for much less than the technician. It'll cost you time, though. Read more at: https://www.obd-codes.com/p0456 Copyright OBD-Codes.com Read more at: https://www.obd-codes.com/p0420 Copyright OBD-Codes.com

OBD-II Trouble Code: P0456 Evaporative Emissions System - Small le...

Detailed information on diagnosing and repairing a P0456 trouble code which refers to Evaporative Emissions System - Small leak detected. Also includes links to relevant forum topics on the code.

P0420 Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold

How to diagnose, repair, and info on symptoms and causes of a P0420 engine code which means the catalytic converter is no longer performing at a normal level.

Listen to jast^

channel invasion

11:03 AM

assuming anyone follows

reposting my spreadsheet here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gJ2t7OhP80egEpulO-9x8iTubBHHeByQZSwId7vVTwA/edit?usp=sharing

Zero S vs SR/F

Sheet1 Zero S,+Charge Tank,+Power Tank,Zero SR/F,+Power Tank,Charger Types Price,$13,995,$16,290,$16,890,$20,995,$23,295,Standard 110 Outlet City,179 miles,179 miles,223 miles,161 miles,200 miles,J1772 Charger Highway,90 miles,90 miles,112 miles,82 miles,100 miles,4x Offboar...

11:03 AM

my current plan is buy the Zero S, and then maybe add on the Charge Tank later

be nice if there were options beside Tesla for geographically-convenient fast-charging

11:04 AM

that also didn't charge usury rates

there's public charge stations popping up all over

Do you think they would care if someone copied their plug?

11:04 AM

They released the patents

I'm fairly sure there's adapters on the market

I guess it's a software check

sure, sometimes they're placed brilliantly like those geniuses that put them in at Redneck Heaven and wondered why they were never used

J1772 is a common plug right?

11:05 AM

RH has an electric charger? lol

are rednecks not into electric vehicles?

laughs in rolling coal

generally, no

1

I have a friend who goes there regularly, I should tell him to get an electric scooter

Tesla seems to be the only marquee putting chargers along travel routes in numbers

11:07 AM

the others I see in shopping centers are slow-ish chargers not convenient to travel

11:08 AM

and also tend to charge some astronomical sum well beyond what the equivalent range in gasoline would cost

most of them are being put in by people with no interest in them actually being used (e.g. VW, whose doing it because they're required to, and wants to put them somewhere noticeable first and foremost)

yeah, whatever VW is doing is pretty invisible as best I can tell

this is everywhere https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRgcJusf280

Plug In To The Present

Plug into the Present with the “JetStones”

yeah, seen it myself

11:11 AM

but PR campaigns aren't real-world action in my book

11:12 AM

unless that's the point of the VW settlement - to blow the required sum of money then hope they can go back to making diesels and selling expensive expensive spare parts

I wonder who is most active in DFW

11:12 AM

https://www.electrifyamerica.com/locate-charger

11:13 AM

cause there's not much here (electrify american being VW's electric charging division, if I understand correctly)

11:13 AM

the point by and large of EV's is to charge overnight at home of course

11:15 AM

because a dryer outlet will reliably give you more than standard commuting range over ~8 hours

well. The solar farms work so well overnight...

but apartment dwellers and the like want EVs too and there is a need for 'refills; on the go

11:16 AM

news to me ...

also, looks like you're about right, that they're looking to spend their allotment and let whatever happen... https://www.electrifyamerica.com/our-plan

11:17 AM

not that I blame them. But I do wonder if they'll ever go back to diesels, even in the ROW

I'm always confused by the culture war around EVs. It's blinkingly obvious that it exists, but the intensity of feelings are hard to understand.

11:32 AM

sure there are stereotypical hippies insisting that EV's can replace all drivetrains and coal-rollers blocking EV charging stations to make some sort of statement

From a performance standpoint electric motors are superior in every metric

hm. I saw a "Smith Electric" Frito Lay truck the other day. It intrigued me. I guess I'm several years behind the curve in knowing about them: https://www.cnet.com/news/frito-lay-snacks-on-electric-delivery-trucks/ and their website is dead... http://www6.smithelectricvehicles.com/ anyway, this is the market segment I'd think electric could make the most inroad: making tractors lighter weight wouldn't even be that hard, their scope is reasonably focused (they do the same thing every day), they don't move that fast and their drivers are accustomed to it, the drive trains in those monsters already weighs a tonne, making battery weight less of a big deal... anyway. I'm sure there are a bunch of reasons they're fairly few and far between, and don't appear to be the focus of much R&D...

Frito-Lay snacks on electric delivery trucks

Its Smith Electric trucks will first be used in New York, with other regions to follow, as the snack food giant and PepsiCo subsidiary adds 176 EVs to its fleet.

It's really only cost and range where vehicles lose out

11:40 AM

I'm surprised we don't see sports hybrids

as in SUV "sports" hybrids?

Diesel/gas generator feeding a high performance electric motor would be awesome

audi made one some years ago. I don't' think it ever really went anywhere. sub 1.0L diesel feeding an electric motor and battery pack (like a locomotive, but with battery KERS)

Smith Electric doesn't seem to be a going concern any more. I've seen a few of their short-run delivery vehicles on area highways, clearly shuttling from the distribution center to a local customer.

1

and pretty much every manufactuerer of supercars makes a hybrid super... or did 5 years ago... https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/g6407/a-crash-course-in-electric-and-hybrid-supercars

A Crash Course in the Current Crop of Electric and Hybrid Supercars

The differences between plug-in hybrid and fully electric.

Short-haul where range doesn't matter as much is indeed where I'd expect them to shine - lower TCO realized through reduced maintenance and markedly lower energy cost per mile

11:46 AM

BMW i8 is arguably an entry in the supercar category, proving that drivers will indeed manage 2 separate "fuel" sources (edited)

if this article be believed, supercars are increasingly becoming hybrid (because the electric KERS RULEZALL apparently...)

(haven't read the article) McLaren's reasoning was perhaps famously torque filling

11:58 AM

I also gather that supercars have largely gone AWD because the power delivery exceeds what rear wheels can handle

generally true.

12:02 PM

also, allows torque vectoring, etc.

12:02 PM

the tech is really, really cool.

12:03 PM

but the move to video-game-esque experiences has largely ruined "the dream" for me. There's no way I'd spend that kind of money for a car with only 2 pedals, regardless of how much the figures say it's superior

12:04 PM

but manufacturers don't care because supercar ownership hasn't been about anything other than show for...well...my lifetime.

12:04 PM

there are more poseurs with more money than real drivers with money

With an electric motor there's no need for a clutch because there's no transmission at all

12:10 PM

I'm really interested to see the new "space-x package" roadster with cold gas thrusters

12:11 PM

There's a limit to how much grip a tire can have, so it kinda makes sense to augment that with thrusters

meh. The thrusters are a fun little media-grabber, but I can't see them ever being useful. But I've been know to be short-sighted, so time will tell

12:13 PM

and electric motors will need transmissions, depending on their operating parameters and conditions.

12:13 PM

clutches, well, it depends, again, on lots of things.

The smith electric story is pretty sad. They'd been around since the '20s, and in a time when their market should be soaring, they couldn't hold on any longer...

12:27 PM

and you're absolutely right, that within normal operating parameters of passenger vehicles, PEV don't need clutches/transmissions. I should have left those replies off, because the edge cases where transmissions/clutches might be used are fairly few and far between.

I've been a 3-pedal bigot forever, but the appeal has finally started to wear out

12:29 PM

the ability to manage the speed of shifting that modern supercars require is essentially beyond human capabilities

12:31 PM

pretty much every pure electric passenger car I'm aware of has but a single reduction gear, thus "no transmission". Tesla famously pondered a 2-gear transmission for the Roadster, but found no useful advantages to it thus dropped it early on in the development process.

1

m... I'll disagree. The ability to manage the speed of shifting that modern supercar buyers want to be able to brag about is beyond human capabilities. Once flappy paddles hit F1, you knew they were street-bound. But I had hoped, like a dolt, that the buyers wouldn't be there. I was wrong. Because bragging rights trumps an actual good time in your supercar. I should have known.

I wonder what the popular debate was when the motor car began displacing horses

12:33 PM

guessing that the facts and specifics were different, but the general sentiments and arguments - re: skill, mastery, effort, whatnot - weren't terribly different (edited)

something about grass being ubiquitous and how they'd have to pave everything in site to make it viable...

And it might be heretical, but I suspect that should autonomous cars become viable I won't much miss driving

hm. No :bitchslap: found...

12:36 PM

but I really do mutter to myself (several times, some days) "and I dislike autonomous cars WHY?"

perhaps you enjoy driving more than most

There certainly lies great appeal in the daily grind.

I might have a quick car by present standards but I feel that it's somewhat wasted on me - I don't take it to track days (or even autocross) nor do I have the skill to drive it under such conditions

12:38 PM

pushing it any harder than I presently do on public roads is begging for trouble

There's your problem: a car that's too capable. I say it's better to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow

So it's more of a means - that's occasionally enjoyable - than an end of itself

12:40 PM

it's not like there aren't a slew of faster cars out there too

12:40 PM

I can impose my will on the minivans and CUVs out there, but less so the pony cars and actual sports cars

The wrx is in good company... but it has been leapfrogged a bit since Subaru stopped caring about it...

If they'd made a turbo version of the BR-Z/86 I might have chosen that instead

12:41 PM

but they don't and like a lot of cars in that segment it's designed for smaller and younger folks than myself

12:42 PM

I test drove one in 2017 and it actually made me angry - had to flog it hard all the time

yep. they say that was intentional. It's all about the balance and the drift, not the go

although the 'performance' exhaust - that sounded eerily like my 1987 Celica when it had an exhaust leak - likely played a role

but at least subaru FINALLY got direct injection out of the deal. Thank you, Toyota!

12:44 PM

some people like the thrub-a-dub of the Subaru flatty. I'm not one of them. And that's soon to go away, I hear.

I gather there's a thriving used market for those

87 celicas?

BR-Z/86

Active aero is really the next (actually current) tech that's got me excited for ultra-performance. A tire can only push so hard against the ground, and until now, most cars have just focused on slipping through the air with the least resistance. By actively channeling air, you can have another 'surface' to push against to increase handling and or performance. Thrusters would be great, but I worry about the weight trade-off. (edited)

I doubt thrusters will add much if anything

anyone else watched/watching Netflix Fastest Car?

Yeah, thrusters can't be expected to do too much without being either solid/expendable or extraordinarily unwieldy and heavy.

elon says he can do it (make them meaningful) with carbon fibre and compressed air... I welcome him to try. It'll be interesting to watch. Kinda like Amazon Drone delivery...

Gees. I'd missed the "flying car" tweet...https://www.thedrive.com/news/25884/elon-musk-says-next-gen-roadster-will-hover-in-the-air-using-spacex-tech

Elon Musk Says Next-Gen Tesla Roadster Will Hover in the Air Using...

The feature will be part of a SpaceX add-on package that uses thrusters to aid in acceleration and cornering.

6:08 PM

(which is weird since I'm glued to his feed like...)

So they shift power from motors spinning the wheels to a compressor that occasionally spits out compressed air. I'm having difficulty imagining that they can produce enough thrust to change things much.

7:35 AM

hard cornering, braking seems like the situations that would benefit the most

7:37 AM

perhaps some "bleed" air at the tail end to reduce drag at speed? I know that was a trick Gerald Bull perfected to increase the range of artillery shells, however those tend to be moving a wee bit quicker than an automobile. (edited)

On a side note: When the wife chose the Nissan Leaf (2011 model purchased about 3 years ago) it was reported that the battery pack had been replaced at about 60k miles under a warranty claim. It's now at 85K miles and just today lost it's first of 12 status bars on the battery. This will by my calculations reduce the functional range of the car by about 6.5 miles. Truth is that i'm sure that it's going down constantly due to wear, but today it finally reported the loss.

Were my daily commute not ~60 miles I'd have considered a used Leaf

9:39 AM

But with such small packs and a general lack of thermal management considerations relative to most other manufacturers I opted against it since charging at work isn't an option

I didn't pick this car, but the wife's driving needs changed shortly after she chose it. She now drives 60-70+/day whereas my round trip to work is a whopping 22 miles.

Were I interested in the seemingly exciting life of a Tesla owner I could throw down for a Model 3 and even take long trips with it ... but my confidence in Tesla is not that high nor do I want to blow a minimum of $35k on a vehicle (edited)

with a couple of supercharger locations along I-30 I might not even have to impose on the folks to let me plug into their dryer outlet for a weekend visit

anyone have experience with communication systems for motorcycles?

I don't, but I'm curious what you mean. I presume you mean bluetooth helmet for riders to be able to talk to other riders?

yeah, there's a bunch of options out there

8:06 PM

I was looking at something like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MYB95SX/

1

8:12 PM

I keep waffling back and forth on a new motorcycle too lol

just get it

8:15 PM

oh I'm for sure getting one lol, just not sure which yet

8:17 PM

bouncing back and forth between a Zero S and their new SR/F

nobody ever says "I wish it had LESS power...I wish it had LESS range...I wish it had LESS street cred"...

so the catch is that the S actually has slightly better range

8:18 PM

and more aftermarket stuff already

I don't think you'll go wrong either way. Unless electric just isn't for you. Then either is equally wrong, probably...

huh. in fall, you could instead invest $29k into a Harley Davidson... https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/motorcycles/future-vehicles/livewire.html had no idea they were looking to put one to market...

LiveWire Electric Motorcycle | Harley-Davidson USA

A true expression of individuality, iconic style and performance. Coming in 2019, the all-new LiveWire electric motorcycle. Sign up today to get the latest news.

I'm not sure what HD is thinking, they're priced higher than everyone else and with lower specs (last I heard)

hm. yep. fits their usual MO

8:35 PM

but many people still love 'em

reading up on the Bosch MSC the SR/F has may have just sold me on it

esta? https://www.bosch-mobility-solutions.com/en/products-and-services/two-wheeler-and-powersports/riding-safety-systems/motorcycle-stability-control/

Motorcycle stability control

All-in-one safety systems for two-wheelers

8:47 PM

nifty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON5FhcuAi5E

iMotorcycle Video

Bosch Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC) in action

I wish I could find that piece on HD about time the leaks on the LiveWire started appearing. Someone at HD was probably a bit too candid and said something to the effect of Sure they hate HD management in Sturgis - but they're not buying bikes anymore and we still want to be around in another decade (edited)

6:13 PM

I see some X'ers buying Harleys but not like Boomers did an Millenials for the most part aren't so small surprise they're undergoing a big shift. Not sure if it will save the company, but they're not going to make it on Softails and Electra Glides. (edited)

I have a weird moon roof on the back of my car, how hard would it be to put a solar panel under it to do some kind of powering for a small cooler or something so I can keep drinks in my car without them turning into boiling footballs

Solar panels behind glass cuts their power output by half or more

4:55 PM

I think a deep cycle sla battery or li-ion charged by the car would work better

I just put some Lithium Ferric Phosphate batteries in my car to replace the AGM auxiliary. They have been working great thus far but need to ensure I have a contact probe in the winter since you can kill them charging below freezing.

6:07 PM

They self heat on discharge so it can be fixed easily with a contractor and something to load

I just have two odyssey extreme series batteries in parallel because my isolator broke

That window actually pops out easily

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooFWD5w6pXA&feature=youtu.be&t=161

RegularCars

Regular Car Reviews: 1995 Buick Roadmaster Sedan

point of order: 1995 Buick Roadmaster did NOT have a 'steering rack'...

drives me nuts when people misuse everyday words...

let's get into 'engine' vs 'motor' and how those terms have all but lost their distinctions thanks to corruption (edited)

true. true.

1:26 PM

this morning's spazz out: tact vs. tack

1:26 PM

as in "we need to change our tack if we want different results"

1:27 PM

https://grammarist.com/usage/tack-tack/

Grammarist

How to Use Tack vs. tact Correctly – Grammarist

↪ What does Tack vs. tact mean? Learn the definition of Tack vs. tact & other commonly used words, phrases, & idioms in the English language. ✔ Learn more!

https://youtu.be/yUlUPVthdZs?t=126

RegularCars

Regular Car Reviews: 1994 Eagle Talon Tsi

1:28 PM

a reference that not everyone will get

hm. several references I don't get...

1:34 PM

and i was there for the 1994 eagle talon tsi awd

1:34 PM

maybe I wasn't there for all the other stuff mentioned...

I think I found the deal of a lifetime on tires

2:26 PM

From Rich Meyer

Earlier in the week the BoD and I had a meeting with the Leasing Agent for our building. Our current lease does not allow vehicles inside the building. We discussed the extra liability insurance that was purchased a few years ago to allow this activity, but nobody can locate any written agreement to that fact. Then a few days later the Leasing Agent had contacted the Landlord and his answer was no vehicles allowed. Now keep in mind that the building had changed ownership since we moved in over 5 years ago. The search is on for this written documentation. The future of the Automotive Committee is at stake here.

11:18 PM

Anyone know where this documentation is?

yes, I've already sent it to the board

yay!

it was in my email

2

was it marked "Confidential"?

4

1

the confusion over the insurance seems to stem from the fact that the commercial liability insurance is separate from the D&O (Directors & Officers) insurance

7:35 AM

the landlord's stance may or may not be related to our insurance. the commercial liability insurance explicitly allows for automotive work, albeit limited to damage to the facility.

3:15 AM

Pulled an RV gas tank tonight

3:21 AM

And that's why

You got it to the space?

It got towed to Midlothian

Damn, least y'all can get to working on it

8:42 AM

Heres hoping you have a better time finding parts than I do

https://www.highflowfuel.com/i-23901005-genuine-bosch-044-320lph-inline-fuel-pump-0580254044.html + https://www.walmart.com/ip/Zimtown-5-Gallon-Petrol-Jerry-Can-with-Spout-20L-0-6mm-Cold-Rolled-Steel-Gasoline-Fuel-Container-Caddy-Tank-for-Emergency-Backup/496533818 =

Genuine Bosch 044 320LPH+ Inline Fuel Pump (0580254044)

Bosch # Bosch 044 - Genuine Bosch 044 320LPH+ Inline Fuel Pump (0580254044) - This is a 100% Genuine Bosch Motorsports "044" fuel pump, as used by American, Japanese, European + Australian performance/ tuner shops, JGTC cars, touring cars, almost all WRC cars, and many mo...

Zimtown 5 Gallon Petrol Jerry Can with Spout, 20L 0.6mm Cold Rolle...

Free Shipping. Buy Zimtown 5 Gallon Petrol Jerry Can with Spout, 20L 0.6mm Cold Rolled Steel Gasoline Fuel Container Caddy Tank, for Emergency Backup at Walmart.com

NATO can with one of those despised CARB valves on the spout?

yep

9:26 AM

get rid of that CARB valve

mixed reviews

needs a donkey dick

9:28 AM

https://www.jerrycan.com/shop/wavian-jerry-can-long-nose-flexible-olive-drab-steel-pouring-spout/

sky

Wavian Jerry Can Long Nose Flexible (Olive Drab) Steel Pouring Spout

Features End nozzle is shaped specifically for just about any tank Optimum flow is assured when using our spouts with our cans Special breathing channel provides steady, glug-free, pouring Each olive drab spout has an internal filter to protect charging tank from dirt and for...

9:28 AM

yes

9:28 AM

that is an official military term

doesn't matter. You'll leave that off when you duck the pump to the side and drop a line into the neck to feed it.

We have to clean the tank now. It had 5+ year old e85 in it

11:32 AM

45 gallons in a 94 gallon tank

What's the plan for the 45 gallons of old gas?

Dunno

11:44 AM

You want?

11:45 AM

do you need to keep the tank?

It's preferable considering the parts are hard to find and identify

I ended up donating the ~10 gallons of old gas I had to the city's hazardous waste program (edited)

1

they have this lovely thing

12:03 PM

called fire!

12:03 PM

remove gas from tank

12:03 PM

remove tank to safe distance

12:03 PM

add match

12:03 PM

profit

12:03 PM

stare at the pretty flames

12:03 PM

more profit

Run from police. Profit.

just make sure the cameras are rolling before doing any of this for max profits...

Just curious. I had the issue with ~15 gallons from the truck. A few people from the space took it. I was about to have to run it down to the city.

Our pyro event is not until September but we often use a couple hundred gallons of liquid fuels. We mix diesel and gas for various effects. The wierdest is Coffee Creamer, most dangerous shit in your house. Luckily you only have small containers of it. We use pallets worth.

1

5 gal bucket, powdered milk subsitute for calves (higher fat content, easier to get in bulk), and some meal make for great ground effects.

Yep we switched long ago as 50lb bags are easier to deal with than 1 gal creamer containers. We did have a source for awhile for powdered shortening. Was very orange/black rolling boil of a fireball. At PGI they have those 220 gallon totes with powdered calf replacement.

think we can build a 3d printed version?

7:31 PM

Most likely better done with smithing

It's gonna take me a while to put this back together...

use a hammer

proud to say I do NOT recognize that carbonator... What'sit?

Edelbrock 1406

9:56 PM

It's packed full of rust from a crappy fuel system. Recently 'rebuilt' by a shop. Bet they didn't even touch it

LOL. Sounds about right... Good luck with all that! Yours?

god, I remember rebuilding a similar one on my 350 chevy... I paid for the next rebuild.

Yeah, goes on an old F250 I picked up recently. Hopefully whatever I do is an improvement over what it was.

1

lol now now, there is a youtoobs for that

The j1772 plug outside is real beat up and got stuck in someone's car, I don't suppose we have a spare lying around?

4:23 PM

Temporary option is to use the extension I guess

4:23 PM

The connector mostly works it just doesn't latch and unlatch well, so in theory connecting it to the extension should be fine

Sounds like a plan. When purse strings aren't so tight we can replace theJ1772

Yeah, it has stopped functioning altogether in my Leaf. Not really a big deal as I don't live far, but it was convenient for a while.

4:53 PM

They appear to be around the $70 mark for the future purchase. (edited)

Reminder to automotive users, that portacool is owned by DMS. It's home is either the former Hatchers or the electrical room depending on space availability.

There is no such thing as a former Hatcher's yet. It is Hatchers and someone needs to get an OK from the committee to store things in a committee space.

Sorry I had been instructed to use that room previously; electrical room it is then.

ah, Regular Cars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwj_E3Fygms&feature=youtu.be&t=59

RegularCars

2014 Cadillac Escalade ESV: Regular Car Reviews

Currently RCR is my favorite automotive reviewer.

part car review, part performance art, part cultural critic

@StanSimmons get any good stories about the layout drawing mystery?

11:17 PM

I mean, committee areas have been taped. This must exist somewhere...

so yeah the Ford electric F-150 video was an interesting stunt, but it was indeed a stunt

10:12 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXFHgoon7lg

Ford Motor Company

All-Electric F-150 Prototype: Tows 1M+ Pounds | F-150 | Ford

10:14 AM

if there were such a thing as zero rolling resistance, a single person pulling on the cars with a string could get them moving slowly so long as they didn't break the string. but since rolling resistance is real, there's a minimum force required to get things started and keep them moving.

10:15 AM

minimizing rolling resistance is the reason for railroads in the first place

To your point of steel on steel, car and driver reports that they also flat towed the F150s first, before loading them onto the rail cars.

interesting - probably more rolling resistance on that tow than the railcars

10:23 AM

however I suspect the main pay no attention to the man behind the curtain trickery was a software setting in the motor power electronics to limit power delivery to the truck's motor so it didn't exceed the tow strap's tensile strength

10:26 AM

I'm sure that Ford's marketing people made a smart play with this demonstration

10:27 AM

the fact that locomotives have been diesel-electric for 60+ years seems to be lost on the market segment they're appealing to

So who's going to schedule the chair election? Is the board expecting Tom to set it up?

Last I chatted with Tom, he was still acting chair, so I reckon he's expecting to set it up (and I suppose he thinks the BoD is expecting him to). But I could be wrong...

Automotive requested to elect a new chair. Tom agreed to be provisional chair. Implicit: BoD will not confirm Joe King, thus he should not run for Auto chair. (edited)

Can't wait to see how this turns out

it'll be exciting

SUCCESS. WE GOT THE RV RUNNING

Bonus points, it did not catch fire

normally a good thing

As fast as these guys are here at the AAA discount tire and auto. They sure are angry with each other

Oh?

Can't get rid of me that easily

Lololol

lol fake battery as cellphone charger?

Yeah has a plug

3:34 PM

But cool way to do it for a Firestone

Well that is utilization at capacity

1

6:50 PM

Decided to get rid of the camper top. It was a sudden decision, a real turn from my previous plans.

You're really proving the saying: shit happens.... to michael

Yeah I think if you say something enough it becomes true.

7:31 PM

I really wish they would stop saying that

Suddenly gas savings

True. It also motivates me to clean out the bed.

A sudden acceleration could help with that

There are many things this truck is incapable of, sudden acceleration is one of them.

1

I hope sudden deceleration is though

It's surprisingly good at that

Does auto have a vacuum leak smoke machine?

Don't think we do. What vehicle?

I'm about 80% sure we don't. I recall Tom (I think) bringing a smoke machine in to help someone with something vacuum related...

12:03 PM

this is probably what I'm (slightly mis-)remembering https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/smoke-machine-for-vacuum-leak/30392?u=jast

Smoke machine for vacuum leak

Hi all, I was wondering if we had a smoke machine to find a vacuum leak? Where would it be located?

12:04 PM

then again... https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/evap-system-testing/48204?u=jast

EVAP System Testing

Continuing the discussion from Do we have a hand vacuum pump for checking EVAP systems?: I have a small leak OBD code on my F150 and would like to rule out anything simple before going to the dealer. @TLAR, are you still offering to loan your smoke machine? I can meet you ...

1986 g3500 vandura conversion

12:05 PM

hm. What's amiss on the Crueler?

12:06 PM

being an 86 probably not EVAP...

I can hear a vacuum leak

ah

13-14 inches of mercury

intake vacuum (in the engine bay, while it's running kind of vacuum leak)?

So it's tiny, but would be nice to fix

1

12:07 PM

Yeah

we used to use a can of carb cleaner (with a straw, preferably) to check for those...

12:08 PM

just be aware it eats rubber if you use too much of it

12:08 PM

spray along the intake tract/vacuum lines (but you probably already tried this)

Yeah that's what I was reading, we didn't want to spray randomly into the bay so we just replaced the lines we could find

well, one doesn't spray randomly. It's on a carefully calculated path along the intake/vacuum tract, in order from "I'll bet it's there" to "well shit, it MUST be here!"

Yeah, I wanted to try the non combustable route first

1

That's pretty low. My money is on it being something noticable, like feel around a bit for it

12:13 PM

The truck had the brake boost fall off routinely and would have similar symptoms.

Why would a carb be leaking gas from the side?

Probably a lot of reasons? A leaky bowl gasket if y'all opened it up recently. Leaky fuel fittings, or a sunk float that's just pouring out the side instead of into the engine for some reason.

Didn't remove carb recently

12:54 AM

But James did adjust the throttle position

12:56 AM

Leaking from passenger side on the seconds

On the shaft that goes to the secondary butterflies? No idea why that would leak, I don't think fuel runs by that shaft.

It's possible it was the fuel like right above it, we took it back to our workshop and can come back tomorrow

Some interneting says the floats

The floats are completely inside the bowl. It'll pour fuel out of the bowl vents if the floats are sunk, but that should be contained in the air cleaner/hat and flown into the engine.

2:12 AM

I guess it's possible a sunk float caused fuel to build up in the secondary bore. If there was standing fuel in there it would leak out...

2:12 AM

But often leaks like to find secret hidden ways to drip down and show up where you don't expect. I'd check the fuel fitting first.

That's what I was thinking too

2:14 AM

But we found 2 more vac leaks and it's at a solid 20inches of mercury

1

Oh damn the trucks only running at 18 at the moment.

2:18 AM

Do you know what that engine came out of originally?

No we got it as the conversion daycare bus

It's got the original engine

3:37 AM

The VIN shows it as a 5.7l v8

3:40 AM

It even says it was an "Incomplete - Cutaway", which is basically just an engine, frame and basic cab

Werid. The brake booster is setup for a diesel.

So it looks like that type of brake booster is also used on some larger vans and such because it offers more power than vacuum boosters

Makes sense

meaning it's hydraulic?

7:40 PM

rather than pneumatic

right

1

Try as I might, I can't find a better (easily portable) tool kit for automotive work than the 301 piece mechanics tool kit from harbor freight

3:51 PM

Lots of stuff that's better quality sure, but then you're carrying around multiple cases

3:51 PM

And the damn thing is only $200

I see the giant kobaly kits get that price about once a quarter at least (the never ending sales)

4:03 PM

Having everything in a single case sure is handy too. I used to use a Pelican tool chest but I downsized the tools I keep in my truck

4:04 PM

those chests were great though to just keep in the bed or mount to the vehicle

5 gallon buckets are a totally viable method of keeping collections of tools. But if you don't have anything and are looking for something to carry around, the tool sets are ok.

Replaced the 1406 carb. Everything is better

Lol new 1406 from a parts store?

Yep

11:51 PM

Most places online said the leak was a "return to manufacturer" issue

Damn. I guess yeah if it was coming from the secondary shaft, that's not a fixable issue.

why don't cars just ship with this? https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Fog-Film-Anti-Fogging-Anti-Dazzle/dp/B07JVFFDD9/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=car+side+mirror+sticker&qid=1567100912&s=gateway&sr=8-14

industry would rather sell heated sideview mirrors

1

My understanding is that these films work great, for about a day. Then they get enough dust and dirt on them that they don't do anything anymore.

2

the coating on it is PET which is not UV stable iirc

1

if you're in the market for a Dodge Cummins Gen I (wish I were) I'd be calling on this... https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/d/dearing-1992-dodge-d250-diesel-wts-wtt/6967247496.html

1992 Dodge d250 diesel wts wtt

I have a first gen 12 valve diesel for sale. Runs and drives good tagged and ready to go. Clean title in my name brand new tires new injectors new brakes and rotors. It is a good truck I would drive...

does automotive have some basic ramps?

11:43 AM

and wow a manual fullsize truck

Aye believe they do

Pretty sure there's ramps on the shelves by laser

There's ramps outside for some reason

ended up buying a set from the local vato zone

2:11 PM

because I was embarassingly beyond the service interval and didn't want to drive some ~15 miles then have to wait 30 minutes for the oil to drop below "scalding"

When the heck did it start raining?!

about time I was frantically wrapping up my ill-timed oil change

i had my car windows rolled down, whoops

Right when I planned to drive the bus from Garland to Arlington

Pro: the drive to DMS won't be so agonizingly hot

3:14 PM

Con: I now have to factor in how long it'll take with every highway backed up from all the wrecks

6:00 PM

For those all-so-common 7.62mm fuel lines (edited)

Ohhhh that's what those were. I legit thought they were shitty fuel filters the other day.

1

Good for filtering supersonic shock waves maybe

I need ideas on how to extend an accelerator pedal for a short driver in the bus

Platform shoes

Hahaha

Duct tape piece of wood to pedal

Tried that, pedal reset isn't strong enough

12:32 PM

Basically gave us cruise control

Duct tape piece of wood to their foot

lol best idea

So basically platform shoes

Shoe*

1

12:40 PM

I only have one block of wood (edited)

some sort of spring mechanism that "lifts" the foot extension off the gas?

1:02 PM

you could also try feeding ~~her~~ them growth hormones. (edited)

We added a seat cushion to the back for her

2:44 PM

Does it sound badass as it looks now?

Sounds flappy now

Did you stick a potato in the exhaust?

No but we increased engine performance which may have stressed the old muffler

We lost engine power when it blew, possible it just stalled out though

3:11 PM

It starts up and we were able to move off to a better spot

Current theory is that we've always had a restriction in the exhaust but only after getting the engine running better did it cause enough pressure to rupture

Or the auto shut off from the temp gauge activated, and the unspent gas was passed into the exhaust and exploded

Need someone to come pick you up?

Nah, we've got someone nearby, thinking it might be fine to drive too

A little fiberglass exhaust tape and she'll be fine ;-)

Maybe just cut it off

3:36 PM

We're not emissions controlled lol

Drill/tap a hole and put in a sparkplug. BANG!

I've got a fist sized hole in the truck exhaust, never caused a problem.

3:54 PM

Well, aside form carbon monoxide poisoning at stoplights...

1

We've had a small exhaust leak near the engine for a while, only issue was CO seasoning of the driver

Replace that complex muffler with a nice shiney bit of straight stainless pipe

1

so our main theory is now that we overheated, which causes the engine to shutdown since we have a kill switch for if the engine gets too hot

10:19 PM

that caused unburned fuel to enter the exhaust system and inside of the muffler ignite and cause an "over pressure event"

10:20 PM

since the engine shutdown, we lost power steering and the brake booster

10:20 PM

we think this is the first time we've driven in >100F weather, and we've also improved the performance a bunch so overheating is easier now

does it have a water temp gauge?

yeah

10:30 PM

it's set to cut the engine if the gauge reads 260 I think, @pearce was it 240 or 260? (edited)

Right around 250

Y'all are just killing the ignition when it goes overtemp?

10:33 AM

I mean there's not much else you can do, but a backfire is pretty reasonable in that case.

Yeah it cuts the ignition

10:47 AM

We're going to get a bigger/thicker radiator

were you in stop and go or highway speed when it overheated?

Highway

12:40 PM

At 75 mph and passing people

1

that must have been a weird feeling in the cruel bus...

No the weird feeling is the oscillation that only I can feel or seem to notice

Does anyone know the story on the time machine? Its back in the parking lot but still with its expired tags.

Luke Strickland / Alan's "time machine"? ( white Chrysler minivan)

Picture?

Well a long time ago

11:05 PM

It was my first car

11:05 PM

Many people have bought it from Allen

11:06 PM

But it keeps coming back

I mean it came back from Pennsylvania I don't think we're gonna be able to get rid of it.

11:07 PM

@yashsedai it's the white 98 Dodge Grand caravan with the aluminium paint wheels that's out in the parking lot.

11:09 PM

I was sure it was either getting 30 day tags and going to pick and pull this month, didn't expect to see it back at the space

Haha

Some things can't be killed

Turns out he gave it away and they're planning on turning it into a truck.

Pretty sure van roof is structurally significant

Unibody and all that

Allegedly, the suspension is set up so that its not hard to add frame rails front to back. It'll be interesting to see how it works out.

Surely it's simpler to just obtain a truck

True, but vans have a lower load floor, which is pretty damn useful. So a truck with the load floor of a van.... Should be pretty handy.

as long as you keep some fender, you're all good. e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSWRqyM2z9Y

Canadian Ute

turn your VW Jetta or Golf into a VW Ute in your driveway in a wee...

anyone ever use one of these (brand/model)? https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200486585_200486585 any good?

bus hit 88 miles an hour, so we were successfully able to time travel

9:49 PM

it then overheated (we were fairly sure that would happen) and got it to do some sweet backfires

9:50 PM

traveling at 70 mph works great though

was that at full throttle?

yeah

9:59 PM

due to overheating we can't travel very far/fast through time

radiator upgrade in the future for the bus?

Needs more magic bath water

New rad arrives today

at the 'fest?

We're running way cooler with the new rad, only downside is the fan shroud doesn't fit anymore so we might overheat when idle

3:14 AM

At highway speeds we're running down right cold

I don't think Allen is in here, but FYI I'm on my 2nd rebuilt alternator. The 2 month old one was putting out 11.3. At least it was a free part replacement

12:49 PM

Unfortunately, we accidentally let out some r134a. Anyone wanna help top off the minivan, or should I hit a quick oil shop to do it? My neighbor mechanic prefers not to mess with ac, but hes awesomenon the other stuff

The mrs. wants it done now, headed to the shop down the street. At least it didn't fully purge, the air is "tepid"

Where'd the previous alternator come from?

