BS: Fixin' Stuff

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Apr 13 - 04:46 AM

gnu -

The dealer of course quoted the maximum charges he might be able to run up. If resetting the TPMS in the computer fixed it he'd probably have claimed he had to use the computer and might have charged around $60, although most likely he'd actually have done it the same way I did. IFF he found a bad sensor, the tire would have to come off the rim to get to it since you have to put a new valve stem in (the sensor's usually attached to the stem). The retail price on a sensor can run any where form $20 to $50, but Chevy uses at least two or three different ones so I don't know which one my truck uses. The only way to really tell is to look at one of them, and they do claim it's best not to mix kinds. (Theoretically the dealer can tell which type is in a tire by reading it off from the big diagnostic computer they're supposed to have, but most people who've tried it say it doesn't work very well.) Labor to dismount and remount a tire would run about $30 or a little more, plus the cost of the sensor, and of course if you're the least bit fussy the wheel needs rebalancing anytime you remount a tire.

I had a pretty good 30 gallon compressor but it crapped out on me and I couldn't get parts in time to get an urgent job done, so I had to buy another one. Later when I had time I rebuilt the original one, so now I have two. I had sort of planned to palm the rebuilt one off on my kid, but he decided he'd rather just borrow mine.

Since I park fairly far out, I generally keep 100' of hose hanging on the compressor, but I've got another 50' handy and a 35' piece of "not really very good" stuff. When the kid borrows mine, it means running my hose the long length of my lot and across the street, and sometimes the hunk he carries on his Freightliner to get up his driveway to where he wants to do something, but we can do it okay.

He's got some good air tools that run just fine even on a couple of hundred feet of hose, but the cheap shit tools I've got use more air than both compressors (ganged together) can really keep up with even on a short hose. Since I'm too old to hunker down over a job very long, running the compressor tanks down is a good excuse to take a break often enough that it sort of works out okay.

I generally carry a battery powered compressor in the truck for "road use" and since I found one that actually works pretty good sometimes it's handier just to use it for regular tire checks. It's easier to carry it to the next tire than dragging a hose, especially in cold weather when the hose is stiff.

It wasn't really easy getting to one that actually holds a charge and is reliable when you want it, and I went through quite a few before I got to one worth carrying around on a regular basis, but the one I've been using has always been ready to go for about 3 years now.

Quite incidentally, a rear end alignment sometimes is worth it. It's unusual to need to correct anything to make both rear wheels point in the same direction, but if they both point off a little sideways the front wheels will have to be "cocked" to go straight down the road and the camber will be wrong if they're set up to go straight ahead. It's a little "unintuitive" that a misaligned rear end wears out the front tires, but that really is how it usually works if there is a kink in your ass end.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: frogprince
Date: 29 Apr 13 - 11:40 PM

"Froggy is lucky to be ABLE to buy a part for an old appliance"
Fer shur; I wouldn't have bet anything that we weren't faced with buying a new stove. It took the parts man some time to sort it out; the available part isn't identical to the original, but adapts with no real problem.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Apr 13 - 11:38 PM

A sender unit in milady's Corolla was playing up, - It would choke-rich-mixture but not fast-idle, -and I took it out. Well, tried to.
It was fastened with spline-head machine screws, like an Allen-head but splined. The top of the spline socket had been deliberately crushed in, and the heads were socketed into the casting.
I could cope with the splines, but why did they go to the trouble of crushing!
YOU SHALL NOT REMOVE THIS PART!
Perhaps JohniK can tell me, is it bloody radioactive or something?

(I painstakingly cleaned it with specially-bent brushes and solvents, and it's working again for the moment.)

Froggy is lucky to be ABLE to buy a part for an old appliance.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: gnu
Date: 28 Apr 13 - 06:01 PM

Well, it would appear we are apples and oranges. I assume JiK has a tire pressure warning and I have a sensor fault. Totally different problem.

And, as for yer dealer saying they have to replace all four sensors... ??? Why not replace one and see if it works? If so, that is the bad one. If not, reuse the good one and try the next one? Or am I missin sommat here?

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: gnu
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 09:09 PM

So, JiK... I will investigate ASICT (as soon I care to) and report. In the mean time, I have carpenter ants to kill, tree branches to defend my telephone against... much more important shit than some silly sensor telling me I NEED to donate $ to Herny's children.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 06:13 PM

gnu -

My trucks a Chev. Official instructions for all of them will tell you you should hook the computer "programmer" up and do it with the machine, but since the machine costs a few hundred bucks and they keep putting out "updates" that reprogram it to change how it works, the dealers have to pay big bucks to the guy who knows how to turn it on this week and will have to hire a new guy and train him when it all changes next week.

