The Automotive Thread

[wilheldp_PE]

Not really a car thread topic, but it is for me because I primarily use my air compressor for airing up my tires, but I just made probably my favorite tool purchase ever.  I got a California Air Tools, 4.6 gallon, aluminum tank, ultra quiet air compressor.  That thing is ridiculously quiet when it's running, and pretty damn light for its size.  The jury is still out on this claim, but with the aluminum tank, you aren't supposed to have the corrosion/explosive decompression problem that you have if you don't regularly drain condensate out of the tank.

 

[Flyer_PE]

$300 must be for the battery and BJ combo, because it sure as hell isn't the cost to replace a battery.

my thoughts exactly.

$300 for a car battery is nuts.  I paid less than half that for an Interstate battery that contains a lot more lead than any passenger car starting battery I've ever seen. 

 

[MA_PE]

for "the rest of the story".  supposedly the mechanic said something that he would need to order the battery and send someone to go get it.... to justify the $300.  F'k U. IMO he just plain didn't want to bother with it and I guess the in-laws aren't that great a customer group.

MIL called AAA.  They came to the car and installed a new battery for $125.  Done.

 

[jeb6294]

yeah 2 batteries....

Cry me a river...I've got two batteries in one truck and any time one goes bad, you have to replace both of them.

Wait, 2 batteries 1 truck.  They should make a movie.

 

[jeb6294]

First step, complaint has been filed with the BBB.  We'll see if that helps at all.  If not, then we'll start working on paperwork and blasting them on social media.

HOLY SHITBALLS BATMAN!!!  Phone rings yesterday and it's some manager of something or another at the Mark Williams Group, the group that Beechmont Ford belongs to,  Long story short, agrees that they screwed up, told me to email him my receipts and they'd send me a check.

He saw where I got the lifetime brakes, but apparently Ford's policy is to not replace the pads unless they are less than 3mm.  When he checked my file, he said that I was right at 3mm when I was in for my maintenance so, per Ford's policy, they didn't replace my pads.  That's fine if you're driving something like a Ford Focus, not so much in an F-350.  He said it's one of those times where they should have used a little more common sense and never let me leave without replacing the pads.

 

[envirotex]

$300 must be for the battery and BJ combo, because it sure as hell isn't the cost to replace a battery.

my thoughts exactly.

Including delivery and installation. 

 

[Road Guy]

HOLY SHITBALLS BATMAN!!!  Phone rings yesterday and it's some manager of something or another at the Mark Williams Group, the group that Beechmont Ford belongs to,  Long story short, agrees that they screwed up, told me to email him my receipts and they'd send me a check.

He saw where I got the lifetime brakes, but apparently Ford's policy is to not replace the pads unless they are less than 3mm.  When he checked my file, he said that I was right at 3mm when I was in for my maintenance so, per Ford's policy, they didn't replace my pads.  That's fine if you're driving something like a Ford Focus, not so much in an F-350.  He said it's one of those times where they should have used a little more common sense and never let me leave without replacing the pads.

is that less than 1/8 of an inch? Seems like one could burn through that by the next tire rotation - especially in a truck - Glad they are taking care of you - stupid for people to let something like that piss off customers -

 

[knight1fox3]

@Flyer_PE, tractor looks fantastic! And LED lighting to boot, nice! :thumbs:

 

[jeb6294]

is that less than 1/8 of an inch? Seems like one could burn through that by the next tire rotation - especially in a truck - Glad they are taking care of you - stupid for people to let something like that piss off customers -

Little bit...1/8" would be 3.175mm.  He said pretty much the same thing.

I sent scanned copies of my receipts in yesterday.  Got a call from him again yesterday afternoon confirming he'd gotten my email and that he'd have them send the check.

I'm one of those people who's pretty reasonable when it come to this kind of thing.  I suppose I could have made a big stink about the hours I had to put in to do it myself, and I would have if I'd had to go to court, but I figure worst case, I traded a little bit of my time for a new floor jack since they're reimbursing me for the one I got.