Both from oreilly

2:12 PM

And the shop was closed today. But, on recirculating it eventually did get cold

2:12 PM

So it probably needs a pound

11:50 AM

One last shipment of C7's?

going nowhere fast?

12:15 PM

was that taken here in DFW?

yeah, Bushpike yesterday mid-day

@Adam WRT the EV chargers there's no real good solution since relocating them is apt to be a tad expensive

11:33 AM

the following occurred to me ... • red: blah estimate of Tesla reach • blue: blah estimate of J1772 reach • orange: possible wall-mounted locations - all with only marginally-better reach than the present location • green: possible pedestal-mounted locations - all with good reach to at least 4 adjacent spots but also require conduit, likely under the lot

Like most enterprises, we probably don't really want to do (pay, mostly) what is necessary for remote chargers. Tunneling costs big bucks (not mention all the needed approvals, red tape, etc.) Then there's the cost of the copper, which ain't exactly cheap either, these days... But who knows... A benefactor might appear... or...

there's not a great fix for the issue

11:48 AM

I've occasionally seen conduit-on-pavement done but that also looked kinda sketch

11:51 AM

north side of the building by those spots near-ish the e-lab windows another possibility but I don't know that there's >120V service there nor if there are plans to provide that kind of service there

If I had any say, the loading dock would have been put in on the north end docks, so that the charger would be less in the way where it currently is than it currently is. That way, being parked in/around there wouldn't impede deliveries/etc. like it does now... But maybe I don't have a handle on the sit.

11:54 AM

probably I don'

loading dock chargers probably located there because that was the closest intersection of available power and parking up against the building

yep

11:59 AM

near the electric closet, etc

sunk cost at this point and tangential to our mission thus there's apt to always be some conflict between EV drivers and the rest of the membership

12:12 PM

also a lot of people using that spot as a quasi 4th auto bay

I have no idea what you are talking about

12:16 PM

I use it as a welding bay. Not auto

1

yeah pedestals are nice but running the lines out there is fairly pricey, more than I think is justified for the few people with EVs (edited)

3:03 PM

of course if there's a donation drive and it's 100% funded by donations, then have at

1

why did ev chargers come up again?

something about blocking the loading dock?

3:03 PM

oh, no it was about sharing the charger

3:03 PM

and morphed into "maybe it should move to a better spot"

1

probably a 5-figure cost to install pedestals

3:37 PM

not including the EVSE

you should start a gofundme

In spite of my casual advocacy for EVs I neither own nor drive them

seeking a copy of the april 1, 2019 released Honda Past-port video... apparently I missed his, and now, they've pulled it, so I have been ROBBED of getting to guffaw out loud at the 1990's references...

(PS who thinks this emoji looks anything like triumph? They look like this

Just saw this on abom, a parts washer where you just change out filter mat monthly and there is otherwise never any waste / disposal https://chemfree.com/portfolio-items/sw-25/?portfolioCats=46 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHndADmwseQ

CRC Industries

How To Clean Auto Parts With The CRC® SmartWasher® Self Cleaning...

10:19 PM

not a pressure washer, depends on brush action, but an interesting alternative if current parts washer ever needs to be replaced

Interesting. Ya think it'll survive DMS "use"?

5:47 AM

And, as usual, no pricing. Just a "contact us" button... I know that's how everything works, but I really hate that.

Professor Goog has some ideas ...

1

7:10 PM

Walmart is really stepping up their offerings

um... is that an RC?

Is there a motorcycle lift in automotive?

No, we have a motorcycle jack, but not a lift.

8:03 AM

I've heard you could somehow use the regular lift as a motorcycle lift, but I'm not a motorcycle person so I'm not sure whats up there.

@A. Spencer(jast) so a week later turns out that was a print rather than a conveyance. I was disappointed.

1

https://www.harborfreight.com/301-Pc-Mechanics-Tool-Set-63464.html

301 Pc Mechanic's Tool Set

301 Pc Professional Mechanic's Tool Set

11:24 PM

coupon code 71526143 brings that down to $170

11:24 PM

has just about everything needed to get started with automotive work

Hey everyone, Automotive committee meeting is scheduled

6:55 PM

with an Election

oooo

6:55 PM

how'd that happen?

6:55 PM

or do I want to know

Oct 30th, at Noon

6:55 PM

well all committees have to have them

6:56 PM

Tom finally scheduled it

YAY!

6:56 PM

Is Joe running?

6:57 PM

no joy on seeing the event :-(

6:58 PM

SHITSNAX! Noon to 9P?

I'm running

5

7:08 PM

given what happened prior no idea if Joe would try again

1

I predict the Board has zero enthusiasm for confirming Joe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck_O5U1Tyz8

Real Tool Reviews

Snap-on - VS - Harbor Freight ( ICON ) 1/2" Torque Wrenches

does the HF one explode?

Automotive meeting minutes are up: https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Automotive_Committee_Meeting_20191030

3:41 PM

I was elected chair unanimously (however we all agreed the meeting time was odd, so we'll have a "vote of confidence" one month in)

1

I wasn't sure so I went back and checked, the seals I replaced May 2016 were on the other cylinder (not the one that is leaking now) (edited)

3:51 PM

3:52 PM

3:53 PM

Hydraulic Cylinder Seal Kit for ROTARY Lift / PACOMA Cylinders / FJ7211 ~ FJ7311~ FJ7375 ~ FJ7664 ~ FJ783 / FJ783-12MF from Auto Lift Parts LLC

Having an actual plan in automotive, I'm impressed.

6:12 PM

I understand there's going to be a confidence vote on the 13th at 8pm?

That's going to be a general meeting (better time). That vote will be one month-ish in

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium I accidentally left my spark plugs on the bench in a great bag. Did you happen to grab them by chance?

7:23 AM

Grey bag*

I didn't but I know who was on the lift after you. I'll check with them

Excellent thanks

Sorry I reread this (groggy, left DMS at 5am)

12:19 PM

Nothing on the work bench was touched so likely still there

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium okay if they are still there would you hide them out somewhere for me? Thanks.

wont be in until later but if I do I will

Excellent thank

Uh oh

7:02 PM

Battery light, temp way high

7:02 PM

I'm parked out back and cooling down

7:02 PM

Need help after committee meetings tonight

make/model?

7:02 PM

busted fan belt?

I "heard" some squeal

7:02 PM

Might be

7:02 PM

2003 4runner

7:02 PM

297000 miles

7:03 PM

All belts replaced before in the past 2 yeats

7:03 PM

But I'm keeping it

I think that runs a "traditional" belt-driven fan, although I'm 90% sure Toyota no longer drove the water pump from that belt, but from the timing belt. so... It might be a "simple" belt replacement... Just make sure all the pulleys turn, first, before going to the parts store, if the belt's fried... that way, you know if something ELSE is amiss

I know computers, and cell towers. Not a car guy,but illbe around tonight if anyone else is up to helping closer to 830 tonight

I'll be @ work, so... cannot.

7:07 PM

but at least you're @ DMS, where it's warm, and if you're lucky, there'll be tools and a helper or 2...

7:07 PM

Indeed

7:09 PM

Worst case. It stays for 24 hours

7:09 PM

And I'll be up tomorrow night

lovely writeup with busted pics/video link of the serp belt swap procedure

7:11 PM

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/82482-diy-changing-serpentine-belts-v6-1gr-fe-4runners.html

Toyota-4Runner.org

The Largest 4Runner Community in the World

7:12 PM

this one has a nice pic of the routing, if you need it (there's probably one under the hood, too) https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2449820-post31.html

Toyota-4Runner.org

The Largest 4Runner Community in the World

This video says I'm wrong, and the 1gr-fe engine moved the water pump back to the serp belt b/c it's got chain driven cams. It's not a bad video on changing the water pump, but hopefully that's not what you're facing if working on cars isn't your jam... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFLp7kLH198 It'll still show the orientation of all the pulleys and such the belt runs

D Turner

How to change water pump on Toyota 4.0 V6 Tacoma 4 runner fj cruis...

Belt plus a pulley. Will revisit tomorrow afternoon for sure, since vehicle is not operable at the moment. Thanks to all for offering advice and digging around and looking

2

Update. New belt, and Alan pressed out the old bearing and we pressed in a new one. Hoorah

Don't let Allen near your car or he will fix other stuff too!

Yay for fixing old cars!

2:28 PM

I keep my cars until they have near death experiences.

2:29 PM

Or until it’s harder to get parts. -mourns her Saturn-

awesome!

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium unless there's an objection I'm throwing away this socket.

Just glue it together and it will be totally fine. /Sarcasm

@@michaelb Practice your welds

1:02 AM

Then start grinding laser lenses.

Yeah little bit of jb weld and it's good as new

How's everyone's day going

1:36 PM

Heres mine

1:36 PM

1

Wife's Jeep is magic. Turned 1 belt into 3

Isn’t it suppose to be three separate rings suddenly are linked together?

2:02 PM

Belt just wear or is a pulley loose and vibrations split belt?

The idler pulley melted and was just a bearing

2:17 PM

And shredded the belt

ah yeah. Can see here, now... At least there's a clear failure. Makes it easier to ID & repair...

2:32 PM

Old vs new

is the old bearing frozen or did the plastic just take a vacay?

Seized

1

2:50 PM

But the new one is metal

that should give more warning before absolute failure

2:51 PM

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE

2:51 PM

ROFL

She said she heard a metal on metal sound then drove it another mile

1

Not sure whether TSLA has lost their collective minds with the Cybertruck or are ahead of the curve on the lifestyle truck segment

8:04 AM

https://www.tesla.com/cybertruck

Cybertruck | Tesla

Cybertruck is designed to have the utility of a truck with sports car performance. Built to be durable, versatile, capable and high-performance both on-road and off-road.

That thing is insane and I want it

12:48 PM

A friggin Stainless steel body, up to 14k# towing (yeah range I know), trunk under bed, 6.5' bed, 16 friggin inches of ground clearance

all trucks suffer for range towing

1:14 PM

I can't decide if I like it or hate it, which suggests I'll tip towards the former eventually

1:15 PM

get the feeling that specific design isn't going to survive contact with the regulators thus expect some changes before release to the markets

1:21 PM

if they can hit their pricepoints I suspect they'll sell a bunch of them

Ahh yes the low poly truck.

even the GMC Terradyne concept of 2000 had more polys

I will say that the look they're going for seems to be an interesting response to the challenges of making a utilitarian shape that's also sufficiently aerodynamic and will suffice as a daily driver

2:17 PM

I'm sort of at the Honest Movie Trailers viewpoint on Pacific Rim : "We can't tell is this is the dumbest awesome movie ever made or the most awesome dumb movie ever made."

Someone has to break the standard

oh sure - Tesla wasn't going to amalgamate the Silverado, F150, Ram, Tundra, and Titan designs

Garage door is being worked on as we speak

Ayy

Reminder: Automotive committee meeting is Sunday the 24th at 3pm

vote to buy a cybertruck

Hey we can put anything to a vote

I vote we make a better cybertruck

2:14 AM

using an APC and some electronic warfare equipment I built

Running late but will be there in 15

https://jalopnik.com/watch-this-guys-homemade-epoxy-wheel-survive-an-incredi-1840045648

Watch This Guy's Homemade Epoxy Wheel Survive An Incredible Drivew...

I can’t say I totally understand the epoxy crafts trend that’s been sweeping the internet (if you haven’t been plagued by millions of videos of this shit on Facebook, don’t start now), but it was only a matter of time before someone actually had A Good Idea and decide...

Don't give Allen any ideas...

1

That's exactly who I thought of

the ineffectual tire gods thank you for your sacrifice (edited)

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium hey thanks for tracking down my spark plugs

I didn't find them when I looked, but stuff had been moved around a lot. Did they reappear?

Do we have a code reader? Can't find one

we did at one point. orange case with a pigtail cable if I recall.

10:05 AM

it's been years since I last saw/used it

It's floating around. Last I saw was in electrical drawer

10:59 AM

It sometimes wanders but usually seems to find its way back

Didn't see it today. Good to know we do have at least one

Personally I'd like to put it in the locked toolchest, but at the committee meeting we agreed to not lock any tools previously unlocked without figuring out some sort of transition

11:00 AM

It's the old laser model they used to use for Cermark etc (which metal also uses for tools)

Isn't the orange one like $20 at Walmart?

11:01 AM

Seems like overkill to lock that one up

Maybe? It's more just a regular item to go missing

11:01 AM

Not so much financial value but lost productivity if it keeps wandering off then reappearing after days

Last time I used it in October it was the same one that I used years ago

11:02 AM

The one that Brandon spray painted with green to identify it as autos

Yeah it's not ever truly gone, but it's never found when it's needed. I consider that the same problem as taken tools

11:02 AM

Because even if it comes back, it was gone when a member needed it and that's what irks me

11:03 AM

I've had several members try to use it, to find the thing not there, only to reappear days later

Cheap enough to get some extra for redundancy

True

11:03 AM

We are currently evaluating proper code scanners right now. That guy will be locked and/or bolted to a table with a long ass cable

11:04 AM

Could probably snag some extras of these for the time being

Please let's get one that can read the Mercedes Sprinter

11:11 AM

And cheap ones will handle 90+% of all problems

lol

@john a gorman the scanner we currently have is a super basic OBD. It doesn't do much besides spit out a minimalistic set of what's required. Anything manufacturer specific generally isn't covered by those units. The fancy readers don't have a lot of cost for the hardware itself, it's generally the software modules for the different manufacturers and those are updated regularly. For some comparison, a typical OBD will point out cylinder misfires since that's a requirement due to emissions. A proper code scanner can do things like diagnose and adjust ABS modules which are all different. The one auto is currently looking at is ~$1,000 which is one of the less expensive options for those tools

I have a cheap bluetooth one. great for watching the kids speed while taking him out on driving practice.

1

Spoil sport

A ~$20 bluetooth reader can pull codes and do rudimentary realtime monitoring of ... things

Typically pulling mandatory PIDs, rather manufacturer specific info (edited)

they've got limits for sure

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium which one is it?

we're currently looking at the Autel MS906BT

Thanks @hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium

Autel makes nice stuff (I hear; never actually USED one myself)

What are the odds of replacing our current lift with a typical 2 post lift before auto moves location? (one with the 4 arms instead of drive over pads)

Couldn't we just remove the pads?

no, the arms aren't designed the same and wouldn't have the safety features that would be expected to prevent arms moving while lifted

actually it is the same posts last I checked, the arms if purchased are basically a block on the post side and the arms their own picots so you don't have extra sway. However, I doubt we will any time soon. There are plenty of examples of screwing up using a 4 point, and since members here don't have the same level of accountability I wouldn't trust them with it personally

2:17 PM

not at least until we get a lot of other shit under control

reminds me I need to source or cobble together some blocks so I can lift my daily driver ...

are none of the blocks we have adequate?

I can't safely lift my jeep on the pads

3:19 PM

it takes more blocks than I'm comfortable with using

if I can rest the seam on the pads, sure, but I suspect that will just slice them in half

3:37 PM

and by pads I mean the rubber blocks

3:40 PM

last I looked at it I need something to clear the bodywork

Yeah, there's a fair number of vehicles that can't be lifted with our style, but there's also a good risk that it gets used improperly. I think the comprise was once suggested that we do a two stage training and once someone has shown competency with the normal lift we offer a lift 2 training on how to use the swing arm style, but that's like adding another Haas which I'm generally not on favor of.

3:56 PM

For the record, we lift straight on pinch welds quite often and they don't damage the rubber pads

I'm seeing that the slotted blocks offered on the market are hard rubber

3:59 PM

there are also pricey aluminum blocks with magnets and embroidered REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT webbing if one is so inclined

We have some slotted aluminium blocks, but I think only two lol

last I saw we had 4, but they come and go. Like magnetic parts trays they stick to the vehicle so people don't realize they are there sometimes

4:30 PM

as for a jeep we've had some up there. I think the 4x4s worked better for them IIRC than just a ton of blocks

4:30 PM

but I haven't lifted one myself so can't say for sure

Could use new air chuck (could only find this one that leaks and made it difficult to inflate) and new torque wrenches. Also floor jacks where the two parts of the handle are connected would be helpful

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium this is on sale on Amazon for $1,053.15. $185 less

@john a gorman what was?

Lol! Sorry. I'm used to threaded replies when I click on a comment. The obd2 reader @hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium (edited)

Ah, yeah we still have to vote on it at our meeting before we can purchase it

Yeah, that's a thing

Is there any litter/oil dry in automotive?

In the trash bag between the lift and shelves

@AGr where did you order the parts? We're going to try an in-house before a tech for the other cylinder

12:47 PM

Hydraulic Cylinder Seal Kit for ROTARY Lift / PACOMA Cylinders / FJ7211 ~ FJ7311~ FJ7375 ~ FJ7664 ~ FJ783 / FJ783-12MF from Auto Lift Parts LLC

1

12:47 PM

lol at myself there

12:47 PM

just caught the last 4 words when I went back up to copy paste the part numbers

12:50 PM

I have a procurement request in for this seal kit

12:51 PM

when it arrives will schedule a day.

12:51 PM

will likely lock out the lift the night before so we don't end up with someone starting a project right before

12:51 PM

also don't forget this weekend is our monthly meeting. We'll be voting on a code scanner purchase

Sooooo voting on hand scrub too? (edited)

well I can just buy that, but it's something that logistics usually does

my feelings wont be hurt if you do, im going to get some and bring it in soon

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium meeting at 3 right?

So we cannot keep the non-reel hose by the tool boxes

7:17 PM

Getting up there as part of checking running air to the lift post, I found we've been slowly yanking the junction box that is not secured to anything

7:17 PM

It's also not off a tee, it's an inline box and the outlet feeds more downstream

7:17 PM

So... One good yank and a chunk of the workshop loses air

7:18 PM

We have a robowheels to stick there and I might since the mount is already there

7:18 PM

The lift post will be fed off the junction where the current reel is to get things rolling until a fixed line can be run, and allow for a cut off if someone breaks it again

Wood is giving us a free robowheels that works and they aren't using, so I'm gonna see if I have time to install that. I'm almost done installing a reel on the lift. We used some 6*2" rectangle steel tube, and some unused bolt pattern holes on the far side post.

7:57 PM

The reason for rectangle tubing is it will let us mount the reel such that it turns, but can't turn such that it interferes with lift movement

7:57 PM

And we can drill holes and use nursery's to mount all sorts of crap to it

8:22 PM

Real question is do I leave it on

1

Tentatively setting Monday, January 13th, as the "Lift Down" day to replace the cylinder seals. Please message me if you are available to volunteer for the repair work as part of the work group

What do we think would happen if I shorted the 12v on the starter to the ignition

11:57 AM

Looking to test the starter

what kind of car?

Jeep Grand Cherokee

12:02 PM

95

short version: there's 2 leads to most starters, a fat one, and a skinny one. The skinny one carries 12v from the ignition switch when it's turned to start. the fat one carries 12v to turn the motor

12:02 PM

jumper the fat one and the skinny one, and it should spin

12:03 PM

(be sure you're out of gear/in park, parking brake on, etc.)

and the housing itself tends to ground to the engine block which grounds to the battery

12:06 PM

although I'm forgetting if the F150's starter had a ground cable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAjMO3Zu88s shows making the jumper with a screwdriver

klowny1969

How To Test A Car Starter With A Screwdriver And Jumper Cables!

12:09 PM

most grounds paths are provided by the unit being bolted to the transmission/block assembly (which in turn is properly grounded). but sometimes we put an auxiliary pathway, but there's virtually never a "good place" to attach another ground wire TO the starter (and it should be unnecessary)

Neat

12:12 PM

Starter totally works

1

if I recall the design theory ... "signal" wire closes the solenoid which brings the motor gear into contact with the engine (flywheel?) which simultaneously closes contacts on the starter motor itself

Can't test further because she took both keys

12:13 PM

But it seems like the ignition switch is the issue

solenoid has enough wheaties to make the starter itself spin a little whenever there's misalignment during the engagement phase

12:14 PM

and surely a generous bevel on the starter gear to smooth the transition

the nature of a bendix means that if you fling the gear out like the solenoid does, it'll spin a bit. and the bevel is indeed generous. I still marvel that the thing works at all, let alone as well as they do

Im shocked this Jeep still works

12:19 PM

Won't start, but starter kicks. Previously I had to turn the fan a bit to get it to start

12:20 PM

Presumably to engage different teeth

Could be a fuse

The mystery grows. Dani got home with the keys and the jeep started right up for me

Could just be an old starter

6:37 PM

Like on the element

what're the symptoms (for the umpteenth time, I presume)?

Yesterday it took 5 tries to start when she was leaving work. This morning it wouldn't start at all

7:37 PM

It started for me when I tried when she got home

7:38 PM

Allen insists that the problems only exist in her head since we can't get them to show up

I mean it's not an uncommon symptom for a bad starter but it is suspicious if it only occurs for one person.

could be you are cranking it for longer and she's just quick cranking it

what happens when it doesn't start? (e.g. clicking sound but no crank; lights on dash dim but no crank;spinning noise but no crank;nothing at all...) you mentioned "turning the fan"... how did that play out?

Turning the fan got it to turn over

like it got stuck?

Otherwise last time she was having this issue, it wasn't spinning the flywheel

10:43 PM

Like turning the fan let it engage different teeth

10:43 PM

I figured it just had some busted gear teeth

do you get a faster than normal spinning sound? grinding?

10:45 PM

you're right. if turning the fan (and, thus, the engine) a few degrees let it grab, then you're probably facing a ring gear problem. Remedies usually involve trans R&R, ring gear R&R (sometimes manifests as a flexplate R&R, depending on parts availability for that model, etc.)

10:45 PM

but one would certainly like to be certain of that before diving in...

Yeah i think we settled on just having to turn the fan every so often

10:47 PM

But she reported that not working in this case

10:48 PM

Maybe not enough turns

It's an automatic, right? Cause bumping over a stick would be much easier, but I can't imagine this one is...

It is automatic

I hear there's an air pump one can use to inflate a bike tire in automotive. where is it stored?

would be one of the air chucks in general; I'm aware of any other inflators

https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/bod-2020-01-12-outdoor-conversion-vehicles-committee/67019 if this is campervans, trailers, whatnot then those are some big projects in terms of space and tonnage

12:28 PM

gonna speculate it all sprang from this thread: https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/team-building-for-party-bus-conversion-and-gypsy-wagons/66791

Team-building for Party Bus Conversion and "Gypsy Wagons"

Hello, it’s Jon; I’m reactivating soon and wanting to assemble a team for various “mobile contraption” projects. I’d like to spend the next few months converting my ideas into our plans and preparing ourselves to implement them! Specifically, my limo-bus project ha...

prob'ly

12:31 PM

still looks like a SIG to me

12:31 PM

don't need a sponsoring committee, either, as far as I know, unless you start wanting space or $

3

12:31 PM

(control of)

12:32 PM

if you and your buddies just want to meet up and work within existing areas, with existing tools... no need for all this overhead

suspect the interest is in acquiring budget

hm

12:34 PM

for pizza & beer?

an exercise left to the reader

2

I can't think of any tools that would be specific to their needs, that aren't generally automotive tools

Jewelry Small Metals, Printmaking, and Glassworks, off the top of my head, started out as SIGs under other committees. They didn't walk in and say, "We want to be a committee" right off the bat.

2

12:38 PM

They earned that status over months and years of teaching classes, gathering active members and instructors, petitioning their host committees for tools and materials...until they outgrew their host's real estate. At that point, they petitioned the Board, with the confidence that they were sustainable and could handle the added level of responsibility.

1

well stated

I just can't think of any tools they need or any interior space that'd be useful. It'd be better if they started as a SIG and if, over the next few months, they find that space or tools are needed, and auto isn't suitable, they could be upgraded. But there's not a lot of space to give out anyways, we kinda allocated most of it in expansion.

I'd also consider how much the vanlife people liked to store vehicles behind the space

you KNOW (well, hope, anyway) that is ON peoples' MIND... Fairly? Who knows, but please TELL ME we haven't already forgotten Camp DMS...

Yeah I want to do a camper van but the population is too fond of living at DMS to risk a committee.

Reminder: At 8pm on Sunday I will be tagging out the lift for service starting on Monday morning.

We need to build a RC car https://youtu.be/IOLzpBzUXZs

Jimmy Built

The Teslonda in action - Tesla powered Honda Accord

interesting, I disconnected the two batteries in my jeep from each other, one reads 12.6 the other 12.8

3:33 PM

they're connected in parallel (except for this test) so I think the 12.6 might be going bad

Connected both to chargers, the 12.8 said it was basically full and went into auto-maintain, the 12.6 says it's under 50% and is trying to charge, even though the system as a whole was on a charger since last night

3:47 PM

Pretty sure I found my smoking gun

3:48 PM

Explains the electrical issues I've been having

3:52 PM

#itsajeepthing

lol.

3:53 PM

your optimism that THIS will be "the thing" is adorable

3:53 PM

3:54 PM

*copied & pasted from the last time I had this convo with a jeep "driver"

LOL

You're not wrong

Is the lift functional - had a complaint via email. Said RFID did not work. Is there RFID lockout on it?

It's likely not a fully updated list

There's an RFID box on it now. We're pretty sure 50% of the lift trained people won't be able to badge in

5:23 PM

So, there's an online quiz on talk (and I hope in a QR code on the side of the lift), take the quiz and Jim will add you to the group

This person wanted a refund since he couldn't use the lift. Asked via email if tried to ask around but has not responded yet.

We aren't a rent a garage

Exactly but "customers"

Lolllll that's great. The cynic in me thinks we'll see more of this as we get bigger

we see a ton already

I think once someone threatened to "go to the BBB" and it was hard not to laugh

8:57 PM

Even for-profit businesses don't care about the BBB most of the time, it's just such a weird and empty threat

8:57 PM

It's like the pre-internet version of "I'll post about this on Yelp!"

@Lampy (Ken Purcell) we only need to validate their training. It's unfortunately the case that certain former instructors were terrible about adding students to the AD group. In my time I've caught plenty of untrained members on the lift, or members that were not possible to track down after they did something stupid and didn't own up to it

9:06 PM

I don't have the QR code on the side. @Patrickpleez1 said he'd handle that since I've got a heavy load but I may have to get something else written up.

Heck I'm probably not on the list, but I took the class probably before the AD group was done

So far I've had one person who reached out, I. Accounts@ no less, and complain that wasn't in the list. Others preemptively checked their status through me after reading the talk post but it wasn't necessary

9:58 PM

Automotive now has a chained feed scoop and a rolling bucket for spill absorbant

1

@aceat64 just checked (because I wanted to see for myself, too) and we are both in "Automotive 102 (Lift Training)" group, so I guess Chuck did my training class right...

1

10:14 PM

Spotted at the local Costco

There's a SVX that appears to work @ the Costco in Plano on the tollway... It's not that one, though, I don't think. I never noticed those wheels on, if that is it. I thought it was green, too, instead of black. Maybe it's got a buddy...

there are a few in the region

7:49 AM

I think I've seen a green one at DMS

And wow is the Google photos image search terrifyingly capable

6:21 PM

Took that pic in 2016 at DMS

dare I ask about your apparent obsession where Subaru SVX are concerned?

you may dare. a friend owned one briefly. and they're oddities that are fairly easy to spot.

9:05 AM

something about that chart says SELL SELL SELL to me...

1

9:10 AM

oh, and I wandered into this facebook group where people post photos of street finds and since I find myself photographing such vehicles anyway ...

I've always been partial to Subaru, despite not having owned one. The SVX being the pinnacle of the 1990's, they were of course a source of intrigue. I've always wanted to gut the flat 6 in one to see how they're made, but owners are surprisingly stingy on that front... I recall thinking "$30k for a SUBARU?!? They're NUTS!" Followed shortly by "I dunno...Mitsubishi's asking that for their 3000GT, and apparently getting it..." had no idea they were bringing the name back, either, til just now... https://2019subarucars.com/category/svx/

will it be a worthy revival or like reboots of 90s films?

uuuum....

9:51 AM

reboots of 90s films, based on my 8 second glance...

9:51 AM

"plug in hybrid"

9:51 AM

ugly

9:51 AM

done here...

9:51 AM

I got sort of close to the Volt in 2017

9:54 AM

but the ~50 mile electric range, its throw the A pillars as far forward as possible design, lack of a useable rear seat for adults, general FWD meh feel, cost, and other weirdness convinced me not to

9:55 AM

in my view the problem with PHEVs is they're mostly shoehorned into ICE platforms thus have useless EV range

plus ethanol

those that aren't are vanishingly rare such as the now-extinct Volt, the hilariously expensive and weird BMW i3, or the moreseo expensive and moreso weird BMW i8 (edited)

I don't want that stuff sitting around in my fuel tank...

so you just don't buy gasoline in metro areas?

amusingly, I see about 3 or 4 i3 on my way to/from work, and usally at least 1 of an assortment of 4 or so i8...

I see i3's regularly, i8's almost never

can't figure out who is springing for those things

9:57 AM

but someone is

9:57 AM

lol gotta take my phev to oklahoma for a re-fuel...

the i8 is an example of an operating model that just doesn't make sense to me - a car that has to be plugged in daily and refueled weekly since it pretty much needs both power sources to perform optimally

but they look so damned cool

9:58 AM

i3 architecture makes the most sense to me for PHEV - long(ish) EV range with the ICE existing purely to spin a generator for more range ... only the range on the ICE is horrible due to bafflingly minuscule fuel tank capacity (edited)

sure. but what makes even more sense to me is a full ev, with the "borrow" option for the full ice for whenever you take those long trips...

10:00 AM

although that's fraught with its problems, too...

it's how the Volt was supposed to be designed, but then late in the design phase GM shot themselves in the foot by reworking it for better fuel economy as opposed to EV performance

lol

10:01 AM

I've known a few volt owners

10:01 AM

the loved them

10:01 AM

one of them is now bolt driver

10:01 AM

loves it to death

10:01 AM

‍♂️

10:01 AM

former subaru driver, no less...

10:01 AM

cool. GM dealer I test drove with clearly gave no f_cks about the Volt. parked end of the lot, not charged, grudging about the whole process

lol

10:02 AM

well, that DOES make it seem appealing...

I couldn't get a feel for how it was going to work out on the commute since, you know, the engine was spinning the whole time

10:03 AM

even on my ~60 mile daily drive ~80% would be electric

yeah

10:03 AM

you have charger access @ work?

no

10:04 AM

I'm not counting on that happening anytime ever

but if it were to happen, would make the phev more appealing

10:04 AM

except for that whole ethanol sitting thing

10:04 AM

meh. just not a fan of the hybrid, as much as I want to be

not really. all workplace charging outside of halo employers like google is paid.

just makes for 2 problematic technologies to try to coexist

10:05 AM

oh, sure. I just meant if you're employer were feeling altruistic and you could be the sole beneficiary at no other cost to you than the purchase...

honestly expect to do the (financially) stupid thing and trade in the WRX on an appealing longer-range BEV once they become more palatable/accessible

but we know the big boss would be that, were it to be

Verizon was rolling chargers ... at the fancy HQ at Hidden Ridge in Irving, which was paid at some rate that was going to make buying gas at the station right next to the rental car return at the airport seem palatable

10:07 AM

but Verizon sold me and ~10,000 other employees to Frontier in 2016 (edited)

lol

10:08 AM

buhbye

10:08 AM

maybe it will be the madness of the Cybertruck

10:09 AM

maybe the model 3 will come down a tad in price and TSLA will sort out their reliability problems

10:10 AM

maybe one of the incumbent OEMs will stop making grudging compliance cars and work out a deal with TSLA or roll their own ersatz supercharging networks that are priced reasonably

10:11 AM

as it stands the pricing on alternatives to the supercharger networks is madness

10:11 AM

although not sure what TSLA charges ~~plebes~~ Model 3 drivers to supercharge, either

10:13 AM

I expect to charge at home for my daily driving and will have other cars available for highway trips, but it would be interesting to make some highway trips in an EV - visit exciting places like Sulphur Springs or Texarkana on the way to/from the folks house

10:14 AM

Texarkana : https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4600077,-94.0774905,3a,75y,154.21h,87.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svgRUDW_3c7mTVp9u9DtB9A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

Varies by state, but I think around double what your home rate might be, still much cheaper than gas

can't say I haven't seen any appeal to the BEV, but, despite shopping in the last new car round, couldn't take them seriously. The "Cybertruck" is NOT helping me take them any more seriously. And I'm not sure I could put into EM's coffer, no matter how good anything TSLA ever makes is. My loss, I know.

10:15 AM

lol. hafta eat a lotta pasta for all the necessary charging...

10:15 AM

My folks live in Texarkana...

10:15 AM

Sulfur Springs is old stomping ground (well, ish...)

no stake in TSLA myself, they're just the only automaker that seems serious about making EV's with any real feeling

10:16 AM

@AGr merely ~$0.20 per kWH isn't bad at all. the other fast-charging networks seem to be aiming for charging more than what a tank of premium gas goes for...

10:18 AM

Cybertruck is indeed hideous ... but hey so is the WRX in a way. Suspect it will see some changes before coming to frution but I hope they maintain the stainless exterior.

well... I hear that makes it nigh impossible for the drug dogs to get a scent...

hahahah

Could be like me and buy a model s and get free unlimited supercharging

10:19 AM

I only have to drive 2 million miles supercharging and car pays for itself...

I don't need a vehicle that's such a huge percentage of what my house goes for

lol

10:19 AM

but you make a solid point about just getting to drive home to charge, instead of hunting for this week's low-cost refuler winner

I very grudgingly bought the WRX for ~double what the Mazda 3 went for and it's not double the car

10:20 AM

using the likes of gasbuddy makes sense. driving around not so much so...

gasbuddy got banned from my apps back when we had a dzl

10:21 AM

it was always wrong, and not just about the price, but where the juice was

I'm waiting for new roadster, then I could have a car worth more than my house

lol

10:21 AM

jet powered, no less!

the inflation in new car prices is baffling

no, no. ROCKET powered!

10:21 AM

my bad

and even with that inflation the OEMs cry about how they can't turn a profit

Mind Blowing!

10:26 AM

$30k for a friggin' truck!?!

buy that old-and-busted model S from you for a few dimes on the dollar after you nick that Roadster ...

if you beat me to the dumpster, you can fish it out for free

Its holding up well, only had one small issue where steering wheel button broke, and a service tech came to my house to fix it

What's the specs on that truck though? $30k for 4x4 isn't bad

10:30 AM

My Jeep was $39k

base model

entry-level heavy duty trucks seem to start at ~35K now

starts at

10:31 AM

granted, the f150 payload/towing starts at the 3/4 ton class now, but that's still nuts

I anticipate I might want to tow ~10k lbs someday thus I keep somewhat apprised of the heavy-duty truck market...

even more mind blowing, no v8 option in the raptor at any cost, but that's a different discussion

Raptor has leaned ecoboost for years now, no?

yeah

10:34 AM

but it'sblasphemy

10:34 AM

blown 6.2 or nothing, thanks

10:34 AM

(not that I was in danger of buying one anyway...)

the Raptor has a nigh-unshakable association with the brodozer demo

which surprises me that it's made the jump with the ecoboost

10:37 AM

but I guess they're a kinder, gentler brodozer demo than I thought

entry-level, turnkey brodozer demo perhaps (edited)

what else runs in that category?

as opposed to the upper tier where they won't sully themselves with 1500-class machines nor gasoline

oh geebus! There's a Ranger Raptor! https://www.caranddriver.com/ford/ranger-raptor talk about beating a dead horse

2021 Ford Ranger Raptor: What We Know So Far

It is all but official that Ford will build the Ranger Raptor, a downsized version of the high-flying, velocity-defying F-150 Raptor.

