c/auto-mechanics

Critique that finally fixed my brake bleed technique

Had an old tech watch me bleed brakes last year. He said 'you're letting the pedal come up too fast, you're sucking air back in.' I was doing the pump-hold-release thing but rushing the release. Changed to slow steady pedal release over 2 full seconds. Made a huge difference. Pedal feel got way firmer after just one bleed cycle. Anyone else get a simple tip that changed a basic job?

3 comments

rowanellis•13d ago

My floor jack let go on a buddy's F-250 last week

I was under a 2015 F-250 Super Duty on stands, but the jack was still supporting the axle a little. It let go with a loud bang and the whole truck dropped about an inch before the stands caught it. Has anyone else had a jack fail on them like this and what brand did you switch to?

3 comments

grant.nina•14d ago

The day I stopped using an impact on oil pan drain plugs

I used to zip those things off with my impact gun until I cross-threaded a pan on a 2012 Civic and had to helicoil it in the customer's driveway. Anybody else learn a hard lesson about when NOT to use power tools?

4 comments

dianas50•14d ago

People who use impact guns on oil drain plugs need to stop

Was at a shop in Phoenix last week and watched some kid zing a drain plug back in with an impact wrench. Stripped the pan within seconds. I see this at least twice a month and it's always some backyard mechanic who thinks torque specs are just suggestions. A drain plug needs maybe 30 ft-lbs max, not 300. Why do people refuse to just use a damn torque wrench for something this basic?

2 comments

west.anna•15d ago

Got handed a 30 year old torque wrench at the shop last Tuesday

My boss gave me his Snap-on clicker from 1992 to chase a head bolt pattern on a 6.0 Powerstroke. It was still dead nuts accurate after I tested it on the calibration fixture. Has anyone else had old tools outlast everything new from the box stores?

2 comments

valh32•15d ago

Hot take: skip the impact gun on drum brake springs

I overheard a kid at the parts counter yesterday saying he zips off drum brake springs with his impact and I nearly lost it. I've seen too many cracked backing plates and mangled springs to ever trust a gun there. Anybody else keep a good old brake spring tool in their box for this?

2 comments

amy154•16d ago

Spent $600 on a fancy scan tool that barely works on my 2005 F-150

Picked up a high-end Autel scanner a few months back because I was tired of borrowing my buddy's Snap-On. Figured $600 would get me something decent for diagnosing check engine lights and ABS codes. First week it worked fine on newer cars, but when I hooked it up to my old truck it couldn't even read the PCM. Had to dig out my old Actron just to pull a code for a misfire. Felt like a complete idiot spending that kind of cash for something that only covers half my jobs. Anyone else run into scan tools that just don't play nice with older vehicles?

3 comments

west.anna•17d ago

I finally broke down and followed an old timer's advice about timing belts

Had a guy at a truck stop in Nevada tell me to stop stretching timing belts past 80k miles on my personal rig, even if they looked fine. Ignored him for about 18 months until one snapped near Flagstaff and cost me $1,200 in towing and parts. Has anyone else had a mechanic's gut feeling save them from a bigger headache?

2 comments

perez.patricia•17d ago

Appreciation post: The shop vac at that garage in Tucson

I was down at Manny's Auto on 22nd Street last month, and they had this beat up old Shop-Vac from 1988 that still sucked harder than the new ones at Home Depot. Meanwhile, we just bought a fancy 14-gallon model at my shop that can barely pick up sawdust. Is there a point where older tools actually work better, or is it just survivor bias?

2 comments

thomas275•19d ago

The $800 scan tool gamble - worth it or a waste?

I dropped $800 on a high-end Autel scan tool last year thinking it would pay for itself in diag time, but half the features are locked behind subscription fees I can't justify. My old $150 code reader catches 90% of problems just fine, and the fancy one just sits in my box. Is it really worth spending big on pro gear, or am I just falling for marketing hype?

3 comments

drew690•20d ago

That 'quick' brake job on a 2014 F-150 that turned into a 6 hour spiral because of one seized caliper bracket bolt

I spent over three hours just fighting that one bolt with heat and a breaker bar before I finally gave in and cut it out with a grinder, has anyone else run into a rusted bolt that made you question your whole career choice?

2 comments

hollyg59•20d ago

That Tuesday last spring where three diesel trucks rolled in with the same exact issue

I swear it was like some weird curse struck the same fleet. Three Ford 6.0 Powerstrokes from the same landscaping company came in all in one day, all with blown EGR coolers. First one I figured okay bad luck, second one got me scratching my head, third one I started checking the calendar for Friday the 13th. Turns out they had been running the same batch of coolant from a bad supplier and it was eating the cooler tubes from the inside out. The shop owner spent like two hours on the phone with the coolant company before they finally admitted a bad batch. I ended up doing all three EGR cooler replacements in three days flat which is normally a two week job if I was taking my time. Wish I had charged more but hey the fleet manager bought us lunch all three days. Has anyone else run into a bad batch of coolant that wrecked parts like this?

2 comments

hayden466•20d ago

Remember when you could actually see the engine bay without pulling plastic? Those were the days.