ALL of the vehicles I found instructions for (which is a lot of them before I got to somebody who sounded credible about mine) have a procedure similar to what I used, that will let you do it yourself at no cost. The procedures are all about equally simple but unfortunately differently simple for each kind of vehicle.

Some who posted comments said it was in the "User's Manual" or "Driver's Manual" for their vehicles, so that might be a good place to start looking; but those are so full of useless crap that it's hard to find anything specific.

I scanned mine and made a searchable PDF out of it that helped a whole lot, but not for this particular bit. (Accurate OCR is not a perfected feature.)

And I also scanned to searchable all of the 6 volume - 6800 pages - of the overhaul manual and it didn't help either. It did say "Reset the monitor" but didn't give a clue how, even when I did a full old-fashioned "optical filter search."

John

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: gnu
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 04:47 PM

Kendall... "I just ignore the tire sensor."

You don't swear bout it when it first happens? If that is in your owners manual, I can understand on accounta I don't read em on accounta I know how to drive and do routine maintenance.

BTW, for the record. I have a compressor in my garage and a 50 foot hose at the end of which resides on a daily basis an air chuck dealybob with a pressure gauge and a relief valve. I check my tire pressure visually each day before I start the PAFSF and the Mercedes with a Chrysler sticker on er and I check it with my dealybobber two to four times per month and every time there is an extended temperature differential. I still have an alignment wear problem with the MOFOPAFSF even tho the tire pressure has been kept at the recommendation since I bought it. Same as the last one, and the one before that, and the one before that, and...

Ford dealership? They say you should have a FOUR WHEEL alignment (????? How can anyone believe that shit? The rear wheels don't move.) done at least once a year (at least???? WTF????) and alignment wear problems are caused by potholes so there is NO problem with the front tire alignments on their trucks... Fs! But, Ford truck life cycle costs are 17% lower in the analyses I have done over my past decisions of purchase, so...

This is my last truck and I am gonna get rid of it as soon as a family committment of care is no longer required. Gonna go small shitbox diesel since I ain't allowed in the alders anymore.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: kendall
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 03:54 PM

I just ignore the tire sensor.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 03:12 PM

Umm-hmmm..he thinks THAT is hard... give him a pomegranate. ;>)

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Bettynh
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 02:46 PM

This site has good info for fixit folks. Some things are harder to fix than others. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: gnu
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 02:31 PM

... light lit up...

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: gnu
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 02:30 PM

JiK... I have a 2010 F150. Whadda you got? Tire pressure sensor fault indictator light up 4 days after warranty and here is how I fixed mine. It's a much more simple procedure.

1. Say "Well piss me off. Fuckin Ford piece a fuckin shit."
2. Ignore the Ford fuckin piece a Forf shit fuck sensor fault light.

Note that step one need not necessarily be done in a loud voice but, for me, it's unavoidable because the ABS sensor in my last PAFSF calved three days after the warranty was up. I followed the same procedure then and that worked for me for over seven years.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 12:49 PM

I fix, invent and jury-rig so many things I'd be typing for a week if I tried to remember a major portion. "Cheap" will make you learn all sorts of things.

Major one: had a downstairs toilet that was leaking around the rubber bulb that seals the drain from the tank. It seems to be an old, rare type. No one had parts..(whole mechanism slid up & down a center tube rather than lifting arm). Tried all sorts of things, including extra weight.... after finally having to turn off water inlet after each use, I disassembled it and found a teeny little serial # on a brass ring... A-HA!. Go to that Google machine and VOILA! Complete kit for $12... Sent off $$$, a week later, I installed new kit and it works like new. (I think the old one was over 30 years old, so I may be set for awhile)

2nd major one- same toilet- a kid cut off some hair and FLUSHED it, rather than using waste basket... GLURG..stopped up and overflowed! After trying plunger and snake in vain, I pulled the whole thing off the wall and wax seal, and used the snake to retrieve a glob of hair....and then... *grin*.. with no help, re-set the toilet on the same wax seal and bolted it down. 2 plumber visits avoided.

The list of stuff fixed with duct tape & super glue goes on & on. Last night it was a good bowl with a hairline crack that had not totally broken. Took it to shop, got bottle of 'special' (pro-grade) super glue and ran a teeny bead down the crack area, quickly spread the crack a teeny bit by hand so the glue ran in it..let it go, and wiped the glue from both top & bottom surfaces. Bowl sealed! (Dried super glue in a thin bead like that is not toxic or anything. It can be used to seal battlefield wounds....I get it on my hands every day.)


Oh... one more. Had a trash can (outdoors) with plastic wheels. One wheel broke... El Cheapo Wheelo... I took the other one off the 3/8 axle and went to the shop and turned 2 new wheels out of Walnut. Now it wheels better than before.