10:40 AM

but I guess if it's spitting out money, you do it...

not for USDM

https://www.caranddriver.com/photos/g16672306/ford-ranger-raptor-revealed-and-its-coming-to-the-u-s-official-photos-and-info-gallery/

Ford Ranger Raptor Revealed, and It’s (Probably) Coming to the U...

You gotta believe we're in line for this bad-ass mid-size pickup.

10:41 AM

did they change their mind?

10:41 AM

(you can tell I keep up!)

or maybe it will happen after all. I know that the rest of the world has had the new midsize Ranger Raptor for years.

10:43 AM

but the rest of the world is not as fond of the F150 as north America is

hm

10:45 AM

yeah

10:45 AM

wikipedia (the bible of all things!) says it's not coming due to overlap with the f150-based raptor and the dzl so popular elsewhere isn't licensed in the us (and overlaps the ecoboost)

lineup issues as well with the cheaper Ranger presenting the risk of cannibalizing F150 sales

yeah

10:46 AM

They're being pretty careful with the existing one

10:46 AM

4 door only

10:46 AM

shortbed only

10:46 AM

2.3 ecoboost only

10:46 AM

we'll see what tomorrow brings

dzl being ... diesel?

yes

I kind of miss compact trucks

10:57 AM

but I'm also well aware of their limitations

ditto

for my present purposes my '03 Ranger is adequate

10:58 AM

don't need a fullsize truck for occasional Home Despot runs nor have I routinely needed more mass/volume than its bed can handle

I shopped pretty hard for one of those, but coudln't find one in the price range/condition I was willing to accept

11:00 AM

(there are several out there now that I've jumped into something else)

11:00 AM

plus, parts...

11:00 AM

can't believe you can't buy a front wheel spindle for one

11:00 AM

but I can't find one.

11:01 AM

and people just looove the v6

11:01 AM

couldn't pay me enough to have one

11:01 AM

the 4 banger, I'd have all day long

11:01 AM

but I digress

as someone that owned a 4-banger Ranger for years ... F that noise

11:08 AM

best that engine could dream of achieving was "maintain highway speed under ideal conditions"

11:09 AM

the 3.0L Vulcan V6 has its shortcomings for sure, but at least it can accelerate to highway speed under a wide range of conditions and maintain that speed

11:09 AM

4.0L might even be satisfactory

lol

I'm really looking forward to the cybertruck tbh

as someone who's worked on a shytetonne of these beasts, a v6 ford will never set foot in my stable

500 miles is more range than my Jeep

11:12 AM

going to be great for long road trips, since we seem to take an hour at each stop anyway, it's not actually slower to charge vs gas up

ROFL

11:13 AM

I guess if you're very VERY lackadaisical in your road trip scheduling, you're not going to lose time to charging (edited)

if it's just me and Nicole, stops are short, but any kind of group trip the stops always take forever

Four hours to the folks house if traffic cooperates - a trip I've made dozens of times - and I've done it nonstop perhaps twice

especially if the cruel bus is involved lol

that's good, as long as you plan it

11:14 AM

trips should be about the trip

refueling is 15+ minutes

11:15 AM

especially travelling with dogs

hm.

11:15 AM

when we roll to my dad's, not quite 4 hrs, I think, 1 stop, 10 minutes, no gas

a lot of the super chargers are placed near tourist trap kind of things now lol

11:16 AM

so you can charge up, get that classic road trip feeling that the trinket you just bought was probably a rip off, and then get back on the road

wrong! our trek is only 3 hours, not 4

11:16 AM

that might make a difference...

with a cybertruck and 500 miles of range, probably don't have to stop at all to charge on a trip like that

11:17 AM

just charge at the destination, even if it's a slow charge

except for air conditioning and sitting in traffic

people camp in their Teslas, running AC for a day or more

but yeah, if it gets anywhere near the projected range, it'd be hypothetically good to go

100kWh is a lot of power

still ugly as fuck

11:18 AM

but good to go

11:18 AM

and i'll confess, if it's only $30k, I'll look into it

11:19 AM

but I think Elon's saying $50?

11:19 AM

yawn

I get that for vocational purposes the longer recharge interval vs refueling is a problem. but for road trips fast-charging ~50% capacity in ~30 minutes doesn't strike me as the drag that it's made out to be

I can guarantee I'd be going ape-shit waiting half an hour for a recharge

11:20 AM

I cannot speak for others

I remember those road trips as a kid. 16 freaking hours a day in the car to make time or bursts of 30-120 minutes on the road to spend 15-30 minutes with relatives dotting the MN or NC countryside... (edited)

11:22 AM

my prototypical road trip to the folks' house in a Tesla would take a bit longer charging in Sulphur Springs or Texarkana (the two superchargers along I-30) but I wouldn't care

11:23 AM

initial pricing on the base model cybertruck closer to $40k IIRC, but that's also ~250 miles range?

11:24 AM

https://www.tesla.com/cybertruck/design#battery

Design Your Cybertruck | Tesla

Design and order your Cybertruck, the truck of the future.

11:25 AM

• base : 250 miles / $40k • dual motor : 300 miles/ $50k • tri motor : 500 miles / $70k

11:25 AM

all speculative, natch

hm

11:27 AM

more motors = more range...

11:27 AM

big question is if it will be 120kwh or 200kwh battery pack

Tesla motor tech is really good too, higher efficiency than anyone else

11:29 AM

mostly because they've just been iteratively improving it and all those tiny 0.5%-1% gains add up

with more motors they are likely different, more powerful in rear but more efficient in front for highway driving

yeah, I think the newer powertrains already do that? (edited)

the raven update on S/X yeah

11:30 AM

use the model 3 motor in front

iirc they do A/C motors for power, and turn them off when at highway because they coast better

@A. Spencer(jast) the way the tiers breakdown is you get a larger pack at each tier, although the distinction between the single- and dual-motor may well be software

I was just amusing myself with the false reasoning

anyway. I think I could live with an EV for commuting and with reasonable public fast-charging could use it for road trips.

unless it's raining I ride my electric motorcycle to work, and it's been great

11:44 AM

don't ever have to even think about stopping for gas/charge, since I just charge at home over night

that thing is alarmingly quiet, btw

I love the noise it makes when accelerating

some variant on whirrr I imagine?

basically yeah, I should record it

suspect a lot of it is reduction gear noise

is Andrew not making the legally required "passenger warning" noises when driving it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLr4CwkhvAc

MrCrittles114

Funny Racecar Sounds

lol

I bought my Zero before any of those pesky laws might go into effect that require "noise"

11:47 AM

there's an interview from a recent race where the 1st place winner was talking about the 2nd place winner (who was on a zero) and he just kept saying how surprised he was that the guy was right there on his tail because he couldn't hear him

They are pesky, I agree, but having been on the short end of an EV sneak attack, I can see the desire on the part of the pedestrian

I can see it for cars, but if I hit a person we're both going to have a bad time

1

and what with the cell phone usage practices of drivers...

wish I could find this unusually candid interview that some of the execs at Harley-Davidson did a few years before the LiveWire was a reality - something to the effect of *Yeah they hate us at Sturgis, but that demo also isn't buying bikes any more.*

most of the anti-ev motorcycle riders are old and have already bought their last bike

11:49 AM

even if they don't realize it's their last one

the culture war over EVs confuses me

I don't get the hate for them

11:50 AM

I'm not going to say an EV is the best option every time, because the battery tech ain't there yet

You can always find someone that's pro-EV that also has a mad-on against SUVs and the like, but they're a tiny minority

but they absolutely wreck ICE on pretty much all comparisons other than range

you might be mistaking hatred for the "EVs are the ONLY savior for all of Mankind's maladies" crew for hatred of the actual vehicles themselves...

these days I see a lot more anti-EV and I do anti-ICE

you can find a few more people trying to shoehorn them into every possible ICE role, but I don't take them seriously either

Tesla did a pretty good job of making EVs cool

but then Elon just keeeeeps running his mouth

so now there's a ton of non-ideological buyers of EVs

that's what he does

11:52 AM

as does Jeremy Clarkson

yeah, but Jeremy knows he's being an asshole

use to be the only people buying a Prius were the kind to constantly talk about how they're somehow single handedly saving the planet

11:53 AM

then hybrids just became another normal type of car (edited)

and now hybrids are a big chunk of car sales because surprise it makes sense to build a vehicle with a smaller engine and buffer some of its output beyond average demand into a battery and use a motor to supplement peak demand

I think EVs are basically going through the same type of adoption curve

because we've known for decades that it only takes ~20HP to maintain highway speed

the original hybrid ads focused on the environmental impact, and EVs kind of had the same, but go look at Tesla's site and all they really talk about is the performance and features

@A. Spencer(jast) the cult of TSLA and Musk is an annoyance, for sure

11:59 AM

It's hitched its ego to the brand and the personality cult for sure, but it's simply a variation on what you've seen in car culture for decades with other brands

11:59 AM

i.e. in my experience Mustang guys only know (the strong points) about Mustangs and hate everything else

that's because mustangs only have strong points

1

12:00 PM

when your platform features a truck axle ...

12:01 PM

(mechanical) strength is indeed a byproduct

ah, the old "attack the live axle" routine...

12:02 PM

(but yeah, that DID affect handling)

aye. going for the low-hanging fruit. because simplistic platform ragging.

lol

12:02 PM

chevy STILL uses pushrods...

12:02 PM

12:03 PM

(and makes 700hp in the latest 'vette with those pushrods, but never mind that)

funny how far they've been able to push their 57 flavors of LS

I confess to being amazed at what they've done with the smallblock pushrod v8

12:04 PM

it was DOA nearly 20 years ago

12:04 PM

because that platform was played out

12:04 PM

yet here they are

12:05 PM

wish I'd gotten to be a part of that engineering team

Mustangs are great... at losing control trying to do a burnout when leaving Cars and Coffee

ROFL

12:14 PM

not so funny that those asshats appear at all good car events eventually (and they don't all drive mustangs)

it's basically a meme at this point that Mustangs fail at burnouts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMtU6zeX2KU

RegularCars

Which Subaru is Best Subaru?

lol

12:24 PM

we had an...xtc, I think they're called? rotting in the back 40

12:24 PM

oops. just xt, no c https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_XT

Subaru XT

The Subaru XT was a 2-door coupé that was produced from 1985 to 1991. The name Alcyone was used in Japan, the Vortex name was used in Australia and New Zealand, and the name XT (with the four-cylinder EA-82 engine) or XT6 (using the ER-27 six-cylinder engine), was sold in No...

12:25 PM

pistol grip shifter, flush close door handles and all

roads were a tad hairy this morning

lol they were wet?

a drop of moisture or few may have fallen on the roads somewhere within 50 miles

queue the President Madagascar memes

an exciting day for TSLA stock

Knowing when to take profits is one of the hardest parts of trading

When every post on wallstreetbets is about Tesla (like yesterday) you know you've reached peak fomo

seems like when a stock gains ~50% in a day or so without any underlying fundamental change, one should beware the coming cliff

Yeah, I'm glad its at more sane levels so can climb reasonably over time, next huge event is battery day in ~april

not sure it's at a properly sane level yet

I'm looking to buy some at a bit lower I think

12:37 PM

interesting that the best trade last year was sell BTC at it's high and buy TSLA, and now that TSLA is dropping from ATH the same day BTC is pumping

no sleetageddon this morning

completely disappointing

Heard it snowed in deton, but that's all

Who is the head of the auto group? I've taken the class for the lift but my fob doesn't work for it.

jim (hon1nbo) is

6:03 PM

instructions are on talk, in the thread pertaining to the adding of the RFID

6:03 PM

https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/automotive-lift-rfid-changeover/67176

Automotive Lift RFID Changeover

All, as part of the cylinder rebuild, the changeover to RFID has been completed for the lift. Those who have not been added to AD properly after their training need to reach out to myself or another lift instructor, and complete the quiz located here (EDIT: to clarify, this ...

@Gustavo the Mexican Bear I'm currently AFK and operating mobile. send me a message with who your instructor was, when you took, it, and a calendar link if applicable

6:15 PM

if you took it without a calendar link and the instructor can't attest to the presence then we have a little quiz that can help us determine competency linked in that post

Honestly take the quiz regardless. It's a great refresher.

Hey car question-in a Honda Element if there’s a clicking/grinding sound that’s worse when accelerating and turning what’s wrong with it?

Might be a lose part

11:28 AM

In the wheel area

11:28 AM

Not something I've been warned about on mine though. Or encountered

11:29 AM

Or like road trash got caught on a caliper or something

Maybe wheel bearing, hard to say

11:31 AM

Would have to jack it up and turn by hand to try and see

Lots of things. CV joints spring to mind. Best thing is like Brandon said, get it on the lift/jackstands and poke around.

obviously bad cv joint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c1nxR7aq1o

Justin Miller

What a bad CV joint sounds like

1

Koeinsonieseggionesegg announced their next car today. With a freevalve engine. https://www.koenigsegg.com/gemera/tiny-friendly-giant-engine/

lotto lotto lotto

7:23 PM

honestly, I'd rather work there than own one

I just wanna put that engine in a Miata. 600hp and 150kg.

7:27 PM

Sorry. 70kg, ~150lbs.

that IS more impressive...

7:27 PM

Dude is nuts! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX6o-bb-axs

CB Media

THAI MODEL RIDES IN 620HP 2JZ S13 DRIFT CAR

5:29 PM

skip to 6:00 for tire chirping squealing burning fun

5:31 PM

I thought $500/ea/tires didn't last long on my car

1:33 PM

My truck was attacked

1:33 PM

Pepper spray is going on those suckers

?

1:37 PM

Rats?

Squirrels

1:56 PM

I park beside a family of them

Ford allegedly backfilling the vacuum left by the departure of the Fiesta and the Focus from their lineup with a ... compact unibody pickup

10:02 PM

Since the nu Ranger is a "midsize" truck with more oomph than the base F150 had perhaps a decade and a half ago

So what, they're going to export a ute or something?

that's the betting money

10:12 PM

https://www.motor1.com/news/302288/ford-focus-pickup-announcement/

Ford Announces Compact Pickup Truck To Slot Below Ranger

Ford is preparing to add an even smaller pickup to its range that would use the Focus' unibody platform. All-wheel drive would be available.

10:12 PM

Focus platform. 1.5 or 2.0L turbo engines. FWD base on the base model for sure :/ . (edited)

Ugh, it's like some weird crossover ute. Just not for me I suppose

yeah

GROSS

10:14 PM

KILL IT WITH MUCH FIRE

I've owned two Rangers and the reboot didn't much interest me

10:15 PM

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a31281106/ford-small-pickup-coming-2021/ "One dealer in attendance told Automotive News that the truck looked like the original Ranger."

Ford Shows Dealers Its Sub-$20,000 Small Pickup Coming Next Year

The unibody compact pickup will slot in under the Ranger in the Ford lineup.

10:16 PM

suspect its capabilities may well be in line with the original Ranger

10:16 PM

mine is a fantastic weekend project hauler

But it's not going to pull much more than some jetskis, a micro pop-up camper, or a small utility trailer. Bed capacity something like ¼ ton: most sedans can move more.

I loved our focus

isn't this basically the transit connect ute?

automotive press ain't saying

https://youtu.be/qJjL-NWeoVI

Eric enjoys Earth

Van Tour: DIY conversion with a stealth van (FAST and INEXPENSIVE)

7:57 PM

I really wanna build this, i'm tired of my family

it's only time, money, effort, and overbuying materials to cover the f_ckups and design errors!

As long as you don't try to use the dms parking lot as a living space I don't care

Huh?

that and once DMS is open, you kinda need your project to stay ambulatory

He speaks from experience

and regret. so much regret. and it wasn't even my project.

Any suggestions then?

don't do a skookie

I just wanna move the fk out

this is pretty indicative of the skookie experience : https://thebigbustheory.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/03262016/

TheBigBusTheory

03/26/2016

8:03 PM

I've still got the badge

8:03 PM

more generally, from what I've seen of #vanlife it's generally not as glamorous as YouTube'ers make it out to me

Dude, i'm just sick of my parents and siblings

8:04 PM

If the only other option wasn't being homeless i'd be gone

Do you have a full time job?

nope

8:05 PM

no job

Maybe start with that or getting disability benefits if you qualify.

best I can tell a working, reliable van is going to be >$5k. Probably going to spend at least that much on upgrades to make it habitable.

fk it, i'll snare squireles and collect rain water

8:08 PM

I just want out

pwnie your age, skillset?

"fuel filter"

"its a 2door"

that mod is going to do some amazing things to the front wheel wells over time

Rip rollover protection...

b pillar is still there

More likely to bend, since it's not held rigidly at either end

even if it doesn't bend, the door is not as rigidly attached to the frame and has a larger amount of force potential on its latch, so the B pillar can just get pushed outward under crush conditions anyway. (edited)

But it's still there

5:16 PM

Hold my beer

5:16 PM

I'll test it

I'm still hung up on the why

2

automotive meeting for sunday updated with the google meet info: Join Hangouts Meet meet.google.com/vsc-mprv-ace · Up to 250 participants Meeting ID meet.google.com/vsc-mprv-ace Phone Numbers (‪US‬) ‪+1 585-491-8307‬ PIN: ‪721 076 866#‬ More phone numbers

it's not just the Zuck trying to push these "fuel filters" anymore

1

Oh I see. They call them fuel filters because they need to keep their buisness silent.

I look at those pictures and see no filtering taking place. What's the theory/pseudo science behind them?

Yeah. Completely lost on what those are, other than NOT fuel filters...

So found out what they are

7:55 PM

They're for fuel dispensing pumps. Those blocks next to the breakaway linkages on the hose

7:56 PM

They're commonly converted to "solvent traps" for rifles

7:56 PM

I.e. a can on the end that you've conveniently put a concentric hole on the other side

2

7:59 PM

As for it allegedly being a generic fuel filter, at least Ali tries to pass it off with a picture that actually has some shitty media in it

7:59 PM

silly me. I was trying to shoehorn it into the COVID face mask or PPE thing...

8:00 PM

That makes a lot more sense!

so those housings and even those threaded fittings - conveniently used on AR-15 and AR-10 pattern rifle barrels for muzzle devices - can be used as fuel filters. and have long been used as solvent traps, which are a legal and convenient means to DIY your own suppressor provided you go through the legal process and what you buy doesn't conveniently already have baffles or other accoutrements that the ATF considers to be critical suppressor components. (edited)

1

Turns out jar lids are more like oil filters than I thought

I've never seen that improvised oil filter trick but now have to try it

must get into the salsa at all costs (edited)

additional contact surface area is your friend when trying to open a stuck jar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtSdNwS1Wy0&feature=youtu.be&t=50 now there's an action verb

AvE

Forking Pierced! | John Deere Tractor

Approved.

I see an update for the cruel bus

They cancelled wasteland this year so we have a lot of time to work on the bus now

1

super random question, but anyone know the specific Torx socket one needs to remove a serpentine belt tensioner on a Ford Vulcan 3.0L engine? (edited)

5:49 PM

finally found a messageboard that thinks it has an answer: https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/index.php?threads/replacing-the-serpentine-belt-tensioner.46188/

The tensioner is held on by a T-50 torx bolt. On my '94, the back is keyed so that you cannot install it incorrectly.

(edited)

Replacing the Serpentine Belt Tensioner

Has anyone done this? Does anyone know how it's done? After REMOVING my heater fan and re-installing my supercharger, I had my saintly father-in-law evaluate the pulley alignment. He thinks my tensioner needs replacing. I've never done this before, so I was hoping someone ...

self-help'r-us

9:52 PM

it wasn't a pretty process but it's in

9:53 PM

upside: it idles properly downside: the squealing didn't go away. it may be the alternator.

9:53 PM

voltage looked a bit ... variable ... on the guages. will need to put a multimeter to it and see if that tells me anything.

Does the alternator pully still spin? Danis jeep seized the plastic one after we replaced the belt and it just melted

Ya, squeaking could be any of the pulleys. A mechanics stethoscope or long screwdriver are useful sometimes for figuring out which one... If it's not already obvious

I was just coming here to say the same thing... https://www.amazon.com/Baby-bells-Stethoscope-Motorcycles-Tool%EF%BC%88Black%EF%BC%8C1Pcs%EF%BC%89/dp/B07YG2CM31/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Baby+bells+Mechanic%27s+Stethoscope+Automotive+Engine+Diagnostic+Sensitive+Hearing+Tool+for+Cars&qid=1589166871&sr=8-1

10:18 PM

but a long screwdriver can be just as useful...

best I can tell, yes

10:56 PM

drove it several miles today without apparent issue

10:57 PM

although I know most cars can drive a long way without a working alternator

That's good at least. My personal best is about 120 miles, though they were nervous ones :)

I made it most of the way from Austin to Dallas on an alternator that wasn't charging

I'm impressed

lessee... I put about...10k on my first car with a bad alt. It was a plugin hybrid well-before they existed...

we got from east dallas to witchita falls on a dead alternator because of @aceat64

haw

11:01 PM

yeah I remember hearing about that

11:02 PM

Ranger isn't a daily driver so I have the luxury of time to f__k with it

In my defense the sparks it made were kind of cool

new tensioner slack enough that slipping the belt is easy now

new alternator cheap enough - AC Delco <$110 on Rock Auto

8:53 AM

reman starts at $70

you're going to ROB yourself of the experience of installing some new bearings?

on a sealed assembly

9:53 AM

yes, I do intend to rob myself of that experience (edited)

lol

9:55 AM

I always enjoyed replacing bearings on alternators

9:55 AM

something that seemed impossible before I learned how, actually quite easy once learned.

they don't appear to be serviceable

9:55 AM

or at least don't look to be designed to be serviceable

9:56 AM

but maybe that's the trick with all the reman alternators out there - with a few minutes of bench time they can be tested and the wear components swapped out

yep

9:57 AM

with the proper tools and a nice workspace, <10 per unit in a shop setting

9:57 AM

reman centers...no idea, but I'm guessing hundreds-thousands/hr

9:58 AM

GETTING the right brushes/bearings was the real bitch

castings look to be screwed together on the AC Delco and Bosch units

9:58 AM

well, yes, that's hardly a Rock Auto / 'Zon stock item

but Purvis bearing has them all, and friendly staff (well, they did a decade or two ago when I did this stuff on the regular)

9:59 AM

and if you KNOW what you need, you MIGHT be able to get it @ vAutoZone/Oripleys

10:00 AM

no idea on Rock Auto. Never searched there for components

they seem to sell parts for the wrench-spinning crowd like myself

10:14 AM

looks to take some basic fixturing to remove bearings, not sure what's involved in removing the guts from the housing (edited)

10:16 AM

<$110 for a new alternator on a vehicle w/ >100k miles or ~$5 in parts, some additional money for tooling, some period of time to figure out how to pull/replace bearings - all the while running the risk that I'm just going to need a replacement alternator anyway ... ?

did you run through the ChrisFix gauntlet? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEUe6uKxTv8

ChrisFix

How to Fix a Squeaky Belt (figure out where the squeak is coming from)

ignorant of this regimen

10:20 AM

haw! B3000 exemplar

but it's a Mazda...nothing like a Ford...

10:22 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLNZj4JFJ08

a DIY Car Guy

Take Apart Alternator - $1.50 Repair - Bearing Replacement - MINI C...

10:23 AM

this guy did it the hard way. A 2/3 jaw puller works well in most cases for removal from the shaft, and a press IS nice for the front bearing but, as demonstrated, not strictly necessary

nothing like a Ford. as you can see the badges are different.

lol

these tools I lack (for bearing removal) (edited)

10:30 AM

the water test is interesting

10:31 AM

it does take a few minutes for the squeal to develop and it's not constant

10:31 AM

need to put a meter on the battery

10:31 AM

forget how old that battery is; it may be new-ish

So I'm haring "Erik's turning down the perfect opportunity to acquire new tools"...

10:35 AM

I kid. I kid.

you are. I find myself pressing bearings ... never.

Nothing wrong with putting a reman unit in place.

10:36 AM

As long as it's a good reman unit.

10:36 AM

I did it to my car

price differential between new and remain not great enough to justify the reman in my book

1

$50 used unit vs. nonworking alternator, having to drive around to find the bearings, impossible to be SURE I was sourcing the right brushes (actually the problem)...

10:37 AM

I put the "temp used" in place 6 years before I sold it.

10:37 AM

and it accumulated half of the 230k on that veh

10:38 AM

No change om the water trick. Alternator is spinning inside the housing. Battery gnd cable was somewhat loose. Need a multimeter to ts battery and alternator ... Later™ (edited)

https://youtu.be/V58CXYXcBVw And of course it's behaving now

Erik Smith

The mystery of the suddenly working belt/accessories

7:46 PM

It heard us talking about it

must have

7:48 PM

guess it needed more load than driving around the neighborhood with new belt+tensioner+idler to burn in

7:48 PM

but that's the story of the Ranger - always medium reliable so long as it's fussed over periodically

7:48 PM

probably good for another trek to the folks house and back

Yep, sometimes it squeaks just to get some attention. Needy little things

Vulcan engine is not a much beloved platform

Not the worst thing in the world. But yes, not the best either

mechanics dislike it, which seems to place it within the box as opposed to engines in the whiskers which they either hate or don't have major complaints about

wanna see something interesting? https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1956-mercedes-benz-300sl-gullwing-2/

1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

Bid for the chance to own a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #31,718.

how many souls do they want for that thing?

Just your first born.

$1.3 M ... or about 1.3

Yea... I like cars. Not sure I like cars that much.

I surely do not like cars that much

6:23 PM

my personal level of demand meeting the market's supply is rare

6:24 PM

The RCR review of the 4th gen Supra comes to mind

6:26 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5BE5ZHSTj8

RegularCars

1994 Toyota Supra Turbo: Regular Car Reviews

Agreed. It's rare those amounts meet with me as well

first born children are cheaper, and less rare

I dunno, I was pretty pricey. But probably not 1.3M worth.

haha I don't think I earned 1.3M in my life yet

8:49 PM

even my organs on the black market aren't worth that

8:51 PM

but driving a 300SL to dialysis sure would be cool.

1

I saw one of those gull wings in the late 80's at a home in Las Colinas. Stunning. I still remember how beautiful it is

9:37 PM

It was in amazing condition.

already exceeded the last one like it sold on BAT last year for $1,234,567.89...

I could argue that many of the finer things in life are wasted on me

9:02 AM

the degree of fastidiousness that upper-end cars demand may well drive me to genocide

Yea, I need to be able to actually drive my cars. And for that money, I'd rather buy a plane.

Mr. Leno is my idol when it comes to car curation; if it doesn't drive, and won't ever, he doesn't want it. I'd love to be able to plonk down $2mil on this car and drive it like the racer it was meant to be

it's not even the driving aspect, it's the interior and exterior that's designed to be kept immaculate (edited)

That is what staff is for. Leno has some amazing full time mechanics.

he does, indeed. I've written many letters requesting adoption or at the very least, heir status so I can keep it vision going... No response to date...

10:01 AM

(I kid; I haven't actually done that, but sometimes I wonder who will be appointed, or what will happen with that collection when that day comes, him having no "heir apparent")

perhaps a Lenoland will emerge from his estate

perhaps

10:07 AM

I can hope he knows a 20-something with similar mindset and capable of not squandering the trust fund to set that all up and keep it going for a new generation

10:07 AM

because anyone who keeps DuesenbergS on the road...

(edited)

I have no reasonable expectation of ever having staff, thus base models for me and cursing of car designers for their use of black everything that attracts dust like a magnet and tries to brand you in the afternoon ~6 months of the year in TX

Last summer I went LA and we went to the Peterson Auto Museum. Best activity we did.

need to do. for me, last summer we went to Maine just for giggles Happened upon a place called The Owls Head Transportation Museum Happened up on "free ride day" and got a brief spin in a 1949 Lincoln Zephyr V12, convertible, 3 on the tree...NICE ride! http://owlshead.org

3:19 PM

We spent the better part of 4 hours there, chatting with the folks making it all work; the whole museum runs, or is intended to, including the airplanes on one of which we watched a shakedown taxi following rehabilitation of a dead cylinder... neat show, neat vehicles, neat crew...

One of these wheels is not like the other...

Eh, it's fine. It's why there are more than one bolt.

It's gotta be missing two studs, right? Otherwise itd be four and four.

redundancy

Based on the compromised rear view mirror, askew shortround cap, and awstruck dropped-jaw appearance, I'd say he's been victimized by the Chrome Lug Bolt Bandits...probably as per their MO snuck up from behind on driver's side, compromised the reflective surface of the mirror to prevent alarms from sounding, grabbed those 2 lug nuts, probably bitch slapped the driver who'd realized by then what was happening, knocking the cap askew, and then got frightened off by passers-by (who, just guessing, shouted obscenities like "STOP THIEF!")

10:55 AM

but I could have it all wrong...

2

SNORT GUFFAW

lolol

Nah, I'll just use my $350 usb stick and block the 5g

1

I always forget how much of a pain in the ass it is to get to the oil filter on the Ranger

Does it need special slim wrenches like the Honda Element

One of the jack stands at the space is likely a recall

Mind setting it aside for me?

I left it on the table near the first aid drops

6:41 PM

I'll tag it tomorrow

Ranger requires bottom access through an interference fit to remove the filter. Or perhaps the proper way to do it is to remove the driver's side wheel and snake it through that void.

um... That's NUTS!

2

but was it the right size?

So much for the metal detector

I can't believe they lugged that thing all the way though the factory.

5:20 PM

They're going to have to get wheely serious about quality control.

1

Never going to get tired of puns

1

wait...where'd they get that many 10mm in one place?!?

9:26 AM

my experience suggest that more than 2 10mm devices repel on another in some sort of magick-reduction spell

9:27 AM

you never see it happen; you just turn around and at least 1 of them has disappeared

Now you know where they went. And the rule still applies. This was a bribe, and still one is missing :)

it may be difficult to get >1 10mm in one place so the image - while improbable - is still physically possible because of the missing 10mm

Yep, if you try to put another one there, you violate a corrolary to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principal.... You may break the fabric of space time

Is the missing one the one that was in the fruity popsicle?

unfortunately, locating the missing 10mm is not so simple - that was a lug nut

Funny thing; when I took over automotive I switched us to a bins system for sockets. All the super-organizers don't work when you have different users with different philosophies who just want to get through the day and chuck tools back in a drawer. During the resulting cleanup, all of the existing organizers were devoid of 10mm sockets. By the time we cleaned out the drawers the bins were overflowing and we had more 10mm than anything else

Way to crash their party, Jim!

is that the sound of spacetime collapsing?

12:38 PM

as opposed to the simpler - but more boring - explanation that as the most-used size, the 10mm is also most likely to get handled and thus 'lost'

Bah. Boring explanation

more satisfying to devise complex hand-wavery about how the universe loathes the 10mm socket

I haven't really found the 10mm super common. Most of my bolts are 3/8" or 1/2"

age of the vehicles you're working on... ?

Depends what side you are working on

I've only owned it for a year

What a non answer :)

lol Pearce: owner of an "American" car made after 1974. SAE on the bolt side; metric on the nut side.

Business in the front party in the back

2

1

Ran outta gas so I'm gonna try and pump from the busted tank into the good one... Should be interesting

Oh joy

Please don't blow yourself up

So far so good but it's gonna take a while

9:06 PM

Handy to have the spare pump with me

9:06 PM

Exhaust is cool to the touch no worries

Do... do we need to come bring you gas? It only looks a little sketch

It should be good. I pulled into a gas station 3 minutes before this but decided to pass. Dumb dumb dumb

Been there done that. Now I get nervous below a quarter tank

Yeah this happens to me quite a bit none of my cars have working fuel gauges

lol. Maybe we should fix that sometime

Yeah I really should. Truck should be easy tbh

At least you carry some extra gas it appears

Yeah well now I'm on reserve so gonna start the journey home and here's hoping I make it.

Good luck!

Home! I'll try again tomorrow, with a stop at the first gas station

yay! All's well...

And the gas gauge moved up a few ticks on the list for sure

ah automakers, 'innovating' with hardware-as-a-service : https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/07/heated-seats-as-a-service-bmw-wants-to-sell-car-features-on-demand/ (edited)

Heated seats as a service? BMW wants to sell car features on demand

BMW says it's a way to try before you buy, but do people want an extra monthly fee?

I can only hope the car buying public middle fingers that with prejudice (edited)

same

But history suggests it'll be a huge hit, and very profitable

9:25 AM

Like automatics... (edited)

9:25 AM

there's already a huge slice of the public that perpetually has a car payment

9:26 AM

TSLA set some bad trends there

9:26 AM

and is also sliding that direction with features being disabled upon resale

9:28 AM

reminded of a dystopian future that's not far off ... https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/cory-doctorow/unauthorised-bread.htm

Unauthorised Bread by Cory Doctorow

Unauthorised Bread by Cory Doctorow - book cover, description, publication history.

9:29 AM

I need to pick up a copy of that book

1

There's also a huge slice of the public who thinks nothing of owning nothing, and renting whatever their heart desires... it blew my mind to hear of automobile wheel rental shops, but not as much as finding out there are repo people out there for TIRES! Then I learned of SNEAKER rentals...

I recall that Volvo has gotten into that game

10:47 PM

can swap out ~yearly within a tier with no major penalty if you wish

Nissan announced a program a while back, pay a nominal fee a month and you can drive any of 3-4 cars from a predetermined list, switching apparently at will.

Yowzer

10:52 PM

Heartbreaking

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Nissan-takes-new-automobile-subscription-service-15072683.php

For $700 a month, you can drive a new car every day in Houston

The subscription model, once reserved for newspapers and magazines, is increasingly transforming the way Americans consume everything from music to razors.

10:53 PM

I don't know that it's really heartbreaking. It's just a different option for people who have the money.

Snow tire rentals been a thing for decades, not some stuff is meant to be owned, and used up...

10:54 PM

It's heartbreaking that the American dream is to rent stuff.

It's very different. I don't know that it's a dream. It certainly has benefits, much more flexible if you'd rather have a vehicle more 'fit for purpose'

But wouldn't it be nice if you could rent home printers and just take them back when the ink runs out?

It would be cool if I could only have one car, and didn't quite know what to look for. Do it for a month of two and try out a compact, truck, sedan, and SUV, and see which one was best. But personally I would drop it and buy whatever I decided on.

10:57 PM

Not a long term thing.

10:58 PM

But, my solution was to just get a car and a cheap old truck...

That inexplicably Patrick thought would be a nice apartment.

my theory on autonomous cars is that the first generations will be robo-taxis and the regulatory regime will be closer to aviation than ground transportation

Is that a known thing? That he tried to buy my truck?

10:59 PM

God that was such a dumb idea...

@judy Kriehn nope. What would be cool would be being able to buy printers that actually WORK for me than 1 cartridge... office jet 500, baby!

11:01 PM

I GET the renting "a vehicle" thing, but there are cool car clubs that let you do that for "the other car"...

Is that a known thing? That he tried to buy my truck?

