This is why I change my own oil...

[Toothpick]

And you’ll very likely never use that again. And now I’m hoping input enough oil on the gasket!

 

[Jim99]

I have a 1965 Ford Mustang that I take to shows and drive around in on nice sunny days. I restored the car myself, including the engine and transmission (manual) rebuilds.

After I replaced the upper and lower control arms, I brought the car to a shop to have the wheels aligned. The shop owner said he would give the job over to his top mechanic. A few hours later I go and pick up the car and the mechanic tells me that it was a bear to align because he couldn’t adjust the control arms, but finally got the job done after using a “come along”. I think to myself “what is he talking about”, but I asked no further questions and got in my car and went home.

After driving the car home, I take a look under the car and under the hood. My freshly painted valve covers were all chipped and so was the shock tower! It looked as though he took a hammer to the car! I was certainly annoyed by the poor lack of service and never went back to that shop.

Since that time, I bought the equipment I need to align my own wheels. Granted it’s all low tech, but I’ve gotten perfect alignments every time and can even align wheels on modern cars. I also found its fun to align wheels.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

A short..maybe not so short story. When I was in college I worked at a gas station part time. We did oil changes and light repairs as well. A girl pulled in from school and wanted her oil changed. It was a pastel green Toyota Corona. Well, I pulled the drain plug and nothing came out. I thought uh oh...I went up top and checked the oil. It read full, so I went back under the car and pulled the drain plug again...nothing. So I took off the filter. It weight about 2 pounds and was jammed almost solid with sludge inside. Big trouble right? SO...I pulled the drain plug again and pushed my pocket screwdriver into the drain hole. I broke through the crust and the nastiest oil I have ever seen slowly began to come out. I replaced the drain plug, talked to the girl to get her permission, and pulled the oil pan. There was about 2 inches of sludge and crust in the pan. The only place that was open was where the oil pick up was located. After about an hour of scraping and parts washing I got the pan clean and replaced on the car. I filled up the oil, started the car and it ran like a top. The car had 120,000+ on the odometer and she had no idea about the history of the car but she had not changed the oil in the 4 years she owned it. My boss had her come back after 100 miles and we changed her oil again for free. That was the worst mess inside an oil pan I have ever seen, which is why I remember it so clearly. And that was in 1984!

Toyota’s are great vehicles. Some of the abuse I’ve seen them survive is incredible.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

And you’ll very likely never use that again. And now I’m hoping input enough oil on the gasket!

Uh oh

 

[Iloverootbeer]

I have a 1965 Ford Mustang that I take to shows and drive around in on nice sunny days. I restored the car myself, including the engine and transmission (manual) rebuilds.

After I replaced the upper and lower control arms, I brought the car to a shop to have the wheels aligned. The shop owner said he would give the job over to his top mechanic. A few hours later I go and pick up the car and the mechanic tells me that it was a bear to align because he couldn’t adjust the control arms, but finally got the job done after using a “come along”. I think to myself “what is he talking about”, but I asked no further questions and got in my car and went home.

After driving the car home, I take a look under the car and under the hood. My freshly painted valve covers were all chipped and so was the shock tower! It looked as though he took a hammer to the car! I was certainly annoyed by the poor lack of service and never went back to that shop.

Since that time, I bought the equipment I need to align my own wheels. Granted it’s all low tech, but I’ve gotten perfect alignments every time and can even align wheels on modern cars. I also found its fun to align wheels.

Man that sucks! They would have definitely been paying to fix that! I don’t do my own alignments but it’s cool that you know how. I was under the impression that the newer cars required high tech machinery to do it. Do you just use the hub-centered lasers to align it?

 

[FarmerTan]

I used a come along to stand an apple tree back up after it got uprooted in a windstorm. Still living 30 years later.

I can't for the life of me think of how someone could use one for a wheel alignment.

You are 10x the man I am, @Jim99. I would most likely still be in prison.

 

[Jim99]

I used a come along to stand an apple tree back up after it got uprooted in a windstorm. Still living 30 years later.

I can't for the life of me think of how someone could use one for a wheel alignment.