Ooops... JiK reminds me of one MORE. Bought a cheap tire inflating foot pump (clamp onto valve stem and pump interminably) It had saved my bacon several times... then bound up and ground to a halt. Turned out the shaft that operated the valve ran thru a simple aluminum disc with a hole in it... which wore unevenly. Hmmmm...AH! I keep exotic woods! Got a piece of Lignumvitae (sometimes used for self-lubricating bearings for ships propellers) and made a new, thicker disc insert. Works like a charm and will probably last the life of the pump.

I do love fixing stuff that needs round parts!

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 07:46 AM

I recently got a persistent warning from the built-in tire pressure monitor on my truck. The dealer insisted that I'd need to replace the transmitters in all four tires at $60 each, plus labor to dismount and remount four tires (about $30 each) followed by resetting the "computer" ($120).

There was NO USEFUL INFORMATION in the "complete official overhaul manual" I had purchased from the the manufacturer.

There was a "suggestive" note in the users manual, but no adequate instructions.

About a week of further research produced the complete procedure.

1. park on a level surface.
2. turn on the ignition but do not start.
3. press the button on the speedometer to get to the tire monitor, then press and hold it down until it beeps four times.
4. leap out of the truck and let air out of the left front tire until you hear a beep.(usually less than 2 psi loss).
5. let air out of the left rear tire until it beeps
6. let air out of the right rear tire until it beeps.
7. let air out of the right front tire until it beeps.
8. turn off the ignition switch.
9. start the engine to check whether the warning went away.
10. re-inflate all the tires to make sure they're right.

(Step 4 must be done within one minute after the four beeps. All of steps 4 thru 7 must be done within two minutes, in the correct order.)

Problem solved. Cost $0.00.

(Some others do it a little differently, hence my omission of what kind of truck I've got; but most are at least similar.)

Sometimes DIY does save a bit of cash, but 'tain't necessarily easy.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 26 Apr 13 - 02:25 AM

unfortunately the "R" is long gone. I assume I kept it for a while (might-come-in-handy-some-time) & eventually turfed it.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 10:31 AM

"The dryer died after 17 years of weekly use early this century. It's replacement 'only' lasted 8 years. "

Perhaps if you glue the "R" into the door of the next one? :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 10:02 AM

Ed, many years ago I removed the dryer door to remove the extra lint caught under the rim of the filter. It wasn't causing a problem but was offending me by being there - why didn't the filter catch all the lint?

Getting back to the mid-90s - I dug out the compacted lint & re-assembled the door.

oops - there was a piece of wire on the floor - 2-3" tall bent into the shape of a capital R.

So I pulled apart the door again, but could not find anywhere to put the wire, so re-assembled it.

The dryer died after 17 years of weekly use early this century. It's replacement 'only' lasted 8 years.

Dunno how long the current one will last.

I like fixing stuff when I can, tho now that I have arthritis in my hands I do need to get more help.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 08:42 AM

Here's another thing about the guys who write these so-called instructions... Why do they all think we have any interest in eating that chainsaw or toaster oven you just bought???

B;~)

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 07:17 AM

You are right about the instructions, they are written by people who think they understand English. I remember my brother had a snow mobile made in Germany; the instruction to start it said, "Pull out slowly the starter handle until a resistance is being felt"...not too hard to understand, just funny. However, if it's made in some other countries, forget it, go to google.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: gnu
Date: 25 Apr 13 - 06:28 AM

Ed... I too do that since I have gotten "older". And, I use the internut. I also now video the process, decribing each part, explaining what I am doing and why. Of course, some of these videos would never make it to YouTube. Not because of the quality of production or value but because of the *&$&^*((*%^#!!!

Now, I would dearly love to see a similar video from Becca starring The Master. >;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Bobert
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 09:09 PM

Never read the "instructions"... They are written by people who hate not only you but everyone else...

Go to YouTube and let Bubba show you how to do it... Bubba is 100 times smarter than the guy who wrote the instructions...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 06:23 PM

One of the good things of being around musical instruments is that the assumption tends to be that they get fixed when they need fixing, and from time to time they do need fixing.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Leadfingers
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 06:13 PM

Trouble is , these days there are fewer and fewer things you CAN 'fix'

Planned Obsolescence is the norm far too often !

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 04:00 PM

"I have the reputation of being able to fix anything but a broken heart."

Kendall you owld dawg! After the trail of broken hearts you must have left, the least you could have done is to learn to clean up after yourself!

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: kendall
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 03:56 PM

I've never learned anything while doing something right. Maybe that's why I have the reputation of being able to fix anything but a broken heart.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Ed T
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 11:18 AM

Not the "trow it away" kind of fella, I also take personal pride in fixing things. I find Youtube and other sites a great source of information, as I normally like to know what I am getting into before I begin to pull things apart.