@michaelb I dunno if it's common knowledge, but you and I talked about it at the time. Because we were both trying to figure out how a pickup truck would be an improvement over a sedan.

Camper shell, full size matress

11:06 PM

There was a middle aged Asian fellow who did this in College Station when I lived there, and used the same laundromat I did (edited)

11:08 PM

A really, really well-kept 1964 F100

Yeah, that thing was falling apart though. Camper shell was leaky, and the carpet (yes, carpet) that was in their was original to the truck...

E z fixes...

Phew.

I've got a 1974 bmw 2002, automatic transmission isn't engaging anybody recommend a tow company or have a trailer that could help get it to the space to work on?

Ooo those are my favorite BMWs

1:21 PM

I haven't used a towing company before but just looking on yelp https://m.yelp.com/biz/baez-towing-dallas-5

Baez Towing - Dallas, TX

Specialties: We Buy Cars And Recover Vehicles Impound Fast! 24/7 Established in 2013. As an independent family owned and operated towing business, we strive to make sure that all of our clients get the best service imaginable. Open 24/7,…

Just something to keep in mind, if it is going to take several days to fix. DMS may have some rules against leaving them too long. I know parts runs are typically okay but I'm a bit fuzzy on anything else

Biggest rules being it has to have the approval of logistics(Pearce) if its going to stay overnight

also does anyone besides me have an issue with emojis refusing to delete?

internet is having problems

1:37 PM

so much connectivity issues and packet loss

I have always had this problem with discord... if i accidentally hit an emoji i might as well assume its there forever

1:38 PM

For months

clicking on the emoji doesn't remove it?

No, hiting delete doesn't either. Like it will clear and look gone, but when i hit post it magically pops back up

weird

1:39 PM

are you using vpns?

No just my phone

1:40 PM

I guess i could try a different browser

ah

Biggest rules being it has to have the approval of logistics(Pearce) if its going to stay overnight

And the answer is going to be no

2

Nevermind dealing with a new browser is becoming too much of a hassle i see why i had like 3 or 4 discords at one point

You know there's an app?

There's an app that's way better than the browsers will ever be

I just don't download apps anymore i have had too many problems with them.

2:04 PM

Mostly going though my numbers so i just dont anymore

Phone numbers?

Yeah.

2:07 PM

Maybe not discord but some other has at least

There is a solution to your discord problems, and it's the app or picking one browser, but man I can't imagine using the mobile version of the web interface. I can check the permissions for you on Androids discord app

I minimized my app usage after linkedin went through some, and started paying more attention to permissions. But after i had someone that only 2 numbers in their phone, 1 is mine. Complain they started getting blasted with spam calls for the first time i ever i just stopped completely

Looks like I just denied discord the ability to see my contacts

2:11 PM

I don't even remember that. But that's what it had access to

Yeah, and i used to just do that after the linkedin incident. But that doesn't seem to be enough, so i just don't bother with any of them anymore

I'll agree that a lot of apps are piss-poor substitutes for functional mobile websites

2:15 PM

but sometimes they just work better than websites, especially if you're running them all the time

I'll agree that a lot of apps are piss-poor substitutes for functional mobile websites

Discord is the opposite. The devs seem to work on the app more (edited)

I have definitely had better user experiences with apps in the past vs mobile versions

2:17 PM

Im just done fooling with them even if inconvenient

I wonder if the guy who did the tik tok reverse engineering did one for discord. If I find anything ill post here for you @ferricyanide

And there's deliberate sandbagging like what Facebook does with their mobile website vs their app

That would be fine @pearce i just haven't had the patience to look that up with every potential app to use. I feel like a dinosaur, i just get frustrated in general with apps/terms of service etc. Id much rather pay for a service than be a product and i feel old and grumpy.

anyone got the space and time and want to part out a 2016 mazda cx5 (edited)

12:04 PM

im pretty sure i don't want to fix it and its sitting at a tow lot. not sure what to do lol figured id offer before taking to a salvage lot.

What happened to it

got in a wreck

1:38 PM

ima get some pics here later when i go up

1:38 PM

idk im lost at what to do

1:39 PM

mostly im unsure how to properly value a damaged car and decide if its worth my effort. i was already gonna stop driving and move to a walkable city here shortly so figured fuck it

Insurance usually totals it out and will pay you out for it (not much) and they take care of it

@chocolate lasagna is insurance not doing anything?

2:05 PM

Lawyer up if they aren't

if you keep it then the insurance payout will be discounted whatever they think it's worth as scrap

Y'all relax, I only have liability (edited)

4:03 PM

Let's just say I'm experienced in insurance and wrecks.... Lol (edited)

4:03 PM

But this time I just had liability thus I'm trying to figure out the value

4:06 PM

I own the car outright. I got screwed by insurance when they were going to Total it originally in a previous wreck but decided not to and then it ended up having problems they had to fix going well over the total threshold. since then I have gotten lots of scrapes and dents all over the body that I had no intent to pay to fix.

4:07 PM

I think I'm being stupid though because if I even have to put a couple Grand in to fix this most recent wreck it's still probably will net me more than scrapping it.

4:07 PM

I guess my only option is to get it to a shop have them figure that out and go from there

liability only on a 2016 vehicle - exciting

I can assure you , you would do the same given my track record/rates

I'll take your word for it

Lol it's embarrassing

4:09 PM

but yeah I'm moving to a downtown City where I won't need to drive anymore and plan to do that for the next couple years so that's why I was more so just trying to get rid of it then have to go through all this bullshit

4:09 PM

But like I said I realize now that it's still probably worth more than I think

4:10 PM

hypothetically other than the fact that people don't want to buy wrecked cars when it's fixed up through insurance it shouldn't devalue crazy amounts even if had significant work done?

4:10 PM

(in reference to the previous wreck which was a lot of work)

salvage title is something to avoid if possible

Yeah it's not a salvaged title

but if you're parting it and it was merely totalled because of repair expense without the catastrophic damage that tends to it being written off as salvage and you've got the time/means/space to part it out probably makes sense

Yeah I am surprised you would consider parting out a not-salvaged vehicle. If it's good enough to avoid a salvage title... I would expect it to be worth repair to someone

yeah that's I guess what I'm saying I'm just struggling to value the car with all of the dents and scratches on the panels because technically to fix all of that would cost a significant amount of money

4:14 PM

I'm thinking I fixed it up depending on that cost and then try to do a private sale for cheap and at least give someone a functioning car

4:14 PM

I just was trying to leave the state in the next week and a half so this was all kind of inconvenient given I wasn't going to be driving

4:14 PM

so the bidding starts at $350 LOL

4:21 PM

Thanks for letting me ramble lol

so I accidentally waterproofed a few square feet of driveway. I've used gasoline in the past to deal with oil stains but A) I don't have any and B) the driveway is sloped so fluid runs off anyway (like the Simple Green I doused the area with). Grinding kitty litter into the pavement got some of it but I'd like to fully erase this sin. power washer?

9:09 PM

TL;DR I spilled some oil on pavement

Pressure washer may just drive it deeper. Could mix something like kitty litter with a solvent (acetone, xylene) and put it down on it.

9:12 PM

Unless it's a sealed driveway, that just makes everything more complicated

tried dousing with a lot of simple green and then kitty litter

9:13 PM

which might have picked up a little more than the initial grinding with kitty litter

9:14 PM

I don't have the conventional pebble kitty litter however - it's the granules

Could put both down together. Keeps the simple green in contact, and the litter will soak up what it brings up. I dunno, I've not had the best of luck getting such things up. I just ended up treating it several times over weeks to make it come up.

9:14 PM

Ah. The granules are more just hydroscopic. I'd definitely use the clay stuff

9:14 PM

Not sure if the granules can pull up oil

one of these days I'll learn to move the oil jug far enough away not to kick it over when under the vehicle ...

Same day I do, I assume

legend has it that wetting to the extent possible, and grinding in Tide (or similar) powder, letting it dry, and then working it back up, allowing drying between "moppings" will do the trick, as the Tide'll attract the oil, and pull it back up with the water as it evaporates* *I've never had the fortitude to do this on large patches, but it's worked well on smaller bits I've tried. PS Tide & the like is expensive...

Worth a shot

10:32 PM

Oil patch has long dried however

10:35 PM

Makes sense actually - laundry detergent largely being a nonpolar solvent and oil being a nonpolar fluid

again, legend has it, age of oil patch is irrelevant when attempting this technique I have only used it on <1 week old stuff (although I have a garage full of test-bed, thanks to the prior owner's Harley addiction...)

upon further inspection in daylight looks like I got about 75% of it

9:08 AM

some Tide™ granules however won't be a huge effort nor expense

1

All, this evening I had to do an emergency repair on the lift. An unauthorised user attempted to use the lift, and forcefully kept slamming controls to try and activate the unit (they opened the RFID box since it’s not locked, but thankfully didn’t muck with that). They clearly had no clue how to use the lift, as they were slamming the lock release repeatedly in an attempt to raise the unit as well as button mashing the up button and hydraulic release. They managed to pull the steel cable that actuates the far side safety lock loose from the ferrules, and the far side latch would not actuate properly. I was able to adjust the cable tension to put the unit back into service after I escorted the member off the premises (they were suspended for this action of attempting to bypass a safety interlock, on top of their abuse of other tools throughout the space this past week). During the repair I also found someone had drilled, I kid you not, a Penny to use as a cable retainer. Whilst amusing and not an immediate concern since it would take a fairly high abuse to make it a problem, when we convene for the next meeting we should replace it with an actual washer for long term purposes since it’s cheap and easy to do it right. The corresponding washer on the other post is missing. These keep the cables for the locks in place though. I’m also going to push for getting the punch tool for the NEMA box on the RFID sooner than later; the reason it’s not currently lockable is that the Cam lock cutout is used for the key override for the unit. The long term goal has been to have a key to open the box owned by Infrastructure, and the key to Override the boxes held by the respective committees. The punch tool to add a second Cam spot has been elusive thusfar but I’m going to push to get it done sooner than later. Regards, -Jim

1

So I have a shitty ass 1964 Newport that need to go away. It'll run and drive, but that's about it. I'd rather donate it than scrap it. Something like a trade school or something. Can't really keep it at the space or I'd use it for training there.

2:50 PM

I just want to stop thinking about it in my parking spot

2:51 PM

Any thoughts?

I gave my old car to Can Academy. They even gave me a $50 Visa Gift Card. I got the better deal. (edited)

if it drives and is a junker anyway I feel shenanigans are in order

It can drive. I drove it around texas in the Lemons road rally

3:37 PM

The tires are a bit tired and leaky, and the gas pickup sucks, and there aren't any gauges...

3:37 PM

But suggest some shenanigans ;)

RC car

3:38 PM

I haven't done an RC car car in ages

I am supremely jealous. I wanted to take my truck on the rally last year but I couldn't get the time off

Aww, well if you want to do one after covid bullshit let me know

3:45 PM

And rc car could be a lot of fun

let's do it

what engine/transmission?

Let me check

4:04 PM

https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/fs-1964-chrysler-newport/68202

FS - 1964 Chrysler Newport

Before I go to the general Craigslist crowd… A friend and I drove a 1964 Newport around in the 24 Hours of Lemons Rally this last fall. I had a couple of offers to buy it fall through, and I need to get my extra parking space back. VIN / Serial: 8143247118 4 door Sedan V8...

now that I think about it never done an RC car car using a manual

It's a pushbutton

4:05 PM

So even easier to make RC (edited)

hmmmm

Seems like a pretty reasonable idea. and no one cares what the interior looks like

4:07 PM

power steering?

is there more bondo than appears in the pics?

4:08 PM

that's a noice lookin' vehicle for a '64 from the 'wormzone...

4:08 PM

for sale sign and a trek to the right part of DFW should net you a benji or two, I'd think

It lived a rough life up north.

4:19 PM

There is rust. Not bad, but not great

4:19 PM

And yes, power steering

I don't have a controller but I have a servo that will probably be able to steer at low speeds.

This might make a fun video to share, at the very least

4:54 PM

Maybe we can get some poor sucker... volunteer... to get ferried around.

I can probably do the buttons with another servo depending on how hard they are to push. Got some decently powerful small ones. Nothing for the brakes/gas. Just a linear actuator with no feedback, so, probably not a good idea.

5:02 PM

I'd just want to drive it from the back seat I think that'd be cool

I believe they're electric buttons, so we could probably wire straight in

5:03 PM

Accelerator is standard wire to carb, so really the brake is the one that'll need the most oomph

Hmm... that'd be great. What I found looked like cables but old stuff is so inconsistent

5:03 PM

Oh you're right any old servo should do that

5:03 PM

I mean it could just be an actuator with no feedback. Let the driver watch the car for control

Given how well-loved that car is, the feedback you get doesn't really translate to what power you have

5:04 PM

All the fury of a hemi, none of the power

oh my truck is the same way it's so loud but anything can drive around it

There may be a few exhaust leaks too... so remote control is the safest way to drive it

5:05 PM

That was fun on the road trip

does the brake master for this vehicle have a boost?

I was thinking of no feedback on the brakes since I have a fairly decent linear actuator that could run the pedal. (edited)

yeah the brake is the thing that actually may need to just be straight up actuation

I don't believe it has boost

IMHO whomever is piloting should be able to see the vehicle anyway

But we did make it so it's a dual master. No more "oops, leak took out the brakes"

so feedback may not be as important (edited)

for sure need to be in sight

Totally

does it have a hand parking brake? We could stick an actuator on that as a failsafe if we're worried about feedback / the linear drive of the main brake

so... when can it be at the space for initial inspection?

No, but there's a locking pawl for the parking brake

5:07 PM

lol

5:07 PM

I don't want to drive it around too much, not sure how legal it is right now

Ahh, no worries

It's a pain in the butt to drive, which is why I don't want to keep it

5:08 PM

I'd love it if I could drive it somewhere, and then it's not mine

I'd love to take it but my apartment complex already gets on me about that truck.

lol

5:09 PM

They're on me about this thing too. Hasn't driven in a while and currently has a tire that needs filled

5:09 PM

Silly apartment owners

5:09 PM

Don't they know I have automotive needs?

When I got it they said since it didn't have valid registration they would tow it. While it was parked next to my 'normal' car, that was 6 months out of date.

5:10 PM

But I don't blame them for picking battles, it's ugly. and I couldn't pay rent if they towed both my cars.

I've inquired what the requirements are at my complex

The big question will be, how much work will it need before it passes inspection?

A decent amount. Right now it has an Ohio historical plate on it

5:19 PM

Could register is as a show car in Texas, bypasses most of the inspection

it's more than 25 years old; doesn't need most modern inspection standards, just the core safety

Texas is pretty lax on old vehicles. But leaky exhaust is a problem

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium you know Rex wants to do an RC car at the farm jumping a ramp with a "big finish" (edited)

Oh, while we're here, how is the Veloster? I'm about to hit 200k on my daily and am trying to keep an eye on alternatives

@Lampy (Ken Purcell) aw man, I haven't done a car explosion effect in like 10 years.

5:39 PM

this would be perfect

5:40 PM

we RC drive it and as it's airborne from the ramp trigger the effect

5:40 PM

we need a ton of gopros

5:40 PM

and maybe a couple drones for better angles

@michaelb I actually really like it. (it's the first actually new car I've ever bought). I would have gotten the N, but wife won't drive a stick. But the turbo with the dual clutch is still fun to drive

5:40 PM

I'm loving this idea for the car

5:41 PM

We'll need a crash test dummy too

I've been known to do more stupid things.

5:43 PM

Perhaps most importantly, I'm capable of slamming it into neutral or park if something goes wrong.

I have 2 drones when the time comes

Can also be registered as an antique vehicle and doesn't need to be inspected. Can only be used for exhibitions, car shows, and travel to shops. That would get valid plates and registration for seemingly zero work.

Do we have the tools to change the springs on a car?

depends on springs and car but nominally, yes

7:46 PM

I assume you're looking for a spring compressor for "mchpherson-strut"-style coils

7:47 PM

we DID have several varieties...some even worked...

7:48 PM

I think we have one like this https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/product/otc-clamshell-strut-spring-compressor-6494/otc-tools?msclkid=993b9a2972351b740230c509b523a8f6&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=AC_PLA_Desktop_Vendor_Shopping&utm_term=4584963492481037&utm_content=All%20Products which is generally considered THE on-car, shadetree type to use

OTC Clamshell Strut Spring Compressor - 6494

Servicing MacPherson struts is convenient and affordable with this compressor. Fits a wide range of struts and requires no special adapter shoe Safety locking pins hold the compressor jaws in place Tool compresses springs of 4 to 9 O.D., with wire diameters...

Yup we have the compressors. Right hand green tall cabinet. I think it's a red box

Just have to ask yourself, is it worth the pucker-inducing compression over buying a quick-strut? Only you will be able to answer that

absofuckinglutely! You haven't lived till you've almost died due to shoddy spring compressor failure!

In my case it was a spring cracking, but yes. It reminds you how awesome it is you're alive

The one we have is fairly large, sedans and smaller generally have trouble with it, so watch out.

May I inquire as to the intended use?

driving in Allen's Cabriolet was sufficient to remind me of the fleeting nature of life

I've got a set of eibach springs for my Abarth, I want to put them on, but the springs are small, so I'm not sure what is the safest way to swap them out

9:20 AM

Back springs are easy, they don't need to be compressed apparently

1

9:23 AM

This is what I have https://www.modernperformance.com/product/Eibach_Pro_Kit_Lowering_Springs_Fiat_500/12-17-fiat-500-turbo-and-abarth-suspension-and-chassis

Eibach Pro Kit Lowering Springs 12-19 Fiat 500

Free FedEx Ground Shipping to the Contiguous United States! Fits 2012-19 Fiats and Abarth models. These Eibach springs are made for USA model Fiat 500's, dont buy the EURO version Eibach springs as they wont fit in the rear of US model 500's! Eibach Pro kit lowers your...

as per this video, you can just take the whole shebang out, and use the clamshell on the bench

9:24 AM

they don't LOOK that much smaller than "normal", if at all (not finding a diameter spec right away)

9:24 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mnlIJzMxgY

autodoc.co.uk

How to replace front springs / front coil springs on ABARTH 500 (31...

9:25 AM

(that wall-mount, though, is NICE for a shop setting. Wish we had one of those...)

9:25 AM

(shops)

Thanks

9:26 AM

I've been meaning to install these for like 2 years... But every time I go over the train tracks by the space I decide maybe I don't need the car lower

looks like the hard part will be getting enough "bite" to compress; kind of hard to explain, but when there're so few coils, it's harder to set up the tool so the ends are far enough apart at the start that they compress enough in the end without going wonky

9:27 AM

lol

9:27 AM

yeah

9:27 AM

lowering springs are...not for everyone on every car for every road

9:27 AM

they can be a love/hate thing

9:28 AM

I never regretted mine, but they were very conservative

Sturgeon's law (90% of everything is crap) especially applies to automotive mods

lol

9:29 AM

yep

especially when it's apparent that you've modified suspension

the factory spends a LOT of time and money making the concessions they did

9:29 AM

the liklihood you're NOT in the 85% they're shooting for, is pretty small.

9:30 AM

but sometimes...

engineering is hard and it does not make ready concessions to aesthetics

$$, yes, aesthetics, no.

lowering for the sake of lowering will almost never improve performance

true.

the latter may result in lowering the vehicle

but those are conservative springs. I don't know what the Abarth sits on already, or what its travel is, but only .7" in front and 1" in back is pretty minuscule

9:32 AM

That's about what I did on my Golf (only 4" travel from the factory) and it was nice. Looked good. Handled well. helped reduce cupping on the tires due to shit shocks

slam that Civic to the ground and you're going for a look no matter how you rationalize it

lol

9:36 AM

slam that * to the ground [what you said] STANCED, yo!

My favorite is lowering so far that a driveway or speed bump takes something off

the "kids" were talking in my autoclass one day...that was a GOAL, apparently

Or the time a street racer thought he was being badass after I said stancing can affect the suspension strength... And he proceeded to make his control arms fail

If you're going after the aesthetic that has roots in something that used to be utilitarian, cool - that's so much fashion in all its manifestations. I'm fine with that - donks make me smile after all.

I gotta say, though the hydro thing (now the 'bag thing) is...interesting. clever folks doing that stuff, sometimes... (not my cup of tea, but hey, I can respect that kind of dedication and work and...um..."engineering")

9:38 AM

ROFL donks

lowering the car for car shows, cruising (on laser-levelled streets) - otherwise leaving it at normal height for actual driving that makes sense

these are my favorites

9:43 AM

that one has the rarely-avoided lack of curb rash on the wheel...

the tire wear with that kind of setup must be bizarre

I'd think

9:44 AM

There are some really neat designs out there for lowered-when-you-want-it suspensions, sliding spring mounts and such...

9:44 AM

it just pains me to watch people without disposable income throw every dime into their conveyance (and make it WORSE at conveying)

9:46 AM

nice. double post...

I draw some degree of schadenfreude watching people that have poured money into custom mods try to sell their 'creations' with the expectation that they'll recoup their 'investnent'

2

‍♂️

9:47 AM

there's been a fellow selling off some neat stuff on BAT recently, builder of truckasaurus, if I recall properly...

9:47 AM

good attitude.

Those kind of car mods trigger my rule of 2's. Whatever you did will cost at least as much to undo. (edited)

"I built it to win a $50 bet with a friend, used it twice, I get what I get. Never lost a bet. That's all that matters."

that thing had to be peak 'custom seller desperation'

9:48 AM

interior was largely missing ...

9:48 AM

but they wanted premium greenbacks

as my MIL says: want in one hand, poop in the other...let me know which fills first.

the dealer selling it probably regretted doing the favor for a friend's kid

1

Super Wide Wheel Spacers are the best for me. Following one of those fools you can see the physics is action. "Hmmmmm, wonder how long before that putz is walking." (edited)

lol

9:50 AM

9:51 AM

for the strickland/bene crowd...

suspect they walked away from making that sale or eventually came down to the reality that selling an un-inspectable vehicle requires discounting (edited)

oh yeah, and lecody (somehow I forget he's a heep "driver", too)

@aceat64 was mainly doing electrical "upgrades"

"upgrades" like...trying to keep the dash lights on when they should be on, and off when they should be off?

USB all the things

1

I lived in the middle of no where too long.... those lowered cars wouldn't make it

hell my regular car didn't cut it sometimes. I distinctly remember getting my car stuck in my friends driveway by the undercarriage? and his dad having to rescue it.

this guy got tired of that... so he did something about it! http://build-threads.com/build-threads/lifted-mkv-golf/

Lifted MKV Golf

I just wish the 90's style neon lights would make a comeback

lol

10:29 AM

did they ever go anywhere?

10:30 AM

note on this video I linked earlier, they put the bolts on the bottom of the strut back in CORRECTLY, instead of wrongly, as they were when removed...

10:30 AM

10:31 AM

This is wrong:

Yeah, there were several lifted cars in town. Kinda necessary depending on where you went

stupid expensive neon undercarriage lights became cheap LED lights

they did the cold cathode thing, too, didn't they?

maybe - probably cheaper than neon

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/scion-tc-1g-ice-interior-1647/cold-cathode-vs-led-lighting-51937/

Cold Cathode vs. LED lighting? - Scionlife.com

2006. things have changed since then.

lol

10:54 AM

indeed

10:55 AM

some things even got better...

10:55 AM

GET OFF MY LAWN!

10:55 AM

damned kids...

Think spinners will ever come back?

1

probably

never went anywhere, did they

10:56 AM

(actually, I think the non-spinners on RR are still there)

persistence of vision displays might come back too

Those are fun. I should make another one of those

no idea how they're doing the HUD these days...

10:57 AM

been trying to make that a thing since...well...forever, as far as I know

forgot how expensive those were when they came out circa 2000

I have a decent one in my Veloster. I actually like it

yeah. At best, they're not annoying. (says the guy who's never used one)

This one flips down when you don't want it. So the best kind I suppose :)

Flip down screens are nice

11:01 AM

I've got GPS navigation in my G35, but it's very dated and has no recent map updates.

11:02 AM

Luckily, the display hides into the dash so you don't have to stare at it. It was a good idea

I've actually done a ton to the Jeep now lol

11:47 AM

But I need to find a new battery isolator because the one I had died and running two batteries in parallel isn't working out as well as I'd like

2

friend had a powerstroke diesel that had 2 batteries in parallel with nothing more than big cables connecting them

11:53 AM

1994 if I recall

pretty sure all powersmokes came with dual batteries

11:58 AM

rumor has it was for weight balancing, so they mounted one on each side also why they put the turbo in the center, instead of on one side or the other this is the Ford superiority over the Dodge Cummins *none of this is true

*something something compression ignition needs more cranking amps*

11:59 AM

yeah, mounted opposite sides of the engine compartment

12:00 PM

excessively long cable joining the secondary battery to the primary, but same for trunk-mounted batteries in sports cars I suppose

ditto all BMWs with their under-seat mounting (well maybe not ALL, but the point is that it's not just "sports" cars)

Moar Amps = More betterer

1

arguably the 42V systems the industry was on the cusp of in the early 90s would be better than MOAR amps, but we'll never know for sure

the 12v has had remarkable staying power

the 12v has had remarkable ~~staying power~~ inertia

@A. Spencer(jast) FTFY

Never underestimate the laziness of engineers

There's a recent push to 48v systems again, it'll happen eventually

well...

12:04 PM

with the push to all electric, they can really have any voltage they want anywhere they want...

I think the only reason we even have 12v cars is due to the cell chemistry

industry got lazy and at the last minute realized that their tendency to direct-switch power for things like window motors would mean new switches or doing away with their cable rat tails altogether

as long as I can use my mobile device charger while the car drives me around, what do I care?

lead-acid is nominally 2V per cell. jump from 6V to 12V batteries was doubling the cell count per battery.

Yeah... the traction battery can be whatever voltage they chose, there's only a few standards and limitations, but control power will remain low voltage for safety reasons if anything

12:06 PM

The 48v push is for 'mild hybrid' systems with electric assist afaik

There's just so much infrastructure and parts/ICs built for 12v

idle stop presumably (edited)

A lot of inertia to overcome if a manufacturer wants to move off 12v

back in the 90's, I was expecting the jump to 24v as the natural extension of 12 v (just put in 2 batteries), but it never quite happened...

‍♂️ i guess we'll see what tomorrow brings

42V was going to be triple peak voltage of automotive 12V since ~2.4V is peak cell voltage for lead-acid. one of the benefits was supposed to be electrically-driven accessories rather than belt-driven.

When I worked at a golf course as a teen we had electric golf carts with six 6V deep discharge batteries. The crew work carts had at least two additional batteries. As a fun exercise the mechanic added two more and what fun we had! Could get to the back 9 pretty damn quick provided the suspension held up.

they talked about how electric power steering assist couldn't be done on 12v back when I kept up better (90s)... Guess they cracked something since I think most cars now use electric assist steer.

if it's just a matter of voltage, DC-DC power conversion is pretty trivial nowadays

12:15 PM

this fact makes the continued existence of 9V batteries confusing

When you're selling something and you can save 2 cents per unit without the converter.... Plus, what else can you lick to make sure it works?

the same trick works with car batteries too ...

used to tear 9V batteries apart to find basically AAAAs. (edited)

Tastes like burning

And coppery

it's only 3 more volts

12:20 PM

of course it's the secret sauce of 9V that makes them so crappy that results in them not burning your tongue off like a car battery

I like the powder on the car batteries. Tastes like cotton candy

spicy cotton candy

12:26 PM

the $0.02/unit thing is also why we have PWM modulation on LED tail lights and DRLs as opposed to slightly more expensive multiple current controllers, PWM rates that exceed visual perception, or in the case of tail lights just switching off ~80% of the LEDs for running

12:29 PM

New alternator for the Ranger arrived. Guess I get to wash-rinse-repeat on replacing belt-driven accessories until it stops squealing. (edited)

1

That's a fun game

Rock Auto should send out a whack-a-mole scratch-off game with each order

What, and lose the magnets that get to cover everything?

could do both

SLS pistons https://hackaday.com/2020/07/28/porsches-printed-pistons-are-powerful-and-precise/

Kristina Panos

Porsche’s Printed Pistons Are Powerful And Precise

The 700-horsepower Porsche 911 GT2 RS is already pretty darn fast — over three times faster than the average regular-person car on the road today. For the sports car enthusiast, there’s…

1

Another reason we need a metal 3D printer at DMS

@aceat64 I've had great success with the Noco isolators

I'll check it out

Wait, I didn't realize we give actual advice here

it's more like

advice

ya takes ya chances

6:02 PM

gotta say, I never would have thought about hitting mahle up for a job in 3d printing... (well, maybe if I had my head more in that world, but I don't)

6:03 PM

heck, I still struggle to say hypereutectic properly (which, per my spell check, is not a word)

2:34 PM

successfully whacked that mole

Yep there's voltage. HF is perfect for that

squealing is gone so it was the alternator after all

3:22 PM

for less money and more effort I could have replaced the bearings, but that would necessitate pressing bearings out of then back into the original part

on a hot summer day, no thank you,

3:27 PM

4runner been sitting dead for 2+weeks because i dont even want to bother doing liquids and replace the battery on it right now

didn't break 90 until after completion

3:43 PM

however, trying to source a bearings then the challenges of pressing both out of and into an aluminum shell was far more time investment and more risk than I cared for (edited)

3:44 PM

Rock Auto price for a new AC Delco roughly similar to Auto Zone et al's price for their house brand remanufactured parts

not "pressing" so much...more hammering. but the hard part is the pulling. Usually you need a bearing puller for that.

hammering into aluminum seems sketchy

We had to do it on the side of the road for the bus

5:13 PM

Do not recommend

it was a time-for-money trade and ... the old alternator had >100k miles on it. forget the voltage it was putting out.

5:16 PM

looks like it was ~14.15. in the normal range but a tad low.

5:17 PM

now there's just the mysterious self-sealing power steering leak to possibly address

5:18 PM

wibbly engine mount that plagues pretty much every high-milage 3.0L Ranger is far too large of a project at this point

5:19 PM

since I gather that's a project that mandates excessive disassembly of the front end

5:22 PM

I guess I could futz with the passenger side window motor - that's a ~$65 part and some mild re-engineering (edited)

can confirm hammering bearings into aluminum is just a daily activity for folks who do this kind of thing for a living. Never even think twice about it. (not that dedicated rebuilders don't have specialized equipment that might include presses, but can confirm not all of those do NOT hammer bearings into aluminum en masse, either)

ah well. maybe in another 100k miles I can experiment.

did you "trade in" the old? (not sure how Rock Auto does "cores")

nope

on a hot summer day, no thank you,

@doug.emes

6:18 PM

But Doug. You forget. Hot summer days are when Erik most enjoys sweaty labor like building sheds in the backyard or major landscape work. Probably because it feels so good when he STOPS.

almost nothing this year compares to 2018

just trimming some limbs today with a 18v sawzall wore my tuckus out. Somewhere between 12 and 20 minutes tops outside

And it runs better than it has in a year

almost nothing this year compares to 2018

@ESmith Tru Dat.

I would like to design and build more structures, however in spite of my "reputation", triple-digit heat indexes are not a required feature of the build (edited)

But triple digits seem to spur the yen to do so

I procrastinated on the design and commitment, thus rather than start in March I started in May then plowed through it

What is with all the screws and nails in the auto area. I keep finding them

It's to keep auto people coming back to the space

10:40 PM

It's part of the grand conspiracy

Yeah. It needs to stop just had to replace a tire on my Jeep. 300 a tire is not cheap

Its a jeep thing we wouldn't understand :-P

Lol

Lolz https://www.facebook.com/36766739494/posts/10157952699234495/

hah. Well done

a relatively rust-free example; pity it's turned into a lemons beast. But hey, some kid'll get to see the eyetalyun byoot at-stride. At least it's still running the lahnchya engine... that surprised the heck out of me!

Guess I’m vice chair

2:13 PM

According to talk

2:14 PM

If I recall correctly, that is vistigial of Jim's asking you to do it whilst he was chair... @michaelb hasn't weighed in yet... https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/2020-newly-appointed-chairs-name-your-vice-chairs-here/73897/ you want it to stay for now, or go?

2:36 PM

also, are you volunteering for volunteer coordinator again?

@Patrickpleez1 you offered during the meeting

2:56 PM

sorry but you threw yourself under that bus

I expected a message or something saying that it happened.

3:01 PM

I am good for it. Just didn’t know

3:05 PM

@A. Spencer(jast) yes to both. I’ll do them.

2

woah woah woah, no one said anything about busses

3:06 PM

we're not doing that again

3:06 PM

haw!

#toosoon

No more busses

3

I must be going insane

3:17 PM

I’ve been listening to disco for 4 hours

lol why

Hit on Pandora accidentally

Thriller isn’t disco

3:19 PM

Is it

3:19 PM

I don’t think so

MJ is disco adjacent maybe

Pretty sure this isn't disco... (sorry, it's on my reddit front page):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT_bu9QpOFg

There I Ruined It

Bad (Michael Jackson) - Bluegrass Edition

Lol

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3057461774304035/

1933 Chevrolet Fleetmaster

Clean title vehicle. This unique truck runs and drives and will not leave you stranded. Guarantee that you will be the center of attention. Modification available upon request. Please contact for...

3:55 PM

Dani said no

3:55 PM

Someone get this

I need air conditioning... some should get!

Not my thing for $8k. Pretty cool though.

Oh my I can see you driving that with an overly big top hat and monocle

Oh yes. We could take up a collection for this

It's perfect. If I don't buy it she can't be mad

Came across an ad today for a car built from DIY plans from a magazine in 1951.

6:20 PM

I've been furiously googling to see if I can find the original instructions

6:22 PM

Some people apparently built them well enough to get a mention in hemmings. https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2016/03/14/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1941-ford-mechanix-illustrated-special

1

That's pretty cool

6:24 PM

Adjusting for inflation, "under $500" is "under $8800"

1

Except that the donor car is apparently a 31 chevy. Did a quick search and the cheapest running one I found was $5000. Most are north of 20k

So we're back to the 33 fleetmaster then

That could work... If I had the cash

I'm thinking I don't want to tie up cash in yet another vehicle I can't get rid of

Speaking of which I've got a saab 93 convertible if anyone is interested: 2002 93SE Ran last time I started it No reverse Roof doesn't go down, but that's ok because it leaks like crazy so you can always have that true outdoor experience 4 flat tires Possibly two bent rims Leather is good, but smells of cat urine which is weird because you would think the racoons would keep the cats out. New water pump

1

What a steal

A bargain at twice the price

And no low ballers cause you know what you got?

Exactly!

6:45 PM

Though it's hard to go lower than "please tow it away"

6:46 PM

As soon as the replacement title arrives it's getting donated to cars for kids or salvation army

6:46 PM

It's likely worth a bit in parts because the engine is all there

Same place newport is gonna go. Looked at tires and brakes and the car scares me too much to even bring down to the space

@Skyspook still interested in taking a look at it. Brakes and tires usually aren't too much of a big deal.

I have 2 cars to get rid of

Frankencar? Double decker?

7:33 PM

86 Suburban and volvo v70

What are you asking for them?

$1000 for the Volvo and $2500 for the suburban

7:59 PM

Volvo needs the oil pickup filter changed and that's a pain

That bus looks interesting!

Keeps the kids off my lawn

soo... what led to the 9-3 being parked? I'm assuming the bent wheels? Pity. That's the last of the Trollhaten SAABs, if I'm remembering/reading correctly(and it was produced early in 2002, i.e. a Gen I)... It's a slushbox, I presume?