You are 10x the man I am, @Jim99. I would most likely still be in prison.

Lol. Thanks. Let me know how you funded the bail bonds.

 

[Jim99]

Man that sucks! They would have definitely been paying to fix that! I don’t do my own alignments but it’s cool that you know how. I was under the impression that the newer cars required high tech machinery to do it. Do you just use the hub-centered lasers to align it?

The professionals use computers and lasers. I use the old fashioned level attached to the hub, two 4 foot straight steel bars, 4 vinyl tiles and a tape measure. It works for me.

 

[FarmerTan]

Lol. Thanks. Let me know how you funded the bail bonds.

Ha, you flatter me! I never think that far ahead. I would probably think a bit on whether to use a baseball bat or a gun however.

The best thing about being old is if I do something REALLY stupid I'm not that attractive to other prisoners!

 

[tube_guy]

Here's a pretty good story that's not so much related to a mechanic, but an automotive detailer. My friend's wife parked her car in the parking garage at a local shopping mall. While she was inside shopping, a crew was doing some construction work on the garage. They sprayed something, possibly paint, and a bit of overspray got on the hood of her car while it was parked. The mall agreed to pay to get the car cleaned and detailed. I tried to convince my friend to just clean the paint off himself because it would be pretty easy, but he argued that since it was free for him, he would have the car professionally done. He knew of a great detailer and he repeatedly mentioned that this guy was good. The best. My friend dropped the car off in the morning, and then just after lunch he got a phone call. The car had been completely wrecked. One of the immigrant gentlemen that was driving the car through the parking lot during the detailing process had no driver's license and was obviously confused while driving the car. He ended up driving the car between a telephone pole and its support cable. I saw some pictures of the car immediately afterwards, and it was really bad. It was very difficult to find a square inch on the car that wasn't torn or damaged. In some ways it was a good thing because that pole and cable are the only things that prevented the car from entering a major divided highway with a large amount of high speed traffic on it. Somebody would have gotten really hurt, if that happened, I'm sure. Since the accident occurred on private property, no laws were broken. Since the driver had no license or insurance, my friend was left on his own to get the car repaired. He ended up getting the car totaled out under his own insurance, but he was really disappointed with the payment because the car was in really nice shape for its age. I guess that detailer really was good. I mean, I've never seen a business wreck a car so badly in such a small amount of time.

 

[Jim99]

The best thing about being old is if I do something REALLY stupid I'm not that attractive to other prisoners!

Now that’s the post of the day!

 

[FarmerTan]

Now that’s the post of the day!

Ha ha! Nope, the detailing story just before your post beat me at the finish line. If that was my car, I'd get the death penalty. I place too much value on property, some would say!

 

[Iloverootbeer]

Here's a pretty good story that's not so much related to a mechanic, but an automotive detailer. My friend's wife parked her car in the parking garage at a local shopping mall. While she was inside shopping, a crew was doing some construction work on the garage. They sprayed something, possibly paint, and a bit of overspray got on the hood of her car while it was parked. The mall agreed to pay to get the car cleaned and detailed. I tried to convince my friend to just clean the paint off himself because it would be pretty easy, but he argued that since it was free for him, he would have the car professionally done. He knew of a great detailer and he repeatedly mentioned that this guy was good. The best. My friend dropped the car off in the morning, and then just after lunch he got a phone call. The car had been completely wrecked. One of the immigrant gentlemen that was driving the car through the parking lot during the detailing process had no driver's license and was obviously confused while driving the car. He ended up driving the car between a telephone pole and its support cable. I saw some pictures of the car immediately afterwards, and it was really bad. It was very difficult to find a square inch on the car that wasn't torn or damaged. In some ways it was a good thing because that pole and cable are the only things that prevented the car from entering a major divided highway with a large amount of high speed traffic on it. Somebody would have gotten really hurt, if that happened, I'm sure. Since the accident occurred on private property, no laws were broken. Since the driver had no license or insurance, my friend was left on his own to get the car repaired. He ended up getting the car totaled out under his own insurance, but he was really disappointed with the payment because the car was in really nice shape for its age. I guess that detailer really was good. I mean, I've never seen a business wreck a car so badly in such a small amount of time.