I am sort of organized, keeping a record of the sequence of parts removed when I take things apart> I do this soI can follow the same sequence when I put it back together again. In big jobs involving many parts (and when I do it over time), I sometimes number parts and map the job out on paper to ensure I have the same sequence when putting the parts back together again. I try and visualize the tools I need, to ensure I have them nearby (or purchased if I need a new one).

A small replacement job I took on a couple of days ago was to replace the suction hose on a Bissel Little Green carpet cleaner. The job also involved removing the cleaning delivery hose, that runs to a pump inside the suction hose. When I watched a video on Youtube, the person putting the video up seemed to have a difficult time doing the job (it involved taking the units housing off). So, I expected to experience similar frustration. However, when doing the job, I found a much easier route to do the job than on the video and did it in a snap with no issues. That was a big relief, (involving no cussing) and, as the OP indicated, I had a good sense of accomplishment.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 11:05 AM

Or at least when danger rears its head.
let the poor man end up dead?

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 10:59 AM

Lord Finchley

Lord Finchley tried to mend the Electric Light
Himself. It struck him dead: And serve him right!
It is the business of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan.

Hilaire Belloc 1870-1953

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 10:28 AM

I like it almost as much when I fix something cheap and meant to be replaced rather than fixed than when I save real money. Duct tape and gorilla glue are my friends.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: kendall
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 07:31 AM

I get far more satisfaction from fixing things than buying new stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: gnu
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 06:28 AM

Now you can put an advert on the internut : Burner replacement technician offers...

I know the feelin... good on ya, froggy!

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Apr 13 - 06:17 AM

Can't say the same for myself at times. The women's center where I do volunteer maintenance work, had been using a Fender guitar amp as a public address system. The think was abused and I fixed it time and time again, and then one day it died and I couldn't fix it.

I spent $35 to ship the darn thing to pdq for repair, and he found the damn thing had a bad electrical plug. I learned how to replace an electrical plug as a requirement for Cub Scouts when I was eight years old.

Why wasn't I thinking???

Good job, frogprince.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 05:32 PM

There is satisfaction. It is a good thing. Bully for you FP!

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 05:14 PM

There's a satisfaction in doing stuff like that - but these days I'd probably ring up a mate who has a knack of beng able to sort out just about anthing, and get him to do it. Worth the few quid he asks. Mind there aren't too many like him around.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: frogprince
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 01:26 PM

Not "the wall plug all along"; the igniter really was bad; it glowed, but not hot enough to ignite anything. The wall plug just let me down when I put it back in after the repair job.

I'm pleasantly surprised that my back hasn't had more to say about the rolling around on the floor fishing around in there.

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 12:50 PM

It was the wall plug all along?

Experience is priceless!

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: olddude
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 12:48 PM

Good job, I had to do the same thing last year ... had to order the part from the net ... they last a long time so hopefully you won't need to do that again my brother for awhile anyway

Subject: RE: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: Ebbie
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 12:01 PM

Give yourself a pat on the back. Ever wonder what you've done with all the money you saved? :)

Subject: BS: Fixin' Stuff
From: frogprince
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 11:58 AM

The oven igniter on our 28 year old range just crapped out; it glowed, but not hot enough to light gas.
First off, locating the numbers and establishing that a new part was in fact available; a couple of hours by phone.

The service man suggested that I replace it myself and save the labor cost. He said the instructions were in the package. I asked if we would need to drag the stove out from the cabinetry; he said no, you can reach everything through the broiler.

The first sentence of the instructions said, "replace the igniter"; the rest was detailed instructions on how to cut, strip, and reconnect two wires. The wires are under little shields on the back of the stove.

I could see two screws that I was quite sure had to be removed to unclamp the igniter. But there was also a tab of two layers of metal plate extending up into a slot. I could see a glimpse of two more screws up in there, but couldn't see what they attached to.

I had to reach a phillips screwdriver at arms length to get at stuff. The first screw was only mildly brutal to remove. The other I couldn't budge; couldn't keep the screwdriver from twisting out of the slot. Almost gave up and called for service. Somehow happened to discover that one of my drivers was just the right length to pry into line between the oven wall and screw, which held it in the screw tight enough while I got it started to turn loose.

Found, thank God, that the two other screws weren't attached to anything up there in the slot, and that the igniter was now loose.
Put in new igniter, fed wires through to the back. Cut off all connectors, none of which matched, and attached with wire nuts, which were provided.

Plugged in stove. Turned on oven. Nothing. Knew there was no reason it shouldn't work. Took off wire nuts & examined wires to be sure I hadn't botched the connections. Teetered on the brink of giving up and calling for service.

Looked at the wall plug, which had been fine for 28 years. Pulled it out, spread the prongs so it took a little effort to put it back in the socket. Fffwoomom, the lovely light of a working burner. Busted butt just a little getting stove back into tight fit between counters.

Twenty minute job accomplished in no more than about four hours. I am allowing myself a little sense of accomplishment, however.