Mechanic Stuff

[Eye of the Tiger]

That's kind of what I'm doing now. Parts changers are common. Diagnostic guys, not so much.

Yeah, well this is a small place. It's me and my four techs.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Got me a water pump job on a 3.2L Volvo. All the belt drive stuff is crammed on the back of the engine. Water pump and power steering pump share a pulley. Actually never had to do one of these before. Fun Saturday.

[Eye of the Tiger]

So I knocked over all of the oxygen, acetylene, and argon tanks with the forklift. Someone didn't chain them up. They all had caps on, so no explosions. Same shit, different day.

[CaminoRacer]

Sounds loud

[Eye of the Tiger]

Sounds loud

Could have been louder.

[Eye of the Tiger]

So here I am painting the big boss's John Deere lawn tractor. Because waiting on parts.

[FoMoJo]

So here I am painting the big boss's John Deere lawn tractor. Because waiting on parts.

What colour?

[Eye of the Tiger]

What colour?

Green and Yellow.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Had to test drive a CTS V-Sport today. It's not a V, but 420 HP is nothing to sneeze at. I sneezed, anyway.

[shp4man]

So another tech told me that 4.0 Jeep engines use a shitload of oil. True?

[Eye of the Tiger]

So another tech told me that 4.0 Jeep engines use a shitload of oil. True?

Um, no? Not mine. Every external gasket seeps, but it doesn't burn a drop.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Here is one that I haven't run into until today: 2016 Jeep Cherokee 3.2L V6. The serpentine belt is run such that it is around two lower coolant hoses. That is, you can't replace the belt without removing the lower coolant hoses. Unless this is like one of those puzzles at the Cracker Barrel...

[RomanChariot]

Here is one that I haven't run into until today: 2016 Jeep Cherokee 3.2L V6. The serpentine belt is run such that it is around two lower coolant hoses. That is, you can't replace the belt without removing the lower coolant hoses. Unless this is like one of those puzzles at the Cracker Barrel...

That would be really annoying.

[Soup DeVille]

I remember on my wife's Grand Am, you had to remove the upper engine mount to change the belts; but at least you didn't have to drain any liquids.

[RomanChariot]

I remember on my wife's Grand Am, you had to remove the upper engine mount to change the belts; but at least you didn't have to drain any liquids.

I changed the timing belt on a Prelude that was that way.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I changed the timing belt on a Prelude that was that way.

That's normal for a timing belt, but not a stupid accessory belt.

[CaminoRacer]

I remember on my wife's Grand Am, you had to remove the upper engine mount to change the belts; but at least you didn't have to drain any liquids.

Maybe Jeep just wants to force coolant flush services.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Maybe Jeep just wants to force coolant flush services.

Sounds about right.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I am stumped right now. The AC system on this Scion TC will not activate the compressor. I can command it on with my scanner, and the AC works fine. I troubleshooted the AC amplifier module and found high resistance on the thermistor circuit side, so I replaced the module for $500. No worky.

[Eye of the Tiger]

The flow sensor is 3.54V but the min spec is 3.76. Can it be that sensitive?

[Soup DeVille]

The flow sensor is 3.54V but the min spec is 3.76. Can it be that sensitive?

Absolutely.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Absolutely.

I found a bad shared ground for the thermistor and flow sensor at the AC amp module. Only 47 ohms. I fixed it, and the flow sensor voltage didn't change. Junk.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I think I have bad information. The supposed chassis ground switches from 0 ohms to 47 to 165 depending on the ignition switch.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Put a new flow sensor in the compressor. AC worky now. Fuck.

[giant_mtb]

Put a new flow sensor in the compressor. AC worky now. Fuck.

Sounds like a  conclusion.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Sounds like a  conclusion.

It's not even a serviceable part. According to Toyota, you have to replace the whole compressor. I found a Dorman part listed for it and said fuck it. Take your 0.21VDC and shove it.

[giant_mtb]

It's not even a serviceable part. According to Toyota, you have to replace the whole compressor. I found a Dorman part listed for it and said fuck it. Take your 0.21VDC and shove it.

How does that work then with the $500 part you replaced before with no result? Do you take that part off and save it for another day, leave it on and the shop eats the cost, or do you have to charge the customer for it regardless since the work was performed and the part is now on their car?

[Eye of the Tiger]

How does that work then with the $500 part you replaced before with no result? Do you take that part off and save it for another day, leave it on and the shop eats the cost, or do you have to charge the customer for it regardless since the work was performed and the part is now on their car?

I put the old ac amplifier back in. Return unneeded part. My parts guy is awesome.
The customer's bill ended up being close to the same. Traded part cost for all the damn diag time. The flow sensor was only $44.

[giant_mtb]

I put the old ac amplifier back in. Return unneeded part. My parts guy is awesome.
The customer's bill ended up being close to the same. Traded part cost for all the damn diag time. The flow sensor was only $44.

Makes sense. That's a good shop.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Makes sense. That's a good shop.

That's my call. My service writer, as great as he is, will just keep selling parts.