I was helping a buddy swap a battery in his 2020 SUV last weekend and I swear we spent 15 minutes just popping clips and pulling covers off before we even saw the terminals. Reminded me of working on my old 1990 F-150 where the battery was right there, no frills. Sure, the new stuff runs cleaner and quieter, but give me a simple layout any day when you're on the clock and trying to get a job done quick. Anyone else miss the old school engine bay setups or am I just getting crotchety?

2 comments

martin.paige•23d ago

Took a gamble on a junkyard alternator versus a reman from AutoZone...

I grabbed a 2005 Camry alternator out of a muddy wreck for $38 instead of paying $140 for a reman, and after three hours of scrubbing contacts it's been flawless for nine months now... anyone else ever roll the dice on a junkyard electrical part and win?

3 comments

cameronschmidt•24d ago

Switched from impact guns to a torque wrench for lug nuts on German cars

Been doing tires for 5 years and always just zipped everything down with my IR impact. Had a BMW 5 series come in last month with a wobble complaint. Rotors were warped from overtightening. Shop foreman made me redo all my work with a torque wrench set to spec. Hasn't been a problem since. Anyone else make the switch and notice less comebacks?

3 comments

mary776•24d ago

Had to pick between a used Matco box and a new Husky last month

I was torn between getting a beat up Matco 56 inch for $1200 off Craigslist or a brand new Husky 58 inch from Home Depot for $900. The Matco was way older but had those nice ball bearing slides. I went with the Husky because I didn't want to deal with rusty drawers and a 3 hour drive to pick it up. Honestly it's been solid for 3 weeks now, drawers slide smooth and it holds all my tools fine. I know it's not Snap-on quality but for a weekend warrior like me it gets the job done. Anybody else go with the cheaper new box over a used truck brand?

2 comments

the_charlie•27d ago

Heard a customer say they can get an oil change for $25 at the quick lube place down the street

I told him I'd rather charge $45 and actually drain the pan instead of just pulling the filter and topping off like those guys do, anyone else see that hack job coming through your bay?

2 comments

paulw87•1mo ago

Stripped oil pan threads keep coming through the shop

Seen three cars this month alone come in with oil leaks from overtightened drain plugs. People crank them down with a breaker bar and wonder why they strip out. Anyone else just upsizing to a Fumoto valve on these instead of chasing threads?

3 comments

stella_baker•1mo ago

That 2002 Ford Explorer took me 6 hours for a simple no-start

I was working on this old Explorer last Tuesday, customer says it cranks but won't fire. Checked spark, fine. Fuel pressure, fine. Spent 2 hours chasing my tail before I remembered the PATS system on these. Pulled the key apart and the transponder chip had cracked in half. A $12 part and 20 minutes later it fired right up. Has anyone else ever had a simple problem turn into a whole day because you overlooked something obvious?

3 comments

hart.mark•1mo ago

Shoutout to the old-timer who showed me the right way to seat a tapered wheel bearing

I keep seeing guys at the shop just crank down the castle nut and call it good, which can lead to a hot hub and a seized bearing down the road. He made me pack it, spin it, and torque it to 20 foot-pounds while turning the rotor, then back it off to set the cotter pin. How many of you still follow that full process, or has everyone moved on to sealed units?

3 comments

murphy.barbara•1mo ago

Replaced a thermostat on a 2015 Civic and the temp gauge still acted funny

I put in a new housing and a fresh 195-degree unit, but the needle kept dropping at idle. Turns out, the old coolant was so degraded it wasn't transferring heat properly. Anyone else run into coolant causing a false thermostat diagnosis?

3 comments

rowan2•1mo ago

I finally stopped using my old impact wrench for lug nuts after a close call

For years, I'd zip lug nuts on with my old high-torque impact, thinking it saved time. Last spring, I warped the rotors on a customer's F-150 because I over-torqued them. Now I use a torque stick set and finish with a calibrated wrench, aiming for the spec, usually around 100 ft-lbs. It adds maybe 90 seconds per wheel, but the peace of mind is worth it. Has anyone else made the switch to a more careful process, and what was your reason?

3 comments

the_ruby•1mo ago

Warning: a customer's complaint about my bay made me change my whole cleanup routine

They said my floor looked like a 'used parts graveyard' after a brake job. Now I sweep and wipe down the lift after every single vehicle, no exceptions. Anyone else get called out on shop cleanliness?

3 comments

the_ruby•1mo ago

Hot take: I was wrong about the torque spec for Honda crank pulley bolts

The manual for a 2012 Civic says 181 ft-lbs, but I found a TSB from a Honda tech forum showing it should be 94 ft-lbs plus a 90-degree turn. What's the most surprising spec you've ever found?

3 comments

phoenix331•1mo ago

Rant: The week every car seemed to need a new alternator

Had three different vehicles in the shop last week, a Ford F-150, a Honda Civic, and a Chevy Silverado, all with the same alternator failure. The parts guy at NAPA said they'd sold more that week than in the previous month. Anyone else see weird spikes like that with specific parts?

3 comments