It stopped going into reverse, the hydrolics on the roof went at roughly the same time. It had just had the new water pump done and a wiring problem fixed to the tune of $2500, the estimate came back at $5000 for the parts and repairs. The bent wheels was a minor preexisting condition.

10:52 PM

The car has some strange design issues too. I had a problem for a while that every time I put the car in reverse the wiper fuze would blow

10:54 PM

The little yellow side lights on the front quarter panels light up in reverse and for some unknown reason share the fuse with the wipers instead of the other lights. There was a short in one of the light fixtures so it blew a fuze every time I backed it out of a space. It took forever to figure that one out

10:57 PM

Every part on that car at the time was basically $1000 because it was out of production and everyone selling parts knew it.

Well... that hasn't gotten better... It's an auto trans, right?

Yes, there are basically no manuals of that generation in texas that aren't a viggen. I couldn't afford a viggen at the time

1

nice patina on that bus

That's mostly iron paint that we put on

Every part on that car at the time was basically $1000 because it was out of production and everyone selling parts knew it.

@quattroquattro that was a big part of my problem with the 2002 Honda CRV I bought new. Except everything seemed to cost $1500. And that model of the car had just gone into production in 2001.

The SAAB 9-3 had some...interesting hurdles from inception.

SAAB was not long for this world (although they put up a valiant fight, they ceased to exist as far as parts support, in 2000 when GM increased its ownership from the 50% acquired in 1989 ( ) to 100% ( ♾️ )
GM now owned SAAB, and provided the "platform", which was also about to change from the bulletproof "H engine" to whatever GM had lying around the parts bin
included in that change, complete driveline swap to "ecotech" (pronounced yeeeechohNOtech)

so obvs, they tots cranked out a brand new hydro-actuated droptop that completely abandoned virtually ALL of SAAB's USP list... Still was an interesting car, and 2002 was the last year for honest-to-god Trollhaten production using SAAB engine and SAAB engine management (vastly superior to MOST other systems @ the time; but unique and superior never really made much diff in the auto-world (see Deusenberg, Cord, and Tucker for examples)) Anyway. Were I in a different place, my truck & trailer would already have snatched the 9-3 and the V70 out of those yards; the V70 b/c that repair isn't that difficult, and I LOVE me some Volvos, esp. wagons (but would not keep) and I've always wanted to have a SAAB (but also would not keep; sounds fun to fix, though)

amusing side note on the CRV: Though technically it was "new" in 1995, it was, technically, just the typical 3-year overhaul of the Honda Civic Wagon with a slight height bump and snazzy new name ("Civic Recreational Vehicle", according to me, but aka "Comfortable Runabout Vehicle" & "Compact Recreational Vehicle" according to Honda, so I guess they win). The American public REALLY liked the "grown up" Civic Wagon; the sales were off the charts! (edited)

Trust me, you don't want the saab. When you fix one part the one next to it gets jealous and throws a tantrum. It's not a lemon it's a whole citrus grove

1

lol I'm well-aware of European car behavior, and aware that the SAAB lineup has always occupied the "petulant little brother" seat on that train...

12:53 PM

but a 900 turbo 16v at full song is a great, great thing

My dad has put 5 or 6 CRV's over 200k miles for his job, he's fixed most of the common problems. They're pretty great cars. SAAB would be cool but too niche to be considered even as a cash car. I seem to see a BMW at the space at least once a month lol

1:06 PM

I'm one to talk though, Mini Coopers are the most fun you can have between paychecks

I'd have to disagree on the mini's are the most fun. Fiats are clearly more fun

I dunno... Big Money Wasted vs Failure In Automotive Technology

1

Truth be told, one of the best things about the fiat is how badly they depreciate. You can pick up low mileage used ones for next to nothing

2:41 PM

Mine was a year and a half old and 15k miles when I got it. I paid 12k under list

2:41 PM

If it wasn't an Abarth it would be cheaper

Before I got the Mini I was seriously considering the Fiat 500 when they first came out in 2012ish it probably would have been a better financial decision

2:46 PM

I was first looking at smart cars but I knew I wanted a European hatchback of some kind

2:47 PM

Wasn't impressed with the Golf at the time

Looked @ both in 2017. Bought a GTI. (technically, my wife did; I got a Jetta, because one of us needs a "sensible car"). Also in 2013, when we bought a TDI Golf. No regrets. Loved that car. Love the GTI. Love the Jetta (shockingly - it was supposed to be a "stop gap" that I would be thrilled to get rid of in 3 years, but that little 1.4 is a freakin' monster! and I love seeing a "4" in the tens column of fuel economy figures on roadtrips...)

My only problem with the Jetta is mine fell apart completely around 140k (had a 2002). Though that's probably due to the lifespan of any car around the great lakes with salt and whatnot.

I have a wicked love affair with vw. Had 02 jetta, hailed on, so traded for 03. Drove to 150k, gave to family member, totalled 15k later. Had 02 golf, sold in 2017 with 238k on mostly original equipment. Nice kid, Audi tech, bought it. Couldn't get here fast enough when I told him it was original clutch. 13 tdi with 50k was never right after wreck, traded for 15 TDI. Drove that to 88k, let vw give me back my purchases price, and applied that to the 18 GTI. 17 jetta has 56k on it...figured to trade it out about now, but despite the ugly, Taurus-like appearance, I actually like the darned thing...

3:02 PM

But our rustworms are smaller here than in the midwest

Just a bit. It's amazing the cars I see around here that just couldn't exist anymore around Cleveland. My poor vw just started dropping suspension and axle parts, then the body started rusting out. Just couldn't keep up.

yep

3:04 PM

and in california...

3:04 PM

texas mouths go agape at the old metal still running around there

I thought modern cars prevent rust

It's really funny reading the book-time for any undercarriage work. It's always 2-5 times as long in northern cars

3:05 PM

Yea, no

3:05 PM

They try

they have friggin' school busses from the 1960s

And it's gotten better

Not a lot of aluminum chassis cars

3:05 PM

The original Honda insight, and Lotus

3:05 PM

NSX

Yep, an even then they'll use steel in suspension and bolts, etc. You still end up rebuilding a lot

3:06 PM

When I knew I was moving down here I sold our cars and bought one that'll never see salt.

yeah, go north, and a BFH and its corrolary oxy-acetylene torch are in every toolbox, cause you're not doing anything under any car without them

And you learn to wear goggles real fast, unless you like rust in the eye

1

3:07 PM

I'd take a shower and it'd look like pepper coming off of me

Rustbeltians are like "why the hell would you NOT wear safety glasses under a car, eh"?

I've seen cars on the lift at dms, not the only reason to wear eye protection

3:13 PM

https://youtu.be/kkwgZgrbWUM

PoliceActivity

Bodycam Shows Mesa Officers Rescuing Man Pinned Under Car

3:13 PM

Always use proper jack stands

3:13 PM

This is probably the scariest thing that can happen

I bought a mid life crisis Mustang w/ 550 RWH, keep it five years with no tickets or jail time. Sold it for only $2k less. But spent that at least in tires.

1

I didn't buy an AP2 S2000 because the insurance was almost double the mini Cooper

3:18 PM

And a C5 corvette glad I passed on because of the tires as well

3:19 PM

S2000 one the best cars I've driven besides my dads Shelby cobra kit car

1

For my money if I am going to get into wrenching heavily on a vehicle again it's going to be an old MGB. Rust problems, wiring problems, leak problems, still my favorite car

2

Take my favorites with a grain of salt though, as #2 on the list is a 1976 mustang 2 ghia and #3 is a fiero

lol

3:56 PM

lovemesomefiero

3:57 PM

anything ghia'd be fun to say you own

I have a hate-hate relationship with cars

3:58 PM

namely, a combination of automakers design decisions, pricing, and the entire loathesome process of buying a car conspire to the point that the market's supply doesn't meet my level of demand

but today's cars suuuuure make pining for yesteryear easy - every "car guy" ever

for all the difficulty of working on modern cars, they tend to make up for it with greater reliability

1

was looking for what I was thinking was my favorite of the Ghia cars I know about... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_Disco_Volante_by_Touring

Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by Touring

The Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by Touring is a two-seater coupé, built by Carrozzeria Touring in 2013. It is based on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. The model name is derived from the Disco Volante of the 1950s. Equipped with a front-central engine of 4.7 L of displacement, it ...

4:03 PM

turns out, it's NOT Ghia...

4:04 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_Disco_Volante_by_Touring

Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by Touring

The Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by Touring is a two-seater coupé, built by Carrozzeria Touring in 2013. It is based on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. The model name is derived from the Disco Volante of the 1950s. Equipped with a front-central engine of 4.7 L of displacement, it ...

4:04 PM

oh well... it's still Italian.

Clarkson did a top gear piece on the DV a while back. As is tradition he absolutely gushed over it.

don't remember that... maybe I missed it. did he gush b/c Alfa, or b/c Touring?

Both really.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxF9vFJezRA

Top Gear

Alfa Romeo Disco Volante | Top Gear | Series 21 | BBC

yup there you go

how the hell don't I remember this? <quantum leap "swiss cheese" theory insert>

This is the mustang 2 ghia.

5:06 PM

Note the half vinyl top and stamped metal wheel covers

I do have an irrational affinity for the C5 Vette, but by the time I'll feel comfortable throwing that kind of money around they'll become collectible

I had that exact car once, it was satisfying in the way a good leisure suit is satisfying

1

I either case, I'd imagine the most satisfaction coming from ridding oneself of it... but then, I'm kind of the black sheep of my generation, having an unhealthy affinity for a different past decade or two than my peers...

I really like the C5 corvette, the interiors were infamously corporate GM

5:48 PM

The C8 corvette is a wet dream though. I like how it went from "working class sports car" I don't know anyone in the working class that can afford one new

5:50 PM

My dream car right now is a non-technology EV. Like a tesla with mechanical everything except a drive train.

@themitch22 probably never going to happen

6:07 PM

rode in a C5 vette once and yeah still had the dumb GM seatbelt buckles and parts bin interior once you got past the logos

6:09 PM

seems like every memorable marquee in the automotive world gets a combination of bigger, more capable, and more expensive with time to the point that something new is invariably created to fill the slot

I'm into 90s Kei cars, I wish they were more popular in the US

I'm still in love with my S2000. Of course it's primary purpose quickly went from daily driver to trackday toy, and I got a cheap CRV to dottle around town in.

@themitch22 this company makes old cars into ev's https://www.electricclassiccars.co.uk/

Welcome to Electric Classic Cars

At Electric Classic Cars we can source and build an electric classic to your specifications, or supply parts you'd need to convert your own car to electric.

6:14 PM

Probably the only way you are getting an all mechanical ev

Yeah EV beetle or karma ghia has been on my wishlist since I was a kid

6:15 PM

Even had a book about ev conversions

6:16 PM

It was the $10k or so in parts that stopped me from doing it

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1979-volkswagen-beetle-convertible-33/

1979 Volkswagen Super Beetle Convertible Electric Conversion 4-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a 1979 Volkswagen Super Beetle Convertible Electric Conversion 4-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #35,244.

ijust had a firend get into kei cars @themitch22

Autozam AZ-1

7:20 PM

A buddy of mine has a Suzuki Cappuciino that he was using as his daily driver for quite a while. Fun little car to drive. Note that he's got to be 6'3 and probably 250lbs+

8:09 AM

Note: Not his car.

8:10 AM

The jealousy runs deep. Maybe I should get one for @NobleGoblin

I suspect that most people in my height range lack my inseam thus don't have quite the problems I do with ergonomics

Suzuki makes a kick-ass kei (and some other classes, too) car. The Swift GTi was one of the most under rated cars ever sold on these shores (not a kei, as those were never sold here, but still, a real kick-in-the-shorts small driver's car)

@ESmith you and I have opposite ergonomics problems then.

#outlierstories

They clearly never made motorcycles for 25in inseam. I had one of the few bikes that did.

9:14 AM

Glad I succumb to the fear of ever riding in Dallas ever again. At least most cars I can adjust the seat to see over the dashboard mostly

9:15 AM

Partially why I like the idea of Kei cars

there are some cars I cannot physically fit into safely

That does make sense too

at least one generation of Miata there's simply not enough legroom. current-gen Civic Si coupe not enough headroom (because mandatory sunroof I do not want).

but good thing the US is mostly SUVs and Trucks. I just assume if gas continues to be cheap cars are going to be obsolete

the market will inexplicably pay $5-$10k more for a crossover

Eww

which in its most basic form is a wagon with a factory lift kit

9:21 AM

but otherwise the same platform as a sedan just taller

I do like the kia soul i consider that a hatchback not a crossover

to me crossovers represent a low point in automotive design - missing out on the actual advantages of the forms they borrow from. worse handling than sedans, none of the volume or cargo/towing capacity of truck-based SUVs.

Poor people and car enthusiasts i feel are keeping cars alive

I'm with you. I either have a truck or I have car. I'm not a fan of crossovers.

9:24 AM

I test drove a soul when I was looking at cars. It is a hatchback, but they're making it suspiciously like a crossover.

hatch, station wagon, or better yet minivan with a flat floor if you feel you need the additional volume of a crossover

9:26 AM

but like the SUV craze of the 90s, the perception is that greater ride height = better safety when in reality it doesn't and the demo that makes that leap tends to have low situational awareness

But I'm above everyone else! That means better-er!

I swear some drivers out there don't really have object permanence

I'd say a good half of the population has issues with object permanence

like my mother - bless her - who's terrified of sneezing in the car

9:28 AM

because I have to shut my eyes for a moment!

As opposed to me dri... SQUIRREL!

Use used to have a Ford Expedition and loved it. I didn't take good care of it and it left me.

Japanese cars you can ignore everything but the oil changes and they will last forever. Had a Nissan Stanza which was the little brother to the Camry in the early 90's. Amazing little commuting car.

suspect my next daily driver will be something EV

ah the nissan stanza. such a confusing product. From the King of Confusing market/targeting choices in the USA...

saw a Sentra Turbo the other day and had to ask why they bothered

9:45 AM

I mean, the WRX is but a tarted-up Impreza, but Subaru went well past the phoning it in level of effort that Nissan went to

well, as of 2017 or so, ALL manufacturers are FINALLY embracing the notion that forced aspiration yields better economy/power tradeoffs (I "published" a term paper about this very topic in...1985ish)

turbo-as-mechanical-hybrid has been a long time coming

9:48 AM

factory reliability seems to have been the holdup

9:48 AM

it's a basic engineering problem with the internal combustion engine - the gap between peak and average demand

truth be told, manufacturers have known this longer than I. Catch is that up until the last decade, the public was uncomfortable with turbos, mostly owing to their poor rep due to earlier efforts (which were mostly hobbled by technology, e.g. synthetic oils, which are now ubiquitous, even in non-FA applications, so the public is accustomed to it)

9:49 AM

it was more to do with the public perception of factory reliability

I gather that 90s performance turbo cars had pretty short lifespans

recall the "diamond-star" triplets (eagle talon, plymouth laser, mitsubishi eclipse)? They were great cars, but owners didn't like running synthetic or changing oil as prescribed. Turbos don't like dino-oil, especially when not properly cooled down and/or not changed often enough.

9:51 AM

90s performance turbo reliabilty was mostly an owner problem (in my experience/opinion)

to be fair, the markup on synthetic oil at your mechanic is astronomical

yes, but it serves its purpose

9:51 AM

turbo swaps aren't cheap, either

superior performance, for sure

9:52 AM

but ~doubling the price of that oil change when the cost difference is marginal? nothing but gouging.

well...you might have a point. I'll be honest; never paid much attention to how synth affects the price of having it done. And my impression is that the industry simply ramped up the cost of dino oil while holding synthetic fairly even over the last 20 or so years, and now, when purchased at the automart, the difference isn't so much...

Experience of most drivers with synthetic is the price of having their vehicle serviced, and the markup for a synthetic oil change has been ~100% in my observation. In the couple of decades I've paid attention to the price of motor oil, the spread between dino and synthetic has never been so great as to justify such a price difference at the dealership/mechanic/kwik-e-lube.

1

10:03 AM

Heck, ~$25 in materials for me to DIY vs >$50 to have it done when the time commitment is about the same...

has that reduced any in recent years? because, mostly, there is only synth @ those service locations, I'd imagine, given the ~100% synth spec on the new car market?

it's possible that specific money printer has started to no longer work

Just donated 40lbs. of litter.

nice. hopefully it's not all consumed managing one spill.

I'm just glad we've never had to put a sign on the stuff saying it's not for clean-up of human waste

DAMMIT! This will be needed within the month...

cleans up vomit great!

Ah, no longer herding cats I see. Wrath is a good title for cleaning up human waste.

Lol. Wow.

@themitch22 what's the "permanent code" on the prius?

P0104 I think we replaced the EGR valve. It could also be a MAF sensor

4:05 PM

It was stupid, last year I took it to chip auto repair off Frankfort and he cleared the code, drove it 70 miles, fixed a leaking oil filter housing and got it inspected which makes me believe he didn't really fix the cause of the code.

have you checked into the waivers/extensions? I forget exactly why-all they'll do it...

4:07 PM

https://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/smog-check.php

Texas Smog Check and Car Inspection Exemptions & Requirements | DMV...

Texas DOT Smog Check and Car Inspection requirements. Find out what emissions and safety inspections your vehicle will need to pass before it can be registered, renewed, or sold. Learn what to do if it fails.

I'm pretty sure its a simple sensor issue, its had check engine codes come and go and I've put 50k on it in over 2 years

4:15 PM

I really want to just fix the Mini which most likely is a coil pack that went out

4:15 PM

just need to find one locally for a decent price.

run it past Tom Tansey?

4:16 PM

he'd be the guy in the know on getting those kinds of parts locally for cheap

4:17 PM

what year/model?

4:17 PM

is it running poorly, i presume?

4:19 PM

O2 makes sense for the age

4:21 PM

Tom knows about this car, I doubt he'd touch it lol

that report doesn't show a "long term" code... it shows 3 not readys

He said to drive it 80 miles i drove it 150 miles then Thursday the CEL came back on, cleared the codes again. Only got 64 miles probably why.

He doesn't have to touch it to help you order a part

4:26 PM

yeah, gotta do the drive cycle

4:26 PM

real PITA

I need to just take off work when its "ready" and get it inspected when it can pass

yep; if it will.

4:26 PM

you're allowed 1 not ready

Makes sense

4:28 PM

The code reader at dms will tell me the not readys

I presume it will, but I've never used it

Might be time to sell the car and recoup cost. I rather keep my Mini as long as I can. I know if that engine blows its a $5k swap

Here's a site that discusses the traditional drive cycle; haven't found one that discusses Prius, specifically, but all the same parameters must be met (just might be harder due to hybrid-y stuff) https://justsmogs.com/2016/05/1996-to-2002-toyota-obd-ii-catalyst-monitor-readiness-drive-patterns/

MasterTech

1996 to 2002 Toyota OBD II Catalyst Monitor Readiness Drive Patterns

The catalyst monitor on many Toyota vehicles can be difficult to complete. That’s why it’s important to follow the Toyota recommended drive cycle after performing actions that are know…

4:31 PM

so what's going on with the mini (what year/model is it)?

2011 R56 no turbo. Misfire cyl 4 not firing

4:33 PM

I had another coil pack go before so I'm guessing coil pack 6 months on new plugs

4:33 PM

It had a gasket cover leak oil into the plugs

4:34 PM

Got that fixed and infamous thermostats sensor housing made of plastic broke.

lol manufacturers continue to use plastics on those, and they keep breaking. You'd think BMW would steer clear of that crap, given their premium image, but nooooo

4:35 PM

so valve cover is no longer leaking oil?

Shouldn't be

4:37 PM

Theres a cover over the coil packs i need to just take it and swap them and see if it persists

1

4:37 PM

But I want to preemptively buy a coil pack to make sure I only have to drive it to dms once

my local autozone has a cheapy @ $40.00 (not that I can recommend them as a "solution", but if it works at all, it'll buy time to get decent parts...)

Beats a car payment

4:40 PM

Today's economy I don't know how anyone is affording a new car

1

hmmmyeah... I was just for kick looking @ F250s (mostly curious about the MPG on the new Godzilla) and man-oh-man! $80K comes up in a heartbeat!

Unless you're making money hauling 10,000lb trailers i don't understand how anyone would buy a truck that big

and yet, I pass a dozen or more on my to work most days

4:43 PM

and raptors

4:43 PM

geezus! the raptors

Big or special edition trucks are just Texan status symbols

I see fewer model S these days, though...

Every job I went on when I traveled for work I could tell who the boss was because they had a special edition truck

4:44 PM

And the workers making $13/hr with the 00s Chevy with multiple paint colors

4:45 PM

Id take a cybertruck any day

1

4:45 PM

But thats well beyond what I can afford in the next 10 years

lol gotta pass on all those, which I guess means I'm NOT the boss

4:48 PM

purposely bought a cheap car (that I like) because it's just going to get FUBARd anyway

4:49 PM

10 years of door dings in the "exec" parking lot tells me people suck. And sure enough, <1 year in, my front bumper is creased. I have no idea who did it, but I know where it happened...bastards

And 80k is why i bought an older F250.... that everyone seems to give me shit about. But hey, it should be able to pull a horse trailer, just gotta decide on gooseneck or bumper pull

1

back when commuting to work was a thing, 121 toll was lousy with lifestyle trucks

8:10 PM

The lifestyle truck: • 1500-class • crew cab • short bed • a mostly for-show towing package • for show bed toolbox optional

toolbox is not optional if you're actually carrying 2 kids to soccer practice AND need groceries...

they're clearly daily drivers for people whose offroad demands seem to never exceed 'gravel road' and whose semi-routine hauling requirements halt at 'a couple bags of mulch'

2

um. I think you meant 'gravel drive'...

9:35 PM

or "over the curb" (edited)

The parking garage by my work is very old and wasn't built for f250 and larger trucks or anything with a lift kit or light racks. I'd say that about once a month your see some office dude in his f250 stuck in the entrance because he just realized he doesn't fit. Line of cars that can't back up into traffic behind him. Couple times a year they would have one go in and figure it out too late.

10:22 PM

To me buying a truck when you don't need or use one is as bad as buying a Corvette to convert your bald spot...

I reckon we all piss away $ on things we don't need

10:24 PM

I just understand some of them better than others

hey wait I have a sudden interest in C5 Vettes which just might manifest itself when that balding really kicks in

Y'all would all be jealous of our company president in his pristine top spec F350. It's perfect for the commute from Rockwall to Garland every day.

1

Yep my theory of ranking order peacocking at industrial companies, the boss has the biggest most expensive truck

12:10 AM

And the one that is probably used the least.

12:11 AM

My company, my boss drives a used highlander with issues so I feel better about that. I think its a uniquely Texan thing

Oh, I assure you, it's not unique to Texas. Though we might have a head start on the truck fetish, it's spread far and wide. I was amused by there arborist company whose services we've retained one or twice. Very competent, very quick, NOT cheap. They arrived in 2 trucks, one of which was an older International dump bed with a chipper canopy, in which they deposited chips from the chipper it towed, and which they used to bring in 10 yards of topsoil. 3 workers in its traditional single cab. Another old F150 single cab used strictly for crew transport of 3 workers and their microwave for luncheon prep, water cooler, etc. presumably personally owned.Then the big boss shows up. 1-year old F350 Powerstroke. 4x4. A lift kit that was 24 inches, I think, but the chrome 24" rims made it hard to tell. Chromed, adjustable drop hitch. "What a qurb queen!", I thought. I was wrong. He dragged in a robotic stump grinder on that hitch, dropped it. Adjusted it. Hooked up the chipper to go in for repairs. Bright back a different one. Adjusted the hitch. Off went the grinder. In came a skid steer... I'm not saying none of that was for show, but he certainly did put the towing capability to good use, and in that business, probably uses the 4x4 once or twice a year... (edited)

Y'all would all be jealous of our company president in his pristine top spec F350. It's perfect for the commute from Rockwall to Garland every day.

@michaelb jealous? heck, he's got to carry the note on that behemoth and fuel it.

Cheapest Mini Cooper fix, pop out a coil pack, stick a new one in for $70.

9:46 AM

Anyone ever use JB weld as a gasket?

I don't even know how to answer that...

Yes. They're called permanent gaskets and make sure you don't screw up even sealing because you don't get a second shot

Anyone willing to help Patrick? His alternator is dead, blew up his new battery. He is stuck in Grand Prairie.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/d/garland-1984-chevy-suburban-74l-v8/7182509280.html posted the suburban

1984 Chevy Suburban 7.4L V8 - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle...

Starts and runs, working A/C, could use a tune up.

Whoa, what a beastie!

that would please my neighbors beyond belief parked on my street

lol

11:18 AM

my neighbor has a 1972 international 3/4 ton with a service bed, and dual stacked exhausts, just sitting.

11:19 AM

he got ticketed for being out of registration (can't have junk vehicles on public streets), so he got classic plates, so no more registration/inspection necessary

11:19 AM

I can't figure out how he's keeping the tires inflated

11:20 AM

or why the FUCK he wants to keep that thing just sitting in the road...

11:20 AM

complete with Confederate flag stickers on the window

11:20 AM

‍♂️

there are some 5 distinct subdivisions in the ½ mile² superblock I live in and my tier has the most variety with some places seemingly aspiring to the upper tiers of yuppie-dom and others clearly exhibiting a blue collar vibe. as such there's a huge variety of vehicles to be seen, thus a 1984 Suburban wouldn't be unheard of.

11:37 AM

my favorite is the house with the early 80s Dodge truck sporting a rhino liner like finish parked adjacent to the immaculate Saturn Sky - presumably the same household

11:39 AM

there's another place with a 1980s - or even 1970s - Toyota pickup that looks to be a worker

11:40 AM

https://images.craigslist.org/00l0l_6zqNt6dDyRz_0CI0t2_1200x900.jpg I spy a cruel bus

I figured that was the beastie that was to donate its 454 to the Cruel Bus... lessee.. 7.4liters x 61.024 = ~451CID... hm...

clearly the cruel bus needs a turbo LS swap

1

the widest driver-to-car dichotomy I've seen personally was a customer back when (1998ish). He was a manager for Dillard's. Rotund fella. Showed up every time in a 3-piece suit, tie, whole 9 yards. His wife, who was a professor, drove a very nice Volvo. HIS daily was a formerly red, now mostly rust colored 1979 Toyota "1-ton". With a built-on plumber's roof rack. They were an interesting pair; the man and his wife; the man and his car; the cars...

11:48 AM

gotta say... those 3/4 ton suburbans were the thing in the not to distant past... might not be asking enough if you can find the right square-body enthusiast... (edited)

former professor of mine liked to recount his adventures at his first real job out of college working as a plant engineer at a refinery that also turned out some interesting value-added plastic products. bought an old international harvester truck whose engine simply could not be identified initially. engine compartment was almost spacious enough to stand in and was clearly designed to accept nearly any crate engine capable of moving the behemoth. said truck was less reliable transportation, more self-ambulatory project (something @michaelb can likely relate to). due to the initially unknown engine, its oil leak problems could not be resolved due to the problem of sourcing replacement seals. the expedient fix was to rig a catch tray underneath the primary leak point, however it steadily degraded to the point that the oil pan would be nearly empty at the halfway point of his commute, at which point he'd pull over at a convenient tree by the side of the road and empty the catch tray into the block and continue on. professor not only thought nothing about this problem but had almost committed to automating the process with a pump on the catch tray when his boss pressed him into taking a visiting big-wig to the airport. the journey went on great with plenty of career-boosting banter until the halfway point when he without explanation pulled over in the usual spot, refilled the oil reservoir as usual with practiced ease, then wondered about the awkward nearly icy silence the rest of the trip. Not long after said big-wig had returned home his boss summoned him to his office and all but commanded him to properly fix or replace said truck at which point he found some the right parts store with the right longbeard that was able to identify the engine based on some obscure casting mark and new seals were installed...

Hey I have managed to get useful work out of that truck once. Hauled wood back from DMS

my grandfather used to say International buyers just went to Ford, Chevy, and Dodge, bought whatever parts they had leftover, and stuck them in...

12:11 PM

my experience corroborates his experience

The power upgrade we would get from the engine+transmission swap wasn't worth the effort after we replaced the carb

1:49 PM

After the carb was replaced it was way better

1

gotta say... those 3/4 ton suburbans were the thing in the not to distant past... might not be asking enough if you can find the right square-body enthusiast...

@A. Spencer(jast) I remember an issue of Texas Monthly, declaring the Suburban the “National Car of Texas.”

lol when I was a youngster, I had a friend whose family had one. 6.2L diesel. Now, the curb weight on a R2500 Suburban Diesel of that era clocked in at about 5100 lbs, plus 4 youngsters at, let's call it 150lbs each puts our Gross Vehicle weight somewhere in 5500 lbs range. With about 130 raging cavallini on-tap at the very best of times, it was "Dog-ass slow", as we said in those days. But I still have very vivid memories of one trek from my casa to his. I was dressed in Sunday best, which, at the time consisted of a light blue sweater (which is really weird, because I practically NEVER wore sweaters) and, for reasons I cannot recall, toting along a cast iron 3quarter of chili. I was holding that on my lap, as one does when transporting spillie stuff, and his eldest brother, who was driving at the time, wanted to see if he could get it air-born coming off the overpass for I-30 for the road to their house, which was another dip down of about 3 feet from the frontage road. Surprisingly, we made the turn off the north frontage onto the overpass without incident, and despite holding that v8 monster at full throttle, did NOT catch air on the upside of the bridge, nor immediately on the down. Because we could see several miles in both directions, that silly stop sign was meaningless, and through the intersection, and down the dip we rode at breakneck speed! Air was achieved! It was, truly, an exhilarating experience. Like most stupid things you live through. Upon arrival, no mention was made to his parents about the achievement. I handed the pot of chili to his mom, who admonished my carelessness for getting a nice, even line of chili juice aaaaall the way across my belly from where that lid, too, went airborn briefly.... Ah physics. How you mock me. I still think we got the better of you that day, though. (edited)

1

My boss and his wife bought a blue suburban with charcoal grey trim in the late 1980's. As the family grew to three kids, it was a vast improvement over "The Love Machine" - the red Ford van Steve got for high school graduation. While not the result of gaining "air", one of their favorite family stories was one of their forays to their place in Centerville for the weekend. To save time, Cheryl had made pimento cheese sandwiches for everybody. They leaped into the 'burb as soon as everybody got home from school and off they went. Sandwiches distributed. But Cheryl's went awol. Many accusations of sandwich burglars. Then she leaned over to get something, exposing the backside of her shorts. Decorated with a smushed pimento cheese sandwich.

1

8:53 PM

Mystery solved.

True test of cheap-assedness... was it consumed all the same?

Steve never shared that detail. Just used it as a title for a motivational speech: "Sometimes Life is Like a Pimento Cheese Sandwich Stuck to Your Butt."

1

I’ve been fairly afk and mia I am sorry.

3:34 PM

That guy was ok, watch the video though its scary

5:38 PM

https://youtu.be/kkwgZgrbWUM

PoliceActivity

Bodycam Shows Mesa Officers Rescuing Man Pinned Under Car

Anyone have any experience with convertible tops? The top on my fiat has some places where it's coming unglued. The only video on fixing it is some guy who filmed the whole thing in portrait mode and didn't use a script...

12:53 PM

I have a feeling I just need to relax the roof a little put in some new glue and close the top, but I want to be sure because it's 6k for a new top if the canvas or track gets damaged...

I do NOT, but I am curious what you do, and how well it works... (sounds like a job for Barge, right? no idea, though...)

Barge or goop automotive is what I've read so far

this isn't some temperate climate - tear that nonsense out and replace it with a hardtop

lol

I'm mostly just being a curmudgeon. But outside of SoCal there are so few places where the climate is consistently pleasant enough that a convertible makes sense - especially the more common ragtop variety.

this just came in the information email inbox: If there are any folks who would like to repair a transmission (needing a new CVT belt), they can have it for free. It would be a good project to learn the internals of a transmission. It will need to be picked up from my location in Allen (Bethany & US 75 Area) 2008 Honda Civic

4:40 PM

sounds simple enough, but at the same time I'm wondering why it's free if it's just needing a new belt. But I'm not a transmission guy

4:40 PM

so I'm assuming they're trying to dump something, but who knows

Cvt transmissions will "stretch out" the belt and kill it if they are run without oil

4:51 PM

It just can't be picked up and stored at the space

kinda why I'm interested in understanding what kind of undertaking that project would be based on description, if it's reasonable to have all parts in advance and get done. But also why if it's a known issue that sounds easier to replace it's a freebie. Just a ton of labor not worth the value of the car since the transmission casing has to be cracked open, or likely something else?

I bet the cost of a belt and kit is about as much as a rebuilt one already

I have no intention of it, don't want to even consider if a vehicle isn't already moving, but I'm curious since this isn't something that usually pops into that inbox

4:55 PM

I bet the cost of a belt and kit is about as much as a rebuilt one already

@Skyspook now that is something I wasn't expecting to hear

I might have someone interested in picking it up

4:56 PM

I know we have had several cvt honda transmissions done at the space before

4:58 PM

Man it looks like replacements are like 200-400

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium - I take that back. I've seen it happen with some transmissions. Rebuild kit is about $200.

4:59 PM

Cheaper than the T5 kit we got for the Thunderbird. And that one wasn't even a race spec kit

4:59 PM

And before we added the 5th gear swap

That's a cool offer, especially if it's a reasonably easy fix. Auto work has been unreasonably gratifying lately

Its tempting. I have a friend who can never find reliable cars, and a cheap honda is not common, especially if it's fixable in one DMS work day.

potentially. The security snob in me has scam alert possibly tingling. I mean I also have known people to get wonderous finds like this, but it's always been the edge case. Who knows. Whoever actually follows up I'm assuming is comfortable enough doing a smell test.

6:06 PM

I know I'm not just because the powertrain is not my forte

Did they offer to let someone go by and take a look before committing? It's really only tempting if it's determined that the belt is the only issue.

they provided a phone number to contact them

6:06 PM

otherwise that statement was the entirety of the email

Huh. Have to talk to the friend and see how much work the transmission is to replace.

I read it's just the tranny that's up on offer...

8:47 PM

if it's the whole car (implied), yeah, that's a scam

subject line as it came in is "Free 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid - needs new belt"

9:28 PM

I honestly am not interested enough to follow up (edited)

9:28 PM

they could have terrible amgbiguity

9:28 PM

they could be looking for a tax write off

9:28 PM

who knows

If it were a real thing - and said CVT came with a car around it, LeMons car team could have some fun. But then - hybrid car, maybe not.

meh. all that hybrid stuff removes easy enough. Just don't touch the fat wires.

Nah, touch'em. Just make sure you're filming when you do.

9:47 PM

Instant youtube star

lol

9:48 PM

ya might want to be careful of a Plan for Success where Step 1 is " name a beneficiary"

So today I had an automotive first for me

9:31 PM

I had a battery replaced free during the 3 year period!

I refuse to believe that can happen

I've had that happen. sort of. in a way. some nominal prorating was involved but it was free-ish. OK so maybe not.

Interstate routinely replaces my batteries around the 4 year mark on their 5 year warranty. It's prorated but usually around half price.

Yeah i have only gotten prorated, nothing completely free (edited)

And tire patched free as well.

What magic are you using

Dude it's been driving 30+ years I was due :)

I’d assume we have a compression tester at the space. Anyone know where it might be

Heh, we might. Probably an old one in the air chuck drawer or below electrical. There might be one in a plastic case in the right hand cabinet as well.