 

[Road Guy]

this looks pretty fun!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FYRWDYK?ref_=pfb_alhja6ebbd9jnlla4fg7949078i4&tag=hydfbook0e-20&ascsubtag=pfb-P11-V01-O3-rtdzf3-KNH8GI

 

[MA_PE]

this looks pretty fun!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FYRWDYK?ref_=pfb_alhja6ebbd9jnlla4fg7949078i4&tag=hydfbook0e-20&ascsubtag=pfb-P11-V01-O3-rtdzf3-KNH8GI

you'll put your eye out kid.

 

[knight1fox3]

this looks pretty fun!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FYRWDYK?ref_=pfb_alhja6ebbd9jnlla4fg7949078i4&tag=hydfbook0e-20&ascsubtag=pfb-P11-V01-O3-rtdzf3-KNH8GI

Tried my buddy's like that! Do it!!!

 

[Master slacker]

Oh gee, got a wee little P1135 code being thrown?  Oh, it's an O2 sensor that needs to be replaced?  Cool, got it on order and will replace it NO PROBLEM since this is easily accessible from the top of the engine.  Just need to pop the hood, unplug the sensor, and put a closed-end 22 mm wrench on it.  Right O!  Beer will stay cold through the entire job.

#$@#$)(#*@$&*(&#*($&%*(@#)!)(#&#($)(@#&#%#@_$&_)$@!!!!!!  Damn sensor came out and stripped every f'ing thread on the way out.  F me.  Maybe I can tap the mangled remains of it so I can put the new one in (?).  Off to O'Reilly's I go!

#(*$#%_)*$%*)&@!)(@^%)(&*$)%*_)@^!&^)@&%*$*(!!!!!  Damn tap won't do sh*t to the bung.  In fact, I'm starting to dull the first threads of the tap.  Guess I'll call the shop in the morning, but in the meantime I'll clean up the ravaged hole so I can put the old sensor in there and tie wire it in place (+1 wire twister plier experience).

WTF do you mean you can't fix it?  It's a stainless manifold, not cast iron.  Wait, so you can't replace the bung?  But if you could, it would cost how much?  F that.  That's about as much as a new exhaust manifold.  If I'm spending anywhere near that, I'm at least going to get some new tools.

Helicoil kit and new drill bit it is.  Going for broke on this fix.  Last option is a new exhaust manifold that incorporates two cats for all the money.  ldman:

 

[Road Guy]

not sure if its the same but on an old jeep I once had there was a special tool for removing the 02 sensor so you don't strip the wires or something?

 

[Master slacker]

I got that tool (long socket with a slot in it), but it was unnecessary because I have easy access to the sensor nut and the wiring slid right through the box end.  Should've been as easy as 1, 2, 3... but no...

 

[Supe]

Ship it to me and I'll weld in a new bung for free!

 

[Master slacker]

Ended up doing the work last weekend.  Took my sweet ass time because I didn't want to screw anything up.  Had my Tap Magic, drill bit, and Heli Coil set.  After drilling the bad threads out, I thought "maybe I can screw the O2 into the good threads that are left".  Well, it screwed in... only half a thread, though.  Damn.  Guess I'm doing the whole shebang.  Drilled it all out, tapped it, installed helicoil, and O2 sensor.  Wasn't all that bad in the end, just nerve wracking.  Plenty of smoke from the Tap Magic getting into the exhaust, but that was the problem of the person driving behind me.  

 

[leggo PE]

While up in Tahoe this weekend, I noticed something that was neon yellow in color was leaking out of the bottom of my car. In a cursory Google search, I found that this could be because the exhaust pipe was in contact with snow (yes, it definitely was). The blog I saw explained that it is common for exhaust pipes to be made of galvanized steel using zinc to inhibit rust, but when the zinc comes into contact with salt and water (i.e. compacted snow with road salt mixed in), a chemical reaction happens that creates neon yellow crystals.

Has anyone experienced this before? Is it anything I should get checked out at the shop?

 

[Road Guy]

Have never seen such a thing and I feel I spend an above average amount of the time in the snow- did you get a pic? Was it leaking out of your exhaust or from somewhere else under the body- definitely seems odd?

 

[Supe]

I've never seen a galvanized exhaust.  Aluminized exhausts are common, though.

Which end of the car is it leaking from?  Neon yellow is typically a coolant leak.