You're just baiting me to say something but good story!

 

[Esox]

Perhaps much older cars had no magnet, or the magnet was overwhelmed, but I tend to think that the old fluid itself has lost some of its lubricity and thereby aids engagement. By not changing it, you're buying some time, but at the expense of the transmission as a whole, no doubt.

GM TH350 and TH 400 transmissions all had magnets in the pans as far as I know. My 1967 Chevelle 4 speed Muncie had a magnetic drain plug.

Heat is the biggest enemy of automatic transmissions. Most newer vehicles have a transmission fluid temperature monitoring sensor and readout somewhere. Its a good idea to keep an eye on the temps under various conditions. Temps 5° - 10° over thermostat temps are safe. 20° over is pushing it. If the transmission fluid suffers temps that high on a regular basis have the fluid changed more often if possible. Every 5 years under normal use is okay, three years is better. Its also wise to take a power washer to the transmission cooler now and then if its accessible. Many get plugged with bugs and road debris.

A short..maybe not so short story.

That reminded me of this video. Talk about a plugged solid mess!

 

[Iloverootbeer]

GM TH350 and TH 400 transmissions all had magnets in the pans as far as I know. My 1967 Chevelle 4 speed Muncie had a magnetic drain plug.

Heat is the biggest enemy of automatic transmissions. Most newer vehicles have a transmission fluid temperature monitoring sensor and readout somewhere. Its a good idea to keep an eye on the temps under various conditions. Temps 5° - 10° over thermostat temps are safe. 20° over is pushing it. If the transmission fluid suffers temps that high on a regular basis have the fluid changed more often if possible. Every 5 years under normal use is okay, three years is better. Its also wise to take a power washer to the transmission cooler now and then if its accessible. Many get plugged with bugs and road debris.



That reminded me of this video. Talk about a plugged solid mess!

Yep, you are spot on about the heat

 

[StillShaving]

I used a come along to stand an apple tree back up after it got uprooted in a windstorm. Still living 30 years later.

I can't for the life of me think of how someone could use one for a wheel alignment.

You are 10x the man I am, @Jim99. I would most likely still be in prison.

I once needed to use a come-a-long to remove the wheel hub assembly to replace a wheel bearing. After getting the large center nut off, I could not budge the hub assembly that holds the rim and disc rotor. Being an amateur mechanic I could not figure out why it was stuck so firmly. Luckily the car was parked about 10 feet away from a large oak tree. I only had purchased the come-a-long to help with storm clean up of some large trees.

 

[FarmerTan]

I once needed to use a come-a-long to remove the wheel hub assembly to replace a wheel bearing. After getting the large center nut off, I could not budge the hub assembly that holds the rim and disc rotor. Being an amateur mechanic I could not figure out why it was stuck so firmly. Luckily the car was parked about 10 feet away from a large oak tree. I only had purchased the come-a-long to help with storm clean up of some large trees.

I watched my dad use a come along on a right front fender of an Oldsmobile years ago hooked to a maple.

Oddly enough, my father in law is the one who thought of the come along. He tied it to a maple next to the apple tree. We just watered the snot out of it for a few weeks and as I recall we drove a post or 2 in the ground left it that way for a year or so.

 

[Doc4]

My dad used to own a 1974 Chevy Suburban with a 454. Fantastic family vehicle in the time of cheap gas, until it wore down. Eventually, he never had to change the oil ... just keep putting more in all the time.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

My dad used to own a 1974 Chevy Suburban with a 454. Fantastic family vehicle in the time of cheap gas, until it wore down. Eventually, he never had to change the oil ... just keep putting more in all the time.

I had a 1985 Suburban with the 350 that was the same way. Except that I changed the filter to prevent sludge buildup and oil starvation. Those things ran forever.

 

[Shaving like a boss]

I do regular 3000 mile oil changes, 50,000 trans fluid and filter changes, and 5 year antifreeze changes. My old 94 Chev k1500 now has 340,000 on the clock and is still running fine. It is all about keeping up with the basics.