8:31 AM

For future reference, I guess

Ok

My memory isn't great.... Anyone know why I'd have a battery on a table in automotive?

Maybe it just has the same name as you?

I asked it, you're right, mystery solved!

Actual answer: Allen left it.

Ah a gift from the auto elves

Someone else left an axle... I'm hoping that disappears in a few days

I was going to say it was for the electroshock therapy for people who leave parts and oil behind (edited)

I get to replace my tie rod ends today.... Hooray

the maintenance minder is also complaining about transmission fluid... it is at about 90k, probably should though I feel like I may be pressed for time already. assuming nothing goes wrong how long should a tie rod job take for one wheel? (edited)

20 minutes? It's pretty easy in my car at least.

Tom had recommended I go get the o'rielly's tool for the inner tie rod. Said the DMS one was shit

6:26 PM

I'm still waiting on the parts pickup notice at this point

He's probably not wrong.

So I had a realization, shop notes put "left side" rather than passenger or driver

11:14 PM

Given that's typically open to interpretation what is the best way to see which joint is bad?

11:15 PM

Because my rack doesn't lock I'm having a harder time finding the play described

11:19 PM

Alright think I found it. Got the steering locked via the immobiliser and there's wiggle on the passenger side

11:19 PM

(left when facing the vehicle from in front of it I guess)

And I'm pretty positive I was wrong there. It's nice and snug. Then it dawned on me we call it "left hand drive" for a reason I think I need a caffeine break

caffeine =

the standard is "always from the driver's perspective" in the auto industry.

Well right now I'm in a panic

12:40 AM

O'Reilly's was closed by time I had parts

12:41 AM

I found our tool is missing

12:41 AM

And of course there happens to be another members' steering parts all over auto with no tool in sight for it

Finally got it using kinetic repairs

The original was fused on (likely from a previous wheel well fire) and I had to make a slit to get it off. Turns out the new boot I was sold is the wrong one (yet is listed as explicitly compatible... Bullshit, way too small even if cutting to an expanded billow). So since that slit was only like 1/2"-3/4" long, and I don't mind adding more grease until I can fix it in a few weeks, a slathered it in some supply happy fun time goop known as epoxy Ain't proud of it but will hold

Since it's last minute... I've been stuffed up today so I'll be hosting tomorrows meeting online. Would love to have someone at DMS to look through tools that need to be replaced, but we can get stuff done without.

I found the next woodshop project

7:41 PM

https://scontent-ams4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t66.36240-6/10000000_1375278606013336_8357889774545005033_n.mp4?_nc_cat=104&_nc_sid=985c63&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6Im9lcF9oZCJ9&_nc_ohc=3Uv5SHGcZgUAX83KZpf&_nc_ht=scontent-ams4-1.xx&oh=ebb145ee42e4eadef7e9d03a4be2157b&oe=5F9B1643

Wonder how heavy that is

Right

@Skyspook gonna try and get that newport started tonight?

1

Was gonna try, wanna help?

Sure, if you still need help this evening let me know.

And btw, if anybody wants the damn thing let me know. It's just been sitting in a parking spot for months and I have no need of it.

I still did

2:38 PM

but the timing is weird now

That's fair. I at least need to get it running and moved around

2:38 PM

But you can have first dibs

what is required to get the thing running and pass inspection

Tires are a bit flat right now. For a full inspection, the exhaust needs to be patched. If you just want historical, it doesn't need an inspection (but can't be driven a lot)

2:43 PM

Luckily I don't think there are any emissions tests for a '64

gotta have the factory components, but no emissions.

It's a '64. You're lucky they decided to put an exhaust on it.

1

I think it's pretty much EGR if it came with it. And if they're picky enough to look.

Oh, and none of the gauges work. Cause '64 electronics.

2:46 PM

I think you might get engine temp

2:46 PM

Brake lights work! And turn signals! That's luxury.

I think i've got one working gauge in the truck right now... it's the speedometer.

No speedo. It fell off

does it start reliably?

If it's been running, yes

and ehh there are apps for that

It's been sitting for 6 months

hmm... it'll probably run on starter fluid.

I think I can get the tires inflated and get it started. Just need to move it down a few floors cause they're restriping my garage

2:47 PM

Oh, it loves starter fluid

2:48 PM

And leaded gas

oh, does it have leaded in it?

hah, no

2:48 PM

But doesn't like <93

ok lol, there seems to be debate on that

Maybe I should drive it to the airport and get 100LL

previous owner ran lead substitute in my truck, but the theory is that after x0,000 miles it's embedded in the critical areas and you can run unleaded fine.

2:49 PM

I'm currently testing that theory...

lol

sounds like it should be fine. My truck had sat for a year and had a nasty rusted tank and not-working fuel pump. thus the gas can strapped to the front of it for a while.

I think so. I'm getting dinner around, but I'll be headed up there around 5 to find out

so my complex requires the vehicle have tags in the end

It has ohio tags

they'll let me have a second car without issue from previous queires when we last talked

Gotta love me that permanent historical tag

nothing expired

2:52 PM

that's what I'm getting at I guess

2:52 PM

is that an alternative for a registration?

2:52 PM

I don't know about historical

In ohio you basically pay once and get a permanent historical tag for anything >25 years old.

Similar in texas I believe, antique vehicle

It's kinda like the historical here, just different

2:53 PM

yep

not that I can speel that word...

speeling is for suckers

looked it up. In Texas antique has no inspections, $10 registration good for 5 years, but limited use. "Classic" registration is $40, has an inspection (though it may be "more limited" I'm not seeing clear answers on the DMV) but does not have the driving restrictions

3:00 PM

https://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/vi/uniqueVeh.htm

TxDPS - Unique Vehicles

Vehicles registered as Antiques are exempt from annual inspection.

I believe the only thing classic gets you is the ability to use a same-model-year plate on the vehicle. You could go to a swap meet and get some 1964 plates for it.

3:08 PM

In general, cars over 25 years old are only required to pass a safety inspection, which is what it sounds like

that's actually yet another registration, the YOM one

3:09 PM

true

3:09 PM

I keep forgetting the 25 thing actually

3:09 PM

so cheaper reg I guess

3:10 PM

and classic plates

A mid-90's neon is now a classic car

The lemons car is as well

The Cleveland team had historical plates on our thunderbird.

The lemons car is as well

@michaelb I mean it could pass a safety only inspection if a few things are done

I have this not very well thought out dream of getting the car inspected, racing at MSR on the weekend and taking it on the rally the following week.

Could do a Class C with the newport. It's already been on the rally

Justin if you get the car moving let me know; since it's got tags and a never-expiring sticker I don't have to worry about bringing it here though I do have to let them know it's coming

I'll get back to you in a few hours.

It starts and moves. Had a flat tire, but I had a wrong-sized spare, so it'll move at least. Need brake fluid -- rear cylinder must have a leak.

5:55 PM

Aww, discord won't let me post a video of it running with cobwebs

will the tyre take air at least?

5:57 PM

at least long enough to plug it

The bad one? No, it has a sidewall tear

oof

But the wrong-sized spare isn't too bad

5:57 PM

I'm looking at what another tire would cost

Standard size? A used one would be like $25 mounted at a few places by the space.

205/75R14

6:03 PM

And it might not be the wrong size, think it was an R15, which throws the numbers out of whack (edited)

I mean it's not implausible. There's a shop down there that Allen used to use for his worthless cars. They charge double to balance it so sometimes it's cheaper to go somewhere that does rotations and have them rotate/balance them

lol

6:12 PM

Ah! It's the weird number, it has a special spare tire number

6:12 PM

It's the right size

6:13 PM

I'll grab some brake fluid tomorrow and get the brakes bled out. After that, it'll be ready to roll

6:15 PM

And dumb enough, I determined I have a roadside patch kit but no tire inflator... I'll have to fix that

This picture makes me angry and I don't know why

Probably because it still qualifies as a honda

2

what's not to love about a stanced 'duh with glowkit?

The only thing I've liked about stancing is laughing when they go street racing and break a knuckle off.

1

think of the cornering that lawmower can pull though

"darty" comes to mind...

Automotive tools have been ordered! They'll need to be painted green before being placed out there.

1

11:20 PM

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium how can I get that key to the toolbox?

you must fight 1000 trolls

which one?

Just the one to the left hand locker that's kept locked

Keys are in the server room. Justin, freddy or one of them should be able to grab them for you. I had a copy set made but they are AWOL so we're at one key for each cabinet.

How about I get some copies made tomorrow and that way we aren't out of luck

Newport drives, moves and mostly stops (squishy brakes, drum bleeders don't want to move with what I have).

1

Did we get more 3/8" rachets?

Yup. Chuck should be picking those up from harbor freight this week.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1024935551279553

1983 Chevrolet G30 van & S10 truck

BUY THE TRUCK,and get HAULER FOR FREE. Truck has too many new parts to list them all . Trans just overhauled all ujoints new ,camshaft timing chain, valve springs , oil ppump .tires, fuel cell,fuel...

10:48 PM

3k for both

Tekton order for tools is here. I'm waiting on some green heat shrink to make the handles green. If anyone wants to try some powder coating, it would be cool to try some sockets out and see if it works on them. No idea what will happen on the chrome/shiny finish.

@michaelb just line them up on a tray and blast a stripe on them in the vapor hone before spraying for it to stick best

1:00 AM

will stil stick to chrome if clean but not be as durable long term

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1024935551279553

@pearce that headliner

One of the perks of ownership is removing the garbage customizations from the last guy

Just make sure you replace them with your own garbage customizations. Gotta keep the cycle going

Right

1:26 PM

Like a headliner full of meme stickers or something only relevant to a cliche right now

https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/item/494992211476750/?ref=product_details&tracking=%7B%22qid%22%3A%226882966878135621032%22%2C%22mf_story_key%22%3A%223673304226047009%22%2C%22commerce_rank_obj%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22target_id%5C%22%3A3673304226047009%2C%5C%22target_type%5C%22%3A0%2C%5C%22primary_position%5C%22%3A-1%2C%5C%22ranking_signature%5C%22%3A0%2C%5C%22commerce_channel%5C%22%3A1000%2C%5C%22value%5C%22%3A0%2C%5C%22upsell_type%5C%22%3Anull%7D%22%7D

1986 Chevrolet S-10 · Short Bed

for parts 1986 chevy short bed pick up frame for sale. body is still good,great for rebuild project. $2,500 cash.

12:09 AM

Got a chuckle out of this suggestion from the post of the other car

"ran when parked"

1

“Never been smoked in”

"a/c just needs a charge"

No dog hair on seats

1

Question: I know there was a time when occasionally if it was cooler outside than the AC would be set to (usually at night, obvs) the garage door would be left open in the bay while somebody was working. Never did figure out if that was just something somebody was doing despite it being verboten, or if that was looked at as OK.

people would do it, but they wouldnt turn off the units for the area

I may be having to visit my grandmother soon, and need to check my car out before the long drive, so for exposure reasons it'd be great if I could leave that door at least partially open some cool evening soon, so there'd be outside air circulation inside the warehouse - which is why I ask.

so its a no no

Gotcha. So if one does turn them off...

8:58 PM

oh, never mind :/

8:58 PM

bummer

air conditioning Carrollton gets expensive and some nerds keep insisting that some statute called the laws of thermodynamics means 'you can only increase local heat energy' or some nonsense

Can someone help me with a 2006 Honda Odyssey I only need to put on the serpentine belt, but the tensioner on this model are diffrent from other models

no experience with the '06 Odyssey. Assume you've hit up the YouTube? https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=2006+honda+odyssey+serpentine+belt+replacement

@ESmith Yep And this model has something like a honda accord tensioner where the nut is in the center rather than welded to the sides and my grandpa who helped me take it off forgot where he put the wrench to release the tension

Leaving the door open and AC units off wacks out the humidity in the building and it takes days to get it back down. At least that was what the air monitors used to indicate. Not sure if any of those units are still working.

I think autozone racing still does the free tool rental: https://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tools/loaner-serpentine-belt-tool/oemtools-serpentine-belt-tool-kit-9-piece/298547_0_0 $30 you get back if you return it on time in good condition...

those vinyl air curtains were kinda handy for opening the doors, but at the same time those too just got tied back much of the time

They were nice but so heavy.

https://fb.watch/1jphgx0--h/

11:22 PM

also helps drain that puddle of rainwater that accumulates ever since that 3rd DUI wreck that forever knackered the door:frame alignment - no more mosquito breeding grounds!

air conditioning Carrollton gets expensive and some nerds keep insisting that some statute called the laws of thermodynamics means 'you can only increase local heat energy' or some nonsense

@ESmith considering the temperature the past couple of evenings (and the next few as well), I don't think air conditioning would be the greatest concern

now, humidity, that's a harder one to avoid

saw a VW GTI with a plaid license plate frame today. think that maybe 3/100 will get it.

Anyone ever change the power steering pump on a Nissan Altima?

it's been a while, but yes

How hard of a job is it?

Not that bad

3:49 PM

it's on the back of the block, so kind of tight, but all in all, given that it's a 4-banger, not so bad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o42DllMqxrk

50sKid

Nissan Altima Power Steering Pump Replace

3:49 PM

don't even have to pull any axles or motor mounts

Doesn't look the worst from that. Can't help the next few days (not currently mobile), but if it's sometime next week let me know if you need/want help.

Turns out it was just a leak and was an easy flush and fix

3

Remember folks, always double check that your lug nuts are torqued.

I see you took my invention that uses extra aluminum shavings from metal shop and packed them into the rotors

Remember folks, always double check that your lug nuts are torqued.

Anyone know who's white Chevy is parked next to our dumpster?

Which dumpster? 102 or 104? Or do we not have two anymore?

So there is no car litter so@I cleaned up@best I could

you didnt shit on the floor did you?

7:38 PM

bahahahaha

Some kind of cruise event happening over by the studio movie grill at northwest highway

2:53 PM

There's tents and stuff setup too. Some classics, some low riders. No idea what meetups are going on these days I haven't been to one in years (edited)

Drive In, Corona Out?

1

4:02 PM

It's been a weird mix of cars. Apparently it's the Swift club.

Are we meeting tomorrow? What's the plan?

lol blast from the past...

Does auto need a portable spot welder for $100?

Maybe metal shop?

I can't think that we do

6:56 PM

unless it were super fancy goosenecks

Just 1/2" copper loops 8-10 inches long

lolz https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/12/art-imitates-life-as-tesla-cybertruck-toy-from-mattel-misses-ship-date/

Tesla Cybertruck Hot Wheels toy ships late—just like real Tesla cars

Elon Musk can't be blamed for this production delay.

1

12:20 AM

Parts washer has a big leak on the pressure hose Tee fitting

12:20 AM

Fitting will likely need replacing

3:52 PM

Auto has a new tool cart!

3:52 PM

Courtesy of a member

1

Woot!

10:20 AM

I'm still here working on this

10:20 AM

Physically exhausted but I still need to cut out the fiberglass on the original trunk so I can drop it in

10:20 AM

I think in just gonna rent this trailer another day and drive to Houston in the morning

10:21 AM

10:22 AM

I had to bolt the bumper back to the original mount though; the flange I made to mount it to the drawer for the pull out is too thin so it droops too much.

10:22 AM

(when the drawer is pulled out that is; still bolted until I finish the quick release which I need to cut and reweld)

Well the power steering pump in my wife's car actually went out this time. What's the risk of driving it home with a bad pump?

soooooo many variables...

5:00 PM

kind of car

5:00 PM

amount of boost

5:00 PM

speed of travel

5:00 PM

kind of roads...

5:02 PM

is this the altima?

Yeah it's the Altima. 2013 2 liter 4 cylinder. Cvt transmission.

5:39 PM

Going to go see what the part costs and decide if I want to pay to fix it or do it myself.

on the upside, it's a small, light car

5:48 PM

on the downside, that is DEFINITELY built to use heavily boosted steering, so it's going to be heavy to drive without (edited)

5:49 PM

all comes down to whether the driver feels "safe enough" negotiating the route...

I think it's fine until tomorrow

6:17 PM

I'll watch some YouTube and see if I want to fix it or find someone to fix it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o42DllMqxrk

50sKid

Nissan Altima Power Steering Pump Replace

6:18 PM

same one I linked before, but it should get you started...

6:18 PM

I doubt it changed much in the intervening decade, but you never know...

Thanks

9:08 AM

Frankly with everything else I'm dealing with right now I will probably just have it fixed. Between the funeral and handling my father's estate I think I've got enough stress.

2

1

Update on bumper: not even texas clay mud is making it's way into the bumper drawer. After rampaging through the fields the detent pins stayed in place perfectly and the drawer pulls out and stows cleanly.

Do you have a steering wheel puller

hands?

You offering ? lol (edited)

3:46 PM

This wheel is on fairly well

5:58 PM

I think these are a wee bit more aggressive than my last tyres

1

1:34 AM

Also Automotive now has some proper cable cutters

2:30 AM

I think I currently have more traction than on normal pavement </Sarcasm>

You've been preparing for this. I wish I had a 4x4 for these cases

themitch22

You've been preparing for this. I wish I had a 4x4 for these cases

You only need one wheel

I thought about it but I don't feel like breaking a bone yet

The snow will cushion you?

All you native Texans are spoiled.

4:45 PM

Had to deal with snow and road conditions like this multiple times a year in Philadelphia. Granted, not in combination with these temps, but driving yesterday wasn't that bad

4:46 PM

Plus everyone on the highway was going slow and giving lots of room, was rather surprised by that.

after the most recent incident i think a lot of people will be a bit safer for a while

The 35W one? I would hope so

Hardsuit

Had to deal with snow and road conditions like this multiple times a year in Philadelphia. Granted, not in combination with these temps, but driving yesterday wasn't that bad

You mean you lived in a part of PA where they don't plow (or at least treat) roads? What, like the fringe of the Ozarks or something? (edited)

10:09 AM

oh, nm, you said Philadelphia... don't know where in Philadelphia the muni refuses to clear major thoroughfares, but I guess it's changed a lot since I've been there. O.o (edited)

10:12 AM

I've never had to drive in conditions like this anywhere in the North... because up there somebody does something to make sure you're not just letting the snow melt in the sun, then refreeze as oily ice, and then do that a few more times over so that morning rush hour is basically a death trap every day and the only safe time to drive is the hour or two in the afternoon after some of it has finally melted the slightest bit from the direct sunshine and before it all refreezes.

10:15 AM

munis that plow and neighbors that de-ice -- that is being spoiled

(and give me being spoiled any day of the week over this!)

10:16 AM

that's the difference between "oh, look, watch out, an ice slick in the road" and "oh, look, 35W is one huge skating rink"

slinkygn (George)

I've never had to drive in conditions like this anywhere in the North... because up there somebody does something to make sure you're not just letting the snow melt in the sun, then refreeze as oily ice, and then do that a few more times over so that morning rush hour is basically a death trap every day and the only safe time to drive is the hour or two in the afternoon after some of it has finally melted the slightest bit from the direct sunshine and before it all refreezes.

logic seems to be "something that happens a couple days a year isn't worth issuing bonds to buy the equipment then additional operating funds to train people / maintain the equipment"

"...at least, not this year"

1:09 PM

said every year, rather than planned out over the next 20

sand can be spread with an accessory on a dump truck, which is what most municipalities have opted for

whereas they could just get some folks here from #automotive who could tell them how little labor (from a city-budget perspective) goes into storing a car for a few years that rarely gets used

1:10 PM

heck, I'd settle for sand. Grapevine certainly didn't "settle" for anything.

it's the capital dollars that cities are worried about

And it rarely looks like TXDoT has ever "settled" for anything on their highways as well.

1:11 PM

Sure, initial layout is significant.

didn't see any evidence of sand in Lewisville during my one brief foray yesterday (edited)

So you'd have to do it, oh, I don't know

1:12 PM

maybe after an enormous multi-car pileup leads to a number of casualties, so it's fresh in people's minds that maybe spending 1/200th of a new school and floating that cost over the next 10yrs might be something worth considering

last big ice storm I had to drive in TxDOT was regularly applying sand to overpasses and bridges

1:12 PM

haven't had to trek into the office this go-round

Perhaps on overpasses and bridges, it's done. Certainly not on the rest of the road, even on high-traffic main thoroughfares.

although I'll say that there's something in the mindset around here where certain bad outcomes are seen as morally superior

that's certainly an additional component, yes.

1:14 PM

not quite enough "there but for the grace of God/Allah/the FSM go I" for my tastes, personally (edited)

does seem like almost every large muni in the region has some sort of fleet of heavy trucks that could switch-hit to spread sand so that some modicum of mobility is maintained for those that must venture out

1:17 PM

I spent a good ~decade working for an ISP doing critical network support in a role where WFH was VERBOTEN so I just got used to driving on icy roads

1:20 PM

I do see a curious degree of canards, red herrings, and Chewbaca defense of the status quo re: this latest weather-inflicted disaster

1

1:22 PM

I mean, individual preparedness is good, but it's not a solid argument for .gov and utility ineffectual actions to prevent these disasters

Pictures can't do justice to how rusted this transmission is. Gotta figure out how to get it in at least one gear.

Probably going to fill the case with evaporust for a week and see if that does it.

1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isV55HCZA0Q

RegularCars

2002 Ford Explorer: Regular Car Reviews

Removed my dash to change my speedo

8:35 PM

The old paint was flaky. So I think I found the right one

8:36 PM

1

At least it matches

Lololol case of the missing ratchets

free ratchet

still amuses

1

Of all the Honda’s that ever needed a wing attached. This one needs it the most.

Auto meeting

2:06 PM

We have a vote on the cost of lift training (edited)

2:06 PM

Giving it a few minutes to see who joins

i have business

2:06 PM

be right there

2

Yeah. That Sears vise is...wikked scary...

12:36 PM

Meet Darlene

Did you buy another one?

Sweet! 3rd one is the charm

5:01 PM

Looks really clean

Yes. The red car is no more

Who needs a working engine?!

Well it was a gerbil issue. He became to lazy

Who@is the chair of auto

@hon1nbo (k/j/t) exsilium

For another week at least (edited)

I feel like you shouldn't need to know all that much about how engines work to see the problem

2

I mean, he's not wrong, it'll look lovely

3:49 AM

Maybe he can even get himself a custom clear acrylic head to show off the valves

3:50 AM

(assuming they still fit, those don't look like thin coats of paint either)

3:51 AM

+10% speed bonus from the red, +10% speed bonus from the see-thru head -- he'll be the coolest kid in school

1

fubars the sound, but otherwise OK

also a ~½ scale kitplane

I'm not an 'experienced mechanic' by any means but I think I've got an idea of what went wrong...

1

They're not made of wood?

only a defect if you're Allen

this is a perfectly valid backwoods kludge for not having a brake lathe handy. Just insert like so and use normally for a mile or 2 including at least 3 hard stops from >40mph (believe me, ALL stops are harder than you'd think!) to perfectly match rotor machined surface to pad orientation. Then be certain to flip them ON THE SAME side (you wouldn't believe how many times I've seen a tech flip them to the OTHER side!) et viola! Perfectly match-turned rotors! (edited)

1

such a method cannot possibly go over any way but awesome

lololol

A. Spencer(jast)

this is a perfectly valid backwoods kludge for not having a brake lathe handy. Just insert like so and use normally for a mile or 2 including at least 3 hard stops from >40mph (believe me, ALL stops are harder than you'd think!) to perfectly match rotor machined surface to pad orientation. Then be certain to flip them ON THE SAME side (you wouldn't believe how many times I've seen a tech flip them to the OTHER side!) et viola! Perfectly match-turned rotors! (edited)

you sound... serious. Are you serious? I honest to goodness can't tell either way.

Lord knows I've seen more painful backwoods kludges for cars than that one, but boy.

I can't say that I am unable to imagine a scenario or 3 where I might employ such a ahem technique, but I don't think I'd tell anyone about it... (straight faces are easier through written communications...)

1

phew

3:59 PM

I think where you "complained" about other techs doing it wrong was where you had me starting to wonder if you'd actually seen this happen

1

paint in metallic pea, strap gramma to the roof, and ROLL to wally world (the range on that things' ♾️ , right)

1

metallic pea

2:47 PM

Still expecting the final form of that thing to be more ... conventional

2:48 PM

especially with Ford apparently managing to get reasonable range from what was originally expected to be a compliance design

you mean the Lightning dodges to avoid being struck by same due to blasphemous invocation of the holy name?

Yes

no idea who's running ford these days, but...yeah. Bronco missed the mark by a zillion miles, in my opinion (should have been Raptor SUV, not Minnie Mouse/potato head Xover). Lightning...well... if the name hadn't already been applied to the uberTruck of yore, would have been clever, but alas! there's already a Lightning brand cache, and that ain't it. Ditto on the Ranger/Maverick twins situation... and that doesn't even tough on the Mustang e-Mach mashup that should have been aborted... Thankfully, I haven' been shoveling any of my $ ford's way. Looks like I won't be starting to any time soon.

TBH, the whole attachment to and mystique behind these various marquees mystifies me

10:55 PM

to the extent I'm a 'car guy' I've got at best casual familiarity with the sub-models and trims that spark vicious flame wars on many a forum

apparently I find myself on the other end of that... don't like when good names are attached to bad things just to grab their wind

a lot of those good names were not coming back

10:57 PM

F-series ... Raptor appears to have succeeded where the Lighting tried and failed

10:58 PM

thus, Ford attempts an electric F-150 ... the branding is obvious

10:59 PM

and since they seem to have filled their order book with $100 pseudo-deposits ... they're apt to be crying all the way to the bank

11:00 PM

hell, I have owned 3½ Fords - none of them new. whatever I feel about the Ranger reboot is utterly irrelevant to Ford.

yep. more power to them. American car buyers are a bunch of idiots. Made obvious by the death of the stickshift. More's the pity. We can't all be me, I guess (thank goodness!!).

to be honest, if my next vehicle isn't electric, odds are I'll forego the pleasures of the 3-pedal arrangement. the old days of the hesitant yet twitchy 4-speed slushbox have finally passed and driving has become another task to get done with.

I refuse to admit that now, but I won't be surprised if that happens to me, too.

11:06 PM

and there probably won't be anything non-electric that does NOT have the CVT in the range of prices I'll be ahem comfortable paying

yeah, the CVT - such promise but in the end pretty meh execution at reasonable price levels

CVT are cool as fuck....to read about...tear down... not so much to drive/count on...but it's what "we" are doing since the DSG is even less popular (rightfully or wrongfully)

a number of automakers annihilated the main benefits of the CVT by emulating automatic gearboxes ... because people refused to adapt to constant revs (edited)

11:09 PM

mother has a Subaru that does that sh_t and it's baffling - achieve neither better power nor better economy

It's annoying that they continue to reuse classic trim lines, but lightning is some dead obvious branding. And the electric model is slated to be a full second quicker to 60 than the supercharged V8, so at least it's not for nothing.

11:31 PM

There's some precedent too, ranger was a trim line on the F series pickups first and then just became an entire model on it's own.

there seems to be considerable overlap between the people who rage at said reuse and people who won't be buying new vehicles from said companies at all

11:32 PM

the compact pickup as we once knew it is seemingly dead unless you're Toyota or Nissan

11:34 PM

given the meh tow and cargo ratings that compact frame-based trucks offered I'm not sure that the new unibody compact trucks are all that bad of a thing for someone that wants the hauling utility for the occasional run to the home despot or wants to tow a jetski

michaelb

There's some precedent too, ranger was a trim line on the F series pickups first and then just became an entire model on it's own.

which would have been the obvious tack on the current lineup instead instead of the whatyoumaycallit "Ranger"...should have just made the 4-door shortbed F150 the "Ranger" trimline and called it a day.

spotted a Mach-E in the wild the other day. wasn't nearly as hideous as most other crossovers. but also sufficiently ... sedan-like ... that I wonder why they had to make it a crossover at all

My thought is the younger generations will go back to smaller vehicles with less of them having kids and not being able to afford $50k luxury suvs and trucks. That and gas being $4+/gal

1

8:30 AM

I'm a fan of the Mach-E it's as close to a Tesla without being a Tesla

Ford build quality problems vs Tesla build quality problems?

I might have ~~loaned a random dealership $100 interest free~~ put down a deposit on the F-150 Lightning ... except I would have had to negotiate with whatever dealer to get a refund

10:00 AM

and TBH I start to feel punchy after about 90 seconds of having to interact with a car dealer

Traditional car dealership model is terrible and I want to avoid it at all costs next time. I'm way more apt to buy from carmax or carvana.

Helped 2 family members buy through Costco. Remarkably easypeasy. No "deals", but acceptable rates on cars that are in demand, and couldn't have been happier with the whole process (well, I could, but they were still much easier than "usual" dealer experiences)

3:20 PM

ya gotta want what they're selling, though, like all Costco things.

I second the fleet purchase thru Costco or similar. No need to negotiate. All clearly priced. They even do it for used cars

I enjoy negotiating and showing up with my amortization schedules...it can be an interesting game

(edited)

I almost accidentally a VW GTI in 2017 because the salesman - whose first language wasn't English - didn't quite understand that my request for a firm price wasn't an intent to purchase

8:48 PM

and I was OK with telling the finance guy that no I wasn't buying. but then the manager waylaid me on the way out. So Rusty Wallis VW can go get wrecked.

The backroom finance guy trick is the worst

parts washer air gun is leaking a lot in various positions

Fun times. Think freddy ordered a new part and they sent the wrong one?

Dis be correct

11:38 PM

New parts are ordered and should be here soon

11:38 PM

Partsmaster company is hilarious

f__ck. I bought that car 4 years ago now.

Hey everyone, im not currently a member (but have ben in the past) and am wondering if anyone would help me learn and work on a '83 300D. It has some interior damage that I could use help with, and while everything under the hood is in decent order right now, I would like to learn how to work on the engine while its in good-to-decent condition or before something important breaks. If you'd be willing or able to help me please let me know. thanks!

I dont know much about those cars except UN embassadors drive them with flags of their countries flying on the side.

1

lolol

well at the end of the day its diesel engine from the 80s so if you know anything about that then youre already leagues ahead of my knowledge and experience

11:19 AM

all ive had so far is youtube to teach me

My mom, and separately as i didn't know him then, my father-in-law, both had 300SD. The look of the car holds up well. If you add the flags that is

the dyesub makes very pretty flags on polyster fabrics

Like this style?

Needs to be on the fenders

12:13 PM

1

12:13 PM

Lol Amazon even sells them

Even better is you're a tin-pot dictator

i made a quick mockup of what I think im looking for /s

1

The trucks have enough room for your unfaithful minions bodies

john a gorman

I second the fleet purchase thru Costco or similar. No need to negotiate. All clearly priced. They even do it for used cars

A tip about this in particular, for whoever might need it: Had to purchase a car +-3y ago (well, the fiance did, but thus the gruntwork is mine), and I had a number of these fleet-style prenegotiated car services through various sources -- Costco, AmEx, a local credit union, a labor union membership, there may have been one more. Four or five in total.

10:34 PM

I started process with every one of them to compare pricing. I suspected that basically every one of them would have the same pricing, and I was largely correct -- except for Costco. For whatever reason, they came in substantially cheaper than all the others.

10:34 PM

I think the fifth may have been AAA? Do they do that sort of thing? I'm not certain.

10:35 PM

I thought if there was going to be an outlier it'd be AmEx; I was very wrong. Costco won by a mile.

That is interesting. That's who I used in 2008 for the Honda

GumbyJones

i made a quick mockup of what I think im looking for /s

You need about a dozen flags to show your domination of politics

will consider Costco next time I'm buying. my disdain for car dealerships is substantial.

Regular Cars got their grubby little mitts on a Mach-E: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AfYpClVkQE

RegularCars

2021 Mustang Mach-E: Regular Car Reviews

lol so it's a slightly less shitty Tesla than the Tesla SUXv...and it's fine with them if Ford wants to flog the Mustang horsey for another round of cashgrab... well, ok then.

I recall a surprisingly unfiltered interview that the President or CEO of Harley gave about time that the LiveWire was initially announced. The soundbite was basically "yeah they hate us in Sturgis, but they're not going to be buying bikes in 10 years and we have no intention of dying with them."

9:38 AM

for whatever reason the market will cough up $5-$10k more for a crossover than a sedan which can be magicked into existence for far less than said price premium

of course, Harley hasn't exactly moved mountains with the LiveWire, but that's likely a failing of their overall business model of moving top-end highway cruisers in a market that's losing interest in that segment

10:02 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOwxxsPaogY

FortNine

How Harley-Davidson Killed Itself

I'm more excited about the hybrid Maverick truck now than the Mach-E. An affordable new base model truck with a hybrid is the city commuter compromise I'd want.

ESmith

of course, Harley hasn't exactly moved mountains with the LiveWire, but that's likely a failing of their overall business model of moving top-end highway cruisers in a market that's losing interest in that segment

Harley is a merchandise lifestyle company first, I can't imagine they aren't hemorrhaging money having thousands of dealerships in small town rest stops.

2:23 PM

I also am sad they stopped selling Buell's, they were my favorite bikes

they've suspended production before...

2:24 PM

but without the bikes will people buy their overpriced merch?

2:24 PM

not sure that motorcycle dealerships are offered the same support as automobile dealerships

I was a unique case that they had the only comfortable low seat height bike when I was looking 10 years ago. The sales guys were really pushy though.

the brand will be worth something to somebody even if Harley stops making bikes, but how much and for how long is anyone's guess

Harley is the biggest cosplay group in the nation

2

5

1

I had some occasional insights into the motorcycle dealership biz a ~decade ago when a friend would do occasional favors for the owner of a Yamaha dealership. Profit margins on the bikes was negotiable - the real margin was accessories and gear sales.

honda/suzuki/kawasaki will eat up all the cruiser business anyway. Polaris owns the rest of the american brands.

Financing was basically a credit card

2:29 PM

which I'm sure the dealerships got some cut on

financed a bike like a credit card. I paid it off earlier but I broke even selling it so that was good.

if it took a $500 credit on high-margin merch and gear to make the sale, they profited on the backend

I was a cool biker once lol then when I moved back to DFW I realized how bad DFW is for motorcyclists and sold it.

2:37 PM

Zero is announcing a new electric motorcycle soon btw

6 months of brutal summer, another 2-3 months of surprisingly unpleasant damp winters, with the cherry of bad roads and drivers that are hostile to non-cagers? yeah.

laughs in motorcycle gear drenched in sweat

2:30 PM

I did get a new jacket that's helped a ton though, it's a very breathable "hoodie"

I guess I've been sleeping under a rock. There's a fleet of cars by the HD near Forest and 75 that I don't recognize. Something called a Kandi?

3:01 PM

3:02 PM

Apparently it's an electric vehicle ...

HUGO's!

yashsedai

HUGO's!

?

3:16 PM

Yeah they've been slowly moving those in. Looks like it's the companies first jump into the US market. (edited)

https://www.librarypoint.org/blogs/post/the-yugo/

The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History

The Yugo was a small car made in the former nation of Yugoslavia that survives in the American consciousness as the ultimate automotive…

1

NA HQ in Garland, TX https://www.kandiamerica.com/About-Us/ (edited)

yashsedai

https://www.librarypoint.org/blogs/post/the-yugo/

LOVE Yugos!

K27 probably qualifies as a NEV, thus not subject to as stringent safety requirements as most vehicles since it's not supposed to offer some modicum of protection against an 18-wheeler colliding at >70MPH

3:55 PM

Yugos were bad, but were they Trabant bad?

each special in their own way...

