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A Mechanic's Life - Tales From Under the Hood

2815 messages,  Last post on May 20, 2013 at 6:21 AM

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What is this discussion about? Auto Repair, Hatchback, Truck, Sedan

     This topic is primarily for professional mechanics, current or retired, or ardent amateurs who would like to share the suprises, victories, tricks and challenges of working on the modern automobile. All Forums members are invited, of course, to ask technicians about their work, or comment on your own experiences dealing with mechanics.
 
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Messages Page 47 of 282

#457 of 2815 Re: 1984 Cavalier Alignment [thecardoc3] by isellhondas

Nov 04, 2012 (10:43 am)

Replying to: thecardoc3 (Nov 04, 2012 4:21 am)
I once hired a guy who was working at a "well known" tire chain.
 
He said that if the customer was watching them do an alighment they were to
 
" Open the hood, bang on the fender, set the toe and let it go"
 
He said they also would use what he called "show shims". These were those ultra slim shims that really did very little but when the customer opened his hood and saw those shiny new shims he knew that his car had been "aligned".
 
No, I didn't hire him as an alignment guy!

#458 of 2815 Re: What's the big deal? [thecardoc3] by roadburner

Nov 04, 2012 (12:21 pm)

Replying to: thecardoc3 (Nov 04, 2012 3:14 am)
BTW, a GM four wheel steering truck is much more complicated to work on than a Porsche or AMG is
 
Yet another reason why I source the lion's share of my vehicles from Hiroshima, Munich, and Zuffenhausen...

#459 of 2815 Re: What's the big deal? [roadburner] by imidazol97

Nov 04, 2012 (2:33 pm)

Replying to: roadburner (Nov 04, 2012 12:21 pm)
>reason why I source the lion's share of my vehicles from ..., Munich,
 
A friend is trying to get to the thermostat on a 315 BMW he's working on. Seems you have to remove the fan and housing to get to it... :grin. OTH, on my 3800 it's two bolts and I'm done in 10 minutes at most. :grin
 
On the other hand I can't go around the large flyover on I70/I75 rated at 40 mph at 80 mph instead.

#460 of 2815 Re: What's the big deal? [imidazol97] by roadburner

Nov 04, 2012 (2:50 pm)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Nov 04, 2012 2:33 pm)
A friend is trying to get to the thermostat on a 315 BMW he's working on. Seems you have to remove the fan and housing to get to it... :grin. OTH, on my 3800 it's two bolts and I'm done in 10 minutes at most. :grin
 
315? Do you mean 325i? What year? In most all cases the fan simply unscrews from the fan clutch(it's reverse threaded, BTW).
My 2009 3er doesn't even have a thermostat, BTW.

#461 of 2815 Re: What's the big deal? [Mr_Shiftright] by andre1969

Nov 04, 2012 (3:29 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Nov 02, 2012 8:45 am)
$20 rotors? Maybe on a go kart. Not on MY car, thank you very much. Are they made out of old Italian TV dinner trays?
 
I replaced the front pads and rotors on my 2000 Intrepid around the 98,000 mile mark, and paid about $89 for the parts at Autozone. Never had any issues with them. Now, I did have to replace the pads again at around the 130,000 mile mark, so I only got about 32K out of them. But, I only got 39K out of the OEM pads that came with the car. So, I'm not complaining.
 
FWIW, that car needed front pads at 39K miles, 69K, 98K, and 130K. It needed rears at 50K and 102K. It got totaled at 150K, so I dunno how it would've trended beyond that.

#462 of 2815 Re: What's the big deal? [roadburner] by imidazol97

Nov 04, 2012 (4:41 pm)

Replying to: roadburner (Nov 04, 2012 2:50 pm)
>unscrews from the fan clutch
 
325i. I took the your suggestion to him. That seems a lot easier than his plan! I appreciate your help.

#463 of 2815 Re: What's the big deal? [imidazol97] by roadburner

Nov 04, 2012 (8:42 pm)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Nov 04, 2012 4:41 pm)
I took the your suggestion to him. That seems a lot easier than his plan! I appreciate your help.
 
Glad to help. I did mis-speak a bit. The fan clutch threads on to the water pump pulley. Here is a pictoral DIY article. He doesn't need the official BMW thin 32MM wrench; a bicycle shop should have a suitable(and relatively cheap) tool which will work. Just keep in mind that it is reverse threaded(righty-loosey lefty-tighty). Let me know if he has any other questions.

#464 of 2815 Re: What's the big deal? [roadburner] by thecardoc3

Nov 05, 2012 (12:50 am)

Replying to: roadburner (Nov 04, 2012 8:42 pm)
This tool kit works well.
 
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/GEARWRENCH-Service-Kit-2HLF3
 
There is also this one
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200391518_200391518
 
and this works great if you have a strong air hammer
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-16120-lisle-43300.aspx
 
As far as trying to remember which way the fan comes off, simply look at the pitch of the blades. The fan is going to be turned by the belt in the same direction that it must be turned to be removed, drag from the pitch of the blades would cause the fan to tighten onto the pulley if it were loose. So you simply have to "turn the blade faster than the belt is driving it" and you'll always be turning it the correct direction to remove it. As mentioned, some are left hand thread, while other cars are the conventional right hand thread.

#465 of 2815 Re: What's the big deal? [andre1969] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Nov 05, 2012 (8:59 am)

Replying to: andre1969 (Nov 04, 2012 3:29 pm)
i couldn't replace one rotor that had the quality I felt comfortable with, for the price you paid for everything.
 
BMW thermostat -- it's like everything else...the first time you do something, it takes forever, the second time, it's a lot faster.
 
That's why when people ask me "how much labor to replace an X", I always say: "It's 4.5 hours book time for a mechanic, and it's two days for you".

#466 of 2815 Re: What's the big deal? [roadburner] by isellhondas

Nov 05, 2012 (10:00 am)

Replying to: roadburner (Nov 04, 2012 8:42 pm)
Hey roadburner...
 
Naturally if I don't drive our BMW for two weeks, the battery go's dead and that is the case right now.
 
Is there a trick to hooking up a charger to the battery in the trunk where I cn disable the two trunk lights? I tried using duct tape on the button but it's way too strong. It looks like I'll have to pull out the battery unless there is a trick that I'm missing.
 
Still trying to get is through emissions so I can e register it.
 
Fun car but SO typlcally German!

Messages Page 47 of 282

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