UPDATED 01/05/09 w/ pics plus Bonus KITTY

I just ordered a special tool to remove Toyota "spark plug tubes".
It's made by a company called Assenmacher

The numeric designation is 150

So of course the complete tool number from SJ Discount Tools is

ASSTOY150

I'm not making this up.

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/asstoy150.html

(ed- 8/09- the page and tool# have changed, but the URL still says asstoy150)

Most tool and car part deliveries I receive come in plain brown boxes with little description. We can only hope this one follows suit, not arriving in a rainbow box with bold print on all sides.

01/05/09 updates

The end expands as you tighten the bolt.

update 01/05/09- received

I am not disappointed, and somewhat relieved.

AST Toy 150

Unimpressed kitty is still not impressed

Posted by Scott Korb at 8:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Removal and Replacement: Engine
My boss asked me if I was their new Jaguar specialist. I said no. Laughs were abundant.

I had to do this because it was leaking oil badly from almost everywhere. I pulled the engine to replace the oil pan (cracked aluminum) and the rear main oil seal. I also fixed the other oil leaks. The two procedures of oil pan plus rear main separately called for dropping the front suspension frame plus removing the transmission, but leaving the engine in place with a brace. Total labor time allowed about 25hrs + parts replacement. Engine R&R is only listed as about 14hrs + parts replacement. This saves the customer labor time and me back pain. I was still on it most of 3 days... long days. I did some small jobs in between to break the monotony, though I still doubt I finished it within the "book time" we charge.

He traded his Porsche 928 for this car. I also worked on that one a little before the trade. I'd rather drive the Jag than the Porche anyway. The engine came out hard due to some corrosion on an alignment pin between the engine and trans, but it went in pretty easily. I spent a good two hours on that corrosion... probably more like 3 or 4. I didn't set my watch but I was plenty hungry and thirsty.
I had to be sure i hadn't missed something and that no thousands of dollars worth of aluminum parts would crack when I "caressed" them apart.

So that's a thing i did. Here's some more fuzzy pfone-cam pics

The civic T-belt plus clutch in the same day was more exciting for me, but that was a fortnight ago at least. Sometimes "book time" works out the other way... esp when you've done 1000 of the similar. (a years salary of tools helps too).

Posted by Scott Korb at 1:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

#1 Be careful using an Oxy/Acetylene torch
#2 NEVER wear Nitrile gloves or any other latex/rubber type glove while using a torch. Take them off.
TAKE THEM OFF!!!
#3 wear elbow high leather (or equivalent?) gloves while using a torch (I probably won't do that, but I'll avoid the melty stuff).

So I got an ouchie. I'm told it looks bad. I've seen worse. I've had worse.

But now i'm wondering what is equivalent to leather or other animal skin but is not. I'm reminded that so many Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) specify animal products as a special tool (leather gloves, leather hammer, leather welding cloth/jacket, shamois). Do you ask your mechanic if s/he uses animal products? Would s/he even know for sure? Or would you like to pay extra (probably quite a lot) for one who finds a way not to?

I won't be the one, but it seems like a niche, or at least an eye opener.

What kind of glue holds your furniture together?

You don't want to see under it. The bandage is almost big enough. Yes I'm taking care of it.
I wonder what the bandage is made of.
Beacon ;)

Posted by Scott Korb at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)