3:56 PM

at least the ~~fiats~~ Yugos started out as metal... (edited)

2-smoke engine almost entirety of production

4:01 PM

Pooning a bimbo box takes more skill than a ped would ever imagine, because of their very road-unworthiness, their congenital lack of steel or other ferrous matter for the MagnaPoon to bite down on. Now they have superconducting poons that stick to aluminum bodywork by inducing eddy currents in the actual flesh of the car, turning it into an unwilling electromagnet, but Y.T. does not have one of these. They are the trademark of the hardcore Burbclave surfer, which, despite this evening's entertainment, she is not. Her poon will only stick to steel, iron, or (slightly) to nickel. The only steel in a bimbo box of this make is in the frame. She makes a low-slung approach. Her poon's orbital plane is nearly vertical, it almost grinds on the twinkly suburban macadam on the forward limb of each orbit. When she pounds the release button, it takes off from an altitude of about one centimeter, angling slightly upward, across the street, under the floor of the bimbo box, and sucks steel. It's a solid hit, as solid as you can get on this nebula of air, upholstery, paint, and marketing known as the family minivan. The reaction is instantaneous, quick-witted by Burb standards. This person wants Y.T. gone. The van takes off like a hormone-pumped bull who has just been nailed in the ass by the barbed probe of a picador. It's not Mom at the wheel. It's young Studley, the teenaged boy, who like every other boy in this Burbclave has been taking intravenous shots of horse testosterone every afternoon in the high school locker room since he was fourteen years old. Now he's bulky, stupid, thoroughly predictable.

4:01 PM

He steers erratically, artificially pumped muscles not fully under his control. The molded, leather-grained, maroon-colored steering wheel smells like his mother's hand lotion; this drives him into a rage. The bimbo box surges and slows, surges and slows, because he is pumping the gas pedal, because holding it to the floor doesn't seem to have any effect. He wants this car to be like his muscles: more power than he knows what to do with. Instead, it hampers him. As a compromise, he hits the button that says POWER. Another button that says ECONOMY pops out and goes dead, reminding him, like an educational demonstration, that the two are mutually exclusive. The van's tiny engine downshifts, which makes it feel more powerful. He holds his foot steady on the gas and, making the run down Cottage Heights Road, the minivan's speed approaches one hundred kilometers. Approaching the terminus of Cottage Heights Road, where it tees into Bellewoode Valley Road, he espies a fire hydrant. TMAWH fire hydrants are numerous, for safety, and highly designed, for property values, not the squat iron things imprinted with the name of some godforsaken Industrial Revolution foundry and furry from a hundred variously flaked layers of cheap city paint. They are brass, robot-polished every Thursday morning, dignified pipes rising straight up from the perfect, chemically induced turf of the Burbclave lawns, flaring out to present potential firefighters with a menu of three possible hose connections. They were designed on a computer screen by the same aesthetes who designed the DynaVictorian houses and the tasteful mailboxes and the immense marble street signs that sit at each intersection like headstones. Designed on a computer screen, but with an eye toward the elegance of things past and forgotten about. Fire hydrants that tasteful people are proud to have on their front lawns. Fire hydrants that the real estate people don't feel the need to airbrush out of pictures.

4:01 PM

This fucking Kourier is about to die, knotted around one of those fire hydrants. Studley the Testosterone Boy will see to it. It is a maneuver he has witnessed on television -- which tells no lies -- a trick he has practiced many times in his head. Building up maximum speed on Cottage Heights, he will yank the hand brake while swinging the wheel. The ass end of the minivan will snap around. The pesky Kourier will be cracked like a whip at the end of her unbreakable cable. Into the fire hydrant she will go. Studley the Teenager will be victorious, free to cruise in triumph down Bellewoode Valley and out into the greater world of adult men in cool cars, free to go return his overdue videotape, Raft Warriors V: The Final Battle.

4:01 PM

Y.T. does not know any of this for a fact, but she suspects it. None of this is real. It is her reconstruction of the psychological environment inside of that bimbo box. She sees the hydrant coming a mile away, sees Studley reaching down to rest one hand on the parking brake. It is all so obvious. She feels sorry for Studley and his ilk. She reels out, gives herself lots of slack. He whips the wheel, jerks the brake. The minivan goes sideways, overshooting its mark, and doesn't quite snap her around the way he wanted; she has to help it. As its ass is rotating around, she reels in hard, converting that gift of angular momentum into forward velocity, and ends up shooting right past the van going well over a mile a minute. She is headed for a marble gravestone that says BELLEWOODE VALLEY ROAD. She leans away from it, leans into a vicious turn, her spokes grip the pavement and push her away from that gravestone, she can touch the pavement with one hand she is heeled over so hard, the spokes push her onto the desired street. Meanwhile, she has clicked off the electromagnetic force that held her pooned to the van. The poon head comes loose, caroms off the pavement behind her as it is automatically reeled in to reunite with the handle. She is headed straight for the exit of the Burbclave at fantastic speed. Behind her, an explosive crash sounds, resonating in her gut, as the minivan slides sideways into the gravestone.

4:05 PM

apologies for the wall of text, but that lead in - congenital lack of steel - always makes me laugh (edited)

what

4:07 PM

the hell

4:07 PM

did i jsut read

passage from Snow Crash, a delightful absurdist cyberpunk novel by Neal Stephenson

ah

the main character's name is Hiro Protagonist

4:12 PM

entire book is fittingly online as a text file, i.e. https://vx-underground.org/archive/VxHeaven/lib/mns00.html

Darren T

I guess I've been sleeping under a rock. There's a fleet of cars by the HD near Forest and 75 that I don't recognize. Something called a Kandi?

That's a hard sell in the DFW area, I'd rather get a used Leaf. How do I know it qualifies for tax credits?

5:09 PM

100mile is minimum for daily commute here, 7.5hr charging time if you're lucky enough to have a house to charge it. I would make arrangements to charge at work.

themitch22

That's a hard sell in the DFW area, I'd rather get a used Leaf. How do I know it qualifies for tax credits?

I know someone who did just that: purchased a used Leaf as a secondary car in Portland (I think from a car rental company as they were rotating out 2 year old cars). Worked out well as he didn't want to put in town miles uselessly on his truck.

5:29 PM

Also, 100 mile commutes are stupid and unfortunate for those who have to make them (particularly while driving their own car).

Who is doing 100 mile commutes?! It's only like 30 miles from Denton to Dallas

1

5:41 PM

You'd have to be way up past McKinney and going into like ft worth

I can see the argument for >100 miles' range for occasional contingencies such as needing to make a major detour or a prolonged weekend outing

5:51 PM

but there are corner cases. one co-worker lived >80 miles from the office. another had to make >100 miles/day routinely due to child custody arrangements.

problem with living 35 miles from where I work (The Colony to Mesquite) on a 100 mile range is those occasions where I ALSO need to go anywhere else with the HVAC running...

I know what y'all mean. My 5.5 mile commute is just the worst. I much preferred the 2.5 mile drive at the last job.

1

The case for the NEV is either one of the tiny handful of cities that have been purpose-engineered for them or dense metro areas that are otherwise walkable

michaelb

I know what y'all mean. My 5.5 mile commute is just the worst. I much preferred the 2.5 mile drive at the last job.

Segway...

last 18 months my commute has been about 20 feet

Unless I could get a 220v extension at work or city hall next to my apartment leaves their chargers on overnight (I think they're only during business hours)

6:20 PM

I've seriously considering it when the mini grenades itself

EV ownership model presently slanted heavily towards those with dedicated off-street parking w/ access to 240V service

I will totally run a 110v extension cord to my apartment parking garage

6:23 PM

More DC fast charging would make EVs more practical

DC fast charging harder on the pack

Any long term studies on this?

doing it as a substitute for slow charging presents a significant hit to lifespan

Do we expect EVs to be junked after 10 years when the batteries go bad?

a well known effect on li-ion batteries

6:24 PM

the 'gas station' model is not a good fit for EVs

6:25 PM

since the typical automobile spends 8+ hours a day in one of two set locations, better to slow-charge them at the endpoints

Battery swapping and reconditioning would be ideal or hydrogen fuel cell but we're back to who's paying for infrastructure

hydrogen will demand trillions in new infrastructure to make expensive, inefficient EVs. battery swapping will also be an expensive proposition since the most expensive part of the car has to be staged and ready for the relatively few that are likely to demand such service.

6:27 PM

if ... flow batteries ... can ever match conventional li-* chemistry energy density you might be able to exchange electrolyte quickly-ish

https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-israeli-minute-battery-aims-electric.html BAM 5-minute recharges. Problem solved. All we need are small nuclear reactors at key neighborhood "fueling stations" to meet the ahem current demand, and we're done here. Should be in YOUR neighborhood within 5 years unless my calculations are incorrect... (edited)

Israeli 5-minute battery charge aims to fire up electric cars

From flat battery to full charge in just five minutes—an Israeli start-up has developed technology it says could eliminate the "range anxiety" associated with electric cars.

That headline "fire-up" and lithium batteries

so here's the challenge with the "5-minute fillup" that everyone insists is absolutely necessary:

7:54 PM

even if you cut that down to the present 80% that li-ion packs can do in ~30 minutes on a merely fast charger that's a f-ton of power

7:57 PM

7:58 PM

as battery packs get bigger (hello, cybertruck, F-150 Lighting), the power demands for fast charging will escalate

ESmith

hydrogen will demand trillions in new infrastructure to make expensive, inefficient EVs. battery swapping will also be an expensive proposition since the most expensive part of the car has to be staged and ready for the relatively few that are likely to demand such service.

Out of curiosity, what kind of infrastructure will be needed for hydrogen?

GumbyJones

Out of curiosity, what kind of infrastructure will be needed for hydrogen?

hydrogen fueling stations will require considerable bespoke infrastructure (and at least initially engineering), costing considerably more than gasoline/diesel or even NG stations. safety requirements suggest they will not slot into the same locations as liquid fueling stations. if the 'green' hydrogen route is taken, significant investment in electrolysis machines. distribution will be interesting since hydrogen tankers won't have the capacity of gasoline/diesel tankers.

8:44 PM

of course, 'green' hydrogen is unlikely since the oil industry can make hydrogen at scale cheaply steam-reforming hydrocarbons

8:47 PM

and no matter how you make the hydrogen, it's a good half as efficient to burn it in a fuel cell to spin a motor as it is to discharge a battery to spin a motor

there are no doubt challenges to EV adoption (i.e. addressing the slow-charging gap for those without dedicated off-street charging), but they're ultimately far lesser challenges than building out a comprehensive new hydrogen infrastructure since they largely center around enhancements to the ubiquitous electric grid (edited)

I thought hydrogen tanks are actually safer bc the fire goes up and away and not splattered all over concrete steel and skin. I haven’t heard that the tankers have such a significantly lower capacity though, that’s interesting. From what I’ve heard though, until there’s a new and widespread battery tech that vastly out performs lion then hydrogen is probably the best bet as an alternative fuel source for cars. Fun fact: the energy used to manufacture a lion battery is actually the same as the total energy output of the battery’s lifespan. So even with neglecting to consider waste materials, electric cars are not any better for the environment.

https://afdc.energy.gov/states/tx

1:40 AM

We have no hydrogen fuel cell infrastructure

Yah but hydrogen can be run as fuel itself not just in fuel cell. The hydrogen fuel cell seems like a bigger stretch, but internal combustion engines that burn hydrogen not gas/diesel are still things.

3:49 AM

Also that’s a very informative link, thank you. It’s interesting to know that there are 0 places to fill up on hydrogen in the state. I guess my only question is how difficult is it to respec all or part of a gas station for hydrogen?

3:52 AM

I have also heard that once the reaction inside a hydrogen fuel cell is started, that it can’t be stopped or paused. Does anyone know anything about this?

Fun fact: the energy used to manufacture a lion battery is actually the same as the total energy output of the battery’s lifespan. So even with neglecting to consider waste materials, electric cars are not any better for the environment.

@GumbyJones Citation needed - especially when price is generally a good sign of the bound energy in an item and li-ion prices have fallen a good order of magnitude in the last ~decade while performance has increased Actually found something relatively quickly : https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2515-7620/ab5e1e#:~:text=Based%20on%20public%20data%20on,per%20kWh%20of%20battery%20capacity.

Based on public data on two different Li-ion battery manufacturing facilities, and adjusted results from a previous study, the most reasonable assumptions for the energy usage for manufacturing Li-ion battery cells appears to be 50–65 kWh of electricity per kWh of battery capacity.

So ... 50-65 cycles while high-density cells are good for >500 full 0-100-0 cycles (meaning considerably more if you only use a fraction of the capacity, like most commuters on most modern EVs) (edited)

GumbyJones

Yah but hydrogen can be run as fuel itself not just in fuel cell. The hydrogen fuel cell seems like a bigger stretch, but internal combustion engines that burn hydrogen not gas/diesel are still things.

Yes, it can. But modifying an ICE to burn hydrogen is a far more involved affair than burning NG or propane. The tankage represents a packaging challenge since it must be cylindrical. And the cost of hydrogen is apt to make burning it at ICE efficiencies unpalatable.

GumbyJones

I have also heard that once the reaction inside a hydrogen fuel cell is started, that it can’t be stopped or paused. Does anyone know anything about this?

Fuel cells are throttle-able, but prefer to run at a steady level of output

hydrogen production is almost entirely from natural gas, kinda pointless when you can just burn the NG instead

aceat64

hydrogen production is almost entirely from natural gas, kinda pointless when you can just burn the NG instead

... using incumbent/simpler infrastructure without the exotic mods that H2 ICEs require

hydrogen can be produced on site at the fueling stations, it just needs lots of water and electricity

12:35 PM

of course, you could also simply just provide electricity and charge BEVs...

aceat64

of course, you could also simply just provide electricity and charge BEVs...

and go more than twice as far on the same amount of juice

just to heap onto the information pile: https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/hydrogen_basics.html (not that the gubment should ever be a sole source of info, but for trends...) from there, this, about storage: 10kpsi don't come cheap nor light...

the only scenario hydrogen makes sense for is to avoid the public having to change their habits around fueling at a station vs at home or destination

1

5000 PSI tanks are the norm for FCVs. They can be light-ish when made from carbon fiber, but are far from cheap.

OY! CF is surely carbon-neutral, right?

unless there's a major breakthrough in efficiently producing hydrogen, it's unlikely to ever really take off

A. Spencer(jast)

OY! CF is surely carbon-neutral, right?

Sure. all bound up in solid form, sequestered before your eyes

(edited)

1

ignoring the energy use to produce it maybe lol

12:39 PM

trees are much more carbon neutral/negative I bet

aceat64

unless there's a major breakthrough in efficiently producing hydrogen, it's unlikely to ever really take off

make that breakthroughS in producing, transporting, storing, replenishment, etc. Pretty much pinch points all the way along that supply chain. (in my unprofessional opinion)

wood is a great material imo

the hydrogen economy - makes for great sci-fi where there's handwavium a-plenty to go round (edited)

what's the handwavium:unobtainium exchange these days?

√-3 : -1/7

1

2

12:45 PM

Hydrogen. I get that there's a segment that loves their internal combustion engines and that there's a larger segment that seemingly needs that weekly fillup at the kwik-e-mart. But so many major hurdles to actually implementing it - many of which negate its purported 'green' advantages - along with serious downsides.

12:46 PM

The fact that Nikola ended up being a shell game in the end with no secret-sauce fuel cell, hydrogen production, nor actual development plans to deal with the former 2 shortcomings should be telling

ESmith

√-3 : -1/7

no idea why this pops to mind

1

also i wasnt suggesting we modify ICE's to run hydrogen but build new ones that run on hydrogen

12:50 PM

also I was under the impression that hydrogen was made to put into NG not a byproduct of NG

aceat64

the only scenario hydrogen makes sense for is to avoid the public having to change their habits around fueling at a station vs at home or destination

yeah and if you do this you should be able to modify existing infrastructure of gas stations instead of doing weird EV charging spots

GumbyJones

yeah and if you do this you should be able to modify existing infrastructure of gas stations instead of doing weird EV charging spots

Doubtful. Storing and pumping liquid at zero pressure is a simpler affair than a gas that must be compressed into the destination container at pressures greatly exceeding those which have been performed en masse elsewhere in the economy.

also apparently hydrogen research was being pushed in the 90s until some old researcher-man said "no hydrogen bad" and everyone lost interest. I'll try to find a source on that but someone at Rice told me that.

12:59 PM

also youre right, storing this at pressure is inherently harder, but there are plenty of current fuel models (like propane iirc) that is stored at pressure and ppl manage transporting/refueling tanks of that pretty well

costs. it's all about the costs that no amount of R&D has been able to reduce to the point that hydrogen is competitive.

12:59 PM

propane and NG are at far lower pressures

1:00 PM

the jump from NG's ~3000 PSI to H2's 5000 PSI involves far more complexity and cost than the simple ~66% increase in the value suggests

oh yeah i didnt realize that hydrogen is stored at like 10-30x the pressure of propane

retail bulk propane also something like <150PSI and that's orders of magnitude more common than NG tanks for transportation fuel

yeah that tracks

1:04 PM

yeah the more i look into it and talk to ppl (thanks for the discussion btw) it seems like hydrogen isnt as great as some ppl think, but im also not convinced that lion battery cars are actually significantly better for the environment than gas. But here is a question: could planes run on hydrogen fuel and cut down on emissions there?

the likely future for hydrogen - assuming the costs ever become managable/competitive - is larger vehicles: OTR trucks, buses, trans-oceanic freight vessels, possibly aircraft

1:06 PM

the issue with aircraft is similar to smaller ground vehicles packaging. Tanks must be cylindrical for reasons of strength, which means inefficient utilization of volume.

plane fuselodges are already cylindrical tho so you cant necessarily keep fuel in the wings but you could still do it

notice something about the two conventionally-shaped airliners in this article's header image? https://www.airbus.com/innovation/zero-emission/hydrogen/zeroe.html

ZEROe

Discover ZEROe, Airbus’ hydrogen-powered

1:08 PM

the back ~third of the fuselage isn't cabin space

1:09 PM

that's a cost disadvantage on top of the already-high costs of hydrogen

ok this is probably a stupid question, but cant you just make the fuselage extra long?

short answer: no

1:10 PM

long answer: you can, but that generally just means the 'next size up' aircraft to meet the capabilities of the 'next size down' aircraft while basically costing as much as the larger aircraft (edited)

gotchya

here's a general idea of what's involved in a H2 filling station :

1:16 PM

whereas a simplified model of a liquid fuels filling station would basically consist of tank(s), pumps, dispensers

1:23 PM

because hydrogen gas is so effusive, explosive across an incredibly wide range of conditions, and burns almost invisibly the safety equipment/engineering must be far more involved than a liquid filling station

there might be some hope for hydrogen storage using a fluid/slurry that you basically pump out and replace at the fueling station, but it's still unclear if that's cost effective

1:56 PM

battery tech tree still looks the most promising

a lot of effort has gone into hydrides and other means of storing hydrogen in a more convenient format and they all have problems

with any luck Musk will find element zero at the abandoned Prothean outpost on Mars and we can just skip right into FTL and flying cars and such

For every kilogram of handwavium you remove from a setting, you add about 10 cubic meters of impossible to maintain plumbing. (edited)

even for Mass Effect eezo is horribly broken, it basically allows for the creation of infinite amounts of energy, but that's a whole other rant....

Holy crap

Just another Saturday night of driving in Dallas huh

Nothing will beat ~20 years ago before Central to downtown was expanded coming around a bend approaching a bridge seeing a recliner between the two lanes facing traffic as if it has been carefully placed there. I imagined a madman sitting in it howling at oncoming cars until he met his end. (edited)

Lulz

https://youtu.be/aMVE-ZX058w

Life OD

BICYCLE powered CAR!

that has GOT to be on a dirt-tracker...

or Lemons. likely Lemons.

That was my first thought

(maybe where I lifted the pic)

Hell, put the dryer in an open trunk and you have a theme

9:28 PM

lol

maybe they recycled the shell for missing body components

9:31 PM

or more thrillingly - structural and/or powertrain components

Potayto, potahto...

Hey

1:44 PM

I have taken the class for the automotive lift but my card isn’t working. Who can help me out?

i can

1:46 PM

when did you take the class?

1:46 PM

and who was your instructor?

Hey, thanks

1:58 PM

Ummmm it has been a couple years and I really don’t remember who it was. It was the guy who drove a Lincoln Navigator he was wanting to do a paint job on it

Gotcha

2:02 PM

Gimme a few

Sure

2:03 PM

And thank you

U good

2:06 PM

Added u to group

Thank you very much

2:11 PM

Should it be working now? Because it is not

one sec

it may take up to 30 mins or so to replicate

2:12 PM

i'll see if i can help it along

2:13 PM

looks like its taking it

Cool thanks I have other things to do here

it takes about 15 to 30 second from when you scan to it turning on

2:14 PM

try once more

The light will turn green right?

2:14 PM

It is on

2:14 PM

It stays red lol

yup

You are awesome

can you close your hood?

Before I lift sure

just trying to see the led lights

2:19 PM

the light that turns green is on the top of the box

2:19 PM

the reader light is always red

2:19 PM

you should hear an audible click when the relay powers up

The area space cameras aren’t it is green

2:20 PM

Areas space cameras not available to all members anymore? Or did they just move it?

still at dallasmakerspace.org/cam

Thank you

there is a disconnect below the box, turn it off for 10 seconds and then back on

2:21 PM

after turning it on, wait for about a minute to let the reader reaload

It is working

excellent

thanks!

Thank you!

a real pro would have trimmed the ziptie

Real pro knows to use a c-clamp.

9:23 AM

Ignore the flames from the short - means it goes faster

that's clearly a hose clamp terminal

Oh, you're right. Excuse me

or in a pinch a ~1" socket

Oh I see the issue

3:15 PM

Black ziptie on the positive terminal

sharp eye

we have insurance worked out for the exhaust system; calling for volunteers to help with its removal: https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/calling-volunteers-removal-pickup-of-donated-auto-exhaust/82847

Calling Volunteers: Removal+Pickup of Donated Auto Exhaust

Calling for Volunteers! We have a donation of an exhaust system for automotive, but we have to remove it from the old property before it’s demolished. It’s coming from an old fire station in Grapevine. Total number of volunteers needed: 4 Estimated time required: 2-3 hours Estimated time: Some weekday between 10am-2pm start depending on volu...

hilarity all around https://jalopnik.com/america-wants-half-of-new-cars-to-be-electric-by-2050-1847428153

America Wants Half Of New Cars To Be Electrified By 2030

This is some weak-ass shit, if we're being honest.

11:57 AM

as fond as I am of the idea of EVs I'm not sure it's possible to scale production to the point that 50% of new vehicles have some credible flavour of electric drive in less than 9 years

Hey look I got my certification

can you swap an engine in 15 minutes like on the youtubes?

No but I can watch them do it

it's funny watching this being presented as a sort of lost history segment having lived through the ban in the 1980s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_C8z0rFnjk

FortNine

The Killer Tricycle Banned by the US Government

Man, I remember those things, mostly I remember getting thrown over the top when the kid driving it wrecked.... My Honda mini trail was more fun and way less painful when you messed up

8:09 AM

I'd love to find a mini trail to restore, they are all going for way too much money on BAT...

8:09 AM

ESmith

it's funny watching this being presented as a sort of lost history segment having lived through the ban in the 1980s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_C8z0rFnjk

yoots

ROFL not one I've tried, but makes sense

not quite as awesome as the Vice Grip Spring Compressor™ but you've got to work your way up to these things

2

ESmith

not quite as awesome as the Vice Grip Spring Compressor™ but you've got to work your way up to these things

Saw that on tik tok with bent c channel clamp. Scary

1

https://www.thedrive.com/news/42076/ford-is-making-an-electric-crate-motor-and-youll-see-it-at-sema

Ford Is Making an Electric Crate Motor, and You’ll See It at SEMA

Tired of your project car smelling like fumes and gulping gas? Well, even if you aren't, some folks are—this is for them.

9:47 AM

I'm seriously interested in this! I'd love to be driving a classic but not interested in the upkeep of a classic engine

yep srsly surprised nobody's doing that already (lots of kits to DIY have come & gone over the years, but I think this is a first, or nearly so, in the "crate motor" concept)

I wonder what all is included in the model they shared (motor, charger, motor drive?). Hopefully they have a relatively idiot-proof solution for the high voltage wiring. At the least you'll need to wire up a battery and charge port.

lol @ the comments

10:18 AM

1

10:23 AM

wonder if mega-zilla'd fit in a fox body.. https://www.thedrive.com/news/37965/fords-mega-zilla-an-even-more-powerful-crate-engine-based-on-the-7-3l-godzilla-is-coming

Ford Says More Powerful 'Megazilla' Version of 7.3L Godzilla V8 Cra...

It, too, should have no problems fitting in a Fox-body Mustang—or a modern one, for that matter.

10:24 AM

apparently

A. Spencer(jast)

yep srsly surprised nobody's doing that already (lots of kits to DIY have come & gone over the years, but I think this is a first, or nearly so, in the "crate motor" concept)

A company called AC Propulsion (who develeoped a lot of the technology that Tesla mainstreamed) had a 'crate motor' of sorts more than 20 years ago that was more or less a turnkey kit to convert a range of vehicles to EV - basically the drivetrain while you DIY'ed the battery pack

2

12:21 PM

1994 in fact

12:22 PM

https://www.acpropulsion.com/index.php/about-us/management

12:26 PM

no one misses the era of EV chargers being actual chargers with all that cost and complexity while the motor controller could manage all that with some modest tweaks

I'd love to put an ev motor in an old MGB or triumph spitfire. All the English style with none of the oil leaks and unreliability. And yes, I'd also replace all the Lucas electric first. I don't want to burn the thing down

if you're swapping the powertrain, not a whole lot more work to remove all the other remaining electrics

2

for all the raging fanboys and the brodozers' gnashing of teeth, it seems that electric 18-wheelers are becoming a thing (albeit with certain limitations) https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2022-freightliner-ecascadia-class-8-semi-truck-first-drive/

2022 Freightliner eCascadia First Drive

Test driving Freightliner’s new, all-electric Class 8 semi truck

2

1

@ESmith that's just because you don't own Expert Brakes

2:41 PM

You're probably still rolling on some of those old school disc brakes or such

2:41 PM

boooooring

no front/rear bifurcation on my vehicles with such a 'brake'

ESmith

Click to see attachment 🖼️

OK. Admitting to not being one of the few. What the hell? 3 wheels. Van front. Makes me thing Piaggio Ape. But that doesn't really look right. Also, don't think I've ever seen the tires ON the wheels whilst on the sprue...

ah, but you do get the reference

12:56 PM

At a loss to understand the value proposition there

Do people in the oil field still have that disposable income? Or it's the owner of the construction contracting company.

He went from the Lincoln Lawyer to Lincoln spokesperson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ5vTRE4DLQ

Adam Something

Flying Cars Will Never Be A Thing, Here's Why

who keeps stealing the fittings off of the air tools

are they stealing or are they moving? (and if they're moving, where the eff did they find any plumber's tape)

{witty remark about the inexplicable baffling behavior of members}

@yashsedai - mind grabbing some fittings next time you're doing some order? I bet some red locktite might help

️aaactually not the worst idea I've heard, especially when we're talking about the cheaper tools like in the photo where it's not a big loss if we can't easily break them loose for one purpose or another. I imagine red loctite and Teflon tape/pipe dope are probably incompatible, but some sort of method of affixing them permanently - why not

10:56 PM

Somebody get Tim over here, he'll take care of it

10:57 PM

You'll need a bench grinder to get them off once he's done with them

way too satisfying watching the driver of a badly-lowered G35 sneer at me as they make the turn into a driveway and audibly bottom out. *stanced, brah*.

2

Thanks for reminding me to order a new underbody cover..

1

I guess that's one way to do it

Must be a Chevrolet - "like a rock"

today i was like where the fuck are all the jack stands. left the space. saw the trailer. nice, someone is fixing the trailer tire. ty to that person.

I think a bunch of the jack stands were the HFT ones that got recalled, trashed but never replaced probably

they were under the trailer by the corner of the building

1:27 AM

or at least like 5 or 6 were

1:27 AM

not saying, they're not recalled, just saying they're also under a trailer lol

1:28 AM

i used the 22 ton jack stands on a miata. they worked-ish

1:32 AM

at least they weren't missing

lol

1:32 AM

there's no kill like overkill

We got rid of all the hf jackstands

8:14 AM

We have 4x of this https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200683087_200683087?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Automotive%20%3E%20Jacks&utm_campaign=ESCO&utm_content=60731&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-4SLBhCVARIsACrhWLVErmHq-TPKO1Tg1NaevM72poPHXBn4TQ3y1RIyFqDKMKwoB6uqBDsaAoZkEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Suggestion for parts washer replacement: https://youtu.be/ssaNTgwY8zE

Narran s.r.o.

Most powerful 2000W handheld cleaning laser [4K compilation]

4:41 PM

(insert "Tim the Tool Man Taylor" grunting noises here)

If I had one of these I'd go spend a day in a junk yard lol

Great for making carbon paper into regular paper

OK, I may need something explained to me, might be being dense...

10:58 AM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114279905530 https://www.ebay.com/itm/114040558183

New Starter Brush Holder for Bosch V.W PMGR 12V

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for New Starter Brush Holder for Bosch V.W PMGR 12V at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

New Starter Brush Holder for Bosch 12V CCW - 69-9112

19661 32613 32675 32678 32687 32735.

10:59 AM

Clockwise vs counterclockwise versions of... a brush holder?

10:59 AM

(wired with brushes, obvs, but still)

10:59 AM

it's got one wire. The other "connection" is the armature. Why would the brushes care whether it's going clockwise or counterclockwise?

11:00 AM

(this is for a starter rebuild, obvs)

I guess I could maybe ask this in Electronics or machine shop too, since it's fundamentally really just an electric motor question more than specifically an automotive one, even if it is for a starter.

as I understand (not really...) it isn't the brushes that care, it's the fact that the housing is always ground (-), so to reverse the polarity, the brushes are offset a scosche differently for CCW vs. CW... I'm not finding a reference for how many degrees, but...some...

1

That does make sense.

this is the best "reference" I've found in a few minutes of searching and...um...well...it leaves some to be desired...

6:55 PM

https://www.smokstak.com/forum/threads/12-volt-dc-starter-direction-change.78928/

hm. fascinating. Despite using 'reverse rotation' motors for starting many marine reverse-rotation engines, nobody seems to be interested in how to accomplish this and documenting it for me to bumble across... I'd actually ne'er bothered to look into how automotive starters are wired, and never noticed that simply hooking up a negative earth starter as positive earth still turns the same way due to the armature and coil being wired in series.... So to make them spin in reverse, the brushes are wired, as far as I can tell, 90degrees off from those which spin "the other way"... Interesting... Still can't find anything good on Golf Cart starters/generators, either, but I'm pretty sure they use the reverse switch to alter the brushes in a similar way, causing the unit to spin "the other way".. fascinating indeed... these guys say 180*... https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/reverse-rotation-starter-motor-283320/ (edited)

Reverse rotation of starter motor?

My buddy built a roller starter for my speedway bike. Starter is on left hand side of rollers to clear the low hanging pipe on the speedway bike. We f

A. Spencer(jast)

hm. fascinating. Despite using 'reverse rotation' motors for starting many marine reverse-rotation engines, nobody seems to be interested in how to accomplish this and documenting it for me to bumble across... I'd actually ne'er bothered to look into how automotive starters are wired, and never noticed that simply hooking up a negative earth starter as positive earth still turns the same way due to the armature and coil being wired in series.... So to make them spin in reverse, the brushes are wired, as far as I can tell, 90degrees off from those which spin "the other way"... Interesting... Still can't find anything good on Golf Cart starters/generators, either, but I'm pretty sure they use the reverse switch to alter the brushes in a similar way, causing the unit to spin "the other way".. fascinating indeed... these guys say 180*... https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/reverse-rotation-starter-motor-283320/ (edited)

Well, the two brush holders posted are definitely not wired 90 degrees off from each other... I wonder if perhaps they don't have representative photos. All that companies' items seem to have unique photos, so I doubt they're just "stock," but they may have photos of items mixed up or such. I was thinking you meant they could just be a few degrees off, but 90 would definitely be visible in photos. (edited)

random: new fedex vehicles sound like turbodiesels ... unexpected for a breadbox van

vroom vroom

A. Spencer(jast)

as I understand (not really...) it isn't the brushes that care, it's the fact that the housing is always ground (-), so to reverse the polarity, the brushes are offset a scosche differently for CCW vs. CW... I'm not finding a reference for how many degrees, but...some...

Well, I guess we'll have a "for funsies" test available in a few days. The reason I asked is that I'd accidentally ordered the brush holder spec'd for the CCW model rather than the CW model -- different PNs, so they're "different," I guess, but the photos definitely don't show a 90deg displacement. Fortunately I really only need the (impossible to find alone) brushes, not the holder as the one I have is fine, so I can just move the brushes, but in the meanwhile I can do some measurements of both and perhaps even try the starter on the bench with both. (Doesn't have to work any time soon

replacing mine w/a junkyard part, warrantied vs DOA, so figured I'd fix my old one up as a backup.)

1

2:57 PM

Or if anybody prefers I could bring it to the space and more folks than just myself can toy around with it.

the photos show a 180 degree displacement

1

2:58 PM

(rofl b/c as far as I can tell from the pics, it appears the people said "this one is rotated 180" and so the photographer placed it backside up in one of the pics... not sure which...)

lol

got me to wondering...IF all I needed was a 180 degree rotation to accomplish said task AND I could actually bolt that in place, make the connections...would that accomplish it?

they're definitely 180deg off of each other

3:00 PM

...if you're going by which direction the ground spade is pointing

1

3:00 PM

CRITICAL component

3:02 PM

huh. Now that I'm looking more carefully at it, literally the difference between the two PNs might be only the size of the bolt that the spade is supposed to go over. Wow.

3:04 PM

I mean, makes sense, I guess -- obviously a CW Bosch starter and a CCW Bosch starter might be super similar in construction but will definitely go on VERY different cars, so the ground point is going to be the one significant difference. But still. These are all inexpensive parts, but one is still double the price of the other. (And I found out later that the part# that actually goes to my car, also seemingly identical, is double the price of that.)

3:05 PM

$6, $11, $20

3:05 PM

for four brushes, four springs, four rubber grommets, a little copper braiding and a piece of stamped steel

yep. $0.50 worth of carbon, steel, and rubber

3:06 PM

gotta be in all the right places, though

yup. And probably around that in copper, in fairness, but still.

3:08 PM

And I dig that there's expertise to all the right places. I basically make a living as the guy that gets to charge because he knew where to hit the thing with the hammer. But the differentiation in price for the same part going into largely the same set of parts is a little

yep

2

4

1

Fixed it !!

7:31 PM

Lolol

2

Lol

ESmith

Click to see attachment 🖼️

so THAT'S where all the li'l buggers are hiding!

but of course as soon as someone lays eyes on that cabinet again they'll all be gone

Goddamn. Just saw a Rivian.

bunchofthem in Phoenix

Best figure I can find is that they expect to deliver 1000 this year

7:06 PM

<200 delivered as of Nov 2

Well this is my project for the night

1

Great color

Yeah it’s a fun ride

10:22 PM

1962 Cadillac

saw the Rivian again today. guess they trek north on 2499 regularly.

