The Car Maintenance Thread
- Thread starter coffee
- Start date
For the most part I enjoy automotive wrenching but as the years go by I don't like going under the car any more. About the only thing is the oil drain as now VW has even put the oil filter up top on their 2.0L turbo petrol engines. You can unscrew/remove it and it doesn't leak a drop of oil even when faced straight down. I'm impressed.......
HCHTech
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That's a good thing since it's right above that serpentine belt - I'll bet that would work GREAT with a coating of engine oil on it - haha.
brandonkick
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Since fall is in the air now its time to update the car maintenance thread
Sitting on the front porch of my house with my girlfriend said "Awe, Isnt that cute?..."
View attachment 9872
Yah, Real cute.
View attachment 9873
coffee
What a furry little jerk!
brandonkick
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I've often wondered why so many manufactures put the oil filters on the bottom, and some of them in a position to where oil goes gushing everywhere when you remove them. There are obviously designs that don't suffer from these problems. I guess they don't care who gets how messy / how hard it is to change the filters... they don't have to do the work!
Just got my yearly oil change on my 2008 Ram 1500. She uses oil a decent bit, so by the time the inspection was due on it, it had already had about 4 quarts of makeup oil added. About a quart every 2 or 3 months. For all the more I drive, it's a bit concerning... but an uncle who is a tech at a chrysler dealership said it's fairly normal for a 5.7 in this truck to use oil? For all the more miles I drive, I'd be fine going an entire year between changes even if I didn't add so much make up oil. I was suggested to put in some lucas oil treatment, as it's supposed to help recondition the seals. Eh. I don't know. It has to be burning it, I don't see an oily mess anywhere, no leaks on the ground below here I park, and my coolant level certainly doesn't go up any.
Just got my yearly oil change on my 2008 Ram 1500. She uses oil a decent bit, so by the time the inspection was due on it, it had already had about 4 quarts of makeup oil added. About a quart every 2 or 3 months. For all the more I drive, it's a bit concerning... but an uncle who is a tech at a chrysler dealership said it's fairly normal for a 5.7 in this truck to use oil? For all the more miles I drive, I'd be fine going an entire year between changes even if I didn't add so much make up oil. I was suggested to put in some lucas oil treatment, as it's supposed to help recondition the seals. Eh. I don't know. It has to be burning it, I don't see an oily mess anywhere, no leaks on the ground below here I park, and my coolant level certainly doesn't go up any.
Altster
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Do a "180" on the 710 and tell us what you read.
coffee
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The other day my evil buick blew a brake line. Unfortunately, My girlfriend was driving at the time. It was inter-city so she wasnt going that fast. It is a cross over from a connector at the back passenger side to the driver side back. Man. Things always go wrong when my girlfriend is away and I do not have access to a car 
So, I had to rent a car. I picked up a Chevy Impala (2017) Sunday and I have it til Thursday.
I have to say I guess I have been lucky all my life. I have never had a car with brake line issues. This is a first. So, I bought some brake line and a flair tool and some brake fluid to bleed the brakes. I practiced flairing on a seperate brake line. That went good. Then I made the replacement line which is about 48 inches long for the back. I wasnt feeling to good about the fitting on the connector - on the passenger side. So, I left it overnight as it was getting dark out (and cold!). Today I came out and sure enough, It was leaking a little. Evidently the length of the original connector I used was not long enough to bottom out to the female end. So, I cut the end off and put on a longer fitting. Man, I reefed that puppy down and I think I have it now.
Bleeding brakes! I hate it. Im always stuck with just me and no one to help. So, I have some clear tubing and took a half gallon jug. Bleed out the back drivers side using a 2x4 wedged between the seat and peddle trick. Thank heaven for power seats . Got a lot of air out and then tried to do the back passenger side. Cant tell if Im getting all the air out but I do have half my peddle strength back. Thats a good sign.
I think the back brakes are on a different circuit then the fronts so I shouldnt need to bleed the front brakes. Someone correct me if Im wrong here.
Neighbor comes home about 5:30 or 6 and told me he would help me. I have the rental til Thursday noon. I have to have this done by then.
At least Im proud of my flairing job
Im tired....................................................
So, I had to rent a car. I picked up a Chevy Impala (2017) Sunday and I have it til Thursday.
I have to say I guess I have been lucky all my life. I have never had a car with brake line issues. This is a first. So, I bought some brake line and a flair tool and some brake fluid to bleed the brakes. I practiced flairing on a seperate brake line. That went good. Then I made the replacement line which is about 48 inches long for the back. I wasnt feeling to good about the fitting on the connector - on the passenger side. So, I left it overnight as it was getting dark out (and cold!). Today I came out and sure enough, It was leaking a little. Evidently the length of the original connector I used was not long enough to bottom out to the female end. So, I cut the end off and put on a longer fitting. Man, I reefed that puppy down and I think I have it now.
Bleeding brakes! I hate it. Im always stuck with just me and no one to help. So, I have some clear tubing and took a half gallon jug. Bleed out the back drivers side using a 2x4 wedged between the seat and peddle trick. Thank heaven for power seats
. Got a lot of air out and then tried to do the back passenger side. Cant tell if Im getting all the air out but I do have half my peddle strength back. Thats a good sign.I think the back brakes are on a different circuit then the fronts so I shouldnt need to bleed the front brakes. Someone correct me if Im wrong here.
Neighbor comes home about 5:30 or 6 and told me he would help me. I have the rental til Thursday noon. I have to have this done by then.
At least Im proud of my flairing job
Im tired....................................................
coffee
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OH, Wanted to add this bit of a tip.
When you have your bleeders off make sure you put anti-seize compound on them!!!
This saved my bacon because last time I did a brake job on it I put it on. The bleeders loosened up no problem . The back passenger side did stick a bit but took a propane torch and heated it up and then cooled it with water a few times and it loosened right up.
Anti-seize - Dont leave home with out it!
When you have your bleeders off make sure you put anti-seize compound on them!!!
This saved my bacon because last time I did a brake job on it I put it on. The bleeders loosened up no problem
. The back passenger side did stick a bit but took a propane torch and heated it up and then cooled it with water a few times and it loosened right up.Anti-seize - Dont leave home with out it!
Larry Sabo
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Bleeding brakes reminds me of the time I changed the brake pads on my little Ercoupe years ago and didn't do a proper job of bleeding the brakes. You don't know naked fear until you're taxing along the ramp towards the gas pumps and discover the brakes are useless. I quickly shut down the engine and hoped I stopped in time as I glided towards the pumps. Apologies for going off-topic but bleeding brakes properly is critical to one's survival.
coffee
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I just finished my brakes. They are still just a little spongy. I know why. I need my ABS autobleed. This is something you have to go to a shop for or the dealer. Cars with ABS will develop air in the unit and its impossible to bleed them out normally like non ABS car brake systems.
Well, I found this and just bought it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072VGJ7S8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This will bleed out the ABS and many other functions. Bargain price too - 149.99 . I got wind of it from watching a video on a similar scanner that does it. However, The one talked about in the video is over 200.00 bucks.
So, If your a DIY and have bleed the life out of your brakes and cannot get them rock hard and even tried or considered replacing the master cylinder then this might be the scanner for you.
Well, I found this and just bought it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072VGJ7S8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This will bleed out the ABS and many other functions. Bargain price too - 149.99 . I got wind of it from watching a video on a similar scanner that does it. However, The one talked about in the video is over 200.00 bucks.
So, If your a DIY and have bleed the life out of your brakes and cannot get them rock hard and even tried or considered replacing the master cylinder then this might be the scanner for you.
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