I like the truck

10:35 PM

I hear the Amazon vans are rolling out too

EV trucks are the future IMO, I'd buy one if I could afford one

you can spot that grille at night immediately

also incentivize working charging infrastructures but I'm asking too much.

market for BEVs is presently residents of single-family detached homes with garages

10:49 PM

since that's something like 2/3 of the nation, I foresee the development of mass public charging outside of the likes of Tesla's network being a low-ish priority

looks like a solid way to reduce friction

Who needs the drum, just in the way!

watch one video on fuel cell vehicles on youtube and now The Algorithms™ think I'm some sort of hydrogen enthusiast

we are all hydrogen enthusiasts, just not necessarily H2 by itself.

I'm a fan of dihydrogen monoxide myself

and C8H10N4O2, among others

without that chemical modern life would cease

1

8:39 PM

Got to work on this 1964 imperial

2

1

that's some next-level diagnostics there

Don't need to test exhaust emissions when the sensors read 0, an easy ECU flash

2

always fun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQh56geU0X8

Top Gear

Rolling a Reliant Robin - Top Gear - BBC

11:40 PM

although the (missing) leadup to the first crash made it all the funnier. almost pissed myself first time I watched it.

11:42 PM

(yes I gather that in typical Top Gear fashion they did some tweaking to make it more roll-happy. for the lulz)

Classic. Hilarious. Scientific. Pick 2.

love it or hate it they got the reference down solid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bZYqFsU72Y

Chevrolet

The First-Ever All-Electric Chevy Silverado – New Generation (The S...

Come on down for DMS's inaugural Cars & Cleanup. This is a world-class, multi-brand, multi-period automotive hangout, where we'll also perform dirty, menial labor to help keep our committee area clean, functional, and organized. Ford or Ferrari? Who gets to change the parts washer media? Tuner or Domestic? How should we keep our sockets organized? NASCAR or F1? Who left a gallon of used oil in this drip pan?

1

11:03 AM

Thursday evening, March 3rd, be there or be square-drive

11:04 AM

https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/17803

app enabled? Bluetooth + USB-C connectivity?

Completely cloud based SaaS as a service

1

Is there a socket organization system that's similar to how Dvorak is to qwerty?

1:26 PM

Because that would be awful

Dewey Decimal

I think the Dvorak equivalent would be in order by size... but metric and imperial all together

2

ew

The worst part about that is it actually makes a kind of sense

Tekton used to sell some socket sets that way. They'd just put both labels on the sockets that were virtually the same size.

and that makes sense and yet it feels wrong (edited)

michaelb

Tekton used to sell some socket sets that way. They'd just put both labels on the sockets that were virtually the same size.

I think just about every consumer-level big tool brand might do that, tbh. They'll do it with their spline/"universal" sets, from what I've seen.

In case anyone has some spare cash just laying around... https://www.thedrive.com/news/44368/an-entire-museum-of-pristine-vintage-trucks-is-for-sale

An Entire Museum of Pristine Vintage Trucks Is for Sale

Trucks from 1906 to 1953, including a one-off 1915 Breeding, are in the catalog.

anyone want 5 barely used but have been sitting in the shade stock Jeep JK wheels and tires?

2:19 PM

I got them as spares from a guy like 4-5 years ago, was going to use them for a trailer or something but never got around to it

2:20 PM

totally free btw

2:22 PM

just checked, they seem to be in ok condition too

and they've been claimed

Little bit of a mess over here today, fyi

6:17 PM

6:18 PM

Also other less significant oily bits on ground. It's not terrible or anything, but it's not exactly cleaned up either. Just thought I'd report.

6:19 PM

Oh, and there was still a charge left on the AC manifold high side, but at this point I almost never bother mentioning that, happens so often

6:20 PM

(and harder to track, I'm sure)

We don't have a set of these, right? https://www.amazon.com/Apeixoto-R1234YF-Condithoning-Remover-Pressure/dp/B08JGG9GKW/

Apeixoto R134A R1234YF Air Condithoning Valve Core Remover Tool for...

Apeixoto R134A R1234YF Air Condithoning Valve Core Remover Tool for High Low Pressure Repair Tool

1:19 AM

nor anything with which to do refrigerant capture? Pretty sure we have neither, but figured I'd make sure.

7:21 PM

I'll cross post to talk in a sec, but this seems bad

The tank doesn't hold any pressure (you can raise/lower the lift with the cap off). The biggest concern is probably that we're one or two screws closer to dropping all the oil on the floor.

ok, that's what I figured (pressure-wise) but didn't want to test that theory

7:34 PM

freddy is saying a new plastic tank is on order already

Automotive cleanup day, tonight, come onnnnn downnnnn

aww yes just in time for me to plan on doing an oil change

.40....41...whatever it takes...

6:51 PM

just jeep(s that have been sitting for a few months) things

6:53 PM

but I guess now I have use for all that tesa tape I bought lol

Is that the virgin rubber tape that seals to itself?

it's tape specifically for making wire harnesses

10:12 PM

https://www.tesa.com/en-us/industry/tesa-sleeve-51036-pv7.html

tesa Sleeve® 51036 PV7

Double layer PET cloth Sleeve® for abrasion protection and enhanced harness flexibility in the automotive engine and passenger compartment

1

Lampy (Ken Purcell)

Is that the virgin rubber tape that seals to itself?

Thinking of maybe this? Butyl self amalgamation tape. Not high heat safe. Great for waterproofing. Good for cell towers, but we do a courtesy wrap of regular electrical tape 1st, then butyl

https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-electric-f150-tesla-charging-adapter-troll-2022-6 totes not trolling.

Ford's electric F-150 Lightning can rescue stranded Teslas with an ...

Early F-150 Lightning buyers get a special treat: An adapter for charging their friends' Teslas. Ford says it isn't trolling.

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1

ESmith

https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-electric-f150-tesla-charging-adapter-troll-2022-6 totes not trolling.

also... it's a battery bank, not a generator, so...um...hmm... Anywho. Happy trolling the teslas, lightning boys! I'm wondering if the same adapter can be used to charge Lightnings off Teslas Supers and/or sapping your Tesla neighbor's battery over to your L... Kind of like high tech tire slashing...

appears the, eh, first edition Lightnings ship with all the gubbins necessary to recharge J1772-compatible EVs (in other words all EVs not Tesla) and a J1772 to Tesla plug adapter. Won't allow Tesla to J1772 however, but I gather those components don't have to be exotic and are now useful now that Tesla is opening up their network to all EVs (or soon will?).

I was under the impression Tesla's do not support reverse charging. i.e they cannot be used to charge another vehicle of any kind or to power anything else for that matter. (edited)

Yeah. Elon's got a tough decision: would allowing Tesla Motors to compete with e.g. Ford's Lightning/F-150 Hybrid "power the world" campaign be worth it, or eat into the Powerwall business too much....

I'm betting he's already placed his shareholder's bets....

jphelps

I was under the impression Tesla's do not support reverse charging. i.e they cannot be used to charge another vehicle of any kind or to power anything else for that matter. (edited)

This would be the F150 Lighting recharging another EV using its inbuilt generator function (i.e. a big inverter that can spit out 30A x 240V AC) going into a J1772 charger they provided to some quantity of 'first edition' Lightnings w/ a bonus J1772 plug >> Tesla plug adapter (edited)

6:43 PM

think it's only the top trim models that have the 30A x 240V capability as well. other trims likely have lesser capability. I'm reasonably confident they use roughly the same components for this as the F150 hybrid which has had the same option for some time now.

6:45 PM

Whether Tesla wants to make the changes to allow their vehicles to do similar is another matter. Would make sense given that the >50kWH battery pack inside a Tesla could run a home all-out for most of a day - or many days with some conservation.

6:46 PM

There are some safety considerations the average homeowner would need to account for to ensure they don't backfeed into the grid

9:59 PM

There are too many wires in my Jeep

9:59 PM

So I took some out

1

who needs fuel infection or charging on a Jeep anyway?

And the intake filters are a series of high performance shop towels

1

so just to prove my ignorance, is that the factory mounting config on that alt?

yup and that's the original alt for mine

11:42 PM

unlike the cruel bus, I didn't break this one

https://youtu.be/Yl1FNX08HFc?t=414

WhistlinDiesel

Toyota Hilux Durability Test #1

now I feel dirty for watching a bit o' WD

the air that thing gets only to be slammed back into the ground...

1:48 PM

the same shameful pleasure as watching Ronnie Mac do it oh so wrong on a supercross bike

1:52 PM

https://youtu.be/EFSNNcS9rao?t=104

FMFRacing1973

▶ Ronnie Mac GO RON GO!

https://starstat.yt/ch/ronnie-mac-net-worth https://starstat.yt/ch/whistlindiesel-net-worth

Ronnie Mac Net Worth, Income & Earnings (2022)

Ronnie Mac is an American ▶️ YouTube channel created 5 years ago with 331.00K subscribers and 76 videos. Ronnie Mac's current net worth is ...

WhistlinDiesel Net Worth, Income & Earnings (2022)

WhistlinDiesel is ▶️ YouTube channel created 7 years ago with 3.31M subscribers and 214 videos. WhistlinDiesel's current net worth is ...

1:57 PM

I can't help but feel like I'm funding a L O T more stupid with WD

mayhaps

1:59 PM

neither is a high point of culture, arts, science

I'm sure that Talk has greater reach than Discord, but FYI... https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/automotive-meeting-6-23-7pm/91634

Automotive Meeting - 6/23 7PM

https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/18274 Hello All! We are having a meeting to elect a new chair of automotive. I will not be running. I will be proposing a new rule for the area - the re-institution of automotive 101 as an online class to gain access to the area, with the potential of requiring passing it once a year to mainta...

2

venn, o venn, wherefore hast thou overlap'd, venn?

Beware the Candy Van!

2

1

2

7:24 AM

Chilton would also suffice

Step 1: jack up the vehicle Step 2: place on jack stands Step 3: remove hood Step 4: remove battery Step 5: drink beer Step 6: Step 7: What? Step 8: Get your own! Step 9:

7:28 AM

I'm not sure how those apply to this vehicle, but I know those are the first 10 steps

7:28 AM

hopefully the jacking points are clearly labeled

think that the old-school engine hoist will still be useful in the future for working on the old power loader

does one work on that with it vertical, or does one, as one does with humanoids in general, make them first horizontal?

I imagine vertical orientation since that's how the structural members handle the load

that will make the old-school engine hoist a challenge in many ways...might need to add another component underneath...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0PgsAv5fAc

AutistiVision

Homemade Scissor Lift - Cool!

sufficient for working on the lower chassis ... and the arms

3

Fun fact: Chilton was the initial publisher for Dune

https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/reminder-automotive-meeting-and-election-tonight-6-23/91885

Reminder! Automotive meeting and election Tonight 6/23

Be there or be a flat tire - 7PM in lecture hall. Reminder that we are looking for a qualified chair - you don’t need to know a lot about cars (though it can help), you just need to have good judgement and be able to lead meetings. To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/pmi-gyfj-nwr Otherwise, to join by phone, dia...

1

Saw a Volkswagen ID.4 today it was remarkably unremarkable

1

My irrational disdain for VW may have played a role in being uninterested

But yeah. Saw the model badge, lack of a tailpipe, and that was it. Looked a lot like any other crossover.

Probably not. You'll have to look far & wide to finder a bigger fan of VW than I. But the id.4 is the (current) apogee of a long haul to shitty hondayota customer stealing mediocre abandonment of all things VW once did well. Alongside their other non-electric whatsit, the smaller whatsit, and the even smaller whatsit, and all the shittyuselessvehicles sold under nonVW marques by VW (Audi Q something, Q something else and Q something else in slightly small, bigger, bigger still and yet bigger, I think) and then the bently bensomething which I think only comes in 1 size...ugh. They all look just like Buicks, Chevys, Toyotas, Hondas, and all the other brickish pyles roaming the streets these days. But yeah, love my Jetta. And my GTI. Loved the ones I had before them. And air cooler shows are the BEST. Shame, but apparently shitboxy is our future. And our future is electric. Shitboxy electric. A zillion copies, from all marques.

I almost accidentally a GTI in 2017 when I was car shopping due to overeager salesperson whose primary language wasn't English

12:02 PM

but reality is that vehicle exterior design is approaching a number of local minimums since the combined masters of physics and regulation are harsh mistresses

I sure wish those regulations would do something. like headlight height

12:04 PM

currently they just make everything samey

and really, I can deal with the styling converging on the most efficient forms. but the market's love of FWD and heavily dampened controls is killing me. Got a loaner Subaru monstrosity when having the WRX serviced the other week and while being about as quick off the line it felt slow and uninteresting ... and the WRX has a reputation as being a fast car that feels slow (edited)

I keep hoping for a rebellion; someone manufactures 1955 chebbies with carbbed 289s, drum brakes, and "DAMN THE TORPEDOES" stickers on both sides for $4k. Goes like hotcakes, and the Fed can't shut them down fast enough to stop the rush of purchasers... sadly, we just get more and more regulations, shittier and shittier product, and we keep willingly paying more and more for it. (edited)

the shift to crossovers basically added ~10k to sticker without a proportional increase in production cost

1

which having said, I love my bog-bottom VW 1.4 TSi. That thing's a friggin' monster. 160HP out of 1.4l was ground-breaking in 1992 (srsly, that was the 300ZX Turbo's claim to fame: 100HP/l) in a yawn-inspiring package that works very well. Mostly possible through turbos, synth oil, advanced computer power, and direct injection, none of which we had 20 years ago, so... YAY.

12:11 PM

and the pandemic/happenings over the last 2 years appears to have done the same again. If I bought a car like mine today, it would cost nearly double (and if I'd bought that same car just before the pandemic, it would have cost the same as I paid 2 years earlier).

I fully expect my next vehicle to be electric, however nothing has particularly struck my fancy just yet. TSLA appeals on the surface, but service delivery doesn't seem to be a strength of theirs and build quality remains multiple-choice.

12:43 PM

the controlled fall into the WRX - and complimentary levering back to standing egress - is not something I relish in subsequent vehicles (edited)

this will only be true for me due to the abysmal shitboxen the market has to offer...the Model 4 accelerating harder than anything else out there is the leading force on that front (can't shift anything any more; they all look the same; sound like crap due to noise regs...sigh)

I can appreciate sound, but also lack the sharp nostalgia for it. If it can move satisfyingly while making - different/less/no - sound that's fine.

12:47 PM

Enough cretins out there with sh_t exhausts blipping the throttle on nearby streets that I'm approaching GET OFF MY LAWN when it comes to sound

that's me all the time now

I still relish a good sounding exhaust (rare they're being "blipped"- I get that sentiment!)

blipping is more of a motorcycle thing. revving. in fkn automatics at that.

fart canon? check underdeck leds? check fake fender vent stickers? check https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaJUW5GV8LQ

wasabi

Don't Laugh or Smile

not far off from the sounds of a supersport/superbike/GP motorcycle race

Fart cans galore! Ffffffarrrrtt, fffffaaarrrtttt. You made it up to 30mph, good for you!

1

The WRX is worryingly close to a stock fart can IMO. I think they tried a little too hard to make the 4 cylinder sound deep

A. Spencer(jast)

this will only be true for me due to the abysmal shitboxen the market has to offer...the Model 4 accelerating harder than anything else out there is the leading force on that front (can't shift anything any more; they all look the same; sound like crap due to noise regs...sigh)

You should get an egolf, practical, handles OK, lots of torque, VW badge. Wanna buy mine?

5:12 PM

Friendly remind that our cleanup day is next Thursday, July 7th. We’ve got a big wish list of things to get done so if you can make it, we’d appreciate it. I’m also planning on hosting a few rounds of auto auction price-is-right. There will be prizes! Calling all gearheads of discord, please PM me your favorite sold cars from Bring A Trailer, Cars and Bids, etc. I’d like to get a fun list. (edited)

Bizwacky

You should get an egolf, practical, handles OK, lots of torque, VW badge. Wanna buy mine?

Probably would have if they'd been remotely competitive to drive, but last I was looking for another vehicle, zero were available (new) in Texas... so, happily still don't know how they drive, and haven't had to get a charger installed on a wall in the garage where I don't want one. (edited)

Best I can tell pretty much noone loves the sound of Subaru boxer engines (edited)

Next time you're at the space you can take mine out, pretty much just drives like a golf but the instant torque is fun, can light the front wheels on command

2

5:31 PM

I do love the bugeye, you just need an intake so you hear nothing but induction noise and blow off valve

pretty sure there's no blow off valve on the 2.0 engine

Yeah you're probably right, at least on the 3 stock ones left in the world

wow. I own a 1 of X.

1

My buddy's had a whole front mount intercooler...

ultra-unrare

That wasn't plumbed in to anything

1

ESmith

Best I can tell pretty much noone loves the sound of Subaru boxer engines (edited)

Not so. I love then for their "not av8 and not a honda"-Ness. Too bad Subie's "fixed" that with equal length exhausts nowadays...

A for effort?

3

Lol, that must be what happens if you run into those 18 wheeler wheel spikes

Can't be tight if it's a liquid. Of course you'll also need to replace your bearings, but at some point...

1

Adam

Can't be tight if it's a liquid. Of course you'll also need to replace your bearings, but at some point...

classic case of bringing an axe to a torchfight?

LOL

yeah it's insane

I think the dealer markup includes a free Honda civic

Yet I see so many new Broncos on the street. Someone is still buying them

1:37 PM

BTW Ford Maverick order banks are delayed until September, they were supposed to be this or next week.

1:37 PM

I'm just trying to get a base model for msrp

you can order them for MSRP and flip them after like 10k miles for more than you paid

Yeah but I actually just want to truck, I'm not scalping cars

1

the dealer markup on anything right now is an extra slap in the face after having to deal with used car salesman

It's freaking awful

1:39 PM

Carvana isn't helping, they just make it easier for you to pay way too much for a used car

I have spent my July learning that salesmen don't like when you know more about the car you are looking for than they do

1:40 PM

carvana is in trouble right now

Are you going to get another FJ?

I was trying

They probably jacked the price up

so far I've just been lied to a lot

Sounds about right

"it's a good car no accidents"

You'd think Toyota dealers would be better since it's Toyota

vandergriff Toyota was one of the worst

Car dealership model needs to go away.

yeah I'd agree

My Mini Cooper was sold to my dad to give to my sister, it's probably going to last well over 200k mi. We are definitely a drive it until the wheels fall off or it's totalled family.

~~the dealer markup on anything right now is an extra~~ slap in the face after having to deal with ~~used~~ car salesman

FTFY

4:06 PM

in 2017 when I was car shopping I went to Rusty Wallis VW to look at a GTI. salesman was perhaps overeager - and didn't speak English as a primary language - and interpreted my request for firm pricing as intent to buy. So I walked over to what I thought was the financing guy to give me a ballpark invoice price and he starts off with "let's get the paperwork done so you can drive out of here in your new car". Thus I almost accidentally a new VW. I should have told the manager to get wrecked when he tried to 'save' ... then guilt me into ... the sale. (edited)

4:07 PM

and also what was I thinking - VW is kinda trrbl on the maintenance side

Astrud and I stumbled on to a 2008 Honda Fit with only 14,000 miles and clean repair/maintenance records a couple months ago out of pure luck. I'm positive if we hadn't driven to the dealership that same evening it would have been gone the next morning to someone else.

damn did they forget it in a warehouse?

It was one of those proverbial "old person only drove it on Sundays to church" kind of deals, except for real.

that was my buick century too

12:48 AM

except my grandma only drove it to the corner to get smokes

We're thinking it was a secondary car for an older couple or something. Carfax maintenance records have it not evrn getting 1k miles per year after 2018

12:49 AM

Regular oil changes/scheduled maintenance though

12:50 AM

So we're now a double Honda Fit household

4

Osram. Hella. NHK. 2 reflectors, 9 LED chips and 1 laser tube. Does it also support USB-PD and have an app?

1

I did an xenon projector retrofit once, it was neat to learn about headlight design.

active/adaptive headlights are friggin' awesome! https://www.motor1.com/news/567740/adaptive-headlights-nhtsa-approval/

Adaptive LED Headlights Finally Get NHTSA Approval In The US

A decades-old technicality kept advanced adaptive headlights from being offered in the US, but that's now over after the NHTSA approved use.

I've long kicked around the idea of doing a retrofit on the Ranger; its stock headlights are trrbl

10:09 AM

the cool kids still stick to HID however LED projectors have come a long way and don't eat bulbs+ballasts

I've heard the morimoto kits led kits are nice

All the cool kids I hang around do LED...HID had a brief moment in the sun, but to my knowledge, it's done. But I'm not exactly known for my cool, so maybe I'm wrong (edited)

one of the facebook groups I linger in is all about that HID retrofit action

and they do have a (nearly literal) point: a HID arc is a very small nearly point source of light that's far easier to focus than the literal plane of LED

The morimoto h1 kit I think is what I used. https://imgur.com/a/X7ROR

2:30 PM

I used RTV and cut the halogen reflectors

H1 is popular because it's inexpensive and I recall can slot into almost anywhere

2:31 PM

I recall a downside is less output due to smaller optics

The issue I had was the HID ballast would mess up with the halogen power and it would flicker the lights which was really bad

2:33 PM

And the canbus error eliminator to prevent bulb out warnings

CAN bus is a finicky thing

LEDs might be better since it's less current draw or EMI

2:34 PM

I kind of miss the old Cooper S I had but the engine problems would have totalled it easily

LEDs have the benefit of low-voltage DC operation and don't spit out stray UV

My current xenons have auto leveling but I think the sensor or actuator broke

Maybe I'll do the Ranger someday. Probably need to fix its other ailments first.

that'll make the brakes last almost forever

Debating a repair vs replace for a caliper. Needs a new piston, it's been running for a bit on a car without a pad (!sigh). But the car also has >310k miles on it, and I just don't know that I want to mess with one that old and whatever random issues it may have when I actually get into it. Opinions?

11:56 AM

Interestingly, it doesn't seem to be leaking at all, which makes me wonder if it's been repaired/replaced in its recent (recent in the context of 310k mi) past. But no service history available at all, so no idea.

also - let's say 1 to 10 scale - how bad an idea would it likely be to just slap a pair of pads on it for now for the purpose of it being somewhat safely drivable for a week while parts come in? (edited)

If the "extra" wear is even (won't put abnormal load on the pads), I say just put in pads and drive it.

1

Thank ya!

2

1

Did you really want to go in and look at antiques anyway? Dog Mode it is!

internet is losing its collective mind on this. receiving little mention is that the anticipated regulations from CARB are premised on an executive order rather than legislation like in WA state, thus - barring any other enabling legislation - is even less likely to hit its milestones because of litigation on the generally weaker powers of executive orders and rulemaking. https://arstechnica.com/cars/2022/08/california-calls-time-on-internal-combustion-engines-from-2035/

California calls time on internal combustion engines from 2035

In the face of federal inaction, the Golden State acts.

Guess it's time to start up an EV charger business in California. How hard could that be

don't forget the battery backups for uninterrupted business during rolling black/brownouts

CA's "public safety" blackouts are related to PG&Es decision that paying dividends was more important than maintaining infrastructure

1:45 PM

I gather they've cleaned house in upper management and are working diligently to rectify, however it's decades of backlog they've got to clear

Meanwhile, the public L2 chargers at the grocery store by my house seem lonely

10:40 AM

Probably because 6-10kW charging isn't very exciting when you're at a destination with perhaps a 30 minute duration

It seems like that would make up for energy used driving to the store.

The value proposition just seems marginal

11:37 AM

and they're cagey on rates https://support.voltacharging.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-charge

How much does it cost to charge?

The cost of charging is based on local requirements and is calculated either on the number of kWh dispensed or on the number of minutes of charging. Your total cost includes the cost of charging, idle

Volta is the weird moviepass-esque one I think

12:02 PM

It's free for the business to put them in and free to charge

12:02 PM

Killer business model

free to the user makes more sense

12:03 PM

but still ... that strip mall ain't no destination so you're not going to recover much range at their published 6-10kW L2 rates in the <30 minutes you're apt to spend there (edited)

12:04 PM

I suspect it's so low because free and because they piggybacked off of the light standard wiring to cut their installation costs

Yeah, I've used them at movie theaters which makes some sense, honestly with the modern cars you have enough range you basically never need to level 2 except at home or work

12:05 PM

With my paltry battery I find them useful sometimes

At least J1772 is the standard for everyone but TSLA, and for them there's always the option of an adapter

The smart choice would be to have charging stations at places people actually park like office lots, apartments, etc. I think the biggest issue will be power distribution and maintenance.

I recall a big hooplah about Blink installing stations at Verizon's local HQ ~8 years ago

Hidden Ridge?

yeah

would only have mattered for people that could afford them back then

6:52 PM

so definitely not my department

6:53 PM

but that's the issue, charging stations will end up in the high end areas where $35k car people shop and work.

pretty sure that $35k was the median new car price before the pandemic

7:07 PM

I gather that public L2 chargers are becoming common-ish at apartment complexes in the region (edited)

7:10 PM

looks like 2018 was when average new car price hit $35k https://www.thezebra.com/resources/driving/average-car-price/

Average car price is at an all-time high of $47,000 going into 2022

The average car price reached $47,000 in 2021 but it may decrease once chip shortages and demand level out.

I guess it does get used

guessing that a J1772 adaptor is becoming standard issue for Tesla drivers

Speaking of J1772 - anyone know why the J1772 at DMS is only doing like 1kw (vs 6+ typical)?

No idea but one wonders if that's the maximum safe current it will deliver without full negotiation with the EV

excalbian

Speaking of J1772 - anyone know why the J1772 at DMS is only doing like 1kw (vs 6+ typical)?

That is a good question. I forgot that you'd asked earlier. I had heard that, in the early days, William Petefish had loaned us one of his chargers, but it doesn't seem like anybody is paying attention to them anymore. Is it @Skyspook , who's the current chair of automotive?

Dryad2b

That is a good question. I forgot that you'd asked earlier. I had heard that, in the early days, William Petefish had loaned us one of his chargers, but it doesn't seem like anybody is paying attention to them anymore. Is it @Skyspook , who's the current chair of automotive?

Yes, but this is infra. not that it really matters, since Justin is integral to both. It's not that anyone is or isn't paying attention, so much as there are other fish to fry, and this one (the EV chargers in general) might be...let's call it "less favorite'. I'm sure if someone wanted to pitch in at a feverish pace all chairs and the board would be supportive, but I think right now the volunteer hours are simply allocated elsewhere and/or the issue is not perceived as "big impact". Also, several of our regulars in auto and motorsports are also regulars in EV charging, and they don't seem to think these are all that impactful to their use/enjoyment, so that helps fuel the backburnering of the situation (all IMO, of course).

2

1

3

geebus...

my experience whenever I have to suffer said genre...

2

Mini Cooper/Miata includes all three

Weird how reliable isn't even on the chart

only a subset of Japanese brands would fall on any of those with reliable

8:34 PM

the crossover thing to me is just an evolution of minivans

Lampy (Ken Purcell)

Weird how reliable isn't even on the chart

Car guy perspective doesn't put much premium on 'reliable'

10:54 AM

also, 'unreliable' by 2020s standards still beats the dogsnot out of the most reliable vehicles of 20 years ago

10:55 AM

https://youtu.be/cWPtDxHF7Bk?t=661

RegularCars

2004 Dodge Ram SRT10 Viper Truck

Can't wait until the chip shortage hits people with 2 year old cars that need a new board.

eh, I gather the industry's shortsightedness in allowing the 90/45nm lines to shut down has forced a migration to drop-in compatible designs based on new-ish 16nm processes

We could go back to carbeuraturs and relays

1:38 PM

Most people would even know what to do with a flooded carb

I mean

1:44 PM

that's kinda like saying we should go back to dos prompts for all our PC use

1:45 PM

people wouldn't know how to do it because there's been improvements in how it gets used

on every forum that discusses cars there's the one guy preaching about the 'timeless' virtues of mechanical non-turbo diesels because "they don't need chips" and will "survive an EMP"

2:16 PM

nevermind that modern ECUs are pretty damned hardened and to the extent these things can be tested they've done quite well

2:17 PM

also, the flipside of "easier to work on" is the general obligation to work on them much more often (edited)

Significant EMP events suggest to me there will be a lot fewer people around to drive any turbo diesels. But hey, glass half empty vs full I guess.

1

a couple hours mobility after whatever event likely won't amount to much unless you're got a hardcore primitive homesteading setup going

Oh yeah when you do your oil don't forget a new spark plug filter

got to clean up that spark

Dirty electricity robs you of extra mileage.

1

good thinking

5

1

hashtag-maliciouscompliance

6

Is there a motorsports meeting tonight?

Hi guys, I'm gonna start a project and I was wondering if by any chance I can get my van parked outside of the DMS , the back part obviously. Just for a few days. I'll need to work to get a few things done before getting the inspection done. Is there any chance to get a permit that is just for a couple of days to get things done? Thank you

• Officially : our lease prohibits overnight parking and we don't make a habit of drafting policies in violation of the lease • In reality : keep it clean, don't work on it outside (also prohibited in the lease), and you'll probably be fine. keeping it operable will also allow you to depart the scene should they threaten to tow you. (edited)

1

10:31 AM

also - saw one of the Amazon Rivian vans and it was surprisingly large

1:36 PM

Rivian vans being put to use in the area

On our way to Austin yesterday we passed an 18 wheeler on the side of the road with two of these on its flatbed... wonder who delivers the 'Zon's deliveries....

GigaZon

3

in this episode of how does Jast feel about a given YouTube'er?... https://youtu.be/V_Gla9smDa4?t=1770

Aging Wheels

Fixing the Hot Rod Yugo was a Nightmare (and it's still not done)

1

Isn't that supposed to be a stork?

1 ton, that is one dense baby!

Removing the trailer wheels was a nice added touch https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/you-trailer-will-be-towed/95148

all of a sudden I want an electric side-by-side... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxu8cBrRjug&t=767s

Rich Rebuilds

Our one of a kind electric UTV is finished and it is unreal

1

One of the best rich rebuilds projects besides their electric rat rod

chain drive is a weak point

11:52 PM

as are seemingly all the Polaris drivetrain components

But this shows that EV systems are more than capable

just call it "3D printed"

I'm both impressed and scared

4

acceptable response

amateur. a pro would use a steel ziptie.

access ladders

2

What I want to know is if that "itty bitty" fella on the bottom left is for starting or watching timing.

4:00 PM

It's cute

in the right spot for starting, however I recall that marine diesels of that size generally use air starters. an alternator perhaps.

looks like it's a 'turning gear' that's used to turn the engine over a few times to get some oil moving before attempting a start. starting would be done by injecting compressed air directly into the cylinders, no additional starter needed.

4:11 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mFmCxOjY_A

Chief MAKOi

How To Start The Ship's Main Engine : From Preparation to Full Away

Oddly enough, I still find it a little exciting to see the rivian vans delivering for Amazon in my neighborhood

I'm totally down for service trucks being EV. I don't need to hear the loud ones anymore

yeah. I can hear the FedEx turbodiesels several streets away.

michaelb

looks like it's a 'turning gear' that's used to turn the engine over a few times to get some oil moving before attempting a start. starting would be done by injecting compressed air directly into the cylinders, no additional starter needed.

I always just push start my ships, it's easiest if you park them on top of a waterslide

2

1

Don't really need to know ... much at all ... to see the problem there

Full of sparks, at any rate...

https://youtu.be/vNb0lrLFdtQ?t=143

RegularCars

RCR Car Roast 2022

Chris Gains in the sheets, haaa!

It's funny (and depressing) watching a certain demo lose their sh_t over the coming batch of electric trucks over how they're mediocre or objectively bad at traditional truck tasks - hauling, towing - when that hasn't been the primary market for compact, the new 'midsize' category, and even 1500-class trucks ... for something like 30 years now (edited)

5:05 PM

the average 'lifestyle truck' isn't hauling or towing or travelling 600 miles per day out in the boonies. it's a commuter vehicle with its trucky-ness as a marketing feature whose underlying utility might be used ~quarterly.

Must have eyeball searing lightbar at just the right height for maximum aggression!

if that's not a standard dealer option they're missing out on some revenue potential!

2

https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-trucks-history

Pickup trucks have gotten bigger, higher-tech — and more dangerous

America has a unique love affair with pickup trucks — the Ford F-150, for instance, has been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for more than 40 years. During that time, pickups have changed significantly: they’ve become bigger, more high-tech — and more dangerous.

based on my observations around here, the fullsize quad-cab 1500-class truck has long been a favorite daily driver whose hauling duties are largely restricted to a semi-annual mulch run, towing perhaps pulling a boat or jetskis or quads to nearby recreation, and 'offroad' being tortured to include occasionally going off pavement (edited)

>occasionally going off pavement and usually unintentionally so OMIGOD STACI! YOU TOTALLY HIT THAT CURB! Like, what? What even IS a curb? For real.

the number of trucks (and SUVs and CUVs and whatever) I see with ... A) standard high-profile tires, and B) reasonable ground clearance ... that live in perpetual fear of the potential possibility of coming into contact with a curb is fkn unreal

1

URMIGOD! A SPEED BUMP EEEEEEEEK!

is that a Nissan Juke?

... sure ...

1

Anyone ever seen a Mercedes W124 4matic spring before? It's wild.

Lol wut

I think I just saw a thread on that on reddit

I did! https://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledintotheshop/comments/134wum2/behold_the_marvelous_german_engineering_that_is/

r/Justrolledintotheshop - Behold: The marvelous German engineering ...

3,753 votes and 249 comments so far on Reddit

I thought the 300D dictator ambassador cars were supposed to last 1mil miles.

with at least 3 engine rebuilds?

Calling all gearheads, automotive makers and modders and the kart curious to join in for DMS’s first Motorsports and Automotive themed open house, Makerkhana! https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/dms-inaugural-makerkhana/99180

DMS Inaugural Makerkhana

Calling all gearheads, automotive makers and modders and the kart curious to join in for DMS’s first Motorsports and Automotive themed open house, Makerkhana! The event itself will take place on a to-be-determined Saturday evening in July and consist of open tours, a cookout, a car show, and a parking lot drift kart exhibition. We need vo...

For all people that want to bring car inside. Opener is locked out. No eta yet

4:13 PM

2

Fix is scheduled for Tuesday, waiting on a spring to be shipped

1

There's a pallet jack somewhere in the space, right? Or am I imagining things?

12:30 PM

A pallet was left in the automotive area at least since yesterday, juuuust intrusive enough to where two cars in will interfere with each other on the way out

12:30 PM

Wide boats, anyway... Like mine and the other one in there lol

Nm, I just shoved the dang thing over. Hope nobody needs the press any time soon, I suppose... Probably lower traffic item than the bays, anyway. I'll write it up in Talk so somebody moves it to wherever it's supposed to go.

should be 2 jacks around

1

Thought so, and figured the expansion, but couldn't find them anywhere. I'm sure I just missed them, but disaster averted for now, so it's all good until the pallet gets broken down.

Hi y'all, my name is Charles! I have a 2012 Audi A6 3.0T Quattro (C6) and am in desperate need of replacing some of my control arm bushings! Every shop I have received quotes from are asking $1k-$2k for the job and will not let me supply the parts as their insurance will not cover the installation of "aftermarket/customer-supplied-parts". Just was wondering if anyone in this group has ever done a job such as this before or even if anyone would be willing to help me with the removal/installation! I would be fine with paying you as well! Just let me know! Either reply to this message or send me a direct message and I will respond ASAP! Like I said, this job need to be done ASAP.. I bought the car over a month ago and have already put 5,500 miles on it in the past month. Not sure how long the bushings have been like this either so.. Let me know! Thank you!